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:
Tuesday, September 1st, 2026
I WANT YOUR SEX – $24.99 Sale / $19.99 Rental
Cast: Olivia Wilde, Cooper Hoffman, Mason Gooding, Chase Sui Wonders, Daveed Diggs, Charli xcx
Synopsis: When fresh-faced Elliot lands an exciting job for renowned artist, icon and provocateur Erika Tracy, his fantasies come true as Erika taps him to become her sexual muse. But Elliot soon finds himself out of his depth as Erika takes him on a journey more profound than he ever could have imagined, into a world of sex, obsession, power, betrayal and murder.
What we like:
- A major return for director Gregg Araki, one of the defining filmmakers of the New Queer Cinema movement. His earlier work includes The Doom Generation and Mysterious Skin, and I Want Your Sex continues his reputation for provocative, colorful and sexually frank filmmaking.
- The story was partly conceived as a reversal of familiar power dynamics. Araki has said the project began as a BDSM satire with reversed gender roles, and that its development was influenced by changing conversations about sex and power in the post-#MeToo era.
- Olivia Wilde is this summer’s comeback queen, combining this terrific performance with her fantastic turn (both as actor and director) in The Invite.
- After it world premiered at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, critics raved. It currently sits at 92% Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes.
What we don’t like:
- While critics praised its sex-positive audacity, audiences responded with a more mixed 66% approval rating, divided over whether the movie’s chaotic third-act slide into murder and a police investigation trivialized or undermined its own sexual commentary.
JUST PLAY DEAD – $14.99 Sale / TBD Rental
Cast: Samuel L.Jackson, Eva Green
Synopsis: A criminal mastermind (Samuel L. Jackson) plans to fake his death for insurance money while framing his wife’s lover. His wife (Eva Green) plots to kill him for real and take it all. Both race to outmaneuver each other in a deadly battle of wits.
What we like:
- Well…we love the above-the-line talent involved. Samuel L. Jackson and Eva Green are always watchable, and it’s directed by Martin Campbell, who helmed Casino Royale. It’s our favorite James Bond film of the 21st Century. And that also co-starred Eva Green, so maybe they can re-capture some of the magic?
- It was written by Dan Gordon, whose screenwriting credits include the Denzel Washington boxing biopic The Hurricane, and the Lawrence Kasdan Western Wyatt Earp.
- In addition to starring, Jackson was also one of the film’s executive producers.
What we don’t like:
- No Rotten Tomatoes score yet as we’re writing this, but hoo boy…the initial reviews are brutal. Here’s hoping Jackson and Green were able to buy a nice house with the paycheck like Michael Caine did back in 80s:
ROMERIA – The Criterion Channel
Cast: Llúcia Garcia, Mitch, Tristán Ulloa, Miryam Gallego, Sara Casasnovas, Alberto Gracia, Marina Troncoso, José Ángel Egido, Janet Novás, Celine Tyll
Synopsis: With her mother’s diary in hand, Marina’s search for official documents for university leads her to her biological family on the Atlantic coast. What starts as an administrative quest reveals long-buried family secrets.
What we like:
- This Spanish drama was written and directed by Carla Simón, and is a fictional account of Simón’s childhood and the story of her parents, who both died when she was very young. The filmmaker has described the project as growing out of frustration surrounding her family history and the silences surrounding it.
- Romería was selected for the main competition of the 2025 Cannes Film Festival, putting Simón in contention for the prestigious Palme d’Or. It was her first film to compete in Cannes’ main competition, and notable since Cannes has a terrible track record of including female filmmakers in the main competition.
- The film’s critical reception was overwhelmingly positive. It currently sits at 92% Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes.
What we don’t like:
- Despite all the terrific reviews, Janus Films failed to attract much business at the arthouse box-office. To-date, it has earned only $147K domestically. It’s well worth checking out now that it’s hitting the Criterion Channel.
