Though Netflix regularly releases new movies on the subscription service, shows like Stranger Things and Sex Education showcase how television series are the foundational blocks that keep people subscribed.
Netflix has seen its fair share of flops and hits when it comes to the world of television, and in recent years has pushed both animated and anime-focused productions to audiences. Whether it's a comic book or video game adaptation, an original property, or something else entirely, there are more than a handful of new television series set to hopefully debut on the streaming giant in 2023.
8 Yu Yu Hakusho (Live-Action)
With anime taking over the western world over the last decade, shows like Hunter x Hunter or Attack on Titan have become mainstays in pop culture for the younger generations. Yu Yu Hakusho is from the same creator of Hunter x Hunter but is a bit less known by comparison. That being said, the anime is still beloved and was critically acclaimed upon release.
The anime focuses on a teenager who dies and comes back to life solely to work as a detective/private investigator of everything unworldly and supernatural. Netflix is taking another stab at its anime-to-live-action formula, despite the lackluster response so far, and is committed to delivering a new take on Yu Yu Hakusho sometime in 2023.
7 Magic The Gathering (Animated)
Everyone knows Magic: The Gathering as the ever-popular trading card game that can be seen being played in person every Friday at local game shops across the globe. Back in late 2021, it was announced by Wizards of the Coast that the animated Netflix adaptation of Magic: The Gathering would release in the latter half of 2022.
With no trailer or tease in sight, it's likely that production ran into some things that likely caused it to slip into 2023. The only known casting for the animated series is that beloved Clark Kent/Superman actor Brandon Routh would be taking on the role of Gideon Jura, a formidable planeswalker.
6 Mech Cadets (Animated)
From the minds of Greg Pak and Takeshi Miyazawa, Mech Cadets is a Netflix animated series coming in 2023 that's based on the BOOM! Studios published series Mech Cadet Yu. In the near future planet, Earth is attacked by aliens and a young janitor must take on the role of a Robo Mech-controlling pilot in order to stave off the invasion.
Despite the cast having yet to be revealed, the show does carry a TV-Y7 rating which indicates this show is meant to serve as an analog to the Pacific Rim series in a way for younger kids. Publisher BOOM! Studios are working with Polygon Pictures to bring the animated adventure to audiences.
5 Tomb Raider (Animated)
Video game adaptations to the world of television have been a place where Netflix has invested heavily in recent years. Their next possible big hit in this department is an official animated series based on Tomb Raider. Haley Atwell, known for her portrayal of Peggy Carter in the Marvel Cinematic Universe will be playing the lead of Lara Croft in the show. The series is still under wraps, with the only official information regarding the plot stating that Lara Croft will explore new territories.
Early Baylon will be reprising his role of Jonah Maiava from the recent Tomb Raider video game trilogy. Jonah serves as a cook and shipmate on Lara's adventures. The show has also announced the casting of Allen Maldonado as Zip, the man whose Lara's tech expert and "man in the chair".
4 Avatar: The Last Airbender (Live-Action)
As mentioned with the live-action adaptation of Yu Yu Hakusho, Netflix has a dicey history when it comes to adapting beloved anime series into live-action. The original creators of Avatar: The Last Airbender were initially attached to this project but left due to creative differences. That being said, the project still may be in good hands as the casting was focused on finding actors who fit the background of the various Indigenous and Asian characters.
Each season is said to consist of eight total episodes, with each having an estimated budget of $15 million to produce. Budget isn't a signifier of quality, but this investment showcases how committed Netflix is to making a live-action Avatar: The Last Airbender series work.
3 The Brothers Sun
Very rarely do audiences see a show that tries to balance action, comedy, and drama in a way that feels meaningful. The Brothers Sun is a show centered on exactly that, and also happens to feature an entirely Asian cast of characters.
Michelle Yeoh plays the mother (Eileen) of a Taipei gangster who returns home following the death of his father at the hands of some unknown assailant. Yeoh's two sons in the show will be played by Sam Song Li (Bruce Sun) and Justin Chien (Charles Sun). The Brothers Sun is currently filming, with an expected release date of all eight episodes in 2023.
2 One Piece (Live-Action)
In addition to being one of the most beloved anime of all time, One Piece is often joked about for having over 1,000 episodes. It's a beloved property that Netflix has invested in with the production of a live-action adaptation of the pirate adventure.
With a reported episodic budget of $9-10 million per episode, the streaming giant is banking on it being a hit as that type of monetary investment stands next to massive productions like Game of Thrones. The show has had an elongated marketing cycle, with audiences being introduced to the cast, hoping to endear people to one of the largest swings Netflix has ever attempted to make.
1 The Fall Of The House Of Usher (Live-Action)
Netflix's investment in writer/director Mike Flanagan has paid huge dividends for the surface as the creator has released two critically-acclaimed horror series in The Haunting of Hill House and Midnight Mass. Flanagan's next project is a star-studded miniseries titled The Fall of the House of Usher.
He's known for preferring actors he's already developed a working relationship with and this is evident in the casting of this project. In addition to Flanagan's cast mainstays such as Henry Thomas, Rahul Kohli, and Carla Gugino, The Fall of the House of Usher will also see performances by Mark Hamill and Willa Fitzgerald.