What to stream: 'Wicked' at home, Selena Gomez in love and Ellen Pompeo
out of scrubs
[March 17, 2025]
By The Associated Press
“Wicked” landing on Peacock for home sing-alongs and Ellen Pompeo
starring in her first big role since stepping back from ABC’s “Grey’s
Anatomy” are some of this week’s new streaming entertainment releases
are some of the new television, films, music and games headed to a
device near you.
Also among the streaming offerings worth your time as selected by The
Associated Press’ entertainment journalists: Selena Gomez and her
fiancé, producer and songwriter Benny Blanco, will release a joint
album, Dennis Quaid stars in Paramount+’s true-crime series “Happy Face”
about a serial killer and Assassin’s Creed Shadows brings Ubisoft’s
globetrotting, time-hopping gaming epic to feudal Japan.
NEW MOVIES TO STREAM MARCH 17-23
— There’s plenty of Oscar winners and contenders coming to streaming
services now that the show is over, starting with best picture winner “Anora,”
debuting on Hulu on Monday. Filmmaker Sean Baker’s odyssey of a Brooklyn
sex worker, whose whirlwind affair with the wild son of a Russian
oligarch goes very wrong also won best director, best editing and best
actress for Mikey Madison. Baker devoted most of his Oscars speech to
the importance of making movies for and seeing movies on the big screen,
but don’t worry we won’t tell if you decide to watch this one on the
small screen first. Just put the phone down: It’s a ride worth taking.
— Another big Oscar player, perhaps “Anora’s” complete opposite as a
big, lavishly expensive studio musical, “Wicked” starts streaming on
Peacock on Friday, March 21. There will also be a singalong version
available and some bonus content for the super fans. Filmmaker Jon M.
Chu took on the gargantuan task of adapting the Broadway musical for the
big screen, and he went all out. In her review for The Associated Press,
Jocelyn Noveck wrote, “If it feels like they made the best “Wicked”
movie money could buy — well, it’s because they kinda did.” The film won
two Oscars, for costume and production design.
— And, finally, a gem which got a little lost in the mix, “Sing Sing”
arrives on Max on Friday, March 21. This inspired-by-real-life film
about inmates who find a creative outlet through acting and performance
earned three Oscar nominations: For Colman Domingo’s lead role, for the
adapted screenplay, and for best original song, but don’t let its 0/3
wins detract you from a watch. “It’s a cinematic high-five to all arts
programs behind bars and, in particular, the power of theater,” AP's
Mark Kennedy wrote in his review. “The movie’s most affecting scenes are
the ones that follow the inmates doing the craft — tender auditions,
reciting their lines while doing chores and working on their characters.
Watching them giddy backstage in costume before a show is all of us.”
— AP Film Writer Lindsey Bahr
NEW MUSIC TO STREAM MARCH 17-23
— At the end of last year, the Grammy- and Emmy-nominated
multi-hyphenate Selena Gomez announced her engagement to hit producer
and songwriter Benny Blanco. Music is their shared language, and on
Friday, the couple will release a joint album, “I Said I Love Your
First.” Haters of romance, turn away. This is a celebration of their
affection, but not without introspection. That’s evident in the acoustic
ballad “Scared of Loving You,” and the pop rock single “Call Me When You
Break Up,” featuring Gracie Abrams.
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This album cover image released by Interscope Records shows “I Said
I Love You First” by Selena Gomez and Benny Blanco. (Interscope via
AP)
 — In the fall, the Grand Ole Opry
will celebrate its milestone 100th anniversary. But the festivities
are starting much earlier. On Wednesday, the party kicks off with a
television special, “Opry 100: A Live Celebration,” which will air
live on NBC and simulcast on Peacock. Performers include Garth
Brooks, Trisha Yearwood, Reba McEntire, Carrie Underwood, Alan
Jackson, Post Malone, Jelly Roll, Eric Church and more. Now that’s
stacked.
— AP Music Writer Maria Sherman
NEW SHOWS TO STREAM MARCH 17-23
— With “Good American Family” on Hulu, Ellen Pompeo stars in her
first big role since stepping back from her series regular status on
ABC’s “Grey’s Anatomy.” “Good American Family” fictionalizes the
true story of Natalia Grace, a Ukrainian-born orphan with dwarfism,
adopted as a child by an American family — who later accused her of
lying about her age with sinister intentions. The wild tale became
well-known after it was the subject of a docuseries that debuted in
2023 on Investigation Discovery. In “Good American Family,” Pompeo
and Mark Duplass play the adoptive parents of Natalia (Imogen Faith
Reid). It premieres Wednesday.
— What if your dad was a convicted serial killer? That horrific
thought is a reality for TV producer and podcaster Melissa G. Moore,
whose father is Keith Jesperson, now serving multiple life sentences
in prison for a string of murders in the early 1990s. Melissa had a
loving relationship with her father until learning of his crimes as
a teen. Jesperson was called the Happy Face Killer because he drew
happy faces on confession letters boasting about his killings.
Melissa’s story is played out in “Happy Face” debuting Thursday on
Paramount+, starring Annaleigh Ashford and Dennis Quaid.
— As public interest in women’s sports has surged, a new weekly talk
show coming to The Roku Channel is dedicated to female athletes.
“Women’s Sports Now” is hosted by former WNBA player Renee
Montgomery, comedian Sarah Tiana and sports reporter Suzy Shuster.
The show will follow women’s sports teams at the college and
professional level. Reese Witherspoon is an executive producer. It
debuts Thursday.
— Alicia Rancilio
NEW VIDEO GAMES TO PLAY
— Assassin’s Creed Shadows brings Ubisoft’s globetrotting,
time-hopping epic to feudal Japan. This chapter tells the story of
Naoe, a ninja who’s out to avenge her father’s death, and Yasuke, a
former slave from Africa who went on to become a renowned samurai.
(He’s based on a real historic figure.) The dual protagonists mean
you can take a different approach on each mission: Do you want to
pick off your foes with stealth or rush in with swords swinging? It
all takes place during the late Sengoku period of the 1500s, a
turbulent era when various warlords were fighting to control Japan.
But the real question for AC fans, as always, is: Where will Naoe
and Yasuke come down in the eternal struggle between the freedom
fighters of the Assassin Brotherhood and the repressive Templar
order? Grab your katana Thursday on PlayStation 5, Xbox X/S and PC.
— Lou Kesten
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