By Chris Snellgrove
| Updated 1 hour ago

As a Doctor Who fan, I recently felt like I was trapped in an episode of this beloved sci-fi series. That’s because, as soon as the BBC confirmed that the show was getting canceled, I entered some kind of bizarre time loop. My social media feeds were filled with people breathlessly claiming that Doctor Who was canceled because it was overly woke. Hadn’t I been here before, listening to the same arguments about how progressive messaging killed a progressive sci-fi show? Yup. The same thing happened three months ago, when Paramount announced that Starfleet Academy was canceled, effectively killing active production on Star Trek TV shows for the foreseeable future.

When that happened, many critics claimed that Starfleet Academy had been canceled because it was an overly woke show, what with its gay Klingon and characters endlessly talking about their emotions. Now, those critics are claiming that Doctor Who (which, like Trek TV, is on indefinite hiatus) was canceled because of its own wokeness, what with its openly queer Doctor and proud identity politics. However, wokeness didn’t kill either of these franchises; bad writing did. At the end of the day, both of these fantastically expensive sci-fi series were canceled because not enough people were watching. As Discovery’s Tilly might say in the cringiest possible way, that’s the power of math, people!

The End Of Two Eras

Right now, Star Trek and Doctor Who are in the same boat. Starfleet Academy was the only Trek show in active production; after it was canceled, Paramount (under new, post-merger leadership) decided to pivot entirely to movies. It could be a long time before we see a new Trek on television. Last time Paramount pivoted this IP to film, there was a 12-year wait between shows. Now, Doctor Who is effectively canceled because the BBC is looking for someone else to produce the show (Disney declined to renew their own production deal last year). Last time Doctor Who went on hiatus, there was a 16-year wait between shows.

So, Doctor Who and Star Trek are in the same boat: on hiatus for the foreseeable future. Another major thing that these shows have in common is that haters claim they were canceled because of their “woke” content. Doctor Who, for example, prominently features a queer Black actor, a trans supporting character, and preferred pronouns. Starfleet Academy, meanwhile, has multiple gay characters, polyamorous Klingons, and a dude prominently wearing a skirt. Once these shows got canceled, many critics pointed to this aforementioned content as the reason they got the axe, citing the oldest, dumbest axiom of the internet: “go woke, go broke!”

Woke From The Beginning

Star Trek has, of course, been woke from the beginning: the first pilot episode featured a strong female commander, the Original Series featured a multiracial crew, featured an interracial kiss, and so on. The franchise retained such progressive wokeness throughout the decades, and while Starfleet Academy was no more woke than what came before. What it was, however, was very badly written. The progressive messaging of this show is that much more noticeable because it’s that much louder and on the nose. This would be bad enough even if the show were otherwise well-written. Unfortunately, the poor writing and sometimes nonsensical plotting of Starfleet Academy ensured that obvious identity politics sometimes overshadowed everything else. 

Similarly, Doctor Who has been very visibly woke since the NuWho era began back in 2005. These early seasons featured a male Doctor kissing his flamboyantly gay Companion, spouting anti-war messaging, and emphasizing that major corporations are evil.; nonetheless, it was successful enough to warrant nearly two decades‘ worth of new episodes. Fast-forward to the Disney era of Doctor Who, and the show hadn’t gotten any more woke. The Doctor was still kissing dudes, war was still bad, and corporations were still evil. Written well, none of this offends anyone, regardless of politics. Written poorly, the virtue signalling gets so loud that it’s tough to make out the message of any given episode. 

The Numbers Are Ugly

Simply being woke would never be enough to get the respective Star Trek and Doctor Who fandoms to turn on their favorite franchises. After all, the franchises have each been woke for decades. But being badly written can destroy these brands in very short order. For example, both Trek and Who tried to pander to a wider audience, but this backfired. Old-school fans just stopped tuning in, feeling like what they saw onscreen no longer resembled the franchise they fell in love wth. Meanwhile, poor marketing and diminishing name recognition meant these shows didn’t gain any new fans. The result? A show that ends up bleeding money.

