Cr. Courtesy of Netflix © 2023
2025 is set to be one of Netflix’s biggest years in its history regarding new and returning TV series. While we’re working on full previews of what’s coming up, we thought we’d look at our most anticipated upcoming returning series.
We’re picking six of our most anticipated returning series below (keep an eye out for more lists in the coming week), with the qualification being that the show must have been confirmed for a 2025 return. That means that titles like Bridgerton, Avatar: The Last Airbender, One Piece, and 3 Body Problem, which are all coming back and we probably would’ve picked, aren’t eligible as we don’t have definitive words their new seasons will drop in 2025.
Want to dig through all of the Netflix shows that are coming back for a new season? We’ve got you covered with the complete list of renewed Netflix shows here, which, as it stands, are over 170 titles. You read that right, over 170! So much for Netflix canceling everything.
Wednesday (Season 2)
Picked By Kasey Moore
Picture: Netflix
It’s not every year when some of your biggest hits return, but next year, three of Netflix’s biggest titles of all time will be back for new seasons: Squid Game, Stranger Things, and, of course, Wednesday. Although expectations for the first season were rather tempered for the first season, that’s not the case for season 2. A lot is riding on the Tim Burton series, who is back to direct this season with Jenna Ortega leading. Still, thanks to some excellent new cast additions, we suspect the next season will do some seriously good numbers for Netflix again.
The next batch of episodes for Wednesday Season 2 is expected in late 2025 (likely in the run-up to Halloween).
The Sandman (Season 2)
Picked By Ashley Hurst
09.07.22 Sandman Twitter @netflix Sandman Scaled
The Sandman first premiered on Netflix in 2022. The debut season was a standout success for the streamer, seamlessly blending dark fantasy with horror and historical fiction. The Sandman follows Dream (Tom Sturridge), the literal personification of dreams, has he carries out his duties and responsibilities as the ruler of the realm we visit when we fall asleep.
Season 1 covered all of the first two volumes of the comic, and some of the third. The upcoming season will tell some of the comic’s most revered stories, from Season of Mists to Brief Lives. Given leaks fans have saw from filming, it’s likely that the show will also cover the story through its conclusion, but Netflix has not confirmed anything yet. During Geeked Week, Netflix revealed a first look at the new season.
The Sandman season 2 is expected to premiere sometime in early 2025.
The Night Agent (Season 2)
Picked By Kasey Moore
The Night Agent Season Gabriel Basso
Shawn Ryan’s big jump over to Netflix adapting the novel by Matthew Quirk went off without a hitch and became a huge hit for Netflix. Thanks to Gabriel Basso’s convincing performance, the show was immediately renewed, and after a long filming stint, we get to see the fruits of the team’s labor very soon. The show promises to keep up the action into season 2 and comes with some fresh new faces and new locations too.
Thankfully, of all the shows on this list, you won’t have to wait long for The Night Agent season 2 as it drops all at once on January 23rd, 2025. Better still, season 3, now officially confirmed, will be midway through filming by the time the new episodes drop, meaning that we shouldn’t theoretically have very long to wait for season 3.
Black Mirror (Season 7)
Picked By Ashley Hurst
Charlie Brooker’s Black Mirror is one of the most successful anthology series in the world. The mind-bending, shocking and highly disturbing drama never fails to captivate fans with its chilling stories. The upcoming seventh season will consist of 6 new episodes, including a sequel for the first time in the show’s history.
The stories are currently under wraps, but during Geeked Week, Brooker teased what’s in store for viewers. “You can expect a mix of genres and styles,” he said. “We’ve got six episodes this time, and two of them are basically feature-length. Some of them are deeply unpleasant, some are quite funny, and some are emotional.”
The series will notably feature the show’s first-ever sequel. The sequel in question is a follow-up to season 4 premiere USS Callister — the twisted Star Trek-esque story. “We’ve done a sequel for the first time in Black Mirror history. Normally, I kill off all the characters at the end of an episode, and I kept some of ’em alive. I’m growing as a human.”
The new season has an absolutely stacked cast too, including names such as: Awkwafina, Milanka Brooks, Peter Capaldi, Emma Corrin, Patsy Ferran, and Cristin Milioti. Check out the full cast here.
You (Season 4)
You Final Season Episode Titles
One of the shows coming to an end with its next season (we’ll have a full list of these coming soon) is You, headlined by Penn Badgley. Filmed throughout 2024, the show is confirmed to arrive in 2025. Given the show has been carefully balancing the fact that Joe has managed to avoid escape for the past x number of episodes, what kind of comeuppance he gets is what will truly test whether this show ultimately sticks the landing. It remains a very popular Netflix show and while we are looking forward to seeing it come to an end, we’re also on pins and needles to see how exactly it does.
Stranger Things (Season 5 — The Final Season!)
Picked by Ashley Hurst
Stranger Things Season 5 Netflix
The fifth and final season of Netflix’s Stranger Things has endured a long and grueling production. The season has seen myriad delays, most notably due to the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes of 2023. The final batch of episodes is still filming, and production is set to wrap around New Year.
In the final moments of season 4, after the team thought they’d defeated Vecna, the Upside Down began to spill into the quaint town of Hawkins. The war is only just beginning. Eleven’s power is stronger, but is she powerful enough to defeat Vecna? Only time will tell.
Season 5 is set to be the biggest yet, with even more feature-length episodes. The final season has cast beloved 1980s icon Linda Hamilton in a key role. Moreover, legendary director Frank Darabont (The Shawshank Redemption, The Green Mile) has left retirement to direct two episodes. Netflix has not yet set a release date, but the season is confirmed to be part of its 2025 roster.
What is your most anticipated returning show for 2025? Let us know in the comments.