Despite the slowdown caused by the worldwide pandemic, a lot of comic book television is headed our way both in the short term and on the horizon. This year will see the debut of shows that have already been produced like Stargirl, the long-awaited Snowpiercer, and Jupiter’s Legacy. It may still deliver on Marvel Studios’ first foray into television with The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, which was fully in production earlier this year. And second seasons of Doom Patrol, The Boys, and The Umbrella Academy are expected from their respective streaming platforms. Hulu will likely also deliver Helstrom (based on Marvel’s Son of Satan) sometime this year.
It is possible Falcon and the Winter Solider may end up rescheduled to 2021 given that production shuttered in March, as did production on WandaVision, Loki, and the Arrowverse shows. In terms of the 2019/2020 broadcast season, it appears only Stumptown and Black Lightning will have finished their seasons as originally planned.
But let’s look further ahead, because 2021 is filled with new projects that are, even now, tantalizing to consider. And while we’re gazing into this crystal ball, let’s consider their chances for becoming a Certified Fresh hit. Who knows? In two year’s time, we may look back and discover one or two correct predictions and at least one wildly wrong call.
Read also: Everything We Know About The Falcon and the Winter Soldier
(Photo by DC Comics)
TV Release Date: TBD
Based On: The DC Comics series focusing on supernatural heroes like Swamp Thing, Madame Xanadu, Zatanna, Deadman, and John Constantine.
Everything We Know So Far: Debuting in 2011, the comic book series was fast-tracked to become a feature film from people like Guillermo del Toro and Doug Liman at various times. In January 2020, J.J. Abrams’ Bad Robot began developing a new iteration with the potential of becoming a film or a television show. In April of that year, HBO Max put the project into development for its streaming service. It is unclear which characters will appear in the show or if Constantine star Matt Ryan — who currently plays the character on DC’s Legends of Tomorrow and voices him in various animated outings — will have a chance to play the mystical con-man in yet another series.
It’s Most Like: Super Friends, The X-Files, and Supernatural with a darker twist.
Chances It Will Be a Certified Fresh Hit: As an executive producer, Abrams’ track record is pretty stellar with hits like Castle Rock (88%), Person of Interest (92%), and, of course, Lost (85%). A lot of that success depends on the talent he brings to run the series on a day-to-day basis, and without those key creative executives in place for Justice League Dark, it is hard to say if this will rank up there with Fringe (90%) or disappear after one season like Alcatraz (60%).
(Photo by Katie Yu/The CW)
TV Release Date: TBD
Based On: Superman and Lois Lane, created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. Also Jonathan Samuel Kent, created by Dan Jurgens — to say nothing of the dozens of characters, settings, and situations created by hundreds of other writers and artists across Superman and Lois’ 80-plus-year history.
Everything We Know So Far: A pilot script was commissioned in October 2019. Taking its cues from the characters’ new status as parents in the “Crisis on Infinite Earths” crossover, the premise will see Clark (Tyler Hoechlin) and Lois (Elizabeth Tulloch) returning to Metropolis to resume their careers and juggle the demands of being parents. Arrowverse mastermind Greg Berlanti is an executive producer while former The Flash showrunner Todd Helbing is supervising the development. Picked up with a 13-episode commitment in January, the series planned to shoot a pilot in May and pick up production after a break to smooth out any changes the network might want. The series will, instead, go straight into production once it is safe to do so. In the meantime, casting continues with Dylan Walsh joining up as Lois’s father, General Samuel Lane, Emmanuelle Chriqui as a grown-up Lana Lang and Erik Valdez as her husband, Kyle Cushing.
It’s Most Like: Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman mixed with Thirtysomething.
Chances It Will Be a Certified Fresh Hit: Arrowverse shows tend to start strong in their first seasons – even DC’s Legends of Tomorrow’s infamously uneven first season managed to score a fresh 65% on the Tomatometer. And unlike the other shows, its main romantic pairing will already be in a relationship! Helbing, meanwhile, was at the helm for some of The Flash’s least-regarded seasons, but ended his run strong with season 5 earning a Certified Fresh 95%. With Hoechlin and Tulloch as appealing versions of the title characters, this can almost be assured an initial Certified Fresh hit status.
