The best new movies on Netflix, HBO and streaming right now (April 17-19)

Monsters of all sorts are stalking streaming this weekend. Hannibal showrunner Bryan Fuller reunites with Mads Mikkelsen in Dust Bunny, a dark fairy tale about a girl who hires her hitman neighbor to kill the creature that lives under her bed. Creepypasta author Ian Tuason makes his directorial debut with Undertone, where a pair of podcasters encounter a predatory paranormal force.

Fans of Sinners should check out Ryan Prows’ Night Patrol, which also uses extremely bloody horror to explore white supremacy. You can also visit a spooky abandoned amusement park from the safety of your living room in Shelby Oaks, the directorial debut of YouTube critic Chris Stuckmann.

Here’s a rundown of the most notable new releases on streaming and VOD, including the biggest, best, and most popular new movies you can watch at home right now.

New on HBO Max

Dust Bunny

• Genre: Horror
• Run time: 1h 46m
• Director: Bryan Fuller
• Cast: Mads Mikkelsen, Sophie Sloan, Sheila Atim

Hannibal and Pushing Daisies showrunner Bryan Fuller makes his directorial debut by reuniting with Mads Mikkelsen for a dark fairy tale about an 8-year-old girl (Sophie Sloan) who hires her hitman neighbor (Mikkelsen) to kill the monster under her bed. The two form an unlikely bond that makes the film both sweet and disturbing.

From our review:

While Dust Bunny scales down the gore and guts one might expect from Fuller, who used so much fake blood on Hannibal that mold started to grow on the set, Fuller hasn’t softened his razor-sharp edges, either. He likes to twist audience expectations, and while his script very much leans into kid horror, Dust Bunny makes an incredibly mundane thing — a literal dust bunny under Aurora’s bed — feel like a loaded gun.

New on Hulu

Shelby Oaks

• Genre: Supernatural horror
• Run time: 1h 31m
• Director: Chris Stuckmann
• Cast: Camille Sullivan, Brendan Sexton III, Keith David, Sarah Durn

Mia (Camille Sullivan) is determined to find out what happened to her younger sister Riley (Sarah Durn), a YouTuber who disappeared when filming at an abandoned amusement park near Shelby Oaks, Ohio. Combining found footage with conventional camera work, the film provides a tour of creepy locations as Mia discovers something demonic at work.

From our review:

Stuckmann’s directorial debut is a sturdy horror movie from a lover of film who clearly understands the genre. While the involvement of indie distributor Neon and producer Mike Flanagan must have gone a long way, there’s strong evidence of talent — and cinematic depravity — to be seen.

New on Shudder

Night Patrol

• Genre: Horror thriller
• Run time: 1h 44m
• Director: Ryan Prows
• Cast: Jermaine Fowler, Justin Long, RJ Cyler

After LAPD officer Ethan Hawkins (Justin Long) takes part in a brutal initiation ritual to join Night Patrol, an elite task force he believes has answers about his father’s death, he’s tasked with killing a gang member who witnessed his crimes. Ethan’s hunt has terrible consequences for his partner Xavier Carr (Jermaine Fowler) and the housing projects where Xavier grew up.

New to rent

All You Need Is Kill

• Genre: Sci-fi anime
• Run time: 1h 22m
• Director: Kenichiro Akimoto
• Cast: Ai Mikami, Natsuki Hanae, Kana Hanazawa

An alien plant dubbed Darol has been sitting dormant on Earth for a year until one day it sprouts flower-headed monsters that kill everyone in the area. Rita (Ai Mikami), a member of the containment crew, finds herself stuck in a time loop and has to confront her own demons in order to break the cycle.

From our review:

All You Need Is Kill isn’t as tight or fun a film as Edge of Tomorrow, but the visuals are stunning, and the moody tone makes it easy to get immersed in the world, even when the story doesn’t fully deliver on the premise. It’s a movie well worth watching once — it just isn’t the sort you’re likely to repeat over and over again.

Brothers Under Fire

• Genre: Action thriller
• Run time: 1h 39m
• Director: Justin Chadwick
• Cast: Kiefer Sutherland, Omar Chaparro, Laura Osma

Captain Jordan Wright (Kiefer Sutherland) and his unit travel to Mexico to celebrate the wedding of one of their squad members. But when violence erupts at the party, the group finds itself at war with a powerful cartel. They’ll have to protect the other guests while outmanned and outgunned.

The Gates

• Genre: Thriller
• Run time: 1h 33m
• Director: John Burr
• Cast: Mason Gooding, Algee Smith, James Van Der Beek

A group of friends takes a detour through a gated community to try to get out of a traffic jam and can’t seem to find a way out. When they stop at a home to ask for directions, they see Pastor Jacob (James Van Der Beek) kill a woman. Jacob uses his powerful sway over the community to persuade other residents to hunt the men down while they try to escape the gates.

The Highest Stakes

• Genre: Thriller
• Run time: 1h 41m
• Director: Tony Dean Smith
• Cast: Seth Green, Kevin Dillon, Charlie Weber

Five people visit a luxury hotel to compete for $20 million in a poker tournament. But they discover they’re actually playing for their lives and can’t escape the game. Tensions rise and secrets surface over the course of the night as the game is overseen by a dealer (Seth Green) who might be the Devil.

Rise of the Conqueror

• Genre: Historical action
• Run time: 1h 59m
• Director: Jacob Schwarz
• Cast: Christian Mortensen, Mahesh Jadu, Yulduz Rajabova

Set in the 14th century, Rise of the Conqueror follows Timur Barlas (Christian Mortensen) as he unites the remnants of the Mongol Empire to secure the Silk Road. While Timur was initially written off because of the injuries he sustained in past battles, he became known as one of the greatest military leaders of all time.

Slanted

• Genre: Body horror-comedy
• Run time: 1h 44m
• Director: Amy Wang
• Cast: Shirley Chen, Fang Du, Mckenna Grace

Chinese-American high school student Joan Huang (Shirley Chen) dreams of becoming prom queen, dying her hair blonde to try to win the endorsement of the most popular girl in school. When that fails, she takes radical action, going to an experimental clinic to change her ethnicity and become white.

Storm Rider: Legend of Hammerhead

• Genre: Sci-fi adventure
• Run time: 1h 44m
• Directors: Zoran Lisinac and Domagoj Mazuran
• Cast: Marco Ilsø, James Cosmo, Caroline Goodall

Mad Max meets Waterworld in Storm Rider, which is set 300 years after a flood turned Earth into a series of islands. Islanders can compete in sea races to earn safety in the walled city of Argos, but if they fail, their homes are stripped for resources by the ruling elite. A rebellious sailor seeks to challenge the status quo by seeing what lies beyond a persistent electrical storm in the ocean.

Undertone

• Genre: Supernatural horror
• Run time: 1h 34m
• Director: Ian Tuason
• Cast: Nina Kiri, Adam DiMarco

Creepypasta horror podcasters Evy (Nina Kiri) and Justin (Adam DiMarco) are emailed 10 audio files and told not to listen to them all. When they start playing them and discussing what’s happening in the clips, they discover they’ve unleashed a dangerous creature from ancient mythology. The film is filled with eerie visuals and noises.