New This Week in Sci-Fi & Fantasy: January 12-18, 2026

‘Tis Time for “Torture,” Princess Season 2 (Crunchyroll)

The most delightfully absurd comedy anime returns! If you haven’t experienced the joy of watching a captured princess succumb to the “torture” of delicious Japanese snacks and cozy creature comforts, you’re missing out on pure serotonin. Season 2 brings back our beloved princess and her hilariously ineffective demon captors for more wholesome mayhem.

Oshi no Ko Season 3 (Crunchyroll)

The dark, glittering world of J-pop idol culture is back, and this time on Crunchyroll (making the jump from HIDIVE). Six months after the events of Season 2, Aqua continues his quest for vengeance while Ruby rises through the entertainment world using lies as her weapon. This critically acclaimed series has never pulled its punches, and Season 3 promises to dig even deeper into the shadows behind the spotlight.

Starfleet Academy Season 1 (Paramount+)

Star Trek goes to school! Set in the 32nd century, this new series follows the first class of Starfleet Academy cadets since The Burn—the catastrophic event that nearly destroyed the Federation. With Holly Hunter as the Academy’s chancellor and Paul Giamatti as a part-Klingon, part-Tellarite villain, this YA-flavored Trek entry promises friendships, rivalries, romance, and a mysterious threat to both the Academy and the Federation itself. Yes, Stephen Colbert voices the Digital Dean of Students. We’re not joking.

28 Years Later: The Bone Temple (Only in theaters)

Nia DaCosta takes the helm for this continuation of Danny Boyle’s infected-apocalypse saga, and the reviews are calling it absolutely harrowing. Set after the events of 28 Years Later, Spike finds himself inducted into Sir Jimmy Crystal’s terrifying cult of acrobatic killers in a Britain where the infected are no longer the greatest threat—humanity’s own darkness is. Ralph Fiennes and Jack O’Connell lead a stellar cast, and yes, Cillian Murphy appears to set up the trilogy’s conclusion.

All You Need Is Kill (Only in theaters – Limited Release)

Remember Edge of Tomorrow with Tom Cruise? This is the gorgeous anime adaptation of the original Japanese light novel that inspired it—and it retells the story from Rita’s perspective. Animated by Studio 4°C and directed by Kenichiro Akimoto, this limited theatrical release from GKIDS follows a young woman trapped in a time loop, dying over and over until she meets another person caught in the same cycle. The animation looks absolutely stunning.

Charlie the Wonderdog (Only in theaters – Limited Release)

Owen Wilson lends his voice to a good boy who becomes the greatest good boy. When shy Danny’s beloved dog Charlie is mysteriously abducted by aliens, Charlie emerges with actual superpowers—and a destiny to protect everyone he loves. This CGI animated family adventure promises superhero fun with a heartwarming message about courage, kindness, and believing in yourself.

Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End Season 2 (Crunchyroll)

The long-awaited return of the elven mage who taught us all about grief, memory, and the beauty of taking things slowly. After achieving a perfect 100% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes, Frieren continues her journey north toward Aureole with Fern (now a certified First Class Mage!) and Stark. This season is only ten episodes, so savor every moment of this achingly beautiful fantasy.

Night Patrol (Only in theaters)

When an LAPD officer discovers his local police task force is harboring a horrific secret that endangers the housing projects he grew up in, he must put aside his differences with local gangs to stop them. This horror-thriller stars Jermaine Fowler and Justin Long, features CM Punk in a supporting role, and comes from the twisted minds behind Lowlife. It’s getting strong reviews from festival audiences.

Rahu Ketu (Only in theaters)

From the creative duo behind the Fukrey franchise comes this Bollywood comedy adventure inspired by Indian folklore. Varun Sharma and Pulkit Samrat star as Rahu and Ketu—two lovable characters who literally spring from the pages of a magical notebook and must retrieve it from a crafty thief, uncovering truths about their origins along the way. Fantasy comedy with serious chemistry.

The Confession (VOD)

A supernatural horror film with a fresh take on the Pied Piper legend. When a widowed musician moves back to her Texas childhood home, she discovers a cassette tape of her deceased father confessing to murder—one he claims he committed to protect himself from an unknown evil force. As her young son begins exhibiting unsettling behavior, the dark secrets of her hometown begin to surface.