Paramount never really releases streaming numbers, so it’s impossible to know exactly how many people watched Starfleet Academy. Notably, it never cracked the Top 10 Nielsen streaming originals list. Citing an unnamed source, Mike Stoklassa of Red Letter Media claimed that Season 1 only got a cumulative number of 400,000 viewers, which averages out to 40,000 views per episode. Meanwhile, the first season reportedly cost $100 million, averaging out to $10 million per episode. At the end of the day, it’s just math: because Starfleet Academy cost a small fortune to make and didn’t attract enough viewers, it got the axe. 

The Juice Ain’t Worth The Squeeze

The same can be said for Doctor Who. Showrunner Russel T. Davies had a way bigger budget than he otherwise would have, thanks to Disney. They covered half the costs; the episodes featuring Ncuti Gatwa’s Doctor reportedly cost between $8.5 million and $10.5 million. That’s about three times what it cost to make Jodie Whittaker’s Doctor Who episodes. However, these new episodes failed to crack the Nielsen top 10. And on the BBC, Gatwa reportedly lost about a million views from season to season, culminating in a Season 2 finale that garnered only 2.25 million views. Like Starfleet Academy, it’s not worth making super expensive episodes if nobody is watching them.    

Wokeness didn’t kill these franchises because they’ve been woke since before most of their haters were born. But each franchise tried in vain to appeal to broader audiences, creating shows that drove away old fans while failing to recruit new ones. Old-school fans of Star Trek and Doctor Who were very accustomed to woke messaging, but it was usually packaged with stellar writing. Continuous poor writing drove away the base of each show until there was nothing left but a handful of diehards. Sobering as it is, the creators of Trek and Who just learned a brutal lesson: you can’t have a successful blockbuster show with only a handful of fans.

KC Chandler and Aniya Harvey‘s relationship has taken a turn for the worse on Love Island USA after he threw some shade at their sex life — or lack thereof.

KC made the confession to Corbin Mims, who was having the opposite problem with former flame Kenzie Annis, whom he still wanted to keep pursuing. As for KC, the Islander admitted during the Monday, June 15, episode of the show that he and Aniya “ain’t done s***” despite being paired up the entire time in the villa.

KC then jokingly referred to Aniya as a grandma, adding, “I told her about that. I told her I am a very touchy person.”

The couple addressed their issues later in the episode when Aniya confronted him for blaming her after he couldn’t explore a connection with Sol Dean. While KC claimed Aniya was his first choice, she told him she didn’t feel that way from him — leaving the future of their relationship unclear.

Related: ‘Love Island USA’ Season 8 Couples: Who Is Still Together? Who Broke Up?

Love Island USA is all about coupling up — so which Islanders are currently together and which have already called it quits in the villa? Peacock’s popular dating show returned in June 2026 with contestants Aniya Harvey, Beatriz Hatz, Bryce Alakai Dettloff, KC Chandler, Mackenzie “Kenzie” Annis, Melanie Moreno, Sincere Rhea, Sean Reifel, Trinity Tatum […]

Love Island, which premiered in the U.K. in 2002, follows a different group of singles every season who pair off in order to stay in the show’s luxury villa. The franchise has since expanded worldwide, with spinoffs such as Love Island USA.

The contestants — who are referred to as Islanders — live in isolation in a villa and are under constant video surveillance. They must be coupled up to remain on the show and to stand a chance at receiving the $100,000 prize.

Monday’s episode comes after news broke off screen that producer James Barker died while the show has been filming in Fiji.

The network released a statement after Barker’s death, which read, “ITV America and Peacock will honor in Tuesday’s episode of Love Island USA series executive producer James Barker, who passed away last week in Fiji after suffering an unexpected medical emergency.”

