The new series adaptation of Man of Fire brings the heat this long weekend as it headlines the streaming release schedule alongside the likes Sam Raimi survival thriller Get Help, and the return of globetrotting spy series Citadel.
SERIES
Man on Fire S1
30 April 2026 – Netflix
2004’s Man on Fire is a certifiable classic as stars Denzel Washington and Dakota Fanning teamed up with the late great director Tony Scott to deliver a banger of an action movie with a surprising amount of heart. What many may not know though, is that it wasn’t an original story, but instead adapted from A.J. Quinnel’s 1980 novel of the same name. And now, Netflix is going to back to that original source material for a brand-new adaptation, but this time as a series. This time around its Emmy winner Yahya Abdul-Mateen II who stars as the iconic John Creasy, an ex-Special Forces veteran suffering from PTSD who is looking to put his deadly past behind him and make a fresh start at a new life in Rio de Janeiro. However, what little peace he has found is rapidly blown up after he runs into Poe Rayburn (Billie Boullet), a young girl from a wealthy American family who is the only surviving witness to a devastating attack that left her orphaned. With the attackers hunting for Poe, Creasy reluctantly agrees to look out for her, but his initial reluctance soon transforms into a fiery revenge! Alice Braga, Scoot McNairy, and Bobby Cannavale co-stars while Creed II’s Steven Caple Jr. will direct the first two of seven episodes.
Citadel S2
6 May 2026 – Prime Video
When Citadel first launched back in 2023, it was supposed to be the start a global media franchise. With Marvel’s the Russo Brothers exec producing and occasionally directing, this American spy thriller would be the lynchpin show that spun off various other non-English productions following different characters around the world. And while all of that did happen (we got the Italian Citadel: Diana and the Indian Citadel: Honey Bunny), the original blockbuster series had a rather harsh-to-middling reception. The tale of Mason Kane (Richard Madden) and Nadia Sinh (Priyanka Chopra) – two super-spies who had their memories erased years before, but now had their newfound suburban lives shattered when their old enemies track them down – was not the most original take, and the pacing left a lot to be desired. Not even the always great Stanley Tucci, playing spymaster Bernard Orlick, could keep it afloat. As such, cancelation rumours swirled amid lacklustre reviews. Much to everybody’s surprise though, Citadel was renewed for a second season and now here we are. Seemingly getting a bit of a makeover, Joe Russo will be the sole director the new season, which introduces new characters in the form of Jack Reynor and Matt Berry, and seemingly has switched up the previously very self-serious tone for something a lot more fun. Weirdly, previously announced new cast members Rahul Koli and Michael Trucco are nowhere to be seen, standing as evidence of all the behind-the-scenes reworking that took place here. Let’s see if it works out better this time.
MOVIES
Swapped
1 May 2026 – Netflix
Looking for something to keep the kids busy for a little bit during the long weekend? Netflix has you covered with Swapped, a new animated family adventure film starring recent Oscar winner Michael B. Jordan and Juno Temple. Nathan Greno (Tangled) directs this one, which follows Ollie (Jordan), a tiny woodland creature, and Ivy (Temple), a majestic bird – two sworn enemies of The Valley. When the duo’s constant back and forth struggles results in them accidentally crashing into a magical plant, they are accidentally swapped into each other’s bodies. Desperate to find a way to undo the switch, Ollie and Ivy will have to work together as they go on an adventure of a lifetime, and maybe even save the other animals of The Valley along the way.
Send Help
7 May 2026 – Disney+
With director Sam Raimi, you almost always know you’re in for a twisted fun time, and that’s exactly what to expect from Send Help, a survival film with, well, a twist. Rachel McAdams stars as Linda Liddle, a very competent but constantly overlooked office worker whose bro-y male colleagues walk all over as they claim her successes for their own. She is biding her time though, eagerly awaiting a promised promotion from the company’s CEO. When said CEO passes away though and leaves his slick ex-Harvard frat boy son Bradley Preston (Dylan O’Brien) in charge, Linda has to watch all her dreams crash and burn. Literally, in this case, as the company jet they’re all on for a business trip, crashes off the coast of a remote island enroute to Thailand. Linda and a badly injured Bradley are the only ones that make it out of the wreck alive, but luckily Linda is a hardcore Survivors fan who has been preparing for a moment like this for most of her life. And now, as the helpless (but still douchey) Bradley has to rely on the increasingly confident Linda to survive, the power dynamic between swings dramatically toward Linda, who slowly but surely begins to realize that maybe her life would be better if they never got rescued. As Noelle said in her 7.5/10 review, Send Help “lacks memorability outside its most graphic scenes, but the film’s conscious slipperiness, visual flair and committed performances deliver the entertainment goods in the moment, and make it well worth a watch if your tastes lean to the dark and sharp side.”
RENTALS/PURCHASES
The following movies have recently become available for digital purchase/rental:
Protector
Purchase: Apple TV – R150
Rental: Apple TV – R40
Looking for some mindless action thrills? Look no further than Protector, a new action thriller starring Milla Jovovich as Nikki Halsted, an ex-soldier now living a peaceful family life with her daughter Chloe. When Chloe is drugged and kidnapped, and the local authorities seem woefully inept at recovering her, Nick sets off on her own race against time, tearing through the criminal underworld to uncover who took Chloe and why.