What’s new to streaming this week? (Dec. 13, 2024)

Looking for something great to watch at home? Streaming subscribers are spoiled for choice between Hulu, Netflix, Max, Disney+, Apple TV+, Prime Video, Shudder, Paramount+, Peacock, and more. And that’s before you even look at the vast libraries of films and television within each one!

Don’t be overwhelmed or waste an hour scrolling through your services trying to determine what to watch! We’ve got your back whatever your mood. Mashable offers watch guides for all of the above, broken down by genre: comedy, thriller, horror, documentary, animation, and more.

But if you’re seeking something brand spanking new (or new to streaming), we’ve got you covered there, too.

Mashable’s entertainment team has scoured the streaming services to highlight the most buzzed-about releases of this week and ranked them from worst to greatest — or least worth your time to most watchable. Whether you’re looking for some festive action, bad romance, spiritual scares, moving musician biopics, an addictive new mystery series, or papal intrigue, we’ve got you covered.

Here’s what’s new on streaming, from worst to greatest.

11. Red One

Dwayne Johnson re-teams with Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle and Jumanji: Next Level director Jake Kasdan for Red One, an action-comedy about an elite squad who must rescue a kidnapped Santa Claus.

The premise promises madcap fun, and the cast is bursting with star power from Johnson to Chris Evans, Lucy Liu, J.K. Simmons, Kiernan Shipka, and Game of Thrones‘ favorite Kristofer Hivju. However, critics absolutely thrashed Red One, calling it “bland,” “head-scratching” and “absolute crap” with “not a crumb of Christmas charm.” So, maybe leave this one off your Nice list. — Kristy Puchko, Entertainment Editor

Starring: Dwayne Johnson, Chris Evans, Lucy Liu, J. K. Simmons, Kiernan Shipka, Bonnie Hunt, Nick Kroll, Kristofer Hivju, and Wesley Kimmel

How to watch: Red One debuts on Prime Video on Dec. 12.

10. It Ends With Us

Sorry to say, the drama behind the scenes of It Ends With Us’ press tour is way more intriguing than the movie itself. Produced by and starring Blake Lively, the film centers on aptly named flower shop owner Lily Bloom, who falls hard for Ryle Kincaid, a hot brain surgeon (played by It Ends With Us‘s director Justin Baldoni). But the bloom on their romance wilts as Ryle gets viciously jealous and even violent, causing Lily to flee to her ex Atlas Corrigan (Brandon Sklenar) to find a way out of this toxic relationship.

The domestic violence drama begins like a poorly written rom-com, with a meet-cute and a wacky yet chic greatestie (Jenny Slate). But the only funny thing in this adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s novel is how awkward the central couple is. Lily makes brash declarations like, “The first guy I had sex with was homeless … or temporarily unhomed,” and Lily describes herself as an “unreliable narrator.” Ryle exists chiefly to glower or grapple. The onscreen lovers have zero chemistry, and then the movie has the absolute nerve to be over two hours long!

We’ve got a long list of love stories you could watch instead. — K.P.

Starring: Blake Lively, Justin Baldoni, Jenny Slate, Hasan Minhaj, Brandon Sklenar, Kevin McKidd, Amy Morton, Alex Neustaedter, and Isabella Ferrer

How to watch: It Ends With Us is now streaming on Netflix.

9. Joker: Folie à Deux

Todd Phillips’ follow-up to the Oscar-winning Joker wasn’t a complete disaster. For one thing, it made John Waters‘ top 10 of the year, as did some of our favorites like Love Lies Bleeding. For another, Lady Gaga shines through the macho muck and meandering menace of a movie that can’t decide what it wants to be or who it’s for.

With Arthur “Joker” Fleck (Joaquin Phoenix) awaiting trial for the murder spree from the first film, he is a subject of pity, scandal, mockery, and infatuation from a caustic cavalcade of characters. Chief among them is Lee (Gaga), a fangirl who wants to live out a Bonnie-and-Clyde movie musical with her clown prince of crime. But Phillips is determined to keep anyone from getting what they want out of Joker 2.

As I jeered in Mashable’s review: “It’s all so much clown paint on a pig. Phillips has crafted an astoundingly tedious courtroom drama bedecked with musical numbers, star power, and DC IP, yet it still feels like a slog. To his credit, he’s broken out of the superhero cliches that have resulted in fatigue from critics and audiences alike. But his pastiche brings nothing new or exciting to the screen for a woefully indulgent runtime of two hours and 18 minutes. 

