Dani Kessel Odom (they/them) is an autistic lead writer and TV critic who covers sci-fi shows like Doctor Who and Pluribus, fantasy shows like The Magicians and Percy Jackson, and horror of all kinds. They also cover Marvel and DC TV shows and movies, with a robust knowledge of comic books. Their TV reviews can be found on Rotten Tomatoes.
Dani is also part of ScreenRant’s books team, using their fiction writing and literature studies as the backbone for their book analyses.
They have covered events, such as the Denver Fan Expo. Professionals in the field, such as Damien Leone and Lucy Hale, have shared their articles. Their review of Ponies was quoted in the show’s TV trailer.
In university, they majored in English Writing with a minor in psychology. They have always had a passion for analyzing TV and movies, even taking filmography and scriptwriting classes in university. They also studied and participated in onstage and onscreen acting extensively from the ages of 7 to 18.
Aside from working at Screen Rant, Dani has worked as a freelance editor and writer over the past decade, often in a ghostwriting capacity.
Many sci-fi TV shows have been announced in 2026, and these ten projects in development stand out as the most exciting and promising shows on the horizon. With the sci-fi genre more popular than ever, studios and streamers keep announcing new TV and movie projects. This year, official confirmation came about the live-action Cyberpunk 2077 movie and another entry in the Alien franchise. The beloved Red Rising book series could also finally hit the big screen.
Meanwhile, TV show announcements have been plentiful. Some, like Zero Hour, tell original stories, while others, like Daisy Ridley’s Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, reimagine beloved series. Not everything has had a positive reception. For instance, the upcoming Stargate TV show has been poorly received by the core fanbase, especially since the last showrunner was let go for creating a show that catered to the existing fanbase instead of new viewers. However, other projects are generating much more buzz, even if some of it’s cautious optimism. These ten science fiction TV shows in development are the most promising small-screen titles announced this year, ranked from least to most exciting.
10
Zero Hour
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World War Z co-screenwriter Matthew Michael Carnahan is teaming up with AGBO, the company behind Everything Everywhere All at Once, to bring Harrison Query’s original short story “Zero Hour” to life as a high-concept Paramount+ sci-fi/thriller TV show. In this first-contact story, people on Earth try to survive when ovals appear in the sky. Rather than following a single perspective, it switches between a wife of an ailing husband, a doomsday prepper, a teenage runaway, and a presidential aide.
“Zero Hour” isn’t available to the public, as of the time of writing, but the concept’s interesting. The TV adaptation is also exciting because of the team involved. Harrison Query has made waves by sparking bidding wars and selling his spec scripts and short stories for millions. Carnahan and AGBO have both proven they can handle sci-fi.
9
Future Housewives
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Although we don’t have much to go off yet, Future Housewives is one of the most thrilling sci-fi shows on the way. Refreshingly, it isn’t an adaptation. Instead, the original drama satirizes the reality TV show Real Housewives. Wealthy socialites living in the asteroid colony of New Beverly Hills navigate rivalries, interplanetary scandals, and the newest futuristic cosmetic procedures. However, everything gets thrown out of whack when a young outsider shows up.
The zany premise feels right at home at Seth MacFarlane’s Fuzzy Door. On top of that, actress and media personality Ariana Madix will star in MacFarlane’s sci-fi show, which is a fantastic choice since she started on the reality TV show Vanderpump Rules and she hosts Love Island USA. All things considered, Future Housewives is shaping up to be one of the most interesting upcoming sci-fis.
8
Robocop
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The 1987 campy sci-fi classic RoboCop is being reimagined for television. This isn’t the first time it has been adapted for this format, but it’s probably the most exciting. Set in a dystopian, futuristic Detroit, the story centers on a police officer named Alex Murphy, who is killed and then revived by the corporation Omni Consumer Products as a cyborg cop who upholds the law without question.
RoboCop‘s themes of corporate greed and mass surveillance feel extremely relevant in today’s late-stage capitalist world, making it an ideal time to retell the story. Dan Stevens has been cast in the titular role, and his versatile, intense acting style makes him a strong fit. Showrunner Peter Ocko is well equipped to tell this story, and he will be supported by the original co-creators, Ed Neumeier and Michael Miner, who will executive produce.
7
Shifter
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Severance is one of the best sci-fi TV shows currently running, and three individuals from the show are teaming up to adapt the French biopunk sci-fi graphic novel La Passe Visage, aka Shifter, by Koren Shadmi for Hulu. Set in the near future, a banned cosmetic procedure allows people to change their faces with ease. Consequently, a black market industry has developed for Shifters, people who will become anyone a person wants for any purpose.
