New on Disney+: the best films and TV shows to watch out for in 2021

So, from Raya And The Last Dragon to Ms. Marvel, here’s our pick of the best new series and movies coming to Disney+.

And don’t you fret; we’ll be sure to keep this article updated with new titles and release dates as and when they become available.

Happy viewing!

Love In the Time Of Corona

Filmed using remote technologies shot in the talents’ actual homes, this four-part, romantic dramedy follows four interwoven stories. James  and Sade have spent so much time away from each other due to James’ demanding work life that it’s as if they’re only just starting to get to know each other, juggling being new parents, and beginning to grapple with whether they may be more than just a little out of sync.

Release date: 12 March

Dollface

After being dumped by her long-term boyfriend, Dollface’s Jules must deal with her own imagination to literally and metaphorically reenter the world of women and rekindle the female friendships she left behind.

Release date: 5 March

Big Sky

In Big Sky, private detectives Cassie Dewell and Cody Hoyt join forces with his estranged wife and ex-cop, Jenny Hoyt, to search for two sisters who have been kidnapped by a truck driver on a remote highway in Montana. But when they discover that these are not the only girls who have disappeared in the area, they must race against the clock to stop the killer before another woman is taken.

Release date: 23 February

Wandavision

Perhaps the biggest TV hit of 2021 so far, Wandavision sees superheroes Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen) and Vision (Paul Bettany) living idyllic suburban lives. However, it seems as if this might be… well, a massive grief-inspired illusion. Which, considering (sorry, massive spoiler) Vision died at the end of Avengers: Endgame, seems incredibly likely, as theories go.

Release date: 15 January

Helstrom

As the son and daughter of a mysterious and powerful serial killer, Helstrom follows Daimon (Tom Austen) and Ana Helstrom (Sydney Lemmon), and their complicated dynamic, as they track down the worst of humanity, each with their own attitude and skills.

Release date: 23 February

Solar Opposites

From the makers of Rick & Morty, this adult animation (which boasts a 93% ‘fresh’ rating on Rotten Tomatoes), sees a family of aliens from a better world forced to take refuge in middle America.

There, they disagree on whether Earth is awful or awesome. Which makes for simultaneously spiky and hilarious viewing, naturally.

Flora & Ulysses

Based on the award-winning book of the same name, Flora & Ulysses tells the tale of an imaginative 10-year old cynic, who has the rug pulled out from under her feet when her little squirrel is reborn as a superhero. Because… well, yeah, that’s the sort of thing that’s guaranteed to catch you off guard.

Extra plus point? Buffy The Vampire Slayer’s Alyson Hannigan and Parks & Recreation comedian Ben Schwartz lead the cast of this Disney+ OG film.

Release date: February 2021

Raya And The Last Dragon

Hot on the heels of feminist princesses Moana and Elsa comes Raya, a lone warrior who takes it upon herself to track down the world’s last dragon. 

Why? So that she can save humanity from a sinister race of monsters known as the Druun, obviously. We’re fully on board thanks to the adrenaline-fuelled trailer music alone, to be honest.

Release date: March 2021

The Book Of Boba Fett

Ming-Na Wen – aka the goddess that voiced Fa Mulan in the original animated film – will be reprising her role as badass assassin Fennec Shand in The Book Of Boba Fett. 

As fans of The Mandolorian will no doubt already have gathered, this live-action spinoff will follow the adventures of Fennec and the legendary eponymous bounty hunter (Temuera Morrison). And, yeah, you better believe it’s a must-watch for Star Wars fans!

Release date: December 2021

Love, Victor

Set in the world of the original 2018 film Love, Simon, the series follows Victor, a new student at Creekwood High School on his own journey of self-discovery, facing challenges at home, adjusting to a new city, and struggling with his sexual orientation. 

When it all seems too much, he reaches out to Simon to help him navigate the ups and downs of high school.

Release date: 23 February

The Falcon And The Winter Soldier

That’s right: Falcon (Anthony Mackie) and Bucky, aka the Winter Soldier (hey there, Sebastian Stan), are the latest superheroes to get their own Marvel Cinematic Universe TV series. Judging from what we know about the mismatched duo, we have a feeling their adventures won’t just be high-drama, though; they’ll be funny as hell, too.

Release date: March 2021

Disenchanted

Set an eye-watering decade after the events of Enchanted, Disenchanted sees “Giselle questioning her happily ever after, and accidentally triggering events that make everyone’s lives turn upside-down in both the real world and in the animated kingdom of Andalasia.”

It doesn’t sound like the happiest of happy ever after sequels, true. But both Amy Adams and Patrick Dempsey will be reprising their roles, so we’re hopeful this will prove as fun and froth a watch as the original movie.

Release date: TBC

Black Widow

Black Widow – as in, yes, Scarlett Johansson’s incredibly skilled assassin – may have (sorry to do this again, but needs must!) died at the end of Avengers: Endgame, but this film seemingly takes us back to a time before then. To a time even before the Avengers, actually, when she lived with her sister, Yelena (Florence Pugh), and her parents, played by Rachel Weisz and David Harbour.

