More than any other screen genre, action is dominating the TV listings for 2026, as high-octane drama series and visually spectacular renderings of heroism are drawing in streaming audiences like never before. Now that television producers have mastered the art of bringing cinematic action to the small screen, blockbusters are no longer the preserve of the movie theater.
If the best action shows of 2025 are anything to go by, then superhero franchises, epic Westerns, fantasy spinoffs and war thrillers will make just as big a splash on TV as they do in theaters this year. Indeed, 2026 will see some of streaming’s biggest action series return to our screens, alongside some highly anticipated new releases.
Everything from police procedurals and detective shows to major new releases from Marvel, DC, Star Wars, and Game of Thrones promise to deliver more action-packed sequences than their feature-length counterparts could ever hope to muster. With budgets exceeding even the most expensive movies of the year, these series will push the boundaries of the action genre to their limits.
All 16 shows listed here have been confirmed as 2026 releases. For this reason, sci-fi sequel series Blade Runner 2099 isn’t included, even though it’s still highly likely to drop this year. However, before we receive further updates about this production, there are plenty of other dazzling new action releases to be getting along with.
Vanished
February 1 On MGM+
Kaley Cuoco’s four-episode mystery thriller Vanished might be relatively lightweight compared to some of the shows further down this list, but it’s still an engrossing watch that’s set to keep viewers on the edge of their seats until the end of February. The miniseries sees Cuoco play the partner of a man who disappears in Paris during a romantic vacation.
Vanished barely allows us time to catch our breaths between surprise twists and breakneck action sequences. As its lead actor has attested to herself, the show’s rapid pacing makes it the perfect single-evening thriller binge. MGM+ might have been better advised to serve it up all at once, then, rather than staggered across a month of Sundays.
Cross (Season 2)
February 11 On Prime Video
Aldis Hodge is back as James Patterson’s most celebrated detective character, Alex Cross, in another eight-episode season of gritty homicide investigation. Cross season 2 is likely to be bigger and better than Hodge’s first outing in this iconic role, but fans of the series so far will be pleased to hear that it follows more or less the same formula.
The show’s seasons aren’t based on one single novel written by Patterson, but uses his stories as inspiration for an original plot that weaves elements of multiple novels into its central arc. One thing is likely to remain the same, whatever the case Cross is working on. He’ll be struggling with his own demons as much as the investigation itself.
The Night Agent (Season 3)
February 19 On Netflix
If The Night Agent season 3’s latest trailer is anything to go by, this installment of Peter Sutherland’s story is going to be one long adrenaline rush. Gabriel Basso’s heroic FBI agent appears to have more on his plate than ever, with deadly terror attacks and statewide conspiracies to contend with.
Basso will be joined by a host of new series regulars, including True Blood star Stephen Moyer. For action genre purists, there’s more shows more satisfying than this Netflix original, which never fails to deliver on its promises.
Marshals
March 1 On CBS
The first of three new Taylor Sheridan Western series debuting in 2026, Marshals follows Yellowstone’s Kayce Dutton as he begins a new life working for federal law enforcement in Montana. Kayce is drawing on experience as a Navy SEAL to follow in the footsteps of some of the Western genre’s most iconic TV characters, by becoming a U.S. Marshal.
Yet, this new career path is still quite the change from his time working on the Dutton family ranch in Yellowstone, when he was very much on the other side of the law. What’s more, the unfortunate fate of Kayce’s wife Monica Long Dutton needs to be addressed in this action-packed spinoff.
Young Sherlock
March 4 On Prime Video
The confirmation that Young Sherlock will be released on Prime Video in March officially makes next month the biggest in the 2026 TV calendar for action fans. This Guy Ritchie prequel to the Sherlock Holmes mysteries, based on Andrew Lane’s novel series, is going to move with a fair bit more vigor than the average murder mystery.
Young Sherlock will be a swashbuckling journey through the student Holmes’ college years at Oxford, where he begins a friendship with none other than future nemesis James Moriarty. There might not be any Watson around at this stage, but in Moriarty and Princess Gulun Shou’an, the teenage Sherlock has all the all-action sidekicks he needs.
One Piece (Season 2)
March 10 On Netflix
With the Grand Line underway, Netflix’s live-action One Piece has some key scenes to get right in season 2. Judging by how things went in the show’s first season, though, fans of the manga franchise have little to worry about.
Teenage pirate Monkey D. Luffy and his fellow Straw Hats are well on their way to becoming live-action legends. Beginning in Loguetown and ending on Drum Island, with Robin and Chopper along for the ride, this second season of One Piece is rightly the most anticipated fantasy action release of the year.
Daredevil: Born Again (Season 2)
March 24 On Disney+
Matthew Lillard will be joining the cast of Daredevil: Born Again in season 2, alongside lead actors Charlie Cox and Vincent D’Onofrio, as well as returning stars like Krysten Ritter, Jon Bernthel, and Wilson Bethel. This underappreciated show is Marvel’s most sophisticated TV outing to date, and its sophomore season looks set to build on last year’s excellent debut.
With Lillard appearing as the mysterious Mr. Charles, and D’Onofrio’s Kingpin continuing to unleash terror on the city of New York, the titular superhero has his work cut out more than ever. If those uncommitted to Marvel releases watch any of their new TV releases this year, it should definitely be this one.
Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord
April 6 On Disney+
Maul – Shadow Lord’s trailer has already revealed the kind of spectacular action we’re in for with the latest Star Wars animated TV series. Darth Maul finally gets the top billing he’s long deserved, in a show that appears to take even more pride than its predecessors in a sumptuously rich animation style that perfectly mimics live-action Star Wars.
Besides the return of Maul himself, there are three exciting new characters being introduced to the franchise in this show. Devon Izara is a Twi’lek Jedi who the central villain takes under his wing. Then there’s Wagner Moura’s police detective Brander Lawson, and his comically styled droid sidekick Two-Boots.
Trinity
July 2026 On Netflix
Surely Richard Madden’s final audition to play James Bond, Trinity is the latest tightly-coiled Jed Mercurio conspiracy thriller to grace Netflix with a scintillating exhibition of all-out action and suspense. This time around, Madden will play a senior government minister implicated in a plot along with a naval commander.
With great economy and gritty realism, this miniseries is set to bowl over the Netflix viewers who find it, much like Mercurio and Madden’s Bodyguard did in 2018. Fans of Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan character, in particular, will likely get a big kick out of Trinity.
Lanterns
August 2026 On HBO
With Lanterns coming to Disney+ by the end of the summer, DC Comics have their own stake in the action genre’s extra special year in television. In addition to showrunner Chris Mundy and legendary comic book writer Tom King, Lost, The Leftovers and Watchmen creator Damon Lindelof was involved in developing this upcoming series.
It will star Kyle Chandler, Aaron Pierre and Nathan Fillion as members of the iconic Green Lantern Corps, one of DC’s most beloved law enforcement teams. The show is currently scheduled to last eight episodes, but we shouldn’t be surprised if it’s renewed beyond this initial batch.
