Consider this your edit of the series and movies worth pressing play on now, from dark, psychologically driven dramas to slow-burn thrillers and quietly compelling character studies. From the iconic The Devil Wears Prada 2 to The Drama, alongside the latest releases and returning favourites already generating conversation, these are the shows setting the tone for what to watch now.
Movies
The Devil Wears Prada 2
When & Where to Watch: In NZ cinemas from 30 April
Starring: Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt, Stanley Tucci
Twenty years after the original, Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt and Stanley Tucci all return to the offices of Runway magazine — joined by Kenneth Branagh, Simone Ashley, Lucy Liu and Lady Gaga, who contributes an original song. This time, Miranda Priestly faces a more existential crisis: keeping legacy media alive in a digital-first world. The teaser trailer broke records as the most-viewed comedy trailer in 15 years.
Project Hail Mary
When & Where to Watch: In cinemas now
Starring: Ryan Gosling, Sandra Hüller, Milana Vayntrub, Ken Leung
Ryan Gosling stars as a schoolteacher who wakes alone on a spaceship with no memory and a mission to save Earth, in Phil Lord and Christopher Miller’s adaptation of Andy Weir’s beloved novel. Smart, funny, visually dazzling and surprisingly moving, it has the rare quality of making a cinema full of strangers feel something at the same time. Gosling has rarely been better, and the interstellar friendship at the film’s heart is one you won’t forget quickly. See it on the biggest screen you can find.
The Drama
When & Where to Watch: In cinemas now
Starring: Zendaya, Robert Pattinson, Alana Haim, Mamoudou Athie
Zendaya and Robert Pattinson star as a Boston couple whose wedding week is derailed by an unexpected confession during a drunken party game — one that neither can easily move past. Part dark comedy, part relationship thriller, part provocation, with two career-highlight performances and the kind of central dilemma that will follow you out of the cinema and straight into an argument with whoever you saw it with. You’ve been warned.
Lorne
When & Where to Watch: In cinemas now
Featuring: Lorne Michaels, Tina Fey, Chris Rock, John Mulaney
Morgan Neville, the Oscar-winning director behind Won’t You Be My Neighbor? and 20 Feet from Stardom turns his lens on Lorne Michaels, the enigmatic creator of Saturday Night Live. Featuring exclusive behind-the-scenes footage and candid interviews with Tina Fey, Chris Rock, Conan O’Brien, John Mulaney, Maya Rudolph, Kristen Wiig and Paul Simon, the film is less a revealing portrait than an immensely entertaining one — funnier than most comedies in cinemas right now, and a must for anyone who cares about how comedy gets made.
No Other Choice
When & Where to Watch: Rent or buy on Apple TV & Prime Video
Starring: Lee Byung-hun, Son Ye-jin, Park Hee-soon, Cha Seung-won
If you missed Park Chan-wook’s latest in cinemas, now is the time. A paper industry expert is fired after 25 years and, in a state of escalating desperation, begins eliminating his job competition — literally. Based on Donald Westlake’s novel The Ax, it holds a staggering 97% on Rotten Tomatoes, earned a standing ovation at Venice, and is somehow both one of the funniest and most unsettling films of the past twelve months. Lee Byung-hun is extraordinary. Essential viewing for anyone who has ever fantasised, even briefly, about dismantling the corporate ladder.
Mother Mary
When & Where to Watch: In NZ cinemas from 14 May
Starring: Anne Hathaway, Michaela Coel, Hunter Schafer, FKA Twigs
David Lowery’s psychosexual pop thriller stars Anne Hathaway as an iconic pop star reuniting with her estranged best friend and former costume designer, played by Michaela Coel, on the eve of a comeback performance. With Hunter Schafer, FKA Twigs and Kaia Gerber rounding out a magnetic cast, and original music by Jack Antonoff and Charli XCX, it’s a strange, bewitching piece of filmmaking — the kind of A24 release you either surrender to completely or argue about for weeks. Already playing in the US; arrives in New Zealand cinemas in May.
Apex
When & Where to Watch: Netflix from 24 April
Starring: Charlize Theron, Taron Egerton, Eric Bana
A survival thriller set in the Australian wilderness. A grieving woman on a solo adventure is ensnared in a deadly game of cat and mouse with a ruthless killer who thinks she’s prey. Directed by Baltasar Kormákur, who knows how to shoot landscapes and escalating tension in equal measure (Everest, Adrift). It’s the kind of taut, star-powered Netflix drop that justifies keeping the subscription — perfect for a rainy Auckland evening.
Michael
When & Where to Watch: In NZ cinemas from 22 April
Starring: Jaafar Jackson, Colman Domingo, Nia Long, Miles Teller
Antoine Fuqua’s musical biopic of Michael Jackson, starring the King of Pop’s nephew Jaafar Jackson in his film debut. The film traces Jackson’s journey from the Jackson 5 through the creation of Off the Wall, Thriller and Bad, with Colman Domingo as Joe Jackson, Nia Long as Katherine, and Miles Teller as entertainment lawyer John Branca. Tracking suggests a record-breaking opening for a musical biopic — and regardless of where you stand on the man, the spectacle of the performances alone should be worth the ticket. Yellowstone.
Outcome
When & Where to Watch: Apple TV
Starring: Keanu Reeves, Jonah Hill, Cameron Diaz, Matt Bomer
Keanu Reeves plays a beloved Hollywood star, five years sober, whose carefully rebuilt life is upended when a blackmailer surfaces with a career-ending video. Directed by Jonah Hill, who also co-stars as Reef’s crisis lawyer, it’s a dark comedy that’s sharply divided critics — but at a brisk 83 minutes and with Reeves turning in some of his most quietly affecting work, it’s worth a watch on a quiet evening.