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The Love Island franchise has mourned the deaths of some of the show’s most beloved islanders over the years. Love Island, which premiered in the U.K. in 2002, follows a different group of singles every season who pair off in order to stay in the show’s luxury villa. The franchise has since expanded worldwide, with […]

The statement continued: “James’ unimaginable loss has been deeply felt across not just the entire Love Island USA production, but throughout all of ITV and Peacock,” the statement continued. “He was a beloved and greatly valued member of our collective family whose kindness, talent and dedication left an indelible mark on all of us and everyone who had the privilege of knowing and working with him. We extend our heartfelt condolences to James’ partner, family, friends and colleagues.”

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According to Barker’s LinkedIn, he joined ITV America in summer 2020. He spent years working on the Love Island franchise before becoming a full-time executive producer earlier this year.

New episodes of Love Island USA are released six days a week — except for Wednesdays — on Peacock.

Join Us Weekly and Bracketology.tv in our first-ever Love Island USA fantasy league! This is your chance to predict who you think will win Season 8 and rank the Islanders weekly based on how confident you are that they will survive the next elimination. You will be playing against our editors, get access to exclusive content and have the chance to win fun prizes. Sign up for free today!

When Neuromancer hits Apple TV, it will have been more than six years since cyberpunk fans had a live-action series to watch. As expectations soar for the upcoming adaptation of William Gibson‘s seminal novel of the same name, Neuromancer promises to fill the void left by another great series on streaming. A hidden Netflix gem, this two-season show was the first to do right by the cyberpunk genre in live action. Unfortunately, it didn’t have the time to prove itself beyond a couple of seasons, and fans have been left wanting more ever since.

‘Altered Carbon’s Untimely Cancellation Left Fans Wanting More Live-Action Cyberpunk on TV

It might sound odd at first, but there has been only one cyberpunk live-action series on television so far. There are countless live-action movies and great animated series, so fans of the subgenre have no shortage of options to choose from, considering everything from Blade Runner to Cyberpunk: Edgerunners, for example. Live-action TV, however, is a different story, so when Altered Carbon premiered on Netflix in 2018, it was a big deal — and a little gamble, too.

The series itself adapts Richard K. Morgan‘s wildly imaginative novel and introduces concepts to television like “sleeves” (an “empty” human body that a person can upload their consciousness into) and “meths” (extremely wealthy individuals who can afford clones of themselves to use as sleeves). Those are typical cyberpunk concepts, blending human flesh and machine, and were part of a complex mystery that re-sleeved mercenary Takeshi Kovacs (Joel Kinnaman) had to solve.

The cyberpunk and pulpy noir elements of Altered Carbon were a hit with viewers, with many considering Season 1 among the best works of the subgenre in visual media. Its self-contained story worked perfectly, but proved a tough act for Season 2 to follow, on which both fans and critics generally agree. When Netflix canceled Altered Carbon months after the release of Season 2, it was a surprise, because there was promise in its premise.

Apple TV’s ‘Neuromancer’ Will Adapt William Gibson’s Quintessential Cyberpunk Novel

Image via Editora Aleph

Given how things ended for Altered Carbon, it’s no surprise that viewers may be wary about cyberpunk’s future on live-action television. Apple TV, though, is going all in by adapting Neuromancer, the novel credited with starting cyberpunk back in the 1980s. The streamer is biding its time with an official release, with the series’ premiere slated for late 2026 and only a very brief teaser dropped so far. However, it has notoriously become the home of prestige sci-fi on streaming, so fans are understandably excited.

The story follows Case (Callum Turner), a small-time thief who tries to steal from his boss, and, as a result, gets his own connection to the matrix (a virtual extension of the real world that can be accessed by neural implants) severed; without it, he is essentially a pariah. Desperate for a fix, Case is recruited by the mysterious Molly (Briana Middleton) for a high-stakes globe-trotting heist led by a shady former military officer called Armitage (Mark Strong).

