Last week’s list of new streaming movies included a tearful Oscar winner, a Stephen King adaptation, and a twisted crime thriller. As for this week, my top selection is one of the most-talked-about movies of 2026, which finally makes its streaming debut. I have a feeling this horror movie could set viewership records for Peacock.
Netflix has two entries this week. One is the final chapter for a beloved coming-of-age show. The other is a prequel to a famous dystopian franchise starring Jennifer Lawrence. Plus, a new documentary about a fashion icon premieres on HBO Max, while an intriguing thriller heads to Shudder. All five movies will be available to stream in the U.S.
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Marc by Sofia
An inside look at the man behind the iconic fashion brand
I’m a novice when it comes to fashion history. I’m familiar with Marc Jacobs, the eclectic fashion designer behind the eponymous brand. However, I don’t know much about the man himself. Now, I’m extremely familiar with the work of Sofia Coppola, and for her latest movie, she puts the spotlight on Jacobs in Marc by Sofia.
Quiz
8 Questions · Test Your KnowledgeHBO Max movies and shows
Trivia challenge
From Westeros to the ER — how well do you know HBO Max’s biggest hits and most talked-about originals?
DramaComedyFantasyMoviesCharacters
Begin
In The Pitt, what type of medical facility serves as the primary setting for the series?
AA trauma surgery wingBA Pittsburgh hospital emergency roomCA rural urgent care clinicDA military field hospital
Correct! The Pitt is set in a Pittsburgh hospital emergency room and follows the staff through a single grueling 15-hour shift. The show stars Noah Wyle and was created as a spiritual successor to the classic ER.
Not quite. The Pitt takes place in a Pittsburgh hospital emergency room, not a surgery wing or clinic. The show unfolds in real time over one intense 15-hour shift, giving it a grounded, unrelenting pace.
Continue
In Hacks, what is the profession of Deborah Vance, the character played by Jean Smart?
AA retired Broadway actressBA veteran stand-up comedianCA Hollywood talent agentDA late-night talk show host
Correct! Deborah Vance is a legendary Las Vegas stand-up comedian who reluctantly teams up with a young, struggling comedy writer named Ava. Jean Smart’s performance earned her widespread critical acclaim and multiple Emmy Awards.
Not quite. Deborah Vance is a veteran stand-up comedian — a Las Vegas legend who is forced to collaborate with a younger comedy writer to reinvent her act. Jean Smart won Emmy Awards for the role.
Continue
House of the Dragon is a prequel to Game of Thrones — approximately how many years before the events of Game of Thrones does it take place?
AAbout 50 yearsBAbout 100 yearsCAbout 200 yearsDAbout 300 years
Correct! House of the Dragon is set roughly 200 years before the events of Game of Thrones. It depicts the Targaryen civil war known as the Dance of the Dragons, a catastrophic conflict over succession to the Iron Throne.
Not quite. House of the Dragon is set approximately 200 years before Game of Thrones, not 50 or 100 years. The series is based on George R.R. Martin’s Fire & Blood and covers the Targaryen dynasty at the height of its power.
Continue
In the 2025 horror film Sinners, directed by Ryan Coogler, what supernatural threat do twin brothers face in the Deep South?
AA cult of witchesBVampiresCA demonic possession outbreakDA vengeful ghost
Correct! Sinners features vampires as the central supernatural threat. Ryan Coogler’s film stars Michael B. Jordan in a dual role as the twin brothers, and blends horror with themes of race, music, and history in 1930s Mississippi.
Not quite. The supernatural menace in Sinners is vampires. Director Ryan Coogler crafted the film as a genre-bending horror story set in 1930s Mississippi, starring Michael B. Jordan as twin brothers caught in a terrifying night of violence.
Continue
Weapons, the 2025 horror anthology film on Max, was written and directed by which filmmaker?
AJames WanBAri AsterCZach CreggerDMike Flanagan
Correct! Weapons was written and directed by Zach Cregger, who previously broke out with the acclaimed horror film Barbarian in 2022. The anthology follows multiple interconnected stories tied together by a disturbing central mystery.
Not quite. Weapons was directed by Zach Cregger, best known for directing Barbarian. Cregger has quickly established himself as one of the most exciting voices in modern horror, and Weapons continued that momentum on Max.
Continue
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms: The Hedge Knight is another Game of Thrones prequel series — which character does it primarily follow?
AAegon the ConquerorBSer Duncan the TallCBrynden Rivers, the BloodravenDBaelor Breakspear
Correct! The series centers on Ser Duncan the Tall, a hedge knight, and his young squire Egg — who is secretly the young prince Aegon Targaryen. The story is based on George R.R. Martin’s Tales of Dunk and Egg novellas.
Not quite. A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms follows Ser Duncan the Tall, a wandering hedge knight, alongside his squire Egg. The show is adapted from George R.R. Martin’s beloved Dunk and Egg novellas set a century before Game of Thrones.
Continue
One Battle After Another, the 2025 Max limited series, is based on a novel by which author?
