A surprise fantasy contender is breaking through on the streaming charts.
The Pendragon Cycle: Rise of the Merlin, created and directed by Daily Wire co-founder Jeremy Boreing, climbed to the top of the U.S. fantasy rankings just one day after landing on Prime Video. According to viewing data from JustWatch, the series is now the number one fantasy show in America across all platforms.
Based on Stephen Lawhead’s acclaimed novels, the series reimagines the origins of Merlin, the legendary prophet and adviser to King Arthur. The story traces his painful childhood, his spiral into madness and the mysterious disappearance that helped transform him into one of Britain’s most enduring myths.
Set years before Arthur’s birth, the drama unfolds in Sub-Roman Britain, where Merlin — long believed to be dead or merely the stuff of legend — returns as divided kingdoms face the growing threat of Saxon invasion.
“I read Stephen Lawhead’s novels when I was a teenager and have wanted to put them on screen every day since,” Boreing told Our News Outlet on Wednesday. “This is a story about sacrifice, about faith surviving in unwelcoming places, about a king’s duty.”
The series first premiered on DailyWire+ in January but struggled to find a wide audience at launch. Its momentum shifted in July after debuting in the UK, where it surged up the streaming charts despite little to no paid advertising.
In the United States, The Pendragon Cycle: Rise of the Merlin now leads the fantasy category across streaming, outpacing HBO Max’s House of the Dragon. On Prime Video, it ranks third among the platform’s top streaming shows, behind Reacher and Dark Matter.
The Pendragon Cycle: Rise of the Merlin, created and directed by Daily Wire 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 Our News Outlet 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.
