Latest OTT releases this week (December 29, 2025 to January 4, 2026): 8 new films and series to watch on Netflix, JioHotstar

Kick off 2026 with the Stranger Things finale, Haq and Run Away. Catch Ekō, Mowgli, and Love Beyond Wicket for an epic week of drama, sports, and nature.

Ekō; Haq

An eclectic combination of high-stakes drama, pulse-pounding thrillers, and a historic series finale are about to ignite the streaming landscape as 2025 draws to a close and 2026 dawns. From the highly anticipated supernatural denouement in Hawkins to riveting legal battles and powerful regional storytelling, this week's lineup offers a global feast for all viewers. Start the new year with an abundance of captivating stories that will transport you to the untamed landscapes of the Serengeti, the mysterious highlands of Kaattukunnu, or the primal impulses of the bush. If you're looking for anything to watch on Netflix, JioHotstar, or ETV Win between December 29 and January 4, this is the list for you.

Latest OTT releases this week (December 29, 2025 to January 4, 2026)

Cheetahs Up Close with Bertie Gregory - January 2 (JioHotstar [OTTplay Premium])

The National Geographic special Cheetahs Up Close with Bertie Gregory follows explorer and filmmaker Bertie Gregory as he follows the life of the world's fastest land animals—cheetahs—as they make their way through the Serengeti during the magnificent wildebeest migration. Two groups are seen in the documentary, one of which is a mother cheetah who fights to protect her children from lions and hyenas, and the other is a group of young males that work together to conduct coordinated team hunts with huge stakes. A species whose numbers have declined by 90% in the previous century faces tremendous physical and environmental hurdles; the show uses breathtaking, cutting-edge cinematography to show this, giving viewers an unvarnished look at their fight for survival in a changing wilderness.

Ekō – December 31 (Netflix)

Ekō is a multilayered Malayalam-language mystery thriller that serves as the final installment of Ramesh's "Animal Trilogy." Mlaathi, the long-lost wife of Kuriachan—an infamous dog breeder and outlaw—is the protagonist of this film set in the foggy hills of Kaattukunnu. Kuriachan has been absent for quite some time. The film unravels a complex web of secrets that spans decades and continents as many individuals, from undercover investigators to bitter former associates, gather on her remote estate to find out where Kuriachan is. At its core, the story revolves around a pack of unique, expertly trained dogs who vacillate between the roles of guardians and jailers, which leads to the eerie idea that what seems like protection is often really a type of oppressive control.

ALSO READ: Haq review: Yami Gautam is phenomenal opposite the compelling Emraan Hashmi in a film exposing ruthless patriarchal laws

Haq – January 2 (Netflix)

Haq is an engrossing courtroom drama that discusses the convergence of faith, gender equality, and constitutional law. It was directed by Suparn Verma and was inspired by the 1985 Shah Bano case. The film is based on the book Bano: Bharat Ki Beti by Jigna Vora and stars Yami Gautam Dhar as Shazia Bano, a dedicated wife and mother whose world is turned upside down when her husband, a famous lawyer played by Emraan Hashmi, gets remarried and refuses to pay her maintenance after their divorce. Shazia sets out on a historic legal adventure, supported by her tenacious father and a loyal lawyer (Sheeba Chaddha), from lower courts to India's highest court. In the midst of a legal system torn between long-standing religious norms and the ideals of civil justice, the story follows one lady as she bravely fights for her rights, navigating both personal betrayal and a national discussion on a grand scale.

Ithiri Neram - December 31, 2025 (Sun NXT [OTTplay Premium])

A subtle conversational drama in Malayalam, Ithiri Neram discusses the nuances of "the road not taken" and the difficulties of finding closure. Anish Thomas, played by Roshan Mathew, is a famous YouTube host who is about to have a water baptism, a water ceremony that marks a turning point in his life. A phone call from his college girlfriend, Anjana (Zarin Shihab), with whom he hasn't had any contact in eight years, briefly interrupts his life. A short, awkward meeting in Thiruvananthapuram soon turns into a lengthy, drunken night of reminiscences, honest confessions, and an impromptu road trip to Kanyakumari. As they try to bridge the gap between their old selves and their new selves, the film explores the moral ambiguities of their relationship and asks if "moving on" is ever a final destination or just a peaceful acceptance of the past.

