School's out for summer, but fear not, there's plenty of quality entertainment to enjoy on the big and small screens.
Summer blockbuster season has arrived, with Jurassic World Rebirth, Superman and The Fantastic Four: First Steps among the highly-anticipated movies opening in cinemas this month.
If the lure of your couch is too strong there's lots to enjoy at home too, from Lena Dunham's rom-com Too Much, a live stream of Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano Madison Square Garden rematch and an excellent-looking new crime-drama starring Eric Bana.
Check out 14 movies and TV shows to enjoy this July.
Movies
Jurassic World Rebirth, 2 July
Three years after the Jurassic World trilogy concluded, the franchise has entered a new era. In director Gareth Edwards' Jurassic World Rebirth, dinosaurs rule the earth once again and an expedition braves isolated equatorial regions to extract DNA from three massive prehistoric creatures for a groundbreaking medical breakthrough. Scarlett Johansson, Mahershala Ali and Jonathan Bailey lead this blockbuster which is sure to deliver plenty of dinosaur drama.
Superman, 11 July
Written and directed by James Gunn, Superman stars David Corenswet as Clark Kent / Superman. The film promises a heartfelt take on the character as it explores Superman's journey to reconcile his alien heritage with his adoptive human family. The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel star Rachel Brosnahan is playing Lois Lane, with the cast also including Nicholas Hoult, Edi Gathegi, Anthony Carrigan, Nathan Fillion, and Isabela Merced.
Wicked, 11 July, Sky Cinema Premiere & NOW
Wicked, the untold story of the witches of Oz, stars Emmy, Grammy and Tony-winning star Cynthia Erivo (Harriet, Broadway's The Color Purple) as Elphaba, a young woman, misunderstood because of her unusual green skin, who has yet to discover her true power, and Grammy-winning artist Ariana Grande as Glinda, a popular young woman, gilded by privilege and ambition, who has yet to discover her true heart. Now's your chance to see the much-loved blockbuster on the small screen.
Smurfs, 18 July
Judging by the stacked cast, this animated musical-comedy film could make for an excellent family-friendly cinema outing this July. None other than Rihanna voices the role of Smurfette along an ensemble cast including James Corden, Nick Offerman, JP Karliak (in a dual role), Daniel Levy, Amy Sedaris, Natasha Lyonne, Sandra Oh, Jimmy Kimmel, Octavia Spencer, Nick Kroll, Hannah Waddingham, Alex Winter, Maya Erskine, Kurt Russell, and John Goodman.
I Know What You Did Last Summer, 18 July
It’s hard to believe it’s been 28 years since the iconic slasher film I Know What You Did Last Summer was released, and now Jennifer Love Hewitt and Freddie Prinze Jr are back for a legacy sequel as a new generation of teens find themselves haunted by past mistakes. Joining the original cast members are Madelyn Cline, Chase Sui Wonders, Jonah Hauer-King, Tyriq Withers, Sarah Pidgeon, Billy Campbell, Gabbriette Bechtel and Austin Nichols.
The Fantastic Four: First Steps, 25 July
Marvel’s beloved superhero team the Fantastic Four is getting a modern reboot. Set against the vibrant backdrop of a 1960s-inspired, retro-futuristic world, the perfectly cast film stars Pedro Pascal as Reed Richards and Vanessa Kirby as Sue Storm, with Joseph Quinn and Ebon Moss-Bachrach rounding out the team. Forced to balance their roles as heroes with the strength of their family bond, they must defend Earth from a ravenous space god called Galactus and his enigmatic Herald, Silver Surfer.
Television
Abbott Elementary, Season 4 Part 3, 2 July, Disney+
Abbott Elementary is a hugely enjoyable workplace comedy following a group of dedicated, passionate teachers - and a slightly tone-deaf principal - as they navigate the Philadelphia public school system. Despite the odds stacked against them, they are determined to help their students succeed in life, and though these incredible public servants may be outnumbered and underfunded, they love what they do.
