DC’s Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is now playing in theaters worldwide, but if you’re the proud owner of a Netflix or Disney Plus subscription, you’d be forgiven for staying indoors this weekend given the quality of on-demand entertainment at your disposal.
Heading up this week’s crop of streaming recommendations is the first entry in Zack Snyder’s new big-budget movie franchise, Rebel Moon, which is joined on Netflix by Maestro, another years-in-the-making passion project, this time from actor-director Bradley Cooper. Superhero fans can enjoy the second season of Marvel's What If...? on Disney Plus, while Percy Jackson and the Olympians also makes its streaming debut this weekend.
Below, you’ll find our pick of the biggest new movies and TV shows to stream on Netflix, Prime Video, Max, and more this weekend.
Rebel Moon – Part One: A Child of Fire (Netflix)
The first installment in Zack Snyder’s long-awaited space opera, Rebel Moon (also known as Rebel Moon – Part One: A Child of Fire), crashes its way onto Netflix this weekend.
This big-budget sci-fi epic follows Kora (Sofia Boutella), a mysterious woman with a tragic past who, after being taken in by a remote farming community on the edge of the galaxy, is dispatched to seek out warriors from neighboring planets in a bid to defeat a new space-faring superpower. If that sounds a lot like Star Wars, that’s because Rebel Moon began life as a Star Wars pitch, but as we learned in our interview with Zack Snyder himself, the film’s influences are much more vast and varied.
Suffice to say, Rebel Moon has left critics divided, but in our own Rebel Moon review, we described Snyder’s latest as “an explosive and absorbing sci-fi-centric epic” that’s let down by “an anti-climatic aura” (so while it may be one of the best Netflix movies for spectacle, perhaps not for story satisfaction). A sequel, Rebel Moon – Part Two: The Scargiver, is scheduled to release on April 19, 2024.
Now available to stream on Netflix.
Percy Jackson and the Olympians (Disney Plus)
The latest (but first serialized) attempt to adapt Rick Riordan’s best-selling fantasy novel series, Percy Jackson and the Olympians, begins streaming on Disney Plus this weekend.
This eight-episode series centers on a 12-year-old modern demigod, Percy Jackson (Walker Scobell), who – while coming to terms with his newfound divine powers – must restore order to Olympus when Zeus accuses him of stealing his master lightning bolt. Leah Sava Jeffries, Aryan Simhadri, Jason Mantzoukas, Lin-Manuel Miranda and the late Lance Reddick (in his final TV role) are also among the show’s cast.
In our interview with Riordan himself, the author told us of his extensive involvement in Disney’s new series, which – in our Percy Jackson and the Olympians review – we described as a “watchable, albeit slightly over-serious TV adaptation.” Stay tuned to see whether this one makes it onto our list of the best Disney Plus shows.
Now available to stream on Disney Plus.
Maestro (Netflix)
Bradley Cooper makes his prosthetic-aided play for next year’s Best Actor Oscar in Maestro, which is now streaming on Netflix.
This new Netflix movie – which represents actor-cum-filmmaker’s first directorial project since 2018's A Star Is Born – charts the lifelong romantic relationship between famed composer Leonard Bernstein (played by Cooper himself) and actress Felicia Montealegre Cohn Bernstein (Carey Mulligan). Matt Bomer, Sarah Silverman, Maya Hawke and Josh Hamilton also star in this sweeping drama about Bernstein's struggles to reconcile the many warring parts of himself.
Critics have described Maestro as “towering and fearless”, with Mulligan, in particular, earning plaudits for her “career-best” performance.
Now available to stream on Netflix.
Marvel's What If...? season 2 (Disney Plus)
Marvel’s alternate-timeline What If...? series resumes with its highly-anticipated second season on Disney Plus this weekend.
Per the show’s official synopsis, What If...? season 2 “continues the journey as The Watcher guides viewers through the vast multiverse, introducing brand new and familiar faces throughout the MCU. The series questions, revisits and twists classic Marvel Cinematic moments with an incredible voice cast that includes a host of stars who reprise their iconic roles.”
Strange Supreme and Captain Carter are among the returning characters, while Nebula, Hela and Happy Hogan make their What If...? debuts in season 2. Episode one is available to stream now, with new entries set to land every day for nine consecutive days.
Now available to stream on Disney Plus.
Dr. Death season 2 (Peacock)
Peacock’s podcast-inspired medical thriller series, Dr. Death, returns for its second season this weekend.
This time, events concern “Miracle Man” Paolo Macchiarini, a charming surgeon renowned for his innovative operations whose murderous ways are uncovered by a group of doctors halfway across the world. Edgar Ramírez, Mandy Moore and Luke Kirby all star.
All eight episodes of Dr. Death season 2 – which critics have described as “a disturbing portrait of deceit, romance and complicity" – are streaming now on Peacock.
Now available to stream on Peacock.
James May: Our Man in India (Prime Video)
In light of the success of Clarkson’s Farm (a third season of which is on the way soon), another member of The Grand Tour’s popular presenting trio, James May, heads up his own (or rather, another season of his own) Prime Video series this weekend.
Across six episodes, James May: Our Man in India follows the British presenter as he explores the ins and outs of the titular country. “Starting by the Arabian Sea and finishing at the Bay of Bengal, [James’] journey will cross incredible landscapes, from the baking deserts of Rajasthan to the dramatic Himalayan foothills,” Amazon says.
Critics haven’t had a chance to review James May: Our Man in India just yet, but given the surprisingly wholesome nature of Clarkson’s Farm, we’re inclined to recommend this one to anyone in need of an easy watch this weekend.
Now available to stream on Prime Video.
Gwyneth vs Terry: The Ski Crash Trial (Max)
If you’re someone who cares deeply about the recently concluded Gwyneth Paltrow vs Terry Sanderson ski crash trial, boy does Max have a new documentary just for you.
Called (wait for it…) Gwyneth vs Terry: The Ski Crash Trial, this new Max feature recounts the “sensational” courtroom drama “that took the world by storm.” Now, we wouldn’t necessarily describe Paltrow’s case in those terms, but anyone who enjoyed the mindless entertainment of Netflix’s Depp v. Heard documentary may find similarly enjoyment here.
Now available to stream on Max.
