‘Lanterns,’ ‘X-Men ‘97’ highlight the top streams for this week
‘Lanterns,’ ‘X-Men ‘97’ highlight the top streams for this week
It’ll be a heroic week in streaming, with the ‘X-Men ‘97’ Season 2 finale and the ‘Lanterns’ series premiere debuting.
Football fans, rejoice: we’ve made it. From now until February, there are no weeks without a major football game on the schedule — if you’re willing to put NFL preseason games under the umbrella of “major football games,” as I am. Each team in the league will play their first preseason game this week, giving fans their first glimpse at what the year to come could be like.
For the non-football fans out there, however, we’ve assembled our standard list of new TV show and movie premieres to watch this week. Check out the titles we recommend watching each and every day of the week to come below!
Monday, Aug. 10
‘Michael’ streaming premiere | STARZ
Missed it by just a few days. Back in April, when the Michael Jackson biopic “Michael” was first released in theaters, we predicted the film would arrive on STARZ on Friday, Aug. 14. Instead, the streamer will roll the film out to help you get your week started.
The film follows the early life and career of Michael Jackson, one of the most influential artists of all time. It covers Jackson’s early childhood as part of the Jackson 5, his break with his father Joe, and the beginning of his solo career, during which he became a global superstar. Star Jafaar Jackson has received near-universal praise for his portrayal of the King of Pop.
Tuesday, Aug. 11
‘Dana White’s Contender Series’ Season 10 premiere | Paramount+
Who will the next generation of UFC greats be? “Dana White’s Contender Series” introduces fans to a new crop of mixed martial artists who want to secure a contract with UFC. Who will make an impression on White, and who will wash out before they can make it to the big time?
Paramount Plus
Paramount+ is a subscription video streaming service that includes on-demand access to 40,000+ TV show episodes from BET, CBS, Comedy Central, MTV, Nickelodeon, Nick Jr., and more. Get free access with a Walmart+ subscription.
Paramount+ includes “1883,” “Tulsa King,” “Star Trek: Discovery,” “SpongeBob SquarePants,” and “PAW Patrol.” Subscribers can watch the NFL, college football, The Masters, college basketball, UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League, Serie A, and NWSL. The service also offers the option to watch your live CBS affiliate. The upgraded ad-free package includes premium movies and shows from Showtime.
The series first aired in 2017, and has served as the launchpad for numerous UFC careers, including Sean O’Malley, Jamahal Hill, Jack Della Maddalena, Carlos Prates, Michael Morales, Bo Nickal, Maycee Barber, Jailton Almeida, Brendan Allen, Caio Borralho, Johnny Walker and more.
Wednesday, Aug. 12
‘X-Men '97’ Season 2 finale | Disney+
This season of “X-Men ‘97” has completely lived up to the first, and in some ways surpassed it. The crushingly powerful loss of Magneto in the early part of the season was so devastating that I had to put it down for a few weeks. I should have anticipated the emotional ruin the show is willing to put its audience through, but it still caught me by surprise.
X-Men ‘97
The X-Men, a band of mutants who use their uncanny gifts to protect a world that hates and fears them, are challenged like never before, forced to face a dangerous and unexpected new future.
So, what does the Season 2 finale have in store? The show has hit some of the X-Men’s most familiar beats this season, including the return of Apocalypse and a trip to the Savage Land. What does it have planned for the Season 2 finale? I’m cautiously anxious to find out.
Thursday, Aug. 13
MLB Field of Dreams game, Philadelphia Phillies vs Minnesota Twins | Netflix
Netflix is still new to the MLB broadcasting game, and it’s very much getting its feet under it. As The Streamable's Matt Tamanini wrote in March, Netflix still has a ways to go before it can be considered a truly good baseball broadcaster.
Netflix
Netflix is a leading subscription-based video streaming service that offers on-demand access to an extensive library of over 3,000 movies, 2,000+ TV shows, and a growing collection of acclaimed Netflix originals. Renowned for producing groundbreaking content, Netflix has become a cultural powerhouse with hit originals like “Stranger Things,” “Wednesday,” “Squid Game,” “The Crown,” “Tiger King,” “Bridgerton,” “The Witcher,” and “Black Mirror.”
The streamer will get its next chance to level up its baseball broadcasting game on Thursday, when the Phillies will take on the Twins in a cornfield in Dyersville, Iowa, where the original “Field of Dreams” movie was filmed. The game on the field holds little interest for me, but I am highly fascinated to see if Netflix takes a step forward in its hosting duties.
Friday, Aug. 14
‘The X-Files: I Want to Believe Vrach Frankenshteyn’ premiere | Hulu
Hulu is helping fans to revisit the 2008 film “The X-Files: I Want to Believe” with this never-before-seen director’s cut. The movie will lean further into the horror elements at its core, in line with director Chris Carter’s original vision for it.
Years after walking away from the FBI, Fox Mulder and Dr. Dana Scully are pulled back from the shadows when a federal agent vanishes without a trace. Forced to confront the ghosts of their past, the partners must navigate a chilling winter landscape and an even darker human monstrosity.
Saturday, Aug. 15
‘Aussie at Heart’ original movie premiere | Hallmark Channel, stream with a subscription to Philo
Alright, this week has been packed with nearly non-stop action, so let’s slow things down a little bit with this new Hallmark original. The movie stars Rhiannon Fish as Samara, a former lawyer who left that life behind to pursue event planning with few regrets.
Philo
Philo is a live TV streaming service designed for entertainment lovers, offering flexible ways to watch without the high price of traditional TV bundles. The service now features two paid plans — Essential and Bundle+ — alongside its existing free streaming offering, giving customers a range of options depending on how much live and premium content they want.
But when she’s forced to reunite with her ex-coworker and fierce rival Nate (Daniel Lissing) to plan a couple’s anniversary down under, the pair are forced to truly reexamine their past. As they do, and as they prepare a party in Queensland, the couple begins to fall for each other.
Sunday, Aug. 16
‘Lanterns’ series premiere | HBO Max
HBO Max is ready to roll out its next major title from the DCU in “Lanterns.” The show stars Aaron Pierre as Lantern recruit John Stewart, who has been taken under the wing of grizzled Lantern Corps veteran Hal Jordan to learn the ropes.
Drawn to Earth to investigate a crime in the American heartland, the pair soon realize that the case has consequences that could reverberate across the stars. But as they work to investigate, they must try to keep the strain of their partnership from derailing their mission.