Whats new to streaming this week? (March 21, 2025)

Looking for something great to watch at home? Streaming subscribers are spoiled for choice between Hulu, Netflix, Max, Disney+, Apple TV+, Prime Video, Shudder, Paramount+, Peacock, and more. And that's before you even look at the vast libraries of movies and television programs within each one!

Don't be overwhelmed or waste an hour scrolling through your services to determine what to watch. We've got your back, whatever your mood. Mashable offers watch guides for all of the above, broken down by genre: comedy, thriller, horror, documentary, and animation, among others.

But if you're seeking something brand spanking new (or just new to streaming), we've got you covered there, too.

Mashable's entertainment team has scoured the streaming services to highlight the most buzzed-about releases of this week and ranked them from worst to best — or least worth your time to most watchable. Whether you're looking for some critically heralded drama, true crime suspense, musical euphoria, or Oscar–winning cinema, we've got something just for you.

Here's what's new on streaming, from worst to best.

8. Exhibiting Forgiveness

Artist Titus Kaphar's feature-length debut Exhibiting Forgiveness, which he both wrote and directed, hits Hulu this week, having premiered at last year's Sundance before a run in cinemas last October. The drama sees André Holland (Moonlight) as successful artist, husband, and father Tarrell, who uses painting to both extract beauty and protect himself from past trauma. But when his estranged father La'Ron (John Earl Jelks) shows up unexpectedly, old wounds reopen, and both his wife Aisha (Andra Day, The United States vs. Billie Holiday) and mother Joyce (Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, Nickel Boys) encourage him to consider hearing him out. — Shannon Connellan, UK Editor

Starring: André Holland, Andra Day, Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, and John Earl Jelks

How to watch: Exhibiting Forgiveness is now streaming on Hulu.

7. Wicked

Something has changed in streaming, something is not the same. Wicked is finally hitting Peacock this week, so you can dance through life at home as many times as you damn well please. If you didn't get the chance to hang with the right cohorts Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo) and Glinda (Ariana Grande) and experience the story of pre-Dorothy Oz in cinemas, you can stream director Jon M. Chu's dazzling, star-studded, Oscar–nominated screen adaptation at home — and given it's only Part 1, you'll want to be ready for when the second installment hits.

In Mashable entertainment editor Kristy Puchko's review of the film, she wrote, "Indulgent and unwieldy as it is, Wicked is a thrill, at times wildly funny, heart-soaring, and ultimately inspirational in spite of itself." It's time to trust your instincts, close your eyes, and streeeeeeeam. — S.C.

Starring: Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jeff Goldblum, Michelle Yeoh, Jonathan Bailey, Ethan Slater, and Marissa Bode

How to watch: Wicked debuts on Peacock on March 21.

6. The Residence

The murder of a key White House staff member shakes up a state dinner in Shondaland and Netflix's The Residence. Uzo Aduba stars as Cordelia Cupp, the world's greatest detective, who is brought in to investigate the mysterious death of White House chief usher A.B. Wynter (Giancarlo Esposito). But with doubtful FBI agents on her heels and a sprawling ensemble of possible suspects — including pop icon Kylie Minogue — will she be able to crack this complicated case?

By all accounts, this set up should lead to glorious, juicy payoff, especially with former Scandal writer Paul William Davies at the helm. But The Residence stalls at every turn, with uninspired gags and an unnecessary Congressional hearing framing device bogging down what could have been a snappy whodunnit. Even Aduba's sharp leading performance can't make The Residence tick. — Belen Edwards, Entertainment Reporter

Starring: Uzo Aduba, Randall Park, Giancarlo Esposito, Al Franken, Andrew Friedman, Julian McMahon, Edwina Findley, Molly Griggs, Jason Lee, Ken Marino, Al Mitchell, Dan Perrault, Bronson Pinchot, Susan Kelechi Watson, Isiah Whitlock Jr., Mary Wiseman, Spencer Garrett, Kylie Minogue, Jane Curtin, James Babson, Eliza Coupe, Izzy Diaz, Paul Fitzgerald, Ros Gentle, Chris Grace, Juliette Jeffers, Sumalee Montano, Nathan Lovejoy, Taran Killam, Julieth Restrepo, Mel Rodriguez, Brett Tucker, and Rebecca Field

How to watch: The Residence debuts on Netflix on March 20.

5. O'Dessa

This rock opera from writer/director Geremy Jasper (Patti Cake$) is new to Hulu, but its soundtrack demands you play it loud.

