Hello from the future — sort of.
Normally, I put together a weekly ‘Streaming in Canada’ column to round up some of the most noteworthy new movies and shows to have hit digital platforms.
However, at the time of writing, I’m going on vacation and we don’t actually yet know the full lists of what’s coming to each service in September. Thankfully, the timing works out insofar as September sort of marks the “beginning of the end of the year” period, as it were. Therefore, I’m here now with a special edition of Streaming in Canada that breaks down some of the noteworthy content that’s landing on streaming services between now and December.
It goes without saying that this won’t cover everything (especially anything that might get a surprise streaming release due to COVID), but the idea is to at least highlight a couple of prominent titles for the five major services: Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV+, Crave, Disney+ and Netflix. We’ll also list a few honourable mentions.
Now, without further ado, let’s get into it.
Amazon Prime Video
All or Nothing: Toronto Maple Leafs [Amazon Original]
Whether you love ’em or hate ’em, pretty much every Canadian’s got an opinion on the Toronto Maple Leafs. For that reason, you might want to tune into Amazon’s All or Nothing docuseries, which follows the team during the 2020-2021 NHL season.
And if that wasn’t enough Canadian content for you, the series is narrated by Toronto’s own Will Arnett (Arrested Development).
Release date: October 1st
The Wheel of Time [Amazon Original]
Amazon is adapting Robert Jordan’s popular fantasy novel series, The Wheel of Time.
Magic user Moiraine (Gone Girl‘s Rosamund Pike) leads a group of five young people on a quest to discover who among them may be the reincarnation of the Dragon, which could either save the world or destroy it.
Release date: TBA November
Other Prime Video highlights: the Sydney Sweeney/Justice Smith erotic thriller The Voyeurs (September 10th), the final season of the Billy Bob Thornton legal drama Goliath (September 24th) and teen horror series I Know What You Did Last Summer (October 15th)
Apple TV+
Foundation [Apple Original]
From David S. Goyer (The Dark Knight trilogy) and Josh Friedman (The Sarah Connor Chronicles) comes this adaptation of famed author Isaac Asimov’s eponymous sci-fi series.
Starring Jared Harris (Mad Men) and Lee Pace (Halt and Catch Fire), Foundation recounts the thousand-year saga of the titular band of exiles and its efforts to save the Galactic Empire from destruction.
Release date: September 24th
The Morning Show (Season 2) [Apple Original]
Jennifer Aniston, Reese Witherspoon and Steve Carrell return in the second season of Apple’s highly buzzed-about drama series.
In Season 2, the Morning Show team deals with the explosive repercussions of Alex (Aniston) and Bradley’s (Witherspoon) actions, as well as COVID-19, racism and more. It’s worth noting that Toronto’s own Will Arnett joins the cast.
Release date: September 17th
Other Apple TV+ highlights: Sam Neill’s Invasion sci-fi series about the global ramifications of aliens coming to Earth (October 22nd), the Tom Hanks-led post-apocalyptic drama film Finch (November 5th) and the dark comedy series The Shrink Next Door with Will Ferrell and Paul Rudd (November 12th)
Crave
Dexter: New Blood
The popular crime drama is coming back.
Set 10 years after the events of the controversial series finale, New Blood sees the return of Michael C. Hall’s eponymous serial killer, as well as Jennifer Carpenter’s Debra Morgan and John Lithgow’s Arthur Mitchell.
Release date: November 7th
Succession (Season 3)
October. pic.twitter.com/1kNnfr13Wa
— Succession (@succession) August 23, 2021
After a two-year hiatus, HBO’s acclaimed satirical comedy-drama finally returns for its third season.
This season finds Logan Roy (Brian Cox) plotting to take down his son Kendall (Jeremy Strong) after Kendall publicly backstabbed him.
Release date: TBA October
Other Crave highlights: Canada’s Drag Race Anniversary Extravaganza (September 6th), Oscar Isaac and Jessica Chastain drama miniseries Scenes From a Marriage (September 12th) and the fifth and final season of Issa Rae’s Insecure (TBA October)
Disney+
The Book of Boba Fett [Disney+ Original]
Following his return in the second season of The Mandalorian, iconic Star Wars bounty hunter Boba Fett is set to headline his own show.
Plot details currently remain under wraps, but we know Temuera Morrison will reprise his role of Fett, while Ming-Na Wen returns as his ally assassin Fennec Shand.
Release date: TBA December (weekly episode rollout)
Hawkeye [Disney+ Original]
#Hawkeye never misses 🏹 so don’t miss @JeremyRenner and @HaileeSteinfeld in this @EW exclusive first-look of Marvel Studios’ Hawkeye. The Original Series starts streaming Wednesday, November 24 on @DisneyPlus. pic.twitter.com/8DnB18oSIk
— Marvel Studios (@MarvelStudios) July 29, 2021
After the events of Avengers: Endgame, Clint Barton/Hawkeye (a returning Jeremy Renner) takes on a protégé in Marvel Cinematic Universe newcomer Hailee Steinfeld’s Kate Bishop. Black Widow standout Florence Pugh is also set to return as Yelena Belova.
Notably, the show was created by Mad Men‘s Jonathan Igla and is based on Matt Fraction’s acclaimed Hawkeye comics run.
Release date: November 24th (weekly episode rollout)
Other Disney+ Canada highlights: the anime series Star Wars: Visions (September 22nd), Peter Jackson’s documentary The Beatles: Get Back (November 25th) and the Michael Keaton-led drama series Dopesick (October on Hulu, TBA 2021 on Disney+ Canada)
Note: Ms. Marvel, a Captain Marvel spin-off series starring Canadian newcomer Iman Vellani, hasn’t officially been delayed out of 2021, but rumours indicate it might be. Therefore, we’ve left it out, although it’s definitely worth keeping on your radar, especially since Vellani is set to reprise her role in next year’s Brie Larson-led The Marvels.
Netflix
Don’t Look Up [Netflix Original]
DON’T LOOK UP (Dec 24)
Written and directed by Adam McKay, two low-level astronomers (Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Lawrence) must go on a giant global media tour to warn mankind of an approaching comet that will destroy planet Earth.
— NetflixFilm (@NetflixFilm) August 23, 2021
Oscar-winning writer-director Adam McKay (The Big Short) is back with a mysterious black comedy film about two low-level astronauts who try to warn the world of a deadly incoming asteroid.
The film’s star-studded cast includes Leonardo DiCaprio (The Revenant), Jennifer Lawrence (Silver Linings Playbook), Meryl Streep (The Iron Lady), Timothée Chalamet (Call Me By Your Name) and pop star Ariana Grande.
Release date: December 24th
The Witcher (Season 2) [Netflix Original]
Amid the ongoing political strife, Geralt of Rivia (Henry Cavill) brings the magical Ciri (Freya Allen) under to Kaer Morhen to train her.
Created by Lauren S. Hissrich (Marvel’s Daredevil), The Witcher is based on Andrzej Sapkowski’s eponymous fantasy novel series.
Release date: December 17th
Other Netflix Canada highlights: the Idris Elba/Jonathan Majors/Regina Hall western The Harder They Fall (November 3rd), the Dwayne Johnson/Ryan Reynolds/Gal Gadot action-thriller Red Notice (November 12th) and You Season 3 (Q4 2021)
Of course, this is only a sample of what’s to come. For instance, Netflix has outlined around 40 upcoming 2021 films alone. Naturally, we’ll have full breakdowns of everything that’s coming to each of these services once they become available, so stay tuned.
In the meantime, though, is there anything in particular that you’re looking forward to? Let us know in the comments!
Image credit: Lucasfilm