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Streaming in Canada on Prime Video, Apple TV+, Crave, Disney+, Netflix and PVOD [March 14-20]

Every week, MobileSyrup outlines some of the most notable movies and TV shows that recently hit Canadian streaming platforms.

Our ‘Streaming in Canada’ column typically focuses on new content from Amazon Prime Video, Crave and Netflix, but other services like Apple TV+ and Disney+ will be mentioned when relevant. Premium video on demand (PVOD) platforms are also fair game as movies continue to come to digital early amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Finally, we’ll highlight shows or movies that are made by Canadian companies, involve notable Canadian cast or crew and/or are filmed in Canada.

Amazon Prime Video

Deep Water [Amazon Exclusive]

A husband and wife who have fallen out of love begin to play mind games with one another — with fatal consequences.

Based on Patricia Highsmith’s 1957 novel of the same name, Deep Water was directed by Adrian Lyne (Fatal Attraction) and stars Ben Affleck (Argo) and Ana de Armas (Knives Out).

Amazon Prime Video premiere date: March 18th, 2022
Genre: Erotic psychological thriller
Runtime: 1 hour, 55 minutes

Stream Deep Water here.

An Amazon Prime Video subscription is included at no additional cost with an Amazon Prime membership, which costs $79/year.

The full list of movies and shows hitting Amazon Prime Video in March can be here.

Apple TV+

WeCrashed [Apple Original]

WeCrashed explores the rise and fall of WeWork, the true story of one of the world’s most valuable startups.

Based on David Brown’s book, WeCrashed: The Rise and Fall of WeWork, WeCrashed was created by Lee Eisenberg (The Office) and Drew Crevello (Deadpool) and stars Jared Leto (Dallas Buyers Club) and Anne Hathaway (Les Misérables).

Apple TV+ Canada premiere date: March 18th, 2022 (first three episodes, new episodes every Friday)
Genre: Drama
Runtime: Eight episodes (around one hour each)

Stream WeCrashed here.

Apple TV+ costs $5.99/month in Canada.

Crave

Beans

A child lives through the events of the 1990 Oka Crisis at Kanesatake, in which Mohawk protestors held a 78-day standoff with law enforcement over disputed land.

Beans was co-written and directed by Kahnawake, Quebec’s Tracey Deers (Mohawk Girls) and stars Akwesasne, Ontario’s Kiawentiio (Anne with an E). It’s also worth noting that Kiawentiio will co-star in Netflix’s live-action adaptation of Avatar: The Last Airbender as Katara.

Original premiere date: September 13th, 2020 (TIFF)
Crave premiere date: March 18th, 2022
Genre: Drama
Runtime: 1 hour, 32 minutes

Stream Beans here.

Dune (2021)

Paul Atreides and his noble house are thrust into a war on the deadly desert planet of Arrakis.

Adapted from Frank Herbert’s iconic 1965 novel of the same name, Dune was directed by Bécancour, Quebec’s own Denis Villeneuve (Blade Runner 2049) and stars an ensemble cast that includes Timothée Chalamet (Call Me By Your Name), Rebecca Ferguson (The Greatest Showman), Oscar Isaac (Inside Llewyn Davis), Rebecca Ferguson (The Greatest Showman), Josh Brolin (True Grit) and Zendaya (Euphoria).

It’s important to note that this is the first in a two-part adaptation from Villeneuve; the sequel is set to release in theatres in October 2023.

Original theatrical release date: October 22nd, 2021
Crave premiere date: March 18th, 2022
Genre: Sci-fi
Runtime: 2 hours, 36 minutes

Stream Dune here.

Minx

In 1970s Los Angeles, a young feminist teams up with a low-rent publisher to create the first erotic magazine for women.

Minx was created by Ellen Rapoport (Desperados) and stars Ophelia Lovibond (Elementary) and Jake Johnson (New Girl).

Crave/HBO Max premiere date: March 17th, 2022 (first two episodes, two new episodes every Thursday)
Genre: Comedy
Runtime: 10 episodes (around 30 minutes each)

Stream Minx here.

