As we enter the first week of the new year, the best streaming services have a small (but solid) selection of new movies available now for 2025. Over the next seven days, Netflix, Max, Hulu, and others will premiere new movies, and there are some big additions to PVOD as well.

The biggest newcomer is the premium streaming debut of Wicked. The box office topper, the fantasy film is an adaptation of the hit Broadway musical in which Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande Butera play a witch duo in the magical land of Oz.

Another must-see is A Real Pain, which appears on PVOD. In this comedy-drama, Jesse Eisenberg (once again) shows off his talents as a writer, director, and actor. Co-star Kieran Culkin is a leading contender for Best Supporting Actor and is expected to receive a variety of nominations at this year's Academy Awards. Meanwhile, thriller fans are also in for a treat this week with “The Front Room” on Max and “Mother's Instinct” on Hulu.

After more than a decade of being stuck in development hell, “Wicked” finally hit the screen in November 2024. Surprisingly, the production woes did not affect its quality, and the blockbuster quickly became a critical and commercial smash. Now that this fantasy film is available for premium streaming, you can bring the magic of this phenomenal musical home. Just be warned that you will have the soundtrack on repeat for weeks after viewing.

Based on the Broadway production of the same name, “Wicked” tells the untold story of the Witches of Oz years before Dorothy's appearance. Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo) is an outcast because of her usual green skin, and Glinda (Ariana Grande Butera) is an ultra-popular, spoiled socialite; the two meet at the prestigious Ciz University and, though enemies at first, eventually become friends and go to see the Wizard of Oz.

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“A Real Pain” has proven to be the star of the awards race and is expected to continue that momentum when the Oscar nominations are announced later this month.Rotten With a score of 95% on Tomatoes, this is one of the best films if you want to start 2025 with a truly quality film. Furthermore, the combination of Jesse Eisenberg (who also writes and directs) and Kieran Culkin is like a dream team, something I had never considered before.

The comedy-drama follows two American cousins who travel to Poland to remember their late grandmother. When their mismatched personalities clash and old tensions are revived, the international trip is no longer a vacation. The film explores family, both the good and the bad, and I can't wait to finally see it for myself this month.

Buy it now on Amazon

If your New Year's resolutions include achieving immorality, Netflix has the perfect documentary for you. Directed by Chris Smith, the director of the streaming hits “Tiger King” and “Fyre,” “Don't Die: The Man Who Wants to Live Forever” is a documentary focusing on tech billionaire Brian Johnson.

The doc promises to delve deeply into Johnson's motivations and the dramatic changes in his life that led to this controversial ambition to outlive nearly everyone he knows. Smith is given “Johnson's demanding daily life, home life, medical procedures, and intimate access to friends and family.” In addition, the feature promises to address humanity's fear of morality.

Stream it on Netflix now

The world's favorite claymation duo makes their long-awaited return with their first feature film in nearly 20 years: Wallace and Gromit: With a Vengeance. A cheese-loving inventor and his best friend, Doggie, face off against Feathers McGraw, who is bent on avenging his past. The film has already been released in its native UK, and will be released internationally this week via Netflix.

Wallace and Gromit last appeared in the 2008 short “Loaf and a Matter of Death. “Wallace and Gromit Vengeance Most Fowl” currently has a 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes and may be Netflix's first must-see film of 2025.

Streaming on Netflix beginning January 3

If you're looking for a shocking start to the year 2025, “The Front Room” is a psycho-horror with comedic elements mixed in that sets it apart from its peers. Reviews have been mixed, but many have praised Catherine Hunter's performance as the mother-in-law from hell, and if you don't mind a cheesy thriller, it's worth a look.

Belinda (Brandy Norwood) is a pregnant woman suffering from internal and external stress. Her mother-in-law (Catherine Hunter) moves in unexpectedly and makes herself at home in the front room, which she had been using as a nursery. Belinda tries to welcome her, but battle lines are drawn and dark secrets come to light (because of course they do).

Streaming on Max from January 3

“Mother Instinct” is another psycho thriller that has not been received very favorably by critics, but for this one, I'll go against the grain and say I found this '60s-set film super fascinating. It helps that the leads, Jessica Chastain and Anne Hathaway, are very competent performers, and they make the sometimes silly dialogue work. Plus, the ending still sticks with me more than nine months after I first saw it in theaters.

Alice (Chastain) and Celine (Hathaway) are best friends with a boy the same age who lives in the neighborhood; they lead an idyllic life together in a fashionable suburban neighborhood, but a tragic accident shatters their peaceful routine, their friendship becomes increasingly strained, and a cold paranoia takes over. We recommend watching it with as little prior knowledge as possible, so if you have a Hulu subscription, add it to your watch list and stream it now.

Streaming on Hulu starting January 3