Until recently, Neuromancer was considered “unadaptable,” given its premise and worldbuilding. There have been countless attempts over the past decades, but with cyberpunk thriving in films that build on the novel’s original influence, it seems the time has finally come. Despite its proven track record with sci-fi, Apple has a lot riding on the series’ success, too, as Neuromancer doesn’t seem like the kind of investment the streamer would make without a guaranteed return.

‘Altered Carbon’ Owes a Lot to ‘Neuromancer,’ Making Apple TV’s Adaptation the Perfect Replacement

Image via AppleTV

Altered Carbon never got a proper ending due to its untimely cancellation, but, for all its faults, it proved that it was possible to make good cyberpunk television in live-action. Altered Carbon did break new ground, in this sense, by showing that technology and visual effects have evolved to match the scope of these stories. Despite a large slate of existing series, animation is unfortunately still considered a niche medium, so live-action programming will always feel like a safer bet for the industry.

What Apple TV is doing is cutting out the middle man, so to speak. Instead of searching for a good cyberpunk story to adapt, as Netflix did, Apple went straight to the cyberpunk story with Neuromancer, which is still regarded as the subgenre’s best work. It’s exactly the kind of bold swing the streamer is known for, on the heels of adapting other sci-fi classics like Foundation and making great original series like Pluribus.

In the end, Apple’s adaptation is the perfect way to bring live-action cyberpunk back to the small screen. Neuromancer may be a risk, but it’s the safest bet possible, considering what every other cyberpunk story owes to it, including Altered Carbon. After the Netflix series confirmed there was an audience for this type of production, it took the industry more than six years to return to it. Anyone still mourning the end of Altered Carbon can rest easier knowing that the wait for something just as good, and quite possibly even better, is nearly over.

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Neuromancer

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Network

Apple TV+

Showrunner

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Graham Roland

Directors

J.D. Dillard

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By Chris Snellgrove
| Updated 28 seconds ago

Over a decade ago, one man dealt a blow to Star Trek that the franchise never quite recovered from. No, I’m not talking about Alex Kurtzman, though it’s true that Trek will be recovering from his influence for a good, long time. I’m talking about Alec Peters, the man behind Axanar Productions. Peters’ goal was relatively simple: to raise money from fans to create the biggest, most ambitious Star Trek fan film (Axanar) ever made. However, he used the money he received (over a million dollars) to build a professional studio and make an actual profit from the project. For Paramount, this ended up being the final straw.

For years, the studio had basically looked the other way when it came to Star Trek fan projects, including films. This only seemed fair, as fanzines, fan merch, and especially fan conventions had kept Trek alive during its darkest periods. But Peters was so brazen in his actions that Paramount sued him and later released guidelines that greatly restricted all future fan films. This left a bad taste in the fandom’s mouth, with many calling Peters a grifter. Now, over a decade since he was successfully sued by Paramount, the man behind Axanar is back, trying to make a profit off of Star Trek yet again.

Flying Too Close To The Sun

To Star Trek fans who know, Axanar is a name that still causes shudders of bad memories. Back in 2014, Alec Peters released a short, fan-made film called Prelude to Axanar. It was designed as a mockumentary that covered what was then completely unexplored ground: the years-long war between the Federation and the Klingons. Fans loved Prelude for its high production value and high-quality acting. Soon enough, Peters leveraged the positive reception to launch campaigns on Kickstarter and Indiegogo to fund a much larger Axanar film. This effort was a runaway success, and he ended up raising over $1.4 million dollars. 

However, Paramount took issue with Peters raising so much money to create a production studio, hire professional actors, and make an entire movie using licensed Star Trek characters and designs. They ended up suing Peters, who ultimately settled out of court. Subsequently, Paramount released fan film guidelines that greatly restricted future productions, with an emphasis on never trying to make a profit off their IP. While this left a bad taste in many fans’ mouths, Peters was not deterred: he has continued to plug away at making Axanar fit with these new restrictions, and now, he’s selling USS Geronimo Class blueprints on Backerkit.