Phoenix Rising

Evan Rachel Wood (Westworld) recounts her experiences with domestic violence, including her journey towards naming her abuser.

Crave premiere date: March 15th, 2022
Genre: Documentary
Runtime: Two parts (1 hour, 13 minutes and 1 hour, 22 minutes each)

Stream Phoenix Rising here.

A standard Crave subscription is priced at $19.99/month, with Starz costing an additional $5.99/month. A mobile-only subscription is also available for $9.99/month.

The full list of movies and shows hitting Crave this month can be found here.

Disney+

Cheaper by the Dozen [Disney+ Original]

A blended family of 12 balances regular home life with a breakfast business.

A remake of the 1950 and 2003 films of the same name, Cheaper by the Dozen (2022) was directed by Gail Lerner (Will & Grace) and stars Gabrielle Union (Being Mary Jane) and Zach Braff (Scrubs).

Disney+ Canada premiere date: March 18th, 2022
Genre: Family comedy
Runtime: 1 hour, 47 minutes

Stream Cheaper by the Dozen (2022) here.

Netflix’s former Marvel shows, including Daredevil

As you’ve probably heard, all of Netflix’s original Marvel series have been removed from the service as the rights return to Marvel. What that means is that they’re now, as of March 16th, all streaming on Disney+. For reference, this includes:

  • Marvel’s Daredevil (three seasons)
  • Marvel’s Jessica Jones (three seasons)
  • Marvel’s Luke Cage (two seasons)
  • Marvel’s Iron Fist (two seasons)
  • Marvel’s The Defenders (one season)
  • Marvel’s The Punisher (two seasons)

So far, Daredevil has had ties to Spider-Man: No Way Home and Hawkeye, on top of rumours of a Disney+ reboot, so that might be one you’d especially want to watch. (It’s also, by far, the best of the bunch.)

You can find them all under the Marvel section of Disney+, where they’re currently being featured.

Nightmare Alley

An ambitious carnival worker with a shady past takes massive risks to advance his career.

Based on William Lindsay Gresham’s 1946 novel of the same name, Nightmare Alley was co-written and directed by Guillermo del Toro (The Shape of Water) and stars Bradley Cooper (A Star is Born), Cate Blanchett (Carol), Rooney Mara (Carol), Toni Collette (Hereditary) and Willem Dafoe (Eternity’s Gate).

It’s worth noting that the film was primarily shot in and around Toronto.

Original theatrical release date: December 17th, 2021
Disney+ Canada premiere date: March 16th, 2022
Genre: Neo-noir, psychological thriller
Runtime: 2 hours, 30 minutes

Stream Nightmare Alley here.

A Disney+ subscription costs $11.99/month or $119.99/year in Canada.

The full list of movies and shows hitting Disney+ this month can be found here.

Netflix

Human Resources [Netflix Original]

In the world of Big Mouth, monsters are assigned to a group of human adults to serve as representations of their feelings.

Hailing from the same creators as Big Mouth, Human Resources features the voices of Aidy Bryant (Shrill), Randall Park (Fresh off the Boat), Keke Palmer (Hustlers) and David Thewlis (Harry Potter franchise).

Netflix Canada premiere date: March 18th, 2022
Genre: Animated comedy
Runtime: 10 episodes (26 to 28 minutes each)

Stream Human Resources here.

Rescued by Ruby [Netflix Original]

A state trooper dreaming to join an elite K-9 unit winds up partnering with a clever but naughty shelter dog named Ruby.

Based on a true story, Rescued by Ruby was directed by Katt Shea (Poison Ivy) and stars Grant Gustin (The Flash), Scott Wolf (Party of Five) and Vancouver’s Kaylah Zander (Chilling Adventures of Sabrina). It’s also worth noting that the film was shot in Vancouver.

Netflix Canada premiere date: March 18th, 2022
Genre: Family drama
Runtime: 1 hour, 33 minutes

Stream Rescued by Ruby here.

