7 new movies and TV shows to stream on Netflix, Prime Video, Max, and more this weekend (February 21)

Well, this is a rare occurrence. Despite what this article’s headline suggests, there are only two new movies to watch at home this weekend. In fact, there are no new films that you can catch on one of the world’s best streaming services outside of North America. Ho hum.

Our hopes, then, lie with the television industry – and, thankfully, there are a bunch of new shows that are worth checking out. From Robert de Niro’s first-ever TV series, which launched on Netflix yesterday (February 20), to the return of man mountain vigilante Jack Reacher, there are some truly unmissable shows to stream. So, hop to it! – Tom Power, senior entertainment reporter

Reacher season 3 (Prime Video)

Prime Video’s popular tough guy is back for another round of action-packed adventures. Indeed, Reacher season 3 takes the man-mountain hero out of his comfort zone when he goes undercover in a vast criminal empire to rescue an informant being held captive by an enemy from his past.

Reacher has firmly cemented itself as one of the best Prime Video shows and there’s plenty more to come following its early season 4 renewal. After watching the Reacher season 3 trailer, I couldn’t wait to see the titular hero face a 7-foot monster of a man, with Child revealing that it was an international search in finding an actor that made Ritchson look small.

With one spin-off already in the works, there could be even more Reacher projects on the cards as Child discussed future seasons of Reacher in an exclusive chat with TechRadar. – Grace Morris, entertainment writer

Zero Day (Netflix)

Netflix’s new show Zero Day had me hooked the moment I saw Robert De Niro starring in a TV series. In it, the Hollywood A-lister plays an aging former US President that’s called on by the acting administration to help get to the bottom of a massive cyberattack that dismantles everyones’ technology devices, causing major disruptions and fatalities.

For those unfamiliar with the computing term, ‘zero day’ refers to security vulnerabilities that hackers can use to infiltrate a software and has proved to be a growing subject area in the disaster genre, with past titles like Mr Robot and Zero Dark Thirty seeing major critical acclaim.

I’ve only seen the first episode so far, but I don’t doubt that De Niro will continue to have us on the edge of our seats throughout. While early reviews are mixed, this still might have a chance of becoming one of the best Netflix shows. Let’s just hope it’s not a glitch… – Amelia Schwanke, senior entertainment editor

Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (Paramount Plus)

Sonic the Hedgehog 3 is now streaming on Paramount Plus in the US and Canada (which makes us sad that we can’t it in the UK or Australia). Still, there’s no better watch on a lazy weekend than some good old, action-packed animation, and I’m sure you’ll find all of here, especially in light of its 85% Rotten Tomatoes score that means a spot on our best Paramount Plus movies list is all but secured.

With an all-star cast including Ben Schwartz, Jim Carrey, and Keanu Reeves, this is a great choice for all the family even if you’ve never played a Sonic game in your life. It’s not often a third movie surpasses the original in quality, but the third Sonic movie has been a real hit with critics and audiences alike, so you might find yourself pleasantly surprised. – Lucy Buglass, senior entertainment writer

Win or Lose (Disney Plus)

The first-ever TV show developed by award-winning animation studio Pixar, this eight-part series tells the story of The Pickles, a middle school softball team who are about to compete in a game that’ll decide their league’s championship. Each episode will follow a different character – including its kid players, their parents, and the team coach – and not only explore their biggest fears and insecurities leading up to said match, but also depict a wholly unique animation style to their tales that’s befitting of the anxieties they feel.

After a tricky period of under-performing films and internal issues, Pixar’s found its feet once more with huge theaterical hits like Inside Out 2 and critically-acclaimed flicks including Turning Red. I, for one, am excited to stream Win or Lose and see if it has what it takes to join our best Disney Plus shows list, though I was disappointed to learn that Pixar and parent company Disney decided to cut an inclusive storyline centered on a transgender character. – TP

1923 season 2 (Paramount Plus)

Taylor Sheridan might as well be a whole genre at this point. Indeed, he’s created some of the best Paramount Plus shows around, including neo-Western behemoth Yellowstone and its prequel series 1883 and 1923. Now, it’s the end of a saga as 1923 season 2 reveals the Yellowstone show’s chilling origin story in a battle to keep the Dutton family’s ranch safe.

1923 follows the next generation of Duttons after the events of the first Yellowstone prequel series 1883 and, in this epic final chapter, the Dutton elders Jacob (Harrison Ford) and Cara (Helen Mirren) prepare for a full-blown ranch war. Looking at the trailer alone, it’s the cowboy chaos I needed after the Yellowstone finale. – GM

A Thousand Blows (Hulu/Disney Plus)

If you’re looking for something to fill that Peaky Blinders-shaped hole in your life, a brand new Victorian Era-set series is here. Not only is A Thousand Blows about a new family of gangsters, but Steven Knight is also the creator, which is unsurprising when you realize that the screenwriter believes that “fact is more interesting than fiction”.

The real-life gangsters in what could be one of the best Disney+ shows and best Hulu shows are in fact the Forty Elephants, an all-female crime syndicate that operated around the same time as the Goodson Brother’s reign of the boxing scene in the East End of London. It’s here where the show’s titular character Hezekiah Moscow comes face-to-face with a bare knuckle match that changes his fate forever.

While A Thousand Blows dramatizes these historical characters, it’s hard not to feel completely absorbed thanks to the incredible set of the epic new drama, which you’ll be able to see on Hulu in the US, and Disney+ in the UK and Australia. For more exclusive coverage, see which movies and shows the cast watched in preparation for their roles. – AS

Nosferatu (Peacock)

Robert Eggers’ highly-anticipated adaptation of Nosferatu is finally haunting our homes on Peacock (in the US), and I was especially delighted to learn that it will include the extended cut. Up there with some of the best horror movies, I was blown away by the way Eggers takes such an iconic and influential movie, and puts his unique spin on it, creating something that feels fresh yet pays so much homage to the original German Expressionist movie. For too long, vampires have become a bit of a joke in modern media (looking at you, Twilight), and it’s nice to see them back to their horrifying, undead roots in a movie that has terrified modern audiences all over the world.

So, if you’d prefer some good old-fashioned horror, miles apart from Sonic the Hedgehog 3, this one’s for you. I know which one I’m leaning towards. –LB

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For more movie-focused recommendations, read our guides on the best Netflix movies, best Prime Video movies, best Max movies, and best Disney Plus movies.