With all the different streaming services out there and all the TV shows and movies available to watch on them, it’s nearly impossible to keep track of everything new that gets released on any given week. In an attempt to keep you endlessly scrolling through every streaming service you own, here’s a look at some of the highlights coming this week from a few of the many available streamers.
Disney+ is in a bit of a holding pattern this week. The three Doctor Who specials have run their course, and the next won't arrive until Christmas. If you’ve got a Netflix subscription or an Amazon Prime Video subscription, there are new seasons of popular shows ready to debut. If you’re a Paramount+ subscriber, you get an original movie co-starring one of the hottest actresses of the moment. Apple TV+ has something new for its subscribers and something classic that’s available even if you’re not an Apple TV+ subscriber.
What’s Coming To Netflix
The Crown: Season 6 Part 2 (December 15)
Throughout five and half seasons, The Crown has told the story of Queen Elizabeth II over the course of more than 70 years. This week, with the final six episodes of Season 6 dropping on Netflix, the series will come to its conclusion. The final episodes will focus on the relationship between Prince Charles and Camila Parker-Bowles as well as the marriage of Prince William and Kate Middleton, and wrap up the multigenerational story.
Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget (December 15)
2000’s Chicken Run is widely regarded as one of the top achievements of Aardman Animation, the stop-motion studio behind Wallace and Gromit. Dawn of the Nugget will see Ginger and Rocky retire to a bird sanctuary where they have a baby before Mrs. Tweedy returns to get vengeance on her escaped birds. The film has already received high praise from its film festival run, and it should be a popular choice for family movie night this holiday.
Yu Yu Hakusho (December 14)
Netflix has had a mixed record when it comes to live-action anime adaptations, with Cowboy Bebop failing to find an audience, yet One Piece has become a big hit. Yu Yu Hakusho, which follows the story of a young man who dies and becomes a sort of police officer of the undead, tracking down demons on Earth, will be a little different in that it’s not an English language adaptation as those others have been. Instead, the live-action series is Japanese, as was the original manga and anime. One hopes this will lead to a faithful adaptation, and subtitles certainly won’t be a problem for anime fans.
What’s Coming To Paramount+
Finestkind (December 15)
Jenna Ortega is one of the hottest stars in the world right now, and while fans are awaiting her return to Netflix with a new season of Wednesday, until then, she can be found on a different streaming service. Finestkind is the new film from Brian Helgeland, the writer of L.A. Confidential and Man on Fire. The movie stars Ben Foster and Toby Wallace as estranged brothers who come together and run afoul of criminals. Ortega co-stars along with Tommy Lee Jones. When CinemaBlend's own Corey Chichizola saw Finestkind at the Toronto Film Festival earlier this year, he was impressed by Ortega's performance, so fans will want to check this out.
What’s Coming To Amazon
Reacher: Season 2 (December 15)
The first season of Reacher starring Alan Richson as the character from the Lee Child novels was one of Amazon’s biggest recent hits, and fans have been eagerly awaiting a second season. That wait finally comes to an end on December 15. The new season follows Reacher as he comes to the aid of friends from his former Special Investigations unit after one of them is killed. The Reacher Season 2 trailer promises all the bone-breaking action that we got last season amped up to another level. It's going to be a bloody good Christmas for Reacher fans.
Asteroid City (December 12)
The newest film by Wes Anderson makes its way to Amazon Prime Video this month. The movie has all of Anderson’s trademark style as it tells the story of a junior stargazer convention interrupted by an apparent UFO. Tom Hanks and Scarlett Johansson co-star alongside many of Anderson’s usual band of players, including Jason Schwartzman, Jeffrey Wright and Tilda Swinton, among others. Maybe Wes Anderson movies aren't for everybody, but if they're for you, you don't want to miss this one.
What’s Coming To Apple TV+
The Family Plan (December 15)
Mark Wahlberg has made his share of action movies, and he’s also made plenty of fun comedies. The Family Plan will bring both genres together. Wahlberg stars as a former professional assassin who has retired and started a family. However, after former enemies track him down, he must fight the bad guys while trying to prevent his family from learning about his former life. While maybe not a "family" movie in the same way that the Chicken Run sequel is, if you're family is a bit older, this one looks like it will be a lot of fun.
A Charlie Brown Christmas (Free December 16 & 17)
One of the downsides of the carving up of media among streaming platforms is the way some shows and movies have actually become less accessible, not more. When the Peanuts library became part of Apple TV+ it meant classics like A Charlie Brown Christmas, which had aired on free TV for decades, no longer did. The good news is that, for those who can’t get in the spirit without Linus’ speech. Apple TV+ is making A Charlie Brown Christmas free for anybody to watch on December 16 & 17.
There are far too many interesting new series and movies to include here. Be sure to check out the full list of what’s new on Netflix. You can also check out all of what’s coming to Disney+ in December.
Next week will keep the quality coming as a few potential award darlings arrive on streaming platforms alongside a major science fiction adventure from Zack Snyder and a pair of new original series on Disney+.
