With the coronavirus pandemic ongoing, many people are staying home and socially distancing to slow down the spread – or self-isolating after displaying symptoms themselves. At the same time, group gatherings have been discouraged and cinemas have closed their doors, leaving the entertainment industry facing a serious struggle – new James Bond film No Time to Die and Disney’s Mulan have both been postponed – and cinema staff tragically being laid off by some chains.

For audiences at home, there’s the disappointment of missing out on some major new theatrical releases. Except, thanks to streaming video, there’s some hope on the horizon, in terms of escapist entertainment. Universal has moved quickly to release The Hunt, The Invisible Man and Emma all on-demand this week, much earlier than they normally would if they were playing in cinemas, while Curzon Artificial Eye continues to showcase arthouse titles and world cinema with its own platform, Curzon Home Cinema. Distributor Modern Films has switched from releasing Haifaa al-Mansour’s The Perfect Candidate in cinemas to a VOD debut.

And, with films increasingly released early on digital to buy before later being available to rent (alongside their DVD release dates), people don’t have to wait as long as they once did to catch movies in their living room.

Here’s our guide to the big recent cinema releases coming to your sofa in the weeks ahead:

The Hunt – Out Now

In this sly satire, a group of elites gather to hunt ordinary Americans for sport. But one of The Hunted (Betty Gilpin) fights back against The Hunters’ leader (Hilary Swank).

Available on: Prime Video, iTunes / Apple TV, Sky Store, TalkTalk TV, Google Play, CHILI

The Invisible Man – Out Now

Cecilia (Elisabeth Moss) tries to rebuild her life after the death of her abusive partner. But before long, she begins to question whether or not he is truly gone.

Available on: Prime Video, iTunes / Apple TV, Sky Store, TalkTalk TV, Google Play, CHILI

Emma – Out Now

Jane Austen’s beloved comedy about finding your equal and earning your happy ending is reimagined in this delicious new film adaptation of Emma.

Available on: Prime Video, iTunes / Apple TV, Sky Store, TalkTalk TV, CHILI

The Truth – Out Now

For his first feature set outside Japan, Hirokazu Kore-eda unites French screen legends Catherine Deneuve and Juliette Binoche in a powerful and emotional story of family conflicts.

Available on: Curzon Home Cinema

Fire Will Come – Out Now

Amador (Amador Arias) has been imprisoned for setting fires. When he is released from prison after two years, nobody is awaiting his return. He moves back to his hometown, a small village hidden in the mountains of rural Galicia, to live with his elderly mother, Benedicta (Benedicta Sánchez), and their three cows.

Available on: Curzon Home Cinema

Le Mans ’66 – Out Now (rent from 23rd March)

American automotive designer Carroll Shelby and fearless British race car driver Ken Miles battle corporate interference, the laws of physics and their own personal demons to build a revolutionary vehicle for the Ford Motor Co. Together, they plan to compete against the race cars of Enzo Ferrari at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in France in 1966.

Available on: iTunes / Apple TV, Prime Video (Buy/Rent), Google Play, Sky Store

Last Christmas – Out Now

Nothing seems to go right for young Kate, a frustrated Londoner who works as an elf in a year-round Christmas shop. But things soon take a turn for the better when she meets Tom — a handsome charmer who seems too good to be true.

Available on: iTunes / Apple TV, Prime Video (Buy/Rent), Google Play, Sky Store

Frozen II – Out Now (rent from 30th March)

Elsa the Snow Queen has an extraordinary gift — the power to create ice and snow. But no matter how happy she is to be surrounded by the people of Arendelle, Elsa finds herself strangely unsettled. After hearing a mysterious voice call out to her, Elsa travels to the enchanted forests and dark seas beyond her kingdom — an adventure that soon turns into a journey of self-discovery.

Available on: iTunes / Apple TV, Prime Video (Buy/Rent), Google Play, Sky Store

Luce – Out Now

A liberal-minded couple, Amy and Peter Edgar, are forced to reconsider their image of their adopted son after they discover he has written an extremley disturbing essay for his class at school.

