August 2026 will be one of those months when streaming platforms seem determined to release almost everything at once. On August 5 alone, viewers will get the fourth season of Ted Lasso, the coming-of-age drama Sterling Point, the adaptation of The Shards, a new Star Wars adventure, and the second part of One Hundred Years of Solitude.

The pace continues throughout the month with the return of Reacher, the next chapter of the intriguing Dark Matter, and a journey through the history of New Wave music. From beloved comedies and science fiction to serial killers, family dramas, and major literary universes, August offers enough new releases to fill practically every night.

Apple TV

Ted Lasso — August 5

Ted Lasso is returning to Richmond, but he will face a challenge unlike anything he encountered during the show’s first three seasons: coaching a second-division women’s football team.

Throughout the fourth season, Ted and his new players will have to learn how to take risks before they have all the answers, embracing opportunities they never imagined they would face. Jason Sudeikis returns in the title role alongside Hannah Waddingham, Juno Temple, Brett Goldstein, Brendan Hunt, and Jeremy Swift.

The season premieres with one episode on August 5, followed by weekly installments through October 7.

Dark Matter — August 28

Inspired by Blake Crouch’s acclaimed novel, Dark Matter returns to continue its exploration of the paths we choose — and all the lives that might have existed had we made different decisions.

In the first season, Jason Dessen, played by Joel Edgerton, was abducted and taken into an alternate version of his own life. To return to his family, he had to navigate a maze of parallel realities and confront other versions of himself.

The second season finds the Dessen family attempting to rebuild a peaceful life in a world that finally appears safe. That stability, however, is shattered once again when unimaginable forces compel them to run.

As Jason’s obsession with the Box intensifies, Daniela’s growing paranoia threatens to destroy the family’s fragile balance. She is once again played by Jennifer Connelly. In another reality, Amanda, portrayed by Alice Braga, and Ryan, played by Jimmi Simpson, join forces in a desperate attempt to find their way home. Meanwhile, Blair attempts to prevent Leighton from implementing his ambitious plan to create a perfect world.

The season will consist of ten episodes, released weekly through October 30.

Amazon Prime

Sterling Point — August 5

Sterling Point is a coming-of-age drama centered on Annie Jacobson, a 17-year-old girl played by Ella Rubin.

Raised in New York alongside her twin brother Connor, played by Keen Ruffalo, and their loving adoptive father Steven, portrayed by Jay Duplass, Annie sees her life change when she inherits a Canadian island that belonged to her mysterious and estranged grandfather.

The journey to the island begins a summer shaped by new friendships, unexpected romances, and family secrets that have remained hidden for years. Annie also discovers that she may not know her own history as well as she once believed.

Reacher — August 12

The fourth season of Reacher adapts Gone Tomorrow, the 13th novel in Lee Child’s book series.

The new story begins when an apparently casual encounter with a distressed woman on the subway ends in tragedy. Jack Reacher, once again played by Alan Ritchson, becomes involved in a complex and deadly game against enemies operating at the highest levels of power.

The investigation leads Reacher toward a conspiracy far greater than it initially appeared, placing him against adversaries capable of manipulating entire institutions to protect their interests.

The first three episodes arrive on August 12, followed by weekly installments through September 16. The series has already been renewed for a fifth season.

Disney+

The Shards — August 5

Set in the vibrant yet decadent Los Angeles of the 1980s, The Shards follows a group of privileged students as they navigate their final year at an exclusive preparatory school.

Surrounded by parties, luxury, and excess, the teenagers explore questions of identity, sexuality, jealousy, and obsession. Beneath the apparent perfection of their lives, however, much darker dangers are beginning to emerge.

At the center of the story is Bret, played by Igby Rigney, a highly observant aspiring writer whose reality begins to unravel with the arrival of Robert Mallory, portrayed by Homer Gere. Mysterious, magnetic, and difficult to understand, Robert appears shortly before the beginning of their senior year.

His arrival coincides with growing fear surrounding the Trawler, a serial killer targeting teenagers across the city. Bret begins to suspect that Robert may somehow be connected to the crimes.

Bret’s social circle includes Susan Reynolds, played by Kaia Gerber; Debbie Schaffer, portrayed by Hayes Warner; and Thom Wright, played by Graham Campbell. The glamour and promise of their youth contrast with the cynical world of the adults around them, portrayed by actors including Wes Bentley, Evan Rachel Wood, and Jordan Roth.

Star Wars: Visions Presents — The Ninth Jedi — August 5

Part of the new Star Wars: Visions Presents initiative, created to tell longer stories within the anthology universe, The Ninth Jedi continues the narrative introduced in the shorts The Ninth Jedi and The Ninth Jedi: Child of Hope.

In the eight-episode series, Lah Kara continues her training in the ways of the Jedi under the guidance of Margrave Juro. During a journey of self-discovery, Kara and the small community of apprentices assembled by Juro embark on a dangerous mission to rescue her father.

HBO Max

Lanterns — August 16

The series follows new recruit John Stewart, played by Aaron Pierre, and legendary Lantern Hal Jordan, portrayed by Kyle Chandler. The two intergalactic law enforcement officers become involved in a dark mystery on Earth with cosmic connections as they investigate a murder in the American heartland.

MGM+

New Wave — August 9

The documentary series New Wave explores the history of the musical genre that helped carry alternative culture into the center of global entertainment between 1977 and 1987.

Divided into four episodes, the production follows New Wave’s evolution from its rebellious origins to its impact on music, fashion, and popular culture.

More than simply creating one of the defining sounds of the 1980s, the movement opened space for women, LGBTQIA+ artists, and new technologies. It incorporated synthesizers, music videos, nightclubs, and visual performances into a cultural transformation that continues to influence contemporary music.

The series also examines how New Wave defined a generation and permanently changed the relationship between sound, image, identity, and behavior.

One Hundred Years of Solitude: Part 2 — August 5

Following the signing of the armistice, peace still has not reached Macondo. Fearing the threat posed by Colonel Aureliano Buendía, the Conservatives begin planning an attempt on his life. A twist of fate, however, brings Fernanda del Carpio from Bogotá to the town.

By marrying Aureliano Segundo, one of Arcadio’s twin sons, Fernanda gives Úrsula Iguarán the family’s first heirs considered legitimate.

Meanwhile, José Arcadio Segundo fulfills the patriarch’s delirious dream of connecting Macondo to the rest of the world. The arrival of the railway opens the town’s doors to the banana company, setting in motion a series of events that will ultimately lead Macondo toward ruin.

Úrsula’s most feared curse, therefore, begins to come true: generations condemned to one hundred years of solitude would not be granted a second opportunity on Earth.