Bored and have nothing to watch lately? Netflix has quite a few new releases this year, including many fan-favourite TV shows returning with new seasons. It looks like 2019 will prove to be an exciting year for many Netflix viewers, so prep your beds and your laptops because here’s a glimpse of some of the upcoming shows to get you binging.
Stranger Things Season Three
Right as we were swinging into the New Year, fans of the cult-favourite Netflix original series Stranger Things were given quite a treat when the official promo poster for the third season was released online. Both the official accounts of Netflix and Stranger Things made the announcement on New Years Day, and actors of the show such as Finn Wolfhard and Millie Bobby Brown soon followed by making their own announcements on Instagram, confirming the news.
While the Duffer Brothers and Shawn Levy (creators of the show) have already stated that the show would last “at least 4 seasons,” fans were still speculating on when exactly the release date of the third season would be, and now it seems like we’ll be seeing our favourite Hawkins gang back on the screen in summer. From what we know so far, the release date will be on July 4th, which is also fitting to the setting of the third season as it will be taking place during the characters’ summer break in 1985, one year after the events of the season.
As the kids are getting older, the new season is set to explore not only the battle against inter-dimensional monsters, but also the pains of growing up and relationships. Finn Wolfhard, who plays Mike Wheeler, told US Weekly that there will definitely be romance in the upcoming season. “It’s set in 1985, in the summer. It’s the summer of love — that’s all I can say, really.” Confirmed to have eight episodes for season three, the ‘80s-themed sci-fi horror show has been merciless and full of action in the past two seasons, and it looks like it’s not going to stop there. There have even been rumours speculating that a major character will be killed off in the third season, making fans all the more anxious for the upcoming season. Actor Gaten Matarazzo, who plays Dustin on the show, has told BBC that “Season three will be darker but funnier.”
The new season will also be showing some new faces, adding actors such as Maya Hawke and Cary Elwes to the cast. While fans are left waiting for another few more months, season three definitely looks promising.
(Image courtesy of @netflix)
Black Mirror Season 5
If you’re a fan of Black Mirror, then we’ve got GREAT news for you. The sci-fi anthology series has confirmed that the show will be returning for a fifth season in 2019 -though it is unknown when exactly throughout the year it will be released or just how many episodes there will be. Following the release of the series first ever interactive movie “Bandersnatch,” executive producer and co-creator Annabel Jones has stated that the amount of time it took to produce the choose-your-own-adventure movie has led to the fifth season of the series to be pushed back. While the series has been known for being quite dark and even slightly creepy, it looks like the new season might change that. “We’re doing more optimistic episodes and stories, rather than just dystopian and negative ones,” co-creator Charlie Brooker told the New York Times.
In terms of casting, rumours have been circulating that the “Malibu” singer Miley Cyrus will be making an appearance in the new season, which she confirmed in an interview with radio host Howard Stern. While the upcoming season won’t be an interactive film again like “Bandersnatch,” fans are still anticipating what the fifth season has to offer and are foreseeing that it will be just as exciting as the previous seasons.
(Image Courtesy of Rolling Stone)
Chilling Adventures Of Sabrina
Season Two
One of the reasons why Halloween 2018 was so great was thanks to the release of the new series “Chilling Adventures of Sabrina,” the sister show to the other popular show on the CW “Riverdale.” Based on the original series “Sabrina The Teenage Witch,” Netflix’s reboot has a darker take of the story and seems to abandon the sitcom and comedy that came with the original, instead opting for a more darker coming-of-age story with more horror and witchcraft (don’t worry, Salem is still in this reboot). Actor Kiernan Shipka plays the main role of Sabrina Spellman, alongside Ross Lynch as Harvey Kinkle.
