The Fresh Disney+ Shows Giving Us a Reason to Stay In

There’s a particular satisfaction in finding a series you can’t stop thinking about or a film that lingers long after the credits roll. Whether you’re in the mood for a gripping drama, a sharp comedy or something family-friendly, a great streaming pick has a way of reshaping an ordinary weeknight. If your queue is looking a little sparse, consider this your sign to mix things up.

From buzzy new originals to fresh additions you might have missed, these are the titles currently topping our list. Here are five of our favourite recent releases to add to your Disney+ watchlist.

Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere

Rock biopics have a habit of trying to cram a lifetime’s worth of stardom into a single film, but not Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere. Instead, the film zooms in on one specific chapter of Bruce Springsteen’s career: the introspective, largely acoustic recording of his 1982 album Nebraska. Springsteen is convincingly portrayed by Jeremy Allen White (The Bear), with Jeremy Strong as manager Jon Landau and childhood flashbacks featuring Stephen Graham as Springsteen’s father. The result is a raw portrayal of one of the musician’s most unique and understated periods – and a fascinating peek into the life of one of rock’s greatest living legends. Now streaming.

The Beatles Anthology

While not technically a new release, the nine-part Beatles Anthology series has been restored and remastered, and is now streaming for the first time. Filmed in 1994 and 1995, and featuring interviews with Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr and George Harrison, the docuseries takes us from the band’s formative days in Liverpool to Beatlemania, the Abbey Road rooftop and life after the band. If the idea of a deep-dive Springsteen biopic excites you, this definitive inside look at the world’s most influential band will be right up your alley. Now streaming.

Rental Family

The Brendan Fraser renaissance continues – and with Rental Family, it’s clear he’s well and truly back. Fraser stars as Phillip Vanderploeg, an out-of-work American actor who relocates to Japan in search of late-career relevance. Rather landing acting roles, Vanderploeg finds a gig as a “rental companion”, someone hired for social situations to act as a partner, father, brother, friend or anything else. The film follows Vanderploeg’s encounters, including an unlikely parental-like relationship with an 11-year-old girl whose mother is determined to get her into a prestigious school. Tender and quietly affecting, Rental Family offers a thoughtful exploration of human connection and social expectation that feels refreshingly different. Streaming from March 18.

Paradise Season 2

If you haven’t seen the first season of Paradise and don’t want any spoilers, consider this your warning. All you need to know is that it’s a gripping, dystopian sci-fi series set in the aftermath of a doomsday event – and centred around a very high-profile death.

For those already caught up, you’ll know that Paradise takes place in a city-sized underground bunker and that Agent Xavier Collins (Sterling K Brown) is investigating what really happened to the President of the United States – and is himself a suspect. With the help of flashbacks, we start to piece together the truth of what really happened and why. The new season sees Collins uncover the possibility that his wife may still be alive, pushing him beyond the bunker and into the outside world as tensions continue to rise below ground in the wake of season one’s events. Now streaming.

Pole to Pole With Will Smith

Even the most adventurous summer plans are unlikely to rival Will Smith’s journey in Pole to Pole. The new documentary series follows Smith as he travels from the South Pole to the North Pole, experiencing our planet’s extremes along the way, from the searing heat of the Kalahari Desert to the depths of the Amazon rainforest. On his epic 42,000-kilometre trek, Smith meets scientists looking for cures in our natural world, joins remote locals and ice-climbs in the frigid Antarctic. The seven-part series is cinematic in its scope and a truly fascinating look at the stunning diversity of our planet. Now streaming.

This article is produced by Broadsheet in partnership with Disney+.