Diksha Sundriyal
While Netflix serves an extensive collection of movies and TV shows to its audience, it has made its name for the original content. Every year, it comes up with a streak of amazing shows in all genres. From ‘Mindhunter’ to ‘The Crown’ and ‘Stranger Things’ to ‘The Haunting of Hill House’, Netflix originals have taken the world by storm. One of the things that make it even better is that with its hold over almost all of the world, it hasn’t hesitated in investing in the entertainment sector of foreign languages. From Korean shows to Indian tales, Netflix seems to be focused on only one thing- expansion. And that’s nothing if not good news for us binge-watchers.
With every great series, the streaming service raises the stakes and tries to better itself by delivering another awesome show. Here is a comprehensive list of the important new shows coming out on Netflix in 2020 and beyond. We can only hope that these upcoming Netflix shows are as good as some of the recent series it produced.
30. Messiah (January 1, 2020)
Religion is a very complicated thing. It is different for everyone, and the problem is that everyone wants their version to be true for the rest of the world. And this is the cause of half the problems in the world. This series is woven around a similar concept. It follows the rise of a man who claims to be the Messiah of the modern world. We have seen how people have reacted to such figures in the past and how these figures have changed the course of history. It’ll be interesting to see how this story works out in the modern setting.
30. Queen Sono (February 28, 2020)
The world of espionage is very exciting. However, it is logical to believe that it might not exactly be as lavish, fashionable and action-fuelled as what we see in the movies, especially the ‘Bond movies’ and the ‘Mission: Impossible’ series. The spies live proper lives, no matter how set they might be in truth or lies, but they do have to deal with the same things that normal people do. ‘Queen Sono’ follows the story of one such spy. It focuses on both the clandestine and the cover life of the protagonist who works as a secret agent for the South African government.
29. Hollywood (May 2020)
Ryan Murphy is known for creating shows like ‘American Horror Story’, ‘American Crime Story‘ and ‘Glee’. In 2019, he collaborated with Netflix to create ‘The Politician‘. ‘Hollywood’ is amongst the first of Murphy-created shows for the streaming service. As the name suggests, the series follows the story of a number of people in LA hoping to make their dreams come true. Murphy has described it as “the love letter to the Golden Age of Tinseltown”. Set in the 1940s, it has multiple characters at the front. The cast consists of regular faces from Murphy-verse. Darren Criss, David Corenswet, Jim Parsons, Dylan McDermott, Patti LuPone are set to be a part of it. Newcomers like Maude Apatow, Samara Weaving, Laura Harrier and Jake Picking are also a part of the project.
28. Ratched (September 2020)
Another Ryan Murphy project to materialise on the screen is the adaptation of ‘One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest’. Created by Evan Romansky, it stars Sarah Paulson in the role of the titular Nurse Ratched. The additional cast includes Jon Jon Briones, Finn Wittrock, Charlie Carver, Judy Davis, Cynthia Nixon, Corey Stoll and Sharon Stone. Based on the novel by Ken Kesey, it follows the story of the nurse and the events that lead to her becoming a monstrous figure for the patients at a psychiatric hospital. The show is executive produced by Murphy and Michael Douglas, with Sarah Paulson also serving as producer.
27. Away (2020)
After delivering space sci-fi dramas like ‘Lost in Space’ and ‘Another Life’, Netflix has geared up another one for 2020. Starring Hilary Swank in the lead role, ‘Away’ follows the story of a woman who prepares to leave for a year-long mission to Mars. While she has to be ready for the challenges that space travel and the new planet will bring her way, she also has to struggle with the thought of leaving behind her husband and her daughter. Created by Andrew Hinderaker, it is executive produced by Jason Katims, Matt Reeves, Adam Kassan and Ed Zwick. The cast includes Josh Charles, Talitha Bateman, Ato Essandoh and Mark Ivanir.
26. Clickbait (2020)
The official synopsis of ‘Clickbait’ reads: In this thriller series, eight different points of view provide tantalising clues to the perpetrator of a gruesome crime fuelled by social media. The series revolves around the disappearance of a man and the people who have their lives upended after they become entangled in the case. Zoe Kazan (‘The Big Sick’), Betty Gabriel (‘Get Out’), Adrian Grenier (‘Entourage’) and Phoenix Raei (‘Stateless’) have been cast in the lead roles. The story takes a look at the way social media can be used against us and how it creates a great difference between who people actually are and what persona they choose to adopt online.
