Welcome to When To Stream’s Weekly Preview! Every week, we take a closer look at the major film streaming releases scheduled to launch in the next 7 days. As always, release dates are subject to change.
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Here are this week’s highlights:
Monday, December 22nd, 2025
AFTERBURN – MGM+
Cast: Dave Bautista, Samuel L. Jackson, Olga Kurylenko and Kristofer Hivju
Synopsis: After a massive solar flare destroys the Earth’s eastern hemisphere, an emboldened treasure hunter for hire adventures to Europe to uncover the coveted Mona Lisa, only to learn the world needs a hero more than it needs a painting.
What we like:
- An adaptation of the comic of the same name by Scott Chitwood and Paul Ens published by Red 5 Comics, this post-apocalyptic action thriller was in development for over 15 years before finally being made.
- The film’s director, J.J. Perry, is a renowned stunt performer and coordinator, appearing in films like Django Unchained, Olympus Has Fallen, and John Wick.
What we don’t like:
- The budget of this film was reportedly $56M. Who is financing these films?? It’s insane! Inaugural Entertainment did not report US box-office grosses, so we’re assuming everyone absolutely took a bath on this one. The financing sounds so sketchy.
AZTEC BATMAN: CLASH OF EMPIRES – HBO Max
Cast: Horacio García Rojas, Omar Chaparro, Álvaro Morte, Jay Hernandez, Raymond Cruz
Synopsis: In the time of the Aztec Empire, Yohualli Coatl – a young Aztec boy – experiences tragedy when his father and village leader, Toltecatzin, is murdered by Spanish Conquistadors. Yohualli escapes to Tenochtitlan to warn King Moctezuma and his high priest, Yoka, of imminent danger. Using the temple of Tzinacan, the bat god, as a lair, Yohualli trains with his mentor and assistant, Acatzin, developing equipment and weaponry to confront the Spaniard invasion, protect Moctezuma’s temple, and avenge his father’s death.
What we like:
- This version of Batman is set in 16th-century Mesoamerica, during the Aztec Empire, rather than in Gotham.
- The narrative weaves in real elements of Aztec culture: use of temples, mythology, and gods; Aztec architecture, symbolism, society. A cultural consultant (Dr. Alejandro Díaz Barriga) was brought on to help ensure a respectful and accurate depiction.
What we don’t like:
- The trailer of the film produced a debate in the Spanish-speaking world regarding the possible perpetuation of the anti-Spanish “Black Legend”, in which the Spanish Empire is portrayed as uniquely atrocious.
Tuesday, December 23rd, 2025
100 NIGHTS OF HERO – $19.99 Sale / TBD Rental
Cast: Maika Monroe, Emma Corrin, Nicholas Galitzine, Charli XCX, Felicity Jones, Richard E. Grant
Synopsis: When a charming house guest arrives at a remote castle, the delicate dynamic between a neglectful husband, his innocent bride Cherry and their devoted maid Hero is thrown into chaos.
What we like:
- Canadian filmmaker Julia Jackman’s second film, this fantasy romance is based on the graphic novel The One Hundred Nights of Hero by Isabel Greenberg, which itself was based on the Middle Eastern folktale One Thousand and One Nights.
- The film was recently nominated for three British Independent Film Awards, including Best Costume Design (PC Williams), Best Makeup & Hair Design (Kehinde Are, Feyzo Oyebisi), and Best Production Design (Jennifer Anti, Pablo Anti).
What we don’t like:
- Despite a terrific cast and pretty decent reviews, Independent Film Company couldn’t drum up much business at the arthouses this month. Was it the awkward title? The Ren-Faire vibes? We’re kinda anxious to check it out.
DIE MY LOVE – MUBI
Cast: Jennifer Lawrence, Robert Pattinson, LaKeith Stanfield, Sissy Spacek, and Nick Nolte
Synopsis: Grace, a writer and young mother, is slowly slipping into madness. Locked away in an old house in and around Montana, we see her acting increasingly agitated and erratic, leaving her companion, Jackson, increasingly worried and helpless.