Windfall [Netflix Original]

A break-in attempt at a tech billionaire’s vacation home is interrupted when the mogul and his wife return unexpectedly.

Windfall was directed by Charlie McDowell (The Discovery) and stars Jason Segel (How I Met Your Mother), Lily Collins (Emily in Paris) and Jesse Plemons (The Power of the Dog).

Netflix Canada premiere date: March 18th, 2022
Genre: Thriller
Runtime: 1 hour, 32 minutes

Stream Windfall here.

Following a recent price increase, a ‘Basic’ Netflix subscription costs $9.99/month, a ‘Standard’ subscription (HD-supported) costs $16.49/month and a ‘Premium’ membership is priced at $20.99/month (4K-supported).

The full list of movies and shows hitting Netflix Canada this month can be found here.

This week in Netflix news: The streamer is cracking down on password sharing by introducing a paywall in select countries as part of a new test.

Premium video on demand (PVOD)

Spider-Man: No Way Home

One of the biggest movies of all time is finally available for viewing at home.

Following the events of Spider-Man: Far From Home, Peter Parker/Spider-Man seeks Dr. Strange’s help to magically make everyone forget his identity, only for the spell to become botched and villains from alternate realities to enter.

Spider-Man: No Way Home was directed by Jon Watts (Spider-Man: Homecoming and Far From Home) and features an ensemble cast that includes MCU Spider-Man stars Tom Holland (Peter Parker/Spider-Man), Zendaya (MJ) and Jacob Batalon (Ned Leeds), as well as Benedict Cumberbatch (Dr. Strange), Willem Dafoe (Spider-Man) and Alfred Molina (Spider-Man 2).

Original theatrical release date: December 17th, 2022
PVOD premiere date: March 15th, 2022
Genre: Superhero
Runtime: 2 hours, 28 minutes

Spider-Man: No Way Home can be purchased for $24.99 on PVOD platforms like iTunes, Google Play, Amazon Prime Video and the Cineplex Store.

What are you planning on watching this week? Let us know in the comments.

For other viewing suggestions, check out last week’s Streaming in Canada column.

It’s worth noting that the 2022 Oscars are one week away. To find out where you can stream all of the Best Picture nominees in Canada, click here.

Image credit: Marvel

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Mobile Syrup

Star Trek: Picard uses Galaxy Z Flip 3 as futuristic Tricorder prop

It seems Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip 3 might be a bit more futuristic than some of us expected.

The foldable handset has been spotted in Star Trek: Picard as part of a Tricorder — a Star Trek device used to scan the environment, record data and more. In episode three of season two, the Tricorder appears twice and is used by Agnes Jurati and Rafaella Musiker. You can spot the Z Flip 3’s horizontal crease and reduced bezels.

The phone is in a very thick case to make it look more like a Tricorder, and you can’t see the rear of the Z Flip 3 at all in the scene.

Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 2 or 3 (it’s unclear which one) was spotted in a previous episode being used as a ‘PADD,’ a Personal Access Display.

Star Trek: Picard is available to stream on Bell’s Crave app in Canada.

Via: 9to5Google

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Marvel developing Disney+ reboot of Netflix’s Daredevil: report

Marvel Studios is seemingly working on a reboot of Netflix’s Daredevil series for Disney+.

In the latest issue of Production Weekly, a prominent publication offering production data on upcoming film and TV shows, a Disney+ project called ‘Daredevil Reboot’ is listed. This aligns with rumours from credible Marvel tipsters that a Daredevil reboot may begin filming as soon as late 2022. And in case there was any doubt as to whether this was the same Daredevil, it’s also got Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige is listed as producer.

Marvel’s Daredevil originally premiered in 2015 on Netflix and ran for three critically-acclaimed seasons. Charlie Cox portrayed Matt Murdock, a blind lawyer in New York’s Hell’s Kitchen who also fought crime as the superhuman Daredevil. However, Netflix cancelled the series in 2018 amid purported conflicts with Marvel parent Disney, which was, at the time, preparing to pull its conflict from the streamer for its own service, Disney+.

