We're Going To Have To Wait Until 2026 For Some Wildly Popular Netflix Shows, And I'm Bummed To Have To Wait To See If My Outer Banks Theory Pans Out

(L to R) Madelyn Cline as Sarah Cameron, Carlacia Grant as Cleo, Madison Bailey as Kiara, Chase Stokes as John B, Jonathan Daviss as Pope in episode 406 of Outer Banks they all looked shocked.

Netflix is gearing up for a massive year with Stranger Things, Wednesday, and Squid Games all returning to the streamer for the 2025 TV schedule. Unfortunately, not all Netflix subscribers will be celebrating the lineup today, as many wildly popular shows won’t be returning until 2026 at the absolute earliest.

The news of what’s not coming back this year isn’t too surprising since many of the shows premiered late in the 2024 season, leaving little time for filming to start for a 2025 premiere. However, it’s still disappointing news, especially for shows with more active fanbases like Outer Banks.

I Guess I’ll Have To Keep Thinking About My Outer Banks Theory

As an avid Outer Banks fan, I was definitely bummed to learn that Season 5 won’t be making the 2025 Netflix lineup. It was a long shot since the renewal for the fifth and final season came in early November, but I still had hope the team behind the show could work some Hollywood magic and give fans the happy ending we so desperately deserve after the tragic Season 4 ending.

I guess I’ll have to wait longer to see if my theory that the Pogues are going to have second thoughts about trying to avenge JJ pans out. It's not all bad news, though. At the very least, I have more time to wrap my head around my theory that the writers are going to use JJ’s absence to make Kiara and Rafe endgame and become one of the best couples on the show — something that has been debated amongst fans since the show first hit Netflix back in 2020.

Other Netflix Shows Not Hitting The Schedule Until 2026

Outer Banks isn’t the only hit series missing from Netflix’s upcoming release schedule. Bridgerton fans are going to have to practice their patience, as Benedict’s chapter won’t be coming this year. Despite the popularity of the Regency-era show, showrunners are sticking firmly to the timeline they’ve established with the first three seasons, which had fans waiting about two years between Seasons 2 and 3.

It looks like fans of the anime-turned-live-action hit ONE PIECE will also be stuck waiting for the second installment of the fantasy adventure series. Season 1 dropped back in August 2023, but production didn’t begin on the second season until a year later, despite getting renewed in September 2023.

Ali Wong’s led Beef is another 2023 series that won’t be getting its second installment until 2026. Fans of the Emmy-winning limited or anthology series might be the most patient of all, considering the show didn’t officially get renewed for a second season until a year and a half after its initial release.

With Netflix raising the prices of subscriptions again, fans of these shows might consider canceling their subscription until 2026. However, that might not be the smartest of decisions, given how packed the 2025 lineup is. Plus, dates are always up in the air. There’s always a chance something slated for 2026 might wrap early and find itself on the back half of the 2025 lineup, so it's best to keep those subscriptions up to date.

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Danielle Bruncati is a writer and pop culture enthusiast from Southern California. She earned a Master of Fine Arts degree in Television Writing and Producing from a top film school. Her goal is to one day be the writer on a show/movie covered by Cinemablend, but for now, she's excited to be a Freelance Writer here.

Danielle watches just about everything, but her favorite shows and movies often land in the YA and romantic comedy spaces. When she's not writing, she can be found wandering around Disneyland or hanging out with her laughter-hating corgi.