THE WRONG GIRLS – $19.99 Sale / TBD Rental
Cast: Kristen Stewart, Alia Shawkat, Seth Rogen, Geena Davis, LaKeith Stanfield, Kumail Nanjiani, Zack Fox, and Tony Hale
Synopsis: Two codependent best friends living paycheck to paycheck and bong rip to bong rip get caught in a case of mistaken identity that throws their lives into chaos.
What we like:
- This stoner comedy is the feature directorial debut of Dylan Meyer, who also wrote the screenplay. She and star Kristen Stewart have been married since 2025.
- In addition to co-stars Stewart and Alia Shawkat, the film’s cast is stacked with talented actors, including LaKeith Stanfield, Kumail Nanjiani, Cate Blanchett, Tony Hale, and Geena Davis. More Geena Davis in movies please!!
- Reviews were mixed, it currently sits at 59% Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes. But some critics really liked its proudly stupid vibes.
What we don’t like:
- We’re not the biggest fans of stoner comedies, people acting stoned/stupid just doesn’t do it for us. We hope Stewart does more films where she can show off her fierce intelligence and intensity. We recently caught her interview with the New York Times, and she’s so smart and thoughtful. Check out this clip…her nervous energy is electric:
Also Streaming Tuesday:
Wednesday, September 2nd, 2026
THE RUNNER – Prime Video
Cast: Gal Gadot, Damian Lewis, Kenton Lloyd Morgan
Synopsis: Threatened by an anonymous source who has kidnapped her son, Maia, a lawyer, must travel on foot throughout London to kill a client she represents to save her son.
What we like:
- This British action thriller is directed by Kevin McDonald, who is best known as a documentarian. His credits include music docs One to One: John & Yoko, Whitney, and Marley.
- Gal Gadot is the titular character, and she basically has to Dirty Harry her way across London to save her kidnapped son.
- Damian Lewis co-stars as ‘Caller’, so we assume he must be the villain? Anyway…it’s 84 minutes long. There’s only so much running Gal Gadot can do.
What we don’t like:
- Speaking of Gal Gadot running…according to a recent interview, Gadot worked with an Olympic coach to improve her running technique for the physically demanding role. Unfortunately, she suffered a serious foot injury during the shoot and ultimately finished the movie on crutches. There’s probably a Gal Gadot acting metaphor in there somewhere…we just don’t have the energy to unpack it.
STAR WARS: THE MANDALORIAN AND GROGU – Disney+
Cast: Pedro Pascal, Sigourney Weaver, Jeremy Allen White, and Jonny Coyne
Synopsis: The evil Empire has fallen, and Imperial warlords remain scattered throughout the galaxy. As the fledgling New Republic works to protect everything the Rebellion fought for, they have enlisted the help of legendary Mandalorian bounty hunter Din Djarin and his young apprentice Grogu.
What we like:
- After three seasons as a Disney+ series, the titular duo made the jump to the big screen for their first feature-film adventure. Jon Favreau, who helped create The Mandalorian tv series, directs and also co-wrote the movie with Dave Filoni and Noah Kloor.
- The film was filmed for IMAX and was specifically designed to take advantage of the larger theatrical format, giving Mando and Grogu a much bigger cinematic canvas than the television series.
- Ludwig Göransson, whose work on The Mandalorian became instantly iconic, composed the film’s score. It’s incredible that he’s been able to follow in John Williams’ massive footsteps and thrive. What a daunting assignment!
What we don’t like:
- Even with the IMAX bells and whistles, many critics argued that the film suffered from a “televisual” feel, lacking the galaxy-altering stakes, visual scope, and pacing that fans expect from a big-screen Star Wars movie. Despite being one of the most recognizable brands in entertainment, the film became one of the lowest-grossing entries in the franchise.
Thursday, September 3rd, 2026
THE PRESIDENT’S CAKE – Netflix
Cast: Baneen Ahmed Nayyef, Waheeda Thabet, and Sajad Mohamad Qasem
Synopsis: While people across 1990s Iraq struggle to survive the war and food shortages, the President requires each school in the country to prepare a cake to celebrate his birthday. Despite her efforts to avoid getting picked, 9-year-old Lamia is chosen among her classmates. The young girl must now use her wits and imagination to gather ingredients and prepare the mandatory cake.
