Big streamers like Netflix have beefed up their presence on the film festival circuit in recent years, in part because a film needs to play in a theatre in order to be considered for an Academy Award. Showing a film at TIFF can help check that box, even if the film will end up on a streaming service before the year's end.
Netflix has shared release dates for several of its upcoming releases, while Amazon has listed off several of its titles to watch at TIFF, though they haven't given away the release dates. Paramount+ also has an intriguing series in the mix that you'll be able to watch as soon as next month.
So whether you're eager for a bit of Canadian nostalgia with the Mr. Dressup documentary or you're dying to see Justin Timberlake in Reptile, here are the 2023 TIFF films that you'll soon be able to stream on Netflix, Paramount+ and Amazon's Prime Video.
Reptile
Streaming release date: October 6
Where to stream it: Netflix
Cast: Justin Timberlake, Benicio Del Toro, Alicia Silverstone
This thriller, which was co-written by Benicio Del Toro, follows a detective (Del Toro) as he investigates the murder of a young real estate agent. Justin Timberlake plays the victim's husband.
Expats
Streaming release date: TBD
Where to stream it: Prime Video
Cast: Nicole Kidman, Brian Tee, Sarayu Blue, Jack Huston
Although TIFF is best known for screening films (hence the name), this year's festival will also include the debut of a few TV series that are destined for streaming services, such as Expats.
The series follows an American couple (Kidman and Huston) who live in Hong Kong with their kids, where they've built a familiar little enclave for themselves with other foreigners, only to see it upset by tragedy. TIFF will only screen Episode 5 of the series, "which focuses on the lives of two Filipina domestic workers who support this expat community as a massive typhoon descends upon Hong Kong and political movement reaches a point of no return."
Nyad
Streaming release date: November 3
Where to stream it: Netflix
Cast: Annette Bening, Jodie Foster, Rhys Ifans
Annette Bening stars in this biographical film about Diane Nyad, a world-class swimmer-turned-journalist who challenged herself to swim from Cuba to Florida at the age of 60.
Bening is actually in two TIFF films this year — the other being Chris Pine's Poolman — but expect her to make waves this one in particular.
Mr. Dressup: The Magic Of Make-Believe
Streaming release date: TBD
Where to stream it: Prime Video
Cast: Ernie Coombs, Fred Rogers
Ernie Coombs' Mr. Dressup was the Canadian answer to Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood, blending education, optimism and puppets with an extra bit of ... well, dress-up.
This Amazon Original Documentary delves into the man behind the long-running CBC show that lasted for 29 years in Canada and launched plenty of generations of kids. It also touches on that crossover between Mr. Rogers and Coombs, who was his former understudy.
All The Light We Cannot See
Streaming release date: November 2
Where to stream it: Netflix
Cast: Aria Mia Loberti, Mark Ruffalo, Hugh Laurie
Based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel and #BookTok hit of the same name, All The Light We Cannot See is a limited series about a blind French girl who flees Paris after it's invaded by the Nazis during the Second World War.
The series is directed by Stranger Things writer Shawn Levy, who has also directed several Ryan Reynolds movies lately including his upcoming Deadpool 3. It's executive produced by Steven Knight, the creator of shows such as Peaky Blinders and See.
Bargain
Streaming release date: October 5
Where to stream it: Paramount+
Cast: Jin Sun-kyu, Jun Jong-seo, Chang Ryul
This dystopian thriller out of South Korea is a TV series based on a short film that actually premiered at TIFF back in 2016, and it sounds pretty wild.
The show revolves around a seedy hotel where sex trafficking is used as a cover to steal people's organs and sell them on the black market. And if that doesn't sound dark enough, the whole messy operation gets thrown into chaos when an earthquake hits, leaving many trapped inside.
South Korea has produced plenty of internationally-successful satires about class and money in recent years, from Parasite to Squid Game, and this promises to be another drama with a lot to say about the way we treat each other.
TIFF 2023 attendees will get a taste of the series before the whole thing drops on Paramount+ later this year.
Fair Play
Streaming release date: November 2
Where to stream it: Netflix
Cast: Phoebe Dynevor, Alden Ehrenreich
What happens when two co-workers who are hooking up are suddenly up for the same promotion? This film follows the drama between a couple who quickly turn on each other when their financial firm puts a coveted gig up for grabs. That couple happens to be played by Phoebe Dynevor (Daphne from Bridgerton) and Alden Ehrenreich (Solo: A Star Wars Story).
Silver Dollar Road
Streaming release date: TBD
Where to stream it: Prime Video
This documentary from Oscar-nominated director Raoul Peck follows a Black family in North Carolina and their decades-long fight to hold onto a beautiful bit of waterfront property. The family has a deep connection to their little patch of paradise, and they fight hard against aggressive real estate developers to hold onto it.
"As their case churns through the courts, we witness how power is wielded against Black families in ways both blatant and subtle," the TIFF description reads.
Sly
Streaming release date: November
Where to stream it: Netflix
Cast: Sylvester Stallone
Sylvester Stallone is one of those '80s action stars who's always seemed larger than life, and just like contemporary Arnold Schwarzenegger, he continues to hold people's attention in 2023.
From his early days as an unknown actor to his big swing with Rocky and his '80s heyday on to now, Sly promises to take a deep dive into the long and winding career of a guy whose life feels like one big underdog story.
The Burial
Streaming release date: TBD
Where to stream it: Prime Video
Cast: Tommy Lee Jones, Jamie Foxx
The Burial might sound serious as a heart attack and a visit to the funeral home afterward, but this courtroom drama promises some heart and humour as well thanks to its Oscar-winning leads.
Tommy Lee Jones plays a Mississippi funeral home director who doesn't want to lose the family business, while Jamie Foxx is the ambulance-chasing lawyer whom he hires to save his butt in court.
"The way these men join forces will have you cheering," TIFF says.
This is not an exhaustive list and some films may be added in the coming weeks, particularly after they've been show at TIFF. That's because many films will put their distribution rights up for sale during the festival, which means an indie hit could easily get snapped up and slotted into the queue at your favourite streaming service.
So whether you're heading down to the TIFF Bell Lightbox or waiting for these films to hit your TV at home, we hope you enjoy your show!
Get festive with NYX’s Home Alone collection!Courtesy of NYX Professional Makeup