Wet Weekend? We’ve Got You Covered

Southern Australia is bracing for a wet and windy weekend, with Senior Meteorologist Sarah Scully confirming in a Bureau of Meteorology update issued Saturday that conditions across the south will remain unsettled. The forecast, current as of 1:00pm AEST on August 8, comes as welcome cover for those looking for an excuse to stay indoors, and there’s no shortage of options at the cinema, on streaming, for art lovers, for music and gaming fans, for retro collectors, for families, for those chasing a superhero moment of their own, or for those willing to brave the elements altogether.

Box office breaks records with Spider-Man’s biggest opening yet

For those heading to the cinema this weekend, the box office charts are dominated by a new superhero release. Spider-Man: Brand New Day claimed the top spot in its opening weekend, taking in a colossal $30.4 million, the biggest opening of any Spider-Man film to date and the second-biggest opening weekend in Australian box office history.
Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey held at number two, adding $6.18 million for a cumulative total of $39.7 million. Toy Story 5 remained in third place, earning another $612,000 to push its total past $45 million, while Moana climbed to fourth place with an additional $570,000, bringing its running total to $15.1 million. Minions and Monsters rounded out the top five, with its box office tally now sitting at $22.9 million.
According to HOYTS, the weekend also set records for the biggest Saturday and Sunday takings ever recorded at the Australian box office, with the top ten films accounting for 99 percent of the weekend’s national gross.

Feeling the Spidey senses? Meet the wall crawler at Madame Tussauds Sydney

With Spider-Man: Brand New Day swinging into cinemas and topping the charts, Madame Tussauds Sydney is inviting fans to extend the excitement beyond the big screen. Visitors to the Marvel zone can meet the attraction’s own Spider-Man figure, strike a pose and snap a selfie with the wall crawler, giving fans a chance to unleash their inner superhero on their next visit. It is a fitting rainy day outing for families and fans keen to make the most of the film’s momentum while staying out of the weather.

Time is running out for Animal Crossing fans at SEA LIFE Sydney

Families looking for a rainy day activity have limited time left to catch a popular crossover event, with the Animal Crossing: New Horizons experience departing SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium on August 23. The immersive island themed trail, back for a second year, invites guests to collect an excursion guide, take part in a stamp rally featuring island residents like Fang, Stitches and Flip, and meet Isabelle for a photo moment, before finishing with an exclusive commemorative postcard. With the event’s run drawing to a close, those wanting to experience it are being encouraged not to leave it too late.
Families can also make use of an extended offer, with SEA LIFE Sydney’s family ticket promotion now running until September 7. The deal allows for savings of up to 40 percent when booking online in advance, with combinations starting from $78 for one adult and two children, and additional child tickets available for $20 each.
Visitors to the aquarium can also catch a glimpse of Archie, a young grey nurse shark pup born at the aquarium in November 2024, who has recently graduated to the main oceanarium and shark tunnels after months in a protected nursery environment. Archie now swims alongside the aquarium’s adult grey nurse sharks and other marine life in the Shark Valley exhibit, offering visitors a rare close up look at a critically endangered species.

BritBox brings back a familiar mystery duo

Streaming audiences have a new option this weekend as well, with Shakespeare and Hathaway: Private Investigators returning for a fifth season, new and exclusive to BritBox. The comedy-drama, starring Mark Benton and Jo Joyner, follows the mismatched pair of private detectives as they investigate crime across the streets of Stratford-upon-Avon. The new season sees the pair reunited after going their separate ways, drawn back together by a fresh case.
Death Valley has also returned for a second season, continuing its comedy drama blend as familiar faces navigate fresh mysteries and mayhem.

For football fans: Netflix’s World Cup slate breaks records

Football fans have had plenty to watch this year too, with Netflix reporting a surge in viewership across its football related titles during the FIFA 2026 Men’s World Cup. In May alone, weekly views of Netflix’s football titles rose 2.5 times compared to average weekly viewing between January and April.
The platform’s official FIFA World Cup: Launch Edition video game became Netflix’s number one most played game during the tournament, and viewership of the game rose more than 40 percent above normal in the days following the World Cup Final as fans returned to relive the action. Talk show The Rest Is Football also became a weekly fixture for fans, with episodes reaching the top ten in the UK throughout the tournament and the series already renewed for the 2026 to 2027 Premier League season.
Individual titles saw notable spikes too. Norway: The Dark Horse became the number one title in Norway during the country’s tournament run, while Ronaldinho: The One and Only saw views in Brazil jump 34 percent in the hours following the football legend’s halftime appearance.

