June 2024 is packed with major television premieres. The most anticipated titles range from the new Star Wars series on Disney+, The Acolyte, to Apple TV’s latest production Presumed Innocent, an adaptation of a 1980s legal thriller.
As well, several well-established television series will premiere new seasons in the coming weeks. Highlights include the third installment of the award-winning comedy-drama The Bear, the fourth season of the superhero satire The Boys, the second installment of the Westeros fantasy epic House of the Dragon, and the return of the crime thriller Mayor of Kingstown, to name a few.
It looks like small screen lovers will have their hands full trying to keep up with all the releases. Without further ado, here are the must-see titles for June 2024.
Mayor of Kingstown
Paramount + | Season 3 | Release date: Sunday, June 02
After a long delay caused by writers’ strikes and Jeremy Renner’s life-threatening injuries, streaming service Paramount+ has finally announced that the third season of Mayor of Kingstown will premiere on Sunday, June 2.
If you’re not already familiar with it, Mayor of Kingstown is a crime drama starring Jeremy Renner as Mike McLusky. Set in the fictional town of Kingstown, Michigan, (known for its federal, state and private prisons), the story follows the McLusky family as power brokers between police, criminals, inmates, prison guards and politicians in office.
So far, in the first few seasons, we’ve seen Mike McLusky rise to the position of “mayor”, trying to maintain a delicate balance between the prisons, the city’s corrupt businesses and the McLusky family itself.
Here’s the official logline from Paramount + about Mayor of Kingstown Season 3:
“A series of explosions rock Kingstown and its citizens, as a new face of the Russian mob sets up shop in the city, and a drug war rages inside and outside prison walls. The pressure is on Mike McLusky (Renner) to end the war but things get complicated when a familiar face from his incarcerated past threatens to undermine the Mayor’s attempts to keep the peace among all factions.”
Another important fact we know about the latest installment is that actress Dianne Wiest will not be returning in her role as Mariam, the McLuskys’ mother. According to Deadline, her exit is “motivated by the story itself.”
In addition to Renner, Hugh Dillon, Taylor Handley, Emma Laird, Tobi Bamtefa, Derek Webster, Nishi Munshi, Hamish Allan-Headley and Michael Beach round out the cast.
Acolyte
Disney + | Season 1 | Release date: Tuesday, June 4
The Acolyte is the sixth Star Wars live-action series to premiere on Disney+ following The Mandalorian, The Book of Boba Fett, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Andor and Ahsoka. The series will take place approximately a century before the events of Star Wars: The Phantom Menace (2001), so many beloved characters such as Qui-Jon Jin, Count Dooku and Obi-Wan Kenobi will not be featured.
The official synopsis of the show is as follows:
“In “Star Wars: The Acolyte,” an investigation into a shocking crime spree pits a respected Jedi Master (Lee Jung-jae) against a dangerous warrior from his past (Amandla Stenberg). As more clues emerge, they travel down a dark path where sinister forces reveal all is not what it seems…”
Part crime thriller, part space adventure, The Acolyte has been described by Lucasfilm as a mysterious story “that will take viewers into a galaxy of shadowy secrets and emerging powers of the dark side in the final days of the High Republic era.” Notably, this series is the first live-action exploration of the High Republic era in the Star Wars timeline.
The Acolyte was created by Leslye Headland, best known for being the co-creator of Netflix’s Russian Doll. Headland is attached to the project as writer, director and showrunner. The first two episodes will be available June 4 and the rest will air weekly.
Presumed Innocent
Apple TV | Season 1 | Release date: Wednesday, June 12
Presumed Innocent is an eight-part limited series starring and produced by Jake Gyllenhaal. It is an adaptation of the New York Times bestseller of the same name written by Scott Turow, which was previously adapted into a film starring Harrison Ford in 1990.
This legal thriller follows Rusty Sabich (Jake Gyllenhaal), an up-and-coming Chicago prosecutor who becomes involved in a major murder case.
The official program description reads:
“The series takes viewers on a gripping journey through the horrific murder that upends the Chicago Prosecuting Attorney’s office when one of its own is suspected of the crime. The series explores obsession, sex, politics and the power and limits of love, as the accused fights to hold his family and marriage together.”