25. Cursed (2020)
The characters from the legend of King Arthur have been brought on the screen a number of times. Be it the movies based on the king himself (Guy Ritchie’s ‘King Arthur’) or a TV show depicting the story of a supporting character (‘Merlin‘), there are a number of unexplored sections of this legendary tale. ‘Cursed’ tells the story from the perspective of Nimue, famously known as, Lady of the Lake. The show charts the teenage years of her life and turns it into a coming-of-age story. The lead role is played by Katherine Langford, who received her break-out role from another Netflix teen-drama, ‘13 Reasons Why‘. Devon Terell plays Arthur, Gustaf Skarsgard plays Merlin, and Daniel Sherman plays the role of the Weeping Monk. The story is adapted from the novel of the same name by Frank Miller and Tom Wheeler, who also serve as the executive producers of the series.
24. Into the Night (2020)
Continuing to expand its reach in the international market, Netflix is ready to wade into the entertainment industry of Belgium with its first original in the language, ‘Into the Night’. Based on Jacek Dukaj’s book ‘The Old Axolotl’, it is set on a plane that takes off from Brussels, but the passengers discover that they can’t land on their intended destination. Turns out, the sun has turned deadly. It kills anyone who comes in contact with sunlight. The people on board have to get past their language barriers and personal differences to work together and get the flight to the place where they have the cover of night. The show is written and created by Jason George, known for ‘Narcos‘ and ‘Scandal‘.
23. Kaos (2020)
Charlie Covell has gained a reputation after adapting the popular teen-drama, ‘The End of the F***ing World’. In her project for Netflix, she is bringing another interesting series for us. Titled ‘Kaos’, it is described as the “genre-bending series puts a modern twist on Greek and Roman mythology, exploring themes of gender politics, power and life in the underworld.” The details about the exact plot and the casting for the series is under wraps right now. The production companies involved with it are All3Media and Brightstar, with Nina Lederman, Tanya Seghatchian and Jon Woodward serving as executive producers.
22. Young Wallander (2020)
‘Wallander’ is a series of novels by Henning Mankell and follows the story of a detective named Kurt Wallander. It has previously been adapted for television, with Kenneth Branagh starring in the lead role. Netflix has decided to give a fresh start to the character. ‘Young Wallander’, set in Sweden, follows the story of the fresh-out-of-academy detective, focusing on the cases that mould his character. Swedish actor Adam Pålsson has been cast in the lead role, with Ellise Chappell and Richard Dillane appearing in supporting roles. The six-episode season is directed by Ole Endresen and Jens Jonsson, with Ben Harris serving as the writer.
21. From Scratch (2020)
Based on the memoir of Tembi Locke, ‘From Scratch’ is a limited series that has Zoe Saldana in the lead role. It follows the story of a woman who has to raise her daughter alone after the death of her husband. Described as a story about hope and love, it is executive produced by Saldana, with Reese Witherspoon attached with the project. Attica Locke (‘When They See Us’) also serves as executive producer, while also working as the showrunner.
20. Never Have I Ever (2020)
Mindy Kaling is known for her work on hit comedies like ‘The Office‘, ‘The Mindy Project’ and Hulu’s ‘Four Weddings and a Funeral‘. Now, she has turned towards Netflix to create and produce an original series that follows the story of a teenage first-generation Indian-American girl. It is based on her personal experiences. The comedy has received a ten-episode series order and Kaling is working in it with Lang Fisher, known for ‘Brooklyn Nine-Nine‘ and ’30 Rock’. Newcomer Maitreyi Ramakrishna has been cast in the lead role. John McEnroe has been pegged to serve as the narrator for the show.
19. The Queen’s Gambit (2020)
Based on the novel of the same name by Walter Tevis, ‘The Queen’s Gambit’ is set in the Cold War era. It follows the story of a girl who grows up to be a chess prodigy, but as she tastes more success, her struggles escalate too. ‘The Witch’ actress Anya Taylor-Joy has been cast in the lead role. Scott Frank, known for his work in ‘Godless’ and ‘Logan’, serves as the executive producer. He is also set to co-write, with Allan Scott, and direct the show.
18. The Serpent (2020)
Marking another collaboration between BBC and Netflix, ‘The Serpent’ is a joint production. It is based on the true story of a serial killer named Charles Sobhraj. The eight-episode series has Tahar Rahim (‘The Looming Tower’, ‘Mary Magdalene’) in the lead role. Jenna Coleman (‘Doctor Who’) plays the role of Sobhraj’s partner-in-crime, Marie-Andrée Leclerc. Additional cast includes Billy Howle (‘Dunkirk’, ‘Outlaw King’) and Ellie Bamber (‘Les Misérables’). The series has been written by Richard Warlow and Toby Finlay.