What we like:
- This acclaimed drama from first time filmmaker Hasan Hadi world premiered in the Director’s Fortnight section of the 2025 Cannes Film Festival, where it won the Camera d’Or and the Audience Award.
- The film was selected as Iraq’s official entry for the Academy Awards and made the shortlist for Best International Feature. It was not ultimately nominated.
- Director Hadi was nominated in the Best First Time Feature Film category at the 2025 DGA Awards.
What we don’t like:
- Despite the festival and awards acclaim, Sony Pictures Classics struggled to attract much business at the arthouse box-office. The film earned a little over $250k domestically. But this sweet film will hopefully find an audience on Netflix.
SCARY MOVIE – Paramount+
Cast: Marlon Wayans, Shawn Wayans, Anna Faris, and Regina Hall
Synopsis: Twenty-six years after outrunning a suspiciously familiar masked killer, the Core Four are back in the killer’s crosshairs and no horror movie IP is safe.
What we like:
- The Scary Movie core four, Marlon Wayans, Shawn Wayans, Anna Faris, and Regina Hall, reunite for the first time in more than two decades.
- Its targets include contemporary horror trends such as reboots, legacy sequels, “final chapters,” and prestige-style horror, alongside specific films including Sinners, Weapons, and Get Out.
- The first trailer generated more than 410 million views in its first seven days, making it Paramount’s second-biggest trailer debut ever.
What we don’t like:
- When the first trailer for the reboot dropped, it immediately went viral and sparked an online movement among some Gen Z viewers. Many younger viewers took to social media to complain that the jokes were outdated, offensive, and “cringe”. With a C+ Cinemascore, it sounds like Gen Z wasn’t the only generation cringing.
Friday, September 4th, 2026
ERUPCJA – MUBI
Cast: Charli XCX, Lena Góra, Will Madden, Agata Trzebuchowska, and Jeremy O. Harris
Synopsis: A romantic vacation goes awry when a volcanic eruption strands Bethany (Charli xcx) and her soon-to-be fiancé, Rob (Will Madden) in Warsaw, Poland. Bethany takes the explosive event as a sign to ditch her baggage, reunite with childhood friend Nel (Lena Góra) and traipse across lofts, clubs and back alleys, all the while becoming entangled in an emotional web that challenges her sense of self.
What we like:
- The movie stars pop musician Charli XCX in one of her first major dramatic acting roles, and she also co-wrote and produced the film.
- The title “Erupcja” literally means “eruption” in Polish, fitting because the story uses a volcanic eruption as both a plot device and a metaphor for emotional chaos and attraction.
- The screenplay was unusually collaborative. Besides director Peter Ohs and Charli XCX, the credited writers include several of the movie’s stars, including Lena Góra, Jeremy O. Harris, and Will Madden.
What we don’t like:
- Despite strong festival buzz and positive reviews (it currently sits at 85% Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes), the film failed to attract much business at the arthouse. It grossed only about $229K at the domestic box-office.
FUZE – HBO Max
Cast: Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Theo James, Sam Worthington, and Gugu Mbatha-Raw
Synopsis: Set in contemporary London, Fuze unfolds after an unexploded World War II bomb is unearthed at a busy construction site, forcing a massive citywide evacuation. Amid the escalating tension and chaos, a daring criminal operation is set in motion—one that uses the evacuation as cover for a meticulously planned heist. As authorities race against time to contain the crisis, alliances blur and moral boundaries are crossed, the film deftly propels audiences through a series of calculated twists delivering a wildly entertaining ride.
What we like:
- The film combines two thriller sub-genres at once: a bomb-disposal race-against-time movie and a heist film. It was filmed on location in central London, giving it a tactile sense of place. No green-screen overload on this one, and we love that.
- It was directed by David Mackenzie, who helmed the terrific Best Picture Oscar nominee Hell or High Water.
- The film world premiered at the 2025 Toronto Film Festival and got decent reviews. It currently sits at 72% Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes.