ACormac McCarthyBDon DeLilloCThomas PynchonDDenis Johnson
Correct! One Battle After Another is adapted from Thomas Pynchon’s novel Vineland. The series marks a rare screen adaptation of Pynchon’s notoriously complex work, and generated significant buzz for its ambitious literary source material.
Not quite. The series is based on the work of Thomas Pynchon, one of American literature’s most elusive and celebrated novelists. Adapting Pynchon for television is a rare and ambitious undertaking given the dense, layered nature of his writing.
Continue
In Euphoria, what substance addiction is central to the storyline of the main character, Rue, played by Zendaya?
AAlcoholBPrescription pillsCOpioidsDMethamphetamine
Correct! Rue’s battle with opioid addiction is a core thread running through Euphoria. The show uses her struggle as a lens to explore trauma, identity, and mental health among teenagers, and Zendaya won Emmy Awards for her portrayal.
Not quite. Rue struggles primarily with opioid addiction throughout Euphoria. Creator Sam Levinson drew on personal experience to shape her character, and Zendaya’s raw, emotionally powerful performance earned her back-to-back Emmy wins.
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Coppola and Jacobs have been friends since the early 1990s, and at times, the documentary feels like friends catching up about their lives. It also dives into Jacobs’ personal and professional life, from the death of his father and rocky relationship with his stepfather to his iconic grunge collection and his ascent to the top of the fashion world.
Marc by Sofia streams on HBO Max on July 16.
4
Exit 8
Unsettling video game adaptation will make you rethink subways
It’s been an incredible year for horror (more on that later), especially adaptations of video games. Exit 8 is a Japanese psychological horror movie based on a video game. A man known as the Lost Man (Kazunari Ninomiya) becomes trapped in an endless corridor while trying to leave a Tokyo subway station. He receives a call from his ex-girlfriend, saying she’s pregnant with his child. He loses connection while trying to leave.
The Lost Man then reads the instructions on the wall: If you find an anomaly, turn back. If you don’t see anything wrong, don’t turn back. Once you hit Exit 8, leave. It sounds simple, but this subway station becomes a purgatory of paranoia and regret as the man explores his failures and misgivings. It excels at atmospheric horror. If you’re from the U.S., open your mind to foreign films and give this 95-minute adaptation a chance.
Exit 8 streams on Shudder on July 17.
3
The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes
Panem’s most notorious villain is born
I was skeptical about The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes when I first heard about the adaptation. As a book, I trusted author Suzanne Collins to craft another riveting story, which she did. As a movie, I was nervous. How can you have a Hunger Games movie without Katniss? Color me shocked, because The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is the best movie in the franchise since Catching Fire.
Coriolanus Snow (Tom Blyth) is selected to mentor a tribute at the 10th Hunger Games. A win will restore his family’s legacy in Panem. Coriolanus is assigned to District 12’s Lucy Gray Baird (Rachel Zegler), a rebellious singer. I found this Hunger Games movie more brutal than the previous four because the tributes are killed in increasingly violent fashion. Even knowing who Snow will become, I still found myself rooting for him in the movie. That’s when you know it’s an effective prequel.
The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes streams on Netflix on July 14.
2
Heartstopper Forever
A beautiful love story says goodbye
Heartstopper is a warm and comforting show that has touched so many lives. It explores important coming-of-age messages about inclusion, sexuality, mental health, and adolescence. At the center of the series is the relationship between Nick Nelson (Kit Connor) and Charlie Spring (Joe Locke).
After three seasons, the beloved program will wrap up its story in a feature film titled Heartstopper Forever. Nick and Charlie are in the final year of high school. With an impending long-distance relationship on the table, Nick and Charlie will navigate new challenges while preparing for their future. It’s a fitting conclusion to a successful adaptation.
Heartstopper Forever streams on Netflix on July 17.
Heartstopper Forever
Release Date
July 16, 2026
Runtime
111 minutes
Director
Wash Westmoreland
1
Obsession
If you used your One Wish Willow to bring this movie to streaming, it worked
Obsession is by far the biggest movie story of the first six months of the year. I don’t even think it’s close. Curry Barker’s horror movie, which cost roughly $750,000 to make, recently crossed $400 million at the box office. That’s more than blockbusters like The Mandalorian and Grogu. I saw Obsession in a packed theater two weeks after it came out, and it was my most memorable in-person viewing of 2026.
Bear Bailey (Michael Johnston) is in love with his friend and co-worker, Nikki Freeman (Inde Navarrette). Unable to admit how he truly feels, Bear breaks his “One Wish Willow,” a toy that grants a wish, and requests that Nikki love him more than anyone in the world. Much to his surprise, the wish works, and Nikki showers Bear with love and affection. Be careful what you wish for, as the One Wish Willow’s dark side comes to the surface, forcing Bear to confront an ugly truth.
Obsession streams on Peacock on July 17.
What else should you consider watching?
With the number of streaming services, it feels like there are countless things to watch. If you’re on HBO Max, check out shows like Rooster and True Detective: Night Country, the ideal shows to watch on your next flight. Elsewhere, the list of new shows includes The Five Star Weekend on Peacock and Little House on the Prairie on Netflix.