There are plenty of new movies and shows to watch this weekend on Netflix, Prime Video, Disney Plus and more streaming services.
On the movie side, Jamie Foxx is a vampire hunter in Day Shift, while Owen Wilson headlines the family-friendly superhero adventure Secret Headquarters.
This weekend’s shows are led by the series reimagining of A League of Their Own, the classic underdog sports movie. A fresh crop of Rockford Peaches is led by Abbi Jacobson, while Chanté Adams takes the spotlight to represent a Black perspective missing from the film.
Other new series include the Hurricane Katrina disaster drama Five Days at Memorial, the animated Marvel shorts of I Am Groot and the zombie spinoff Tales of the Walking Dead. The big returning TV show is Never Have I Ever season 3, the teen comedy from Mindy Kaling.
Here’s our guide on what to watch this weekend. And when you’re done here, check out the best movies of the year so far and where to stream them (opens in new tab), and why the DC Universe is looking more and more like a disaster (opens in new tab).
A League of Their Own (Prime Video)
Reboots of classic films are almost always a very bad idea, but the new series version of A League of Their Own may prove to be an exception. Like the movie, it’s set in the 1940s, when the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League was founded while many male players fought in World War II. The new take combines the original’s baseball action and rousing feminism with deeper explorations of race and sexuality.
That’s evident in the presence of a Black lead, Chanté Adams as Max, alongside Abbi Jacobson’s Carson. Additionally, a sexual awakening looks to be in store, as Carson is drawn to teammate Greta (D’Arcy Carden). They’re part of a completely different cast of characters, though Nick Offerman’s gruff manager Dove Porter seems analogous to Tom Hanks’ Jimmy Dugan. All he needs to do is yell, “There’s no crying in baseball!”
Streaming now on Prime Video (opens in new tab)
Never Have I Ever season 3 (Netflix)
OMG, Devi (Maitreyi Ramakrishnan) has a boyfriend! And not just any boyfriend — the handsome, popular Paxton Hall-Yoshida (Darren Barnet). They are together, like publicly, and she can’t believe her luck. But neither can her high school classmates, whose skepticism causes Devi to spiral. A lack of confidence isn’t exactly attractive and may end up pushing Paxton away.
Then there’s academic rival Ben Gross (Jaren Lewison), who still seems to be crushing on her after their five-minute-long almost relationship. Their easy banter and common interests stand in stark contrast to her relationship with Paxton. Things get even more complicated by the introduction of an Indian teen boy (Anirudh Pisharody) who turns out to be smoking hot. This potential love quadrangle might be too advanced of a problem for Devi to solve.
Streaming now on Netflix (opens in new tab)
Five Days at Memorial (Apple TV Plus)
John Ridley (12 Years a Slave) and Carlton Cuse (Lost) team up to adapt the nonfiction book by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Sheri Fink, which chronicles the impact of Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath on a New Orleans hospital.
The story is framed by an investigation of how 45 patients ended up dying in the hospital during the natural disaster, one of the worst in American history. Deploying flashbacks, the limited series portrays the utter chaos brought on by lack of electricity, food, water and near-silence from authorities and higher levels of the organization. The doctors and staff (played by a terrific cast including Vera Farmiga, Cornelius Smith Jr, Adepero Oduye and Cherry Jones) do everything they possibly can in the face of the overwhelming catastrophe — but as we all know, tragically, it won’t be enough.
Streaming now on Apple TV Plus (opens in new tab)
I Am Groot (Disney Plus)
I Am Groot. I am Groot. I am Groot. I am GROOT. I … am … Groot. OK, sorry, now that’s out of my system: Disney Plus has released this 20-minute long Marvel snack consisting of five animated shorts depicting young Groot’s life. It’s set between the events of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 and one of the post-credits scenes in that movie.
Like its bigger, elder siblings, the series combines offbeat humor, a charming irreverence and a touch of darkness, while also being totally adorable. The episodes follow Groot from his literal first steps out of his plant pot through his toddler days to adolescence. Vin Diesel reprises his voice role, while Bradley Cooper’s Rocket Raccoon makes a cameo. While it’s on the shorter side, the streaming service is hoping I Am Groot’s quality makes people forget about that incoming Disney Plus price hike.
Streaming now on Disney Plus (opens in new tab)
Day Shift (Netflix)
Jamie Foxx and Snoop Dogg as vampire hunters? Sounds like a premise cooked up on a hazy, lazy evening. It’s actually the culmination of decades of toiling in Hollywood by J.J. Perry, a longtime stunt performer and fight coordinator on the John Wick movies.
