2025 is an exciting year foranimated TV shows, with plenty of new releases being highly anticipated by audiences. Such shows span a variety of genres, from lighthearted comedy series to dark fantasy action series. The remainder of the new year seesshows both old and new premiering exciting storiesthat are expected to be well worth the wait. Some of thebiggest shows returning in 2025are beloved animated series likeInvincible,Harley Quinn, andCastlevania: Nocturne.
One of the most inspiring premieres in 2025 isDevil May Cry, an adaptation of the eponymous video game, starring Johnny Yong Bosch.Disney+ alone has several upcoming animated series, includingYour Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man,Eyes of Wakanda, andWin or Lose. Though there are plenty of additionalanimatedseries expected to return or premiere in 2025,a majority of these shows have been given a specific release date, allowing audiences to confidently prepare for the entertaining animated stories to come.
From the producers ofChip ‘n’ Dale: Park LifecomesThe Doomies. The French animated series doesn’t have a specific release date, but it’s expected to arrive on Disney+ in 2025. The series revolves around two best friends, Bobby and Romy.The energetic pair accidentally open up a portal in their peaceful coastal town, welcoming an array of monsters (viaVariety). Though there is little information available about the series, the supernatural mystery unfolding inThe Doomiesis expected to be a lot of fun.
The Doomieshas an unusual backdrop for the coming-of-age adventures of Bobby and Romy, as the pair learn a lot about themselves amidst a battle with supernatural creatures. Along with the upcoming seriesDragon Striker,The Doomiesis the start of a promising future for international storytellers to get the opportunity to share their work on a larger platform for the world to see.
Harley Quinn
Cast
Harley Quinn is a 2019 animated series focusing on the titular character’s evolution after severing ties with the Joker. As she seeks to establish herself as an independent force in Gotham City’s criminal underworld, the film explores her journey toward becoming Gotham’s criminal Queenpin.
Following four well-received seasons,Harley Quinnreturns for season 5. The Max series follows the titular character’s (Kaley Cuoco) adventures with Poison Ivy (Lake Bell). The beginning ofseason 5sees the two bid farewell to Gotham City and prepare for a fresh start in Metropolis. However, the new city’s warm welcome doesn’t last long as trouble quickly starts emerging for the couple.
During its run so far,Harley Quinnhas earned relatively high levels of praise from critics, with specific compliments going towards the cast’s voice acting and the series' writing. These aspects of the show allow the title character to feel fresh for longtime DC fans. Still,Harley Quinnhas its fair share of references, and has a compelling balance of humor and violent action, making it a well-rounded animated series for older audiences to enjoy.
Castlevania: Nocturne
Set in 1792 during the French Revolution, Castlevania: Nocturne focuses on Annette, a powerful sorceress who travels to find a descendant of a vampire-hunting family named Richter Belmont. At the same time, a counter-revolutionary aristocracy joins forces with Vampire Messiah. The series continues centuries after the events of the first Castlevania series, with Richter following in his ancestor’s footsteps to slay the hordes of the night.
Acting as a sequel toCastlevania, the dark fantasy seriesCastlevania: Nocturnereturns for a second season. Both shows are based on the video game series of the same name, thoughCastlevania: Nocturnefocuses on a different set of characters. The series is adapted from the ’90s gamesRondo of BloodandSymphony of the Night,specifically. Led by vampire hunter Richter Belmont (Edward Bluemel) and set during the French Revolution, the animated series seesBelmont work to prevent the powerful rise of a vampire messiah.
Just like the first series,Castlevania: Nocturnehasearned widespread critical acclaimfor its writing, addressed themes, and animation style, though it’s been slightly criticized for its pacing. The ending of the sequel series leaves the door open formoreCastlevaniaTV showsthat would explore the vast world and powerful characters within the video game series.
Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man
Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man follows Peter Parker as he navigates the complexities of heroism, facing a series of extraordinary challenges.
The origin story of Spider-Man has been explored several times before, but audiences can expect a fascinating twist withYour Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man. Hudson Thames voices Peter Parker, who gains spider-like abilities and becomes the titular hero.
The animation style inYour Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Manpays homage to the comic books the character is best associated with.
However, rather than being mentored by Tony Stark, as seen in the MCU,Peter trains to become Spider-Man under Norman Osborn(Colman Domingo). The premise of the series allows for the familiar origin story to develop within the alternate timeline, which is sure to impress.
Additionally, the animation style inYour Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Manpayshomage to the comic booksthe character is best associated with. This style is both nostalgic and differs from the unique and celebrated style found withintheSpider-Versemovies. A few additional actors joining Thames and Domingo in the cast are Hugh Dancy, Eugene Byrd, and Charlie Cox.
Common Side Effects
Common Side Effects follows former high school lab partners Marshall and Frances as they uncover a conspiracy involving big pharma and the government, centered on a rare mushroom that could revolutionize medical science.
Premiering on Adult Swim at the beginning of February is Joseph Bennett and Steve Hely’s conspiracy thriller seriesCommon Side Effects. The show was first publicly announced at San Diego Comic-Con last summer, and audiences have been counting down the days since, waiting for its premiere.
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The show revolves around two high school friends, Marshall (Dave King) and Frances (Emily Pendergast), who reconnect afterthe former discovers a new drug that works as the cure for all illnesses. As expected, Marshall is quickly sought after by a large pharmaceutical company and the government, who wish to keep the truth about the powerful drug away from the public.
