It’s 2022, which means we’re gearing up for all this year has to offer in film and television. Streaming services are continuously upping their game in terms of content, both in quality and quantity, topping awards seasons’ lists as they continue to push the bar higher and higher.
There’s so much to look forward to coming out this year, and our Co-directors Kaity and Lindsey, along with our Content Assistants Julia and Jules, have highlighted their favorite projects that are arriving on the small screen in 2022! Stay tuned for a separate dive into our most anticipated Disney+ titles as well.
Lindsey’s Picks
Ted Lasso Season 3 – Apple TV+
Ted Lasso has had an impressive run over the course of two seasons thus far, touching the hearts of viewers far and wide and making audiences laugh so hard that they cry. The show follows the story of a small-time college football coach from Kansas who’s hired coach a soccer team in the UK, AFC Richmond. While Ted may completely lack any experience with English football, he manages to captivate his team and the fans regardless with his infectiously positive attitude and endless optimism. Jason Sudeikis’ portrayal of Ted has truly made of him one of the most beloved characters on television right now, with his heart of gold and mustache full of snappy one-liners.
The future of the show beyond the third season remains to be seen, because it was created with the intention of a three-season arc (what we all wouldn’t give for five more seasons though, am I right?). So moving forward, we can potentially expect to see a handful of resolutions across the board for various character arcs and plot points that have been building up. For example, a showdown is certainly brewing now with the reveal of Nate’s betrayal and his switchover to managing Rupert’s new team, West Ham United; Rebecca must face seeing Rupert on the pitch now; Roy and Keeley have some trouble in paradise; Keeley has an exciting new work venture; Ted has just begun to embrace the importance of mental health in sports; Sam is opening his own restaurant; and the list goes on.
For me, Ted Lasso has swiftly and easily taken on a spot as one of my favorite television shows of all time, so my excitement knows no bounds for the upcoming third season. Apple has yet to confirm a targeted release date for season 3, but filming is set to begin in February, so we’re hoping to see it later this year.
The Boys Season 3 – Prime Video
Based on the comic book series by Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson, The Boys is an irreverent take on the superhero genre, examining the repercussions of a world that runs rampant with dangerously egotistical super-powered humans. It’s an unapologetically foul-mouthed and gruesome show that’s not for the faint of heart, but for those that are along for the ride, it’s a wonderfully diabolical adventure.
As season 2 came to a close, the Boys seemingly parted ways after the death of Becca and the defeat of Stormfront, Starlight and Maeve managed to assert themselves against Homelander with the help of some blackmail, and Hughie signed himself up for a “normal” job working for congresswoman Victoria Neuman … unaware that she was actually the one behind the whole “exploding heads” debacle.
Looking to season 3, the next “big bad” will come in the form of Payback, another team of Supes. New cast members that have been announced thus far include Jensen Ackles as Soldier Boy, Laurie Holden as Crimson Countess, Katia Winter as Little Nina, Miles Gaston Villanueva as Supersonic, Sean Patrick Flanery as Gunpowder, Nick Wechsler as Blue Hawk, Frances Turner as M.M.’s wife Monique, and Kristin Booth and Jack Doolan as the TNT Twins.
While the second season worked hard to continuously push the envelope, delivering a whole new level of wonderfully crude and outlandish scenes, I can only begin to imagine what showrunner Eric Kripke and the team have in store for a season that promises to dive into the infamous “Herogasm” storyline from the comics. The Boys was unfortunately noticeably absent from Prime Video’s 2021 lineup due to COVID-related filming delays, but given that filming finally wrapped on season 3 last year in September, a 2022 release date looms tantalizingly on the horizon.
Stranger Things Season 4 – Netflix
When Stranger Things first hit Netflix in 2016, viewers were enamored by the show’s enthralling plot about the disappearance of a young boy and the journey to rescue him from the grips of an array of terrifying supernatural forces. The sci-fi horror series quickly amassed a dedicated and passionate fanbase that reveled in its ability to evoke a visceral sense of 80s nostalgia while blending teenage kicks into the horror genre, all to the tune of a catchy synthwave soundtrack.
To nobody’s surprise, the show’s third season — which premiered in July of 2019 — left fans feeling raw and emotional after its finale. (If you didn’t cry when Eleven read Hopper’s letter, you’re lying.) Following a harrowing battle with the Mind Flayer and a fight to stop the Russians from reopening the Upside Down, the season ended with Hopper’s tragic sacrifice and Joyce moving her family (and Eleven) away from Hawkins. A Valentine’s Day teaser in 2020 did thankfully reveal that everyone’s favorite grumpy dad was indeed still alive, at least.