Foxx plays Bud Jablonski, who works hard to provide for his family as a blue-collar pool cleaner by day. By night, he’s a freelance vampire killer who’s trying to get back into the cushy international union. Bud was expelled for breaking various rules, but his pal Big John is trying to get him back into the group for the pay and benefits. He’ll have to be on his best behavior while trying to score enough cash to prevent his wife and daughter from moving away.
Streaming now on Netflix (opens in new tab)
Secret Headquarters (paramount Plus)
After an initial foray into the superhero genre with Loki, Owen Wilson goes for a second helping outside of the MCU in this family-friendly film. On a camping trip with his wife and son, Wilson’s character witnesses an alien ship crash. It contains a mysterious glowing orb that pronounces Jack to be “the Guardian,” forever altering his life and relationships.
Walker Scobell of The Adam Project once again takes on the role of a resentful son. Years after the crash, Charlie unhappily weathers the many absences and excuses of his workaholic father. He doesn’t realize that his hero known as The Guard is his own dad! That is, until Jack is called away by an “IT emergency” and Charlie invites his friends over. They stumble upon The Guard’s lair and play with his tech too much, putting them in the crosshairs of agents determined to steal the powerful orb.
Streaming now on paramount Plus (opens in new tab)
13: The Musical (Netflix)
The Broadway musical 13 was the first production to feature a cast and band made up entirely of teens — one of whom was then-unknown Ariana Grande. Before her superstar music career, before even her stint on Nickelodeon, Grande got her break in 13. Now a new generation of teen performers is tackling the musical.
The tale follows 12-year-old Evan Goldman (Eli Golden) as he moves from New York City to small town Indiana in the wake of his parents’ divorce. He strikes up a friendship with classmate and neighbor Patrice, who develops a crush on him. Evan is determined to have the best bar mitzvah ever, which hinges on the attendance of popular kid Brett and his crew — even if it means hurting Patrice in the process. He soon discovers that growing up can be very complicated.
Streaming now on Netflix (opens in new tab)
Tales of the Walking Dead (AMC)
The Walking Dead Universe gets yet another spinoff in this six-episode anthology series focused on new and established characters grappling with the zombie apocalypse. The OG show is coming to an end soon, after experiencing a precipitous drop in ratings and cultural relevance, but AMC is never going to let this valuable property die. In addition to Tales, there are forthcoming spinoffs based on Rick and Michonne, Maggie and Negan, and Daryl (sans Carol).
Tales features a cast including Olivia Munn, Samantha Morton, Terry Crews, Parker Posey, Anthony Edwards and Poppy Liu. In one episode, Morton reprises her role as Alpha in what appears to be an origin story. Other installments play with tone, storytelling styles and timelines, making this possibly the edgiest TWD project yet.
Streaming Sunday, Aug. 14 at 3 a.m. ET on AMC Plus (opens in new tab)
Airing Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on AMC (via Sling (opens in new tab) or Fubo (opens in new tab))
Locke and Key season 3 (Netflix)
The end has come for the fantasy series based on the comic books by Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodríguez. The third and final season wraps up the tale of the Locke family, whose sprawling ancestral home contains magical keys along with a portal to a demonic realm.
The final chapter finds the Lockes at relative peace. Older brother Tyler (Connor Jessup) has erased all memories of magic, while mom Nina (Darby Stanchfield) has restored hers. But the entire family will have to come together to fight a new villain, Frederick Gideon (Kevin Durand), a colonial soldier possessed by a malevolent force. His plan is to use the keys to break the barrier between the human and demon realm once and for all.
Streaming now on Netflix (opens in new tab)
What else to watch this weekend
I Just Killed My Dad (Netflix)
A docuseries about Anthony Templet, a teen who confessed to fatally shooting his father.
Streaming now on Netflix (opens in new tab)
Power Book III: Raising Kanan season 2 (Starz)
Kanan returns home uncertain about his future, while mother Raq expands the family business.
Airing Sunday, Aug. 14 at 9 p.m. ET on Starz (via Sling (opens in new tab))
Hard Knocks: Training Camp With the The Detroit Lions (HBO)
A behind-the-scenes look at the NFL team’s preparation for the 2022-23 season.
Streaming now on HBO Max (opens in new tab)
Next: Never Have I Ever is a hit on Netflix — and it’s 91% on Rotten Tomatoes. And check out this Netflix iOS and Android game.