11 new shows and movies to watch this weekend on Netflix, Disney Plus, Amazon and more

There is good news if you are looking for what to watch this weekend, as there is a veritable feast of streaming new movies and TV shows.

Two highly anticipated series debut this weekend: the fantasy epic Wheel of Time, based on Robert Jordan’s sprawling book series, and the live-action version of the much-revered anime. Cowboy Bebop.

King Richard is also worth a visit, as Will Smith was previously named Oscar favorite for Best Actor for his performance as Richard Williams, the father and trainer of Venus and Serena Williams.

And it is not at all. Mindy Kaling co-created a new comedy, The Sex Lives of College Girls, with a title that is much more titillating than the content. We’re also getting a few familiar favorites back, including Star Trek: Discovery season 4, The Great season 2 and Psych 3: This Is Gus.

Here’s a guide on what to watch this weekend, with plenty to choose from. best streaming services.

King Richard (HBO Max)

Venus and Serena Williams are two of the greatest tennis players of all time. Sorry, that’s a bit of a spoiler (just kidding) for this biopic, which focuses on their father and trainer, Richard Williams. Will Smith puts all the strength of his charisma into the role of the mercurial and demanding father who has a vision for his two talented daughters.

Williams was and remains a controversial lightning rod for the public and the press, but the film is more of a rousing ode to extremely devoted parenthood. He relies on unconventional focus and methods to guide his daughters from the streets of Compton to the sacred turf courts of Wimbledon. Maybe King Richard is glossing over some of the man’s idiosyncrasies, but he’s clearly blessed with family as Serena and Venus are the executive producers. And you can count on a happy ending, since we all know how things go for the Williams sisters.

Streaming now on HBO Max

The Wheel of Time (Amazon Prime Video)

This radical adaptation of Robert Jordan’s bestselling books seeks to fill the Game of Thrones-sized hole in our viewing schedules (and our hearts). Many networks and streamers have attempted to launch their own fantastic franchises. Some have failed completely, others have elicited a weary “mehâ€. Corn The wheel of time could be the promised epic – and at least in this case, the book series has been completed (posthumously, with the help of writer Brandon Sanderson).

The story follows Moiraine (Rosamund Pike), a member of the Aes Sedai, a powerful organization of women who wield magical powers. She arrives in a small village, in search of the reincarnation of the Dragon, an individual who prophesied either to save the world or to destroy it. As the final battle with the Dark One approaches, Moiraine takes five young villagers on a dangerous journey to new lands – in an effort to find out which of them is the Dragon.

Streaming now on Amazon Prime Video

Cowboy Bebop (Netflix)

In general, anime fans don’t like live-action adaptations of their beloved shows. However, there is palpable excitement about live-action Cowboy Bebop, one of the most revered and influential anime titles of decades.

Like the original anime, Cowboy Bebop is set in 2071. Ragtag bounty hunters Spike Spiegel (John Cho) and Jet Black (Mustafa Shakir) pursue criminals and score across the solar system on their Bebop spaceship. They are joined by another bounty hunter, Faye Valentine (Daniella Pineda) and an adorable corgi named Ein. Much like the original, the live-action version mixes up a bunch of genres: sci-fi, western, kung fu, noir, and buddy comedy. And it seems to work: Early reviews hailed the colorful, campy, and stylized frolics as a worthy take on the characters and the story.

Streaming now on Netflix

Student Sex Lives (HBO Max)

The provocative and salacious title is the first joke in the comedy series created by Mindy Kaling and Justin Noble. Don’t expect soft porn or smut; Expect a witty and heartwarming coming-of-age story from a freshman that opens up new avenues of adulthood.

Four young women move into a suite at the fictional University of Essex in Vermont. Whitney (Alyah Chanelle Scott) is a star athlete and senator’s daughter, Leighton (Renée Rapp) is a secret heirloom, Bela (Amrit Kaur) is a nerd comedian and Kimberly (Pauline Chalamet, Timothée’s sister) is a smart student . Roommates embark on individual journeys of self-discovery – which, yes, include sex and romance. But The Sex Lives of College Girls is also about friendship, parenting expectations, class, anxiety, and all of the complicated issues that come with growing up.

Streaming now on HBO Max

Tic, Tic… Boom! (Netflix)

While Lin-Manuel Miranda gave us during the pandemic two of his musical creations (the filmed staging of Hamilton and the adaptation of In the Heights), he did not produce any of them. Now he’s making his debut as a feature film director by adapting someone else’s work.

Jonathan Larson was the composer and writer for Rent, but died at the age of 35 just months before the eventual blockbuster’s Broadway debut. Before Rent, Larson was struggling in his career and released a failed musical. From these ashes was born a solo exhibition recounting what happened; it was called Tic, Tic… Boom! Miranda picks up the monologue and adds more characters and stories, all on a score taken from Larson’s music.

