New Shows And Movies To Stream On Netflix, Hulu, Prime Video, Apple TV And More
What to watch the first weekend of July.
July has come at last, or rather too quickly if you ask me. We’re over halfway through 2025 and, well, it’s crazy out there folks. Interesting times, indeed. It’s also the 4th of July weekend, so I hope you’re having a lovely time with friends and family, whether or not you’re in here in the US of A. If you’re off to parades or fireworks shows, even better, but when you’re done with the festivities, check out the following guide for all the best new TV shows and movies out this weekend.
We have comedies, action movies, fantasy shows and much more, so let’s dive right in! As always, I’ve combed over the internet and all the myriad streaming services we all subscribe to these days to find the best entertainment money can buy. We also have some theatrical releases that I always include, because I’m still a big believer in movie theaters even if streaming is far more convenient.
Also be sure to check out my Netflix July streaming guide to see everything headed to the most popular streaming service this month.
If you have any tips or I missed something, shoot me a message on Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook. You can check out last weekend’s streaming guide right here.
What’s New & Notable This Weekend
Heads Of State (Prime Video)
The last time we saw John Cena and Idris Elba together was in James Gunn’s The Suicide Squad and they were definitely a highlight of that movie, always trying to outdo the other. Now they team up as a U.S. President and UK Prime Minister in a buddy comedy about bickering heads of state trying to survive a foreign adversary. It looks very silly but should be fun, lighthearted summer fare.
The Old Guard 2 (Netflix)
Charlize Theron leads her group of immortal fantasy heroes against a new evil menace in this sequel to Netflix’s 2020 action movie. Uma Thurman plays the bad guy. I didn’t get around to watching the first film, but I guess it was popular enough to warrant a sequel. I’ll add it to my never-ending backlog . . . .
Sandman — Season 2, Volume 1 (Netflix)
I admit, I tried and failed to get into Netflix’s adaptation of The Sandman when Season 1 dropped so I’ll probably skip Season 2. This is just “Volume 1” of the second and final season of the show. A second part comes out later this year followed by a final episode even later this year. The Neil Gaiman fantasy series is quite popular, even as the author himself faces serious scandal and sexual abuse allegations.
Mr. Robot — Season 1-4 (Netflix)
Be sure to watch this phenomenal hacker-thriller now that it’s out on Netflix. I already wrote up a post about this one, so if you want more info check that out. All four seasons are streaming now.
Sinners (HBO Max)
One of my favorite movies of 2025, Sinners is now out on HBO Max with a 4K Blu-Ray release later this week. Yes, it’s very derivative of From Dusk Till Dawn, but it’s still excellent and has some genuinely amazing music. Read my review here.
Batman Ninja vs. Yakuza League (HBO Max)
If you like Batman and you like anime, this sequel to 2018’s Batman Ninja pits the Caped Crusader against the Yakuza League, a group of nefarious supervillains that mirror the Justice League. It has pretty solid reviews.
Jurassic World Rebirth (In Theaters)
I’m going to try to head to this one soon, having skipped the last two Jurassic World movies. Gareth Edwards (Rogue One) seems to have rebooted the series in a good direction, and it looks like a fun suspense action dino-movie even if I still maintain that the only genuinely good film in this franchise is the original Jurassic Park. This time around we follow Scarlett Johansson’s Zora Bennett as she leads a team of skilled operatives into the island research facility for the original Jurassic Park. It’s getting mixed reviews (51% critics and 72% audience on Rotten Tomatoes) but if you’re going to watch a movie like this you might as well do it on a big screen.
What’s Streaming Weekly
Countdown (Prime Video)
I’ve heard mixed things about the new Jensen Ackles-led race-against-the-clock thriller on Prime Video. Murder and conspiracy and the threat of mass casualties is usually my cup of tea, but some critics are calling this one a bit boring, which is quite damning if true. I’ve been so utterly addicted to The Shield lately that I’m pretty behind on new shows. I’ll try to give this one a shot soon. Have you watched it? What do you think?
Smoke (Apple TV+)
Author and showrunner Dennis Lehane once again teams up with Taron Egerton in Apple’s latest mystery/cop drama. This time around Egerton plays an arson investigator who gets caught up in a nefarious plot. Mixed reviews for this one also, though 68% critics / 75% audiences is still fresh.
Resident Alien — Season 4 (SyFy)
I’ve started watching the fourth season of Resident Alien and it’s quite delightful to get Alan Tudyk playing two different aliens: Harry and the Mantis. One good(ish) and one an evil human-eating villain. I think the show is overall starting to show its weaknesses as well, with a plot that’s running a little thin and kids that are quickly aging out of their rolls, but overall it’s still good lighthearted fun and Tudyk is great as always.
Stick (Apple TV+)
I’m still behind on this one, but what I’ve seen of Stick on Apple TV (notice that it, like Smoke, begins with the letter “S”!) is a great vehicle for Owen Wilson’s casual charm. I suppose enjoying golf would probably make me enjoy this more, but I’m saving it for when I’m in the mood for light character dramedy and not, uh, corrupt cops on the mean streets of LA.
Duster (HBO)
We’ve reached the end of HBO’s 1970s muscle car crime drama, Duster. This is the one show that keeps me watching each week at the moment that isn’t called The Shield. Josh Holloway and the rest of the cast are a lot of fun. It takes place in Arizona, so it’s near and dear to my heart. I love the costumes. And the story, while a little thin and goofy at times, has kept my interest start to finish. I haven’t watched the finale yet, but I’m going to once my 4th Of July festivities are over.
Murderbot (Apple TV+)
Alexander Skarsgard is a lot of as Murderbot, a rogue service droid on a mission to save a crew of hapless space scientists. The show is decidedly okay, nothing terrific, but also nothing too heavy. Just good fun sci-fi with a sense of humor (that doesn’t always land). The episodes are too short for Apple’s weekly release schedule, but I think it’s worth a watch. Read my review here.
The Gilded Age — Season 3 (HBO Max)
I’ve never watched The Gilded Age but I do love period dramas and this one is quite popular. If you’re interested in NYC during the late 1800s and want some good character drama, give it a shot.
The Buccaneers — Season 2 (Apple TV+)
The Buccaneers takes place in a similar time period, though across the pond in England, and is more geared at romance. Think Bridgerton and you get in the ballpark. This is definitely another entry geared more toward women than men, following the exploits of a group of young American women as they waltz their way through London’s high society.
Other current shows include the 1980s crime drama BMF on Starz which is in its fourth season; Season 2 of Peacock’s “how-done-it” mystery series Poker Face and more. Let me know what you’re watching!
What else did I miss? What should I put on this list or add to my backlog? Let me know on Twitter, Instagram, Bluesky or Facebook.
Past June Streaming Guides From Yours Truly:
Further Reading:
I have a piece up about the leaked trailer for Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey, which I have grave concerns about. Also, good news for FROM fans — Season 4 has begun shooting in Nova Scotia!
I also made a video about Neil Druckmann’s exit from HBO’s The Last Of Us, which I find quite troubling:
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