Tv Series
Your Friends & Neighbours Season 2
When & Where to Watch: 3rd April, Apple TV
Starring: Jon Hamm, Amanda Peet, Olivia Munn
Andrew Cooper (Hamm) doubles down on his life as an unlikely suburban thief, until the arrival of a new neighbour threatens to expose his secrets and place his family at risk.
Euphoria Season 3
When & Where to Watch: 13th April, Neon
Starring: Zendaya, Sydney Sweeney, Jacob Elordi
The long-awaited return after a four-year hiatus. Five years have passed for the former students of East Highland High, with Rue now in Mexico, Cassie and Nate engaged in the suburbs, and Jules navigating art school. Creator Sam Levinson has conceived the third season as a film noir.
The Boys Season 5
When & Where to Watch: 8th April, Prime Video
Starring: Karl Urban, Jack Quaid, Antony Starr
The long-awaited return after a four-year hiatus. Five years have passed for the former students of East Highland High, with Rue now in Mexico, Cassie and Nate engaged in the suburbs, and Jules navigating art school. Creator Sam Levinson has conceived the third season as a film noir.
Margo’s Got Money Troubles
When & Where to Watch: 15th April, AppleTV
Starring: Elle Fanning, Michelle Pfeiffer, Nicole Kidman, Nick Offerman
Based on Rufi Thorpe’s bestselling novel, this bold comedy-drama follows Margo, a college dropout and new mum — the daughter of an ex-Hooters waitress and ex-pro wrestler — who turns to OnlyFans to pay the bills. When her estranged father re-enters her life, his advice from the wrestling world proves unexpectedly useful. From David E. Kelley (Big Little Lies, The Undoing) and A24.
Beef Season 2
When & Where to Watch: 17th April, Netflix
Starring: Oscar Isaac, Carey Mulligan, Charles Melton, Cailee Spaeny
Set at an elite country club, two young employees film an alarming fight between their boss and his wife — and ignite a blackmail war neither side can win. Fresh cast, same sharp writing.
Running Point Season 2
When & Where to Watch: 23rd April, Netflix
Starring: Kate Hudson, Justin Theroux, Brenda Song
Isla Gordon is no longer the surprise choice to lead the Los Angeles Waves — she’s the one everyone is watching. With the franchise rebounding after last year’s scandal, Isla is determined to prove she’s not just keeping the seat warm for her brother Cam.
Young Sherlock
When & Where to Watch: Prime Video
Starring: Hero Fiennes Tiffin, Dónal Finn, Zine Tseng
A fresh take on a familiar figure, Young Sherlock revisits the world’s most famous detective in his formative years. Less about polished deduction and more about curiosity and instinct, the series traces the early experiences that begin to shape the mind behind the legend.
The Madison
When & Where to Watch: Neon
Starring: Michelle Pfeiffer, Kurt Russell, Matthew Fox
he series follows the Clyburn family, originally from New York City, who relocate to the Madison River valley of southwest Montana for emotional recovery following a life-changing tragedy. From Taylor Sheridan, the creator of Yellowstone.
Scarpetta
When & Where to Watch: Prime Video
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Jamie Lee Curtis, Simon Baker
A sleek, psychologically driven crime drama, Scarpetta follows a brilliant forensic pathologist navigating a series of complex cases where science and instinct collide. Dark, atmospheric and quietly gripping, it leans into the intricacies of investigation while exploring the personal cost of living so close to death.
DTF St. Louis
When & Where to Watch: Neon
Starring: Jason Bateman, David Harbour, Linda Cardellini
Provocative and unfiltered, DTF St. Louis dives into the complexities of modern relationships, intimacy and identity. Set against the backdrop of midwestern America, it’s a candid, often confronting exploration of connection in an era where nothing feels entirely straightforward.
Rooster
When & Where to Watch: Neon
Starring: Steve Carell, Charly Clive, Scott MacArthur
Grounded and character-led, Rooster centres on a small-town figure navigating shifting loyalties and quiet tensions beneath the surface. With a slow, deliberate pace, it leans into mood and nuance, revealing the weight of community, reputation and personal history.
Paradise Season 2
When & Where to Watch: Disney+
Starring: Sterling K. Brown, James Marsden, Julianne Nicholson
Returning with greater scale and sharper stakes, Paradise builds on its first season with a deeper dive into power, control and the illusion of perfection. Sun-drenched on the surface but simmering underneath, it’s a continuation that promises more intrigue, tension and unexpected turns.
The Dinosaurs
When & Where to Watch: Netflix
Starring: Morgan Freeman
Blending nostalgia with contemporary storytelling, The Dinosaurs reimagines prehistoric life through a modern lens. With sharp humour and unexpected emotional depth, it offers a playful yet thoughtful take on family, survival and the rhythms of everyday life, just set several million years earlier.
56 Days
When & Where to Watch: Prime Video
Starring: Dove Cameron, Avan Jogia, Megan Peta Hill
Taut and twist-laden, 56 Days unfolds within the confines of a pandemic lockdown, where a seemingly chance romance quickly unravels into something far more sinister. What begins as an intimate two-hander evolves into a slow-burn thriller, peeling back layers of deception with each episode.
Imperfect Women
When & Where to Watch: Apple TV+
Starring: Elisabeth Moss, Kerry Washington, Kate Mara
Glossy on the surface but quietly unraveling beneath, Imperfect Women centres on three lifelong friends whose seemingly perfect lives are disrupted by a shocking crime. What follows is a slow-burn unpicking of friendship, loyalty and long-held secrets, where every revelation feels more personal than the last. Polished, tense and character-driven, it’s the kind of series that lingers well beyond its final episode.