What we like:
- It all began with director Martin Scorsese, who runs a private book club, who recommended that Jennifer Lawrence read the novel Die, My Love, telling her that she would be perfect for the role of the mother. Deeply moved by the book and serving as a producer on the film adaptation, Lawrence set out to find the right director for the project, ultimately landing on acclaimed Scottish filmmaker Lynne Ramsay.
- The film uses a 4:3 aspect ratio, which gives the visuals a claustrophobic, portrait-like feel, and also reinforce the sense of isolation, emotional intensity, and psychological pressure that the characters experience.
What we don’t like:
- After receiving a 9 minute standing ovation after its premiere at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, MUBI snapped up the rights to the film for a reported $24M. The film has grossed almost $9M worldwide, which isn’t great. But honestly…good for MUBI for taking a chance on this challenging film.
EDEN – Netflix
Cast: Ana de Armas, Vanessa Kirby, Sydney Sweeney, Jude Law, Daniel Brühl, Felix Kammerer, Toby Wallace and Richard Roxburgh
Synopsis: A group of people is fueled by a profound desire for change. In order to turn their back to society they leave everything behind and set their futures on the harsh landscape of the Galapagos.
What we like:
- Ron Howard’s survival thriller tells the story of German settlers in the late 1920s / early 1930s who chose to leave Germany for Floreana Island, in the Galápagos Islands, hoping for a life of philosophical solitude, utopia, or escape from Weimar-era turmoil.
- The film’s cast is stellar: Jude Law, Ana De Armas, Vanessa Kirby, Sydney Sweeney, and Daniel Brühl.
- The score is by Hans Zimmer!
What we don’t like:
- Sure, it got mixed reviews, but it’s so depressing that an Oscar-winning director, a bevy of talented, buzzy actors, and an intriguing premise couldn’t get any butts in seats. It isn’t for everyone, but the film has its passionate defenders. It’ll be fascinating to see how it does on Netflix.
ETERNITY – $24.99 Sale / $19.99 Rental
Cast: Miles Teller, Elizabeth Olsen, Callum Turner, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, John Early
Synopsis: In an afterlife where souls have one week to decide where to spend eternity, Joan is faced with the impossible choice between the man she spent her life with and her first love, who died young and has waited decades for her to arrive.
What we like:
- Honestly…it’s about time another film tackled the ‘Afterlife Process Romance’ after Albert Brooks’ 1991 masterpiece Defending Your Life. And it sounds like this film is a well-executed (if not perfect) spin on the genre.
- Pat Cunnane’s script for Eternity was voted onto The Black List of most-liked unproduced screenplays in 2022.
- The film is nominated for Best Comedy at the upcoming Critics Choice Movie Awards, where it’s up against The Ballad of Wallis Island, Friendship, The Naked Gun, The Phoenician Scheme, and Splitsville. Pretty good group of nominees!
What we don’t like:
- Before the film had its world premiere in Toronto, director and co-writer David Freyne discovered he had a benign brain tumor. He was able to attend the Toronto premiere in September 2025, but underwent surgery to remove a majority of the tumor shortly afterwards. The surgery lasted 10 hours, and Freyne spent the next six weeks in recovery. Freyne and four of his surgeons attended the London premiere of the film, and Freyne publicly commended them from the stage.
FIVE NIGHTS AT FREDDY’S 2 – $24.99 Sale / $19.99 Rental
Cast: Josh Hutcherson, Elizabeth Lail, Piper Rubio, Matthew Lillard, Skeet Ulrich, Wayne Knight, Mckenna Grace, and Teo Briones
Synopsis: One year since the supernatural nightmare at Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza, the stories about what transpired there have been twisted into a campy local legend, inspiring the town’s first ever Fazfest. With the truth about what transpired kept from her, Abby sneaks out to reconnect with Freddy, Bonnie, Chica, and Foxy, setting into motion a terrifying series of events that will reveal dark secrets about the true origin of Freddy’s, and unleash a long-forgotten horror hidden away for decades.
What we like:
- The sequel to 2023’s surprise smash hit Five Nights at Freddy’s, again directed by Emma Tammi (who also directed the first), with the screenplay by franchise and game creator Scott Cawthon. No Peacock day-and-date launch this time.
