The 7 best new movies and shows to stream this weekend

Jennifer Lopez in The Mother and Ben Affleck in Air

Welcome to the weekend – and to another batch of handpicked streaming recommendations. Whatever you're in the mood for this weekend, we think you'll find it here. 

Let's start off with movies. On Netflix, Jennifer Lopez flexes her action muscles in The Mother, while Ben Affleck's latest stint in the director's chair, Nike drama Air, is now on Prime Video. US subscribers to Prime Video can also catch Danielle Deadwyler's critically acclaimed performance in historical drama Till, while UK Netflix viewers can see Brad Pitt be sad in space in Ad Astra.

As for TV, there's a new season of historical comedy The Great on Hulu in the US and Lionsgate Plus in the UK, a new mystery series City on Fire on Apple TV Plus, some Muppet mayhem on Disney Plus.

The Mother

(Image credit: Netflix)

Available: Worldwide
Watch now: Netflix

Jennifer Lopez embraces her inner action hero in the new Netflix movie The Mother, directed by Mulan helmer Niki Caro. The action thriller sees Lopez play a former assassin forced to come out of hiding when her estranged daughter is kidnapped. Power star Omari Hardwick also stars in the movie as an FBI handler and her closest friend of Lopez’s character, who is simply called 'The Mother'. Reviews have been a bit mixed on it, but plenty have praised the actor for her action chops, even comparing her to John Wick, James Bond, and Nikita. Joseph Fiennes, Edie Falco, Gael García Bernal, and Paul Raci complete the cast.

Air

(Image credit: Amazon Studios)

Available: Worldwide
Watch now: Prime Video

After a successful theatrical run earlier this year, the latest collaboration between dynamic duo Ben Affleck and Matt Damon has landed on streaming service Prime Video. Directed by Affleck (who also stars as Nike boss Phil Knight), Air follows the story of how beloved shoeline the Air Jordans came to be. Yes, the film may tell the origin story of a shoe, but it's a lively, uplifting tale that features fantastic performances across the board from the likes of Damon, Viola Davis, and Chris Messina.

City on Fire

(Image credit: Apple TV Plus)

Available: Worldwide
Watch now: Apple TV Plus

City on Fire is the latest series from Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage, the creators of iconic teen shows like The O.C. and Gossip Girl. This time around, they've made a tightly wound New York City thriller, which sees a tangled web stretching from the city's wealthy upper classes to punk bands and arsonists. At the center of this is Sam (Chase Sui Wonders), a young woman who's mysteriously shot in Central Park. The cast also includes Wyatt Oleff, Jemima Kirke, and John Cameron Mitchell. 

For more on the series, check out our interview with Wonders and the rest of the cast here.  

The Muppets Mayhem

(Image credit: Courtesy of Disney)

Available: Worldwide
Watch now: Disney Plus

The Muppets are back on our screens with brand new show The Muppets Mayhem on Disney Plus. Focusing on The Muppet Show's beloved house band The Electric Mayhem, the whole gang is back including Dr. Teeth on vocals and keyboards, Animal on drums, Floyd Pepper on vocals and bass, Janice on vocals and lead guitar, Zoot on saxophone, and Lips on trumpet. Although the band made their debut in 1975, they have never recorded a studio album until now, with the series following their chaotic journey.

For more mayhem, check out our interview with Animal and Floyd Pepper here.

The Great

(Image credit: Hulu)

Available: Worldwide
Watch now: Hulu in the US, Lionsgate Plus in the UK

After a two-year break, Nicholas Hoult and Elle Fanning return for The Great season 3. The satirical comedy is very loosely based on Catherine the Great (Fanning)'s rise to power in 1700s Russia and also follows her rocky relationship with her husband, Emperor Peter III (Hoult). The series was created by Tony McNamara, who wrote Yorgos Lanthimos' The Favourite and also penned the screenplay for the director's next movie, Poor Things. All episodes are available to stream now on Hulu in the US and Lionsgate Plus in the UK. 

Till

(Image credit: United Artists Releasing/Universal Pictures)

Available: US
Watch now: Prime Video

Based on the true story of Mamie Till-Bradley, Chinonye Chukwu’s heart-wrenching period drama follows a young, Chicago-based woman as she takes on the Mississippi justice system after her 14-year-old son Emmett is brutally murdered while visiting his cousins in the state. Danielle Deadwyler leads the flick with a devastatingly powerful performance that should’ve been a shoo-in for this year’s Academy Awards, while co-writer and director Chukwu handles the sensitive subject matter with care, without ever diluting its galvanizing message or Mamie’s convictions. Not to be missed.

Ad Astra

(Image credit: 20th Century Studios)

Available: UK
Watch now: Netflix

James Gray’s powerful Ad Astra is now available to watch on Netflix UK. So whether you fancy a rewatch of the 2019 movie or you’ve yet to see the psychological sci-fi, your weekend plans are set. The film stars Brad Pitt as an astronaut who heads into space in search of his lost father who had set out in search of alien life. As well as directing, Gray also co-wrote and produced Ad Astra, which prides itself on being a realistic depiction of space travel. Tommy Lee Jones, Ruth Negga, Liv Tyler, and Donald Sutherland all also star.

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If there's nothing here that tickles your fancy, then you might have to start looking into each streaming service's back catalogue, which can be a daunting task given how many titles they each host. Fear not, though... if you're a TV fan, then we've got you covered with our lists of the best Netflix shows, best Disney Plus shows, and the best Amazon Prime Video shows.