10 New Movies and TV Shows to Watch in July 2021
Beat the summer heat by staying in with these new releases.
Being able to spend time outside again this summer sounds exciting until you remember that going out is expensive, our pets are at home, and the weather is unbearably hot. If you're looking forward to retreating to your couch and air conditioning this summer, there are plenty of options to keep you entertained all month long.
This July is a big month for soapy teen dramas. Gossip Girl is making its big return with a new cast after ending nearly a decade ago, Outer Banks is back for another season, and Never Have I Ever Season 2 is bringing more realistic teen romance back to Netflix. On the big screen, Black Widow stars Scarlett Johannson and Florence Pugh, and nostalgic sequel Space Jam 2 is uniting Buggs Bunny with LeBron James. Keep reading for all the must-watch films and TV shows debuting this month.
If you couldn't get enough of David Harbour's portrayal of the kind, stoic Jim Hopper in Stranger Things, his role in the exhilirating thriller No Sudden Move is sure to delight. Directed by Oscar winner Steven Soderbergh, this heist movie set in 1950s Detroit centers around two criminals who must form an alliance after a job gone wrong. With the acting talents of Harbour alongside Benicio del Toro, Don Cheadle, John Hamm, and Julia Fox, this film is bound to be a captivating ride. It will be available for streaming July 1 on HBO Max.
DJ, musician, and songwriter Questlove now gets to add "director" to his resume with Summer of Soul, a documentary about the Harlem Cultural Music Festival of 1969. The film features performances from a young Stevie Wonder, Mahalia Jackson, Mavis Staples and more. Celebrate the works of history-making Black musicians when this documentary comes out on July 2.
The highly anticipated new Marvel movie will star Scarlett Johannson in her first solo superhero flick. After being raised by the Russian security agency KGB as a skilled spy, the film follows an adult Natasha Romanoff in present-day New York as she learns she can't leave her past behind. Black Widow also stars Little Women and Midsommar's Florence Pugh as Romanoff's sister. Catch the spy thriller on July 9 in theaters.
Fans of the iconic 2006 teen drama featuring Leighton Meester and Blake Lively as wealthy frenemies in New York City's Upper East Side probably already know that Gossip Girl is getting a reboot, but the new installment has many stark differences from the original. Gossip Girl (2021) will be a bit darker than the 2006 show, revealing the effects of social media as it has evolved in the last decade. It also features a fresh cast, recruiting the talents of Jordan Alexander, Evan Mock, Savannah Smith, Emily Alyn Lind, Whitney Peak, and more. Your one and only source into the lives of Manhattan's elite returns on HBO Max on July 9.
We've all been experiencing some serious wanderlus during the pandemic, but The White Lotus might make you feel otherwise. Written and directed by Mike White, this social satire centers around an idyllic vacation at a Hawaiian resort as it takes a dark turn. Its all-star cast features Jennifer Coolidge, Connie Britton, Alexandra Daddario, Sydney Sweeney, and more. Check out the limited series when it airs on HBO on July 11.
Much like Ocean's 8, Harley Quinn, and Charlie's Angels, this movie features a league of dynamic women kicking ass in a witty action thriller. Gunpowder Milkshake follows the story of a young woman (Karen Gillian of Doctor Who) who was abandoned by her assasin mother (Lena Headey of Game of Thrones) and brought up as a hitwoman. When a mission doesn't go to plan, Gillian teams up with her mother and her sisterhood of sidekicks—including Angela Basset and Michelle Yeoh—to take back her power. This female-led thriller drops on Netflix on July 14.
Those who were endeared by the awkward charm of Never Have I Ever's protagonist Devi will be happy to see her and her romantic antics return to Netflix for another season. The next installment of this coming-of-age comedy features Devi at a crossroads as she's torn between dating her chiseled crush Paxton and nerdy but charismatic frenemy Ben. Keep up with her cringey-yet-cute escapades when the next season airs on July 15.
Late '90s and Y2K isn't just making a comeback in fashion—this month, 1996 family comedy Space Jam is finally getting a sequel. Buggs Bunny unites with another star athlete, LeBron James, when James and his son get trapped in a digital space by a rogue AI. Buggs along with the other Looney Tunes must band together during a high-stakes basketball game to help LeBron get home safe. Relish in this reimagined childhood favorite when it comes out on July 16.
Dynamic duo Tim Gunn and Heidi Klum of Project Runway join forces again for the second season of Making The Cut, a show where fashion designers compete for some life-altering prizes: $1 million to invest in their brand, a partnership with Amazon Fashion, and of course bragging rights. You can catch the stylish show when it airs on Amazon Prime Video on July 16.
This soapy drama captured the hearts of Netflix users during the pandemic as it followed the lives of a ragtag band of teens growing up in the Outer Banks of North Carolina. After much demand and an incredibly high viewership, the show was renewed for a second season just three months after its premiere. The trailer for the next season promises plenty more car chases, adventures, and romance between its stars Madelyn Cline and Chase Stokes. Soak up the sun and sand onscreen when the new season releases on July 30.