Being more plot-driven than some other well-known Adult Swim programs,Common Side Effectsis still plenty of fun. The series’ weird characters and surreal humor are brought together by a hilarious cast, which includes King, Pendergast, Joseph Lee Anderson, and Mike Judge.
Invincible
Based on the comic book character by Robert Kirkman, Invincible follows Mark Grayson, a seventeen-year-old who leads a seemingly average life save for the fact that he lives behind the shadow of his superhero father, Omni-Man. Mark goes on to develop superhuman abilities, but he must also learn that his father’s legacy isn’t as glitzy and glamorous as he’s been led to believe.
Having earned a warm reception from audiences and critical acclaim for its first two seasons,Invinciblereturns for season 3in 2025. The series followsteenager Mark Grayson’s (Steven Yeun) journey to becoming a superhero, following in his father’s footsteps. During this process, Mark grapples with the world around him and the role he plays in it.
The trailer for season 3 shows Mark continuing to train as a hero, though his relationship with Cecil (Walton Goggins) begins to strain. Since its 2021 premiere, the series has earned praise for its voice performances, especially that of Yeun, its animation style, and its action sequences.
Based on the trailer alone, each element appears to be at full strength, suggesting an equally positive response from audiences and critics.Invincibleis set to return on Amazon Prime Video in early February, premiering the first three episodes at once before starting weekly releases.
Win or Lose
Win or Lose is an animated sports comedy series produced by Pixar. The show follows a co-ed middle school softball team and their coach as they navigate the highs and lows leading up to their championship game. Each episode is from a different character’s perspective, providing unique insights into their individual experiences and emotions.
After experiencing multiple delays, the premiere of Pixar’s anticipated seriesWin or Loseis right around the corner.Win or Losehas a simple story, but the series is elevated thanks toits unique approach to animation. The animated show follows a middle school softball team with each episode focusing on a different member of the team, detailing their emotions and perspective leading up to a crucial championship game.
Will Forte leads the series as the softball team’s coach, Dan, and is supported by actors like Izaac Wang, Rosa Salazar, Melissa Villaseñor, and Ian Chen. Ahead of its premiere,Win or Losehas already experienced controversy for cutting an LGBTQ+ storyline (viaThe Hollywood Reporter). Even with this in mind,Win or Loseis still highly anticipated by those eager to see Pixar’s growth and innovation when it comes to animation.The style of each episode is specific to a certain character, creating lots of space to play and have fun.
Devil May Cry
Devil May Cry, released in 2025, follows a demon hunter as he battles to prevent a formidable adversary from unleashing Hell on Earth. This action-packed series delves into the supernatural, featuring an intriguing hero who must overcome otherworldly challenges to save humanity.
There are plenty ofupcoming TV show adaptations of video gamesto look forward to in the next few years. One of these shows isDevil May Cry, an animated series based on the video game franchise of the same name. The series of games depicts the action-packed adventures ofDante, the protagonist, as he works to defend Earth from the threat of demons. Though teaser trailers have been dropped since September 2023, most information surrounding the series has been limited.
So far, Johnny Yong Bosch is the only confirmed cast member ofDevil May Cry. Despite the news that the long-time voice actor for the character Reuben Langdon would not reprise his role, Bosch appears to be a promising substitute. As a voice actor, Bosch is best known for his work inBleachas Ichigo Kurosaki. Bosch has also lent his voice to a variety of video games, includingDevil May Cry, where he voices the character Nero.
Eyes of Wakanda
Eyes of Wakanda, released in 2025, follows a group of brave Wakandan warriors known as the Hatut Zeraze. Tasked with retrieving Vibranium artifacts, they embark on dangerous missions across the globe, confronting enemies of Wakanda in their steadfast defense of the nation’s legacy and resources.
Despite being a frequent location visited in the MCU, Wakanda has been little explored.Black Pantheris the first timeWakanda’s people and cultureare properly introduced in the MCU, but the upcoming series on Disney+ explores the location a bit further. As a four-part miniseries,Eyes of Wakandaexplores the history of the titular location, specifically following the Hatut Zaraze, a group of powerful Wakandan warriors who’ve gone on dangerous missions during the country’s history.
The story inEyes of Wakandaexpands on the country’s mythology and Black Panther’s history and will feature an appearance from Iron Fist as well.
The story inEyes of Wakandaexpands on the country’s mythology and Black Panther’s history and will feature an appearance from Iron Fist as well. Such a setup providesa far more in-depth look at the MCU’s history, resulting in a must-watch series for passionate fans. More details have yet to be shared, but Winnie Harlow, Cress Williams, Anika Noni Rose, and Steve Toussaint are just a few names attached to the animated series.
Marvel Zombies
Released on Disney+, Marvel Zombies is the continuation of Marvel’s What If…? episode 5, where an animated version of the MCU is overrun by zombies.
Though the release date ofMarvel Zombieswas up in the air for a few months in 2024, it’s finally (almost) here. Expected in the fall of 2025,Marvel Zombiesexpands on a concept first introduced inWhat If…?, a series that explores alternate timelines in the multiverse that change the MCU events audiences are familiar with. In “What If… Zombies?!,” the fifth episode of season 1, beloved members of the Avengers are characterized as superpowered zombies, kicking off the apocalypse.
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Marvel Zombiescontinues this story and sees a group of survivors fight off the famous heroes. With engrossing elements of the horror genre added into the mix,Marvel Zombieshas earned a TV-MA rating. Actors like Elizabeth Olsen, Randall Park, Iman Vellani, and Simu Liu are set to appear in the series, reprising their roles from previous MCU films.
