July is here, and in between all the fireworks and swimming and running from the heat, there’s ample time to sit back, relax and watch a great movie. While it can be daunting to figure out what to watch on your favorite streaming service, we’ve created a curated selection of some of the best new movies streaming this month on Netflix, Prime Video, Hulu, Max, Disney+ and beyond. There’s plenty of new releases hitting streaming this month, like the Michael B. Jordan hit “Sinners” and Jenna Ortega’s “Death of a Unicorn,” alongside streaming originals starring Adam Sandler, John Cena and more.
Check out our picks for the top new movies streaming right now below.
“Licorice Pizza”
Netflix – July 1
As we barrel towards the release of Paul Thomas Anderson’s latest provocation “One Battle After Another,” why not take a moment to revisit his last movie, 2021’s brilliant “Licorice Pizza.” The movie is an episodic exploration of youth in the San Fernando Valley in the early 1970’s, based in part on the life of Gary Goetzman (played in the movie by Cooper Hoffman), who would later become a collaborator of Jonathan Demme and Tom Hanks. Gary starts a waterbed company, has a chance encounter with influential hairdresser-turned-producer Jon Peters (played by Bradley Cooper) and opens a pinball arcade (once such a thing is again legal in California), all the while lusting after his older friend (snappily played by Alana Haim from the band Haim). “Licorice Pizza” is effervescent and so full of life, braiding actual events with the heightened experiences that only PTA could conjure. We’re very excited for “One Battle After Another,” but it’ll be hard to top “Licorice Pizza,” which is perhaps the director’s very best film – funny, gorgeous and oddly moving.
“No Country for Old Men”
Prime Video – July 1
Recently selected as the sixth best film of the century so far by the New York Times, the Coen Brothers’ “No Country for Old Men” is considered by many to be a masterpiece, but at the time was a hard left turn from the filmmaking duo best known for crafting acerbic comedies like “O Brother Where Art Thou?” and “The Big Lebowski.” The Cormac McCarthy adaptation is a menacing, unforgiving Western about the inevitability — and unpredictable nature — of death. Can you change your fate? Of course not. It’s already set. Whether watching for the first or fifth time, this one never loses its power.
The “Robocop” Franchise
Prime Video – July 1
“Robocop” is an odd franchise. The first film, 1987’s stone-cold masterpiece, is a classic because of the idiosyncrasies that director Paul Verhoeven and writers Edward Neumeier and Michael Miner brought to the project. It could have been a straightforward science fiction story about a good cop who is brought back from the dead using cutting-edge technology. But what they crafted was so much more – a satire that openly roasted Reagan-era politics, a action movie that wasn’t afraid of blood and guts and a thorny interrogation of the police as a paramilitary force. The fact that it is all this and a dazzling, fist-pumping entertainment, is what makes that initial film so special. The sequel, made without the original creators, attempted to replicate the humor and thrills, and didn’t quite succeed. The whole thing feels like a faded Xerox copy of the original, although there is some truly eye-popping work by stop motion wizard Phil Tippett and his team, most notably of the title character, a junkie turned super-robot. The third film, whose release was delayed due to legal troubles, dropped the R-rating and aimed for something more family friendly. But it just feels cheap and chintzy by comparison. The 2014 remake is somewhat underrated; as directed by Brazilian filmmaker José Padilha and updated for the Obama era of drone warfare. Swedish actor Joel Kinnaman stars in the title role. He lacks the flintiness of Peter Weller, but it helps that he’s surrounded by a starring supporting cast that includes Gary Oldman, Michael Keaton, Samuel L. Jackson, Michael K. Williams and Jackie Earle Haley. The remake is also saddled with a PG-13 but it still feels vital and, crucially, exciting as hell.
“Pacific Rim”
Netflix – July 1
Each movie in Guillermo del Toro’s filmography is a new painting, and 2013’s “Pacific Rim” is arguably his biggest, most colorful canvas yet. This is a massive robots vs. kaiju movie in which the monster-loving, Oscar-winning director poured his heart into knock-down, drag-out fights between enormous beings in exotic locations. The story takes place in a future where a hole at the bottom of the ocean sees kaiju – or giant otherworldly monsters – entering our realm from time to time. In response, the various countries of the world have build giant robots to fight off these monsters. Charlie Hunnam and Riko Kikuchi are two pilots for one such robot and Idris Elba is the military leader running the show. This one’s epic and tons of fun.
“Born on the Fourth of July”
Netflix – July 1
Patriotism has many colors, and Oliver Stone’s “Born on the Fourth of July” is a searing take on the Vietnam War through the eyes of a wounded veteran. In an Oscar-nominated performance, Tom Cruise plays Ron Kovic, a man who became an anti-war activist after being wounded in Vietnam and returning home to find his country was leaving him behind. It’s angry, it’s challenging and it’s damn good.
