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35 brilliant movies to stream right now at no extra cost
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You’ll find plenty of superb film entertainment on BBC iPlayer, ITVX and Channel 4, so it won’t cost you a penny more to immerse yourself in some of the best movies of recent years and all time
By Charlotte Briggs and Chris Miller, Feature Writers
- Published
- 10 June 2026
“The magic of the movies” is a phrase that’s overused – particularly around awards season – but it retains an essential truth. You really cannot beat a good film: the finest creative minds bringing you intricate, gripping stories, enhanced by the finely honed talents and effortless charisma of the biggest stars, not to mention the mind-blowing special effects and fantastic production design that keep your eyes locked on the screen.
And there’s an abundance of superb movies at your fingertips right now, ready to be watched whenever you want, on the streaming services available to all UK TV licence fee payers: namely BBC iPlayer, ITVX and Channel 4. You don’t need to head out to your local multiplex to find a huge range of films, from blockbusters to indies, from horror to comedy, from Hollywood, the UK and all around the world. Whatever your preference, you’ll find a movie to enjoy.
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We’ve picked 35 top-drawer features across seven categories, but there are plenty more where they came from. Scroll down to see our choices.
Blockbuster Action
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Defiance
Stream it in Apps > BBC iPlayer
Thriller starring Daniel Craig, Liev Schreiber, Jamie Bell and George Mackay as the real-life Bielski brothers who escaped their home in Nazi-occupied Belarus to lead a growing community of Jewish refugees deep within the Naliboki forest.
The Equalizer 3
Stream it in Apps > Channel 4
Denzel Washington returns to the role of justice warrior Robert McCall as he takes on the organised criminals terrorising a small Italian town. Expect explosive vigilante action all the way, with the first two films also streaming on Channel 4.
Homefront
Stream it in Apps > ITVX
Jason Statham headlines this adrenaline-fuelled action thriller as a former DEA agent whose new life in a small town is shattered when he finds himself targeted by a ruthless local drug kingpin.
Under Siege
Stream it in Apps > ITVX
In this action classic, Steven Seagal is a former Navy SEAL turned battleship cook who becomes his crew’s last hope when a group of heavily armed mercenaries seize control of their warship.
Wrath Of Man
Stream it in Apps > Channel 4
It’s Jason Statham again, reuniting with Snatch director Guy Ritchie for this taut revenge thriller about a mysterious cash-truck security guard on a relentless quest for justice.
Star-Powered Hits
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Baywatch
Stream it in Apps > ITVX
The sun-soaked sea-safety series gets a star-studded makeover. Dwayne Johnson and Zac Efron lead an elite group of lifeguards who must save their beach from a gang of criminals with the help of some familiar faces.
The Beautiful Game
Stream it in Apps > Channel 4
Bill Nighy is Mal, the England coach at the Homeless World Cup, who must deal with Vinny (Micheal Ward), a talented but troubled striker who hasn’t yet figured out how to put his past behind him.
The Nice Guys
Stream it in Apps > BBC iPlayer
Russell Crowe and Ryan Gosling make an unlikely but effective pair of unorthodox private detectives in this riotous, 1970s-set comedy thriller that should have at least two sequels by now.
Ricky Stanicky
Stream it in Apps > ITVX
Three friends (played by Zac Efron, Jermaine Fowler and Andrew Santino) have blamed two decades of misbehaviour on their imaginary friend “Ricky Stanicky”. When their cover is about to be blown, the trio hire washed-up actor Rod (John Cena) to pose as Ricky.
The Woman King
Stream it in Apps > Channel 4
Viola Davis dominates the screen as Nanisca, the leader of an elite force of female warriors who must defend their west African kingdom from colonists and slavers. Lashana Lynch and John Boyega co-star in this historical action drama.
Creeps And Monsters
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Godzilla v Kong
Stream it in Apps > ITVX
The movies’ two most legendary monsters face off as Kong tries to find his true home but is challenged by an enraged Godzilla in a spectacular battle, with incredible CGI effects.
Halloween
Stream it in Apps > BBC iPlayer
From horror maestro John Carpenter, the story of a masked murderer stalking a small town is the daddy of all slasher films and introduced both Michael Myers and Jamie Lee Curtis to the world.
Monolith
Stream it in Apps > Channel 4
In this tightly wound, low-budget sci-fi thriller, a disgraced journalist uncovers a bizarre conspiracy that blurs the line between reality and paranoia. Goosebumps guaranteed.
Nope
Stream it in Apps > Channel 4
OJ (Daniel Kaluuya) is striving to keep his late father’s ranch going when mysterious objects start to appear in the sky. A unique mash-up of western, sci-fi and horror from Get Out writer/director Jordan Peele, also starring Keke Palmer and Steven Yeun.
Sleep
Stream it in Apps > Channel 4
Unsettling Korean horror about a newlywed couple whose lives unravel when the husband begins exhibiting disturbing behaviour in his sleep, forcing them to confront the possibility that something sinister is at work.
Family Favourites
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The Bad Guys
Stream it in Apps > ITVX
A group of animal hoodlums are forced to change their criminal ways, only to discover that they like doing good in this hilarious comedy with the voices of Sam Rockwell, Richard Ayoade and more.