An exact date has yet to be confirmed, but we know for certain that Stranger Things season 4 will finally be coming to Netflix this summer, so we can all breathe a collective sigh of relief after a very long three-year wait.
Kaity’s Picks
The Gray Man – Netflix
It’s time for a summer blockbuster! The action-packed spy thriller from the Russo Brothers and AGBO starring Chris Evans and Ryan Gosling is almost here.
Based on the books of the same name by Mark Greaney, The Gray Man follows CIA veteran Court Gentry (Gosling) as he’s hunted across the globe by his former CIA cohort Lloyd Hansen (Evans). And judging by the multiple locations utilized in filming, including Los Angeles, France, and Prague, Czech Republic, across the globe they will go. It’s “a big, gigantic action film” made for film fans, by film fans, which is becoming something of a trend for the directing duo. While I’m sure awards are always on filmmakers’ radars, it would seem that just making downright fun movies is still a priority for the Russos, and it’s certainly something I appreciate from them.
The Gray Man is Netflix’s most expensive film to date, ringing up at $200 million dollars for the entire production with hopes of creating a franchise around Gosling’s Gentry attached to the success of this first feature. The Russos have solidified their faith in their former MCU stars, with Evans making his debut in his first non-Marvel Russo-led film after Chris Hemsworth (Extraction) and Tom Holland (Cherry). The Russos have shared their excitement for audiences to see Evans’ take on the villain, calling it a “deliciously sociopathic turn” for the former Captain America star.
Ana de Armas, Regé-Jean Page, Billy Bob Thornton, Dhanush, Jessica Henwick, Julia Butters, Alfre Woodard, and DeObia Oparei will also star.
Netflix has said that The Gray Man will be a summer 2022 release on the platform. Judging by 2021’s films, it will also likely have a brief exclusive theatrical run before heading to televisions.
The Umbrella Academy Season 3 – Netflix
One of Netflix’s most-watched series is returning for its highly anticipated third season, The Umbrella Academy, which is based on the comics of the same name by Gerard Way and Gabriel Bá. Season 1 of The Umbrella Academy premiered in 2018. A group of misfits with superpowers all born mysteriously and spontaneously to women who were not previously pregnant on October 1, 1989, Sir Reginald Hargreeves set out and collected seven to form a superhero team, but it didn’t quite pan out that way.
After two seasons, and two avoided apocalypses, the Hargreeves siblings arrived home from 1963 to find a new super-group in their midst and old bedrooms. The Sparrow Academy has landed, and it turns out they may be better behaved than Reggie Hargreeves’ original picks. Ben makes a comeback to the living with the Sparrows, complete with a promotion to Number 2, which is sure to cause some heartbreak for the original remaining six Hargreeves who have gone decades grieving their brother who died as a child in battle. Where this season is heading is anyone’s guess, but in the third volume of The Umbrella Academy comics, Hotel Oblivion, the Sparrows and the Umbrellas end up teaming up to save the world. Will the show follow this structure, or is it going to be Brelly versus the Birds? My guess is a little bit of both.
Season 3 will see the return of all our favorites: Tom Hopper (Luther); David Castañeda (Diego); Emmy Raver-Lampman (Allison); Robert Sheehan (Klaus); Aidan Gallagher (Five); Justin H. Min (Ben); and Elliot Page (Vanya); Colm Feore (Sir Reginald Hargreeves); and Ritu Arya (Lila). Joining the established cast are also the Sparrows: Justin Cornwell (Marcus); Britne Oldford (Fei); Jake Epstein (Alphonso); Genesis Rodriguez (Sloane); Cazzie David (Jayme); and the squarest of them all, a dread-inducing cube (Christopher).
No official release date beyond 2022 has been revealed, but Netflix has started promoting the newest season with brand new posters for the Sparrows, so more news should be following shortly!
The Lord of the Rings Season 1 – Prime Video
It’s time to journey back to Middle-earth, this time thousands of years prior to the events of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings trilogy.
While nothing more than a brief synopsis has emerged, over 20 cast members were announced last year, and speculation among Tolkien fans has been rampant. The only other teaser was an interactive map of the island of Númenor, which coincides with the known time period of the Second Age. The Akallabêth, or the destruction of that island as retold by Elendil — the father of Isildur, a Númenoreon, High King of the Dunédain, and eventually King of the realms Gondor and Arnor — will likely be a major plot point of the series, as well as its origins. Elendil can be seen briefly in the opening scenes of The Fellowship of the Ring as he’s slain by the Dark Lord Sauron in the Siege of Barad-dûr in the Last Alliance of Elves and Men before Isildur cuts the Ring from Sauron’s hand with his father’s broken blade. Aragorn is the 89th-great-grandson to Elendil.
