This week’s slate of new movies includes two of my favorite flicks of 2025 (so far), and is particularly packed for fans of thriller and horror movies (especially if you like horror-thrillers!). Over the next seven days, Netflix, HBO Max and Hulu will have new movies to enjoy that all look worthy of your watchlist. It’s particularly tricky to pick a highlight this week because I’m excited about several of these new streaming movies.
For starters, there’s “A House of Dynamite” on Netflix, which I caught a preview screening of, and can’t wait to talk about with friends and family. Then my current favorite movie of the year, “Weapons,” heads over to HBO Max, and “The Long Walk” makes its premium streaming debut. Both make for great choices this Spooky Season.
I’m rounding up all the biggest new movies arriving across streaming services this week, but don’t forget to also check out our guide to the best new TV shows for even more viewing recommendations over the coming days.
‘Anemone’ (PVOD)
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Three-time Oscar winner Daniel Day-Lewis returned from his acting retirement to star in (and co-write) “Anemone,” a new psychological drama directed by his son, Ronan Day-Lewis. The much-celebrated Daniel Day-Lewis has always been credited with knowing how to pick his projects with barely a dud in his filmography, but this more personal project might be a rare misstep. That is, if the critical reception is any indication. The movie scored just 55% on Rotten Tomatoes. Still, the chance to see Day-Lewis back in the movies is one I can’t pass up.
Described as “a powerful story about father and sons” by Empire Magazine, “Anemone” sees two estranged brothers (one played by Day-Lewis, the other by Sean Bean) reunite at a remote cabin deep in the woods of Northern England. Once in this isolated location, family secrets and long-held resentments bubble to the surface. Even with the numerous less-than-enthusiastic reviews, I’m still excited to stream this drama flick this week.
Buy or rent on Amazon from October 21
‘The Long Walk’ (PVOD)
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I won’t mince my words here: “The Long Walk” is bleak. It’s one of the darkest movies of the year, and considering the state of the world right now, such a downbeat survival thriller might not appeal to all. But underneath the harsh dystopian setting and the cruelty of its eponymous competition, “The Long Walk” also explores the value of human connection and is anchored by phenomenal performances from Cooper Hoffman and David Jonsson. It’s worth sticking through the darkness for the rays of hope that shine through.
Based on Stephen King’s celebrated novel, “The Long Walk” is set in an alternative vision of the 20th-century United States, and sees 50 young men compete in a death march. The rules are simple: walk forward at 3 miles per hour until only one walker remains. Stop, for any reason, or fall below the pace, and competitors will be executed on the spot. The movie’s protagonist is Raymond “Ray” Garraty (Hoffman), who has entered the disturbing contest for very personal reasons. Visceral and violent, but deeply emotional, “The Long Walk” is one of the best Stephen King movie adaptations to date.
Buy or rent on Amazon from October 21
‘The Hand That Rocks the Cradle’ (Hulu)
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This week, Hulu offers up a remake of 1992’s cult horror-thriller “The Hand That Rocks the Cradle,” and while it’s understandable to be skeptical (do we really need another ‘90s remake in 2025?), there are reasons to be hopeful that this reimaging might have merit. It’s the two leads that have me willing to give this new spin on an old favorite the benefit of the doubt. Annabella Sciorra and Rebecca De Mornay starred in the original, but are subbed here for Mary Elizabeth Winstead and Maika Monroe. That’s quite the pairing.
Described as a “reimaging” (so expect at least a few narrative changes), 2025’s “The Hand That Rocks the Cradle” sees an affluent suburban mom (Winstead) hire a new nanny (Monroe) to care for her young child. But as this new carer gets settled in the plush family home, it becomes clear that this new nanny isn’t who she claims to be and has more sinister intentions.
Watch on Hulu from October 22
‘A House of Dynamite’ (Netflix)
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I’ve been seriously underwhelmed with Netflix’s new movie slate in 2025, but “A House of Dynamite” is on the way to redeem the streaming service’s original output. From Oscar-winning director Kathryn Bigelow, it’s an unnerving and uber-intense political thriller that explores how the U.S. government would respond to the unthinkable, a nuclear attack.
Opening on a day that seems like any other, radars at Fort Greely, Alaska, detect an incoming nuclear missile heading towards Chicago. This leads to a chain reaction as various governmental departments scramble to identify the source of the launch and figure out a suitable response, all the while the countdown to impact is ticking. Packing an all-star cast including Idris Elba and Rebecca Ferguson, “A House of Dynamite” presents a nightmare situation in remarkable detail. It’s far from a “feel-good” flick, but it’s an essential watch.
Watch on Netflix from October 24
‘Weapons’ (HBO Max)
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“Weapons” is my current pick for the best movie released in theatres in 2025 so far (and I’ve seen almost 80 of them). That speaks to just how highly I rate this Zach Cregger horror-thriller, and I’m far from alone in thinking the director’s follow-up to 2022’s “Barbarian” is something truly special. Framed around a gripping mystery and told from multiple unique perspectives, “Weapons” is the perfect pick for Spooky Season, and I can’t wait to rewatch it to find all the hidden clues I probably missed the first time around.
Brilliantly presented via a nonlinear narrative structure, “Weapons” sees 17 third-grade children, all from the same class, wake up in the middle of the night, walk out of their homes, disappear into the night, and never return. As concerned parents seek somebody to blame, and the authorities attempt to explain this bizarre event, the layers are slowly peeled back until a thrilling (and very satisfying) conclusion. Trust me, “Weapons” is worthy of the hype.
Watch on HBO Max from October 24
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