Weekend Watchlist: Project Hail Mary & The Sandman S2

What to Watch This Weekend

If the weekend has you scrolling through menus looking for something worth your time, you're in luck. Two of the year's biggest releases just landed on streaming, and the timing couldn't be better for a proper binge session.

Ryan Gosling's Project Hail Mary arrived on Prime Video on July 3, bringing Andy Weir's acclaimed sci-fi novel to life. Gosling plays Ryland Grace, a science teacher who wakes up on a spaceship with no memory of who he is or how he got there. As his memories return, he pieces together a desperate mission: save Earth from an extinction-level threat. The film has been drawing strong reviews for its blend of tension, humor, and genuine emotional stakes. If you enjoyed The Martian, Weir's previous adaptation, this sits right in that sweet spot — smart science wrapped in a survival story that keeps you hooked from start to finish. View Project Hail Mary details.

Over on Netflix, The Sandman Season 2 Vol. 1 just dropped on July 3, bringing six new episodes of Neil Gaiman's dreamlike fantasy saga. Tom Sturridge returns as Morpheus, the King of Dreams, as he faces new threats and old debts across the waking world and beyond. This is the final season, split into two volumes — Volume 2 arrives July 24 with five more episodes, plus a bonus episode on July 31. For anyone new to the series, Season 1 provides all the setup you need before diving into this haunting, visually stunning conclusion. Browse The Sandman on mywatchseries.

Apple TV+ continues its strong 2026 run with two standout shows. Widow's Bay, starring Matthew Rhys, wrapped its acclaimed first season in June — perfect for a weekend binge of all ten episodes. It's a horror-comedy about a New England mayor who tries to turn his cursed island town into a tourist destination, with predictably chaotic results. Hiro Murai (Atlanta, Barry) directs, and the show has earned strong reviews for its sharp writing and Rhys's committed performance. Check out Widow's Bay.

The July streaming calendar still has plenty more to offer. Prime Video's Elle — a high school drama set in 1995 — is available to stream now for anyone craving nostalgic coming-of-age storytelling. And the new Enola Holmes 3 on Netflix gives Millie Bobby Brown another charming mystery case to crack. See Enola Holmes 3 details.

What to watch first: If you have one evening, make it Project Hail Mary — it's the kind of big, crowd-pleasing sci-fi that works best when you give it your full attention. If you have the whole weekend, start The Sandman Season 2 and let Dream's final chapter pull you through.