It's time to wave goodbye to July – and, to celebrate August's arrival, the world's best streaming services are going all-out to bring you a bigger than usual selection of great content to watch.
Indeed, there are so many new Netflix movies and TV shows debuting this weekend that this list could contain them all. But, in the interest of fairness, we want to give you a much wider streaming selection, so we've only included three, with the long-awaited Rebel Moon – The Director's Cut leading the charge. If, though you've stomached enough Zack Snyder for this year, there are plenty of other things to choose from on Max, Prime Video, and more. Happy streaming!
Rebel Moon – The Director's Cut (Netflix)
I'm not a Zack Snyder superfan, but I was nonetheless eager to see what Rebel Moon (essentially, a Star Wars movie pitch Snyder repurposed for a new Netflix sci-fi franchise) had to offer when its first chapter arrived in December 2023. Long story short: I was underwhelmed. You can read my Rebel Moon Part One review for more on why it failed to impress me. Its sequel – Rebel Moon Part Two – did likewise in April.
But, with Rebel Moon – The Director's Cut, a six-hour movie extravaganza that Netflix is calling "Zack Snyder's true vision", out now, I might be willing to give the director's new Netflix movies another chance. After all, it's supposedly sexier, more lore-heavy, and extremely violent. With some necessary storyline gaps and cut character development plugged into its extended runtime, maybe Rebel Moon will finally deserve a spot on our best Netflix movies list. I'll see if it does when I check it out this weekend, and I advise you to do the same to enjoy (hopefully) it as Snyder original intended us to.
– Tom Power, Senior Entertainment Journalist
Batman: Caped Crusader (Prime Video)
Batman fans saddened by the news that The Batman 2 has been delayed until 2026 will be pleased to hear that a new animated Dark Knight series, Batman: Caped Crusader, begins streaming on Prime Video this weekend.
Produced by J.J. Abrams (Star Trek), Matt Reeves (The Batman), and Bruce Timm (Batman: The Animated Series), this 10-part debut season – which was originally destined for Max – sees Batman battling trenchcoats and Tommy guns in 1940s Gotham. Hamish Linklater steps in for the late, great Kevin Conroy as the voice of the titular superhero, while McKenna Grace, Jamie Chung, Christina Ricci, John DiMaggio, and Minnie Driver star in supporting voice roles.
The Guardian described Batman: Caped Crusader as "a highly satisfying, bat-to-basics take on the hero," so fans of the Batman: The Animated Series will surely find lots to love in this spiritual successor to that beloved 1990s show. Here's hoping it can earn a spot on our list of the best Prime Video shows.
– Axel Metz, Phones Editor
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes (Disney Plus/Hulu)
Crash-landing on Hulu and Disney Plus this weekend is Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, the 10th (!) film to be set in the Planet of the Apes universe and a pseudo-sequel to Matt Reeves’ excellent War for the Planet of the Apes. Taking place some 300 years in the future, Kingdom centers on an intelligent young ape called Noa (Owen Teague), whose clan of eagle-rearing chimpanzees is captured by the tyrannical bonobo Proximus Caesar (Kevin Durand). Freya Allen and William H. Macy also star in mysterious human roles, which I won't spoil here.
In my Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes review, I described one of 2024's many new movies as a "thoroughly entertaining post-apocalyptic adventure that stands on its own two feet," so existing franchise fans needn't worry about the absence of Andy Serkis' Caesar. I also spoke to the film's director Wes Ball, who explained Kingdom's timeline, setting, and cinematic universe, as well as why he had to shoot the entire film twice.
– Axel Metz, Phones Editor
Women In Blue (Apple TV Plus)
If you're looking to learn something cool this weekend, Women in Blue could teach you a lot about Mexico's first female police force. The new 10-episode series is based on true stories about these women, who challenged conservative norms of the 1970s by enlisting in the police.
What has intrigued me the most about Women in Blue is the country's first all-female squad was merely a diversionary tactic from real issues, namely, a ruthless serial killer which the press has been very interested in. So, the women set about creating a secret investigation to try and do what their male counterparts were unable to. Good for them, honestly.
I'm really excited to watch this series, and since Apple has great original programming, such as Ted Lasso and Severance (season 2 of Severance arrives in January!), I'm hoping for good things here. But, will it join our best Apple TV shows list? Only time will tell!
– Lucy Buglass, Senior Entertainment Writer
Elizabeth Taylor: The Lost Tapes (Max)
I'm not just a horror movie fan, I also adore classic cinema. Many of these legendary Hollywood movies rely on star power, with plenty of names becoming icons. Among these is the always brilliant Elizabeth Taylor, and there's a new HBO documentary about her.
Elizabeth Taylor: The Lost Tapes is the latest project from documentary filmmaker Nanette Burstein, known for Hillary and the Netflix series Killer Sally. This time, she shines a deserved spotlight on Taylor, using newly discovered interviews and access to the star's personal archive to allow her to narrate her own story. The movie is said to "challenge audiences to reconsider her legacy", and you can expect to see personal photos, home movies, and clips from her iconic roles throughout.
– Lucy Buglass, Senior Entertainment Writer
Saving Bikini Bottom: The Sandy Cheeks Movie (Netflix)
I can't wait to be transported back to my childhood with the new Saving Bikini Bottom: The Sandy Cheeks Movie, which is based on the much-loved cartoon series SpongeBob SquarePants that I'm sure everyone still adores to this day. In Saving Bikini Bottom: The Sandy Cheeks Movie, Sandy and SpongeBob venture to Sandy's home state of Texas to help save Patrick, Squidward, Mr. Krabs and the rest of their friends when Bikini Bottom is scooped out of the ocean.
To top off this nostalgia trip of a movie, the film stars the regular voice cast from the SpongeBob SquarePants series, with Tom Kenny voicing SpongeBob, Carolyn Lawrence as Sandy, Clancy Brown as Mr. Krabs, and Bill Fagerbakke as Patrick. I have fond memories of coming home from school and watching SpongeBob SquarePants, so I'm excited to see what Saving Bikini Bottom: The Sandy Cheeks Movie has in store.
– Grace Morris, Entertainment Writer
A Good Girl's Guide to Murder (Netflix)
Emma Myers instantly captured me with her memorable performance of the energetic werewolf student Enid Sinclair in the smash hit Netflix series Wednesday, so I'm looking forward to seeing her in the twisty mystery A Good Girl's Guide to Murder.
Based on Holly Jackson's novel, A Good Girl's Guide to Murder follows Pip Fitz-Amobi (Myers) who investigates the murder of a local school girl that still haunts her town five years later. The series has already earned a stellar 90% Rotten Tomatoes score after its July 1 debut on other channels in the UK, Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand, so it's very possible that A Good Girl's Guide to Murder could end up on our best Netflix shows list.
– Grace Morris, Entertainment Writer
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For more streaming coverage, read our guides on the best Disney Plus shows, best Paramount Plus movies, best Hulu shows, and best Max movies.
