This year in media saw a plethora of queer films and TV shows with quirky narratives and A-List actors taking on unprecedented roles. Jacob Elordi played a conflicted war veteran who discovers his sexuality in the midst of a tense marriage. Margaret Qualley solved crimes as a lesbian private investigator involved with a police officer played by Aubrey Plaza. 2025 was certainly one for the books.
Building further on this lovely progress, 2026 is sure to be another promising year for LGBTQ+ releases. Here are the 13 queer films and TV shows we’re looking forward to watching.
Euphoria Season 3
The long-awaited third season of this beloved HBO drama has been in production throughout 2025, with a tentative release date scheduled for April. Following a group of troubled teenagers, the show explores themes of sexuality, addiction, and identity formation. The majority of the main cast is set to return this season, including Zendaya as the distressed queer teen Rue Bennett.
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RuPaul’s Drag Race
The universe of RuPaul is coming to the big screen this year under director Adam Shankman. An action-comedy starring RuPaul and other notable drag queens, the movie is set to be filled with queer fashion, fun, and frill. A favourite reality TV show for queer viewers, the film will certainly be a highlight of 2026.
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Heartstopper Forever
To conclude the popular three-season series Heartstopper, Netflix will be releasing a film this year following the young queer couple Charlie Spring and Nick Nelson. If you’re looking to see a positive portrayal of LGBTQ+ couples, then you don’t want to miss this final story of Charlie and Nick.
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Yellowjackets Season 4
The time has come to exit the wild and wrap up this Showtime thriller that made its debut on Paramount+ in 2021. Following a group of soccer players who get stranded on an island after a deadly plane crash, this show depicts young queer women facing relationships and coming-of-age difficulties – all while fighting for survival.
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The Hunting Wives Season 2
Don’t worry, this Netflix sapphic drama is coming back to our screens for a confirmed second season next year. Brittany Snow and Malin Åkerman will return as the messy, sexy protagonists of this Texan tale. Netflix has also confirmed that John Stamos, Dale Dickey, and Cam Gigandet will be joining the cast this season.
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Forbidden Fruits
An adaptation of Lily Houghton’s play, Of the Women Came the Beginning of Sin, and Through Her We All Die, the movie is filled with witchcraft, work drama, and women. With a queer-filled cast of stars including Victoria Pedretti, Alexandra Shipp and Lili Reinhart, the film will be a queer extravaganza for movie-goers.
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The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo
A film adaptation of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid is said to be in the works at Netflix. As the book quickly became a favourite amongst queer people, the film will definitely be a high point of 2026. Although there’s no release date yet, the film seems to be in motion as Maggie Betts took over the role as director in early 2025.
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Hacks Season 5
Hacks was renewed for a fifth and final season in May 2025, leaving fans excited to see how this Emmy-winning series will end. Following the strange friendship between a young bisexual writer and a fading comedian trying to make her way back into the mainstream, the series is filled with authentic queer storylines and characters that make it a must-watch of 2026.
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The Chronology of Water
Kristen Stewart made her directorial debut with this adaptation of the memoir by queer author Lydia Yuknavitch. It made its debut at the Cannes Film Festival and will officially release in theatres on January 9.
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Bridgerton
This English royal drama is coming back for season 4 on January 29, split into two parts, with the second half premiering on February 26. Season 3 finally introduced a few queer characters and themes, which will hopefully lead to some LGBTQ+ storylines in season 4.
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Red, White & Royal Wedding
Get ready to tie the knot with Prince Henry and Alex Claremont-Diaz as Nicholas Galitzine and Taylor Zakhar Perez reprise their respective roles in this queer rom-com. Adapted from the book by Casey McQuiston, the 2023 film following the enemies-to-lovers relationship between two high-profile young men is a heartwarming watch perfect for any season. The 2026 sequel Red, White & Royal Wedding is in the works, with director Jamie Babbit leading the project and will certainly be an exciting addition to the list of queer films.
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Burning Rainbow Farm
Based on a true story of a queer couple in rural America threatened out of their pro-marijuana settlement, Sebastian Stan and Leo Woodall are set to star in this anti-establishment film adaptation. There is no release date set yet, but production is currently in the works under director Justin Kurzel.
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Based on the roundup from this year, 2026 is sure to be an exciting year for queer films and TV shows. If you’re interested in watching other LGBTQ+ stories depicted on the screen, check out our roundup of movies from last year.
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