This week brings a heavyweight line-up of new entertainment to your screens and speakers, from a dramatic transformation by Dwayne Johnson to introspective new music from a former boyband star. Here is your curated guide to the most significant releases arriving on streaming platforms from 19 to 25 January 2026.
Major Film Releases Hitting Streaming Services
In a notable career shift, Dwayne Johnson sheds his typical action-hero persona to portray mixed martial arts pioneer Mark Kerr in "The Smashing Machine." The film, a surprisingly gentle drama exploring themes of victory, addiction, and self-worth, premieres on HBO Max on Friday, 23 January. While director Benny Safdie earned accolades at the Venice Film Festival, AP Film Writer Jake Coyle noted the movie's potency lies in Johnson's performance, which presents "a human colossus who learns to accept defeat."
Also making its streaming debut is the much-anticipated Bruce Springsteen biopic, "Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere." Starring Jeremy Allen White as The Boss during the creation of the seminal "Nebraska" album, the film arrives on Hulu and Disney+ on Friday, 23 January. AP critic Mark Kennedy praised it as "an endearing, humbling portrait of an icon," mirroring the album's complex, American gothic spirit.
For documentary fans, HBO Max adds Judd Apatow's "Mel Brooks: The 99-Year-Old Man!" on Thursday, featuring interviews with comedy legends. Meanwhile, niche streamers offer festival gems: KINO Film hosts the Sundance-selected "Mr. Nobody Against Putin" on Thursday, and Mubi premieres Paolo Sorrentino's "La Grazia," starring Venice Best Actor winner Toni Servillo, from Friday.
New Music and Must-See Series
The music world sees significant releases, headlined by the final chapter of thrash metal titans Megadeth. Their self-titled farewell album lands this week, promising their signature complex guitar work ahead of a planned farewell tour.
Former One Direction member Louis Tomlinson releases his third solo album, "How Did I Get Here?" on Friday. Moving from his Britpop-inspired earlier work, the new singles suggest a shift towards sunnier pop-rock anthems. Additionally, legendary singer-songwriter Lucinda Williams returns with "World's Gone Wrong," featuring collaborations with Norah Jones and a powerful Bob Marley cover with Mavis Staples.
In television, Ryan Murphy co-creates a provocative new series for FX. "The Beauty," premiering Wednesday on Hulu and Disney+ internationally, features an all-star cast including Evan Peters and Ashton Kutcher. The show mixes horror with a critique of beauty standards, following a tech billionaire whose perfection-inducing drug has dire consequences.
Other series highlights include the second season of wine-inheritance drama "Drops of God" on Apple TV+, Netflix's figure-skating love story "Finding Her Edge" on Thursday, and the faith-based family drama "It's Not Like That," starring Scott Foley, arriving on Prime Video on Sunday, 25 January.
Video Games and Interactive Adventures
Gamers have two distinct adventures to explore. "Escape from Ever After" launches on Friday, 23 January across Switch, Xbox, PlayStation, and PC. Inspired by Nintendo's Paper Mario, it follows hero Flynt Buckler battling a corporation corrupting storybook worlds.
For sci-fi enthusiasts, "MIO: Memories in Orbit" blasts off on Tuesday. This 2D Metroid-inspired adventure tasks players, as a small robot, with investigating a malfunctioning starship. Its hand-drawn, pastel aesthetic offers a unique twist on the sci-fi genre, available on the same platforms.
With this diverse array of content—from hard-hitting dramas and introspective music to thrilling series and immersive games—streaming platforms are ensuring the final week of January is anything but quiet for entertainment fans across the UK.
