Netflix, HBO Max, Hulu, Paramount+ Adding 27 New Releases This Weekend: The 3 to Watch

By Phillip Swann
The TV Answer Man – Follow me on X.

The top streaming services, including Netflix, Hulu, Paramount Plus and HBO Max, will add 27 new TV shows and movies this weekend (January 22-25, 2026). Here are the three to watch, in my humble opinion:

Skyscraper Live
Where to Watch: Netflix
When to Watch: Friday, January 23, 8 p.m. ET)
What Kind of Show: Live Event
Netflix on Friday at 8 p.m. ET will livestream a professional rock climber (Alex Honnold) scaling a 101-story office building in Taipei, Taiwan with no ropes or safety nets. None. This is the biggest display of risk by Netflix since it decided to invest $200 million on that Marco Polo series. However, while the pitiful Polo only killed off a slew of fictional characters, this show could actually wind up with a real person dead. Consequently, I have no doubt that millions of Netflix viewers will stream in with a strong sense of morbid curiosity. (And I will be one of them. And I betcha you will be, too.)

UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship:
Where to Watch: Paramount Plus
When to Watch: Saturday, January 24 (Starting at 5 p.m. ET)
Who’s In It: Justin Gaethje, Paddy Pimblett
Paramount Plus, and its sister network, CBS, last August purchased the rights to all UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship) matches including future events starting this Saturday, January 24, 2026. Justin Gaethje and Paddy Pimblett will battle for the interim lightweight title on Saturday night while Kayla Henderson will defend her Bantamweight crown against Amanda Nunes. Paramount Plus just raised the price of its two plans by $1 a month. For UFC fans who no longer have to pay PPV prices to watch big matches, the rate hike is worth it starting Saturday. The coverage begins at 5 p.m. ET with early preliminary bouts while the Gaethje-Pimblett fight expected around 9 p.m. ET.

The Smashing Machine (2025)
Where to Watch: HBO Max
When to Watch: Friday, January 23, 2026
Who’s In It: Dwayne Johnson, Emily Blunt
And speaking of fisticuffs, Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson (pictured above) stars as MMA champion Mark Kerr who achieved greatness despite drug addiction and a rocky relationship with his girlfriend (Emily Blunt). The film, directed and written by Benny Safdie (Uncut Gems, Good Times), is an absorbing 123 minutes about ambition in the face of human fragility with a standout performance from Johnson who’s generating Oscar buzz for Best Actor. The Rock shows a soft side that no one knew existed; Blunt is also good (as usual) as the long suffering supporter of his dreams.

Also note that Paramount Plus will stream Sunday’s AFC championship game between the Patriots and Broncos.

Shows & Movies Coming This Weekend to Netflix, Hulu, HBO Max, Peacock, Disney Plus, and Paramount Plus

Netflix
Thursday, January 22
Cosmic Princess Kaguya!
Finding Her Edge

January 23
Skyscraper Live
The Big Fake

Hulu
Thursday, January 22
Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire (2024)
Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire En Espanol (2024)
I Killed My BFF: Complete Seasons 3-4
Neighborhood Wars: Complete Season 8
Safe House (2025)
The 6,000 lb Diaries with Dr. Now: Complete Season 1

Saturday, January 24
Evil Lives Here: Complete Season 18
Expedition Unknown: Complete Seasons 9 and 11
Naked and Afraid: Complete Season 13
Naked and Afraid Apocalypse: Complete Season 1
See No Evil: Complete Season 8

Paramount Plus
Thursday, January 22 
Canada Shore series premiere

Saturday, January 24
UFC: Garthje vs. Pimblett

Sunday, January 25
NFL AFC Championship Game: Patriots at Broncos, 3 p.m. ET

HBO Max
Friday, January 23
My Haunted Hometown, Season 1 (Travel)
Real Time with Bill Maher, Season 24 (HBO Original)
The Smashing Machine (A24)

Sunday, January 25
Have I Got News For You, Season 4 (CNN Originals)

Peacock
Thursday, January 22
Team Mekbots, Season 2B – Premiere, All Episodes, 4 Episodes, 30 min (Peacock Original)*
The Traitors, Season 4 – New Episode, 60 min (Peacock Original)*

Saturday, January 24
Ride On

Disney Plus
Thursday, January 22
Venom: Let There Be Carnage
Friday, January 23
Minnie’s Bow-Toons

Apple TV
No new releases this weekend.

Amazon’s Prime Video
No new releases this weekend.