Available on: iTunes / Apple TV, Prime Video (Buy/Rent), Google Play, Sky Store

Swallow – Out Now

A young housewife in a seemingly perfect marriage develops pica, the irresistible urge to ingest inedible objects and material.

Available on: iTunes / Apple TV, Prime Video (Buy/Rent), Google Play, Sky Store

Doctor Sleep – Out Now

Struggling with alcoholism, Dan Torrance remains traumatised by the sinister events that occurred at the Overlook Hotel when he was a child. His hope for a peaceful existence soon becomes shattered when he meets Abra, a teen who shares his extrasensory gift of the “shine.” Together, they form an unlikely alliance to battle the True Knot, a cult whose members try to feed off the shine of innocents to become immortal.

Available on: iTunes / Apple TV, Prime Video (Buy/Rent), Google Play, Sky Store

Harriet – Out Now (rent from 30th March)

From her escape from slavery through the dangerous missions she led to liberate hundreds of slaves through the Underground Railroad, the story of heroic abolitionist Harriet Tubman is told.

Available on: iTunes / Apple TV, Curzon Home Cinema, Prime Video (Buy/Rent), Google Play, Sky Store

The Aeronauts – Out Now

In 1862 headstrong scientist James Glaisher and wealthy young widow Amelia Wren mount a balloon expedition to fly higher than anyone in history. As their perilous ascent reduces their chances of survival, the unlikely duo soon discover things about themselves – and each other – that help both of them find their place in the world.

Available on: Amazon Prime

Portrait of a Lady on Fire – Out Now

France, 1770. Marianne, a painter, is commissioned to do the wedding portrait of Héloïse, a young woman who has just left the convent. Héloïse is a reluctant bride to be and Marianne must paint her without her knowing. She observes her by day, to paint her secretly.

Available on: Curzon Home Cinema

Bacurau – Out Now

A filmmaker decides to travel to a village in the interior of Brazil to make a documentary. As days go by, he begins to discover that the locals are not exactly what they appear to be.

Available on: Curzon Home Cinema, MUBI UK

Knives Out – Out 21st March (rent from 30th March)

The circumstances surrounding the death of crime novelist Harlan Thrombey are mysterious, but there’s one thing that renowned Detective Benoit Blanc knows for sure — everyone in the wildly dysfunctional Thrombey family is a suspect. Now, Blanc must sift through a web of lies and red herrings to uncover the truth.

Available on: iTunes / Apple TV, Prime Video (Buy/Rent), Google Play, Sky Store

The Perfect Candidate – Out 27th March

The director of Wadjda returns to Saudi Arabia with the tale of one woman’s quest to challenge not only the system but also herself. It follows a determined young Saudi doctor’s surprise run for office in the local city elections sweeps up her family and community as they struggle to accept their town’s first female candidate.

Available on: Curzon Home Cinema, BFI Player

Vivarium – Out 27th March

Hoping to find the perfect place to live, a couple travel to a suburban neighbourhood in which all the houses look identical. But when they try to leave the labyrinth-like development, each road mysteriously takes them back to where they started.

Available on: iTunes / Apple TV, Curzon Home Cinema, Prime Video (Buy/Rent), Google Play, Sky Store

Bloodshot – 27th March

Starring Vin Diesel, the actioner follows marine Ray Garrison who, after he and his wife are murdered, is resurrected by scientists and enhanced with nanotech to make him a killing machine. As his memories begin to return and remembers who killed him, he begins to plot revenge.

Honey Boy – Out 30th March

When 12-year-old Otis begins to find success as a television star, his abusive, alcoholic father returns and takes over as his guardian, and their contentious relationship is followed over a decade.

Available on: iTunes / Apple TV, Prime Video (Buy/Rent), Google Play, Sky Store

Star Wars: Rise of Skywalker – Out 13th April

When it’s discovered that the evil Emperor Palpatine did not die at the hands of Darth Vader, the rebels must race against the clock to find out his whereabouts. Finn and Poe lead the Resistance to put a stop to the First Order’s plans to form a new Empire, while Rey anticipates her inevitable confrontation with Kylo Ren.

Available on: iTunes / Apple TV, Curzon Home Cinema, Prime Video (Buy/Rent), Google Play, Sky Store