TV Release Date: TBD
Based On: Characters appearing on Arrow, including Katherine McNamara’s Mia Queen, Katie Cassidy’s Black Siren, and Juliana Harkavy’s Black Canary.
Everything We Know So Far: Arrow utilized its second-to-last episode as a backdoor pilot for the program, which saw a time-displaced Siren catching up with also out-of-time Black Canary in 2040 — the home-era of Mia Queen. Restoring her memory of the Crisis, the three team-up to stop a mystery group of assassins who, ultimately, kidnap Mia’s brother William (Ben Lewis). All four will presumably be regulars on the series, should the network pick it up. But that is a question every fan has been asking Arrow executive producer Marc Guggenheim since the backdoor pilot aired in January. He will be an EP on the series, should it go forward, but Arrow season 8 showrunner Beth Schwartz will presumably fill the same role on the spinoff. A decision on its fate is expected in May, when the network is expected to announce its fall season lineup.
It’s Most Like: The WB’s Birds of Prey with Arrow-style ass-kicking.
Chances It Will Be a Certified Fresh Hit: After a few years of wandering, Ricardo Diaz as the villain, and diminishing Tomatometer scores, Arrow had a solid finish with a 92%. If Schwartz and Guggenheim bring the same level of focus to the spinoff, it could be quite successful — provided, of course, it utilizes the same shorter-season schedule as, say, Legends or even Arrow’s eight-episode final year.
Read also: Green Arrow and the Canaries Star Katherine McNamara Teases Mia Smoak’s New Vigilante Role
(Photo by ©Warner Bros. Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection)
TV Release Date: TBD
Based On: The magic ring-bearing Green Lantern, created by Martin Nodell. And, of course, its 1960s sci-fi update by John Broome, Gil Kane, and countless others who added to the mythos across the decades.
Everything We Know So Far: Announced at WarnerMedia’s HBO Max presentation in October 2019, Green Lantern will be a prestige-level drama about the space cops who patrol the various sectors of the universe. Developing the series is Greg Berlanti, who alongside Marc Guggenheim and Michael Green co-wrote the 2011 Green Lantern feature film starring Ryan Reynolds (pictured). No cast or showrunner has been announced, but as DC-branded content is a high priority for the upcoming streaming service, we expect more details to be announced once the service launches in May. We do know the series will span several decades of Green Lantern history and tell two stories in its first season. One will be about a Lantern on Earth while the other spends his (or her) time in space. The latter will take some of its cues from the 2007 “Sinestro Corps War” story by Geoff Johns, Dave Gibbons, Ivan Reis and Ethan Van Scriver.
It’s Most Like: Law & Order with a touch of Star Trek.
Chances It Will Be a Certified Fresh Hit: Berlanti is a hit maker. Nearly all of his superhero shows ended up Certified Fresh in their debut years — yes, even DC Universe’s Titans — and his non-superhero CW show All-American also performs well with critics and in the ratings. The producer’s stamp is also on shows like Riverdale and Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, the latter proving his talents extend into the streaming market. A lot depends on the people brought in to produce the show and perform on screen, of course, but assuming it gets prestige-level creatives and cast, it could be one of the most surprising superhero shows to make it to screens.
(Photo by ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty Images)
TV Release Date: TBD
Based On: DC Comics’ strange sci-fi anthology series from the 1960s and its occasional revivals in the following decades.
Everything We Know So Far: Announced at the same time as Green Lantern, Strange Adventures will be an anthology series tapping into the comic book company’s weirder one-off ideas in, according to Berlanti (pictured), “a world where superpowers exist.” We hope that means the series will also serve as an opportunity to introduce more obscure DC Comics characters and position them for their own series. Maybe B’Wana Beast will finally have his chance to shine. Berlanti is producing this one as well with Gotham alum John Stephens serving as showrunner.
It’s Most Like: The Twilight Zone with capes.
Chances It Will Be a Certified Fresh Hit: Anthologies have been hard sells since the mid 1970s — although there were outliers like NBC’s Amazing Stories in the 1980s and Tales from the Crypt (82%) in the 1990s — but have had a boom of late with recent successes like Black Mirror (83%) on Netflix, producer Ryan Murphy’s American Horror Story (76%) and American Crime Story (93%), AMC’s The Terror (87%), Blumhouse horror series Into The Dark (74%) on Hulu, and CBS All-Access’s The Twilight Zone redux (71%) last year. Apple’s revival of Amazing Stories fell to the curse with a 40% on the Tomatometer. Strange Adventures is tough to call without footage; the show could turn out to be a one-season wonder like DC Universe’s Swamp Thing (94%), but Berlanti’s TV output as executive producer on comic book adaptations is consistently high — 88% across 12 titles — so hitting the Certified Fresh threshold shouldn’t be a problem.