What we don’t like:
- Despite its strong cast and solid reviews, the movie underperformed commercially, earning only around $3 million worldwide during its theatrical run.
THE GIRL IN THE RIVER – $14.99 Sale / TBD Rental
Cast: Maggie Grace, Devon Sawa, Tiffany Haddish, Ralph Macchio
Synopsis: A seasoned criminologist and a forensic psychologist are drawn to a remote town to investigate a child’s murder and her twin’s disappearance, only for the case to spiral into obsession as they race against time to catch a killer before it’s too late.
What we like:
- This crime thriller fascinatingly stars four actors who peaked in different decades. Let’s break it down:
- Ralph Macchio (1980s) – The Karate Kid I, II, III, The Outsiders
- Devon Sawa (1990s) – Casper, Final Destination, Idle Hands
- Maggie Grace (2000s) – The Fog, Taken, Lost
- Tiffany Haddish (2010s) – Girls Trip, Keanu
- The film is the feature directorial debut of Brando Benetton, who also wrote the screenplay. Interestingly…his name can also be broken down by things that peaked in different decades:
- Marlon Brando – Multi-decade peak (50s, 60s, 70s)
- Benetton – The United Colors of Benetton clothing campaign (80s)
What we don’t like:
- As you can probably tell, there’s not much to write about for The Girl in the River. We’re sorry for the girl in the river, and we hope our multi-generational stars catch her killer.
MAYDAY – Apple TV
Cast: Ryan Reynolds, Kenneth Branagh, Marcin Dorocinski, Maria Bakalova, David Morse
Synopsis: Ryan Reynolds and Kenneth Branagh team up in “Mayday,” a genre-bending, action-packed buddy comedy that flips the spy thriller on its head. When hotshot U.S. Navy pilot Lieutenant Troy “Assassin” Kelly (Reynolds) is sent on a top-secret mission into Russian territory at the height of the Cold War, the operation implodes, leaving him stranded behind enemy lines. Discovered by Nikolai Ustinov (Branagh), a gruff ex-KGB agent with a penchant for American culture, Troy thinks he’s toast — but could an unlikely alliance between the two lead to Troy’s rescue and a bond neither saw coming?
What we like:
- Jonathan Goldstein and John Francis Daley wrote and directed this action comedy. They’re also the filmmaking duo behind two of the best action comedies of the last ten years: Game Night and Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves. Very encouraging!
- Goldstein and Daley have described the film as drawing on the spirit of movies such as Planes, Trains and Automobiles and Midnight Run, while putting that mismatched-partners formula into a Cold War action setting.
- Ryan Reynolds and Kenneth Branagh co-star, with Reynolds bringing his familiar wisecracking comic persona, while Branagh plays the gruff former KGB operative. Reynolds is also an executive producer on the film.
What we don’t like:
- With a reported budget of over $100M, this one has been sitting on the shelf for over two years. The fact that Apple chose to go straight to streaming without a theatrical release is…worrying.
PARASOMNIA – Shudder
Cast: Jasmine Mathews, RJ Brown, Sally Stewart, Stephen Barrington, Danny Brown, Simon Longnight
Synopsis: PARASOMNIA follows Riley, a young woman tormented by night terrors and a past of unresolved tragedy. When her best friend is the latest to go missing, she begins to suspect the demonic figure lurking in her sleep has crossed over into the real world.
What we like:
- This thriller is the feature directorial debut of James Ross II, who won the Student Short Film Showcase Award at the 2023 Gotham Awards for his short film Don’t Blink.
- Though not uniformly positive, the film received pretty good reviews after its world premiere at last year’s FrightFest London.
- Jasmine Mathews, who is probably best known for her roles in The Tomorrow War and TV’s The Rookie, leads the cast.
What we don’t like:
- Shudder usually does a terrific job putting together evocative posters for their originals, but the poster for Parasomnia left us a little underwhelmed. We suppose they can’t hit it out of the park every time!
Also Streaming Friday
Happy Streaming Everyone!
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