Grifting Remains Illogical

“Geronimo Class” is a type of vessel that was originally created for Prelude to Axanar and will presumably feature in the full movie (if Alec Peters ever actually releases it). Will Peters get in trouble for selling these blueprints? That’s for Paramount to decide, but it seems like something of a grey area. On one hand, the blueprints are for an original design; on the other hand, Peters is once again making money off someone else’s IP. That might raise some eyebrows, but it seems less egregious now that everyone and their brother is making money by selling unlicensed Star Trek merch at conventions and on Etsy.

Peters selling these blueprints has stirred up angry feelings in the fandom that go back over a decade. Many are still salty about him trying to make a profit off of Star Trek, resulting in strict Paramount guidelines that limit fan films, keeping creators from making anything quite as ambitious as, say, Star Trek Continues. Others have many different grievances with some of his actions, including allegedly lying to fans and even actors (including Tony Todd) about a project that he used to make money. Ironically, some of his haters are one-time Axanar fans annoyed that, over a decade after raising all that money, we still haven’t seen a finished film.

None of this recent blueprint drama is likely to get Alec Peters into more trouble than he’s already in. Nonetheless, more Axanar drama feels like a kick in the teeth to Star Trek, a franchise whose 60th anniversary feels hollow without any new shows in production. Peters tried to fill a prior gap with a fan film that would have covered a plot later covered by Star Trek: Discovery. Unfortunately, as we stare down a years-long drought in official Trek content, Axanar remains the reason why we can’t have any fan films over 15 minutes or made with professional actors.

Is it any wonder the fandom wants to throw this guy in the brig?  

Landman dropped a shocker in its first season finale when one of its main characters, and probably the biggest A-List star in the cast, was unceremoniously killed off out of nowhere. Clearly, the Taylor Sheridan drama is not especially sentimental about job security, which is fitting given where we left Tommy Norris at the end of the second season. But speaking of Tommy, could he be next for the chopping block? Will we see Landman without its landman?

According to Billy Bob Thornton, viewers probably don’t need to panic just yet. Speaking exclusively with Us Weekly at the Newport Beach TV Fest, sponsored by Visit Newport Beach, Thornton hinted that Sheridan is not planning to write Tommy out of Landman any time soon. “I think Taylor [Sheridan] is going to let me hang around,” Thornton said.

That should be reassuring for fans, especially after Landman made it clear that being a major cast member does not automatically mean being safe. Jon Hamm‘s exit as Monty Miller was a major turning point for the series, with Tommy taking over Monty’s role at M-Tex in Season 2. Since then, Tommy has branched out from the company, but he remains at the center of the show’s oil business drama, now with his son Cooper’s enterprise.

What Can We Expect from ‘Landman’ Season 3?

Thornton is confident of where he’s going to be for the next few years, but that’s not the case for everyone involved in the series. Ali Larter, who plays Angela, admitted that she does not know exactly where Sheridan is taking the story next.

“I really can’t even assume or try to guess what Taylor is going to imagine for Season 3. One thing I know is that to be able to get this far into our story lines, we all know each other. So the characters really understand what their dynamics are.”

Larter added that Sheridan will “just lean into that,” saying, “And I think what’s nice is that it’s not the first time. So when you’re going back down, it’s not the anxiety and the nervousness. You’ll get a little bit of the jitters, but to be able to go down and just do what we love [is wonderful].”

Andy Garcia was similarly open about putting his trust in Sheridan’s writing. “I’m in Taylor’s hands. I’m in it to win it. So, whatever he wants or has plans for me, I’m ready to execute,” Garcia said. “It all starts from the writing. He’s the writer — and he’s the storyteller — and I think he writes all the characters in a very specific way. They are very well-rounded, and the stories are intertwined in a way that’s very engaging, and he has a flair for the dramatic.” Garcia continued, “He also [has] an understanding of humanity and empathy, and he has an insight into relationships that are very keen. Whether it’s husband and wife, or father and daughter, or father and son, or in case maybe a businessman. It’s a privilege. When you have great writing, it’s always a privilege.”