- The animatronics are once again top-notch. Fans and critics alike have noted how much craftsmanship went into them, especially with practical effects from Jim Henson’s Creature Shop.
- It’s a Scream Reunion Baby! Skeet Ulrich joins original cast member Matthew Lillard for the sequel.
What we don’t like:
- Critics were very unimpressed with this sequel. The film currently sits at 16% Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes, which is pretty brutal. But these films are popular and profitable, so we’ll probably get at least 3 or 4 more.
SENTIMENTAL VALUE – $19.99 Sale / TBD Rental
Cast: Renate Reinsve, Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas, Stellan Skarsgård, Cory Michael Smith, and Elle Fanning
Synopsis: Sisters Nora and Agnes reunite with their estranged father, the charismatic Gustav, a once-renowned director who offers stage actress Nora a role in what he hopes will be his comeback film. When Nora turns it down, she soon discovers he has given her part to an eager young Hollywood star. Suddenly, the two sisters must navigate their complicated relationship with their father — and deal with an American star dropped right into the middle of their complex family dynamics.
What we like:
- Joachim Trier’s drama premiered in competition at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival, where it won the Grand Prix and received one of the festival’s longest standing ovations.
- The film was selected as the Norwegian entry for Best International Feature at the 2025 Academy Awards, and it recently made the shortlist of finalists.
- It picked up an impressive 7 Golden Globe nominations, including Best Motion Picture – Drama, Best Motion Picture – Non-English Language, Best Director (Trier), Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama (Renate Reinsve), Best Supporting Actor (Stellan Skarsgård), Best Supporting Actress x2 (Elle Fanning, Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas), and Best Screenplay (Eskil Vogt, Trier).
What we don’t like:
- Just as it was earlier in the year at the Cannes Film Festival, Trier will likely be the bridesmaid in this year’s awards race. Jafar Panahi’s It Was Just an Accident is the odds-on favorite to win Best International Feature at this year’s Oscars, not just because his film is terrific, but also because the filmmaker’s personal and political narrative is undeniable. Panahi would certainly be a worthy winner, but you have to feel for Trier, who in any other year would probably have swept the season.
SPRINGSTEEN: DELIVER ME FROM NOWHERE – $29.99 Sale / $24.99 Rental
Cast: Jeremy Allen White, Jeremy Strong, Paul Walter Hauser, Odessa Young, Stephen Graham, Gaby Hoffmann, and David Krumholtz
Synopsis: Visionary musician Bruce Springsteen embarks on an emotional journey to record “Nebraska.”
What we like:
- Rather than spanning his entire career, the film focuses on a short but hugely significant period in the early 1980s, when Springsteen withdrew from the spotlight to record his stark, acoustic Nebraska album on a simple 4-track recorder in his New Jersey home.
- The screenplay was adapted from Deliver Me from Nowhere by Warren Zanes, which explores Springsteen’s creative process and emotional state during this period.
- Jeremy Allen White, whose performance as Springsteen earned him a Golden Globe nomination last week, contributed covers of Springsteen classics to the official film soundtrack
What we don’t like:
- 20th Century Studios didn’t quite replicate the success of last year’s Bob Dylan biopic A Complete Unknown, both critically or commercially. The film earned about $22M domestically and currently sits at 59 on Metacritic. Audiences who did go liked it better, giving it a B+ CinemaScore. It should have a healthy showing on PVOD over the holidays and do well when it gets to Hulu early next year.
STRANGE HARVEST – Hulu
Cast: Peter Zizzo, Teri Apple, Andrew Lauer, Matthew Peschio
Synopsis: Detectives are thrust into a chilling hunt for “Mr. Shiny”—a sadistic serial killer from the past whose return marks the beginning of a new wave of grotesque, otherworldly crimes tied to a dark cosmic force.
What we like:
- Director Stuart Ortiz crafted his film to feel like an actual investigative doc-series about a serial killer, mimicking the look and feel of prestige true-crime shows, using interview footage, body cams, and archival-style clips to blur the line between reality and fiction.
