New on Disney+ UK in Jan 2023: best TV series & films to watch, from Welcome to Chippendales to Extraordinary

As ever, a new month means new television to watch – and on Disney+ in particular that means a deluge of originals, exclusives, and old favourites to wade through.

It can be difficult to make sense of what’s coming to Disney+, so we’ve organised the streaming service’s January releases into a list of dramas, comedies, documentaries, films, and international series.

Here’s your guide to everything that’s new on Disney+ UK this January, with a few highlighted top picks to help you decide what to watch.

Drama

Welcome To Chippendales | Wednesday 11 January

Welcome To Chippendales tells the outrageous story of Somen “Steve” Banerjee, an Indian immigrant who became the unlikely founder of the world’s greatest male-stripping empire – obsessed with wealth and power, Banerjee was willing to do anything to build his business, even if it meant getting his hands bloody. True crime drama starring Kumail Nanjiani (The Big Sick, Silicon Valley, Marvel’s Eternals) from the creators of Pam & Tommy.

Snowfall S5 | Wednesday 11 January

During the budding drug epidemic in Los Angeles in the early 1980s, a crime family decides to make money selling cocaine. Franklin (Damson Idris) and his family are on top of the world, but things threaten to crash down around them when an NBA star overdoses on cocaine and local politicians take a renewed interest in Franklin’s business.

Comedy

Koala Man | Monday 9 January

On a quest to clean up his hometown, and often roping his frustrated family into his adventures, Koala Man stands at the ready. He’ll do whatever it takes to defeat villainous masterminds, supernatural horrors, or worse: jerks who don’t take their rubbish bins down on the proper days. Hugh Jackman and Sarah Snook star.

Reservation Dogs S2 | Wednesday 4 January

Following the exploits of four Indigenous teenagers in rural Oklahoma who steal, rob and save in order to get to the exotic, mysterious and faraway land of California. Acclaimed US comedy created by Sterlin Harjo and Taika Waititi.

Little Demon | Wednesday 18 January

An animated horror-comedy series following on Laura, a reluctant mother who was impregnated by Satan 13 years ago, and Chrissy, her anti-Christ daughter who has just come into her demonic powers. They try to live an ordinary life, but are constantly thwarted by monstrous forces – including Satan, who yearns for custody of his daughter’s soul. Aubrey Plaza and Danny DeVito star.

Extraordinary | Wednesday 25 January

Extraordinary is set in a world where everyone develops a power on their 18th birthday… everyone, that is, except for Jen. She’s turning 25 and is still waiting to get hers. Adrift in a big, confusing world and armed with nothing but a bit of hope and a lot of desperation, Jen begins her journey to find her maybe-superpower. But in doing so, she might discover the joy of being just kind of ok.

Documentaries

Chasing Waves | Wednesday 11 January

In the wake of surfing’s debut at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, Chasing Waves shines a spotlight on the people and places that define Japan’s reach in the global surf culture. The documentary examines the diverse regions, unique characters, and endless surf along the over 18,000 miles of coastline that makes Japan one of a kind.

The Territory | Wednesday 11 January

The Territory follows a young Indigenous leader of the Uru-eu-wau-wau people as they fight back against farmers, colonizers and settlers who encroach on a protected area of the Amazon Rainforest. Filmed on location in Brazil from 2018 to 2020, this National Geographic documentary has been met with much acclaim.

The Flagmakers | Wednesday 11 January

The Flagmakers is a peek into the country’s largest American flag and flagpole manufacturer, where refugees and immigrants who have risked everything to come to the US create its biggest symbol.

Retrograde | Wednesday 11 January

A National Geographic documentary offering a deeply intimate account of the end of America’s twenty-year war in Afghanistan, from both US and Afghan perspectives.

Franchises

The Bad Batch Series 2 | Wednesday 4 January

The animated Star Wars spinoff continues. Months have passed since the events on Kamino and the Bad Batch continue their journey navigating the Empire after the fall of the Republic. They cross paths with friends and foes both new and familiar as they take on a thrilling mercenary missions that will take them across the galaxy.

Films

The Menu | Wednesday 4 January

A young couple who visits an exclusive destination restaurant on a remote island where the acclaimed chef has prepared a lavish tasting menu, along with some shocking surprises. Anya Taylor-Joy and Ralph Fiennes star in this film directed by Mark Mylod (Succession).