The rights to Daredevil, as well as all of the other related “Defenders” Netflix shows, have since reverted to Disney, leading them all to stream on Disney+ as of March 16th.

Over the past few years, a popular ‘#SaveDaredevil’ campaign has sprung up, with hundreds of thousands signing a petition and campaigning online for Marvel to revive the series. It’s important to note that Daredevil and the other shows were produced by Marvel Television, which operated independently from Feige’s Marvel Studios, the company behind the Marvel Cinematic Universe films. Therefore, there was always uncertainty whether Marvel Studios would be interested in reviving any of these shows.

However, fans’ hopes were renewed last year when Cox reprised the role of Matt Murdock in a cameo in December’s Spider-Man: No Way Home. That same month, Vincent D’Onofrio, who played the villainous Kingpin on Daredevil, returned as the crime boss in multiple episodes of Hawkeye on Disney+. While Cox and D’Onofrio have remained coy about potential returns, fans naturally hoped for more.

While it’s unclear exactly how much of the continuity from the original Netflix series may carry over, a Daredevil reboot nonetheless makes a lot of sense, given the character’s popularity. The major concern people brought up beforehand was that the show’s more adult-oriented content wouldn’t fit on Disney+, but clearly, that wasn’t an issue for Disney, which has introduced parental controls on the platform in the U.S. for that reason. (Canadian Disney+ parental controls have been available since last year when Star launched with a large catalogue of mature programming.)

It’s worth noting that credible tipsters have suggested Cox will return in this year’s She-Hulk, starring Canada’s own Tatiana Maslany, given that the titular character and Daredevil are both prominent lawyers in the Marvel universe. Additionally, the upcoming Disney+ series Echo, a spin-off of Hawkeye starring Alaqua Cox’s Maya, is connected to Daredevil in both lore and writing staff. With respect to the former, Kingpin is Maya’s adoptive father, which further fuels speculation that D’Onofrio — and, perhaps, Cox — will return for that show, as well.

Whatever happens, though, Feige has confirmed that Cox will play Daredevil in any potential Marvel projects, which is no doubt reassuring for fans.

Image credit: Marvel

Source: Publication Weekly

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Amazon now officially owns MGM following closure of $8.5 billion deal

Amazon has confirmed that its $8.5 billion USD (about $10.7 billion CAD) acquisition of MGM is complete.

This means that it officially owns the historic Hollywood studio, whose properties include the James Bond and Rocky film franchises and Shark Tank and The Handmaid’s Tale TV series. The deal was first announced last May, meaning it took just under one year to pass the necessary regulatory approvals.

Amazon aims to use MGM’s extensive catalogue of more than 4,000 films and 17,000 TV episodes to bolster its Prime Video service. However, it’s unclear exactly what it looks to do with these properties, particularly Bond, which is set to enter a new era following the end of Daniel Craig’s tenure as the British superspy in last year’s No Time to Die.

Image credit: MGM/Eon Productions

Source: Amazon

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Netflix to lock password sharing behind paywall as part of new test

Netflix has announced plans to test a paywall on password sharing with anyone outside of a user’s household.

In a blog post, the company said it will, over the next few weeks, begin testing the payment requirement in Chile, Costa Rica and Peru. For a fee of 2,380 CLP (about $3.79 CAD) in Chile, 2.99 USD (about $3.82 CAD) in Costa Rica, and 7.9 PEN (about $2.70 CAD) in Peru, members of Netflix’s Standard and Premium plans will be able to share their account with two other ‘Extra Member’ accounts. Users will also be able to transfer their profiles’ viewing history, My List, and personalized recommendations to new or Extra Member accounts.

Netflix says it’s making these changes due to “confusion about when and how Netflix can be shared.” For context, Netflix’s terms of service state that an account “may not be shared with individuals beyond your household,” although the streamer hasn’t actually prohibited people from doing so.