(Photo by TM & © 2016 Marvel. All rights reserved. / © Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures / courtesy Everett Collection)
TV Release Date: 2021
Based On: The Marvel Comics character Hawkeye, created by Don Heck and Stan Lee, and the other Marvel Comics character called Hawkeye, created by Allan Heinberg and Jim Cheung.
Everything We Know So Far: Rumored for ages, Marvel Studios finally announced a Hawkeye TV series is in development for Disney+ in August 2019. Mad Men’s Jonathan Igla will serve as showrunner. The series will see Jeremy Renner as Clint Barton, aka Hawkeye, as he trains a new Hawkeye – a young woman known in civilian life as Kate Bishop. Rumors also suggest Renner’s issues off screen, including a bitter divorce, may have delayed the show permanently. With the ever-evolving pandemic, though, we could see this easily moving into 2022.
It’s Most Like: Hopefully, it’ll be like Matt Fraction, David Aja, and Annie Wu’s celebrated 2012-2015 run on the Hawkeye comic, which combined bumbling, detective work, and strong characterization for both Hawkeyes.
Chances It Will Be a Certified Fresh Hit: As Marvel Studios has yet to put one of its shows on the air, it is hard to guess. It is also tough to compare it to a any show currently on the air — the closest in tone would be Legends of Tomorrow, but even that is wackier than we expect a Marvel Studios show to be. And that’s assuming Marvel is using the tone of the Fraction series and not, say, the first Avengers feature, which, with its Certified Fresh 92% score, wouldn’t be the worst thing to emulate.
Read also: Stargirl First Reviews: A Nostalgic, Action-Packed ‘Must See’ for DC Fans
(Photo by Marvel)
TV Release Date: 2021
Based On: The Kamala Khan character created in 2013 by Sana Amanat, Stephen Wacker, G. Willow Wilson, and Adrian Alphona.
Everything We Know So Far: Presumably telling the origin on Kamala’s powers and her introduction into the larger superhero world, the series will also serve as a launching pad for Ms. Marvel to make her way onto movie screens in subsequent Marvel Studios films. Loki’s Bisha K. Ali is the showrunner and casting is currently underway. Production was set to begin in August, but it is possible the outbreak will change those plans.
It’s Most Like: Boy Meets World with bigger antics, supervillains, and a shape-changing lead character.
Chances It Will Be a Certified Fresh Hit: Again, Marvel Studio’s untested status in the television space makes this a question mark, but if we compare it to its closest cinematic cousin, Spider-Man: Homecoming, it could easily end its first season high on the Tomatometer.
(Photo by Marvel)
TV Release Date: TBD
Based On: The night-time vigilante with multiple personalities created by Doug Moench and Don Perlin.
Everything We Know So Far: Announced at the 2019 D23 Expo, Moon Knight will be an action-adventure series focusing on Marc Spector. As Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige described him, “He was left for dead and he may or may not be infused with powers from the moon god … or he might be crazy.” The Exorcist’s Jeremy Slater is the executive producer and showrunner. As with everything else, it is unclear how the outbreak will impact production plans.
It’s Most Like: Arrow with a unique Marvel spin.
Chances It Will Be a Certified Fresh Hit: Slater’s film credits include the abysmal 2015 Fantastic Four (9%) and Netflix’s adaptation of Death Note (39%). His film history may be Rotten, but he fares much better in television. The two-season Exorcist adaptation is a legitimately good show with a series score of 89% and a Certified Fresh first season to prove it. He also developed The Umbrella Academy, which was Certified Fresh at 79% in its first season. There is a reasonable chance for Moon Knight to be the surprise hit of Marvel’s Disney+ initiative.
(Photo by Marvel)
TV Release Date: TBD
Based On: Bruce Banner’s cousin Jennifer Walters, created by John Buscema and Stan Lee. She’s a Manhattan lawyer and a Hulk – usually at the same time.
