With the new year ahead, there are some exciting shows to look forward to on HBO and HBO Max in 2026. This year further cemented HBO as one of the leaders in modern television with some of the biggest shows of 2025. From returning favorites, like The Last of Us and The White Lotus, to new hit shows, like The Pitt and Task, there was plenty to watch on HBO this year.
2026 will not see HBO slowing down at all, as some of the most anticipated series of the year will be airing. Once again, the network has a nice mix of returning series and thrilling new shows to check out. From intense dramas to wild fantasies to fun superhero fare, there is something to get any fans excited about watching HBO in the new year.
1. The Pitt - Season 2
Premiere date: January 8
After becoming one of the best new shows of 2025, fans will not have to wait too long for The Pitt to make its return. The first season of The Pitt delivered perhaps the most visceral and intense medical drama of all time, with ER veterans John Wells and Noah Wyle stepping back into this familiar territory in a much different way.
The new year will quickly bring new episodes of the series, throwing viewers right back into the chaos of the emergency room of this fictional Pittsburgh hospital. The first season unfolded over a single 1-hour shift at the hospital, and the second season will likely have a similar timeframe. It remains to be seen if HBO's new hit can maintain its intensity in season 2.
2. A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms - New Series
Premiere date: January 18
One of HBO's biggest franchises is back in 2026 as the latest Game of Thrones spinoff premieres. A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is based on the series of short stories by George R.R. Martin set in Westeros nearly 100 years before the events of the original Game of Thrones. The show follows the adventures of a lowly hedge knight and his young squire, who has ties to royalty.
This new Game of Thrones series looks to be something a little different for the franchise, with a smaller scale and more humor shown in the trailer. The two lead characters will surely make for an entertaining and endearing duo as they travel around Westeros, further growing the mythology of this world with its complex history.
3. Rooster - New Series
Premiere date: March
Steve Carell will make his welcome return to television in 2026 with an HBO series that seems perfectly tailored to his talents. Rooster is the latest series from television producer Bill Lawrence and stars Carell as an author on a college campus as he deals with his complicated relationship with his daughter.
Lawrence has become a hitmaker in recent years with several comedy shows featuring emotionally complex male leads, like Ted Lasso and Shrinking. While Carell has moved towards more dramatic work since leaving The Office, this could be the perfect show to allow him to embrace his comedic and dramatic chops at the same time.
4. Euphoria - Season 3
Premiere date: April
2026 will see the long-awaited return of an HBO many fans thought they'd never see again. It has been four years since Euphoria's last season, and now the series is ready to make its long-delayed return, catching up with the complicated high school students and where their lives are now. Of course, one of the most impressive things about the show now is its cast.
Euphoria was always known as a series filled with up-and-coming talent. However, since the show ended, many of its stars have gone on to become some of the biggest names in Hollywood. Zendaya, Sydney Sweeney, Jacob Elordi, and Hunter Schafer are all confirmed to be taking time from their busy movie schedules to bring this series to an end with what is sure to be a wild final season.
5. Lanterns - New Series
Premiere date: Summer 2026
This year saw the true beginnings of the DCU, and now 2026 will be a pivotal year in shaping the cinematic universe's future. Lanterns is an important project in this plan, not least of all because it will introduce two new DC heroes, with Green Lantern members John Stewart (Aaron Pierre) and Hal Jordan (Kyle Chandler).
The series will follow the two intergalactic cops as they investigate a conspiracy on Earth. Lanterns will be a real test for the DCU as it will be a more grounded and darker story, quite unlike what we have gotten from James Gunn thus far in the cinematic universe. Of course, it will also be interesting to see how it helps to grow this new world of superheroes.