This Week in Streaming: The Bear Finale, Netflix’s Pride & Prejudice, and The Mummy Hits HBO Max

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The Bear Says Goodbye With a Princess Bride Nod

The Bear closed its doors for the final time this week, and the FX on Hulu series didn’t just deliver an ending — it delivered one of the most quietly devastating tributes in recent TV memory.

The season 5 series finale, titled “The Original Beef of Chicagoland,” included a subtle but unmistakable nod to the late Rob Reiner. The legendary director — who guest-starred in season 4 as Albert Schnurr, a stubborn but lovable regular at the restaurant — passed away in December 2025 alongside his wife. He never got to film his planned season 5 appearance.

In the finale, line cook Ebra (Edwin Lee Gibson) convinces Carmy (Jeremy Allen White) to keep one item on the menu that Albert always ordered. When Carmy asks why it matters so much, Ebra responds with three words that instantly hit anyone who grew up watching Reiner’s films: “As you wish.”

That line, of course, is the emotional cornerstone of The Princess Bride — the 1987 classic Reiner directed that’s been passed down through generations like a family heirloom. In the context of The Bear, it’s not just a reference. It’s the show telling us that the people who sit at your counter, who come back week after week, who become part of the fabric of a place — they matter. They leave a mark. And sometimes, the best way to honor them is to keep making the thing they loved.

The finale has been drawing widespread praise from critics and fans alike, with many calling it one of the most satisfying series wrap-ups in the streaming era. The show that started as a anxiety-inducing kitchen drama evolved into something more — a meditation on community, grief, ambition, and the messy, beautiful work of building something with people you care about.

If you haven’t caught up yet, all five seasons are streaming on Hulu. Bring tissues for the last two episodes.

Netflix’s Pride & Prejudice: Everything We Know

Jane Austen fans, mark your calendars for fall 2026. Netflix’s six-part limited series adaptation of Pride & Prejudice is shaping up to be one of the most anticipated literary adaptations of the year, and the casting alone is enough to get people talking.

Emma Corrin (The Crown) takes on Elizabeth Bennet, with Jack Lowden (Slow Horses) stepping into the breeches of Mr. Darcy. That’s a pairing that already has the internet buzzing — Corrin’s ability to project intelligence and wit makes them a natural Lizzie, while Lowden’s track record of playing complicated, emotionally guarded men suggests a Darcy who’ll feel both faithful to the novel and fresh for modern audiences.

The series comes from showrunner Dolly Alderton, the bestselling author of Everything I Know About Love, and director Euros Lyn — whose work on Heartstopper demonstrated a genuine gift for capturing the emotional texture of young love. That combination — Alderton’s sharp, contemporary voice paired with Lyn’s visual warmth — suggests an adaptation that respects Austen while feeling alive and immediate.

The supporting cast is stacked: Jasmine Blackborow as Charlotte Lucas, Rhea Norwood as Lydia Bennet, Siena Kelly as Mary Bennet, and Hopey Parish and Hollie Avery as Kitty Bennet. Netflix dropped a teaser earlier this year that leaned heavily on the misty English countryside and lingering glances across ballrooms — the kind of trailer that makes you immediately want to rewatch the 2005 film.

While an exact release date hasn’t been announced, the series is confirmed for fall 2026. Expect it to land somewhere in the September-October window, perfectly timed for cozy sweater season and heated debates about which Darcy was the best Darcy.

Lee Cronin’s The Mummy Comes Home to Streaming

If you missed Lee Cronin’s The Mummy in theaters back in April, your wait is almost over. The supernatural horror film lands on HBO Max on July 3, followed by its HBO linear premiere on July 4 — a fitting weekend for a movie about things that should stay buried.

Cronin, who established himself as a modern horror heavyweight with Evil Dead Rise, takes the Mummy mythology in a direction that feels nothing like the Brendan Fraser adventures or the Tom Cruise misfire. This is Cronin in full horror mode — practical effects, genuine dread, and the kind of atmosphere that makes you check the locks before going to bed.

Jack Reynor leads the cast alongside Laia Costa, May Calamawy, Natalie Grace, and Veronica Falcon. The film pulled in solid reviews during its theatrical run — currently sitting at 72% on Rotten Tomatoes — with critics praising Cronin’s commitment to practical scares over CG spectacle. For horror fans who’ve been burned by too many CGI-heavy franchise entries, this one’s worth the watch.

Coming from Blumhouse and Atomic Monster, two production companies that understand horror at a DNA level, The Mummy represents a bet that audiences are ready for creature features that take themselves seriously again. The HBO Max drop means it’ll reach a much wider audience than its theatrical window allowed — expect it to dominate horror Twitter for at least a week after it lands.

Five Nights at Freddy’s 3 Locks In a Heavyweight Screenwriter

The killer animatronics aren’t done yet. Blumhouse Atomic Monster has tapped Gary Dauberman to write the screenplay for the third installment of the Five Nights at Freddy’s franchise, and if you know Dauberman’s resume, you know why this is a big deal.

Dauberman wrote both chapters of It, Annabelle, Annabelle: Creation, and The Nun. He’s arguably one of the most commercially successful horror screenwriters working today, with a knack for balancing genuine scares with the kind of character work that makes audiences care about who’s running from the monster. For a franchise that’s built on video game lore with a surprisingly deep mythology, that’s exactly the kind of writer you want.

The first Five Nights at Freddy’s film became a box office phenomenon in 2023, proving that the game’s massive Gen Z and younger millennial fanbase would show up in theaters. Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 continued the momentum in late 2025, expanding the lore while delivering the animatronic horror the fans came for. Dauberman’s involvement for the third chapter signals that Blumhouse is investing in the storytelling, not just coasting on IP recognition.

No plot details or release window have been confirmed yet, but with Dauberman now attached, the project moves from “inevitable sequel” to “something worth paying attention to.”

What Else Is Worth Watching

Prime Video’s Djokovic documentary: Novak Djokovic: The Wolf in Winter premieres August 1, directed by Jason Hehir (The Last Dance). With Wimbledon starting Monday, the timing couldn’t be better. Hehir’s track record suggests this will be more than a highlight reel — expect a nuanced portrait of one of tennis’s most polarizing champions.

A24’s AI partnership controversy: The indie studio behind Everything Everywhere All At Once and Hereditary has been defending its research partnership with Google DeepMind. The studio’s position — “we’d rather have a seat at the table than on the sidelines” — has sparked heated debate among cinephiles. A24 insists the partnership is about understanding the technology, not replacing filmmakers. Whether that distinction holds in practice is a conversation that’s only getting started.

Summer box office watch: Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey (July 17) is tracking for an $80M-$100M opening, which would make it one of the biggest launches of the year. Angelina Jolie returns to the big screen in Couture, while A24 rolls out the Olivia Wilde-directed comedy The Invite with Seth Rogen, Ed Norton, and Penélope Cruz. It’s a crowded summer, and that’s before you factor in the streaming releases stacking up week by week.

The next few weeks are packed. Between a beloved series finale, a literary adaptation with serious pedigree, a horror heavyweight returning home, and a summer movie season that’s just hitting its stride, there’s genuinely something for everyone. The only hard part is deciding what to watch first.