New Shows And Movies To Stream On Netflix, Hulu, Prime Video, Apple TV And More

New TV Shows To Watch This Weekend

Lioness – Season 3 (Paramount+)

What It’s About: Taylor Sheridan’s Lioness returns for a third season with Zoe Saldaña back as CIA operative Joe McNamara, who finds herself caught up in her most dangerous mission yet. As a sprawling conspiracy threatens both national security and the people she cares about most, Joe is forced to balance her loyalty to the mission with her responsibilities at home. Nicole Kidman, Morgan Freeman, Michael Kelly, Laysla De Oliveira, Genesis Rodriguez, and Dave Annable all return for another season of high-stakes espionage and military action.

Why You Should Watch: You know, I thought the first season of Lioness was pretty excellent military spy thriller fare, and I’m a sucker for that kind of stuff. I’m okay with shows that make Islamic radical terrorists and South American cartels the bad guys and I’m okay with shows that point out that often the bad guys can be right here in the West, too. Taylor Sheridan is a bit more “red-blooded” than a lot of contemporary Hollywood and that’s fine, but I just got kind of sick of the characters in Season 2, so I’m behind. New episodes drop Sundays with the finale landing on September 20.

Batman: Caped Crusader – Season 2 (Prime Video)

What It’s About: Gotham’s Dark Knight is back for a second season as Hamish Linklater returns to voice Batman in this noir-inspired animated series from executive producers Bruce Timm, J.J. Abrams, and Matt Reeves. Season 2 pits Batman against more of Gotham’s most notorious criminals while continuing the show’s stylish blend of detective stories, classic comic book influences, and old-school film noir. All ten episodes are out now on Prime Video.

Why You Should Watch: You did see that Hamish Linklater is the voice of Batman, right? If that isn’t enough of a reason, I don’t know what to tell you. There was some controversy over gender-swapping the Penguin (which was weird, but whatever) but I thought the animation was terrific and it was a fun Batman story. But I’m a Batman nerd. Batman > all other superheroes. Season 2’s reviews are a bit weaker (down from 94% to 88%) but still strong.

Adults – Season 2 Teaser Episode (Hulu/FX)

What It’s About: Before Season 2 arrives, FX is releasing a special teaser episode of Adults, the comedy about a group of twenty-somethings trying—and usually failing—to figure out adulthood. Created by Ben Kronengold and Rebecca Shaw, the series has earned comparisons to Friends and Girls thanks to its awkward humor, relatable characters, and chaotic friendships.

Why You Should Watch: I guess if this kind of young adult sitcom is your cup of tea (or whatever 20-somethings drink these days, boba tea?) then this show might be for you. I haven’t seen it, so I can’t say. The first season has pretty good reviews, though.

The Bombing of Pan Am 103 (Netflix Documentary)

What It’s About: This six-part limited series dramatizes the investigation into the 1988 bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland, which killed 270 people. Starring Connor Swindells, Patrick J. Adams, and Merritt Wever, the series follows investigators and victims’ families as they work to uncover the truth behind one of history’s deadliest terrorist attacks.

Why You Should Watch: It’s a really fascinating, really depressing and frustrating piece of history and we should all strive to learn as much about history as we possibly can before we ourselves become lost to that great deep ocean of time.

You can also watch the TV series, Lockerbie, on Peacock for a fictionalized version of the story starring Colin Firth.

New Movies To Watch This Weekend

There are a whole bunch of movies dropping on the 1st of the month (Saturday) and I’m putting together a separate guide for these because most of them are older releases – like the whole Fast and the Furious saga coming to Netflix – and it’s just too much to list here. So I’m actually going to keep a few of the movies from last week’s guide in this list because there are some good ones that I hope you watch. Look for other guides for new movies and shows releasing this month soon right here on this blog (which you should subscribe to!)

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes (Prime Video)

What It’s About: Set generations after Caesar’s reign, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes follows a young chimpanzee named Noa (Owen Teague) as he sets out on a journey that challenges everything he believes about ape society. Along the way he teams up with a mysterious human (Freya Allan) while facing the ruthless ape ruler Proximus Caesar (Kevin Durand). Directed by Wes Ball, the film launches a new chapter in the long-running sci-fi franchise.