Everything We Know So Far: After attempts to bring her to the screen faltered over the decades, She-Hulk joined the Disney+ roster during Marvel Studios’ 2019 D23 presentation. Rick and Morty’s Jessica Gao serves as screenwriter, and if her occasional Twitter posts on the topic are any indication, she’s having the time of her life putting the series together. Gao’s other credits suggest the show will be the most comedic of the bunch. Production was slated to begin sometime this year, but again, the outbreak may move She-Hulk to a 2021 production schedule.
It’s Most Like: Stumptown crossed with WWE Raw.
Chances It Will Be a Certified Fresh Hit: Stumptown, which is a roughly good comparison in terms of tone for She-Hulk, closed out its debut season Certified Fresh with a 92% score. Since She-Hulk will be a shorter-run series, it may even find a greater sense of focus than ABC’s P.I. procedural.
(Photo by DC Comics)
TV Release Date: 2021
Based On: The comic book series by Good Omens’ Neil Gaiman and an impressive roster of artists.
Everything We Know So Far: After decades of development as a film property, the series is becoming a television series on Netflix with an 11-episode first season commitment. Wonder Woman screenwriter Allan Heinberg will serve as the showrunner, and Gaiman is on board as an executive producer; though he already told fans his involvement will be less than Good Omens. Krypton’s David S. Goyer is also on the production team. The first season will cover the comic book’s first story line and “a little more,” according to Gaiman. Presumably, this means the introduction of the title character’s sister, Death, and a tease of the second season storyline, which is being developed concurrently with the first season. Casting has not been finalized, and it is unclear when production will begin, but Netflix is eyeing an 2021 release.
It’s Most Like: Good Omens, but somehow more serious and even more whimsical at times.
Chances It Will Be a Certified Fresh Hit: Gaiman has said he will be involved in this less than he had been on Good Omens, but more than American Gods — the Starz adaptation on his 2001 novel. Plus, every title Heinberg has worked on that has a score is Fresh, with Wonder Woman topping the lot of them with a 93% Certified Fresh score. Goyer’s last Certified Fresh film was Batman Begins in 2005, but his more recent TV outings with scores have fared OK — not Certified Fresh, but not Rotten either. Taking all of that and the popularity of the title — many are rooting for it — into consideration, we expect The Sandman will end up easily hitting the Certified Fresh threshold of 75%.
Read also: Everything We Know About Netflix’s The Sandman Series
(Photo by )
TV Release Date: TBD
Based On: The DC/Vertigo series by Brian K. Vaughn and Pia Guerra about the last man on Earth.
Everything We Know So Far: After completing a pilot (itself years in the making) and ordering it to series in 2019, FX decided to retool the project. Showrunners Aida Croal and Michael Green departed the series in April 2019 and were replaced by Eliza Clark. Soon after, star Barry Keoghan also exited. Ben Schnetzer (pictured) will take his place as Yorick, the titular last man. The rest of the cast — which includes Diane Lane, Imogen Poots, Lashana Lynch, Juliana Canfield, Marin Ireland, and Amber Tamblyn — will remain the same. At least, for the moment. In mid-March, Elliot Fletcher joined the cast as Yorick’s enabling best friend Sam.
It’s Most Like: The Quiet Earth with more characters and more social commentary.
Chances It Will Be a Certified Fresh Hit: If FX ever produces a pilot it is happy with, it could very easily be a Certified Fresh hit. Then again, all the years of development may have chiseled away at all of the concept’s unique qualities.
(Photo by Image Comics)
TV Release Date: TBD
Based On: The Millarworld comic book by Mark Millar and artist Peter Gross
Everything We Know So Far: As part of Netflix’s ongoing relationship with Millar, this series will focus on a 12-year-old boy who just happens to be the Second Coming of Christ. The revelation forces him to grow up very quickly and deal with the fate of the world while also tackling common pre-teen problems. Luke Cage veteran Everardo Gout and brother Leopoldo Gout are the executive producers of the six-episode series. Production was to take place in late 2019 in Mexico, but was delayed. Nevertheless, Netflix has set up a page for the series on its website, which means it could be once of the first productions to begin after the pandemic.
It’s Most Like: My So-Called Life crossed with Monty Python’s Life of Brian.