- The film picked up recognition on the horror fest circuit, including Best Picture at the Los Angeles Crime and Horror Film Festival and Best Sound Design at the Sherman Oaks Film Festival.
What we don’t like:
- Despite strong reviews (it currently sits at 92% Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes), the film didn’t scare up much business in theaters, topping out at $392K. But this feel like the kind of film that will build an audience on streaming.
Wednesday, December 24th, 2025
GOODBYE JUNE – Netflix
Cast: Kate Winslet, Toni Collette, Johnny Flynn, Andrea Riseborough, Timothy Spall, Helen Mirren, Stephen Merchant, Fisayo Akinade, Jeremy Swift, Raza Jaffrey
Synopsis: Four siblings’ lives change drastically when their ailing mother takes a turn for the worse over the holiday season.
What we like:
- After decades as an award-winning actress, Winslet steps behind the camera for the first time to helm this intimate family drama.
- The screenplay was written by her real-life son Joe Anders (also the son of director Sam Mendes), who penned the script when he was just 21.
- Winslet used small, close-miked microphones on actors instead of traditional boom mics to capture a more intimate, natural sound.
What we don’t like:
- We love Kate Winslet. Honestly she can do whatever she wants. But the nepotism here is a little embarrassing. Of course she thinks her son’s script is brilliant. To his credit, Joe Anders seems very aware that he’d get called a nepo baby. Really…it just gives us an excuse to post our favorite Fran Lebowitz quote:
Friday, December 26th, 2025
BUGONIA – Peacock
Cast: Emma Stone, Jesse Plemons, Alicia Silverstone, Stavros Halkias, Ash Smith
Synopsis: Two conspiracy obsessed young men kidnap the high-powered CEO of a major company, convinced that she is an alien intent on destroying planet Earth.
What we like:
- A loose remake of the 2003 South Korean cult sci-fi thriller Save the Green Planet! by Jang Joon-hwan, this Yorgos Lanthimos film is his fourth collaboration with star Emma Stone.
- Jesse Plemons plays Teddy, a conspiracy-obsessed beekeeper who becomes convinced that his boss is actually an alien from Andromeda. He’s amazing.
- Focus Features did stunt screenings before the film opened for people who were bald or willing to shave their heads.
What we don’t like:
- Look, we’re thrilled Alicia Silverstone isn’t stuck just doing sub-par holiday films like A Merry Little Ex-Mas, but Silverstone plays JESSE PLEMONS’ MOTHER in Bugonia???? This casting is Jenna Maroney-coded:
COVER- UP – Netflix
Cast: Seymour Hersh
Synopsis: For the past six decades, Seymour Hersh has been at the front lines of political journalism in the U.S. This arresting documentary, released at a crucial moment for the freedom of the press, tells the wide-ranging story of this breakthrough reporter.
What we like:
- This documentary from Oscar-winner Laura Poitras (Citizenfour) and Mark Obenhaus follows Pulitzer Prize–winning investigative journalist Seymour Hersh, best known for exposing major U.S. military and intelligence scandals over the last 50+ years.
- Part of the movie’s dramatic arc is seeing Hersh, a notoriously private and skeptical figure, finally agree to discuss his life and career on camera, giving unprecedented access to his thinking and archives.
- The film was recently nominated for Best Documentary Feature and Best Historical Documentary at the Critics’ Choice Documentary Awards.
What we don’t like:
- Reading through Hersh’s Wikipedia page, it’s clear this 118 minute documentary is going to have a tough time highlighting all of the journalist’s accomplishments. His current reporting comes mostly through his Substack, which is hilariously (and helpfully) titled ‘It’s Worse Than You Think.’
FACKHAM HALL – $14.99 Sale / TBD Rental
Cast: Ben Radcliffe, Thomasin McKenzie, Katherine Waterston, Lizzie Hopley, Emma Laird, Damian Lewis and Tom Felton
Synopsis: A new porter who embarks on an unlikely relationship with the youngest daughter of a prominent UK family. At the same time, rivalries are spilling over in the Davenport family, led by Lord and Lady Davenport as they also weather the epic failure of the wedding of their eldest daughter to her caddish cousin.
