Honestly, most people saw the Game of Thrones finale and figured Maisie Williams would just disappear into the Hollywood machine or play variations of "girl with a sword" until she retired. It’s a logical guess. When you spend a decade playing Arya Stark—a role so iconic it literally redefined how we view young female characters in fantasy—the shadow it casts is massive.
But if you actually look at the list of maisie williams movies and tv shows since 2019, she’s doing something way more interesting than just chasing another blockbuster. She’s been picking projects that feel personal, weird, and sometimes intentionally un-glamorous. From voice acting in cult-hit animations to playing real-life icons of the French Resistance, she’s built a filmography that feels more like a curated art gallery than a standard celebrity resume.
Now that it’s 2026, we’re finally seeing the "second act" of her career take a very specific, high-stakes shape.
The Arya Stark Shadow and the Pivot to Indie Grit
The "Arya" problem is real. For eight seasons, Williams was the heartbeat of a global phenomenon. You've got to remember she was only twelve when she started. While most kids were worrying about algebra, she was learning how to fight with her left hand because Arya was a lefty in the books. That kind of commitment is rare, but it also creates a pigeonhole.
Instead of jumping straight into a Marvel franchise (though she did a stint in The New Mutants as Rahne Sinclair, which was... a choice), she pivoted to smaller, character-driven scripts.
Breaking the Warrior Mold
Take Two Weeks to Live (2020). It’s a dark comedy where she plays Kim Noakes, a girl who has been raised in total isolation by a survivalist mother. It’s funny, sure, but it’s also a clever nod to her Thrones past—a girl who is dangerous but totally out of touch with the modern world. Then you have The Owners, a gritty home-invasion thriller that proved she could carry a movie without a massive ensemble behind her.
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It's basically her telling the industry: "Yeah, I can kill people on screen, but I can also make you feel incredibly uncomfortable in a 90-minute indie film."
The Big Shifts: From Catherine Dior to Practical Magic 2
If you haven't seen The New Look on Apple TV+, you’re missing what is arguably her best work to date. Playing Catherine Dior—Christian Dior’s sister and a real-life hero of the French Resistance—required a level of vulnerability we hadn't seen from her. She reportedly lost a significant amount of weight and shaved her head to portray the toll of being a prisoner in a concentration camp.
It was a total departure. No dragons. No magic. Just raw, human endurance.
The 2026 Renaissance: Practical Magic 2
And now, the news everyone is buzzing about this year: Practical Magic 2. Scheduled for release in September 2026, this sequel to the '90s cult classic puts Williams right in the center of the Owens family curse. She’s joining Nicole Kidman and Sandra Bullock, playing a new generation of the family.
It’s a smart move. It balances that "witchy" vibe her fans love with a high-profile, big-budget production that feels a bit more grown-up than a standard superhero flick. Working alongside industry titans like Kidman and Bullock is essentially a masterclass in how to sustain a career for forty years.
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The Project That Almost Didn't Happen: Sinner V. Saints
One of the weirder entries in the maisie williams movies and tv shows catalog is Sinner V. Saints. Based on the true story of Joyce McKinney, an American beauty queen who was accused of kidnapping a Mormon missionary in the UK, it sounds like fever-dream fiction. But it’s real.
The production had its ups and downs, but seeing Williams dive into a 1970s period piece with Freddie Highmore shows her range. She’s got this knack for finding these "stranger than fiction" stories that allow her to be eccentric. She’s not trying to be the "relatable girl next door." She’s trying to be the person you can’t look away from.
Beyond the Screen: Production and the "Arya" Return?
Here is what most people get wrong about Maisie: she’s not just an actress anymore. She’s been heavily involved in the production side through her own ventures and has spent time as an edit producer for major projects on platforms like Amazon Prime and Netflix. Most recently, she’s been linked to production roles on Drive to Survive, showing she’s just as interested in how the story is cut together as she is in being the face of it.
Is the Sunset Sea Calling?
We have to talk about the elephant in the room. As of early 2026, reports have surfaced that HBO is shifting gears. The long-gestating Jon Snow sequel has been sidelined, and the focus has moved to an Arya Stark-led series.
The premise? "What's west of Westeros?"
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It’s the first true chronological sequel to the original show. While nothing is fully greenlit yet, the involvement of Drops of God writer Quoc Dang Tran suggests a much more adventurous, high-stakes tone than the "depressing" vibe many feared from a Jon Snow show. If Maisie returns to this role, she’s doing it as a veteran with a decade of outside experience.
Essential Maisie Williams Watchlist (The Non-Thrones Edition)
If you're trying to track her evolution, skip the re-watch of "The Long Night" and check these out instead:
- The Falling (2014): A dreamlike, eerie film about a fainting epidemic at a girls' school. It’s haunting and shows her early indie sensibilities.
- Doctor Who (2015): Her turn as Ashildr, the Viking girl who becomes immortal, is a fan favorite for a reason. It’s some of the best guest-starring work in the show’s modern era.
- Pistol (2022): She plays Jordan (Pamela Rooke), a punk icon. The blonde beehive and transparent raincoat look is a far cry from the brown tunics of Winterfell.
- The Luckiest Man in America (2025): A more recent drama where she holds her own against Paul Walter Hauser and Walton Goggins.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Filmbuffs
If you want to keep up with what Maisie is doing, don't just look at the IMDb "upcoming" section. She’s notoriously private about her creative process until things are ready to drop.
- Watch the Indie Circuit: Most of her best work starts at festivals like Sundance or SXSW. If she’s attached to a project with a director you’ve never heard of, that’s usually where she’s doing her most experimental work.
- Follow the Production Credits: Since she’s moving into producing and editing, her name is starting to pop up in the credits of documentaries and factual entertainment.
- Prepare for September 2026: Practical Magic 2 is going to be her biggest commercial test in years. It’ll determine if she can headline a major franchise sequel for a whole new generation.
The reality is that Maisie Williams didn't "peak" at 18. She just finished her internship on the world's biggest show and started the actual work. Whether she’s sailing west of Westeros or casting spells with Nicole Kidman, she’s clearly in control of the narrative now.
To get the best experience with her newer work, start with The New Look to see her dramatic floor, then move into Pistol for her character transformation. Keep an eye on the official Warner Bros. trailers for Practical Magic 2 as we head into the summer movie season.