In the last few years, Apple TV has done more than enough to establish itself as one of the premiere homes for original sci-fi programming. Many fans first flocked to the platform for more wholesome hits like Ted Lasso (starring Jason Sudeikis), but it was more dystopian thrillers like Severance (starring Adam Scott) that got subscribers to re-up their deal and hang around for the long haul. Severance was the most-watched Apple TV show in platform history until last year brought on the arrival of Pluribus, which was written and created for TV by Breaking Bad scribe Vince Gilligan. Both Severance and Pluribus have been renewed for new seasons, but neither will return before the end of this year. There is another Apple TV sci-fi show you may have forgotten about that’s set to return for a new season sooner than you realize.

Netflix has released some massively successful projects already at the midway point of this year, and one of the first to take the world by storm was The Rip. Matt Damon and Ben Affleck lead the grounded Miami-set crime thriller, which serves as a perfect stage setter for Damon, who will soon lead Christopher Nolan’s ambitious historical epic, The Odyssey. The Rip was the most-watched Netflix movie of 2026 until the premiere of War Machine, the sci-fi film starring Alan Ritchson. After earning 125 million views during its first month on streaming, Netflix has officially confirmed that a sequel to War Machine is in the early stages of development. Another movie that has quietly been climbing charts to become one of Netflix’s most-watched titles of the year is Apex, the intense survival thriller starring Charlize Theron and Taron Egerton.

There has been no shortage of content for Marvel fans to devour since the MCU shifted gears in 2019 after the premieres of Avengers: Endgame and Spider-Man: Far From Home. While there were once only two Marvel movies to watch every year, it’s not irregular now for there to be three movies and three or four shows — fans could spend hours arguing about whether this has hurt or helped the MCU in recent years. Already in 2026, there have been three MCU projects, starting with Wonder Man, the critically acclaimed showbiz epic starring Yahya Abdul-Mateen II and Ben Kingsley. This was followed by Daredevil: Born Again Season 2 (starring Charlie Cox), which led directly into The Punisher: One Last Kill, the Special Presentation starring Jon Bernthal. The MCU has two feature films coming this year as well.

Apple TV is quietly having one of the biggest years in the streamer’s history, with new projects across the board in various genres taking the world by storm. The most popular show on Apple TV at the time of writing is Your Friends & Neighbors, which stars Jon Hamm. Apple TV has already picked up the series for Season 3, and it’s all but guaranteed that it will be back for more episodes sometime next year. The biggest movie on Apple TV right now is F1, the Brad Pitt-led racing blockbuster that’s now spent nearly six months at the top of streaming charts. Apple TV has become known for its dedicated work in the sci-fi genre with shows like Severance and Pluribus, but the streaming service has expanded enough to have hits sure to please fans of all preferences.

There has been plenty of content for Marvel fans to dive into since the MCU switched lanes in 2019 after Avengers: Endgame and Spider-Man: Far From Home. While there was once only two Marvel movies to watch every year at most, it’s now more common to see three movies and three or four shows — many fans would argue that this trend has taken the spark out of the MCU that it had in 2019. There have already been three MCU projects in 2026, beginning with Wonder Man, the critically acclaimed show starring Yahya Abdul-Mateen II and Ben Kingsley. The series followed closely by Daredevil: Born Again Season 2 (starring Charlie Cox), which tied into The Punisher: One Last Kill, the Special Presentation starring Jon Bernthal. The MCU has a pair of feature films coming this year as well.