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring 25th Anniversary (Only in theaters – Limited Engagement)

Twenty-five years ago, Peter Jackson changed cinema forever. Now, the extended edition of The Fellowship of the Ring returns to theaters through Fathom Events, running nearly four hours of pure Middle-earth magic. This is your chance to experience Tolkien’s world the way it was meant to be seen—on the biggest screen possible, with eleven hours of trilogy stretched across the weekend. Tickets are available now, and collectors can snag limited-edition concession items including One Ring popcorn buckets.

A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms Season 1 (Max)

The third series in the Game of Thrones universe arrives, and it’s something different—a charming, intimate adventure set 100 years before the events of GOT. Based on George R.R. Martin’s beloved Tales of Dunk and Egg novellas, this six-episode series follows the unlikely friendship between Ser Duncan the Tall, a kindhearted but unseasoned hedge knight, and his clever young squire Egg—who happens to be a Targaryen prince in hiding. This is Westeros with a lighter touch, though danger still lurks.

The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers 25th Anniversary (Only in theaters – Limited Engagement)

The battle for Helm’s Deep awaits! Day two of the LOTR theatrical event brings us the extended edition of The Two Towers—Gollum, the Ents, Rohan in all its glory. If you’ve never seen the Helm’s Deep sequence in a theater, clear your Sunday afternoon immediately.

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King 25th Anniversary (Only in theaters – Limited Engagement)

And we arrive at the end of all things. The extended edition of Return of the King—all four hours and twenty minutes of it—closes out the anniversary celebration. Multiple endings and all. Bring tissues.

A Midnight Pastry Shop Called Hwawoldang by Lee Onhwa
William Morrow
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For fans of Before the Coffee Gets Cold and The Midnight Library comes this sweetly magical Korean novel about a young woman who inherits her grandmother’s mysterious bakery—one that only opens from 10 PM to midnight, serving spirits on their last stop before reincarnation. With each customer’s special dessert request, she helps them find closure while unraveling her own family’s secrets.

A Vow in Vengeance by Jaclyn Rodriguez
Zando
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This highly anticipated romantasy debut features a young woman who orchestrates her own selection into the Immortal Realms, determined to find her family and destroy anyone in her path. When her rare tarot-based magic reveals itself, she’s forced to live with its only other wielder—the arrogant, ruthlessly ambitious Prince Draven. First print editions feature gorgeous spray-painted edges.

City of Others by Jared Poon
Orbit
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A charming urban fantasy set in Singapore where the government handles everything—including the supernatural. Benjamin Toh is a middle manager in the Division for Engagement of Unusual Stakeholders (yes, DEUS), tasked with keeping supernatural inhabitants happy and out of sight. When an entire housing estate glitches out of existence, Ben must scramble to prevent the rest of the city from disappearing. Southeast Asian folklore meets found family and queer romance.

Detour by Jeff Rake and Rob Hart
Random House Worlds
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From the creator of Manifest and the author of The Warehouse comes a mind-bending thriller about a space shuttle crew that returns to an Earth that isn’t quite the home they left. If The Martian and The Twilight Zone had a baby, it would be this book—a story that messes with your head while you scramble to piece together what’s real.

Fire Sword and Sea by Vanessa Riley
William Morrow
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The real Pirates of the Caribbean were Black, and women! This sweeping historical fantasy is based on the life of legendary 17th-century pirate Jacquotte Delahaye. From Tortuga to Haiti, Jacquotte disguises herself as a man to navigate the dangerous world of smugglers and seafarers, forming a deep bond with Bahati, an African-born woman who has escaped slavery. Adventure, liberation, and the sea await.

Godfall by Van Jensen
Grand Central Publishing
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When a three-mile-tall alien crashes—seemingly dead—outside a Nebraska farm town, everything changes. Sheriff David Blunt thought he’d be keeping peace among neighbors, not battling cultists and drug dealers drawn to the Giant. As bizarre murders pile up, he realizes the answers lie in reconciling his old worldview with his transformed town. This debut is already in development as a TV series with Ron Howard attached to direct.

Graceless Heart by Isabel Ibañez
Saturday Books
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#1 NYT bestselling author Isabel Ibañez’s adult debut takes us to a Renaissance Italy populated with vampires, fae, and forbidden magic. When sculptress Ravenna Maffei enters a competition hosted by a secretive immortal family, her rare magical talent makes her a target. Kidnapped and taken to Florence, she must complete an impossible task—or die at the hands of the family’s enigmatic heir. Enemies-to-lovers tension in an enchanted, perilous setting.