New faces will also be added to the cast, including Jedidiah Goodacre as Dorian Gray and Alexis Denis as Adam Masters, Mary Wardwell's boyfriend. Regarding the plot for the second season, the character of Sabrina “definitely changes and shifts a lot,” Shipka told Bloody Disgusting. "Her growth is very evident and the second season definitely has a different spin on it than the first season. They're very different from each other. I would just say that, without giving too much away, because it would be a bit of a spoiler, the way that Sabrina's life takes certain turns and certain decisions she makes inform the second season." As many fans of the show are well-aware that “Riverdale” and “Chilling Adventures of Sabrina” take place in the same universe, there are speculations on whether there will ever be a cross-over between the two shows, especially since both shows are created by showrunner Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa.
Several cast members of both shows have expressed interest in having a cross-over between the shows, though are unsure if it will ever happen. Aguire-Sacasa doesn’t seem to rule out the possibility either. “I would hate if there was no way possible for there ever to be a crossover,” he said in an interview with Entertainment Weekly. “I think there’d be a great episode where the Riverdale kids hear about a haunted house in Greendale and try to break in and it’s Sabrina’s house. There’s totally a universe where that happens." The upcoming season will have 10 episodes, and according to Variety, Netflix has ordered another 16 episodes of the series which are planned to be split into two parts, meaning a third and fourth season are already confirmed. It looks like fans won’t have to wait until Halloween to see their favourite witch back on screen, as season two is set to drop on April 5th, 2019.
The Umbrella Academy
Based on the comic book of the same name by My Chemical Romance singer Gerard Way, Netflix has adapted “The Umbrella Academy” into a live-action series.
The superhero series tells the story of estranged members of a dysfunctional family, all with supernatural powers brought together to find out the cause of their father’s mysterious death. Right off the bat, the series gives an “X-Men” vibe, which is quite a coincidence considering actor Ellen Page stars in the show, having also been in X-Men. Other actors in the cast include Tom Hopper, Aidan Gallagher, Robert Sheehan, and more. Released on February 15th, the show has already gained attention from viewers all-around, with many praising the premiere.
The ending of the first season left fans on a huge cliffhanger, but according to NME, the series has been renewed for a second season so fans won’t be left wondering what happens after. If you haven’t watched it yet and you’re looking for a thriller, consider watching The Umbrella Academy and see where these superheroes take you.
The Crown
The moment many fans have been waiting for, season three for “The Crown” is finally premiering this year. While it’s still unclear when exactly the new season is set to drop, it’s going to be an exciting new season for everyone with an all-new cast. From what we know so far about the upcoming season for the Emmy and Golden Globe-winning series, the entire cast has been replaced, which was confirmed to Vulture by actress Claire Foy, who plays Queen Elizabeth II the first two seasons. This is due to the fact that as the series is set to cover a different decade of the Queen’s life each season, which only makes sense to switch up the actors. "You can’t ask someone to act middle-aged. Someone has to bring their own fatigue to it. The feelings we all have as 50 year olds are different than the feelings we all have as 30-year-olds. That informs everything we do,” Peter Morgan, creator of the show, told Variety in an interview back in November 2016. “It’s all or nothing. Everyone has to change,” producer Suzanne Mackie stated. Back in October 2017, Variety confirmed that actress Olivia Colman, known for “Broadchurch” and AMC’s “The Night Manager” would be replacing Foy in portraying Queen Elizabeth II for seasons three and four. Actor Tobias Menzies, who had previously worked with Colman in “The Night Manager,” will also be joining the cast where he plays the role of Prince Philip. Another exciting addition to the cast is actress Helena Bonham Carter, which was confirmed on the show’s official Twitter account to be playing Princess Margaret.
While no definite plot line has been confirmed, several theories on what will happen have been hinted that the new season will feature an upcoming death, as a funeral scene was spotted being filmed, and according to Colman, Elizabeth’s marriage to Philip will “smooth out.” It has also been confirmed by casting director Nina Gold that Princess Diana will not be making an appearance in the upcoming third season unfortunately, but we may be able to see her in the following season. “When we do get to her, that is going to be pretty interesting,” said Gold. For those patiently waiting to keep up with the royal family drama, keep your eyes peeled for an announcement of the official release date.
