Weekend streaming guide: A Shop for Killers Season 2, Jana Nayagan and Moana lead new releases

Weekend streaming guide: A Shop for Killers Season 2, Jana Nayagan and Moana lead new releases

This weekend brings a diverse lineup of entertainment across streaming platforms and cinema screens, from deadly Korean thrillers to political dramas and colourful family adventures.

Leading the streaming offerings is the return of A Shop for Killers Season 2, which premiered on Disney+ on July 22 with a two-episode release. The hit Korean thriller follows Jeong Jian (Kim Hye Joon) as she takes charge of her uncle's deadly shopping mall legacy and teams up with Jinman (Lee Dong Wook), who everyone believed was dead. New episodes will drop every Wednesday through the eight-episode season finale on August 12.

The show's first season ranked among Disney+'s most-watched Asia Pacific originals in 2024, earning its renewal. Season 2 raises the stakes as Jian, now CEO of Murthehelp, launches a counterattack against Babylon, a powerful global organisation, with her resurrected uncle by her side.

Arabic romance debuts on Netflix

Love in Slow Motion premiered globally on Netflix on July 23, marking Eagle Films' third Arabic romantic comedy collaboration with the streaming giant. Filmed in Abu Dhabi, the film stars Nour Al Ghandour and Ali Kakooli as lifelong best friends Haya and Jawad.

The story follows Haya's chaotic mission to win Jawad's heart after discovering he's engaged to successful actress Zeina, just as she realises her romantic feelings for him. With help from her supportive sister, outspoken aunt and an unexpected scene-stealer named Cuba the chimp, Haya launches an increasingly hilarious campaign. Written by Eyad Saleh, the film also features Noha Nabil, Fatima Alshereef and Shoug AlHadi.

Indian school dramedy arrives

Adarsh Baal Vidyalaya brings warmth and sharp social commentary to Amazon Prime Video in a seven-episode series created by Biswapati Sarkar and Sameer Saxena under their Posham Pa Pictures banner. The former TVF collaborators, known for shows like Panchayat, set their latest work in the fictional locality of Tinki Toli on Delhi's outskirts.

Kay Kay Menon stars as principal Gyaneshwar Tripathi, a well-meaning teacher navigating a crumbling government school system. His quest for a government-sponsored Cambridge training programme sets off an unexpected journey through a dysfunctional institution where underpaid teachers juggle impossible workloads and students the system has written off. The series tackles exam pressure, gender inequality, child marriage and sex education without turning preachy.

Tamil cinema's political farewell

At UAE cinemas, Thalapathy Vijay makes his final big-screen appearance in Jana Nayagan, a political action drama directed by H Vinoth. The film carries special significance as Vijay transitions from cinema to full-time politics.

Vijay leads a star-studded cast including Pooja Hegde, Mamitha Baiju, Bobby Deol, Prakash Raj, Priyamani, Gautham Vasudev Menon and Narain, with music by Anirudh Ravichander. Originally scheduled for January 2026, the release was delayed due to censorship disputes, legal battles and online leaks before reaching theatres this weekend.

Disney's live-action ocean adventure

Disney's live-action Moana brings the beloved 2016 animated adventure to cinemas, released on July 10. Newcomer Catherine Laga'aia makes her film debut as Moana, a 17-year-old actress from Sydney, Australia, who shares the character's Polynesian heritage through her grandfather from Fa'aala, Palauli in Savai'i.

Dwayne Johnson reprises his role as the boastful demigod Maui in the Thomas Kail-directed film. The story follows Moana's journey across the Pacific to restore the heart of Te Fiti and save her island from a devastating curse. The remake marks the tightest turnaround between a Disney animated film and its live-action adaptation, with barely 10 years separating the two versions.

Additional streaming options

The Dink offers a breezy sports comedy on Apple TV, starring Jake Johnson as a washed-up tennis pro finding redemption through pickleball. Directed by Josh Greenbaum, the film features Ben Stiller, Mary Steenburgen, Ed Harris, Chloe Fineman, Patton Oswalt and Chris Parnell.

For romance seekers, Musafir Cafe presents a thoughtful eight-part series on Netflix. Vikrant Massey plays Chander, navigating complex relationships with Sudha (Vedika Pinto) and Preeti (Mahima Makwana). Directed by Ruchir Arun, the series explores different forms of connection and understanding.

Documentary viewers can stream My Grandfather Charles Manson on Disney Plus, following the cult leader's granddaughter as she confronts her family's dark legacy through therapy sessions, interviews with prosecutors and victims' relatives.

Cinema thrillers and horror

UAE cinemas offer additional choices beyond Jana Nayagan and Moana. Infiltrate, directed by James Mark, follows an ordinary woman thrust into organised crime to rescue her abducted husband. Seven Snipers, directed by Sandra Sciberras, features a retired sniper forced to reunite her elite kill squad for one final mission.

Horror fans can catch Evil Dead Burn, directed by Sébastien Vaniček, where a grieving woman's stay with her in-laws turns terrifying as family members transform into demonic Deadites. Malayalam cinema is represented by I, Nobody, starring Prithviraj Sukumaran as a man accused of masterminding a bank heist, directed by Nissam Basheer.