“As a result, accounts are being shared between households — impacting our ability to invest in great new TV and films for our members.”

At the moment, Netflix says the paywall test is only planned for the aforementioned three countries.

“We recognize that people have many entertainment choices, so we want to ensure any new features are flexible and useful for members, whose subscriptions fund all our great TV and films,” the company wrote. “We’ll be working to understand the utility of these two features for members in these three countries before making changes anywhere else in the world.”

Of course, it’s easy to see how Netflix could expand the test to other countries, especially as it’s explicitly acknowledging the loss of revenue related to password sharing. The company previously said it was looking into cracking down on password sharing in a “consumer-friendly way,” which it’s so far done by reminding some users of its terms of service via in-app messaging.

That said, many would likely argue that a paywall isn’t exactly “consumer-friendly.” The company has also increased its Canadian pricing twice within the last two years, which would undoubtedly make an additional fee go over even worse. It’s unclear whether Netflix might explore some sort of compromise, wherein a limited number of households can share a single account before it begins charging.

In any event, MobileSyrup has reached out to Netflix regarding potential plans to bring this initial test to Canada and will update this story once a response has been received.

Source: Netflix

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Ryan Reynolds’ The Adam Project was Netflix’s third-biggest original movie launch

Netflix says The Adam Project, starring Vancouver’s own Ryan Reynolds, landed the service’s third-largest original film launch to date.

Per the streamer, the sci-fi movie racked up 92.4 million hours viewed for the week between Friday, March 11th and Sunday, March 13th. For context, the only Netflix movies to boast a larger opening weekend were Red Notice (co-starring Reynolds) with 149 million hours and Adam McKay’s Don’t Look Up (111 million hours).

It’s important to note that it’s always difficult to gauge just how well a Netflix original is performing, given that Netflix uses unorthodox metrics like “hours viewed.” That’s because the company isn’t required to disclose ratings in the same way that TV networks or film studios with theatrical releases are. While third-party sites like Nielsen attempt to track such data, the majority of what they collect comes from the U.S., which, of course, doesn’t account for the 100-plus other countries in which Netflix is available.

In any event, it’s not hard to see why a Ryan Reynolds-led film, especially one that’s family-friendly like The Adam Project, would be a hit with audiences. Filmed in Vancouver, The Adam Project follows a time-traveling pilot (Reynolds) who teams up with his younger self (Walker Scobell) to save the future. Jennifer Garner, Mark Ruffalo, Zoe Saldaña and Catherine Keener co-star.

Notably, The Adam Project marks Reynolds’ second film with Montreal-born director Shawn Levy, following their collaboration on last year’s hit Fox comedy Free Guy. On top of that, it was reported last week that Reynolds and Levy will re-team for the currently untitled third Deadpool film, which is being produced by Marvel Studios.

Levy also serves as producer on Netflix’s massively popular Stranger Things, the fourth season of which premieres on May 27th.

Image credit: Netflix

Via: The Hollywood Reporter

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Quebec version of LOL: Last One Laughing to hit Prime Video this year

Amazon has confirmed that a Quebec-focused take on its LOL: Last One Laughing Canada series called LOL: Qui Rira Le Dernier will hit Prime Video later this year.

The original series, itself an offshoot of the international LOL: Last One Laughing comedy format, pits Canadian comedians like Colin Mochrie, Dave Foley and Andrew Phung against one another to see who can keep a straight face the longest.

That format will be retained for LOL: Qui Rira Le Dernier, which will be filmed in Montreal and feature an all-French cast. Stand-up comedian and actor Patrick Huard (Bon Cop, Bad Cop) is confirmed to host, although a cast has not yet been revealed.

In addition to the two LOL shows, Amazon is also developing a revival of Kids in the Hall, the Canadian sketch comedy series featuring Foley, Bruce McCulloch, Kevin McDonald, Mark McKinney and Scott Thompson. The show is set to hit Prime Video sometime this year.