The Book Of Life
Stream it in Apps > BBC iPlayer
A vibrant animated adventure in which young dreamer Manolo embarks on a magical journey through the Land Of The Dead, with wonderful voice work from a cast including Diego Luna, Zoe Saldaña and Channing Tatum.
Flushed Away
Stream it in Apps > ITVX
Hugh Jackman and Kate Winslet voice Roddy and Rita, two rats who join forces to save their fellow rodents in this fast-paced animated adventure set beneath London’s streets.
Kung Fu Panda 3
Stream it in Apps > ITVX
The third instalment in the action-packed Kung Fu Panda series follows Dragon Warrior Po (Jack Black) as he faces his biggest threat yet: evil supernatural warrior General Kai (JK Simmons). Skadoosh!
Minions: The Rise Of Gru
Stream it in Apps > BBC iPlayer
There’s family fun galore in this Minions prequel that explores Gru’s 1970s childhood before he became a supervillain. Steve Carell, Michelle Yeoh and Julie Andrews star, while Minions and Despicable Me 3 are also available on BBC iPlayer.
Award Winners
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Aftersun
Stream it in Apps > BBC iPlayer
Paul Mescal is wonderful in this captivating film about a man taking his young daughter on a sun-drenched holiday as they try to figure out their relationship, in a moving, melancholy film that nabbed a BAFTA for writer/director Charlotte Wells.
All Of Us Strangers
Stream it in Apps > Channel 4
Andrew Scott (Wake Up Dead Man) is Adam, a lonely writer who begins a tender relationship with his neighbour, Harry (Aftersun’s Paul Mescal), while also finding a mysterious way to revisit the parents he lost as a child. It was nominated for 14 British Independent Film Awards, winning seven.
Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret
Stream it in Apps > BBC iPlayer
Rachel McAdams and Kathy Bates form a star-powered mother-daughter duo who help guide 11-year-old Margaret as she navigates adolescence and a new life in the suburbs. Director Kelly Fremon Craig’s script, adapting Judy Blume’s 1970 novel, took numerous critics’ awards.
Empire Of Light
Stream it from Saturday 20 June in Apps > Channel 4
Olivia Colman is Hilary, a struggling cinema manager who forms an unlikely connection with Stephen, a young employee navigating casual racism in Thatcher-era Britain, with gorgeous, award-winning cinematography from veteran Roger Deakins.
The End We Start From
Stream it in Apps > BBC iPlayer
Jodie Comer claimed Best Lead Performance at the British Independent Film Awards for her role as a new mother who embarks on a desperate journey to find refuge after her home in London is overwhelmed by catastrophic flooding.
Under The Radar
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Arthur The King
Stream it in Apps > BBC iPlayer
A team of athletes compete for one last shot at glory in a gruelling race of endurance with the unlikely help of a stray dog they adopt along the way. Mark Wahlberg, Simu Liu and Nathalie Emmanuel star.
Everything Went Fine
Stream it in Apps > BBC iPlayer
Inspired by French writer Emmanuèle Bernheim’s memoir Everything Went Well, this touching tale follows the evolving dynamic between a daughter and her elderly father as she helps to fulfil his wish of assisted dying.
The Last Tree
Stream it in Apps > Channel 4
Femi (Sam Adewunmi) is forced to leave his childhood home in idyllic rural Lincolnshire and move to a London high-rise, where he faces a new and unfamiliar set of challenges in this lyrical, semi-autobiographical film by writer/director Shola Amoo.
Scrapper
Stream it in Apps > BBC iPlayer
Charlotte Regan, creator of BBC One drama Mint, made her award-winning feature debut with this film that depicts a tween girl’s (Lola Campbell) efforts to resist bonding with her estranged father (Harris Dickinson) after her mother passes away.
Sumotherhood
Stream it in Apps > Channel 4
Anuvahood writer/director/actor Adam Deacon returns to similar ground with this London-set crime comedy about a low-level hoodlum who believes a hare-brained scheme will clear his debt. Cameos include Eddie Kadi, Jennifer Saunders and Ed Sheeran.
All-Time Classics
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Amélie
Stream it in Apps > ITVX
Having recently celebrated its 25th anniversary, this French romcom tells the tale of waitress Amélie (a delightful Audrey Tautou) who embarks on a mission to bring happiness to those around her on the streets of Paris. Utterly whimsical viewing.
Charade
Stream it in Apps > Channel 4
Hollywood icons Audrey Hepburn and Cary Grant become unlikely lovers in this romantic thriller from legendary director Stanley Donen. Best paired with a glass of full-bodied red for a touch of Parisian magic on your sofa.
East Is East
Stream it in Apps > Channel 4
Ayub Khan-Din's BAFTA-winning film follows a British-Pakistani family navigating the tension between tradition and identity in the 1970s. It remains as powerful and relevant today as it was upon its release in 1999.
Some Like It Hot
Stream it in Apps > ITVX
This year marks Marilyn Monroe’s centenary and the screen legend shone in 1959 as singer Sugar Kowalczyk alongside the disguised dup of Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon in Billy Wilder’s classic comic crime caper.
What’s Up, Doc?
Stream it in Apps > BBC iPlayer
When four identical bags containing everything from valuable jewellery to top-secret government documents are mixed up, chaos ensues in this genre-defining screwball comedy. Barbra Streisand and Ryan O’Neal star.
All movies available on the streaming service indicated on 10 June 2026 except where stated.
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