7 biggest movies on BBC, ITV and Channel 4 this weekend – including “masterpiece” The Dark Knight

It’s the weekend! If you’re planning to stay home, there are lots of good movies on television.

Whether you’re in the mood for a critically acclaimed film like *The Dark Knight* or a charming Aardman animation, there’s plenty to enjoy on BBC, ITV, and Channel 4.

Here, Digital Spy has rounded-up 7 of the best.

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse

When *Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse* came out in 2018, it was a massive hit with both audiences and critics. The animated film earned close to $400 million and received overwhelmingly positive reviews, boasting a 97% ‘Fresh’ rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

Praised by *The Times* as the best *Spider-Man* movie so far, the film tells the story of Miles Morales becoming the famous superhero. He teams up with Spider-People from different realities to fight the villain Kingpin.

Shameik Moore from *Power Book III: Raising Kanan*, Jake Johnson of *New Girl*, Hailee Steinfeld from *Sinners*, and Academy Award winner Mahershala Ali are just a few of the talented actors providing voices for the project.

Airing Saturday at 4.30pm on Film4.

Jumanji

If you’re in the mood for some classic 90s family entertainment, Jumanji will also be on ITV1 around the same time on Saturday afternoon.

The beloved 1995 film features Robin Williams as Alan Parrish, a boy who becomes trapped inside a magical board game. He needs help from two children to successfully complete the game and finally escape.

Featuring early performances from Kirsten Dunst (known for *Civil War*), Bonnie Hunt (*Toy Story*), and Jonathan Hyde (*Titanic*), the film was praised by the BBC as a heartwarming story.

Airing Saturday at 4.10pm on ITV1. Available on ITVX afterwards.

The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent

The new action comedy stars Nicolas Cage playing a version of himself. He’s paid a lot of money to go to a wedding hosted by a big fan (Pedro Pascal), and things get even more complicated when the CIA gets involved and asks him to use characters from his famous movies to rescue himself.

Critics generally loved *The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent*, giving it an 87% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Reviewers praised the film as clever, hilarious, and imaginative, highlighting Pascal’s outstanding performance.

Keep an eye out for performances by Tiffany Haddish (from *Girls Trip*), Sharon Horgan (*Bad Sisters*), and Ike Barinholtz (*The Studio*).

Airing Saturday at 9pm on Channel 4. Available on Channel 4 afterwards.

Ghostbusters: Afterlife

The recent *Ghostbusters: Afterlife* kicks off a new series by following the Spengler family as they move to a farm and uncover a link to the original Ghostbusters team.

The new movie brings back original Ghostbusters Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, and Ernie Hudson, along with Sigourney Weaver and Annie Potts. It also welcomes new cast members Carrie Coon, Paul Rudd, Finn Wolfhard, and Mckenna Grace to the Ghostbusters family.

Critics had varying opinions on *Afterlife*, but the *Chicago Reader* praised it as a funny and generally strong reboot of the series.

Airing Saturday at 10.35pm on BBC One. Available on BBC iPlayer afterwards.

Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit

The Curse of the Were-Rabbit is the first full-length movie starring Wallace & Gromit. In it, the pair must deal with a huge rabbit that appears during their town’s giant vegetable growing contest.

The movie, which came out 20 years ago, was a critical success, earning a remarkably high score on Rotten Tomatoes. The Independent even called it “plasticine’s finest hour.”

Keep an ear out for the voices of Ralph Fiennes (from *Conclave*), Helena Bonham Carter (known for *The Crown*), and the hilarious Peter Kay.

Airing Sunday at 2.15pm on BBC One. Available on BBC iPlayer afterwards.

The Dark Knight

The second Batman film directed by Christopher Nolan – and many consider it the best – pits the hero against the chaotic and dangerous Joker, in a now-iconic performance by Heath Ledger, who won an Oscar for the role after his death.

ComicBookMovie.com praised *The Dark Knight* as a “masterpiece,” calling it not just one of the best comic book movies ever made, but also one of the greatest films of all time.

Michael Caine, Gary Oldman, and Morgan Freeman reprise their roles from the film *Batman Begins*. Joining them are Aaron Eckhart and Maggie Gyllenhaal, who play Harvey Dent and Rachel Dawes.

Airing Sunday at 10.20pm on ITV1. Available on ITVX afterwards.

Top Gun: Maverick

The 2022 release of Tom Cruise’s *Top Gun* sequel was a massive hit, becoming the second-highest-grossing movie of the year with almost $1.5 billion earned worldwide.

The movie *Maverick* centers on Pete Mitchell, who must confront his history while preparing a group of young pilots for the elite Top Gun program.

I’m so excited about this movie! Not only does it star Glen Powell from *Twisters* and Miles Teller, who was amazing in *Whiplash*, but Jennifer Connelly, an Oscar winner, is in it too! And the reviews are incredible – it’s got a 96% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Even the *Chicago Reader* said it’s raising the bar for how reboots should be done. Seriously, I can’t wait to see it!

Airing Sunday at 9pm on Film4.

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2025-10-11 09:20