17. Space Force (2020)
Steve Carell became a household name after playing the role of Michael Scott in ‘The Office‘. Now, with Netflix, he is returning to the scenario of workplace comedy with ‘Space Force’. The show is created by Carell, along with Greg Daniels, who is known for working on hit comedies like ‘Parks and Recreation‘, ‘The Simpsons‘, ‘Saturday Night Live’, as well as, ‘The Office’. The story is set in the sixth branch of the United States armed services, Space Force. Carell heads the cast with John Malkovich, Ben Schwartz, Diana Silvers and Tawny Newsome in the supporting roles.
16. Inventing Anna (2020)
Netflix’s love for true crime is no secret. The streaming service heavily invests itself in documentaries and docuseries about all sorts of crimes. With ‘Inventing Anna’, it dramatizes another interesting true-crime incident. At the centre of it is Anna Delvey, who conned people by taking over the persona of a German heiress. The show takes inspiration from the New York Magazine article, How Anna Delvey Tricked New York’s Party People by Jessica Pressler. Created and produced by Shonda Rhimes, it stars Julia Garner (‘Ozark’, ‘Maniac’) in the lead role. Additional cast includes Anna Chlumsky, Katie Lowes and Laverne Cox.
15. Cowboy Bebop (2020)
Japanese animated series ‘Cowboy Bebop’ has received a live-action adaptation at Netflix. It follows the story of Spike Spiegel, a cowboy who travels around the solar system with his team of bounty hunters. For the right price, they will hunt down any criminal, no matter how monstrous. The ten-episode series has John Cho in the lead role. Additional cast includes Mustafa Shakir, Daniella Pineda and Alex Hassell. Shinichiro Watanabe, who directed the original series, serves as the consultant for the show, with Christopher Yost writing and producing.
14. The Eddy (2020)
Academy Award winner Damien Chazelle is another big name to be attached to Netflix. Created by him and written by Jack Thorne (‘This is England’, ‘Harry Potter and the Cursed Child’, ‘His Dark Materials’), ‘The Eddy’ is described as the story of a “French club owner who deals with the everyday chaos of running a live music venue in the heart of Paris.” André Holland (‘Moonlight’, ‘Selma’) has been cast in the lead role. The additional cast includes Joanna Kulig, Amandla Stenberg, Tahar Rahim and Leila Bekhti.
13. Madam C.J Walker (2020)
Sarah Breedlove was an African-American entrepreneur who changed everyone’s views about what women, especially the African-Americans, could do in society. In the late 1800s, she came up with beauty and hair products for black women and became one of the most successful people in America. In fact, she is said to be the first-ever self-made millionaire woman in the history of the country. No matter how great the results were, her story was full of trials and struggles, and that’s why it is more important to acknowledge the journey than its outcome. In an effort to do that, Netflix has produced a limited series based on her life, in which Octavia Spencer plays the lead role.
12. Ghost in the Shell: SAC_2045 (2020)
Per Netflix’s official announcement, the third season of the anime series is to be directed by Appleseed’s Shinji Aramaki and Kenji Kamiyama, the latter having previously worked on ‘Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex’. The first two seasons are centred around corruption scandals within the Japanese government. This one takes it a step further. The official synopsis of ‘Ghost in the Shell: SAC_2045’ dictates: “In the year 2045, after global capitalism has defaulted, Japan’s elite Section 9 begins conducting covert cyber operations.”
11. Jupiter’s Legacy (TBA)
‘Jupiter’s Legacy’ is a comic book series written by Mark Millar, who is also the author of other comic books that have been adapted into successful films like ‘Wanted’, ‘Kingsman’ and ‘Kick-Ass’. This story focuses on a world where the superheroes have seized control of the government and are now ruling the world. As for other superheroes, this presents a dilemma. Do they go with the flow, or do they restore order as it was before? Considering the great stuff that we have received from Millar’s previous comics, we can easily say that ‘Jupiter’s Legacy’ is to be one hell of a ride too.
10. Altered Carbon (TBD)
‘Altered Carbon’, which is already a live-action series on Netflix, is to receive the anime makeover for the streaming service. The live-action series is set in a dystopian future where a person’s memories and consciousness can be downloaded onto a cortical stack, a device which can then be attached to the vertebral column of another body or a sleeve (artificial bodies), to transfer the consciousness and memories. Apparently, the new anime series is touted to be based on similar lines, albeit in a parallel universe i.e. it could be a spinoff, which presents a great range of options for the story, considering the already convoluted storyline that it has.
