Every month brings a fresh wave of movies and TV shows to our favorite streaming platforms. To help you navigate the endless options, here’s our hand-picked selection of October’s most exciting new titles. (Please note: Streaming schedules can sometimes change unexpectedly.)
New to Amazon Prime Video
‘Play Dirty’
Starts streaming: Oct. 1
Donald Westlake’s iconic Parker novels, penned under his pseudonym Richard Stark, have inspired numerous film adaptations. ‘Play Dirty’ offers a fresh, original narrative featuring these beloved characters. Directed by Shane Black, who also co-wrote the screenplay, this film stars Mark Wahlberg as Parker, a master criminal. He’s forced by ruthless mobsters and revolutionaries to steal a priceless, billion-dollar jeweled statue from a tightly controlled dictatorial nation. LaKeith Stanfield and Rosa Salazar join as Grofield and Zen, members of Parker’s crew, helping him meticulously plan and execute a series of daring heists culminating in the ultimate score. True to Black’s style, expect intense action sequences mixed with sharp, dark humor.
‘Hedda’
Starts streaming: Oct. 29
Writer-director Nia DaCosta brings a contemporary twist to Henrik Ibsen’s classic play with ‘Hedda.’ This visually stunning film transports the drama of ‘Hedda Gabler’ from late-19th-century Oslo to a grand British country estate in the 1950s. Tessa Thompson leads as Hedda, the materialistic and unconventional wife of a struggling academic, played by Tom Bateman. The story unfolds largely during one extravagant, alcohol-fueled party, where Hedda attempts to charm her husband’s peers while simultaneously plotting against his main rival—who also happens to be a former lover, Eileen (Nina Hoss). DaCosta’s camera gracefully glides through the opulent manor, capturing the lavish guests who are consumed by wealth and desperate to maintain their social standing.
Also arriving:
Oct. 2
“A Star Brighter Than the Son”
Oct. 3
“Sanda”
Oct. 7
“Ninja vs. Gokudo”
Oct. 8
“Maintenance Required”
Oct. 9
“Saquon”
Oct. 10
“John Candy: I Like Me”
Oct. 17
“The Chosen Adventures” Season 1
“Hollywood Hustler: Glitz, Glam, Scam”
Oct. 22
“Harlan Coben’s Lazarus”
Oct. 23
“Allen Iv3rson”
“Host”
Oct. 29
“Hazbin Hotel” Season 2
New to AMC+
‘Talamasca: The Secret Order’
Starts streaming: Oct. 23
Joining ‘Interview With the Vampire’ and ‘The Mayfair Witches,’ ‘Talamasca: The Secret Order’ is a thrilling new supernatural drama set in the “Immortal Universe,” drawing from Anne Rice’s rich tapestry of stories and characters. Nicholas Denton stars as Guy Anatole, a recent law school graduate who discovers he’s been secretly watched by an ancient international organization his entire life. It turns out Guy possesses powerful telepathic abilities, making him a valuable asset in the centuries-old battle against vampires and witches. Elizabeth McGovern portrays Helen, a leader of this anti-evil cabal, while William Fichtner plays Jasper, a complex colleague and rival who might be leading the operation down a darker path.
Also arriving:
Oct. 2
“Wasp Woman: The Murder of a B-Movie Queen”
Oct. 3
“V/H/S/Halloween”
Oct. 10
“Aliens Expanded”
“The Braxtons” Season 2
“Darwin”
Oct. 17
“Guts & Glory” Season 1
Oct. 17
“Operation: Aunties”
“O.T.H.E.R”
Oct. 23
“The Light in the Hall” Season 2
Oct. 24
“Descendent”
Oct. 30
“Hell House LLC: Lineage”
New to Apple TV+
‘The Lost Bus’
Starts streaming: Oct. 3
This gripping disaster thriller, ‘The Lost Bus,’ vividly recounts one of the most harrowing true stories from the devastating 2018 Camp Fire in Paradise, California. Based on Lizzie Johnson’s nonfiction book, ‘Paradise,’ the film centers on a school bus driver, Kevin McKay (Matthew McConaughey), who bravely navigates burning roads for hours, desperately searching for a safe escape route for his students. America Ferrera plays Mary Ludwig, an elementary schoolteacher who helps keep the terrified children calm amidst the chaos. Director Paul Greengrass, known for ‘United 93’ and ‘Captain Phillips,’ uses breathtaking visual effects to immerse viewers in the nightmarish reality of being trapped by raging fires, suffocating smoke, gridlocked traffic, and falling debris.
