Paranormal

Netflix’s latest Arabic original — and its first from Egypt — has some solid pedigree: It’s based on a series of thrillers by the late author Ahmed Khaled Tawfik that reportedly sold more than 15 million copies. Of course, that existing fanbase brings its own kind of pressure, and director/producer Amr Salama will be hoping that the COVID-19-delayed shoot will do justice to the source material. Comedian, actor and writer Ahmed Amin seems like a good fit for the lead role of the cynical wisecracking doctor, Refaat Esmail, who teams up with British-Lebanese actress Razane Jammal as Esmail’s ex-colleague (and still-crush) Maggie McKillop (who is, intriguingly but possibly unwisely — let’s wait till we hear the accent — Scottish) to investigate a series of paranormal incidents beginning in 1969. Incidents that force Esmail to question his lifelong faith in science and rationalism.

The Walking Dead: World Beyond

The original “Walking Dead” TV show may have plummeted from the dizzy heights of its early season popularity, but there are still plenty of fans who are excited to see what this latest spin-off has to offer. The show follows a group of teens in Nebraska, 10 years after the outbreak of the zombie apocalypse, meaning it focuses on the first generation to come of age after the end of the world as we knew it. Perhaps wisely, the showrunners have already announced that it will run for just two seasons, meaning it should — hopefully — avoid the fate of its two open-ended TV predecessors which, most agree, have already run too long.

The Mandalorian (Season two)

(October)

The biggest hit on Disney+ so far returns for a second series, which means two things: More “Star Wars” fan frenzy and — crucially — more Baby Yoda. Very little has been revealed about the plot, but there are credible rumors that Din Djarin, the titular bounty hunter, will face off against fellow Mandalorian Boba Fett, a mainstay of the original “Star Wars” trilogy.

Raised By Wolves

(Sept. 3)

Any sci-fi project linked to Ridley Scott is going to get fans of the genre excited, so the buzz around this HBO series should be no surprise (Scott is an executive producer). The premise is that two androids — known as Father and Mother — are raising a group of human children on a mysterious new planet after Earth has been destroyed. As cultural and religious differences make themselves known among the burgeoning human colony, the androids’ task becomes increasingly difficult and dangerous.

Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous

(Sept. 18)

Cartoon dinosaurs made by Dreamworks? That already sounds like a winner. The fact that it’s based on the multi-billion-dollar “Jurassic Park” franchise (and has Steven Spielberg on board as executive producer) means it’s a sure-fire smash.

The series tells the story of six teens who win a trip to a new camp on the opposite side of Isla Nublar from the dinosaur park, but when the beasts break loose, the campers are in danger and — unable to contact the outside world — must rely on each other to survive.

Two Weeks To Live

(Sept. 2)

“Game of Thrones” star Maisie Williams leads the cast of this dark comedy produced by the UK’s Sky One. Williams plays Kim Stokes, who has been raised in relative solitude by her survivalist mother since her father died in mysterious circumstances when she was just a young girl. Now an adult, Kim attempts to acclimatize to the ‘normal’ world, but when a prank in a pub goes wrong, she, her mother, and the pub’s owners find themselves on the run from the police with a bag full of money that belongs to a group of gangsters who would quite like it back. Now do you see why she has the survivalist background?

Away

(Sept. 4)

Netflix are billing this sci-fi drama as “an epic love story and a thrilling tale of survival set against humanity’s greatest endeavor — the first human mission to Mars.” The show was apparently inspired by an article in “Esquire” magazine, and features Oscar winner Hilary Swank as Emma Green, an American astronaut tasked with leading the multinational crew on the year-long mission — leaving her husband and teenage daughter behind on Earth.

The Crown (Season four)

(Nov. 15)

The wildly popular historical drama based on the reign of Britain’s current queen enters its fourth season. Olivia Colman will reprise the role of Queen Elizabeth II, but as the show moves into the Eighties some fascinating new characters appear too, including Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher (portrayed by Gillian Anderson), Lady Diana Spencer (Emma Corrin) and the young Princes William and Harry.

The Undoing

(Oct. 25)

Hugh Grant and Nicole Kidman star in this miniseries based on Jean Hanff Korelitz’s 2014 novel “You Should Have Known.” The psychological thriller tells the story of Grace Fraser, a successful therapist who seems to have it all — a thriving career, a young son who attends an elite New York school, and a devoted husband, Jonathan. But when Jonathan disappears suddenly, some astonishing — and unsavory — revelations from his past are brought to light. And Grace’s perfect life is revealed to be something else entirely.

The Third Day

(Sept. 14)

This six-episode drama might be this year’s most-ambitious TV project. It tells the story of a man, Sam, and woman, Helen, who arrive at different times on a mysterious island off the coast of Britain whose inhabitants are determined to preserve their cultural identity at any cost. It is split into three parts — “Summer,” “Autumn,” and “Winter” — and “Autumn” will be filmed as a live event in London shot in one continuous take. With that kind of potential for disaster, as well as major stars playing Sam (Jude Law) and Helen (Naomie Harris), this should be on your must-see list.