Chances It Will Be a Certified Fresh Hit: Considering Netflix recently cancelled the similarly-themed Messiah, we’re not sure this series will ever make it to air. Also, considering Messiah struck out with a Rotten 44%, American Jesus may be one of the more likely misses in development.
(Photo by ©Freestyle Releasing/Courtesy Everett Collection)
TV Release Date: TBD
Based On: The paranormal investigator created by Tiziano Sclavi and a number of other writers and artists.
Everything We Know So Far: First announced as part of publisher Sergio Bonelli Editore ambitious plans to bring its character to the small screen in 2019, the potential series received a boost when Aquaman director James Wan signed on as a producer this past October; although it is unclear when the 10-episode first season will be produced or where it will air.
It’s Most Like: Kolchak: The Night Stalker with a hipper vibe.
Chances It Will Be a Certified Fresh Hit: To be honest, we’re not sure if Dylan Dog is distinctive enough to wow critics or potential viewers. The 2011 feature film, Dylan Dog: Dead of Night (pictured), earned a meager 7% on the Tomatometer. The comic is unquestionably cool, but much of that coolness can easily evaporate when converted to live-action settings.
Read also: Comics On TV 2020: What’s Coming That We Can’t Wait For
(Photo by Image Comics)
TV Release Date: TBD
Based On: The Top Cow and Image comic book by Zack Kaplan and Andrea Mutti about Earth’s troubled entry into interstellar commerce.
Everything We Know So Far: Skybound Entertainment optioned the comic book for television adaptation in March 2019. Kaplan and Top Cow’s Marc Silvestri and Matt Hawkins will be executive producers.
It’s Most Like: Colony with a strong socioeconomic bent.
Chances It Will Be a Certified Fresh Hit: This one all depends on the budget and how smartly a showrunner uses it to develop the look of the comic into something filmmable. Colony finished its run with a 92% series score and a Certified Fresh first season, which suggests people want to see this sort of material done in a smart, serious way. Port of Earth may be the next series to do so.
(Photo by Image Comics)
TV Release Date: TBD
Based On: The Greg Rucka and Michael Lark comic book about Forever Carlyle, the genetically modified protector — or “Lazarus” — of the family in control of much of the world’s food supply who is starting to doubt her place in that world.
Everything We Know So Far: Amazon picked up the rights during a spending spree in 2017, which included options on the science-fiction novels Ringworld and Snow Crash. Development has been slow, but last September, Rucka told us the process is “actually moving pretty quickly at this moment”; although with Amazon putting a lot of resources into The Lord of the Rings and The Wheel of Time fantasy series, both of which halted production due to the pandemic, the streamers more sci-fi projects may have to wait a little bit longer.
It’s Most Like: Jessica Jones in a Hunger Games–style future with a healthy dose of Sopranos–esque intrigue. Oh, and some samurai imagery every once and awhile.
Chances It Will Be a Certified Fresh Hit: As mentioned earlier, Stumptown, also based on a Rucka-written comic, ended its first season Certified Fresh with a 92% score. As a broadcast show, it is wildly different from what Amazon can do with Lazarus, but considering Rucka is a consistently strong writer, there is a good chance this could perform in that range or even exceed it.
(Photo by Image Comics)
TV Release Date: TBD
Based On: W. Maxwell Prince’s horror anthology series from Image Comics.
Everything We Know So Far: Universal Cable Production optioned the title in October 2018 and soon found a home for it on Quibi, the new streaming service offering content in 10-minute chunks, this past February. Sneaky Pete’s Max and Adam Reid are writing, with Chris Bender, Jake Weiner, and Jake Wagner serving alongside them as executive producers. The series will see the titular Ice Cream Man presenting viewers of ironic, twisted, and strange tales of American suburbia.
It’s Most Like: Night Gallery with added lactose. And told in 10 minutes’ time.
Chances It Will Be a Certified Fresh Hit: Since the Quibi format is so new, it is truly hard to call this one. But perhaps the 10-minute run times will allow it to escape the difficulties anthology programs often face. It may also attract top talent to appear in a single story, much like Tales from the Crypt in its HBO incarnation. But considering CBS All-Access tried to pull big names for a 71% scoring first season of its Twilight Zone, it is also completely reasonable to think Ice Cream Man may end up in the middle of the pack.