Image credit: eOne

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HBO Max and Discovery+ are merging into one service

HBO Max and Discovery+ are combining into one streaming service due to Discovery’s merger with AT&T’s WarnerMedia.

Gunnar Wiedenfels, the CFO at Discovery, will continue to be the CFO once the merger is completed and believes that the merger of platforms will happen in the following “several months.”

Until the combination, Wiedenfels says that the company is looking for “technological harmonization,” such as a sign-on for both services and publishing content across both apps.

Now, the critical question is how this applies to us in Canada.

We don’t have HBO Max in the North, and all of our HBO content is on Bell Media’s Crave. However, Discovery+ is also available in Canada. So, it’s unclear if the HBO content will get pulled off Crave or if Discovery+ will start getting tons of HBO content. Additionally, we’re not sure if some version of the combined service will be available in Canada.

We’ve reached out to Discovery+ and Crave to see if they can provide any insight.

Discovery+ in Canada costs $4.99, and Crave Total with HBO costs $19.99.

Via: Variety

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PS4 owners can now get three months of Apple TV+ for free

PlayStation 4 owners can now receive a free three-month subscription to Apple TV+.

The offer is eligible to new subscribers and requires you to have a free PSN and Apple ID. If you meet those criteria, follow these steps to claim the subscription:

  1. Download the Apple TV app onto your PS4 from the ‘TV and Video’ section
  2. Open the app and follow the on-screen instructions
  3. Sign in with your Apple ID (or create one, if needed)

An Apple TV+ subscription costs $5.99 CAD/month on its own, giving this offer a $17.97 value. Note that this is a separate promotion from the six-month Apple TV+ offer on PS5. That said, both offers can be redeemed until July 22nd, 2022.

Notable Apple TV+ originals include the Oscar-nominated drama films, Coda and The Tragedy of Macbeth, the drama series The Morning Show and the comedy series Ted Lasso and The Afterparty. 

Image credit: Apple

Source: PlayStation

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Amazon eyeing God of War TV show with PlayStation: report

Amazon is in negotiations with PlayStation to adapt the company’s God of War action game franchise into a live-action TV series for Prime Video, according to Deadline.

The outlet notes that the series is being developed by The Expanse creators/executive producers Mark Fergus and Hawk Ostby and The Wheel of Time executive producer/showrunner Rafe Judkins. Both shows are exclusive to Prime Video.

Deadline did not mention any potential plot details for the proposed God of War series. For context, the God of War games follow Kratos, a rage-filled Spartan warrior who opposes the gods of Greek mythology. It’s unclear whether Amazon’s series would draw inspiration from Kratos’ Greek adventures, the more mature 2018 Nordic outing with his son, Atreus or even tell a new story entirely.

In any case, an adaptation of God of War makes sense for PlayStation, given that it’s one of the company’s flagship franchises. Since 2005, seven God of War games have been released, with the series’ most recent title, 2018’s God of War, garnering numerous accolades, including “Game of the Year” at The Game Awards. The highly anticipated sequel, God of War: Ragnarok, is set to come to PS4 and PS5 later this year.

It’s important to note that because the series is still being negotiated, there’s no guarantee as of yet that it will actually get made. Should a deal close, though, God of War would be the latest in a growing lineup of gaming adaptations for Amazon, including a Fallout show based on the eponymous Bethesda gaming franchise from Westworld creators Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy and a rumoured Mass Effect series.

This would also be another title in the ever-growing catalogue of PlayStation Productions, a division Sony founded in 2019 to adapt its gaming properties into shows and movies. The first PlayStation Productions title, Uncharted, opened in theatres last month with strong box office success, and Sony has all but confirmed a sequel. Other PlayStation Productions include HBO’s The Last of Us show from Chernobyl‘s Craig Mazin and developer Naughty Dog’s Neil Druckmann, a Ghost of Tsushima movie from John Wick director Chad Stahelski and a Twisted Metal NBC Show starring Anthony Mackie.

Image credit: PlayStation

Source: Deadline