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This is an archival guide to that specific 2025 weekend, not a current availability list. Platform catalogs, theater listings, and regional access can change.
The nine best new things to watch over Thanksgiving weekend 2025
The list below preserves the original weekend’s nine featured picks while clarifying release dates, staggered theatrical openings, episode drops, and U.S. viewing destinations. “Best” is editorial shorthand rather than an independently verified ranking, so use the categories to match a title to your plans.
1. Zootopia 2 — the family theatrical pick
Where to watch: In theaters.
U.S. release: November 26, 2025.
Disney’s official release date for Zootopia 2 was November 26, correcting the November 28 date used in some Thanksgiving-weekend listings. The later date still captured the film’s place in the holiday weekend theatrical lineup.
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The sequel returns rookie police partners Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde for another mystery in the city of Zootopia. Their investigation is disrupted by the arrival of Gary De’Snake, a reptile whose presence creates a new problem for the mammal-dominated city. Ginnifer Goodwin and Jason Bateman return as the voices of Judy and Nick, with Ke Huy Quan joining the voice cast. Jared Bush and Byron Howard directed, and Yvett Merino produced.
This was the broadest all-ages choice in the lineup: a recognizable animated franchise, a theatrical presentation, and a mystery built around the continuing Judy-and-Nick partnership.
2. Stranger Things 5: Volume 1 — the weekend’s major event series
Where to watch: Netflix in the U.S.
Weekend release: November 26, 2025, at 5 p.m. PT.
Stranger Things 5 was the fifth and final season of Netflix’s science-fiction series. The first volume arrived with four episodes, not the complete season, making it the weekend’s biggest appointment-viewing choice for fans willing to start a multi-part finale.
The final season begins in fall 1987, with Hawkins damaged by the events of season four and the characters once again pursuing Vecna. Netflix planned three additional episodes for Christmas and the finale for New Year’s Eve, with the later releases also scheduled for 5 p.m. PT. In other words, viewers could begin the final season over Thanksgiving weekend but could not binge all eight episodes at once.
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For fans planning a group watch, confirm the local release time rather than assuming the episodes appeared at midnight. Netflix’s stated U.S. launch time was 5 p.m. Pacific.
3. Eternity — a high-concept romantic drama
Where to watch: In theaters during the film’s original rollout.
Weekend timing: Associated with a November 28, 2025 theatrical release in the weekend guide; the available A24 material confirms the film and its premise but does not establish that date as a universal nationwide opening.
A24’s Eternity takes romance into the afterlife. Souls have one week to decide where they want to spend eternity. Joan, played by Elizabeth Olsen, must choose between the man she spent her life with, played by Miles Teller, and her first love, played by Callum Turner.
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That premise makes Eternity a different kind of adult romance: less a conventional holiday love story than a speculative examination of commitment, memory, and the life a person might choose when given an impossible second decision. John Early, Olga Merediz, and Da’Vine Joy Randolph are also in the cast.
Because the film’s theatrical rollout may have varied by market, local showtimes were more reliable than a single nationwide date.
4. Hamnet — the literary prestige choice
Where to watch: In select theaters, with availability depending on the market and rollout phase.
Weekend timing: The original guide placed it on November 26, 2025, but Focus’s release materials describe a staggered theatrical opening rather than one universal date.
Directed by Chloé Zhao, Hamnet adapts Maggie O’Farrell’s acclaimed novel into an intimate historical drama about William Shakespeare and Agnes, the woman who becomes his wife. Paul Mescal and Jessie Buckley lead the film.
The story follows the couple’s romance and family life, then turns toward the death of their son Hamnet and the connection between that loss and Shakespeare’s creation of Hamlet. It is the most literary and emotionally weighty theatrical option in this group, suited to viewers looking for a character-driven period film rather than a straightforward holiday crowd-pleaser.
Readers who want the source material can also look for the novel that inspired Hamnet, Maggie O’Farrell’s book, including the movie-tie-in paperback edition identified in the research for this guide.
5. Chris Hemsworth: A Road Trip to Remember — the nonfiction, family-centered option
Where to watch: Disney+ and Hulu in the U.S.; it also premiered on the National Geographic channel.
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This documentary special follows Chris Hemsworth and his father, Craig, on a journey through Australia after Craig’s Alzheimer’s diagnosis. They revisit meaningful places while the program explores the role of social connection, reminiscence, memory, and cognitive decline.
The film provides a nonfiction counterpoint to the weekend’s scripted premieres. Its focus is personal and family-oriented: the trip is built around shared history and the relationship between a father and son, rather than around a conventional travel-show format.
The documentary’s discussion of memory and social connection should be understood as subject matter explored by the program, not as medical advice or a substitute for professional care.
6. Bel-Air season 4 — the final-season drama
Where to watch: Peacock in the U.S.
Release: The first three episodes arrived November 24, 2025; two more were scheduled for December 1 and the final three for December 8.
Peacock’s dramatic reimagining of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air entered its fourth and final season over the holiday weekend. Will is navigating his senior year, while Carlton faces the consequences of earlier decisions.
