Upcoming Action Shows You May Not Know Were In The Works

There are lots of upcoming high-profile TV shows for action fans to be excited about in 2025. Gabriel Basso will finally return to the small screen as Peter Sutherland in "The Night Agent," and superhero fans are gearing up to see Charlie Cox debut his best suit yet for "Daredevil: Born Again" in March. Other action series that are probably already on your radar include the second seasons of "The Last of Us" and "Andor," which are both set to drop in spring. However, there are also plenty of upcoming action shows in the works for 2025 and beyond that you may not have heard about yet.

From period series to dramatic procedurals, there's going to be more than enough action to go around in the next few years. Of course, the action category wouldn't be complete without getting to see a few superheroes doing their thing, and there's more than just a new "Daredevil" show on the horizon. What's also great about this upcoming slate of shows is that there will be plenty of women at the forefront of the action. For example, "Pretty Little Liars" star Troian Bellisario is turning her attention to crime fighting as a hardened California cop, and a Hollywood A-Lister will reportedly take on the role of iconic "Tomb Raider" main character Lara Croft. Keep reading for all the details of the action that's on the way to small screens.

Having played Spencer Hastings for seven seasons of "Pretty Little Liars," Troian Bellisario is no stranger to drama. But she's trading Spencer's amateur detective sleuthing skills for hard-hitting police work in her upcoming police procedural "On Call." The Amazon Prime Video series follows Bellisario's character Traci Harmon, a hardened veteran officer who knows the streets of Long Beach, California like the back of her hand. In the eight-part drama, she is tasked with training young rookie cop Alex Diaz (Brandon Larracuente), but their time together changes his idealized view of policing.

Alongside Bellisario and Larracuente, the series stars Eriq La Salle as Sergeant Lasman, Lori Loughlin as Lieutenant Bishop, and Rich Ting as Sergeant Koyama. "On Call" has some heavyweight talent both in front of and behind the camera: It comes from the minds of Tim Walsh and Elliot Wolf, with "One Chicago" creator Dick Wolf as an executive producer. Like the NBC franchise, the upcoming drama will toy between the professional and personal lives of these California officers. It will explore the juxtaposition of Traci and Alex, who represent different generational ideals, all while digging into the complex relationship between the police and the local community.

By "incorporating a mixture of bodycam, dash-camera, and cellphone footage to create a cinema verité effect, the innovative series explores the morality of protecting and serving a community," the official synopsis teases. "On Call" premieres on Prime Video on January 9, 2025.

In recent years, "Yellowstone" and its spin-offs have been feeding viewers' fascination with the old American West. Now Netflix is putting its own spin on the Wild West with the dramatic action thriller "American Primeval." The series "is a fictionalized dramatization and examination of the violent collision of culture, religion, and community as men and women fight and die for control of this world," per Netflix. Set in 1857, it depicts the birth of the American West, honing in on the brutality of this time. Speaking with Netflix's Tudum, director and executive producer Pete Berg said: "I'm looking forward to taking viewers into the most dynamic, intense, and heart-pounding survival tale humanly possible. We are going into the belly of the beast."

"American Primeval" is told through the eyes of an impressive ensemble cast that includes "The Terminal List" star Taylor Kitsch. He leads the charge as Isaac, a man struggling to leave his past behind him. The journey west won't be an easy one for Mormon Church leader Brigham Young (Kim Coates) either, but he will do whatever it takes to protect his persecuted followers and has an army, the Nauvoo Legion, at his disposal.

Viewers can expect plenty of action as other factions enter the fray. There are the trappers, led by bounty hunter Virgil Cutter (Jai Courtney) as well as Red Feather's (Derek Hinkey) Wolf Clan, a group of renegade Crow warriors. Dane DeHaan, Kyle Bradley Davis, Betty Gilpin, Preston Mota, Nick Hargrove, Shawnee Pourier, Joe Tippett, and Shea Whigham also star. The six-part miniseries debuts on Netflix on January 9, 2025.

Dominique Thorne is returning to the Marvel Cinematic Universe in 2025. She made her superhero debut on the big screen in 2022's "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever" as young genius inventor Riri Williams. The MIT student is thrust into the world of superhero espionage after the vibranium detector she built is stolen by the CIA, but thankfully she has also created an incredible suit of armor that rivals Tony Stark's, which helps to keep her safe.

Along with an episode of "Marvel Zombies," Thorne will front the upcoming action series "Ironheart" in 2025. The series, which will be available to stream on Disney+ on June 24, follows the young inventor as she returns to her hometown of Chicago full of hope for the future. According to the official synopsis, the series "pits technology against magic," sending Riri on an unexpected journey that leads her to "the mysterious yet charming Parker Robbins aka The Hood," played by Anthony Ramos.

What's most exciting about this superhero series for Thorne, though, is that, along with all its fantastical elements, it tells a very real story. "There are so many more layers we're getting to [show about] what it looks like to be young and Black and from Chicago," she told Teen Vogue after filming wrapped. Lyric Ross, Alden Ehrenreich, Regan Aliyah, Manny Montana, Matthew Elam, and Anji White round out the central cast of this upcoming six-episode miniseries.