9. Pacific Rim (TBD)
The popular franchise ‘Pacific Rim’, which already has a couple of live-action films, is making a comeback on Netflix with an all-exclusive anime series. The word on the street is that the premise is set around a young boy and a girl who would assume control of an abandoned Jaeger and traverse the country, looking for their parents, while the Kaiju crisis still looms on them. Unfortunately, Guillermo del Toro, the original creator of Pacific Rim won’t be involved in the project.
8. Shadow and Bone (TBA)
After the success of ‘The Witcher’, Netflix is expanding its fantasy genre and has some big projects lined up in the near future. One of them is ‘Shadow and Bone’. It is based on the Grisha trilogy written by Leigh Bardugo. Set in the Kingdom of Ravka, it follows the story of a teenager who discovers her powers when she is forced to use them to save her friend. The book is adapted for the screen by Eric Heisserer, known for his work on ‘Arrival’, ‘Lights Out’ and ‘Bird Box’. Jessie Mei Li, Ben Barnes, Freddy Carter, Archie Renaux, Amita Suman and Kit Young have been cast in the main roles.
7. All the Light We Cannot See (TBA)
Netflix is adapting Anthony Doerr’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel of the same name into a TV show. Set during the Second World War in France, it follows the story of a young girl who has to flee her home after the invasion of the Nazis; and an orphan who is drafted for Hitler Youth. The limited series is being produced by 21 Laps (known for ‘Stranger Things’ and ‘Arrival’). Not much is known about the project yet, but with so many literary classics and contemporary hits finding their way to our TV screens and blowing us away, we can expect nothing but great things from this award-winning bestseller book.
6. 1899 (TBA)
‘Dark’ is one of the best series on Netflix. It came out of the blue and took the sci-fi lovers by storm. The credit for creating this great story goes to Baran bo Odar and Jantje Friese. With the show coming to an end in 2020, the storytellers have turned their attention to another project. Titled ‘1899’, it is described as a historical horror series. At the turn of the 20th century, a ship is on its way to New York, full of European immigrants. Their dreams of turning over a new leaf are shattered when they discover another ship en-route. If it is anything like ‘Dark’, we have a lot to look forward to with this one.
5. 10 After Midnight (TBA)
Academy Award-winning director, Guillermo del Toro has turned towards Netflix to make his next horror project. The horror anthology is being produced by del Toro, who also serves as the writer and director for a number of episodes. It is to be the “collection of the filmmaker’s personally curated stories, described as both equally sophisticated and horrific.” The details on cast and crew are scarce, but it is reported that del Toro is to handpick the best horror writers and directors for the show.
4. Avatar: The Last Airbender (TBA)
The cycle of fantasy series is not stopping anytime soon. Netflix is singlehandedly planning to deliver some of the biggest and most anticipated fantasy shows, and the addition of ‘Avatar: The Last Airbender’ on the list excites us even more. Based on the animated series of the same name, it is set in a world where the civilization is divided into four nations based on the elements- Air, Earth, Fire and Water. It follows the story of a young boy who discovers he can control all elements, which makes him an Avatar. The cast hasn’t been finalised yet but Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko, the creators of the original series, have returned to helm the show.
3. Resident Evil Series (TBA)
‘Resident Evil’ is a popular video game series that has been adapted into a blockbuster movie franchise. Despite the consistently bad reviews for the films, they have survived due to the commitment of the audience. But it is about time that it received a do-over. Netflix has stepped up for this opportunity and is developing a TV series that takes us back to the beginning. It is still in early stages, so details are scarce for plot and cast, but it is reported that the TV show is to lean more on the horror tone than the action.
Read More: Best TV Shows of 2019
2. Ju-On (TBA)
The Japanese-American horror franchise, ‘Ju-On’ aka ‘The Grudge‘ is coming to Netflix in the form of a television series. Ever since the release of the first film in 2000, the series has gained notoriety for being one of the best in the horror genre. It is also praised for reviving the spark of horror movies. A movie remake is already in the works, set to release in 2020. Netflix, however, is taking a different direction from the cinematic franchise. The official synopsis reads: The J-horror classic franchise “Ju-On” was actually based on real events that occurred over four decades– and the truth is even more terrifying.
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1. The Chronicles of Narnia (TBA)
One of the most beloved fantasy series of all time, ‘The Chronicles of Narnia’ by C.S Lewis has been adapted for the big screen before. The success of the first two films paved the way for what could have been another iconic fantasy series, but things fell apart after the third film. There have been rumours about the fourth film in the series, but it has been ten years now, and we have nothing concrete on that front. Netflix, however, is moving forward with a television series. The project is still in early stages, but with seven books in the series and Netflix’s resources, we have an epic adventure in store.
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