We know Elves and Men will be large components, as well as Sauron in physical form, as the Second Age is notably the Age where the Rings of Power were created, including the One Ring, along with the Ringwraiths. Hobbits and Dwarves will likely also make an appearance, as one actor from the show seems to have spilled he’ll be playing a Hobbit in the series! Speculation is high that younger versions of both Elrond and Galadriel will also be featured as well.
Want a preview of what may be to come? Pick up a copy of The Silmarillion, the primary source of Middle-earth’s ancient history from the First Age through the fall of Númenor. The Silmarillion is more of a historical retelling rather than a story, so don’t expect the same grand-sweeping tale as Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings. However, these are original notes from Tolkien on his massive world posthumously edited and compiled by his son, Christopher, and fantasy fiction writer Guy Gavriel Kay.
The Lord of the Rings series premieres exclusively on Prime Video on September 2, 2022. There’s much to explore in the Second Age of Middle-earth, and The Lord of the Rings has already been renewed for a second season. Interestingly, Amazon has opted to take production to the UK for its future seasons instead of Peter Jackson’s established location of New Zealand, and I can’t lie when I say that makes me slightly nervous.
Julia’s Picks
Love, Victor Season 3 – Hulu
In 2020, Hulu debuted its YA series Love, Victor, receiving well earned praise. The series is set in the Simonverse, initially introduced through Becky Albertalli’s book Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda. Love, Victor follows Victor Salazar, whose family relocates from Texas to Georgia. After the move, Victor finds himself learning to adjust to a new city and school, as well as dealing with his parents’ increasingly rocky relationship and discovering and exploring his sexual identity. Throughout, he turns to Simon Spier (from Love, Simon) for guidance.
Thus far in the show, Victor has had his fair share of ups and downs. By the end of season 1, Victor accepted his sexuality and made the leap to come out to his parents. Season 2 picks up right after Victor’s announcement. Throughout the season, Victor navigates his new relationship with Benji. Meanwhile, he contends with one parent who works hard to support Victor while the other struggles to come to terms with Victor’s gayness. Along the way, viewers also saw the introduction and further exploration of other characters including Felix, Lake, Mia, Pilar, and Andrew. As season 2 came to a close, Victor found himself facing a major decision.
Currently, Hulu has yet to release any specific plot details for the upcoming third season. However, we can expect to find out what Victor’s decision was. Mia also faces a major choice about her mother as well as welcoming a new member to her family. You can read more about what we might see in season 3 here.
Filming is currently underway for season 3. No release date has been set, but following the trend of the first two seasons, it’s likely season 3 will release sometime in or around June of this year.
Never Have I Ever Season 3 – Netflix
From Mindy Kaling comes a new YA comedy viewers will fall in love with. Never Have I Ever focuses on Devi Vishwakumar, a first generation Indian-American high schooler who’s reeling from the sudden death of her father. With the support of her best friends Fabiola and Eleanor, Devi works to reacclimatize to high school. While things kind of (but … not quite) work in Devi’s favor, she still finds herself at odds with her mother, Nalini, who announces they will be moving back to India.
In season 2, Devi tries to balance having two boyfriends as she explores her feelings about both, and it also helps her realize a few things about herself. She and Nalini also face their grief more head on as it ramps up in intensity. Viewers meet a new character, Aneesa, who offers a new friendship for Devi.
Few details are available for season 3, though we can expect to see Devi navigate her new relationship. Filming is currently underway, so season 3 will likely release either late Spring or early Summer of this year.
Jules’ Picks
Guillermo del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities – Netflix
What do you get when you combine the imaginative mind of Guillermo del Toro, brilliant actors, and some of the best storytellers in horror? You get Guillermo del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities, Netflix’s forthcoming anthology series. Each episode will tell a closed story and feature different director/writer pairs chosen by del Toro, including one episode by del Toro himself. In terms of behind the camera talent, the series boasts a murderer’s row of genre talent including Catherine Hardwicke, Jennifer Kent, Vincenzo Natali, and Ana Lily Amirpour. Just a few of the actors set to feature include Andrew Lincoln, F. Murray Abraham, Ben Barnes, Rupert Grint, Crispin Glover, and Tim Blake Nelson (among many others.)
