Our list of the best new movies and shows to watch on streaming this weekend includes some unmissable titles, from one of the biggest box office hits of the year to the return of one of Netflix's most popular shows. As summer comes to an end, we need some good stories to cheer us up, and here we've found exactly what you need.
After looking for the most exciting new releases from the best streaming services, we've selected six great movies and TV shows on Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney Plus, HBO Max, Apple TV Plus and Hulu that deserve your attention. A new season from the beloved animated series Rick and Morty and M. Night Shyamalan's most recent thriller are among our picks, so make sure you write them down on your watchlist as soon as possible.
After eight months, we can say we are having an incredible year on streaming, with shows like Andor season 2 and Netflix's Adolescence, as well as fan-favorite movies like KPop Demon Hunters, among the highlights. There is still much more to enjoy this year, too, as there are plenty of upcoming movies and some of the best shows arriving on streaming soon. For now, here are the best options for your next weekend watch.
New movies
Lilo & Stitch (Disney Plus)
Available: Worldwide
Watch now: Disney Plus
After becoming one of the biggest box office hits of the year and crossing the $1 billion mark, Lilo & Stitch is now available to stream on Disney Plus. Whether you are a fan of Disney's original animated movie or you have kids in the house who need to meet Experiment 626 as soon as possible, this film is one of the unmissable streaming releases of the week.
The story is pretty much the same as you remember – Stitch escapes an alien testing space station and lands in Hawaii, where he meets a little girl called Lilo (Maia Kealoha) who begs her big sister Nani (Sydney Agudong) to keep him as their pet. But a pet he is not, and soon Stitch causes carnage everywhere he goes, while aliens posing as humans come down to Earth to recapture him.
Lilo & Stitch is available to watch on Disney Plus from September 3. For more, you can also see our list of the best TV shows on Disney Plus.
Highest 2 Lowest (Apple TV Plus)
Available: Worldwide
Watch now: Apple TV Plus
Legendary director Spike Lee and Hollywood icon Denzel Washington team up again for Highest 2 Lowest, their fifth film together, 18 years after Inside Man. With an 89% score on Rotten Tomatoes, this "swaggering thriller" has been described by audiences as a "cultural gem that cruises through the heart of New York City."
Inspired by Akira Kurosawa's 1963 crime thriller High and Low, the film follows a titan music mogul (Washington), widely known as having the "best ears in the business", who is targeted with a ransom plot, trapping him in a life-or-death moral dilemma.
Highest 2 Lowest is available to stream on Apple TV Plus from September 5. For more, check out our lists for the best movies on Apple TV Plus and the best TV shows on Apple TV Plus.
Trap (Hulu)
Available: US
Watch now: Hulu
We can always trust M. Night Shyamalan to give us the wildest premises and plot twists in the business, and Trap is no different. It might be a bit silly at times, but that's just part of the fun, and Josh Hartnett's charismatic performance will make up for any missteps.
The film starts with long-suffering dad Cooper taking his teen daughter Riley (played by Ariel Donoghue) to see her favorite artist on stage. However, as we learn early on in the movie, Cooper is actually a serial killer, and this Lady Raven concert is a ruse by the FBI to nab him. With M. Night’s daughter Saleka Shyamalan playing Lady Raven, the film has some truly unexpected developments.
Trap is available to stream on Hulu from September 1. For more, read our Trap review, and check out our list of the best Hulu shows to watch right now.
New TV shows
Wednesday Season 2 Part 2 (Netflix)
Available: Worldwide
Watch now: Netflix
A month after the release of the first episodes, Wednesday is back once again to complete season 2, and we are in for a wild ride. In the trailer for part 2, it was confirmed that Wednesday is not dead (not that we ever thought she was going to die halfway through the new episodes, and with a season 3 already confirmed) and she awakes to deal with the many problems her visit to Willow Hill have created.
With Gwendoline Christie returning as Principal Weems to be Wednesday's new spirit guide, the new season promises dark secrets, a family séance, a Halloween ball and the highly anticipated appearance of Lady Gaga. Remember to catch up with our guide to the Wednesday season 2 part 1 ending explained before you dive into the new episodes.
Wednesday season 2 part 2 is available to stream on Netflix from September 3. For more, check out the best Netflix shows to watch right now.
Rick and Morty Season 8 (HBO Max)
Available: US
Watch now: HBO Max
After airing on Adult Swim earlier this year, Rick and Morty season 8 is now available to stream on HBO Max, which means you have some binge-watching to do this weekend. The season stands at an impressive 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes, proving that the beloved animated series is still a hit among critics and viewers.
As you might expect, the new season features grandpa Rick Sanchez and grandson Morty Smith getting mixed up in all sorts of alien, multidimensional shenanigans. It's a season that stays in known territory, even playing it too safe at times, but always delivering hilarious storylines and adventures. Stay until the end, because season 8 ends with a bang and a twist we never saw coming.
Rick and Morty season 8 is available to stream on Max from September 1. For more, read our Rick and Morty season 8 review, and check out our guides to the best HBO shows and the best HBO movies.
The Runarounds (Prime Video)
Available: US/UK
Watch now: Prime Video
If you're already dreading the imminent end of The Summer I Turned Pretty, Prime Video has released a new coming-of-age show. The Runarounds is inspired by the real-life band of the same name, and it comes from Netflix's hit series Outer Banks' creator Jonas Pate.
Featuring a cast of musicians, the series follows five recent high school graduates chasing their dreams of musical stardom in Wilmington, North Carolina. Together they form a rock band as they navigate love, rivalry, and self-discovery.
The Runarounds is available to stream on Amazon Prime from September 1. For more, check out our list of all the best movies on Prime Video right now.
Looking for something else to watch? Check out our list of the best Netflix movies or the best movies on Disney Plus.
