A surprise contender is making a fast move up the streaming rankings.
Within 24 hours of debuting on Prime Video, The Pendragon Cycle: Rise of the Merlin, created and directed by Daily Wire co-founder Jeremy Boreing, has become the top fantasy series in the United States across all platforms, based on viewing data from JustWatch.
Based on the novels by Stephen Lawhead, the fantasy drama centers on the iconic figure of Merlin — the prophet, mystic and future adviser to King Arthur — tracing his painful childhood, his spiral into madness and the mysterious disappearance that helped give rise to his enduring legend.
Taking place before Arthur is born, the series reimagines Merlin as a man believed to be either dead or merely mythical, until he resurfaces in Sub-Roman Britain with a mission to bring splintered kingdoms together as Saxon forces close in.
‘I read Stephen Lawhead’s novels when I was a teenager and have wanted to put them on screen every day since,’ Boreing told The Daily Mail on Wednesday. ‘This is a story about sacrifice, about faith surviving in unwelcoming places, about a king’s duty.’
Released in January on DailyWire+, the series initially failed to gain traction until debuting in the UK and soaring up the streaming charts there in July, even despite a lack of paid advertising.
In the US, it now tops all streaming shows, including HBO Max’s House of the Dragon, in the fantasy genre and ranks third among top streaming shows in Prime video behind the series Reacher and Dark Matter.
The Pendragon Cycle: Rise of the Merlin, created and directed by The Daily Wire’s co-founder Jeremy Boreing, is the number one fantasy series in America across all platforms
The series, adapted from Stephen Lawhead’s novels, follows the legendary Merlin, prophet and mentor to King Arthur
‘I read Stephen Lawhead’s novels when I was a teenager and have wanted to put them on screen every day since,’ Boreing told The Daily Mail on Wednesday
‘The numbers are gratifying,’ said Boreing, ‘but what matters is what’s beneath it — that Americans are still hungry for one of our greatest civilizational inheritances.’
The series, shot in Hungary and Italy, does not shy away from a positive portrayal of the rise of Christianity in a world suspicious of a new religion.
‘We didn’t sand any of it down, and it turns out you don’t have to. 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.’
The Pendragon Cycle has also received glowing reviews from prominent mainstream Hollywood voices, as well as conservative media titans. Oscar-winning screenwriter Roger Avary recently praised the show on The Joe Rogan Experience and Blaze founder and commentator Glenn Beck gave it a glowing review on Wednesday.
‘If you liked the Sword and the Stone, if you like the Two Towers or Lord of the Rings, you’re going to like this,’ said Beck.
‘This is up there with The Chosen, this is as well done as The Chosen,’ he continued, referencing the popular television series about the life of Jesus, first released in 2019.
In March 2025, Boreing stepped away from his role at the Daily Wire, which he launched alongside conservative commentator Ben Shapiro, helping build the start-up brand into media behemoth valued at $1 billion.
He has since focused on creative projects and his independent podcast The Jeremy Boreing Show.