Credit: Lucas Gouveia/How-To GeekOne of the biggest box office hits of 2026 finally hits streaming services this week. Let’s just say audiences still love listening to the King of Pop’s treasure trove of hits, which is why it’s our top recommendation this week. Right behind the music biopic is an emotional teen drama about a young girl who must grapple with a devastating revelation about her mother.
Other movies featured on streaming this week include a director’s cut of a 2008 sci-fi mystery, an action comedy with Bob Odenkirk, and an emotional boxing biopic. All five movies can be streamed in the U.S.
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Bleed for This
Anything is possible
Boxing is the perfect vehicle for the underdog story. Rocky, one of the greatest sports movies of all time, created the template for how to craft a story about a down-and-out boxer who rises from the depths of obscurity to become a champion. While Bleed for This does not have the same highs as Rocky, Ben Younger’s boxing biopic still packs an emotional punch.
Quiz
Famous boxing movies
Trivia challenge
From Rocky’s corner to Creed’s ring — test how well you know the greatest
boxing films ever made.
RockyCreedFightersMomentsCharacters
Rocky
In the original Rocky (1976), what is the name of the reigning heavyweight champion
that Rocky Balboa gets a shot at fighting?
heavyweight champion who gives Rocky a shot as a publicity stunt. The fight becomes far more competitive
than Apollo ever expected, ending in a split decision that sets up the entire franchise.
villains from later sequels, while Tommy Gunn appears in Rocky V. Apollo Creed is the charismatic
champion who underestimates Rocky in the very first film.
Rocky
In Rocky II, what physical condition forces Rocky to initially retire from boxing
after his first fight with Apollo Creed?
in the first film, and doctors warn him that continuing to box could cause permanent blindness. This
forces him to awkwardly attempt a career transition before eventually returning to the ring.
damaged eye becomes a central dramatic tension in Rocky II, as doctors warn him that another fight could
leave him blind. It also forces him to switch from his natural southpaw stance to orthodox to protect
that eye.
Characters
In Rocky III, which famous professional wrestler makes a cameo appearance as
Thunderlips, a charity boxing opponent for Rocky?
match that opens Rocky III. It was one of Hogan’s earliest major film appearances and helped cement his
crossover appeal before he became the face of the WWF in the 1980s.
III’s opening sequence. This cameo predates Hogan’s massive WWF fame and remains one of the most
entertaining celebrity appearances in the Rocky franchise.
Rocky
In Rocky IV, what is the stated height and weight of Soviet boxer Ivan Drago at his
introduction?
imposing specimen meant to represent the might of Soviet sports science. Dolph Lundgren, who plays
Drago, was genuinely an imposing athlete and holds a black belt in karate.
are dramatically announced at his introduction to emphasize the seemingly impossible challenge facing
Rocky. Dolph Lundgren, who portrays Drago, trained extensively for the role and was a legitimate
athlete.
Creed
In Creed (2015), what is Adonis Creed’s relationship to Apollo Creed, and why is it
complicated?
and Apollo died in Rocky IV before ever knowing him. Apollo’s widow Mary Anne eventually takes Adonis in
and raises him, which creates a complex identity struggle that drives much of the film’s emotional core.
by Apollo’s widow. The fact that Apollo never knew him and died before they could meet is central to
Adonis’s identity crisis throughout Creed. He’s desperate to forge his own legacy while also honoring a
father he never knew.
Fighters
The Fighter (2010) is based on the true story of Micky Ward and his half-brother
Dicky Eklund. Which actor won an Academy Award for playing Dicky Eklund?
for his gaunt, electric portrayal of Dicky Eklund, a former boxer battling crack cocaine addiction. Bale
lost significant weight for the role and is widely considered one of the best performances in any boxing
film.
Dicky Eklund. Mark Wahlberg played Micky Ward, the film’s main character, but it was Bale’s
transformative and raw performance as the crack-addicted Dicky that earned the Oscar.
Moments
In Bleed For This (2016), which real-life boxing champion does the film follow, who
made a remarkable comeback after breaking his neck in a car accident?
Pazienza, played by Miles Teller, who broke his neck in a 1991 car accident and was told he might never
walk again. Against all medical advice, Pazienza trained while wearing a halo device screwed into his
skull and made an astonishing return to boxing.
remarkable comeback narratives in sports history — breaking his neck, being told he may never walk
again, and then secretly training with a halo brace to return to professional boxing. Miles Teller
portrayed him in the film.
