This Week’s Must-Watch Streams: Olivia Rodrigo, LaKeith Stanfield, NBA 2K14 and ‘The Little Mermaid’

Coming soon to your screens are Olivia Rodrigo’s highly anticipated second album and LaKeith Stanfield’s appearance in the thrilling eight-part horror fantasy series “The Changeling,” alongside a range of new television shows, movies, music, and games.

Among the deals selected by Associated Press entertainment reporters are Disney’s live-action remake of “The Little Mermaid” starring Halle Bailey, the video game NBA 2K14 honoring Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant and the popular comfort show. “Virgin River” returns for a fifth season on Netflix.

NEW MOVIES SUPPLIED

Disney’s latest live-action remake of “The Little Mermaid” arrives at Disney on Wednesday. Not everyone has liked the studio’s regular animated classics. But they’ve been reliable box office draws; earlier this year, “The Little Mermaid” grossed $568.6 million worldwide. In her review, AP film writer Lindsey Bahr called this “mermaid” a “somewhat dull enterprise with sparks of bioluminescence” that “doesn’t really sing.” But one element of Rob Marshall’s film has been more widely praised: Halle Bailey’s breakout performance as Ariel.

“Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem” goes the other way and takes the usually live-action series into animation. (The first Ninja Turtles movie, in 1990, came out a year before the original “The Little Mermaid”; one was born in a trickle, one in the sea.) Subsequent films have had a rather poor track record. But “Mutant Mayhem,” from director Jeff Rowe (director of “The Mitchells vs. the Machines”) and co-producers Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, is a lively, hip-hop spin on the Turtles. In my review of the film, which arrives on VOD and digital on Tuesday, I praised it for some good gags and clever innovations, but for “one brilliant idea: getting Ice Cube to voice the film’s mutant insect supervillain, Super Fly.”

PERFORMING NEW MUSIC

Olivia Rodrigo breathed new life into the haunting power ballad when she dropped ‘Drivers License’ in January 2021, the lead single from her debut LP ‘SOUR’. He was not the same hit wonder: then came the fiery power pop-punk songs “Good 4 U” and “Brutal”. In 2023, his anticipated sophomore release “GUTS” will be based on the life experiences of the pop superstar. in fame – and in his 20s. The first two tracks released from the album – blood-sucking piano ballad “Vampire” and cheeky backslide anthem Jin and J-hope have joined; Suga has started the process. in his absence, the remaining members have taken turns releasing solo material. It’s a bit of brilliant business and fan service: Can you miss the boy band that never went away? The latest to charm audiences with his unique star power is V, his upcoming solo release ‘Layover’. His rich baritone glides over retro R&B production on the mournful bilingual singles “Love Me Again” and “Rainy Days.”

NEW SERIES to stream

A new PBS series shows how animals are adapting to climate change in surprising and even inspiring ways. “Evolution Earth,” premiering Wednesday, shows animal migration and behavioral changes in response to our changing planet. Like Edith’s Checkerspot, a butterfly that thrives at higher elevations and moves away from the heat. The five-part series is narrated by evolutionary biologist Dr. Shane Campbell-Staton.

The popular comfort show “Virgin River” returns for its fifth season on Netflix. The series, starring Alexandra Breckenridge and Martin Henderson, follows the residents of a small, fictional Northern California town where neighbors help neighbors and one of the town’s bars also has a gourmet chef. Yes, there is drama, but life seems easier in Virgin River. The first 10 episodes of the fifth season debuted on Thursday, and two holiday episodes will drop in November.

LaKeith Stanfield (“Judas and the Black Messiah,” “Haunted Mansion”) is producing and starring in “The Changeling” for Apple TV. The eight-part horror fantasy series is based on Victor LaValle’s bestselling book of the same name. Stanfield stars as Apollo, a rare bookseller in New York whose marriage to a librarian named Emma takes a shocking turn when they have a son. The show is a dark mystery that digs into heavy themes like past traumas and parenting fears while revealing how difficult it is to navigate those issues in today’s technology-driven world. The first three episodes of The Changeling will be released on Friday, September 8.

NEW VIDEO GAMES ARE PLAYING

The year is 2330, and humanity has finally abandoned this planet and gone beyond the solar system. In Starfield by Bethesda Game Studios, you are a newcomer to Constellation, a group of explorers in search of rare items. It’s a huge project with over 1,000 planets to visit – some civilized and friendly, others not so much. Against this vast backdrop, the developers promise a wide range of choices, from how you display your character and spaceship to how you want to deal with the various factions scattered across the galaxy. Here on Earth in 2023, Microsoft and Bethesda have a lot riding on Starfield: It’s the most ambitious Xbox game of the year, and it’s the first new universe from the studio since it released The Elder Scrolls in 1994. Liftoff begins Wednesday on Xbox X /S and PC .

The actual NBA season is still a month and a half away, but 2K Sports knows virtual basketball fans are dying to get back on the court. NBA 2K14 pays tribute to Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant with “Mamba Moments,” allowing you to relive some of the most dramatic games of his career. This year’s edition also introduces “ProPlay,” which turns real NBA footage into a game. And 2K says it has revamped and improved its offensive moves, offering tighter control on layups, dunks and even dribbles. Tipoff is Friday, September 8 on PlayStation 5/4, Xbox X/S/One and PC.