For art lovers: Adobe brings its creative tools into ChatGPT

Creatives with a rainy afternoon to fill now have another outlet to explore, with Adobe launching a new plugin inside ChatGPT that brings its suite of creative and productivity tools directly into the chatbot. Forest Key, vice president of Adobe Firefly and Agentic AI at Adobe, said the move reflects how many people now do their brainstorming and problem solving inside AI chat platforms, and that Adobe wants its professional grade tools available wherever people are already working.
The plugin brings together more than 70 professional tools spanning imaging, video, design and document production into a single conversational interface, according to Key, making it simpler for users to create and finish projects without leaving the chat window. He was careful to note the plugin isn’t meant to replace Adobe’s flagship applications, which remain the go to for professionals needing deeper, hands on control. Instead, it’s designed to be the tool people reach for the moment an idea starts to take shape.
Key said Adobe expects the plugin to evolve as people find new and unexpected ways to use it, with the company planning to refine the experience based on user feedback over time.

For music and gaming fans: Stage Tour reveals three more tracks

Rhythm game fans have something new to look forward to as well, with upcoming title Stage Tour revealing three more songs for its growing setlist. This week’s additions are united by a single word in their titles, “just,” despite each track carving out its own distinct mood and era.
The new reveals are “Just Like Heaven” by The Cure, a beloved alternative rock anthem from 1985; “Just” by Radiohead, a 1995 favourite among fans of dreamy indie rock; and “Just Pretend” by Bad Omens, a 2022 release that has already become a modern hit with hard hitting lyrics.
The additions bring Stage Tour’s confirmed setlist to 22 songs, joining a lineup that spans genres and generations, from BABYMETAL and Electric Callboy’s “RATATATA” to Slipknot’s “Psychosocial” and Weezer’s “Island In The Sun.” The next setlist reveal is set for August 12, with more songs still to be announced. Fans can sign up at stagetour.com and wishlist the game on Steam for updates.

For retro gaming fans: Hyperkin’s SupaBoy gets a fresh coat of paint

For those who prefer their gaming with a nostalgic edge, hardware maker Hyperkin has announced two new colourways for its SupaBoy Portable Retro Gaming Console, Crimson and Prime, both shipping this Fall. The release also marks the first time the console will be available in Europe.
The SupaBoy allows players to use original Super Nintendo and Super Famicom cartridges on the go, with no emulation, downloads or region lockouts involved. The handheld features a 4.3 inch IPS screen, an integrated AV out for connecting to a television, two controller ports, and a rechargeable battery offering up to 10 hours of play.
Nathan Perez, product developer for Hyperkin, said the new colours were designed to honour the original hardware’s look while meeting demand from a growing community of collectors who want to own their software outright rather than rely on downloads or an internet connection. The SupaBoy Prime and SupaBoy Crimson will replace the current models in Hyperkin’s lineup, with an estimated retail price of $129.99 in the US, 129.99 euros in Europe, and £119.99 in the UK.

Surfing’s elite take on Teahupo’o in Tahiti

While much of southern Australia shelters from the weather, the world’s best surfers are preparing to take on one of the ocean’s most formidable waves. The Outerknown Tahiti Pro Presented by I-SEA, the seventh stop on the 2026 World Surf League Championship Tour, opens its competition window in Teahupo’o, Tahiti, from August 8 to 18.
A strong swell forecast has generated excitement and nerves among competitors, with first call scheduled for 7:00am Tahiti time on Saturday. Eleven time World Champion Kelly Slater returns as an event wildcard for his 21st appearance at the venue, a break he has won five times since 2000. He will face Hawaii’s Eli Hanneman, who is making his Teahupo’o debut, in the opening round.
Current World No. 1 Leonardo Fioravanti will compete at Teahupo’o for the first time as the tour’s yellow jersey holder, while Gabriela Bryan leads the women’s World Title race. The event will also feature the strongest ever Tahitian representation at Championship Tour level, with five local surfers in the draw, including former finalists Vahine Fierro and Kauli Vaast.

Disclaimer: Links to Madame Tussauds Sydney and SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium in this article are affiliate/partner links. This publication may earn a commission on bookings made through these links, at no additional cost to the reader. Prices, dates, and offer details are correct at time of publication and subject to change; please check the official websites for the latest information. For the latest severe weather updates and warnings, visit www.bom.gov.au or download the BOM Weather app.