Full Breakdown
Comic-Con Panels Reveal New Directions for Three Upcoming Series
7/26/2026, 4:07:54 AM
Core Announcements
At the San Diego Comic-Con panels on Saturday, creators disclosed major updates for three forthcoming shows. Apple TV+ creator Katie Dippold said the character Wyck, played by Stephen Root, was added after the pilot script was completed; the series *Widow’s Bay* has been renewed for a second season ahead of the first-season finale, now streaming. ABC’s *The Rookie* creator Alexi Hawley announced that the ninth-season premiere will be a two-part episode that continues the kidnapping cliffhanger from season 8, promising “high-stakes, dramatic” storytelling. AMC+ / Crave’s upcoming series *Yaga*—written and show-run by Kat Sandler—premiered its first trailer, presenting a dark, feminist reinterpretation of the Slavic witch Baba Yaga and confirming an October 2026 release.
Official Statements & Responses
Dippold explained that the pilot began as a spec script for *Parks and Recreation* during her 2009-2012 tenure in the NBC writers’ room, and that the addition of Wyck was not part of the original script.
Verbatim Quotes
- “We’re definitely gonna start that way, figure out where they are, and figure out how to get them back, and whatever obstacles we can put in their way on that,” — Alexi Hawley
- “There are versions of her all over the world. Sometimes she’s an ugly old witch. She lives in a [dilapidated] house on chicken feet. Sometimes she’s a wise woman, an enchantress, a healer. Sometimes she helps a hero on his quest. Sometimes she tests him. Sometimes she kills them. Sometimes she eats them. Sometimes she f*cks them. But, she always has a name.” — Moss’ Katherine
- “No one will love me. Who will love such a beast, such a witch as I am.” — Kat Sandler, who serves as writer and showrunner, Yaga reimages the witch
What’s Next
*Widow’s Bay* will continue into season 2 later this year, while *The Rookie* season 9 is slated to launch in January 2027, following the two-part premiere. *Yaga* is scheduled for worldwide release in October 2026, with distribution handled by Sphere Abacus.