Ice by Jacek Dukaj (translated by Ursula Phillips)
Head of Zeus
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This massive alternate-history epic imagines a world reshaped by the Tunguska explosion, where a mysterious substance freezes not only Siberia but the very logic of history itself. The Tsar still rules; WWI never happened; and out on the ice, a terrifying new physics is birthing a revolution. Considered one of the greatest Polish SF novels of the 21st century, it’s finally available in English translation.

Into the Midnight Wood by Alexandra McCollum
Dutton
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A queer cozy romantasy about a prickly accountant and his eccentric roommate living at the edge of an enchanted wood. David has compiled 100 things wrong with Meredith—but when dark magic seeps from the forest and a sinister being emerges with plans involving Meredith, David realizes his exasperation might carry more fondness than he’d like to admit. Charming, steamy, and utterly heartfelt.

Kokun: The Girl from the West by Nahoko Uehashi (translated by Cathy Hirano)
Europa Editions
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From the author of Moribito comes a new ecological fantasy series. The vast Umar Empire has flourished for centuries thanks to miraculous Ohaleh rice—until a mysterious infestation brings famine and collapse. Fifteen-year-old Aisha, fleeing a violent coup, discovers a hidden ability to perceive the natural world through smell, forming an alliance with the enigmatic reigning Kokun. Booklist calls it “epic fantasy unlike any other.”

The Book of Blood and Roses by Annie Summerlee
Del Rey
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A sapphic paranormal fantasy where a vampire hunter goes undercover at a Scottish university to find a legendary book cataloging vampiric weaknesses—and finds herself falling for her vampire roommate. When Aliz accidentally makes Rebecca her Familiar during a rescue, they must work together to break the curse while getting dangerously closer. Publishers Weekly gave it a starred review.

The East Wind by Alexandria Warwick
Saga Press
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The climactic finale of The Four Winds series retells Rapunzel through the myth of Psyche and Cupid. Min, a skilled apothecary apprentice, is haunted by the screams of an immortal kept chained in her employer’s tower—Eurus, the East Wind. When she impulsively frees him, he steals her away to his enchanted island chateau, and they strike a dangerous deal involving deadly poisons and a tournament of gods.

The Luminous Fairies and Mothra by Shin’ichirō Nakamura, Takehiko Fukunaga, and Yoshie Hotta (translated by Jeffrey Angles)
University of Minnesota Press
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Before she was cinema’s most beloved kaiju, Mothra was born in a novella. This first official English translation brings us the original 1961 story—written by three of Japan’s most prominent postwar literary authors—where explorers capture fairies from a South Pacific island and incite the fury of the goddess Mothra. More politically charged than the film, it’s protest fiction wrapped in monster movie magic.

The Magic of Untamed Hearts by Raquel Vasquez Gilliland
Berkley
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The third novel in the Pura Belpré Award-winning Wild Magic series follows Sky Flores, who spent eight years in supernatural hibernation. Now she’s more comfortable talking to animals than people, and she’s shunned by her small town. When her ambitious reporter neighbor sees a story opportunity, their connection might help Sky finally reconnect with the living—and find her own magic.

The Midnight Carousel by Fiza Saeed McLynn
Harlequin Trade
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The Night Circus meets Water for Elephants in this gothic debut spanning from 1900 Paris to 1920 Chicago. A grief-stricken craftsman builds a beautiful carousel for the Exposition; decades later, a detective investigates children’s disappearances linked to it; and a young woman in Chicago unearths the same neglected carousel, not knowing its dark history. Atmospheric, mysterious, and darkly glittering.

The Younger Gods by Katie Shepard
Berkley
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Orpheus and Eurydice—flipped. Iona Night-Singer thought she’d overthrown the gods, but lost her beloved Taran in the final battle. When she strikes a deal to bring him back from the Underworld, she discovers the dead gods have been reborn, they’re plotting revenge—and Taran, it seems, was always one of them. A Greek-mythology-inspired fantasy romance about grief, war, and impossible love.

Godstorm by Solitaire Townsend
Bedford Square Publishers

In an alternate history where a fossil fuel-powered Roman Empire never fell, former gladiator Arrow has reinvented herself as a governess. When the child she loves is abducted during a catastrophic Godstorm, Arrow must embrace the warrior training she swore to forget. From oil-powered Londinium to the Amazon’s edge, this is Red Rising meets Circe—high-octane fantasy with environmental themes.