“In the end, Joker: Folie à Deux doesn’t feel provocative, romantic, or even entertaining. This sequel feels like a punishment.” — K.P.

Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Lady Gaga, Zazie Beetz, Leigh Gill, Brendan Gleeson, Catherine Keener, Steve Coogan, and Harry Lawtey

How to watch: Joker: Folie à Deux debuts on Max on Dec. 12.

8. Queer Eye, Season 9

Queer Eye is back for a ninth season. It’s the first since interior designer Bobby Berk left the show, with the colossal renovation part of the makeovers now run by Jeremiah Brent. Following seasons in New Orleans, Atlanta, Austin, Kansas City, Philadelphia, Tokyo, and the Australian town of Yass, this season is set in Las Vegas, with a new set of “heroes” for Tan France, Karamo Brown, Antoni Porowski, Jonathan van Ness, and Brent to meet and make over. There’s been a fair bit of rumoured tension swirling around the show, so we’re sure the team is keen to get this season live, just like we are to watch it. — Shannon Connellan, UK Editor

How to watch: Queer Eye Season 9 is streaming on Netflix Dec. 11.

7. Heretic

We love Hugh Grant when he goes villainous. Be it the deceitful rogue in Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, the nefarious burglar/thespian in Paddington 2, the chocolate-stealing Oompa Loopa of Wonka, or the cheating cad of Bridget Jones’s Diary, we can’t get enough. But Heretic takes the villainy to all new level, casting the English icon as a mansplaining zealot who is absolutely giddy to trap two young female missionaries in his labyrinthian home.

In her review, Entertainment Reporter Belen Edwards cheered for this frightening performance, writing, “Frightening reveals and boatloads of religious and occult iconography (much of it delivered in impressively crafted statues and images throughout Mr. Reed’s house) certainly get the blood pumping. But they’re something you could see in any religious horror movie. What really sets Heretic apart is Grant, the absolute monster of a man he plays, and just how awfully familiar that man is.” — K.P.

Starring: Hugh Grant, Sophie Thatcher, and Chloe East

How to watch: Heretic is now available to rent or buy on Prime Video.

6. Carry-On

Director Jaume Collet-Serra has excited audiences with the shark-infested Shallows, the twisted killer thriller Orphan, and Liam Neeson vehicles like Non-Stop and Unknown. Now, he’s teaming with Taron Egerton (Rocketman, Kingsman: The Secret Service) for an unusual holiday adventure.

Set in a Los Angeles airport on Christmas Eve, Carry-On follows a TSA agent (Egerton) who is desperate to stop a suspicious package from making it to a deadly destination. There are some truly wild things in this cat-and-mouse game that pits an eager Egerton in everyday hero mode against Jason Bateman as a snarling mercenary hellbent on getting his package delivered, whatever the collateral damage. Those seeking fresh thrills will relish Collet-Serra’s competent approach to suspense, and may well feel their travel anxiety spike. But hey, can we all admit that asking English hunk Egerton to do an American accent is a crime against cinema? It’s not even that he’s bad at at. It’s more that, in a world where so much is awful, why waste even a moment by not hearing Egerton in his native tongue? — K.P.

Starring: Taron Egerton, Jason Bateman, Sofia Carson, Danielle Deadwyler, Sinqua Walls, Logan Marshall-Green, Theo Rossi, Josh Brener, and Dean Norris

How to watch: Carry-On debuts on Netflix on Dec. 13.

5. Venom: The Last Dance

Sometimes good is overrated, and you just want something goofy as hell. Well, Venom: The Last Dance is here for you.

The third film in the Tom Hardy-fronted double act of Eddie Brock and Venom has the odd couple on the run from an alien entity, hungry for power. Though stuffed with the bonkers bits fans have come to love of the squabbling symbiotic greatesties, Venom: The Last Dance is dragged down by an earnest military plotline that tries to treat this world seriously. As I wrote in my review, “Venom: The Last Dance is therefore one-half of a wonderful movie. Still, it’s worth sticking through the rest for a totally gonzo finale that’s somehow equally absurd and moving.” —K.P.

Starring: Tom Hardy, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Juno Temple, Rhys Ifans, Stephen Graham, Peggy Lu, Clark Backo, Alanna Ubach, and Andy Serkis.

