By Isaac Atunlute
This weekend’s lineup is a thrilling mix of genre-defying comebacks, powerful new heroes, and stories that keep you thinking long after the credits roll. From a darker, deadlier M3GAN to the return of South Africa’s favourite rom-com couple in Semi-Soeter and the much-anticipated Marvel debut of Ironheart, there’s something for every mood.
Squid Game (Netflix)
Genre: Thriller
The global hit that held the world in thrall back in 2021 is back for its final and most brutal season yet. As bankrupt contestants compete in deadly games for survival, the show dives even deeper into themes of inequality, desperation, and human instinct. With new players, higher stakes, and nastier betrayals, Squid Game remains a haunting reflection of our times—gripping, thought-provoking, and impossible to look away from.
M3GAN 2.0 (In theaters)
Genre: Horror/Sci-fi
The killer AI doll is back—smarter, scarier, and more dangerous. In this chilling sequel, M3GAN finds herself facing off against an even more advanced and militarised robot named Amelia. What could possibly go wrong? Bursting with dark satire, futuristic fears, and spine-chilling terror, M3GAN 2.0 proves that AI terror is only just getting started.
Semi-Soeter (Showmax & Amazon Prime Video)
Genre: Romance/Comedy
The long-awaited sequel to the 2012 Semi-Soeter Semi-Soet delivers warmth and hilarity in nostalgic style. Directed by Joshua Rous, the Afrikaans-language romantic comedy stars Anel Alexander and Nico Panagio, a power couple whose picture-perfect, child-free life is upended when they are forced to pretend to be parents to close a business deal. Get prepared for charm and plenty of laughs.
Countdown (Amazon Prime Video)
Genre: Crime
After a Homeland Security officer is killed in broad daylight, an LAPD officer joins a multi-agency task force to track down the murderer. What begins as a murder investigation unravels into a city-wide conspiracy with deadly implications. This fast-paced thriller keeps you guessing with every twist.
Ironheart (Disney+)
Genre: Action
Meet Riri Williams, a genius teenager who builds her own super suit and becomes Iron Man. This fresh Marvel series goes beyond the action to explore themes of race, identity, and youth activism. With a new kind of hero and high-stakes action, Ironheart brings depth and excitement to the next chapter of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
This weekend offers a diverse movie watchlist featuring thrilling narratives and engaging characters across various genres. "Squid Game" returns on Netflix for its most intense season, delving deeper into societal themes as contestants vie for survival in harrowing games. The theaters present "M3GAN 2.0," a horror/sci-fi sequel where a menacing AI doll faces a new robotic adversary, exploring fears of AI advancements with dark satire.
For romance enthusiasts, "Semi-Soeter" on Showmax and Amazon Prime Video delivers humor and charm as a couple navigates life's surprises in this Afrikaans-language rom-com sequel. Crime thriller "Countdown" on Amazon Prime Video follows an LAPD officer unraveling a vast conspiracy after a colleague's murder, ensuring suspense with every twist. Lastly, Disney+ introduces "Ironheart," a Marvel series about Riri Williams, a genius creating her own superhero persona while tackling themes of race, identity, and activism in dynamic storytelling.
