Wicked and Samuel L. Jackson’s new Netflix film – what to watch this week

MONDAY 

Dune: Prophecy, Sky Atlantic/NOW TV

Set 10,000 years before the ascension of Paul Atreides, Dune: Prophecy follows two Harkonnen sisters as they combat forces that threaten the future of humankind, and establish the fabled sect that will become known as the Bene Gesserit. It serves as a prequel series to the 2021 film Dune, which starred Zendaya and Timothee Chalamet

TUESDAY

Interior Chinatown, Disney+

Based on Charles Yu’s award-winning book, the series follows the story of Willis Wu, a background character trapped in a police procedural called Black & White. Relegated to the background, Willis goes through the motions of his on-screen job, waiting tables and dreaming about a whole world beyond Chinatown. When he inadvertently becomes a witness to a crime, Willis begins to unravel a criminal web in Chinatown, his family’s buried history, and what it feels like to be in the spotlight.

WEDNESDAY 

An Almost Christmas Story, Disney+

Inspired by the true events of a tiny owl rescued from New York City’s Rockefeller Center Christmas tree in 2020, An Almost Christmas Story is the perfect pre-festive season watch. The trailer reveals Moon, a curious young owl who unexpectedly finds himself stuck in a Christmas tree destined for Rockefeller Plaza. In his attempts to escape the bustling city, Moon befriends a lost little girl named Luna. Together, they embark on a heartwarming adventure, discovering the magic of the holiday season and forming an unlikely bond as they journey back home to their parents

THURSDAY 

A Man on the Inside, Netflix

Retired professor Charles (Ted Danson) feels life has nothing new in store for him. A year after his wife’s passing, he’s become stuck in his routine and has grown distant from his daughter. But when he spies a classified ad from a private investigator, he’s inspired to roll the dice on a new adventure, going undercover to solve the mystery of a stolen family heirloom. Brought to you by Mike Schur (creator of The Good Place and co-creator of Parks and Recreation and Brooklyn Nine-Nine), A Man on the Inside is based on the documentary The Mole Agent, a 2021 Oscar nominee for Best Documentary feature.

FRIDAY 

Wicked, in cinemas nationwide

After two decades as one of the most beloved and enduring musicals on the stage, Wicked makes its long-awaited journey to the big screen. Emmy, Grammy and Tony-winning powerhouse Cynthia Erivo stars as Elphaba – a young woman, misunderstood because of her unusual green skin, who has yet to discover her true power – while Grammy-winning, multi-platinum recording artist and global superstar Ariana Grande takes on the role of Glinda, a popular young woman, gilded by privilege and ambition, who has yet to discover her true heart. The two meet as students at Shiz University in the fantastical Land of Oz and forge an unlikely but profound friendship. Following an encounter with The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, their friendship reaches a crossroads and their lives take very different paths. 

SATURDAY 

Cruel Intentions Season 1, Prime Video 

In this new adaptation, Cruel Intentions takes place at an elite Washington, D.C. college, where two ruthless step-siblings will do anything to stay on top of the cutthroat social hierarchy. After a brutal hazing incident threatens the entire Panhellenic system at their school, they’re hellbent on preserving their power and reputation, and will even go so far as seducing the daughter of the vice president of the United States.

SUNDAY 

The Piano Lesson, Netflix

A battle is brewing in the Charles Household. At the center stands a prized heirloom piano tearing two siblings apart. On one side, a brother (John David Washington) plans to build the family fortune by selling it. On the other, a sister (Danielle Deadwyler) will go to any lengths to hold onto the sole vestige of the family’s heritage. Their uncle (Samuel L. Jackson) tries to mediate, but even he can’t hold back the ghosts of the past. Adapted from August Wilson’s Pulitzer Prize-winning masterwork, The Piano Lesson explores the intergenerational dynamics of identity, resilience and transcendence – revealing startling truths about how we perceive the past and who gets to define our legacy.

Photography by Universal.