While details about specific storylines are purposefully vague, the talent involved is clearly special and makes this series one to watch. Even better news? The first season will include eight episodes, giving us plenty of time to get acquainted with del Toro’s particular blend of darkness. There is no release date for the project yet, but if you want to experience other del Toro masterpieces while you wait, Netflix also has Crimson Peak available for your viewing pleasure.
Inventing Anna – Netflix
They say truth is stranger than fiction, and the story of the mysterious Anna Delvey is proof. The bizarre true crime tale of the would-be heiress who swindled her way through elite society is getting the Netflix treatment in a new series from Shonda Rhimes. Inventing Anna is what would happen if Gossip Girl met Catch Me If You Can as Anna preys on the insecurities and trust funds of New York City’s wealthiest residents.
Aside from its standout premise, the show features stellar casting choices, with Anna being played by Ozark‘s Julia Garner and Anna Chlumsky of Veep starring opposite as the journalist investigating her story. Inventing Anna is based on an article from New York Magazine, and Delvey’s story has also inspired the excellent true crime book My Friend Anna: The True Story of the Fake Heiress Who Conned Me and Half of New York City. This juicy story, combined with Rhimes’ skill at steering the ship of soapy melodramas, will surely make Inventing Anna another can’t-miss watch. The series will hit your screen on February 11..
Lindsey’s Runner-Up: Bridgerton Season 2 – Netflix
Based on the books by author Julia Quinn, Bridgerton was an instant hit when it landed on Netflix on Christmas Day in 2020, setting new viewership records for the streaming platform at the time. The series blends classic key notes of teen dramas into a Regency period setting, wrapping it all in a fabulously spicy bow. While the first season focused on the budding romance between Daphne and Simon, season 2 will follow the exploits of the eldest Bridgerton sibling, Anthony, as seen in the second book, The Viscount Who Loved Me.
Netflix recently confirmed (on Christmas, of course) that season 2 will debut on March 25!
Kaity’s Runner-Up: Love and Death – HBO Max
You say Elizabeth Olsen and I’m there. Last year after the success of WandaVision, HBO Max announced another limited series with Olsen at the lead, Love and Death. The series will focus on the real-life events of Candy Montgomery, a woman who murdered her friend from church with an ax in 1980. Lily Rabe stars as Candy’s unfortunate friend, Betty Gore, along with Jesse Plemons as Betty’s husband, Patrick Fugit as Candy’s husband, Krysten Ritter, and Tom Pelphrey. Filming is underway and expected to conclude in the first half of 2022.
Love and Death has not gotten an official release date beyond 2022.
Julia’s Runner-Up: Space Force Season 2 – Netflix
After a bit of a wait, the second season of Greg Daniels and Steve Carell’s Space Force is finally almost here! The comedy series follows General Mark R. Naird (Carell), who’s tasked with creating and running the sixth branch of the military — Space Force. He works closely with a group of scientists to reach their main goal of getting “boots on the moon by 2024.” Season 2 will see General Naird and his team facing new administration while dealing with other personal obstacles.
Space Force season 2 releases on February 18.
Jules’ Runner-Up: House of the Dragon Season 1 – HBO Max
Whether you loved or hated the ending of the massive HBO hit Game of Thrones, there’s one thing nearly every fan can agree on: dragons are awesome. And on HBO/HBO Max’s new prequel House of the Dragon, they will be prominently featured as the series tackles House Targaryen in all its glory. While the main series showed the once-powerful family at its lowest with only a handful of surviving members, House of the Dragon takes the story back 200 years to when the ruling family was firmly in charge of Westeros and the Iron Throne. It is based on George R.R. Martin’s Fire and Blood novel covering the Targaryen Civil War, the period referred to on the main series as the “dance of the dragons.”
The cast is stacked, with Matt Smith leading alongside Paddy Considine, Olivia Cooke, Emma D’Arcy, Steve Toussaint, Eve Best, Rhys Ifans, and Sonoya Mizuno among many others. But perhaps more exciting is the creative team. Martin and Ryan Condal are credited as the creators, while legendary Game of Thrones director Miguel Sapochnik will be showrunner alongside Condal. Sapochnik, Clare Kilner, Geeta V. Patel, and Greg Yaitanes will direct, and once again, Ramin Djawadi will provide the score. It will be interesting to see how the prequel stacks up to its parent series both in terms of ratings and creative acclaim, but it will be worth a watch regardless. No premiere date has been set, but HBO Max confirmed the series will premiere in 2022.
Stay tuned for our coverage on all of these upcoming titles!