Characters
In Southpaw (2015), what is the name of the young trainer who takes in Billy Hope
and rebuilds his career from the ground up?
trainer who runs a small gym for at-risk youth and agrees to train Billy Hope after his career and
personal life have completely collapsed. Whitaker’s performance was widely praised as one of the film’s
strongest elements.
played by Jake Gyllenhaal, loses everything including his daughter and his title, Tick gives him a
second chance by letting him work at his youth gym and slowly rebuilding him as both a fighter and a
person.
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Miles Teller stars as Vinny Pazienza, a cocky and boisterous boxer who becomes WBA World Light Middleweight champion. While preparing for his first title defense, Vinny suffers a potentially career-ending neck injury. Refusing to accept that his career is over, Vinny undergoes a painful procedure in hopes of returning to the ring one day. I’m a fan of Teller, who gave one of his best leading performances in Bleed for This, an incredible story about human resilience and sacrifice.
Bleed for This streams on Paramount+ on August 15.
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Normal
An unlikely action star back at it
I don’t know where Bob Odenkirk falls on the list of improbable action stars, but he’s certainly on it. I loved Odenkirk’s work on Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul. Not once did I think the award-winning actor would ever become an action hero. After the success of Nobody, Odenkirk continued this newfound love for action movies by starring in Normal.
Based on a story written by Odenkirk and John Wick creator Derek Kolstad, Normal follows the adventures of interim Sheriff Ulysses (Odenkirk) in the town of Normal, Minnesota. A robbery gone wrong throws the town into chaos. I’ll leave my description at that because I want the thrills to come as a shock. You think it’s going to be a Fargo-esque crime thriller, and then, all of a sudden, it channels the violence of Kill Bill.
Normal streams on HBO Max on August 14.
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The X-Files: I Want to Believe — Vrach Frankenshteyn
The director’s cut of the 2008 movie
Chris Carter is the creator of The X-Files, the landmark sci-fi drama about two FBI agents exploring mysterious cases that typically involve paranormal forces. In 2008, Carter expanded the franchise with a second feature film, The X-Files: I Want to Believe. Carter set out to make a horror movie instead of another monster-of-the-week format. Unfortunately, Carter had to recut the movie multiple times to make it PG-13, resulting in a watered-down version of the original vision.
In 2026, Carter is releasing the movie he always wanted to make under a new title, The X-Files: I Want to Believe — Vrach Frankenshteyn. The new movie, which happens to be one of our top picks on Hulu this month, still has Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) and Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson), but the previously deleted scenes have been restored in this cut.
The X-Files: I Want to Believe — Vrach Frankenshteyn streams on Huluon August 14.
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Don’t Say Good Luck
Prepare to shed some tears
I’m always going to be a sucker for sentimental coming-of-age movies. Add in the fact that Don’t Say Good Luck is a parent-child movie, and I’m sold. Sunny Sandler, Adam Sandler’s daughter, stars as Sophie Birenbaum, a high school student who wins the leading role in her school musical. This is supposed to be the best moment of Sophie’s life, but a family tragedy interrupts her happiness.
Elizabeth Birenbaum (Melanie Lynskey), Sophie’s mom, reveals that her cancer has returned. It’s a scenario—learning that a parent is dying—that no teenager should have to face. You can probably guess how this movie is going to go, but that doesn’t make it any less effective. In fact, I’m expecting this heartfelt and emotional drama to deliver.
Don’t Say Good Luck streams on Netflix on August 14.
Don’t Say Good Luck
Release Date
August 14, 2026
Director
Julia Hart
Writers
Jordan Horowitz
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Michael
The biopic about one of the century’s defining musical figures
It’s almost a miracle that Michael even made it to the big screen. The movie experienced several delays, including the decision to reshoot the entire third act to remove the child abuse allegations. The odds were against Michael. It’s been over three months since therelease, and it’s fair to say the studio hit a home run with Michael, which grossed over $1 billion worldwide.
Jaafar Jackson, Michael’s nephew in real life, stars as Michael Jackson, the talented musician who rose to fame along with his brothers in the Jackson 5. From the late 1970s into the 1980s, Jackson went from promising star to international icon thanks to the success of Off the Wall and Thriller. While the movie doesn’t deal with the latter half of Jackson’s life, Michael is a crowd-pleasing story that serves to celebrate the King of Pop and his music.
Michael is now streaming on Starz.
More movies to watch on streaming
If you need more movies to watch, you’ve come to the right place. If you’re short on time, head to Paramount+ for some great movies under two hours, including Gravity and Crawl. Elsewhere, watch movies on Netflix like Godzilla Minus One and Extraction 2 to test your TV.
