To those that lastly returned to theaters for the primary time in without end due to “Barbenheimer,” welcome again! Motion pictures are fairly cool, huh? Sadly, the summer time film season has probably peaked with the twin launch of “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer.” However there are nonetheless loads of intriguing new releases in August, from a reboot of a beloved ’80s property to a pair of raunchy comedies that would make in your subsequent nice double characteristic.
“Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem” (Aug. 2)
Cowabunga! The ninja turtles are again for his or her first animated film in additional than 15 years, “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem,” following two live-action Michael Bay movies. “After years of being sheltered from the human world,” the turtles got down to “win the hearts of New Yorkers and be accepted as regular youngsters by means of heroic acts,” per Paramount. Seth Rogen labored on the screenplay and voices Bebop, and the remainder of the voice forged contains John Cena as Rocksteady, Giancarlo Esposito as Baxter Stockman, Ayo Edebiri as April O’Neil, and Jackie Chan as Splinter. The turtles even have a brand new look, because the movie’s artwork type is paying homage to “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.” With nice turtle energy comes nice turtle duty.
“Meg 2: The Trench” (Aug. 4)
What higher solution to shut out the summer time than with an enormous, dumb shark film? Jason Statham returns on this sequel to “The Meg,” the 2018 shock hit that noticed him gloriously face off towards a megalodon shark. This time, he and Wu Jing “lead a daring analysis group on an exploratory dive into the deepest depths of the ocean,” which “spirals into chaos when a malevolent mining operation threatens their mission and forces them right into a high-stakes battle for survival,” per Warner Bros. It is primarily based on the follow-up to the unique novel, and the screenwriters from the primary film are again, although there is a new director: Ben Wheatley, the filmmaker recognized for disturbing horror motion pictures like “Kill Checklist.” Hopefully, the sequel hasn’t bitten off greater than it could actually chew.
“Shortcomings” (Aug. 4)
Randall Park has lengthy been a pleasant on-screen presence, however he is now able to get behind the digicam. Selection described Park’s new dramedy “Shortcomings” as a “fresh-faced, humorous directorial debut” for the “Contemporary Off the Boat” star. From Sony Photos Classics, the film follows a struggling filmmaker, Ben (Justin H. Min), and his girlfriend Miko (Ally Maki), who works for an Asian American movie competition. “When Miko strikes to New York for an internship, Ben is left to his personal gadgets, and begins to discover what he thinks he may need,” the synopsis says. Sherry Cola stars as Ben’s finest buddy Alice. Sony additionally described Ben as a person who “spends his time obsessing over unavailable blonde ladies” and “watching Criterion Assortment DVDs.” Wait, is that this play about us?
“Coronary heart of Stone” (Aug. 11)
Gal Gadot’s future as Marvel Lady could also be doubtful, but when that gig falls by means of, at the very least she’s acquired a house within the Netflix ecosystem. After starring within the streamer’s “Purple Discover,” Gadot returns for an additional Netflix authentic movie that she additionally produced, the spy thriller “Coronary heart of Stone,” during which she performs undercover agent Rachel Stone. She’s the “solely intelligence operative who stands between her world, peace-keeping group and the lack of its most precious — and harmful — asset, codenamed: The Coronary heart,” per Netflix. Jamie Dornan additionally stars. Director Tom Harper informed Leisure Weekly the purpose is for the movie to spawn a brand new female-led motion collection like James Bond. In its try and craft extra authentic franchises, Netflix is leaving no stone unturned.
“The Final Voyage of the Demeter” (Aug. 11)
If “Renfield” acquired you within the temper for extra Dracula on the large display screen, Common has one other film for you. From “Scary Tales to Inform within the Darkish” director André Øvredal, “The Final Voyage of the Demeter” relies on a chapter from the unique Bram Stoker “Dracula” novel, “The Captain’s Log,” during which Dracula travels on board a service provider ship and issues do not finish nicely for these aboard. “Unusual occasions befall the doomed crew as they try and survive the ocean voyage, stalked every evening by a cruel presence onboard the ship,” per Common. Consider it as “Alien,” however on a ship and with Dracula as a substitute of a Xenomorph. Corey Hawkins and Liam Cunningham star, and Javier Botet performs Dracula. With their assist, for now, the Common monsters franchise is alive.
