The Best Sc-Fi and Fantasy to Watch This Week
This week’s round up of the very best sci-fi and fantasy available to watch features some big releases from 2024 that have now arrived on streaming, as well as one of the most expensive things Netflix has ever produced, and an entire classic sci-fi franchise you can watch all in one place.
Kraven the Hunter
Streaming March 12 on Netflix
Sony’s attempt to make their own superhero cinematic universe using mostly characters associated with Spider-man didn’t go so well. Aside from the ‘Venom’ trilogy, most of the movies have been a disaster, and have become best known for just how terrible they were, and the memes they inspired.
So it was no surprise when the whole venture came to an end last year in a suitably disastrous way with ‘Kraven the Hunter’, starring Aaron Taylor-Johnson as a guy with animalistic senses. If, like most people, you missed the movie when it came out in December, you can now watch it at home thanks to Netflix, if you feel up to the task.
The Wheel of Time Season 3
Releasing March 12 on Amazon Prime
With ‘House of the Dragon’ and ‘Rings of Power’ both taking a break as they prepare for their third seasons, another fantasy show is here to fill the gap, coincidentally with a third season of its own.
‘The Wheel of Time’ is an adaptation of the book series by Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson. While it had a shaky start and mixed reviews when it debuted, the second season had a more positive reception, so if it continues this trajectory, the third season could be even greater. If you’re looking for some high fantasy magic to fill the gap, then this is the show for you.
Moana 2
Aiavalba from March 12 on Disney+
If you didn’t see it last year, or if you did but want to experience it again, then the wait is over to watch ‘Moana 2’ at home.
In the sequel to the 2016 movie, Moana assembles a crew and goes on a quest alongside Maui to find a secret island and save her people. It was one of the biggest hits of 2024, bringing in over a billion dollars, and provides the perfect opportunity for a family night in front of the TV.
The Electric State
Releasing March 14 on Netflix
Netflix has a sketchy relationship with movies. Most of them are copy/paste affairs, with cliched plots and mid visuals, but that’s never deterred them from making them, and their latest effort is ‘The Electric State’. Set in a future where robots have rebelled against their creators, the movie follows a teenage girl who ventures into the “Electric State”, an area where banished robots live, to try and find her brother.
This is one of the most expensive movies Netflix has ever made, with a budget of over $300 million, and is directed by the Russo Brothers, of ‘Avengers: Endgame’ and ‘Infinity War’ fame, it stars Millie Bobby Brown and Chris Pratt in the lead roles.
As of now, it only has a 23% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes, following a trend for most other movies from the streamer, but critic and audience scores can vary wildly on the aggregator, so I guess the proof of the film will be in the viewing.
All Alien and Predator movies
Available now on Hulu
If you’re a fan of sci-fi and/or horror, then Hulu has you set, with all the movies from both ‘Alien’ and ‘Predator’ franchises available now on the platform. This totals fourteen movies to watch, so you’ll be set for some time, or if you’re feeling brave, you could try doing a marathon of them all!
Even the ‘Alien vs Predator’ movies are there, for better or worse. Both franchises have had poor entries in recent years, but they also boast some absolute classics too, and are staples of the sci-fi genre. With new entries coming to both later this year in the form of ‘A;ien: Earth’ and ‘Predator: Badlands’, now is the perfect time to revisit them in preparation.
And that’s it for this week. There’ll be another round up next week of the best sci-fi and fantasy, so look out for that, and check out some of these titles above if you’re looking for your next watch.