‘Mr. Scorsese’
Starts streaming: Oct. 17
With a career spanning since the 1960s, Martin Scorsese has mastered nearly every major film genre, from indie projects to big-budget studio epics. Beyond his directorial achievements, he has tirelessly advocated for global cinema, using his influence to preserve and promote film culture across history. If any filmmaker deserves a comprehensive five-part docuseries, it’s Scorsese. Directed by Rebecca Miller, the series delves into the director’s personal archives and hundreds of hours of his own footage to tell the extraordinary story of how an asthmatic New York cinephile evolved into one of the most revered and influential artists of his generation.
Also arriving:
Oct. 3
“The Sisters Grimm” Season 1
Oct. 10
“Knife Edge: Chasing Michelin Stars”
“The Last Frontier”
Oct. 15
“Loot” Season 3
Oct. 24
“Stiller & Meara: Nothing Is Lost”
Oct. 29
“Down Cemetery Road”
New to Disney+
‘Disney Twisted-Wonderland: The Animation’ Season 1
Starts streaming: Oct. 29
Inspired by the popular Japanese video game, where players are trained to become fairy tale villains drawing from classic Walt Disney animated films, comes the new anime adaptation, ‘Disney Twisted-Wonderland: The Animation.’ The series introduces Yu, an ordinary teenager who is unexpectedly transported to an ancient, mystical magic academy. This academy is uniquely divided into seven houses, each embodying the spirit of a different Disney villain. As Yu struggles to adapt to the peculiar customs and high expectations of this magical world, he also desperately seeks a way back to his own reality, all while trying to avoid becoming a target for his fellow students’ dark arts practice.
Also arriving:
Oct. 1
“SuperKitties” Season 3
Oct. 3
“The Balloonist”
“Something Wicked This Way Comes”
Oct. 8
“Wizards Beyond Waverly Place” Season 2
Oct. 15
“Vampirina: Teenage Vampire” Season 1
Oct. 18
“Brittany Murphy: An ID Mystery”
Oct. 24
“LEGO Disney Frozen: Operation Puffins”
Oct. 29
“Star Wars: Visions” Season 3
New to HBO Max
‘The Chair Company’ Season 1
Starts streaming: Oct. 12
Tim Robinson and Zach Kanin — the brilliant minds behind the cult comedy series ‘Detroiters’ and ‘I Think You Should Leave,’ reunite for a hilarious and unsettling new show. ‘The Chair Company’ blends absurdist conspiracy thriller with sharp corporate satire. Robinson stars as Ron Trosper, an ambitious executive at an Ohio property development firm. When Ron comically tumbles from his chair during a crucial presentation, he becomes consumed by the conviction that the chair’s manufacturers are responsible. His relentless crusade threatens his career, yet, surprisingly, Ron might just be right—the furniture-maker is indeed involved in something sinister. If he doesn’t expose them, who will? Much like Robinson and Kanin’s previous work, ‘The Chair Company’ masterfully amplifies feelings of embarrassment and discomfort for both its characters and the audience, creating a unique overlap where humor meets pure mortification.
