Disney+ is shaping 2026 as a pivotal year for streaming, blending big global franchises with ambitious European originals designed to hook both hardcore fans and curious newcomers. From a fashion-industry thriller by Ryan Murphy to a live-action take on Lucky Luke, the platform is clearly betting on variety, continuity, and a stronger local footprint in France—while still feeding the massive Marvel and Star Wars fandoms that drive subscriptions worldwide.
Why Disney+’s 2026 Lineup Matters for Streamers in the U.S.
For U.S. viewers, many of the shows announced at the Disney+ 2026 Showcase will arrive either day-and-date or shortly after their European premieres. That’s especially true for Marvel, Star Wars and FX-branded series, which form the backbone of Disney’s global streaming strategy. But what’s striking this time is how aggressively Disney+ is leaning into French and European storytelling, then packaging it for an international audience.
Below, we break down the most notable titles—from buzzy newcomers like FX The Beauty and The Testaments to returning hits and French originals poised to travel beyond their home market.
High-Profile New Series Kicking Off 2026
FX The Beauty: Ryan Murphy Takes on the Fashion Underworld
Launching on Disney+ on January 22, 2026, FX The Beauty brings Ryan Murphy’s signature flair for heightened, glossy thrillers to the world of high fashion. Rather than a simple industry drama, the series is built around a string of unexplained deaths tied to elite modeling circles and luxury brands.
The story unfolds across Paris and several other major capitals, blending murder mystery with globe-trotting investigation. For U.S. audiences familiar with Murphy’s work on shows like American Horror Story or American Crime Story, FX The Beauty looks positioned as a prestige thriller with binge potential and strong international appeal.
The Testaments: The Next Chapter After The Handmaid’s Tale
Later in the spring, Disney+ will debut The Testaments, adapted from Margaret Atwood’s 2019 novel. Set years after the events of The Handmaid’s Tale, the series shifts focus to a younger generation that has never known life outside the authoritarian regime of Gilead.
Instead of revisiting the same viewpoint, The Testaments expands the universe with new protagonists and political stakes, exploring what happens when those raised inside an oppressive system start to question—and potentially dismantle—it. For viewers who followed the Hulu adaptation of The Handmaid’s Tale, this spiritual successor will be a major event.
Returning Favorites: Sequels, New Seasons and Nostalgia Plays
Disney+ isn’t only about fresh IP in 2026. Several established titles are coming back, offering continuity for fans already invested in these worlds.
Paradise Season 2: Sci-Fi Returns in February
Paradise – Season 2 hits Disney+ on February 23, 2026. While details about the new episodes remain under wraps, the return confirms Disney+’s appetite for serialized, high-concept storytelling that can grow season after season.
FX The Bear Season 5
FX The Bear – Season 5 is also on the 2026 slate, signaling that the acclaimed, high-intensity kitchen drama is now one of the key pillars of Disney’s FX portfolio on streaming. Even without a confirmed premiere date, the renewal reinforces how important returning adult dramas are for subscriber retention.
Scrubs Revival Episodes
In a move squarely aimed at nostalgia and cross-generational viewing, Scrubs is coming back with new episodes. These installments will reunite fan-favorite legacy characters while introducing newcomers, giving the cult medical comedy a fresh shot at relevance in the streaming era. For U.S. audiences who discovered Scrubs on cable or on-demand, this revival could serve as both comfort TV and a gateway for younger viewers.
Marvel on Disney+ in 2026: Wonder Man, Daredevil and More
Marvel remains central to the Disney+ library, and 2026 is no exception. The lineup is designed to keep the Marvel Cinematic Universe active on the small screen while supporting theatrical releases.
Wonder Man Leads the Charge
The first major Marvel series on the calendar is Wonder Man, premiering on January 28, 2026. Centered on the character Simon Williams, the show is expected to balance superhero action with Hollywood satire, reflecting Wonder Man’s ties to the entertainment industry in the comics. For U.S. fans, this will likely tie into the broader MCU narrative, making it a must-watch for continuity completists.
Daredevil: Born Again Season 2
Daredevil: Born Again – Season 2 will continue the story that relaunched Matt Murdock within the MCU framework. While Marvel has yet to reveal exact release timing, the second season is crucial for expanding the street-level side of the universe and building on the character work that won over fans of the Netflix original.
VisionQuest Expands the Cosmic and Emotional Side of the MCU
VisionQuest is also on the 2026 slate, placing the synthezoid hero Vision back in the spotlight. The series is expected to explore identity, memory and grief—echoing themes from WandaVision—while potentially opening new narrative threads for future films and shows.
Animated Marvel: Spider-Man and X-Men ’97
Animation continues to be a strategic asset for Disney+. In 2026, the platform will roll out new seasons of two animated hits:
- Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man (referred to here as Your Faithful Servant Spider-Man in some local listings), aimed at younger audiences but packed with Easter eggs for long-time fans;
- X-Men ’97, which builds on the nostalgia of the original 1990s cartoon while modernizing its storytelling and visuals.
Both series are key to keeping younger viewers engaged and broadening the MCU’s reach beyond live-action.
Star Wars 2026: Two New Disney+ Adventures
The Star Wars galaxy also gets fresh content in 2026, with two titles positioned to expand the lore in very different ways.
Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord
Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord will shine a spotlight on one of the franchise’s most iconic antiheroes. By digging deeper into Maul’s life beyond his cinematic appearances, the series has room to explore the criminal underworld, Sith philosophy and the broader power struggles that shape the galaxy.
Star Wars: Visions – The Ninth Jedi
Star Wars: Visions – The Ninth Jedi returns to the experimental anthology format that made the first Visions volume stand out. This time, The Ninth Jedi is positioned as a new entry that plays with style, tone and canon-adjacent storytelling—perfect for fans who enjoy seeing Star Wars reimagined by different creative voices.
French Originals: Disney+ Bets Big on Local Stories With Global Potential
Beyond its global franchises, Disney+ is making an explicit investment in French-language originals for 2026. While these projects are tailored to the French market, Disney’s streaming infrastructure makes it easy to bring them to U.S. viewers with subtitles or dubs, much like what Netflix has done with European hits.
Lucky Luke: A Live-Action Take on a European Icon
One of the headline projects is Lucky Luke, slated for March 23, 2026. The series stars Alban Lenoir as the legendary cowboy created in the Franco-Belgian comics tradition. Expect a blend of Western tropes, European humor and action tailored to contemporary audiences.
For U.S. viewers, Lucky Luke could function as both an introduction to a major European pop-culture figure and a fresh twist on the Western genre, which American audiences know well but rarely see through a French lens.
Surveillant!: Prison Comedy With a French Edge
Another notable original is Surveillant!, an eight-episode comedy set inside a French prison. Rather than going for gritty realism, the show leans into workplace humor and character-driven absurdity, using the prison setting as a backdrop for social satire.
This kind of half-hour comedy often travels well across borders, especially when Disney+ can surface it through recommendations and curated carousels to viewers who enjoy series like The Office or Brooklyn Nine-Nine.
Upcoming French Projects in the Pipeline
Several additional French productions are already in development or filming, signaling that Disney+ sees long-term value in building a local slate:
- An original series led by Malik Bentalha, a well-known French comedian and actor;
- A thriller mini-series starring Virginie Efira, blending prestige casting with high-stakes storytelling;
- Bermudes, a thriller created by François Uzan, which is likely to play with mystery and suspense themes that resonate globally.
Together, these titles illustrate Disney+’s intent to nurture French franchises that can stand alongside Marvel and Star Wars in the long term.
How Disney+ Is Positioning Its 2026 Slate
Looking at the full 2026 lineup, a clear editorial strategy emerges:
- Diversified genres: thrillers (FX The Beauty, Bermudes), sci-fi and dystopia (The Testaments, Paradise), superhero and fantasy (Marvel, Star Wars), comedy (Surveillant!, Scrubs), and Western-inspired action (Lucky Luke);
- Franchise continuity: ongoing investment in Marvel, Star Wars, and FX originals, plus legacy IP like Scrubs and X-Men ’97;
- Local creation, global reach: a robust French slate meant to satisfy regulatory requirements in Europe while also feeding the global catalog with distinctive voices and settings.
For U.S. viewers, that means 2026 on Disney+ won’t just be about the next Marvel or Star Wars drop. The platform is increasingly a place to discover international storytelling—from a Paris-set fashion thriller to a French reimagining of the Wild West.
Key Takeaways: What to Add to Your 2026 Watchlist
If you’re prioritizing what to watch and track news on, these titles are among the most anticipated for 2026 on Disney+:
- FX The Beauty – Ryan Murphy’s fashion-world thriller, premiering January 22, 2026;
- The Testaments – the next chapter in the world of The Handmaid’s Tale;
- Paradise – Season 2 – returning February 23, 2026;
- Wonder Man – Marvel’s new series, starting January 28, 2026;
- Lucky Luke – French live-action adaptation of the iconic cowboy, launching March 23, 2026.
Alongside these, Marvel fans can look forward to Daredevil: Born Again – Season 2, VisionQuest, and fresh animated runs of Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man and X-Men ’97. Star Wars loyalists will want to keep an eye on Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord and Star Wars: Visions – The Ninth Jedi. And anyone curious about French TV will find a growing slate of local originals ready to stream.
FAQ
What are the most anticipated Disney+ series in 2026?
Among the most talked-about Disney+ titles for 2026 are FX The Beauty, The Testaments, Paradise – Season 2, Marvel’s Wonder Man, and the French live-action series Lucky Luke. These shows combine big-name creators, strong IP and ambitious storytelling.
Will Disney+ release new French originals in 2026?
Yes. Disney+ is significantly expanding its French slate in 2026, with originals like Lucky Luke, the prison comedy Surveillant!, and the thriller Bermudes, plus additional projects involving Malik Bentalha and Virginie Efira. Many of these are expected to be available internationally with subtitles or dubs.
Is Marvel still a major focus for Disney+ in 2026?
Absolutely. Marvel remains central to the platform’s identity. In 2026, the slate includes Wonder Man, Daredevil: Born Again – Season 2, VisionQuest, and new animated seasons of Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man and X-Men ’97. These releases keep the MCU storylines active between theatrical films.
What Star Wars content is coming to Disney+ in 2026?
Two new Star Wars projects are on the way for 2026: Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord, which focuses on the fan-favorite character Maul, and Star Wars: Visions – The Ninth Jedi, a new entry in the experimental Visions anthology series. Both aim to deepen and diversify the Star Wars universe on streaming.
