5 excellent new movies to watch this week across Netflix, HBO Max, and more (October 19-25)

Published Oct 19, 2026, 11:00 AM EDT After graduating from Marist University with a degree in communications and journalism, Dan Girolamo has over 10 years of experience writing about entertainment and sports. Dan's work can be seen in various publications, including Digital Trends, SportsCasting, and Tom's Guide. Throughout his career, Dan has interviewed several high-profile filmmakers and creatives, including Brendan Fraser, Jamie Lee Curtis, Caitriona Balfe, Frank Grillo, Miranda Cosgrove, Jai Courtney, Chris Columbus and James Cameron. Dan joins How-To Geek as a Senior Editor. When he's not writing about entertainment, Dan is either watching a movie or praying for the New York Knicks to win a championship. We’re less than two weeks away from Halloween, and the streamers are starting to stock up on spooky movies that fit the season. One of those films is heading to Prime Video this week. It’s a gothic romance inspired by a landmark novel. Hulu is adding a compelling thriller produced by the filmmaker behind Barbarian and Weapons. As for Netflix, they’re bringing in an award-winning movie that depicted the epic fights from Ancient Rome. The kids also get to finally watch a Disney live-action remake on streaming. Finally, my top pick of the week is an excellent comedy featuring a quartet of actors that could receive award recognition. All five movies will be available to stream in the U.S. 5 Moana Disney's live-action remake of an animated tale I'm an adult, but even I know to say “It calls me” after hearing “See the line in the sky in the sea.” That is the impact Moana has had on pop culture. Disney’s 2016 animated musical adventure became a worldwide phenomenon. The movie continues to show up on the streaming charts, and the music is undeniably catchy. Ten years later, a new generation of kids will learn about the power of the ocean through the live-action remake of Moana. Catherine Laga'aia stars as Moana, the young Polynesian girl who lives on the island of Motunui. Moana is chosen by the ocean to help her village by restoring the heart of Te Fiti. The inquisitive and brave Moana sets sail and embarks on her journey of self-discovery. Along the way, she gains an ally in Maui (Dwayne Johnson), the demigod who agrees to help Moana on her journey. The same infectious songs are present in the live-action remake, even if the spirit of the original is not. Moana streams on Disney+ on Oct. 21. Moana Release Date July 10, 2026 4 The Bride! The monster finds his partner At some point in your life, you’ve probably heard of Frankenstein, the classic novel by Mary Shelley, which Guilermo del Toro adapted as a Netflix movie. Frankenstein has provided the inspiration to many offshoots, including Bride of Frankenstein. Earlier this year, we got a movie inspired by Bride of Frankenstein called The Bride!, which was written and directed by Maggie Gyllenhaal. In this tale, Frankenstein’s monster, aka Frank (Christian Bale), asks Dr. Euphronius (Annette Bening) to make him a companion. The duo works to revive Ida (Jessie Buckley), a woman killed by the mob. Without any memories of her previous life, Frank tells Ida that she is his bride, and the two embark on a criminal spree. The Bride! will ultimately be remembered for flopping at the box office. However, I appreciate swings, and The Bride! is definitely an ambitious swing with a fearless performance from Buckley. ​​​​​​​ The Bride! streams on Prime Video on Oct. 23. 3 Companion This relationship is messed up ​​​​​​​ I'm at the point where I'm going to watch anything with Zach Cregger's name attached to it. He's earned my respect after the success of Barbarian, Weapons, and Resident Evil. Cregger only produced Companion, but it has a similar vibe to Barbarian because both movies are packed with suspenseful twists and psychological thrills. Iris (Sophie Thatcher) is no ordinary woman. In fact, she's no woman at all. Iris is an AI robot programmed to be someone's companion. In this case, Iris is dating Josh Beeman (Jack Quaid). During a getaway to a lake house with friends, something tragic occurs, and a blood-soaked Iris can't explain it. That's all I will say about the plot to avoid revealing spoilers. Robots going bad has been done before. What elevates Companion is how the movie uses AI to depict a comical and eye-opening story about manipulation and control. Companion is now streaming on Hulu. 2 ​​​​​​​Gladiator Honor and glory in the arena ​​​​​​​ It wouldn't feel right to talk about Gladiator without having Hans Zimmer's excellent score playing in the background. Gladiator has all the ingredients of an epic action movie. It has the right director in Ridley Scott, a master behind hits like Alien and Blade Runner. It has the right actor in Russell Crowe, whose charisma and physicality make him a believable warrior. Finally, the Best Picture winner has an intriguing story—a man seeking revenge for the death of his loved ones—combined with sensational battle sequences to keep the audience on edge of their seats. Maximus Decimus Meridius (Crowe) is a respected Roman general and loyal soldier to Emperor Marcus Aurelius (Richard Harris). Commodus, the cowardly and conniving son of Marcus Aurelius, kills his father and seizes the throne. Commodus then orders the murder of Maximus's wife and son. After escaping execution, Maximus collapses from his injuries. Slave traders find him and sell him to a gladiator trainer. Maxiumus rises through the ranks and finds glory in the arena, but he remains motivated to exact his vengeance against Commodus in this life or the next. Gladiator streams on Netflix on Oct. 21. 1 ​​​​​​​The Invite Get ready to be uncomfortable The narrative that studios don’t release theatrical comedies anymore certainly has some truth. The days of Will Ferrell or Adam Sandler headlining a conventional studio comedy that makes over $100 million are over. However, audiences will still see comedies if they’re good. Enter The Invite, the best comedy I’ve seen in 2026. Olivia Wilde, who also directs, and Seth Rogen star as Angela and Joe, a San Francisco couple who invite the couple upstairs, Pina (Penélope Cruz) and Hawk (Edward Norton), for dinner. It’s a movie driven by conversations, with each person forced to reckon with their insecurities as upsetting truths come to light. You’re going to cringe and feel extremely uncomfortable, but man, is it funny. It's refreshing to see that adult-driven movies can still be made on this scale. Don’t be surprised when The Invite earns major recognition during awards season. The Invite streams on HBO Max on Oct. 23. The Invite Release Date June 26, 2026 What else should you watch? If you want to take a trip down the memory line, try True Detective or Killing Eve, two shows that had perfect first seasons before falling off. If you want more exciting thrillers, head to Netflix to watch Animals and Point Break.