Jeremy Boreing and guests attend the “The Pendragon Cycle: Rise of the Merlin” cast screening on Dec. 16, 2025, in London, England. (Tristan Fewings / Getty Images for Tirian Films)
By Michael Austin September 7, 2026 at 3:30am
A new show friendly toward Christianity became the number-one fantasy streaming series in the United States across all platforms.
“The Pendragon Cycle: Rise of the Merlin” — which was created and directed by Daily Wire co-founder Jeremy Boreing — is now beating shows like “House of the Dragon” on HBO Max.
The Daily Mail reported that “The Pendragon Cycle” tracks the rise of Merlin, who would eventually serve as a prophet and mentor to King Arthur, in Sub-Roman Britain.
The show was released in January on DailyWire+, but only gained traction after being released in the United Kingdom in July.
The Pendragon Cycle: Rise of the Merlin is now the #1 fantasy show in America. pic.twitter.com/DOLd9wKqEJ
— The Jeremy Boreing Show (@JBoreingShow) September 2, 2026
Boreing stepped away from The Daily Wire in March.
“The Pendragon Cycle” also ranks third on Amazon Prime, behind the hit shows “Reacher” and “Dark Matter.”
The Daily Mail reported that the series positively portrays the Christian religion and its emergence in the ancient world.
“We didn’t sand any of it down, and it turns out you don’t have to,” Boreing told the outlet.
“While I’m thrilled by the show’s warm reception here at home, the credit ultimately belongs to a cast and crew for believing these stories still matter, and to the viewers who just proved them right.”
So I loved Pendragon so much, I immediately jumped at the chance to be a part of any little add-on I could. And it was so well done that even when it didn’t immediately find its audience, I felt pretty confident that it would eventually.
And I still feel pretty confident that… https://t.co/BrNeUqq9Rc
— Megan Basham (@megbasham) September 4, 2026
Boreing told The Daily Mail that the release of “The Pendragon Cycle” marks a longtime dream come true.
“I read Stephen Lawhead’s novels when I was a teenager and have wanted to put them on screen every day since,” Boreing said.
“This is a story about sacrifice, about faith surviving in unwelcoming places, about a king’s duty.”
Boreing also said that while “the numbers are gratifying,” what ultimately matters “is what’s beneath it — that Americans are still hungry for one of our greatest civilizational inheritances.”
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Michael wrote for several entertainment news outlets before joining The Western Journal in 2020. He now serves as Managing Editor, which involves managing the editorial team and operations, guiding the publication’s editorial direction, and writing, editing, curating and assigning stories as needed.
Birthplace
Ames, Iowa
Nationality
American
Education
Iowa State University
Topics of Expertise
Cultural Politics, Pop Culture, Christian-Conservatism
