A Western TV Series Starring A Game Of Thrones Veteran Is Hitting Netflix Very Soon

December is a time for taking stock of the year that was, catching up on all the movies and shows we might've missed the first time around, and making sure all our "Best of the Year" lists are fully in order. But it's also an underrated, eleventh-hour goldmine for new releases that tend to sneak up on most audiences. Anyone who's anyone knows about the major titles that remain on the horizon, like "Avatar: Fire & Ash" or the second season of "Fallout" on Prime Video. But those looking for their next binge need look no further than the biggest streamer around and the next project by one of the stars of the biggest shows in recent memory.

Have you heard of "The Abandons," the upcoming Netflix Western series co-led by "Game of Thrones" actor Lena Headey and the great Gillian Anderson? Likely not, given the platform's relatively iffy track record when it comes to promoting their own originals. But between the formidable cast (which includes another "Game of Thrones" veteran in Michiel Huisman and even an appearance by Patton Oswalt as a local mayor), an experienced creative team (led by writer and creator Kurt Sutter, of "The Shield" and "Sons of Anarchy" fame), and a daring premise that reads like a women-centric spin on "Yellowstone," there's more than enough potential here for viewers to look forward to in the days ahead.

Who doesn't love a good old fashioned rivalry between families? Nestled comfortably between two of the most fraught holidays of the year, Thanksgiving and Christmas, "The Abandons" couldn't possibly be releasing at a better time. Set in 1854 amid the wild expanses of the Washington Territory, the Netflix series predominantly follows two factions led by each of the show's matriarchal characters. Gillian Anderson's Constance Van Ness is the figurehead of the Van Ness dynasty, a family with deep roots in the area and even deeper pockets of "wealth and privilege," according to the official description by Netflix, while Lena Headey represents the much poorer group of "orphans and outcasts" known collectively as the Abandons. To nobody's surprise, the two groups come into conflict with one another and, in the process, uncover explosive revelations that threaten to change everything should they come to light.

Although perhaps a well-worn premise, particularly to anyone familiar with Westerns in general (which Netflix has steadily been building up in its library over the last several years), "The Abandons" may prove worth a watch strictly to see actors such as Headey and Anderson go at it in what looks to be a generous budget. The streamer recently released a trailer for the series, which you can watch above, teasing the story's ever-expanding scope and scale — along with the central conflict and subsequent fight for survival over a valuable piece of land. In addition to Headey and Anderson, the ensemble cast includes Nick Robinson, Diana Silvers, Lamar Johnson, Natalia del Riego, Lucas Till, Aisling Franciosi, Toby Hemingway, and many more.

Expect all seven episodes of "The Abandons" to debut December 4, 2025 on Netflix.