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There's no better way to welcome the new year than by watching the best new movies and shows now on streaming, from the highly anticipated ending of Stranger Things season 5 to the bookies' favorite film for the awards season. It can be tricky to go through the first weekend of the year, as you're probably still recovering from the intensity of the Christmas and New Year's Eve celebrations, but these titles will cheer you up.
Below, we've put together a list of 6 great new movies and shows on Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney Plus, HBO Max, Apple TV Plus, and Hulu, some of the best streaming services out there. This time around, we have some exciting titles like a remake of an '80s comedy classic, a must-see horror gem released last year, and new episodes of some fan-favorite shows.
2026 is going to bring plenty of upcoming movies and new shows to keep us entertained, but make sure to check our lists for the best movies of 2025 and the best shows of 2025 to see if you've missed something important. Now, dive into the first few shows and movies you should be watching this brand-new year.
New movies
The Naked Gun (Prime Video)
Available: Worldwide
Watch now: Prime Video
One of the funniest comedies of 2025 is now on Prime Video, and we can't think of a better way to start the new year. Something between a remake and a reboot, The Naked Gun brings back the saga's stupidly hilarious sense of humor, which of course includes lots of farting and sex jokes.
The acid cop satire first started with Leslie Nielsen's original Frank Drebin, who debuted in the TV show Police Squad before starring in his own film Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad in 1988. The new film, starring Liam Neeson, Pamela Anderson and Paul Walter Hauser, follows Frank Drebin Jr. as he tries to solve a murder connected to a tech mogul while doing his best to save his police unit from being shut down.
The Naked Gun is available to watch on Amazon Prime from December 29. For more, check out our list of all the best movies on Prime Video right now.
One Battle After Another (HBO Max)
Available: US
Watch now: HBO Max
As the awards season continues, you might want to watch the film that could score the biggest this year – and you can do it on HBO Max right now. Paul Thomas Anderson's critically-acclaimed film One Battle After Another has been available to stream for a few weeks, but it's likely you missed it among the Christmas celebrations. With 2026 now officially here and the Academy Awards around the corner, there are no more excuses.
Starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Sean Penn, Teyana Taylor, Benicio del Toro, Regina Hall and Chase Infiniti, the film follows Bob, an ex-revolutionary living off-grid (and in a state of stoned paranoia) with his daughter Willa. When she goes missing, he is forced to face his radical past in order to find her.
One Battle After Another is available to watch on HBO Max from December 19. For more, read our One Battle After Another review, and check out our guides to the best HBO shows and the best HBO movies.
Together (Hulu)
Available: US
Watch now: Hulu
Would you like to start the new year with a scare? Alison Brie and Dave Franco's horror film Together landed this week on Hulu as one of the genre's recent must-watch titles. The real-life married couple go through a nightmarish journey in this movie directed by Michael Shanks, which mixes body horror with dark comedy and reaches its climax to the sound of the Spice Girls.
The couple star as Millie and Tim, who relocate from the city to a house in the country, bringing their many marital problems with them. Things start to get weird after the pair go for a walk in the forest and they stumble upon a mysterious water source, which they feel compelled to drink, resulting in an extreme transformation of their love, their lives, and their flesh too.
Together is available to watch on Hulu from December 31. For more, check out our list of the best Hulu shows to watch right now.
New TV shows
Stranger Things season 5 final episode (Netflix)
Available: Worldwide
Watch now: Netflix
After ten years, Stranger Things has officially come to an end – so make sure you watch that feature-length last episode as soon as possible to avoid spoilers! After releasing most episodes of the last season between late November and Christmas day, the popular Netflix show has finally unveiled its finale on New Year's Eve, offering all the answers to the story's biggest questions. Who dies? Who survives? And is Vecna defeated for good? You'll have to watch and find out.
As you get ready to dive into the last episode, make sure to check out our Stranger Things season 5 part 1 ending explained guide to remember everything, and to be emotionally ready for everything that might happen. Most importantly, enjoy the ride, as this is the last time we'll see the whole gang together again, from Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) to Steve (Joe Keery). We'll sure miss them!
Stranger Things season 5 part 3 is available to stream on Netflix now For more, check out the best Netflix shows to watch right now.
Palm Royale season 2 episode 8 (Apple TV Plus)
Available: Worldwide
Watch now: Apple TV Plus
We are getting close to the end of Palm Royale season 2, so this is your friendly reminder to catch up ahead of the finale! You might not have heard of it, but this dramedy starring Kristen Wiig is a great watch on Apple TV Plus, and it might be just what you need to start the new year. The star-studded production sees Wiig playing Maxine Dellacorte, an outsider trying to find her footing in the cutthroat world of Palm Beach high society.
Also starring Laura Dern, Allison Janney, Ricky Martin, Carol Burnett, and more, the new season follows Maxine after she becomes a social pariah following a scandalous public breakdown. Now she'll have to use all of her wit to prove that she belongs in this exclusive society, while some secrets threaten to thwart her plans.
Palm Royale season 2 episode 8 is available on Apple TV Plus from December 31. For more, see our lists for the best movies on Apple TV Plus and the best TV shows on Apple TV Plus.
Percy Jackson and The Olympians season 2 episode 5 (Disney Plus)
Available: Worldwide
Watch now: Disney Plus
Percy Jackson and the Olympians continues on Disney Plus with season 2, released just in time for fans to enjoy along with the arrival of the new year – and it's the perfect show to enjoy with viewers of all ages, kids included! With a season 3 already confirmed, we know this teen fantasy adventure is here for the long run.
Adapting Rick Riordan's second novel in the book saga, The Sea of Monsters, the new batch of episodes will see Percy take on "an epic odyssey into the Sea of Monsters in search of his best friend Grover and the one thing that may save the camp, the legendary Golden Fleece", reads the logline. "With help from Annabeth, Clarisse and his newfound cyclops half-brother Tyson, Percy’s survival becomes essential to stopping Luke, the Titan Kronos, and their impending plan to bring down Camp Half-Blood – and ultimately, Olympus."
Percy Jackson and the Olympians season 2 episode 5 is available to watch on Disney Plus from December 31. For more, see our list of the best TV shows on Disney Plus.
Looking for something else to watch? Check out our list of the best Netflix movies or the best movies on Disney Plus.