This new version of the story is helmed by David E. Kelly, who has been behind such series as The Lincoln Lawyer, Love & Death, Ally McBeal and The Calling, as well as J.J. Abrams, whose television credits include Alias, Lost and Westworld.
Presumed Innocent is Gyllenhaal’s first major television role, as until now the actor had been almost exclusively devoted to the big screen.
The Boys
Prime Video | Season 4 | Release date: Thursday, June 13
The Boys, Prime Video’s hit superhero satire series will return with its fourth season on June 13. This time around, Homelander has bonded with his son Ryan, Butcher’s life is on the line after his dose of V24 and the dangerous Victoria Neuman is one step closer to entering the White House.
It has been confirmed that the fourth season of The Boys will take place approximately one month after the end of the first season of Gen V.
Here’s Prime Video’s synopsis:
“In Season 4, the world is on the brink. Victoria Neuman is closer than ever to the Oval Office and under the muscly thumb of Homelander, who is consolidating his power. Butcher, with only months to live, has lost Becca’s son and his job as The Boys’ leader. The rest of the team are fed up with his lies. With the stakes higher than ever, they have to find a way to work together and save the world before it’s too late.”
Joining the superhero cast are Susan Heyward as Sister Sage, Valorie Curry as Firecracker and Jeffrey Dean Morgan, whose name has yet to be confirmed. The first three episodes will premiere on Thursday, June 13, two years after the third season launches in June 2022.
Notably, Amazon Prime has just announced that the explosive, raw, and lewd superhero series has been renewed for season five and is already being written.
House of the Dragon
HBO & Max | Season 2 | Release date: Sunday, June 16
Get ready for more fire and more blood. The wait is (almost) over! House of the Dragon returns with a brutal new season consisting of eight episodes.
As we remember, the first season of House of the Dragon concluded with Queen Alicent placing her son Aegon on the Iron Throne, thus usurping Rhaenyra’s birthright. Now, the series returns with an installment that finally delves into Westeros’ civil war.
While the exact plot of the second season is still under wraps, series showrunner Ryan Condal revealed to The Hollywood Reporter that many new characters will be appearing.
“We are thrilled to be shooting again with members of our original family as well as new talents on both sides of the camera,” he said. “All your favorite characters will soon be conspiring at the council tables, marching with their armies and riding their dragons into battle. We can’t wait to share what we have in store.”
The story of the second season of House of the Dragon should pick up right where the first season ends, namely at the Dance of the Dragons. With images of deadly battles on the horizon, the show’s trailers let us see how the rivalry between Rhaenyra Targaryen and Alicent Hightower has reached a boiling point.
The first season of House of the Dragon was nominated for a total of seven Creative Arts Emmys, and received the award for Best Fantasy and Science Fiction Costumes. The series also received a Primetime Emmy nomination for Best Drama Series.
The Bear
Hulu / FX | Season 3 | Release date: Thursday, June 27
Hulu and FX were quick to renew The Bear for a third season in response to resounding praise from critics and fans alike.
Created by Christopher Storer and starring Jeremy Allen White, The Bear premieres its third season at the end of June, and we’re all really excited to return to the Berzatto family’s sweltering kitchen.
The show, which premiered in June 2022, explores the food industry through the lens of a talented chef named Carmen “Carmy” Berzatto (Jeremy Allen White), who goes from working in some of the best restaurants in the world, to taking over his family’s small restaurant in Chicago following the suicide of his older brother Mikey (Jon Bernthal).
The official description for Season 3 reads:
“Carmy pushes himself harder than ever and demands excellence from his crew, who do their best to match his intensity. Their quest for culinary excellence will propel the crew to new levels and stress the bonds that hold the restaurant together. As the team grows in size, each member will strive to reach a greater level of service within their role.”
The synopsis continues, “In the restaurant industry, you’re never on solid ground, and with that ever-changing landscape comes new challenges and opportunities. Our chefs have learned that every second counts, but this season we’ll find out if they have what it takes to make it to tomorrow.”
Most of the original cast members are expected to return for The Bear’s third season, including leads Jeremy Allen White, Ayo Edebiri, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Matty Matheson, Abby Elliott, Liza Colon-Zayas.
Hulu has confirmed that all 10 episodes of the upcoming season will be released all at once on the streaming service, rather than on a week-to-week basis. It is to add that, in April 2024, The Bear was quietly renewed for a fourth season.