Stranger Things' Sadie Sink stars as O’Dessa, a rambler who has a song in her heart and a destiny in her blood. In a dystopian world, a narcissistic dictator numbs the population to their own poverty through an endless barrage of TV broadcasts. It's up to O'Dessa to bring her music to the masses and open their hearts and minds. Along the way, Jasper drenches his audience in an enchanting soundscape with visuals both gorgeous and strange, making for a movie musical that feels familiar yet thrillingly fresh.

In our review out of SXSW, I compared O'Dessa to such cult classics as The Rocky Horror Picture Show and The Legend of Billie Jean. So if you have a soft spot for either, you won't want to overlook Jasper's daring musical. — K.P.

Starring: Sadie Sink, Kelvin Harrison Jr., Murray Bartlett, Regina Hall, and Pokey LaFarge

How to watch: O'Dessa premieres on Hulu on March 20.

4. The Outrun

Four-time Academy Award nominee Saoirse Ronan stars in this 2024 drama you might have missed, but should definitely check out.

Based on Scottish journalist Amy Liptrot's 2016 memoir, The Outrun follows a deeply personal tale of self-love, loss, and addiction, weaving in elements of science, folklore, and animation to profound effect. Determined to get sober, Rona (Ronan) returns to her hometown, the Orkney Islands off the coast of Scotland, to reconnect with her parents and herself.

In Mashable's review of the film, I wrote, "Surrounded by a solid supporting cast, Ronan ably shoulders a messy tale of substance abuse and survival... The Outrun is an emotionally intelligent drama that soars, thanks to the glorious collaboration between the writers, the filmmaker, and the movie's radiant leading lady." — K.P.

Starring:  Saoirse Ronan, Paapa Essiedu, and Nabil Elouahabi

How to watch: The Outrun is now streaming on Netflix.

3. Happy Face

True crime fans, brace yourselves for your next TV obsession. Robert King and Michelle King, the dynamic partnership that brought us the rousing drama and wit of The Good Fight and The Good Wife, are now delivering an intriguing new series inspired by Melissa G. Moore's autobiographical podcast and book about being the daughter of the notorious Happy Face Killer.

Annaleigh Ashford stars as Melissa Reed. A wife, mother, and professional make-up artist, Melissa's plate is pretty full even before her convicted killer father (played by a snarling Dennis Quaid) barges into what peace she has built. He's been locked up for years after being convicted of eight murders. But he claims there's a ninth victim, and he'll only tell the details to his darling "Missy." To reconnect with her dad will not only open up old wounds, but also risk the anonymity on which she's raised her own family. But if a confession could stop the wrong man from unjust punishment, would it be worth it?* — K.P.

Starring: Annaleigh Ashford, Dennis Quaid, Tamera Tomakili, and James Wolk

How to watch: Happy Face begins streaming on Paramount+ March 20.

2. Severance, Season 2 finale

For 10 weeks, Severance fans have analyzed the show's smallest details, freaked out about the Helly/Helena Eagan (Britt Lower) switch, and pondered the mystery of Cold Harbor. Now, it all comes to a head in the Season 2 finale — and trust me when I say you'll want to watch as soon as possible.

Without spoiling anything, I will say that this finale manages to somehow top that of the first season, delivering massive payoff to some of the season's biggest questions while also raising some new ones going forward. Satisfying, suspenseful, and downright masterful, Severance Season 2 goes out with a bang. Fair warning: You will want Season 3 immediately. — B.E.

Starring: Adam Scott, Britt Lower, Tramell Tillman, Zach Cherry, Jen Tullock, Michael Chernus, Dichen Lachman, John Turturro, Christopher Walken, Patricia Arquette, and Sarah Bock

How to watch: Severance's Season 2 finale premieres March 21 on Apple TV+.

1. Anora

Watching Sean Baker's five-time Academy Award–winning comedy is easier than ever before, as Anora is new to Hulu.

In the role that made her an Oscar winner, Mikey Madison (Scream 5) stars as a sex worker whose professional relationship with a young Russian client swiftly swings into a quickie wedding in Vegas. But Oscar–winning writer/director Baker, who's made a career out of compelling films centered on the rich inner lives of sex workers, isn't offering a sloppy retread of Pretty Woman. When cronies come banging on the mansion door, it's up to Anora to fight for the future she wants. And along the way, Madison and a crackling ensemble deliver not only lip-biting tension but also jolting laughs that never make its eponymous heroine the butt of the joke.*

Check it out, and see for yourself if it's a "triumph" worthy of Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, Best Achievement in Editing, Best Actress, and Best Picture. — K.P.

Starring: Mikey Madison, Mark Eydelshteyn, Yura Borisov, Karren Karagulian, Vache Tovmasyan, and Aleksey Serebryakov

How to watch: Anora is now streaming on Hulu.

* denotes that this blurb appeared in a previous Mashable list.