Sure, everybody’s raving about Squid Game, but that doesn’t mean it’s the only thing worth tuning into this weekend. In fact, the next few days prove a surprisingly busy period for new movies, in particular, which makes a refreshing change from the time commitment demanded by lengthy TV shows of late.
There’s The Many Saints of Newark on HBO Max, for instance, which marks a long-awaited return to the world of The Sopranos, as well as The Guilty on Netflix and the surprisingly enjoyable Free Guy on Disney Plus. Hell, there’s even Diana: The Musical, if all-singing-all-dancing incarnations of real-life royals are your thing.
Below, we round up eight of the biggest additions coming to streamers this weekend in the US and the UK – from highly-anticipated movies to all-new talk shows.
The Many Saints of Newark (HBO Max)
Arriving on HBO Max after a number of pandemic-induced delays, The Many Saints of Newark whisks audiences back to the world of David Chase’s hit HBO series, The Sopranos, for a prequel story set in the late 1960s.
In this movie, to nobody’s surprise, Tony Soprano finds himself and his family caught up in the midst of a violent gang war. Inheriting the role of a much younger Tony is Michael Gandolfini, son of the late James Gandolfini, who starred in the original 2000s series.
This one was written by Chase himself and directed by Alan Taylor, and features the likes of Alessandro Nivola, Jon Bernthal, Vera Farmiga, Leslie Odom Jr. and, of course, Ray Liotta (is a gangster movie even a gangster movie without him?).
You'll need the $14.99 ad-free HBO Max tier to watch it in the US. UK audiences can watch The Many Saints of Newark in theaters now.
Now available to stream on HBO Max for 30 days in the US
The Guilty (Netflix)
A same-name adaptation of the award-winning Danish drama, The Guilty stars Jake Gyllenhaal as a 911 call center operator who faces a race against time to save a kidnapped woman on the other side of the line.
Netflix reportedly paid $30 million to acquire this one, which comes from director Antoine Fuqua (Training Day) and screenwriter Nic Pizzolatto (True Detective). The Danish original is already a great thriller, so throwing a talent like Gyllenhaal into the mix makes this version of The Guilty an easy recommendation.
It’s also playing in select theaters, if you fancy venturing out into the wild.
Now available to stream on Netflix
The Problem With Jon Stewart (Apple TV Plus)
Continuing Apple TV Plus’ late 2021 content push is The Problem With Jon Stewart, which arrives on the streamer as a weekly current affairs series.
The former The Daily Show host returns to television for this one, which seems to embrace a format similar to Last Week Tonight with John Oliver. Stewart himself will be taking a back seat, though, instead offering the stage to various people impacted by and working on the issues in question during the show’s hour-long episodes.
The Problem With Jon Stewart has already been renewed by Apple for a second season, so expect plenty of thoughtful conversation and mild-mannered debate.
Now available to stream on Apple TV Plus
No One Gets Out Alive (Netflix)
No One Gets Out Alive follows the plight of a young girl (Cristina Rodlo) confronted by an inescapable nightmare – i.e. aggressive landlords and creepy butterflies – during her stay at an American boarding house.
This one is based on the award-winning novel by Adam Nevill, so it should provide some competent storytelling alongside genuine scares. As it’s on Netflix, it might also prove a welcome complement to Midnight Mass, the streamer’s latest creepy series.
To stay on top of all the latest scarers, we’ve detailed a list of the biggest new horror movies heading to theaters and streamers in the coming months.
Now available to stream on Netflix
Diana: The Musical (Netflix)
Like you, we’ve been awaiting the arrival of Diana: The Musical with bated breath. Sparkles! Songs! Stunning dresses! What’s not to love?
In fairness, though, this one has been praised for bringing Broadway theatrics closer to home thanks to some Hamilton-esque stage filming, and it supposedly does a good job of celebrating the enduring legacy of Princess Diana.
Its cast and crew, too, boast countless Tony and Olivier awards between them, so perhaps Diana: The Musical isn’t the superfluous glitter bonanza it might first seem.
Now available to stream on Netflix
Maid (Netflix)
Margaret Qualley, known for her roles in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood and The Nice Guys, stars in this 10-episode adaptation of the best-selling memoir by Stephanie Land about a single mother who escapes an abusive relationship by becoming a maid.
The story is based on Land’s own experience as a young woman, so there's some real narrative weight to this one, which was made fit for the screen by Orange Is the New Black writer Smith Metzler and producer Margot Robbie.
Qualley’s mother, Andie MacDowell, also stars, alongside Tracy Vilar and Nick Robinson.
Now available to stream on Netflix
Infinite (Amazon Prime Video UK)
Paramount Plus debuted this Mark Wahlberg sci-fi movie back in July, and now UK viewers get a chance to watch it on Amazon Prime Video. Look: at 16% positive reviews on Rotten Tomatoes, it's not the most acclaimed movie of 2021, but it is a big-budget studio flick directed by Training Day's Antoine Fuqua (the second movie by him on this list).
Without spoiling much, this movie explores reincarnation, as Wahlberg's character starts having memories that belong to someone else. Chiwetel Ejiofor plays the villain. At 106 minutes, how much can it truly offend you?
Now available to stream on Amazon Prime Video in the UK and Paramount Plus in the US
Free Guy (Disney Plus UK)
After landing in theaters last month, Free Guy makes a relatively fanfare-less entrance on Disney Plus UK this week (US viewers miss out for once).
The movie stars Ryan Reynolds as a bank employee who discovers he's actually a background player in an open-world video game, while Jodie Comer also features as his love interest-cum-ass-kicking game coder. Naturally, CGI-fuelled chaos ensues.
For an unconventional perspective on this one, check out our Free Guy review, which shares the thoughts of a pair of elderly ladies who accidentally stumbled into a screening.
Now available to stream on Disney Plus
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