How to watch: Venom: The Last Dance is now available on digital.

4. Maria

Chilean director Pablo Larraín loves spinning surreal and stirring cinema inspired by the life of a famous but tragic female figure. First, there was Jackie, the Oscar-nominated drama in which Natalie Portman portrayed widowed first lady Jackie Kennedy. Then came Spencer, a Kristen Stewart-fronted film that felt like a haunted house movie, focusing on Princess Diana’s tumultuous inner life over a Christmas with the royal family. Now, there’s Maria, a dreamy eulogy for world-renowned opera singer Maria Callas, played by an exquisite Angelina Jolie.

In his review out of the film’s world premiere at the 2024 Venice International Film Festival, Siddhant Adlakha praised the film’s cinematography and Jolie’s performance. “The further Callas reaches into her soul, the more the curtain slips; you can practically see Jolie and her character becoming one,” he writes, “crying out in unison for some kind of respite from simply being themselves, and living at their level of constant visibility, no matter how much they love the spotlight. It’s heart-wrenching to witness.” — K.P.

Starring: Angelina Jolie, Pierfrancesco Favino, Alba Rohrwacher, Haluk Bilginer, and Kodi Smit-McPhee

How to watch: Maria debuts on Netflix on Dec. 11.

3. Elton John: Never Too Late

If you love Elton John, then this documentary is a must-see. Probing more deeply on some tender areas — like the pop god’s struggle with his sexual identity — Elton John: Never Too Late centers on frank conversations from the man himself as he spills stories for a biography. Directed by R.J. Cutler (The September Issue, Billie Eilish: The World’s a Little Blurry) and John’s husband David Furnish, the film relies heavily on archival footage, press clippings, and personal snapshots. However, there’s also a warm window into John’s life now, where he meets with groundbreaking queer artists (though he prefers to say “LGBTQ”) and FaceTimes with his young sons after school lets out.

Admittedly, there are no earth-shattering relevations here, as John’s life has been an open book for ages. Still, it’s a pleasure to follow him down the yellow brick road of his memory as he prepares for his farewell concert, his greatest hits playing the booming soundtrack along the way. — K.P.

Starring: Elton John

How to watch: Elton John: Never Too Late debuts in theaters and on Disney+ on Dec. 13.

2. No Good Deed

Emmy–winning creator and showrunner Liz Feldman previously gifted us the twisted pleasures of Dead to Me, a dramedy that intoxicatingly blended crime and comedy. Now she’s back at it with No Good Deed, another enticing Los Angeles series co-starring Linda Cardellini.

Ray Romano and Lisa Kudrow star as a married couple looking to sell their beautiful Los Feliz home. The interested — and nosy — buyers are played by a crackling ensemble cast. Beyond buyer rivalry and family drama, there are also skeletons in the closet to be uncovered, and plenty of socially awkward shenanigans to boot. Funny, addictive, and sharply cast, No Good Deed is a no-brainer to add to your watch list.* — K.P.

Starring: Ray Romano, Lisa Kudrow, Linda Cardellini, Luke Wilson, Abbi Jacobson, Poppy Liu, Kate Moennig, Teyonah Parris, and O-T Fagbenle

How to watch: No Good Deed premieres Dec. 12 on Netflix.

1. Conclave

One of the greatest films of 2024, Conclave is low-key also one of the funnest films of 2024, and no one is more surprised than lapsed Catholic me. Sure, on the surface, Conclave, adapted from Robert Harris’ 2016 novel of the same name, is a thriller. In the sacred halls of the Vatican, the Catholic Church’s most revered leaders gather together for a series of secret votes to determine who among them will be God’s representative on Earth. And as dean of the conclave, Cardinal Thomas Lawrence (Ralph Fiennes) is tasked not only with keeping things running smoothly but also sussing out what skeletons lie in the closets of the contenders.

And yet within this dramatic framework, the charming ensemble (which includes Isabella Rossellini, Stanley Tucci, and John Lithgow) laces in a catty sense of humor, which has been catching on in memes and social media. Through this divine blend of suspense and subtle comedy, helmer Edward Berger delivers a thriller that is divinely entertaining.* — K.P.

Starring: Ralph Fiennes, Stanley Tucci, John Lithgow, and Isabella Rossellini

How to watch: Conclave begins streaming on Peacock on Dec. 13.