Unfortunately, the graphic novel isn’t available in the US yet, but the concept sounds extremely thrilling. It also has great reviews. On top of that, Adam Scott, Ezra Claytan Daniels, and Eli Jorné have proven themselves capable both with Severance and their separate projects. Hulu might not have many sci-fi shows, but the ones it does have are great. Shifter could continue this trend.
6
Artemis Fowl
The science fantasy book Artemis Fowl is getting a new TV show. In the book, the titular twelve-year-old prodigy is on a mission to save his kidnapped father. He kidnaps a fairy officer named Holly Short to steal an underground stash of fairy gold and pay his father’s ransom. The 2020 movie adaptation of Artemis Fowl was disappointing, earning less than 10% on Rotten Tomatoes, and Disney+ now has the chance to successfully bring the beloved story to the screen again.
Unlike the last on-screen version, author Eoin Colfer is directly involved as an executive producer, and he’ll offer creative guidance to honor the source material. The animated format is also a great choice for this story because it has a better chance of capturing both the high-tech and magical elements.
5
Spaceship Earth
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The beloved EPCOT ride at Disney World, Spaceship Earth, is inspiring a new sci-fi TV show, and it already sounds really interesting. The description provided to Deadline is “when a mission to avert an imminent global cataclysm goes awry, a small band of teenagers from Earth’s past and future must join forces to confront a threat as vast and mysterious as time itself.” The high-stakes time-travel premise sounds like a mix of DC’s Legends of Tomorrow, Travelers, and Timeless—all of which are top-notch sci-fi shows.
Powerhouse Hollywood creative Jason Fuchs, known for IT: Welcome to Derry and Wonder Woman, will write, showrun, and executive produce the show. Meanwhile, Michael Waldron, who worked on Loki and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, will co-write at least the pilot and executive produce. Two great up-and-coming actors, Catherine Lagaʻaia (live-action Moana) and Deacon Phillippe (Brother Save Us), will also star in Spaceship Earth.
4
Firefly (Animated)
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Firefly was unfairly canceled after a single season in 2002, and fans have absolutely rallied to get the show back ever since. The only progress until this year was the Serenity movie. However, Nathan Fillion announced in March 2026 that the show would come back, but in an animated format instead.
If the Firefly revival weren’t animated, it would be the most exciting sci-fi TV show announced this year. While the new format makes sense logistically—the actors have aged 24 years since the OG show—it is a bit of a bummer not to see the show in live-action again. That being said, the Firefly cast’s return makes this a thrilling prospect for fans. Additionally, the story will take place in the same canon between the original show and Serenity, filling in a lot of the gaps.
3
Animorphs
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Animorphs by K.A. Applegate was arguably the coolest sci-fi kids’ book series of the 90s. For those unfamiliar, the series centers on a group of teenagers who get wrapped up in a galactic war between the Andalites and a species of parasitic slugs called the Yeerks. The Andalites give them the ability to transform into any animal, which they use to fight back against the Yeerks. The books were adapted into a truly bad TV show from 1998 to 2000, and a second adaptation is happening on Disney+.
Ryan Coogler is executive producing the Animorphs TV show, which is a good match. Writer and executive producer Bayan Wolcott may not have much sci-fi experience, but almost everything he does is great. There’s also no shortage of source material, with 54 main books, giving the show longevity if done right.
2
Skyward
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Author Brandon Sanderson has so many phenomenal stories that would fit well on the screen. Luckily, many of the best books will come to the screen. Apple TV is making a Mistborn theatrical film and a TV adaptation of The Stormlight Archive. Meanwhile, Tomorrow Studios is bringing Sanderson’s Cytoverse book series Skyward to the screen. The story centers on a young pilot, Spin, who fights to survive Detritus, a planet surrounded by aliens.
Setting aside everything else, the studio behind the project is a great sign because they’ve brought the beloved live-action One Piece show to life. Still, other positive indicators also stand out. The author is co-writing the pilot episode, and he’ll serve as executive producer. He won’t be nearly as hands-on as he is on the Cosmere projects. However, the story’s in good hands with co-showrunners Jed Whedon and Maurissa Tancharoen.
1
Dungeon Crawler Carl
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The most exciting sci-fi show announced in 2026 is Peacock’s live-action Dungeon Crawler Carl. For those who haven’t read the LitRPG book yet, the story centers on a coast guard veteran named Carl and his ex-girlfriend’s prize-winning cat, Princess Donut the Queen Anne Chonk. After aliens destroy Earth, they compete in a reality TV show where they must survive every dungeon level to reclaim the planet.
Though Dungeon Crawler Carl hasn’t cast the title character yet, they hired iconic audiobook narrator Jeff Hays as the voice actor for Princess Donut. Christopher Yost’s experience on Thor: Ragnarok is a good indicator that the show will capture the absurdist humor of the books. What’s more, author Matt Dinniman will co-executive produce Dungeon Crawler Carl, giving him a hand in adapting his own story.
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