Why You Should Watch: I haven’t been the biggest fan of the new Planet of the Apes series, but I really liked this one. It made me go back and rewatch the first three and I enjoyed them all more than I did the first time around. Go figure. There’s just some great drama, incredible special effects and even some nice humor. Freya Allan, of The Witcher, does a great job.

The Drama (HBO Max)

What It’s About: A24’s latest film comes from Dream Scenario director Kristoffer Borgli and stars Zendaya and Robert Pattinson as a couple whose relationship begins to unravel just before their wedding. Also starring Alana Haim and Mamoudou Athie, The Drama blends romance, comedy, and psychological tension in Borgli’s signature offbeat style.

Why You Should Watch: I haven’t seen this but both Zendaya and Pattinson were in The Odyssey and I enjoy both actors (though Pattinson, I’d have to argue, is kind of on another level). I typically love what A24 serves up, so even if a wedding movie might not normally be my cup of tea, this one is on my radar. It has a 76% / 78% split with critics/audiences on Rotten Tomatoes, which is interesting for an arthouse film, which usually goes the other way around.

Avatar Aang: The Last Airbender (Paramount+)

What It’s About: The first animated feature film featuring the original characters from the wildly popular Nickelodeon series, Avatar: The Last Airbender, this movie was originally intended for a wide theatrical release but now drops on Paramount+ this Saturday, July 25. The story picks up 13 years after the original series, and follows Aang, Katara, Sokka, Zuko, Toph, Appa and Momo on a brand new quest to restore peace and order to the world, and maybe revive the Air Nomads.

Why You Should Watch: Well, instead of going into any great length in this guide, I should note that I was able to watch an early screener of the film, which I quite enjoyed, though I do have some caveats. You can read my review of Avatar Aang: The Last Airbender right here.

Masters of the Universe (Prime Video)

What It’s About: After being separated for 15 years, the Sword of Power leads Prince Adam (Nicholas Galitzine) back to Eternia, where he discovers his home shattered under the fiendish rule of Skeletor (Jared Leto). To save his family and his world, Adam must join forces with his closest allies, Teela (Camila Mendes) and Duncan/Man-At-Arms (Idris Elba), and embrace his true destiny as He-Man — the most powerful man in the universe. Alison Brie also stars as villain Evil-Lyn. Directed by Travis Knight (Bumblebee, Kubo and the Two Strings)

Why You Should Watch: I already devoted an entire post to why you should watch this fantastically fun, hilarious, heartfelt action-packed movie that’s not just great for guys like me who loved the toys and cartoons back in the day, but for kids of all ages. You can also read my very glowing review of this underrated gem right here. Seriously, give this a watch. It’s one of my favorite films of 2026.

Mortal Kombat II (HBO Max)

What It’s About: The fan favorite champions of the popular video game series, now joined by martial arts expert and washed-out actor, Johnny Cage (Karl Urban), are pitted against one another in the ultimate battle to defeat the dark rule of Shao Kahn (Martyn Ford) that threatens the very existence of Earthrealm and its defenders.

Why You Should Watch: While the film has divided critics and audiences, with audiences liking it way more than critics, I’m going to go with the common man this time around. Mortal Kombat II is cheesy, fun, funny, action-packed – many of the same qualities and actually a remarkably similar plot to Masters of the Universe. And who cares? This is more 80s-style action-movie awesome sauce. I enjoyed it to pieces, much more than the first film from 2021.

Pressure (Peacock)

What It’s About: In the tense 72 hours before D-Day, with the fate of the free world hanging in the balance, General Dwight D. Eisenhower (Brendan Fraser) and Group Captain James Stagg (Andrew Scott) face an impossible choice — launch the largest and most dangerous seaborne invasion in history or risk losing the war altogether.

Why You Should Watch: I thought this movie looked absolutely phenomenal when I first learned about it and the cast is pretty much as good as it gets. Yes, it’s a bit of an odd premise, the fate of the great war hanging in the balance based on competing predictions from meteorologists – but that’s also what makes it cool and unique and a different kind of war movie.

