The best new movies and TV shows to watch this weekend include Netflix's latest bonkers action show and movies starring huge stars like Pedro Pascal, Joaquin Phoenix and Lindsay Lohan. There is something for everyone on this list, which features the best streaming services out there, and we're here to help you discover what's new and worth watching.
Below, we've put together a guide with six great new movies and TV shows now available on Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney Plus, HBO Max, Apple TV Plus, and Hulu that should be on your radar right now. Following some of this year's best releases, such as Andor season 2, Netflix's Adolescence, and KPop Demon Hunters, this list includes some must-see gems like Ari Aster's latest movie Eddington and a new season of Kristen Wiig's excellent show Palm Royale.
New TV shows
Last Samurai Standing (Netflix)
Available: Worldwide
Watch now: Netflix
If you were craving an intense dose of blood and violence this weekend, Netflix has the perfect new show for you. Last Samurai Standing has been described as a perfect blend between Shogun and Squid Game, with warriors fighting to the death for a large cash prize. Based on the Ikusagami series by Shogo Imamura, you can expect impressive and brutal fights, and a bonkers premise.
Set in the late 19th century during the Meiji period, the action-packed series sees 300 participants entering a deadly game. The rules of the tournament are simple: whoever can steal the wooden tags distributed to each of them and reach Tokyo will win the money. "Under the veil of night, the temple grounds are filled with unease and the presence of bloodthirsty warriors. When the signal is given to begin the game, the combatants launch into their relentless battle for survival," reads the official synopsis.
Last Samurai Standing is available to stream on Netflix from November 13. For more, check out the best Netflix shows to watch right now.
Palm Royale season 2 (Apple TV Plus)
Available: Worldwide
Watch now: Apple TV Plus
The star-studded Palm Royale is back for a new season on Apple TV Plus, with Kristen Wiig reprising her role as Maxine Dellacorte alongside co-stars Laura Dern, Allison Janney, Ricky Martin, Carol Burnett, and more. If you followed the first season, you'll know this is an underdog story, with an outsider trying to find her footing in the cutthroat world of Palm Beach high society and not lose herself in the process.
In season 2, Maxine has become a social pariah after a scandalous public breakdown, so she'll have to use all of her cunning and wit to prove that she belongs in this exclusive society. With some secrets threatening to come out to the surface, Maxine could seize the opportunity to make it to the top. New guest stars for this season include John Stamos, Patti LuPone, Vicki Lawrence and Matt Rogers.
Palm Royale season 2 premieres on Apple TV Plus on November 12. For more, check out our lists for the best movies on Apple TV Plus and the best TV shows on Apple TV Plus.
New movies
Eddington (HBO Max)
Available: US
Watch now: HBO Max
Ari Aster never misses. After delivering some of the best horror movies of our time (Hereditary, Midsommar), the filmmaker delivers a poignant look at the current state of the United States with Eddington, a nail-biting neo-Western thriller set in COVID-19 times. You might not want to relive pandemic times (we get it), but this is a must-see movie this year, and you should give it a try on HBO Max this weekend.
The story follows Sherriff Joe Cross (played by Joaquin Phoenix) as he slowly but surely starts to unravel during lockdown. In the small town of Eddington, tensions begin to rise amongst residents, with Joe starting a war with Mayor Ted Garcia (played by Pedro Pascal) while the social and political climate in the country gets to a breaking point. The cast also includes Emma Stone, Austin Butler, Luke Grimes and Deirdre O'Connell.
Eddington is available to watch on HBO Max from November 14. For more, check out our guides to the best HBO shows and the best HBO movies.
Freakier Friday (Disney Plus)
Available: Worldwide
Watch now: Disney Plus
A few months after its cinema release, Freakier Friday is now available to watch on Disney Plus, and it's perfect for those looking for a nostalgic and fun watch. Legacy sequels don't always work as well as we would hope, but this follow-up to 2003's classic Freaky Friday managed to convince critics and viewers alike – it has an audience approval rating of 91% on Rotten Tomatoes!
Lindsay Lohan and Jamie Lee Curtis reprise their roles from the first movie 20 years later, as they face a very similar situation. Anna (Lohan) has now her own rebellious daughter, Harper (Julia Butters), and a soon-to-be-step-daughter, Harper's rival classmate Lily (Sophia Hammons). With plenty of family problems brewing ahead of Anna's wedding with Eric (Manny Jacinto), the four women find themselves in a four-way body swap, and chaos ensues.
Freakier Friday is available to watch on Disney Plus from November 12. For more, see our list of the best TV shows on Disney Plus.
Drop (Prime Video)
Available: US
Watch now: Prime Video
It slipped under the radar when it was first released earlier this year, but Drop might be one of the most entertaining films of the year. "A Hitchcockian thriller that cleverly utilizes modern technology for its twists and turns, Drop delivers on its pulpy premise while providing a welcome showcase for leading lady Meghann Fahy," reads the critics consensus on Rotten Tomatoes, and we couldn't agree more.
Fahy (best known for The White Lotus season 2 and Netflix's Sirens) plays Violet, a widowed mother who is going on her first date in years. As she arrives at a beautiful restaurant, she is relieved that her date Henry (played by It Ends with Us star Brandon Sklenar) is both charming and handsome. "But their chemistry begins to curdle as Violet begins being irritated and then terrorized by a series of anonymous drops to her phone," reads the official synopsis. "She is instructed to tell nobody and follow instructions or the hooded figure she sees on her home security cameras will kill Violet's young son and babysitting sister. Violet must do exactly as directed or everyone she loves will die. Her unseen tormentor's final directive? Kill Henry."
Drop is available on Amazon Prime from November 14. For more, check out our list of all the best movies on Prime Video right now.
Madame Web (Hulu)
Available: US
Watch now: Hulu
Now, we all know what happened with Madame Web and the terrible reviews it got upon release last year. However, it has slowly become the kind of bad film viewers love to hate and make fun of through memes, and that's also pretty fun. Is Madame Web the new The Room? Maybe. It definitely rivals Tommy Wiseau in bad performances and embarrassing dialogues (who could forget the viral line: "He was in the Amazon with my mom when she was researching spiders right before she died"), and that's why you might want to give it another watch... just for the laughs.
The movie follows New York City paramedic Cassandra Webb (played by Dakota Johnson) who starts to experience clairvoyant powers that connect her with three young women (Sydney Sweeney, Celeste O’Connor, and Isabela Merced). With her newfound ability, she must revisit her past and save her new Spidey sisters from mysterious adversary Ezekiel Sims (Tahar Rahim) who wants them dead.
Madame Web is available to watch on Hulu from November 14. For more, read our one-star Madame Web review, and check out our list of the best Hulu shows to watch right now.
Looking for something else to watch? Check out our list of the best Netflix movies or the best movies on Disney Plus.
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