Alright, let’s talk about something urgent happening on Netflix that you absolutely *need* to know about. One of the very best movies of 2024, and one of the most popular too, is streaming there right now. But here’s the catch, and it’s a big one: this is all going to change incredibly soon! On July 16, this fantastic action flick is waving goodbye to Netflix. That means, depending on when you’re reading this, you’ve got roughly 72 hours – just three short days – to catch it before it’s gone.
Seriously, a major, highly-regarded 2024 movie is on the clock! When it packs its bags and leaves Netflix, your only options for streaming it will be to either rent it or subscribe to HBO Max, because that’s where it’s set to become a streaming exclusive. Now, I’m sure at some point down the road, it will make its way back to Netflix – streaming services love bringing things back eventually – but there’s no hint or word of that happening anytime soon. So, if you want to watch it without extra hassle, the time is *now*.
The movie we’re talking about, the one causing all this commotion, is none other than *Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga*. This is the highly anticipated follow-up and spin-off prequel to the absolutely massive and incredibly popular *Mad Max: Fury Road* from 2015. It’s a huge deal in the *Mad Max* universe, marking the fifth installment in the franchise. It’s also particularly notable because it’s the first time the series’ traditional protagonist, Max Rockatansky, isn’t the main character. Instead, the focus shifts to the prominent secondary character, Furiosa, and the film tells her origin story.
Now, let’s get real for a second. For Warner Bros. Pictures and the legendary series director George Miller, *Furiosa* didn’t quite hit the same stratospheric levels of success as its predecessor at the box office. *Mad Max: Fury Road* roared to a phenomenal $380.5 million globally, all while working with a budget that was half the size of *Furiosa*’s. In contrast, *Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga* brought in $174.3 million at the box office. While that’s certainly a big chunk of change, considering its budget was a hefty $168 million, it wasn’t quite the sufficient return everyone hoped for.
It wasn’t just the box office where *Furiosa* followed a different path than *Fury Road*. Awards season saw a similar disparity. *Mad Max: Fury Road* was a huge winner when awards rolled around, and it boasts incredible scores of 97% from critics and 86% from audiences on Rotten Tomatoes. *Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga*, while perhaps not experiencing the same widespread awards glory, still did remarkably well critically, earning solid scores of 90% from critics and 88% from audiences on Rotten Tomatoes. Those are still fantastic scores, showing widespread acclaim for the film’s quality.
So, while *Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga* might have ended up being a bit of a box office bomb compared to its predecessor, and while it fell short in replicating *Fury Road*’s awards season haul, that box office performance really has little to say about the movie’s actual quality. It was still, without a doubt, one of the standout movies released in 2024. It might not have surpassed its predecessor – and let’s be honest, *Fury Road* set an impossibly high bar – but by all accounts, it is better than the vast majority of other movies that came out this year. That’s a strong endorsement! To underscore this, it ranks as one of the highest-rated movies of 2024 according to critics and audiences alike.
If you’re a Netflix subscriber and you decide to take this urgent advice and stream *Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga* before it vanishes on July 16, you should know what you’re getting into. The movie has a runtime of 148 minutes, so set aside a decent chunk of time for this epic origin story. Also, be prepared for an R rating. Netflix subscribers should expect sequences of strong violence and grisly images, which is par for the course in the rugged, post-apocalyptic world of *Mad Max*. It’s intense, action-packed, and visually stunning – exactly what you’d hope for from this franchise.
Speaking of what to watch, this weekend is shaping up to be pretty wild across the board! We’ve got serial killers with unexpected moral codes, vast sci-fi sagas set lightyears away, and superheroes squaring off against truly dastardly villains. All of this incredible content is hitting screens either on the various streaming services we all seem to be subscribing to these days or maybe even at a theater near you. Yes, it’s summer, and sure, you might be thinking you should be outside soaking up the sun, but let’s be real, the evenings are perfect for kicking back, relaxing, and diving into some fantastic entertainment. Let’s explore some of the exciting new shows and movies popping up this weekend.
First up, something that might surprise you – *Dexter: Resurrection*. You might remember the controversial ending of *Dexter: New Blood*, where Dexter was, well, seemingly done for. But apparently, Dexter was only “mostly dead”! The new series is off to a good start from what I’ve heard. The premiere is out, and I’m planning to watch it soon and get a review out. I’d meant to jump on this sooner, but I had some issues with screeners and honestly, I’ve been a bit obsessed with *The Shield* lately. But rest assured, I’m watching today, so keep an eye out for my review this weekend and please, let me know your thoughts on the show! It’s quite something to see him back in action.
Then there’s the big sci-fi spectacle from Apple TV+, *Foundation* Season 3. Now, I’ve heard such a mix of reactions about this one – some good, some not-so-good. People are definitely divided! I haven’t actually pulled the trigger to watch it myself yet. A common comment I’ve heard is that it might not be the most faithful adaptation of the original source material, which, to be fair, many people consider almost impossible to adapt properly. However, the flip side is that many also say it’s still genuinely good television regardless of how it stacks up against the books. That kind of reminds me of Season 3 of *The Wheel Of Time*; it wasn’t exactly a spot-on adaptation, but it still ended up being a really darn good fantasy show. So, maybe *Foundation* Season 3 falls into that category? It’s definitely on my radar.
Over on Prime Video, we’re getting a new entry in the popular *Bosch* universe with *Ballard*. This one looks like another compelling cold-case mystery series, this time focusing on Detective Renée Ballard, played by the fantastic Maggie Q. From what I understand, you don’t necessarily need to have watched *all* of the original *Bosch* series to jump into this one. I’ve only seen the first three or four seasons myself and honestly don’t know who Ballard is from that context, but apparently, you’ll catch a glimpse of Bosch himself in the trailer. So, if you’re a *Bosch* fan, that’s something to factor in! The show looks promising, hitting that classic detective drama sweet spot.