New Movies In Theaters This Weekend

Spider-Man: Brand New Day

What It’s About: Several years after the events of Spider-Man: No Way Home, Peter Parker (Tom Holland) is a reclusive loner, still the friendly neighborhood Spider-Man but without any real friends or heroic allies since he asked Doctor Strange to wipe the world’s memory of Peter Parker. When a new, mysterious threat arrives on the scene, Peter has to reach out for help from some unlikely places, including Frank “The Punisher” Castle (Jon Bernthal).

Why You Should Watch: Because I said so. That’s good enough, right? I thought this movie was an absolute banger – easily one of the best superhero movies I’ve seen in years. You should read my review of Spider-Man: Brand New Day if you want the real reason to see this in theaters. The first half is totally spoiler free, and then the second half talks about the ending and why I thought it just made this such a profound, emotionally resonant piece of cinema. Good stuff.

Forbes‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ Review: The First Superhero Movie That Made Me Feel Something In A Very Long TimeBy Erik Kain

TV Shows Currently Streaming Weekly

House of the Dragon – Season 3 (HBO Max)

What It’s About: HBO’s Game of Thrones prequel, House of the Dragon, follows the Westerosi civil war known as the Dance of Dragons and the struggle for the Iron Throne between Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma D’Arcy) and her supporters (Team Black) and her half-brother, King Aegon II (Tom Glynn-Carney) and his supporters (Team Green). It’s adapted from George R.R. Martin’s fake “history” of Westeros, Fire & Blood (which has a very nice illustrated companion book, Rise of the Dragon, as well).

Why You Should Watch: While Season 2 was a bit of a dreary affair, and not much happened over the course of its eight episodes, Season 3 has been much more compelling television. It’s far from perfect, far too bleak and there hasn’t been as much battle and bloodshed so far as I would have liked, but the pacing and writing and overall production just feels much stronger this season. The penultimate episode airs this Sunday. Read my review of Episode 6 right here.

New episodes drop weekly with the season finale airing on HBO and HBO Max on Sunday, August 9.

The Walking Dead: Dead City – Season 3 (AMC+)

What It’s About: The Walking Dead: Dead City returns with an eight-episode season 3, with Lauren Cohan as Maggie Rhee and Jeffrey Dean Morgan as Negan returning, now working alongside Perlie Armstrong (Gaius Charles) to build a “functioning” community in post-apocalyptic Manhattan. The fragile alliance is tested by newcomer Renata (Aimee Garcia), her doctor brother Luis (Raúl Castillo), and loner Dillard (Jimmi Simpson of Westworld fame). New showrunner Seth Hoffman, a Walking Dead veteran writer and former co-executive producer on the original series, is taking over this season. New episodes drop Sundays, running through September 13.

Why You Should Watch: I don’t think this show should exist, quite frankly, and after watching the Season 3 premiere, I not only wrote a scathing review, I made a scathing video to go with it, which you can watch above. It’s not good, folks, but I genuinely hope that it gets better because there are other ways I could be spending my Sunday evenings.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds – Season 4 (Paramount+)

What It’s About: The crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise is back for another round of adventures as Captain Christopher Pike (Anson Mount) continues leading his crew across the final frontier. Season 4 picks up after last season’s cliffhanger and sends Pike, Spock, Number One, and the rest of the Enterprise crew on a series of dangerous new missions, from mysterious alien encounters to impossible scientific mysteries, while continuing to build toward the events of Star Trek: The Original Series. The new season is comprised of 10 episodes airing Sundays through September 24

Why You Should Watch: I actually gave up on New Star Trek some time ago, having doggedly tried my best with the JJ Abrams films, Discovery and Picard. And while I’d heard some very positive things about Strange New Worlds, I just couldn’t find the energy to catch up. Maybe someday. I do really like the casting in this series, and Anson Mount is the perfect Pike (though I thought he looked more handsome in the very first episode before he shaved and cut his hair). However, it should be noted that Season 4 has a stellar 100% on Rotten Tomatoes, higher than any previous season. If there is a show that could lure me back to Star Trek, it’s this one.

Sugar – Season 2 (Apple TV)