Landman is streaming on Paramount+.

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Release Date

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November 17, 2024

Network

Paramount

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Yellowstone

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Brooklyn Beckham is facing fresh backlash after appearing in a sponsored advert that many believe makes light of the very family feud that has dominated headlines for months. 

The social media clip, created in partnership with food delivery firm DoorDash, has sparked outrage among fans and reportedly left David and Victoria Beckham devastated. 

As criticism mounts, those close to the family say the latest move has deepened wounds that were already causing heartbreak behind closed doors.

Brooklyn Beckham found himself at the center of controversy after appearing in a sponsored social media video promoting DoorDash during the FIFA World Cup 2026. 

In the advert shared on Instagram, the 27-year-old smirked before telling viewers, “You’re probably wondering why I’m watching the FIFA World Cup 2026 from home… It’s a long story.”

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The clip ended with the words “more soon,” leading many to believe additional adverts tied to the ongoing family fallout may be on the way. 

While the campaign was designed as a promotional partnership, many viewers interpreted it as a direct reference to Brooklyn’s estrangement from his famous family.

The reaction was swift. Critics flooded the comments section, accusing him of monetizing a deeply personal situation. One follower wrote, “If you hate them so much drop the name and stop profiting from association.”

Another added, “Seems very happy to still be profiting off the Beckham name.” Others questioned the intent behind the campaign. “You knew what you was doing with this commercial,” one commenter posted.

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Another fan wrote, “Am I the only one who finds the irony in him doing this ad?” Additional responses included, “Desperate,” “This is so disturbing,” and “Cliff hanger.”

Brooklyn Faces Questions Over Hidden Messages

Beyond the dialogue itself, viewers began dissecting the advert’s details for what they believed were carefully placed symbols and hidden messages.

Critics argued that the campaign seemed designed to provoke discussion about his family situation. 

Fans pointed to several details in the video. One commenter noted, “The watch and camera.”

Observers also noted that Brooklyn Beckham appeared to have replaced the £250,000 ($335,480) Patek Philippe Nautilus watch that David had gifted him with another watch, prominently displayed on his coffee table. 

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Others focused on a stack of unopened letters positioned nearby, interpreting them as a possible reference to his lack of communication with family members.

Brooklyn Beckham Leaves Friends Of David And Victoria Furious

According to friends of David and Victoria, the advert has left the family reeling. Sources close to the couple say they were shocked by the campaign and its apparent use of estrangement as a punchline.

Speaking to the Daily Mail, a family friend said, “To do an advert based on estrangement from family as if it’s a joke when his family is devastated and his sister and grandparents are inconsolable is shocking.”

The source also pointed to what they viewed as a contradiction between Brooklyn’s public messaging and his latest commercial venture, adding, “Especially from someone who claims he wants peace and privacy.”

That criticism stems from Brooklyn’s six-page statement released in January, in which he denounced “Brand Beckham” and accused his family of prioritizing image and publicity. 

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In that statement, he insisted, “All we want is peace, privacy and happiness for us and our future family.”

Brooklyn’s Family Dispute Deepened After Harper’s Visit 

The advert arrived just days after another painful chapter in the feud involving Brooklyn Beckham’s younger sister Harper.

Only days earlier, the 14-year-old reportedly visited the Beverly Hills home Brooklyn shares with Nicola Peltz carrying a handwritten note. However, she was disappointed to discover her brother was not home.

Soon afterward, representatives for Brooklyn and Peltz accused the Beckhams of “using Harper as a pawn.” Their camp questioned the circumstances surrounding the visit, telling the Daily Mail, “[The fact] that photographers were in place as the letter was hand delivered says it all – this was choreographed for the cameras.”

Friends of David and Victoria strongly rejected the accusation. “It is incredibly sad that this horrible accusation is being levelled at an innocent young girl who just desperately misses her brother,” one insider said.

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They added, “Nothing needed to be said at all so to invent this nasty accusation is really unnecessary.” 