Streaming now on Netflix

The Great Season 2 (Hulu)

The Great Season 2 (Hulu)

The ‘occasionally true’ dramatic comedy returns to follow a breathtaking finale that saw Catherine the Great (Elle Fanning) begin a coup against her husband, Emperor Peter III (Nicholas Hoult). At the start of Season 2, she managed to wrest the throne from him, but also refused to kill him. Her power is still very much in question, especially since she is pregnant. She could die in childbirth, or Peter could drop his declarations of love and try to execute her. There is also a looming war against the Ottomans, so maybe they are all doomed.

Did these things really happen? In this way? Surely not. Historical accuracy is not the issue. The Great is not ideal for true interpretations of events; it’s great for its true reflection of the characters and their motivations. The show only falls behind. Succession displays the mental and emotional chess minutes played by the principals.

Streaming now on Hulu

Star Trek: Discovery season 4 (Paramount Plus)

The latest installment of Star Trek: Discovery almost completely rebooted the series by sending the spacecraft into the 32nd century. Season 4 kicks off with Captain Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) and his crew in a much more stable situation. The Federation is getting back on its feet and adding new worlds. A dilithium planet has been found, which will once again make Warp Travel possible.

This allows the Discovery team to do what Starfleet has done best: discover and learn new cultures. The first sees Burnham and the reluctant lover / crew member Book (David Ajala) attempting diplomacy with some kind of “butterfly people”. Meanwhile on Kaminar, Saru (Doug Jones) gets used to being back home. The only problem here is that International Netflix won’t have the show, as it’s a true Paramount Plus exclusive, so you’ll have to wait until that streaming service launches in your country if it’s not already there. .

Streaming now on Paramount Plus

Tiger King season 2 (Netflix)

Remember the early days of the pandemic when everyone was fascinated by Tiger King and the bizarre story of Joe Exotic, Carole Baskins and the big cats? It’s like a million billion years ago, but also like yesterday in a way. The team behind Tiger King did a second season that no one needed or asked for, hoping to cash in on the nostalgia you feel for the once-viral docuseries.

The five installments feel like episodes of music videos, filled with stuff we saw in the first season interspersed with new footage and interviews. The story resumes with Joe Exotic (aka Joseph Maldonado-Passage) still in prison, after failing to obtain a presidential pardon. The first episode examines the show’s effect on the cast of characters, including Joe’s rival (and the subject of his attempted murder plot) Carole Baskins.

Streaming now on Netflix

The Princess Switch 3: Romancing the Star (Netflix)

The hijackings of The Princess Switch franchise are back. The third wacky rom-com film sees Vanessa Hudgens play three roles again: Margaret Delacourt, Queen of Montenaro; her double Stacy De Novo Wyndham, Princess of Belgravia; and Margaret’s cousin, Lady Fiona Pembroke.

Margaret welcomes Stacy to Montenaro for a Christmas festival, which presents a priceless relic on loan from the Vatican. When the Peace Star disappears, they turn to Lady Fiona, on probation, to access her criminal contacts. She turns to an ex-boyfriend, a disgraced Interpol investigator. After discovering that the star has been stolen by a greedy billionaire, the three women work together to pull off a heist – involving a role swap, of course.

Streaming now on Netflix

Psych 3: It’s Gus (Peacock)

Here is the… Groomzilla? The new Psych movie continues the story set in last year’s American series Psych: The Movie and Psych 2: Lassie Come Home. Fake psychic sleuth Shawn (James Roday Rodriguez) and his partner Gus (Dulé Hill) exchange a lot of banter and sarcasm, as usual, as they prepare for the latter’s wedding to Selene (Jazmyn Simon).

But the groom has unfinished business before he can say “yes” – track down Selene’s ex-husband and have her sign the divorce papers. Gus is not kidding; This is serious. Okay, okay, as serious as these investigative buddies are, which isn’t at all. They live up to their old silly stuff, from weird names to weird costumes. However, they must close this matter before the wedding and the baby is born!

Streaming now on peacock

2021 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony (HBO)

After jumping last year due to the pandemic, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inducts a new class of music legends with a lavish ceremony featuring jaw-dropping performances and surprise guests. The list of inductees includes Tina Turner, The Go-Gos, Carole King, Jay-Z, Foo Fighters, Todd Rungren and LL Cool J.

Paul McCartney showed up to inaugurate the Foo Fighters, then joined them in renditions of “Best of You”, “My Hero” and “Everlong”. Taylor Swift inducted King and performed his iconic “Will You Still Love Me Tomorrowâ€? Former President Barack Obama made an appearance to honor Jay-Z, hailing him as “the embodiment of the American dream.”

Airs Saturday at 8 p.m. ET on HBO and HBO Max