What we like:
- Fackham Hall lovingly mocks British aristocratic dramas like Downton Abbey and Gosford Park, blending Airplane!-style rapid-fire jokes with stately settings. Feels like a genre that was ripe for parody.
- British comedian Jimmy Carr co-wrote the screenplay with his brother Patrick Carr and The Dawson Brothers, and also pops up on screen as a hilariously incompetent vicar.
- The film was shot on location in historic estates and country homes around Yorkshire and Liverpool, giving it authentic production design that mimics the period films it’s parodying.
What we don’t like:
- According to the filmmakers, nearly 280 jokes are packed into the film’s 97-minute runtime. That’s a joke every 20 seconds on average. The trailer’s had some groan-worthy gags, but we must admit…we did chuckle at the ‘Our Souls/Arseholes’ bit. So we’ll watch with tempered expectations, and hope to be pleasantly surprised.
THE JESTER 2 – Shudder
Cast: Michael Sheffield, Kaytlin Trentham, Patrick Loree, Hassen Kacem, Hunter Lewis, Jessica Ambuehl, Dingani Beza
Synopsis: On Halloween night, the Jester, a malevolent supernatural trickster, crosses paths with Max, a 15-year-old girl, forcing her into an uneasy alliance for the evening. Max must use all her wits to try and outsmart a dangerous magician who is truly magic.
What we like:
- This sequel leans heavily on practical effects for its kills and illusions, including some shockingly visceral transformations, which gives the movie an old-school horror feel.
- Not many reviews on this one. Only two critics currently weighing in on Metacritc. Film Threat loved it. Screenrant, not so much.
What we don’t like:
- Fans on social platforms have embraced the film as a campy, cult horror experience, with some praising its atmosphere and the villain’s design, others having fun debating whether it’s delightfully scary or gloriously silly.
THE LIFE OF CHUCK – Hulu
Cast: Tom Hiddleston, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Karen Gillan, Mark Hamill, Jacob Tremblay and Nick Offerman
Synopsis: In this extraordinary story of an ordinary man, Charles ‘Chuck’ Krantz experiences the wonder of love, the heartbreak of loss, and the multitudes contained in all of us.
What we like:
- Written and directed by Mike Flanagan, the film marks his third Stephen King adaptation following 2017’s Gerald’s Game and 2019’s Doctor Sleep.
- The film world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2024, where it won the coveted People’s Choice Award, beating out 2nd and 3rd place finishers Emilia Pérez and Anora.
- The film unfolds in reverse chronological order, starting with Chuck’s death from a brain tumor at age 39 and then tracing backwards through his life in three acts.
What we don’t like:
- This was a rough one for distributor NEON. They made the decision to hold back the film until June 2025, and audiences pretty much just ignored it. Despite a full marketing push, and semi-wide release, it failed to break $7M at the domestic box-office. It does not seem like a Shawshank Redemption-like trajectory to build awards buzz is happening.
Saturday, December 27th, 2025
THE THREESOME – Netflix
Cast: Zoey Deutch, Jonah Hauer-King, Ruby Cruz, Jaboukie Young-White, Josh Segarra, Robert Longstreet, Arden Myrin, Kristin Slaysman, Allan McLeod, and Julia Sweeney
Synopsis: Connor is a kind and unassuming young man, who, along with his long-time crush Olivia, engages in a threesome with a sweet, alluring stranger named Jenny. This encounter sparks a relationship between Connor and Olivia, leading them to plan a life together. However, their romance faces challenges when Jenny reappears, thrusting all three into a difficult journey toward true accountability and adulthood.
What we like:
- Despite what the title might suggest, the film approaches its premise in an emotional and thoughtful way, focusing more on the characters and consequences than just the sexual encounter itself.
- The screenplay was written by Ethan Ogilby, marking his first feature film script after years working in television (including on The Simpsons).
- With this film and Nouvelle Vague, Zoey Deutch continues to impress as both an actress and a movie star.
What we don’t like:
- Despite generally strong reviews, the film failed to make much of a dent at the box-office, earning only $700K. But this is the sort of film (and subject matter) that should do very well on Netflix.
Happy Streaming Everyone!