Sources also claimed that Brooklyn has not accepted contact from Harper or his grandparents since the falling-out.

Brooklyn Beckham’s Family Rift Continues To Grow

The latest dispute comes against the backdrop of a family relationship that has steadily deteriorated over the past year. 

Brooklyn and Peltz reportedly failed to attend David’s 50th birthday celebrations in May 2025, a moment many insiders viewed as a major turning point.

Shortly before Christmas, Brooklyn blocked his parents on Instagram. Later, lawyers representing the media personality and his wife reportedly requested that all communication with the Beckhams be handled through legal representatives.

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To make matters worse, Brooklyn also accused his parents of controlling him for much of his life, attempting to damage his relationship with Peltz, and embarrassing him during his wedding. 

According to him, Victoria canceled plans to make his wife’s wedding gown. Brooklyn also alleged that David refused to meet with him unless Peltz was excluded.

Meanwhile, David has repeatedly declined to discuss the feud publicly. When asked recently about the impact of months of headlines surrounding the dispute, he told Variety, “To be honest, I’m sorry to stop you there, but that’s a private matter. That’s the one thing that I don’t want to talk about.”

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As far as adaptations go, Game of Thrones was arguably one of the best we’ve ever seen. However, the final seasons were steeped heavily in controversy with regard to how the story was tied up on screen. Despite its conclusion, the performances delivered by characters such as Kit Harrington as Jon Snow, Maisie Williams as Arya, and Sophie Turner as Sansa for House Stark and the Lannister brood in ​​​​​​​Peter Dinklage‘s Tyrion, ​​​​​​​Lena Headey‘s Cersei, and ​​​​​​​Charles Dance‘s Tywin, among others, made for entertaining and captivating viewing for a large portion of the show.

Since the conclusion of Game of Thrones, some of the damage to the franchise inflicted by the final seasons of the original show has been clawed back by prequels like House of the Dragon and A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms. The first prequel brings with it dragons and mayhem, leaning heavily into one of the most catastrophic conflicts in Westeros history — the Dance of the Dragons. On the other hand, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms does the opposite, opting more for a laid-back feel, as fans navigate the formative years of two of the greatest figures in Targaryen history — Ser Duncan the Tall (Peter Claffey) and Prince Aegon Targaryen (Dexter Sol Ansell), who ultimately become King Aegon V Targaryen.

With Season 3 of House of the Dragon right around the corner, and talk of other proposed projects swirling around. It would be understandable if a fan of the franchise misses one of the more promising new Game of Thrones releases scheduled for this year, which gives you the power to alter the very history of Westeros itself. Planned to release before the end of 2026, Game of Thrones: War For Westeros is currently set to upset the delicate balance of power. Focused on the series of epic, bloody battles within the story, it is a classic real-time strategy game that brings to life the most iconic battles from the history of Westeros. Regarding what to expect, War For Westeros, which is developed and published by Playside, is in the same vein as the Total War strategy game series.

‘War For Westeros’ Lets You Alter the History of Westeros

Besides the onscreen production, there have also been multiple games, such as Game of Thrones: Dragonfire, which returns fans of the franchise back to Westeros and the Free Cities. However, War For Westeros is poised to set itself apart as it offers its players the chance to curate the very ending they want to the story. Introducing the game, Playside called it a “classic real-time strategy in the world of Westeros,“ which allows you to lead the armies of House Stark, Lannister, and Targaryen, as you “conquer the Seven Kingdoms solo, or in treacherous free-for-all multiplayer.” Each faction has its own heroes, abilities, and mechanics, which would offer strengths to lean into or weaknesses to guard against. There is even an opportunity to take control of the Night King himself and lead his army of the dead, which sounds both sweet and ominous. However, the game’s biggest selling point, as highlighted by Playside, is the ability to “rewrite the fate of the realm“, and that, my friends, is pretty sweet.

War For Westeros was first announced at Summer Game Fest 2025, and 2026 very much remains the official target year for its release.