Netflix and Prime Video are back in full force this week after a quieter stretch, with a starry crime thriller, a stripped-down revenge actioner, and a big streaming debut for one of 2026’s most notorious box-office flops. Here are the best new movies and shows to watch this week (August 25–31) across Netflix, Prime Video, Hulu, and more.
1. The Whisper Man (Netflix)
This week’s biggest streaming release is Netflix’s crime thriller based on Alex North’s novel, arriving August 28. Adam Scott plays a widowed crime author whose life eerily mirrors one of his own books when his young son is abducted, forcing him to turn to his estranged father — a retired detective played by Robert De Niro. Michelle Monaghan and Michael Keaton round out the cast as a decades-old serial killer case resurfaces.
Why watch it: A stacked cast and an unsettling premise make this the week’s must-watch original.
2. Motor City (Prime Video)
Director Potsy Ponciroli’s near-dialogue-free, rock-scored action-thriller hits Prime Video for rent/buy on August 25. Alan Ritchson plays a Vietnam War veteran in 1970s Detroit who’s framed for a crime by a local gangster (Ben Foster) and loses everything, before breaking out of prison for a revenge mission. Shailene Woodley and Pablo Schreiber also star.
Why watch it: A stylish, minimalist spin on the action-revenge genre from Reacher’s own Alan Ritchson.
3. One Hundred Years of Solitude – Part 2: Grand Finale (Netflix)
Netflix’s acclaimed adaptation of Gabriel García Márquez’s magical-realist classic wraps up with its grand finale, streaming from August 26. The concluding chapter brings the multigenerational saga of the Buendía family to a close with the same lush visuals and literary tone that made the first part a standout.
Why watch it: A rare, faithful conclusion to one of literature’s most celebrated novels, in one of the year’s most visually striking series.
4. The Last Sunrise (Prime Video)
Based on Anna Todd’s novel, this sun-soaked romantic drama lands on Prime Video August 26. Maia Reficco stars as an American student with a chronic illness who heads to Mallorca for the summer with her overprotective mother (Eva Longoria) and falls for a local, played by Fernando Lindez — a passionate romance complicated by her worsening condition and surfacing family secrets.
Why watch it: A swoony, bittersweet summer romance to close out the season.
5. Desert Warrior (Hulu)
This $150 million historical epic starring Anthony Mackie and Ben Kingsley streams on Hulu from August 28, after a troubled production and a notorious theatrical bomb earlier this year. Set in 7th-century Arabia, a princess (Aiysha Hart) defies a ruthless emperor and joins forces with a legendary bandit to unite warring tribes.
Why watch it: Curiosity value alone makes this worth a look — see one of the year’s biggest box-office flops for yourself.
6. Her Private Hell (PVOD)
Nicolas Winding Refn’s first feature in a decade is now available to rent, starring Sophie Thatcher as a troubled young woman searching for her absent father in a neon-drenched futuristic city, and Charles Melton as an American G.I. on his own rescue mission.
Why watch it: A polarizing, visually bold trip for fans of Refn’s distinct style — expect striking visuals and an unconventional narrative.
7. Reacher Season 4 (Prime Video)
Alan Ritchson’s hulking ex-military investigator is still delivering new episodes this week in Season 4, which finds Reacher pulled into a conspiracy after witnessing a woman’s death on a Philadelphia subway, alongside a local cop and the CIA on his tail.
Why watch it: Reliable, high-octane action-thriller storytelling that remains one of Prime Video’s most bingeable shows.
Quick Picks Summary
| Title | Platform | Genre |
|---|---|---|
| The Whisper Man | Netflix | Crime Thriller |
| Motor City | Prime Video | Action/Revenge |
| One Hundred Years of Solitude – Part 2 | Netflix | Magical Realism Drama |
| The Last Sunrise | Prime Video | Romantic Drama |
| Desert Warrior | Hulu | Historical Epic |
| Her Private Hell | PVOD | Surreal Sci-Fi Drama |
| Reacher Season 4 | Prime Video | Action Thriller |
That’s this week’s best new movies and shows to watch across Netflix, Prime Video, Hulu, and more. From De Niro’s return to a beloved literary saga’s finale, there’s plenty worth clearing your schedule for. Check back next week for another fresh round of streaming picks.