Following the positive reception to "WandaVision" in 2021, Marvel Studios have been cranking up production of its canonical Marvel Cinematic Universe TV shows and miniseries — although with varying degrees of success and mixed feelings from viewers. One thing these series have been good at, though, is introducing new characters into the MCU, from Hawkeye's protégé Kate Bishop (Hailee Steinfeld) and Kamala Khan's Ms. Marvel (Iman Vellani) to G'iah (Emilia Clarke) in "Secret Invasion." And now, there's a new Marvel Comics character making a debut; Wonder Man.

Simon Williams and his alter ego Wonder Man will be portrayed by Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, who is making the move to Marvel after portraying Black Manta in DC's "Aquaman" and "Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom." Details of the series are being kept under wraps, but Simon's journey may mirror his comic book storyline, which sees him transform from a super villain into a hero with the help of ex-Avenger Hercules. Viewers can certainly expect "Wonder Man" to be full of action because when Simon isn't superhero-ing, he's making a living in Hollywood as a stuntman.

Demetrius Grosse is also making his MCU debut as Simon's brother Eric Williams, aka Grim Reaper, along with Lauren Glazier and Byron Bowers, whose roles are yet to be revealed. Not everyone working on the series is new to the ever-expanding superhero universe, though: "Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings" director Destin Daniel Cretton is producing "Wonder Man." He has also co-written the script for the 10-episode show, and is expected to direct an unknown number of episodes. Additionally, Ben Kingsley will reprise his role as the beloved Trevor Slattery. Has he ditched Ta Lo for Tinseltown?

HBO is continuing to expand the "Game of Thrones" universe with a straight-to-series order for another prequel series titled "A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms: The Hedge Knight," which is due for release in late 2025. The series is based on the trilogy of novellas of the same name by George R. R. Martin, but it is set one hundred years before the events of "Game of Thrones." The story follows the unlikely friendship between Sir Duncan "Dunk" the Tall (Peter Claffey) and his squire Egg (Dexter Sol Ansell), who is far more important than he initially seems.

According to the official synopsis, a strong friendship blossoms between this unlikely duo and together they journey across Westeros. With the success of "House of the Dragon," this prequel is definitely one that viewers should be excited about. Not only will it be chock full of fantastical elements fans of the franchise know and love, but it will be full of action and drama as Dunk and Egg face plenty of enemies along the way. 

The "Star Trek" franchise shows no signs of slowing down as it jumps even further into the future with "Star Trek: Starfleet Academy." The 2026 series is a direct spin-off of "Star Trek: Discovery" and will take place in the 32nd century, a time period that we first visited during the third season of "Discovery." According to the franchise's head honcho Alex Kurtzman, going to the 32nd century was a way for them to resonate with younger viewers. "As the father of a 17-year-old boy, I see what my son is feeling as he looks at the world and to his future," Kurtzman told the Los Angeles Times. "I see him recognizing he's inheriting an enormous mess to clean up and it's going to be on his generation to figure out how to do that, and that's a lot to ask of a kid."

Not only will "Starfleet Academy" be set in the distant 32nd century, but it continues to break the mold of the franchise as, unlike other series, it will be set partially on earth, in a futuristic version of San Francisco. We follow a new generation of Starfleet Academy recruits as they begin their training at the legendary institution. While the series will put a bigger emphasis on Earth politics within the "Star Trek" universe, there will still be plenty of action and adventure along the way. "Starfleet cadets navigate friendships, rivalries, and first loves while training to become officers. They face a new threat endangering the Academy and Federation," the official synopsis teases.

Holly Hunter, Tatiana Maslany, and Paul Giamatti are set to appear. Paramount+ has also confirmed that "Star Trek" actors Tig Notaro, Oded Fehr, Mary Wiseman and ​​Robert Picardo will be in the new series. The show will be 10 episodes long and is expected to drop in either 2025 or 2026.

The on-screen world of DC is undergoing a major rebrand, with James Gunn and Peter Safran now at the helm. Amidst streamlining and culling the franchise's existing movies and TV shows, the pair have also announced a string of exciting new projects for their DC reboot. "Creature Commandos" officially kicked off Chapter One of the DC Universe, which is titled "Gods and Monsters." While it is a lot of change for the franchise, Gunn and Safran are bringing back some characters for continuity, such as A.R.G.U.S. director Amanda Waller.

Not only will Viola Davis reprise her role, but she will take the lead in a new series titled "Waller." A spin-off of "The Suicide Squad" and "Peacemaker," "Waller" will be set after the second season of the John Cena series in the DCU timeline, Gunn confirmed on Threads. It will explore her role as the director of A.R.G.U.S. in more detail than ever before and will likely follow her as she oversees the covert operations of Task Force X, so expect plenty of action when this group gets together.

