This week’s slate of new movies across the best streaming services offers a strong mixture, with fresh arrivals on the most popular platforms including Netflix, HBO Max, Prime Video, Disney+, Apple TV and Paramount+. Whatever your tastes, there’s (almost certainly) a movie for you.
Arguably the biggest new movie is the Disney+ debut of the latest “Star Wars” adventure, “The Mandalorian and Grogu,” but I encourage you not to skip the “smaller” stuff like “Fuze,” an overlooked action-thriller with a neat twist heading over to HBO Max. Other top picks include an acclaimed drama on Netflix, an action-thriller on Prime Video and a buddy-cop adventure flick on Apple TV starring Ryan Reynolds and Kenneth Branagh.
There are plenty of options this week, so to save you from spending your time scrolling through streaming service libraries, I’ve collected this week’s most noteworthy new movies below. Plus, we also have a guide to the top new TV shows this week.
‘I Want Your Sex’ (PVOD)
As the name implies, “I Want Your Sex” isn’t shy about its provocative intentions. Described as an “erotic comedy-thriller,” this movie explores BDSM practices, alongside dipping into an exploration of power dynamics and eventually murder. Director Gregg Araki is not above going for shock value. However, the filmmaker's first new feature in 12 years has the substance to back up its provocativeness, with critics rating it 91% on Rotten Tomatoes.
When Elliot (Cooper Hoffman) lands a coveted job as the assistant for a renowned artist, Erika Tracy (Olivia Wilde), his fantasies come true when she also takes him on as a sexual partner. But the fresh-faced Elliot finds himself out of his depth when Erika brings him into an unfamiliar world of experimental bedroom activities, which eventually leads to obsession, betrayal and even murder. Let’s just say this movie isn’t one for the family!
Watch on Prime Video (buy/rent) starting September 1
‘The Runner’ (Prime Video)
Prime Video is closing out its summer original slate with “The Runner,” a new British action-thriller that stars Gal Gadot. Based on the trailer, it doesn’t appear to be trying anything especially new in the genre, but it should be good for 85 minutes of adrenaline-spiking action, and it’s always great to get more female-fronted thrillers. I’m not convinced of its quality (yet), but I’m pretty confident it’ll run straight into the Prime Video top 10.
Maia Marten (Gadot) is a successful attorney living in London. What should have been an ordinary day becomes a frantic race against the clock when her son is abducted. A mysterious caller (Damian Lewis) gives her a series of cryptic commands, and Maia has to race across the city in a desperate bid to save her son. It all sounds as generic as its name, but perhaps “The Runner” will be a pleasant streaming surprise to kick off September.
Watch on Prime Video starting September 2
‘The Mandalorian and Grogu’ (Disney+)
The first big-screen “Star Wars” movie in seven years arrives on Disney+ this week, and there’s a certain irony, because I’d argue “this is the way” the Mandalorian movie should be experienced. “The Mandalorian and Grogu” never felt quite at home in theaters, playing out like a condensed fourth season of “The Mandalorian” show. So, if you skipped it in cinemas, you didn’t really miss out; this movie feels made for watching on streaming.
Set between “Return of the Jedi” and “The Force Awakens,” the Mandalorian (Pedro Pascal) and his adorable ward, Grogu (aka Baby Yoda), take on a mission for the New Republic to rescue Rotta the Hutt (Jeremy Allen White), son of the infamous crime lord Jabba. Naturally, what was supposed to be a simple rescue job becomes a sprawling adventure in this feature-length continuation of the popular Disney+ original show.
Watch on Disney+ starting September 2
‘The President’s Cake’ (Netflix)
If review sites like Rotten Tomatoes determine your watchlist, and you want to know which new streaming arrival this week has the highest score, I’ll cut to the chase: it’s “The President’s Cake.” This Arabic-language drama scores a near-perfect 99% rating with RT’s Critics Consensus labeling it “a tenderly crafted, often devastating portrait of childhood in rural Iraq.” It’s been praised for its complex themes and rich characters.
Set during the Gulf War, where aerial bombardments are a daily occurrence for the Iraqi people, 9-year-old Lamia (Baneen Ahmad Nayyef) and her class are selected to prepare a cake for the upcoming birthday of the country’s leader, Saddam Hussein. In a country gripped by fear and with resources scarce, Lamia sets out to a nearby city to find ingredients.
Watch on Netflix starting September 3
‘Scary Movie’ (Paramount+)
“Scary Movie” returned this year, and the horror-spoof series hasn’t matured with age. It remains as lowbrow as ever. Its sights are set on lampooning modern horror trends, such as legacy sequels that drop the number in their titles (hence why this isn’t called “Scary Movie 6). Targets this time include recent genre hits like “Weapons,” “Sinners,” “Get Out” and “The Substance,” alongside poking fun at the series favorite target, “Scream.”
2026’s “Scary Movie” also marks the return of the Wayans, who originally left the franchise after 2002’s “Scary Movie 2.” Also back are stars Anna Faris and Regina Hall. The plot is simple, as you would expect from the franchise, and is merely a vehicle to cram in as many parodies and references as possible. In 2026, “Scary Movie” feels a little outdated, but those who long for the days when parody movies were released regularly might see this as a fun throwback.
Watch on Paramount+ starting September 3
‘Fuze’ (HBO Max)
Director David Mackenzie, the filmmaker behind last year’s excellent thriller “Relay,” is back in the genre already with “Fuze.” This crime-thriller doesn’t reach the same heights, but with an audacious heist at its core, it’s a movie that will keep you hooked. Plus, if you’re the type of person who demands shocking twists, I don’t want to give away any spoilers, but I can confirm there’s a big reveal in “Fuze” that totally flips the script.
Set in present-day London, a portion of the city is forced to evacuate when an unexploded World War II bomb is discovered on a construction site. Among the military squad called in to defuse the bomb is Major Will Tranter (Aaron Taylor-Johnson). However, in the chaos, a group of criminals led by Giorgos "George" Karalis (Theo James) uses the evacuation as a distraction to pull off a bank heist. But as the authorities circle, alliances are questioned and morals tested.
Watch on HBO Max starting September 4
‘Mayday’ (Apple TV)
Apple TV has earned a reputation for quality original series in recent years, but it’s yet to find the same success with its direct-to-streaming movies. Perhaps “Mayday” could be the start of a hot streak in this area, as this Apple original movie features a solid pairing of Ryan Reynolds and Kenneth Branagh. At the very least, it can’t be as bad as “Ghosted,” right?
Apple is labeling “Mayday” a “genre-bending, action-packed buddy comedy that flips the spy thriller on its head,” which reads like marketing buzzword bingo. In this Apple original, Reynolds plays a hotshot U.S. Navy pilot, assigned to a top-secret mission in Russian territory during the height of the Cold War. When the mission goes wrong, he’s stuck behind enemy lines, but finds an unexpected ally in an ex-KGB agent (Branagh), who is obsessed with American culture.
Watch on Apple TV starting September 4