Love Beyond Wicket – January 1 (JioHotstar [OTTplay Premium])

Tamil sports drama Love Beyond Wicket chronicles the life of Rangan (Vikranth Santhosh), a cricketer with promise but whose career never took off. To revive a faltering cricket academy's heritage, Rangan, now a hesitant coach, is assigned the difficult task of uniting a group of irresponsible, underachieving outcasts into a cohesive squad. In this gritty sports drama, we see a coach and his players form an emotional bond, with a focus on Thangam (Niyathi Kadambi), a devoted team member, and we see that the struggle for a second chance is about more than just winning games; it's also about personal growth.

Mowgli - January 1 (ETV Win [OTTplay Premium])

A Telugu romantic action film helmed by Sandeep Raj, Mowgli depicts the life of forest-raised orphan Murali (Roshan Kanakala) who aspires to follow in his father's footsteps and become a police officer. When a film crew visits his village, he meets the deaf and mute background dancer Jasmine (Sakshi Mhadolkar), and his life takes a dramatic turn. Christopher Nolan (Bandi Saroj Kumar), a cruel and lustful police officer, soon shows up, and his unhealthy fixation with Jasmine threatens their budding romance. Exploring the idea that humans may frequently be more dangerous than the wild animals of the forest, Mowgli is forced to retreat into the depths of the wilderness to protect his lover from a vicious predator. He must rely on his primitive survival instincts and understanding of the area to pull through.

Run Away – January 1 (Netflix)

Nimer Rashed and Isher Sahota's riveting British thriller series Run Away examines the extreme measures parents will go to safeguard their children, based on the eponymous Harlan Coben novel. Simon Greene, played by James Nesbitt, is a father whose idyllic life has been ruined ever since his eldest daughter Paige, played by Ellie de Lange, fled away to escape her drug addiction. Simon follows her to a city park, where she has an altercation with her violent lover, Aaron, which escalates into a horrific act of violence that kills Aaron and makes Simon the prime suspect in his murder. In the midst of Paige's return to the shadows, Simon undertakes a high-stakes, frantic search through a criminal underworld and a cultish plot, revealing long-buried family truths that could end his life.

Stranger Things Season 5 finale - January 1 (Netflix)

As the "Abyss"—the true, primordial wellspring of the Upside Down—begins to crumble, the town of Hawkins confronts its ultimate reckoning in the series finale of Stranger Things (named "Chapter Eight: The Rightside Up"). Once it is revealed that the Upside Down is actually a temporal bridge, Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) is tasked with leading a multi-faceted attack against Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower) to stop him from permanently merging the dimensions using twelve abducted children, one of whom is Holly Wheeler. Will Byers (Noah Schnapp) uses his newly unlocked connection to the hive mind to protect the Party, Eleven and Kali (Linnea Berthelsen) fight it out in the mindscape, and the older teens go on a "suicide mission" to blow up a device that will permanently close the wormhole. With its two-hour climax, the ten-part tale finally comes to a close, and the survivors must face the bittersweet truth of a world completely liberated from the shadows of 1983 as well as the hefty price of eternal triumph.

FAQs:

Q: When is the Stranger Things Season 5 finale coming out?

A: The series finale of Stranger Things, titled "Chapter Eight: The Rightside Up," is scheduled to premiere on Netflix on January 1, 2026. The finale is a two-hour climax that concludes the supernatural saga.

Q: Where can I watch the movie Haq?

A: Haq, starring Yami Gautam Dhar and Emraan Hashmi, is available for streaming on Netflix starting January 2, 2026.

Q: What is the Malayalam movie Ekō about?

A: Ekō is a mystery thriller set in the hills of Kaattukunnu and serves as the conclusion to director Ramesh’s "Animal Trilogy." It follows the secrets of an outlaw dog breeder’s family and a pack of trained dogs that act as both guardians and jailers. It releases on Netflix on December 31.

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