‘It: Welcome to Derry’ Season 1
Starts streaming: Oct. 26
Stephen King’s chilling novel ‘It’ tells the story of an unspeakable evil that reawakens every 27 years to terrorize the small town of Derry, Maine, primarily preying on children. Following director Andy Muschietti’s recent ‘It’ films, which depicted these horrifying cycles in 1988 and 2016, his prequel series ‘Welcome to Derry’ goes back to 1962. A new group of Derry residents are caught unaware by this ancient demon, whose previous rampages have been deliberately erased from public memory. Alongside a diverse group of adolescents trying to survive, the series also follows Leroy Hanlan (Jovan Adepo), a Black soldier newly stationed at a nearby military base, whose family faces the all-too-common malevolence of systemic racism.
Also arriving:
Oct. 3
“Bring Her Back”
Oct. 6
“Haha, You Clowns” Season 1
“Smiling Friends” Season 3
Oct. 8
“Alex vs America” Season 5
Oct. 10
“The Alabama Solution”
“The Substance”
Oct. 17
“An Intimate Evening With Adam Pally”
Oct. 21
“Armed Only With a Camera: The Life and Death of Brent Renaud”
Oct. 30
“Sorry, Baby”
New to Hulu
‘Murdaugh: Death in the Family’
Starts streaming: Oct. 15
The infamous trial of Alex Murdaugh, a prominent South Carolina attorney accused of murdering two family members and orchestrating numerous other illicit schemes, has captivated audiences and spawned a multitude of true crime documentaries and books. This new TV dramatization, ‘Murdaugh: Death in the Family,’ is based on Liz Farrell and Mandy Matney’s groundbreaking ‘Murdaugh Murders Podcast,’ one of the first journalistic deep dives into the vast scandal. The miniseries condenses the complex timeline but still spans several years of the Murdaugh family’s life, illustrating how Alex (Jason Clarke) leveraged his status as one of his community’s wealthiest and most respected figures to evade justice. Patricia Arquette portrays Alex’s wife, Maggie, who witnesses her privileged existence unravel in shocking fashion.
Also arriving:
Oct. 2
“Abbott Elementary” Season 5
Oct. 8
“Fate”
“Stay”
Oct. 10
“Frankie Quiñones: Damn That’s Crazy”
Oct. 12
“One-Punch Man” Season 3
Oct. 13
“Solar Opposites” Season 6
Oct. 17
“40 Acres”
“The Murky Stream”
Oct. 20
“Anyone but You”
Oct. 22
“The Hand That Rocks the Cradle”
New to Paramount+
‘Matlock’ Season 2
Starts streaming: Oct. 12
This reimagined version of the classic 1980s-90s legal mystery series ‘Matlock’ became a massive TV hit last year, earning critical praise for its surprising narrative twist. Initially, the show was presented as the tale of Matty Matlock (Kathy Bates), a charming older woman who joins a high-profile New York law firm and captivates her younger colleagues with her folksy wisdom. However, the shocking climax of Episode 1 revealed Matty to be Madeline Kingston, a wealthy retiree operating undercover to expose the firm’s deep-seated corruption linked to Big Pharma. As Season 1 concluded, Matty’s boss, Olympia (Skye P. Marshall), uncovered her secret and began to consider joining her mission. Season 2 picks up with these two determined women grappling with trust and deciding whether to continue their elaborate deception of their co-workers.
Also arriving:
Oct. 1
“Fight or Flight”
Oct. 5
“A Grammy Salute to Cyndi Lauper: Live From the Hollywood Bowl”
Oct. 7
“Ozzy Osbourne: No Escape From Now”
“Red Alert”
Oct. 10
“Vicious”
Oct. 12
“Elsbeth” Season 3
Oct. 13
“DMV” Season 1
“Watson” Season 2
Oct. 16
“Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage” Season 2
“Ghosts” Season 5
Oct. 17
“Boston Blue” Season 1
“Fire Country” Season 4
“Sheriff Country” Season 1
Oct. 19
“The Road” Season 1
“Tracker” Season 3
Oct. 22
“The Thundermans: Undercover” Season 1
Oct. 26
“Mayor of Kingstown” Season 4
Oct. 28
“Don’t Date Brandon”