13 Reasons Why
Despite being one of Netflix’s most controversial series, the teen-drama series gained a cult following for its intense take on themes of bullying, sexual assault, and gun violence. Upon the series premiere, it was Netflix’s most binge-watched show at one point, and following the announcement of a third season, be prepared for more binging.
The first season tells the story of Hannah Baker (played by actress Katherine Langford), who commits suicide and leaves behind thirteen cassette tapes, which fellow classmate Clay Jensen (played by Dylan Minnette), tries to piece together on what led to her suicide. Season two then focuses on Clay coming to terms with Hannah’s suicide and how she wasn’t always “the perfect victim.” Langford was highly praised for the role of Hannah Baker, but as the finale to the second season ended with a close to Hannah’s trial, this also marks the official exit of Langford and Hannah Baker. Langford confirmed in an Instagram post that she would not be returning for the third season, as Hannah Baker’s story has officially been told. So now that the central character is no longer in the show, what will season three have to offer? “What happened to Hannah will always be the first clause of the story. The rest of the story is about young people, as so many young people, maybe all young people today (learn) how to heal from the things that have hurt them…to make the world that they want it to be … and above all, how to take care of each other,” showrunner Brian Yorkey said at a Netflix FYC Panel back in June. Despite Langford’s bittersweet exit from the show, much of the original main cast is likely to return, including Dylan Minnette (Clay Jensen), Christian Navarro (Tony Padilla), Brandon Flynn (Justin Foley), Justin Prentice (Bryce Walker) and Alisha Boe (Jessica Davis).
While Hannah Baker’s suicide was a central point of the show, many other characters suffered from problems that were just as dark, such as drug addiction and family abuse, which will most likely be explored in the following season.
With the second season ending with a failed school shooting scenario, season three will surely bring even more drama and darker themes to the audience that are eye-opening. While no official release date has been released yet, the previous seasons were launched in the spring, which doesn’t rule out that the third season could be released at a similar time as well.
Sex Education
Another one of Netflix’s original drama series which gained quite a wide amount of attention when released, “Sex Education” surely struck many viewers with its quirky and retro-vibe aesthetic.
Inspired by ‘80s movies such as “The Breakfast Club” and “Sixteen Candles,” the show brought on nostalgia to viewers as a heartwarming coming-of-age drama. The show follows 17 year old Otis Milburn (played y Asa Butterfield), a socially awkward teenager who struggles with the concepts of sex and his mother’s occupation as a sex therapist. He then starts up a sex advice business alongside social outcast and classmate Maeve Wiley (played by Emma Mackey), where they give advice to fellow students regarding sexual problems. While the premise of the show initially gives off a strange and albeit weird tone, the show has been praised for its realistic take on adolescents struggling with the pains of growing up, such as sexuality, coming-out, slut-shaming, etc. Premiering on January 11th with eight episodes, the show gained immediate success and has already been confirmed for a second season by Netflix. The streaming site has also confirmed that all of the main cast will be returning.
As the end of the first season was left open-ended, many are wondering where season two will take off. Laurie Nunn, writer of the show, spoke to Thrillest about how season two will most likely be from Otis’ point-of-view again. "Series one is very much Otis's journey and I think it will be again. If we're lucky enough to get a series two we will always come back to Otis. He's a fantastic leading character,” said Nunn. The upcoming season is also hinted to explore relationships between the characters. "I love the idea of getting different characters together – if not together in a relationship, just together in the space. Like, I never thought those two characters would have a conversation and there will be loads of opportunity for that.” This also comes after Maeve realizes her feelings for Otis in season one, which will likely be explored in the second season, not without ups and downs of course. While it’s too soon to know when season two will be released, season one is still streaming on Netflix if you haven’t watched it yet.