“Gran Turismo” (Aug. 11)
The race to search out the following nice online game film is shifting gears with “Gran Turismo.” David Harbour and Orlando Bloom star on this movie primarily based on the favored racing video video games, although it isn’t a direct adaptation of them. As an alternative, it is impressed by the true story of Jann Mardenborough, who turned an precise race automobile driver after taking part in the online game competitively. The stakes are excessive for director Neill Blomkamp, who has struggled to observe up his critically-acclaimed debut movie, 2009’s “District 9;” his final two motion pictures, “Chappie” and “Demonic,” had been each broadly panned. Can bringing a racing sport to the large display screen get his profession again on observe?
“Blue Beetle” (Aug. 18)
The top of the DC universe as we all know it’s in sight, but it surely’s not fairly over but. The DC Prolonged Universe nonetheless has two extra movies left earlier than new boss James Gunn reboots the franchise. First up is “Blue Beetle,” during which a younger school graduate, performed by Xolo Maridueña, “unexpectedly finds himself in possession of an historical relic of alien biotechnology: the Scarab,” which “chooses Jaime to be its symbiotic host,” main him to turn into the superhero Blue Beetle, per Warner Bros. Gunn described Blue Beetle as the primary character of the brand new DC universe, suggesting he might stick round even after the upcoming reboot. However that probably is dependent upon how nicely this movie performs, as if it is one other DC bomb, anticipate the character to be tossed apart as shortly as Ezra Miller’s Flash.
“Strays” (Aug. 18)
In June, Jennifer Lawrence did her half to maintain comedies alive in theaters with “No Laborious Emotions,” and “Strays” is now selecting up the torch. This new comedy produced by “Spider-Man: Throughout the Spider-Verse” duo Phil Lord and Christopher Miller has a novel hook: it is a filthy, R-rated movie starring a bunch of speaking canine. The pups “hatch a plan and embark on an epic journey to assist Reggie,” a Border Terrier voiced by Will Ferrell, “discover his means residence” and make his “lowlife proprietor” pay for abandoning him. Jamie Foxx and Will Forte additionally flesh out the voice forged, and Dennis Quaid seems within the film as himself. Will this barking canine comedy have chew?
“Bottoms” (Aug. 25)
Two of the most important rising stars in Hollywood as we speak are Rachel Sennott and Ayo Edebiri, however followers launched to them although “Shiva Child” and “The Bear” could not notice the 2 collaborated in 2020 on the digital shorts “Ayo and Rachel Are Single.” Three years later, they’re teaming again up for the raunchy intercourse comedy “Bottoms,” during which two ladies “begin a battle membership as a solution to lose their virginities to cheerleaders,” per MGM. Emma Seligman directed the movie in her follow-up to “Shiva Child,” and Sennott co-wrote it with Seligman. Marshawn Lynch additionally stars. The film earned close to common acclaim at South by Southwest, with Mashable’s Kristy Puchko calling it a “ruthless and hysterical parody of the teenager intercourse comedy.” That is one battle membership everybody will probably be speaking about.
“Retribution” (Aug. 25)
We have 5 phrases for you: “Pace,” however with Liam Neeson. Should you’re not already on board, you ought to be. The actor leads this new action-thriller during which a person receives a name from a mysterious one that tells him there is a bomb beneath his automobile seat. The caller calls for he “full a particular collection of duties,” and with “his youngsters trapped within the again seat and a bomb that may explode in the event that they get out of the automobile, a traditional commute turns into a twisted sport of life or demise,” per Lionsgate. Nimród Antal, the filmmaker behind 2010’s “Predators,” directs, and Jack Champion and Matthew Modine additionally star. Following new blockbusters starring Tom Cruise and Harrison Ford, it is the proper conclusion to the summer time of growing old motion stars proving they’ve nonetheless acquired it.