Summer is officially here, and you know what that means: Movie theater blockbusters smash box office expectations, AC units are permanently kept on blast, and popsicle-stained fingers dominate the remote. This July has a fun lineup of releases that will keep your summer vibes at an all-time high. From the Barbie versus Oppenheimer showdown to the return of fan-favorite comedy and drama series, beat the heat with this month’s upcoming new movies and TV shows.
Netflix
Quarterback Season 1 (July 12)
Calling all sports girlies! Netflix is releasing a new documentary series that follows three NFL quarterbacks on and off the field. Patrick Mahomes, Kirk Cousins, and Marcus Mariota give you an inside look into their lives that will tide you over until football season starts again in the fall.
Too Hot To Handle Season 5 (July 14)
Are you ready to handle another season of Too Hot To Handle? The steamy reality TV show is coming back for its fifth season on July 14. Summer is the perfect time to commit to a show purely for its entertainment value, and what could be more fun to watch than a bunch of horny people stuck in a house together?
The Witcher Season 3 Volume 2 (July 27)
After three seasons of playing Geralt of Rivia, Henry Cavill is hanging up his wig. The five episodes in Season 3 Volume 1 of The Witcher were released on June 29. The remaining three episodes in Volume 2 promise to end Cavill’s run on the show with a bang before he passes the reins to Liam Hemsworth in Season 4.
Miraculous: Ladybug and Cat Noir, The Movie (July 28)
Okay, so this is technically meant for kids, but there’s no shame in watching a feel-good animated movie! Based on a TV show about two teenage superheroes living a double life, Miraculous: Ladybug and Cat Noir, The Movie will give Marinette and Adrien an alternate backstory. Think Spider-Man, but with Parisian teenagers who are unknowingly in love with each other’s alter egos.
Hulu
The Ashley Madison Affair (July 7)
This three-part documentary series exposes the scandal surrounding the dating site Ashley Madison. The site was famously used for coordinating extramarital affairs (aka cheating on your partner). A lot of marriages found themselves on the rocks when hackers leaked a named list of all the site’s users in 2015.
Futurama Season 11 (July 24)
It’s been 10 years since we last saw Fry and Bender on our screens, but we’re going back to the future on July 24! The whole original voice cast is returning for Futurama’s 11th season. Season 11 will include 10 episodes that seem to be dropping on a weekly basis. Fans have been doing a flip for joy ever since the trailer came out in May.
Max
Full Circle (July 13)
The trailer for Max’s new limited series keeps its plot mostly under wraps, but the idea of exploring the effects of a botched kidnapping already has me on the edge of my seat. Its cast welcomes fresh talent to a group of seasoned actors like Claire Danes and Dennis Quaid that are sure to bring aaaall the drama.
Apple TV+
The Afterparty Season 2 (July 12)
Tiffany Haddish stars as the detective in this hilarious murder mystery show. A groom is killed at his own wedding and every guest is a suspect, from his paranoid mother to his unhappy bride. Catch the killer when the show airs on July 12.
Stephen Curry: Underrated (July 21)
Another win for the sports girlies this month! Apple TV+ is releasing a documentary on Steph Curry’s career from college basketball to the NBA Finals. I love a good underdog story.
The Beanie Bubble (July 28)
Remember your childhood Beanie Baby collection? Your mouth will be as wide as your favorite stuffed animal’s eyes when you discover the corporate greed that went into making the beloved plush toys. The Beanie Bubble is a comedy-drama film that spills the beans on how the Ty company shot to fame in the ‘90s.
Prime Video
The Summer I Turned Pretty Season 2 (July 14)
It’s not summer without Belly, Jeremiah, and Conrad on our screens. Season 2 of The Summer I Turned Pretty sees our favorite childhood friends-to-maybe-lovers joining together to save Susannah’s summer house. Pack your bag for Cousins Beach; the first three episodes of Season 2 drop on July 14, with new episodes coming out every Friday.
Good Omens Season 2 (July 28)
Aziraphale and Crowley work together to keep a secret from Heaven and Hell — that’s definitely going to end well for them. The first season of Good Omens fully adapted the book by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett, so Season 2’s plot is completely new to fans of both the novel and TV show. Jon Hamm joins the cast as the runaway archangel Gabriel; you could see he’s a blessing in disguise.
Paramount+
Zoey 102 (July 27)
Ooh, ooh, PCA’s iconic alumni are all grown up! Logan and Quinn are getting married, and their wedding is set to be a high school reunion. Chase was always madly in love with Zoey in Zoey 101; now she’s the one chasing him (and hiring a fake boyfriend to make him jealous). Most of the original cast is reprising their roles, including Christopher Massey as Michael. Now that’s drippin’!
Theaters
Joy Ride (July 7)
Childhood best friends Ashley and Lolo travel to China on a mission to find Audrey’s birth mother. They run into some friendly (and not so friendly) faces along the way, from a former roommate to a random drug dealer that threatens to ruin their trip. Ashley Park from Emily in Paris and Stephanie Hsu from Everything Everywhere All At Once star in this summer’s ultimate buddy comedy.
Barbie (July 21)
This is my most anticipated film of the year by far. Greta Gerwig enlists Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling as Barbie and Ken in a glitter-covered camp classic that explores nostalgia, individuality, and various shades of pink. As someone who meticulously arranged her Barbie dolls in a pocket shoe organizer hung on the back of her door (my collector’s editions were on a separate shelf, obvi), I am so excited to catch all the Mattel lore in Barbieland. Beat the opening day crowd by buying advance tickets for showings on July 19 and 20.
Oppenheimer (July 21)
On July 21, Oppenheimer versus Barbie will enter the hottest competition for box office slash world domination that movie theaters have ever seen. Cillian Murphy plays J. Robert Oppenheimer, the scientist who created the atomic bomb. The film’s director, Christopher Nolan, warns that audiences might leave the theater feeling “absolutely devastated.” It’s too soon to predict which film will come out on top, but one thing’s for sure: Oppenheimer is going to bomb.