These are the absolute best new movie releases that are available to watch at home or in theaters this weekend, August 22–24, 2025.
Between a sleek yet underrated action thriller and two high-budget box office blockbusters finally available to rent on VOD, Screen Rant has got you covered with the most critically acclaimed and popular movies out right now.
Relay
Relay is arguably the best new release of this weekend (if you don’t count the IMAX re-release of Black Swan, that is). Relay is a high-stakes action thriller written by Justin Piasecki and directed by David Macklenzie, best known for directing Taylor Sheridan’s Oscar-nominated Western Hell or High Water.
Relay has an absolutely stacked cast, starring Riz Ahmed (Sound of Metal), Lily James (The Iron Claw), Sam Worthington (Avatar), Willa Fitzgerald (Reacher), and Victor Garber (Argo). The movie earned a Certified Fresh critic score 76% on Rotten Tomatoes, an even better audience score of 91%, and is currently averaging a solid 3.3 on Letterboxd.
Ahmed plays Ash, a stealthy broker of sorts who helps corrupt corporations silence individuals who make threats against them. Ash goes against his own code – which is centered on keeping his identity a secret – when a new client, Sarah (played by James), gets in hot water and enlists his help to stay alive.
Screen Rant’s senior critic, Mae Abdulbaki, gave Relay an 8/10 in her review. She noted that Relay “might just be one of the biggest surprises of 2025, expertly weaving an intense story that ensures your eyes never stray from the screen.”
While other new theatrical releases, such as Ron Howard’s Eden and the groundbreaking horror movie Weapons, may be generating more buzz, Relay is the current sleeper pick at the movies. With a runtime of 1 hour and 52 minutes, Relay is the perfect choice this weekend for fans of other swift action thrillers with an espionage edge like Steven Soderbergh’s Black Bag.
Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning
Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning is finally available to rent at home after it was released in theaters way back in late May. In what is still being called Tom Cruise’s final chapter as Ethan Hunt, Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning sends the beloved spy action thriller franchise off in style.
Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning earned a Certified Fresh 80% Rotten Tomatoes score, a Verified Hot 88% audience score, and a 3.5 Letterboxd score. While it was not as critically acclaimed as its two previous installments, 2023’s Dead Reckoning and 2018’s Fallout, the final movie still delivers a satisfying franchise ending.
There’s no question that to fully appreciate Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning, you will have to have seen most, if not all, of the previous Mission: Impossible movies. The most crucial past films that are relevant to Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning are the very first movie, which was released back in 1996, the third starring Philip Seymour Hoffman, and the last two.
Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning picks up exactly where Dead Reckoning left off as Ethan and the Impossible Mission Force continue their pursuit to destroy the all-powerful AI known as the Entity. In addition to Cruise, franchise regulars Ving Rhames and Simon Pegg return to close out the franchise.
Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning also features great performances by Hayley Atwell, Easi Morales, Pom Klementieff, and franchise veterans Angela Bassett, Henry Czerny, and Shea Whigham. The film also introduces new characters, played by Nick Offerman, Holt McCallany, and Hannah Waddingham.
F1
Viewers looking to dive into one of the best blockbusters of the summer from the comfort of their homes can’t go wrong with F1: The Movie. Starring Brad Pitt and directed by Joseph Kosinski of Top Gun: Maverick, F1 is truly a pedal-to-the-metal adrenaline-pumping experience.
While F1 is arguably best watched inside a big-screen theater (which is still an option in many areas of the U.S.), those looking to show off their home entertainment systems can easily do so with F1. At 2 hours and 35 minutes, the motorsport action drama is not only a great movie, but also an introduction to the vast global world of F1 racing, which has recently gained popularity in the U.S.
That said, fans of F1 racing will likely find a few technical errors with the film, as it’s not meant to authentically portray every detail of the high-stakes and complex sport. What the film does achieve is the sensation of being an F1 driver, blazing at ridiculous speeds of 200+ miles per hour, through impeccably designed and immersive action sequences.
F1 earned a Certified Fresh Rotten Tomatoes score of 82%, a near-perfect audience score of 97%, and a Letterboxd score of 3.7. It is currently the seventh highest-grossing movie of the year, just ahead of Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning and right behind Superman.
In addition to Pitt’s lead role as legendary F1 driver Sonny Hayes, the film also stars Javier Bardem, Kerry Condon, and Damson Idris. Whether you’re racing to the theater or renting at home, F1 remains one of the best summer 2025 blockbusters to watch right now.
This story originally appeared on Screenrant