The Sandman: Season 2 Volume 1, Netflix, 3 July
The second and final season of The Sandman is out this July on Netflix. Episodes 1-6 will land on the streaming platform on 3 July, followed by Volume 2, Episodes 7-11, on 24 July and a special bonus episode on 31 July. A description of the plot reads: "After a fateful reunion with his family, the final season finds Dream of the Endless (Tom Sturridge) faced with one impossible decision after another as he attempts to save himself, his kingdom, and the waking world from the epic fallout of his past misdeeds. To make amends, Dream must confront longtime friends and foes, gods, monsters, and mortals."
NORAID: Irish America and The IRA, Wednesday, 9 July, 9.35pm, RTÉ One/RTÉ Player
A new two-part documentary that tells the astonishing story of the role played by Irish Americans during the conflict in Northern Ireland: fundraising, propagandising and gun-running. NORAID: Irish America and the IRA tells of a body of Irish Americans who acted as the Republican movement's voice in the United States of America throughout that period. Told through first-hand accounts and using exclusive archive sources, the series looks at how Irish-America went from collecting money in bars in the Bronx to pressing the Presidential Candidate, Bill Clinton, during the 1992 primaries - lobbying which led to a key turning point in the nascent Peace Process: a US Visa for the then President of Sinn Féin, Gerry Adams.
Too Much, Netflix, 10 July
Lena Dunham's new semi-autobiographical rom-com Too Much has got to be one of the highly-anticipated new series of the summer. The Girls star has created this 10-part series for Netflix alongside her husband Luis Felber. It stars Megan Stalter (Hacks) as Jessica, a New York workaholic in her mid-thirties who takes a job in London after her relationship breaks down. She ends up making an unusual connection with Felix (Will Sharpe, The White Lotus). Dunham said she wanted to create a romantic comedy that "makes us root for love, brings joy but also has the jagged edges of life". Our very own Andrew Scott is among the high-profile names to cameo on the show.
Katie Taylor vs. Amanda Serrano 3, Netflix, 11 July
Irish boxer Katie Taylor and Puerto Rican boxer and mixed martial artist Amanda Serrano will have a highly-anticipated rematch in New York's Madison Square Garden on 11 July, which will be broadcast live on Netflix. They first fought in April 2022 in a closely contested bout, with Taylor winning by split decision to retain her undisputed lightweight titles. The fight was widely praised and is considered one of the best in women's boxing - so fans will have high hopes for this one.
Jaws @ 50: The Dedinitive Inside Story, 11 July, Disney+
Jaws @ 50 is the authorized documentary celebrating the film that redefined Hollywood, 50 years after its premiere. Alongside Steven Spielberg, Jaws @ 50 charts the extraordinary journey from Peter Benchley's bestselling novel to one of the most iconic films ever made.
The Summer I Turned Pretty season three, Prime Video, 16 July
The third and final season of the coming-of-age romantic drama The Summer I Turned Pretty is landing on 16 July, giving viewers more twists and turns in the heady love triangle involving Belly (Lola Tung) and brothers Conrad (Christopher Briney) and Jeremiah (Gavin Casalegno). At the end of season two Belly chosen to be with the younger Fisher brother, but how long will that love last? Viewers will find out who Belly will end up with in the final instalment of the series based on Jenny Han's much-loved trilogy of novels.
Untamed, Netflix, 17 July
Untamed, Netflix's new crime drama miniseries, looks very promising. Eric Bana plays Kyle Turner, an agent of the National Parks Service who is investigating a brutal murder in Yellowstone National Park, committed by someone who seems to know the park inside out. The investigation sends Turner on a collision course with dark secrets within the park, and in his own past. The series also stars Lily Santiago as new ranger Naya Vasquez, Sam Neill as longtime chief park ranger Paul Souter and Rosemarie DeWitt as Turner's ex-wife.