Very few details have been confirmed about the action series, which is expected to air sometime between late 2026 and early 2027. Speaking to Collider in November 2024, Davis confirmed that the script was still being finalized. "James won't start something until he's absolutely happy with the scripts and they're ready to go. So once they're ready, I'm sure he'll announce a start time — as an actor who loves to work, it can't happen soon enough, though, for me!" Alongside Davis, Steve Agee has joined the cast as Belle Reve Penitentiary warden John Economos and Danielle Brooks will appear as Suicide Squad member Leota Adebayo.

Outside of playing Peter "Star-Lord" Quill in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Chris Pratt has firmly established himself as an action star thanks to roles in "The Magnificent Seven," the "Jurassic World" franchise, and "The Tomorrow War." He also notably appeared in Prime Video's "The Terminal List" in 2022, an action thriller series which sees Pratt lead the charge as Lieutenant Commander James Reece. Over eight episodes, the former Navy Seal makes it his mission to find out why his platoon was ambushed and almost entirely wiped out during a covert mission in Syria.

While avenging the friends he lost, Reece uncovers a chilling conspiracy which leads him to discover that his long-time friend Ben Edwards (Taylor Kitsch) has double-crossed him. The series ends with Reece getting justice for his team's deaths, but the story is far from over. He will return for a prequel series which also stars Kitsch. "The Terminal List: Dark Wolf" will reveal more about Ben's past and how he got involved in the conspiracy. "The Umbrella Academy" actor Tom Hopper and "Westworld" alum Luke Hemsworth will also star in the series as Raife Hastings and Jules Landry, respectively.

Following his success fronting the romantic "After" film franchise, Hero Fiennes Tiffin's next role in the war epic "The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare" took his career in a wildly different direction. It gave him a taste of the action genre, and he clearly liked it. He's now signed on to play Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's iconic detective Sherlock Holmes in Prime Video's upcoming action adventure series "Young Sherlock," directed and produced by Guy Ritchie.

Tiffin's version of Sherlock will be unlike the revered genius detective viewers are used to seeing, such as in Benedict Cumberbatch's "Sherlock." Instead, "Young Sherlock" will follow him as he stumbles upon his very first case. "At age 19, Sherlock Holmes is disgraced, raw, unfiltered, and unformed, when he finds himself caught up in a murder mystery at Oxford University which threatens his freedom. Diving into his first-ever case with a wild lack of discipline, Sherlock manages to unravel a globe-trotting conspiracy that will change his life forever," the synopsis teases.

The leading man's uncle Joseph Fiennes will play his on-screen father, Silas Holmes. They will be joined by Natascha McElhone as Sherlock's arty mother Cordelia Holmes and Dónal Finn as Sherlock's future foe James Moriarty. The series takes place before Sherlock has found his right hand man in Dr. Watson, so at this time, his brother Mycroft (Max Irons) is his main companion. Colin Firth and Adam James also feature as Sir Bucephalus Hodge and Dr. Charles Maltby, respectively.

Debuting in 1996, the action adventure video game "Tomb Raider" enthralled players around the world. As the franchise expanded, "Tomb Raider" also spawned a live-action movie duology starring Angelina Jolie as Lara Croft, plus a reboot feature and an animated Netflix series. However, Amazon Prime Video clearly believes there are still more stories about the British archaeologist to be told as the streamer has ordered a live-action series set to be penned by "Fleabag" creator Phoebe Waller-Bridge.

Expressing her excitement at her involvement in the upcoming series in a press release, Waller-Bridge said (via Deadline).: "If I could tell my teenage self this was happening I think she'd explode. 'Tomb Raider' has been a huge part of my life and I feel incredibly privileged to be bringing it to television with such passionate collaborators. Lara Croft means a lot to me, as she does to many, and I can't wait to go on this adventure."

Very few details about "Tomb Raider" have been announced. However, Sophie Turner has reportedly been cast as Lara Croft and there have already been AI mock-ups of what Turner could look like in the role. While it is not officially confirmed, Turner is certainly no stranger to action-heavy TV shows, having risen to fame playing Sansa Stark on "Game of Thrones." More recently, she has demonstrated her ability to morph into any character, notably playing the notorious British jewel thief Joan in the ITV drama of the same name.

Also coming to Prime Video in the near future is the MGM+ superhero series "Spider-Noir," which is based on the Marvel comic "Spider-Man: Noir." Nicolas Cage will star in the series, reprising his role as the alternate version of Spider-Man after voicing the character in the 2018 animated feature "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse." As the synopsis teases, the series will delve into the life of this "aging and down-on-his-luck private investigator in 1930s New York, who is forced to grapple with his past life as the city's one and only superhero."

Cage has made his name on the big screen but is excited about the opportunity to work on a small screen project. Speaking about the series during an interview with The New Yorker, he teased that "Spider-Noir" will be inspired by the Golden Age of Hollywood. Cage added that he's particularly inspired by actors like James Cagney and Humphrey Bogart. Brendan Gleeson will also have a lead role in the series (he will reportedly play a mob boss). The duo will also be joined by Lamorne Morris, Li Jun LI, and Abraham Popoola, who are all set to appear as series regulars.