A new month means a slew of new movies and shows slated to arrive on both the big screen and our home TVs. From swooning to screaming bloody murder, these upcoming July releases have an experience for everyone. New titles are a much needed refresh, and a chance to escape a mid-summer slump or, in the cool AC of a theater, a heat wave. Here’s some of Hollywood’s latest exports to expect in July.
7/2: Jurassic World: Rebirth
Jurassic World Rebirth is a thrilling return to adventures among prehistoric species, the fourth in an installment of Jurassic World films that began in 2015. In the past, these films— a revival series of the Jurassic Park films created through the late 90s and early 2000s —have starred Chris Pratt as Owen Grady, a trained dinosaur handler at the park, alongside Bryce Dallas Howard as Claire Dearing, the park’s operations manager. However, Jurassic World Rebirth is set to introduce a new ensemble of A-listers including Scarlett Johanson, Mahershala Ali, and Jonathon Bailey. As members on a covert operation, seeking a life-saving drug from a few remaining dinosaur species on a forbidden island, the characters encounter creatures far stranger than what they are searching for. Written by David Koepp, the writer of the 1993 original Jurassic Park movie, and directed by Gareth Edwards, this addition to the Jurassic Park franchise is scheduled to release on July 2nd.
7/3: The Sandman
The TV adaptation of Neil Gaiman’s comic book returns to Netflix for a second season with Dream, or Morpheus, played by Tom Sturridge. Once again, adventures and challenges will ensue in the land of Dreaming, where nightmares and natural forces take human forms, and characters from ancient fables and mythologies are inhabitants. Set a few weeks after the events of the first season, Dream’s reunification with his kingdom will continue when the second season’s first six episodes are released on July 3rd.
7/10: Too Much
A new romantic comedy Too Much is soon to arrive, created by Lena Dunham and her husband Luis Felber. Starring Meghan Halter as Jessica, a New Yorker who takes a job across the pond to escape the fallout of a devastating breakup, a new romance shows its face in unexpected, and sometimes awkward, ways. Felix, played by Will Sharpe, is a Brit who represents a new kind of falling in love experience for Jessica. Their story will play out on Netflix beginning July 10th.
7/11: Wild Diamond (Diamant Brut)
Written and directed by French filmmaker Agathe Riedinger, Wild Diamond’s tumultuous coming-of-age story has already been released in a number of countries across the world. However, July 11th marks its domestic release date, bringing the journey of 19-year-old Liane, played by Malou Khebizi, to screens across the US. In a look at a young woman’s experiences with reality TV appearances, as well as the larger, intoxicating nature of influencer culture, Wild Diamond explores how we create and understand identity, family, and womanhood.
7/11: The Wild Ones
The six parts of Apple TV’s newest show document expeditions by a team of expert wildlife researchers. Aldo Kane, Declan Burley, and Vianet Djenguet make up the group, combining the expertise of a former Royal Marines Commando, a camera trap expert, and a visual storyteller to navigate countries across Asia, Africa, and North America. The Wild Ones is a documentary series capturing both the thrilling and arduous conditions of wilderness expeditions and the important work for both science and animal conservation that these adventures support. Kane, Burley, and Djenguet’s experiences will be streamable on Apple TV on July 11th.
7/11: Dexter: Resurrection
As the title suggests, Dexter: Resurrection is a second revival of the crime drama television series Dexter, which aired from 2006 to 2013. The title character originated in a series of novels by Jeff Lindsey, and like Dexter and Dexter: New Blood before it, the series will star Michael C. Hall in that central role. Dexter is a forensic technician for the fictional Miami-Metro Police Department who also contains a dark, homicidal side, targeting murderers who evade punishment through the legal system. The preceding series have led Dexter to abandon and reinvent his identity in different ways, and Dexter: Resurrection is sure to reveal even greater depth to this famed antihero when it is released on Prime Video on July 11th.
7/16: The Summer I Turned Pretty
After two seasons of the Fisher brothers competing for Isabel “Belly” Conklin’s affections, a final decision is almost here. The love triangle, composed of Belly, played by Lola Tung, and Christopher Briney and Gavin Casalengo as Conrad and Jeremiah, respectively, has kept viewers entertained since its first season in 2022. In a story of two families who return each summer to Cousins Beach, Massachusetts, The Summer I Turned Pretty features not only romance, but elements of grief, loss, and growth that accompany a young girl’s coming-of-age. Based on Jenny Han’s best-selling book trilogy, the series’ final season is set to release on July 16th.
7/18: I Know What You Did Last Summer
Slashing its way onto screens this summer is I Know What You Did Last Summer, the fourth film in a horror franchise based on a Lois Duncan novel of the same name. The movie will feature stars from the first film, including Jennifer Love Hewitt and Freddie Prinze Jr., as well as new characters played by an ensemble including Madelyn Cline, Chase Sui Wonders, and Jonah Hauer-King. Similar to the preceding films, I Know What You Did Last Summer follows a group of teens who a vengeful murderer stalks after attempting to cover up their car accident that proves fatal for an innocent pedestrian. The friends seek the wisdom of Hewitt and Prinze Jr., survivors of the first film’s violent stalker, as they try to survive. This suspenseful sequel is set to hit theaters on July 18th.
7/18: Smurfs
The miniature, blue-skinned cartoon characters starring in this July release have a history spanning decades. The forest-dwelling population of the Smurfs, with names based on key personality traits, was first created by Belgian cartoonist Peyo in 1958, and has since been featured in media including cartoon strips, television, video games, and a franchise of feature films. This newest Smurfs tale revisits some of their most well-known characters, including John Goodman voicing Papa Smurf, and Xolo Maridueña as Brainy Smurf. Taking the lead in this story, however, is one of the few female Smurfs: Smurfette, as voiced by Rihanna. In an effort to once again thwart the evil antics of the wizard Gargamel, the little blue colony takes the world by storm. Their adventures will reach the big screen on July 18th.
7/25: AJ Goes to the Dog Park
A surreal and oddball approach to one resident of Fargo, North Dakota, is captured in AJ Goes to the Dog Park. From the mind of Toby Jones, a Cartoon Network animator and voice actor turned writer/director, the film follows AJ, played by Fargo native A.J. Thompson. AJ is a man living an ordinary life until his neighborhood dog park is repurposed, prompting him to embark on an unexpected journey of Homeric proportions. This wacky character will make his theatrical debut on July 25th.
Have your popcorn bucket and soft drinks ready! Whether reimagining a classic or creating something entirely original, July brings plenty of content to keep your eyes peeled for.
Read more on one of July’s most anticipated reveals, The Summer I Turned Pretty, here!
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