8 new movies and TV shows on Netflix, Prime Video, HBO Max and more this weekend (November 18)
Here it is, ladies and gentlemen: Christmas has officially arrived on the streaming services. Last week’s roundup only included one festive feature, but most of this weekend’s new movies and TV shows are properly seasonal by comparison.
This does not mean that every add-on has a Christmas theme. Netflix in particular has some dark dramas up its sleeve while Disney Plus is hosting the long-awaited return of a certain Disney princess.
Below, we’ve rounded up eight of the biggest new movies and TV shows coming to the likes of Netflix, Prime Video, and HBO Max over the next few days.
Disappointed (Disney Plus)
It’s been 15 (fifteen!) years since Amy Adams’ Giselle first serenaded Robert Patrick Dempsey in a colorful flash mob in Central Park, and the duo are back in action in the long-awaited Disney Plus Enchanted sequel, Disenchanted.
After moving from the bustling streets of Manhattan to the quiet suburbs of Monroeville, Giselle, Robert and Morgan seem happier than ever. But when the former princess starts acting like a fairy-tale stepmother, things take a turn for the worse. James Marsden and Idina Menzel reprise their roles alongside Adams and Dempsey, while Maya Rudolph and Gabriella Baldacchino join the film’s cast as newcomers.
Disenchanted reviews have been decidedly lukewarm so far, but we think fans of Kevin Lima’s original film will still find plenty of musical mayhem here.
Now available to stream on Disney Plus.
Miracle (Netflix)
Fresh from her acclaimed (and movie-saving) twist Do not worry honeyFlorence Pugh goes on an Oscar hunt in The Wonder on Netflix.
The story takes place in the Irish Midlands in 1862 new Netflix movie stars as Pugh as an English nurse called to observe a young girl (Kíla Lord Cassidy) who is miraculously alive and well despite having not eaten in four months. Ciarán Hinds, Niamh Algar and Toby Jones are among the film’s supporting actors.
To the surprise of absolutely no one, the so-called Black Widow the actor was praised for another outstanding performance in The Wonder, so this one is an easy recommendation (especially if you want to avoid an onslaught of holiday content this weekend).
Now available to stream on Netflix.
Santas (Disney Plus)
And so we come to this week’s first Christmas release, appropriately named The Santa Clauses on Disney Plus.
A sequel to the miniseries of his beloved 1994 holiday movie, Tim Allen returns to the screen as everyone’s favorite courier, Scott Calvin (aka Santa Claus). This time, however, Calvin is approaching his 65th birthday and is looking for someone to replace him in the most important job in the world.
Original cast members Elizabeth Mitchell and David Krumholtz also return in Santa Claus, so you can expect a familiar family adventure from this film.
Now available to stream on Disney Plus.
1899 (Netflix)
Not feeling the Christmas spirit yet? Have no fear: Netflix’s new historical horror series, 1899, is almost the opposite of Christmas.
Insert – you guessed it! – 1899, this eight-part German-language production takes viewers aboard an ill-fated steamer on its voyage from London to New York in the late 19th century. We don’t know much else about what to expect from the series’ plot, but Netflix promises “a terrifying nightmare of staggering proportions.” Ominous.
Critical reception to 1899 has been fairly positive so far, although verdicts like “slow” and “experimental” should scare away anyone looking for light entertainment this weekend.
Now available to stream on Netflix.
Thrilling (Apple TV Plus)
Apple TV Plus permanent Will Ferrell joins forces with Disney Plus and Netflix poster Ryan Reynolds for Spirited, a musical version of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol.
Reynolds plays Clint Briggs, a modern-day Scrooge who turns the tide for his ghostly host, Present (Ferrell), forcing him to re-examine his own past, present and future with a song (because it’s Christmas!).
Benj Pasek and Justin Paul (La La Land) are responsible for the film’s musical numbers, so we expect this one to boast some particularly catchy melodies, even if Spirited fails to break into our list the best Apple TV Plus movies.
Now available to stream on Apple TV Plus.
The People We Hate at the Wedding (Prime Video)
Amazon Studios’ streak of releasing star-studded full-length content continues this weekend with People We Hate at a Wedding.
In this Claire Scanlon-directed comedy, a trio of American siblings try (unsuccessfully) to reconnect in the week leading up to their stepsister’s British wedding. Kristen Bell (Frozen), Allison Janney (Ja, Tonya) and Ben Platt (Dear Evan Hansen) all stars.
Critics have called The People We Hate at the Wedding a “depressing comedy with a heart of gold”, so unlike 1899 (above), this film might be the definition of an easy weekend watch.
Now available to stream on Prime Video.
A Christmas Story (HBO Max)
Not content to sit back and let Disney be the only one reenacting Christmas comedies from decades ago, HBO is breathing new life into 1983’s A Christmas Story this weekend.
It’s called A Christmas Story Christmas (yes, really), in which Ralphie (again played by Peter Billingsley) returns to his childhood home with his own children. Zack Ward, Scott Schwartz and Ian Petrella reprise their roles alongside Billinsgley, with Vince Vaughn, Julie Hagerty and Erinn Hayes on board as newcomers.
We’ll tell you right away: this one is unlikely to make it onto our list the best HBO Max movies. But if you’re looking for a festive feature for the whole family this weekend, you can’t go wrong with A Christmas Story Christmas.
Now available to stream on HBO Max.
Limitless with Chris Hemsworth (Disney Plus)
Black Swan director Darren Aronofsky returns to the small screen this weekend with Limitless with Chris Hemsworth on Disney Plus.
On the front his title Thor: Love and Thunder star, the six-episode show provides a crash course in unlocking the human body’s full potential, using Hemsworth as a (mostly) willing test dummy to prove the effectiveness of small but important lifestyle changes.
Earlier this week we sat down with Aronofsky and one of the show’s experts, Ross Edgelywho explained how the new Disney Plus series will help you live longer (and die better). Seriously, it’s a fascinating thing.
Now available to stream on Disney Plus.