The important viewing detail is the release pattern. By November 26, three episodes were available, but the entire eight-episode season was not. Viewers looking for a complete binge had to wait for the remaining episodes in December.
That makes Bel-Air a good choice for viewers who prefer an ongoing character drama and do not mind a scheduled rollout. It was not a complete-season drop competing directly with the Stranger Things event.
7. Jingle Bell Heist — the holiday caper romance
Where to watch: Netflix.
Jingle Bell Heist follows Sophia, a retail worker, and Nick, a down-on-his-luck repairman, as they target the same Christmas Eve score: a London department store. Their uneasy alliance becomes more complicated as secrets surface and romantic feelings develop.
Rank #4
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The department-store robbery gives this Netflix film a caper hook that separates it from more traditional Christmas romances. It is the lightest scripted holiday selection in the group, but the official listing does not support adding a precise premiere hour, audience-response claim, or review-based judgment.
For viewers choosing a film rather than committing to a multi-episode finale, this was the straightforward holiday-night option.
8. Heated Rivalry — the mature romantic drama series
Where to watch: HBO Max in the United States; Crave in Canada.
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Heated Rivalry follows fictional hockey players Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov. Their public competition conceals a romantic relationship, creating a drama about secrecy, professional pressure, and a rivalry that is not as simple as it appears from the outside.
The six-episode series is connected to Rachel Reid’s Game Changers novels, with Heated Rivalry identified as book two. The adaptation’s premise is intended for a mature audience; readers should check the applicable content guidance before watching.
If you prefer to read the source material first, you can read Rachel Reid’s Heated Rivalry novel. The real NHL players Sidney Crosby and Alexander Ovechkin were relevant only as a comparison for the fictional rivalry; they are not characters in the series.
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Where to watch: NBC and Peacock in the U.S.
Broadcast: November 27, 2025, at 8:30 a.m. in all time zones, with an NBC encore at 2 p.m. ET/PT.
The 99th Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade broadened the weekend list beyond on-demand movies and series. It was the live, family-viewing event for Thanksgiving morning, available on NBC and Peacock, followed by an NBC encore later in the day.
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Because the parade was tied to November 27, 2025, this entry is historical if you are reading the guide after that weekend. A future parade should be checked separately for its date, time, network, and streaming destination.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Quick guide: which pick fits your weekend?
| If you want… | Choose… |
|---|---|
| A family movie in a theater | Zootopia 2 |
| A major science-fiction event | Stranger Things 5: Volume 1 |
| A cerebral romantic premise | Eternity |
| A literary historical drama | Hamnet |
| Nonfiction about family and memory | Chris Hemsworth: A Road Trip to Remember |
| A final-season character drama | Bel-Air season 4 |
| A Christmas romance with a robbery hook | Jingle Bell Heist |
| A mature hockey romance | Heated Rivalry |
| Live Thanksgiving morning viewing | The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade |
What was actually available over the weekend?
- Theatrical: Zootopia 2, Eternity, and Hamnet. Theater availability for Eternity and Hamnet depended on the rollout and local market.
- Streaming: Stranger Things 5: Volume 1 on Netflix, the Hemsworth documentary on Disney+ and Hulu, Bel-Air season 4 on Peacock, Jingle Bell Heist on Netflix, and Heated Rivalry on HBO Max in the U.S.
- Live broadcast: The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade on NBC and Peacock.
Availability was U.S.-oriented and specific to the original November 27–30, 2025 frame. Netflix, Peacock, Hulu, Disney+, HBO Max, NBC, and theater listings may differ by country and may no longer carry the same titles after the original weekend.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Was Zootopia 2 released on November 26 or November 28, 2025?
Disney’s official film page listed November 26, 2025, as the U.S. release date. The November 28 date used in some Thanksgiving-weekend coverage was less precise; the film was already part of the holiday theatrical play.
Were all episodes of Stranger Things 5 available over Thanksgiving weekend?
No. Volume 1 arrived on November 26 at 5 p.m. PT with four episodes. Netflix planned three more episodes for Christmas and the finale for New Year’s Eve.
Was the entire fourth season of Bel-Air available to binge?
No. Peacock released the first three episodes on November 24, followed by two episodes on December 1 and three on December 8.
Where could U.S. viewers watch Heated Rivalry?
The series debuted on HBO Max in the United States on November 28, 2025, with its first two episodes. In Canada, the listed destination was Crave.
Is this still a current streaming guide?
No. It is an archive-style guide to the U.S. Thanksgiving weekend of November 27–30, 2025. Streaming rights, theater availability, and broadcast details can change.
The Bottom Line
The strongest all-ages pick was Zootopia 2 in theaters; the biggest streaming event was Stranger Things 5: Volume 1; and the most distinctive nonfiction choice was Chris Hemsworth: A Road Trip to Remember. For a complete Thanksgiving viewing plan, combine the live Macy’s parade with one theatrical film and one of the weekend’s deliberately staggered streaming premieres.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