Plot-wise, we don’t know all that much. What we do know, though, is this: Yelena wants Natasha to help her free the other Black Widows currently being indoctrinated into a brainwashed life of assassination back in Russia. And we have a feeling our beloved Tash is going to do just that, because plot.

Release date: May 2021

Marvel’s What If…

This animated series flips the script on a number of big, bold, badass moments from across the Marvel Cinematic Universe, which means we can finally find out what would have happened if, say, Hayley Atwell’s Peggy Carter became the superhero over Chris Evans’ Captain America. Or Chadwick Boseman’s T’Challa was picked up by an alien race, Guardians Of The Galaxy-style, and introduced to the wonders of the universe. Or… well, we won’t ruin it. 

Release date: Summer 2021

Loki

Another ‘wait, but didn’t he die at the end of Avengers: Endgame?’ moment, Tom Hiddlestone is back as the God of Mischief in this new Marvel Cinematic Universe TV series. But, unlike so many others mentioned already, this one takes place after the events of that movie, which suggests there’s more to Loki’s “death” than meets the eye…

Release date: May 2021

Shang-Chi And The Legend of The Ten Rings

In this new Disney+ film, Simu Liu stars as Shang-Chi, who must confront the past he thought he left behind when he is drawn into the web of the mysterious Ten Rings organisation. 

As if that weren’t enough to tempt you in, the film also boasts an outstanding cast; think Tony Leung as Wenwu, Awkwafina as Katy, and Michelle Yeoh as Jiang Nan, to name just three.

Release date: July 2021

Cruella

There’s nothing we love more than a good origins story, especially when it boasts an Academy Award-winning actor in the lead role.

That’s right: Emma Stone will take on the role of the legendary Cruella de Vil in this 101 Dalmatians-inspired movie, which takes us back to 1970s London. Inspired by the punk rock revolution, the incredibly talented Estella throws herself into the world of fashion design, and her efforts soon catch the eye of Baroness von Hellman (Emma Thompson). However, their relationship sets in motion a course of events and revelations that will cause Estella to embrace her wicked side and become the raucous, fashionable, and revenge-bent Cruella.

Release date: May 2021

The Little Mermaid

Disney’s The Little Mermaid live-action remake – starring Halle Bailey, Awkwafina, Noma Dumezweni, and many more – will breathe new life into the animated classic. Especially as Lin-Manuel Miranda – who has become an integral part of the Disney machine since Mary Poppins Returns and Moana – is working alongside original composer Alan Menken to create new music for the movie.  

Release date: TBC

Jungle Cruise

Based on the ride of the same name (yes, really), Jungle Cruise begins as Emily Blunt’s Dr. Lily Houghton enlists the aid of wisecracking skipper Frank Wolff (Dwayne Johnson) to take her down the Amazon in his ramshackle boat. Together, they search for an ancient tree that holds the power to heal – a discovery that will change the future of medicine.

Release date: July 2021

Luca

Set in a beautiful seaside town on the Italian Riviera (which sounds incredibly appealing right now, doesn’t it?), this is a coming-of-age story about a young boy’s unforgettable summer filled with gelato, pasta, and endless scooter rides. 

So far, so Audrey Hepburn’s Roman Holiday, right? Wrong! Because, once you throw in a side of underwater monsters, Luca transforms into a fantastical adventure film for the whole family to enjoy!

Release date: June 2021

Ms Marvel

Created by Bisha K. Ali, this TV series focuses on fan-favorite Kamala Khan, a 16-year-old Pakistani-American growing up in Jersey City. A bookworm, avid gamer, and self-confessed fan-fic writer, Kamala struggles to fit in at home and at school. When she suddenly develops superpowers like Captain Marvel and the other heroes she’s always looked up to, though, she’s ecstatic. Because…

Well, because life is easier with superpowers. Right?

Release date: Late 2021

Encanto

Remember how we said Lin-Manuel Miranda has become an integral part of the Disney machine? Well, you’ll no doubt be surprised to learn, then, that the Hamilton creator has penned all the original music for Encanto, a film which tells the tale of an extraordinary family, the Madrigals, who live hidden in the mountains of Colombia. 

If you need a bit more to go on, it seems every child in the Madrigal family has been blessed with a unique and magical gift. Well, every child except for one: Mirabel. And so, when she discovers that the magic surrounding their world is in danger, Mirabel decides that she, the only ordinary Madrigal, might just be her exceptional family’s last hope.

Release date: November 2021

Eternals

Beloved by comic book fans, the Eternals tells the tale of an immortal alien race created by the Celestials who have secretly lived on Earth for over 7,000 years in order to protect humanity from their evil counterparts, the Deviants. 

Directed by Chloé Zhao, the film stars Richard Madden as Ikaris, Gemma Chan as Sersi, Kumail Nanjiani as Kingo, Lauren Ridloff as Makkari, Brian Tyree Henry as Phastos, Salma Hayek as Ajak, Lia McHugh as Sprite, Don Lee as Gilgamesh, Barry Keoghan as Druig, Angelina Jolie as Thena, and Kit Harington as Dane Whitman/Black Knight.

And once again it’s worth noting that Eternals is hinged upon the tragic events of Avengers: Endgame, so you might want to give it a rewatch before tuning in.

Release date: November 2021