“The Old Guard 2”
Netflix – July 2
If you need a refresher on “The Old Guard” before the sequel hits, why not revisit the original? Based on a comic book series by Greg Rucka and Leandro Fernández (with Rucka penning the screenplay for the adaptation), it follows Nile Freeman (KiKi Layne), a U.S. Marine who dies but then is miraculously alive again. It turns out that she’s the latest in a long line of immortal warriors, dating back centuries, led by Charlize Theron’s Andromache (or “Andy”) of Scythia. The central plot involves an evil pharmaceutical company, looking to harness the power of the immortals, and Andy dealing with the possibility that – shocker! – she could actually die. But what’s more important, really, is the camaraderie of the immortals and the action sequences, which are stylishly designed and shot by director Gina Prince-Bythewood. In other words: the new one has a lot to live up to.
“Heads of State”
Prime Video – July 2
Last time Idris Elba and John Cena starred in a movie together, it was James Gunn’s DC superhero team-up movie “The Suicide Squad,” where they spent the whole movie bickering and trying to kill each other. In their latest collaboration, they are back to bickering but not trying to murder each other – not really, anyway. In “Heads of State,” an agreeably goofy high-concept action comedy, Elba and Cena play a stuffy Prime Minister and a former action hero-turned-President of the United States, who find themselves on the run together after a terrorist plot brings down Air Force One. (Priyanka Chopra Jonas plays a spy who has also tangled with the terrorist organization.) You might be rolling your eyes, but “Heads of State” is corking entertainment, full of breathlessly staged action set pieces (director Ilya Naishuller is a pro), nimble humor and plenty of heart, with Cena and Elba’s relationship charged with an easygoing, ego-free chemistry. Proof that some of the best summer blockbusters are on the small screen this year.
“Sinners”
Max – July 4
Ryan Coogler, the filmmaker behind “Creed” and “Black Panther,” returned this year with an original feature. And what a feature it was. “Sinners” is set in the 1930’s in the Deep South, where a pair of twins (both played by Michael B. Jordan), return to their hometown after running with Al Capone in Chicago. Their big idea is to open a juke joint – a place where people can feel safe and secure and have a good time. They’ve got the money, they’ve got the liquor and they’ve got the entertainment (including from newcomer Miles Caton and legend Delroy Lindo). But on opening night, they run afoul of an immortal vampire (Jack O’Connell), who wants to turn the juke joint into an all-you-can-eat buffet. Much has been made about Warner Bros.’ decision to let Coogler own the rights to the movie after 25 years. But it’s a movie about, among other things, the importance and power of black ownership. (Imagine if they’d said no.) “Sinners” is a big movie full of big ideas, and it’s a testament to Coogler’s power as a filmmaker that it never feels cluttered or sags under the weight of its own ambition. It’s an absolute delight, from start to finish. And don’t click away when the movie ends; there is a mid-credits scene that is as vital as anything in the actual film.
“The Shrouds”
Criterion Channel – July 8
Every new David Cronenberg movie is cause for celebration, but “The Shrouds” is among the Canadian filmmaker’s very best. Based on an idea that he had initially developed as a Netflix series, “The Shrouds” stars Vincent Cassel as Karsh, a mysterious entrepreneur who, after the death of his beloved wife, develops a new technology that allows the living to watch their loved ones decompose. (The titular shrouds are a cutting-edge cocoon that facilitates the viewing.) One day, Karsh discovers that the graves have been vandalized, leading him on an investigation of who is responsible – and why. Diane Kruger plays Karsh’s sister-in-law, the spitting image of his dead wife, and Guy Pearce plays a man who helps Karsh with the technology. But can he be trusted? Don’t let the concept of “The Shrouds” scare you away. The story is creepy, for sure, but also quite moving; it was based, in part, on Cronenberg losing his wife in 2017 and the desire that overtook him of wanting to climb inside the casket with her. There are enough autobiographical details and stylistic embroidery to make “The Shrouds” one of the best films of his entire, enviable career. Climb inside, won’t you?
“A Star Is Born”
Netflix – July 8
Bradley Cooper’s “A Star Is Born” is magnificent. The first 40 minutes of the redo is some of the most enthralling, visceral filmmaking in recent memory as Cooper – serving as co-writer, director and star – traces the initial climb of Lady Gaga’s aspiring singer alongside his aging rocker. The Oscar-winning songs are great, but it’s the emotional tether between Cooper and Gaga onscreen that really sells this, with Cooper turning in a career-best performance. This movie is great.
“Opus”
Max – July 11
Ayo Edebiri meets with a reclusive musician who may or may not have started a cult in the A24 film “Opus.” Need we say more? Written and directed by Mark Anthony Green, this one has some twists and turns as it follows Edebiri’s journalist as one of a handful of people invited to a listening party for a new album from a reclusive 1990s pop musician, played by John Malkovich. Juliette Lewis and Murray Bartlett co-star in the film, which debuted at Sundance earlier this year before hitting theaters in March.
“Jaws @ 50: The Definitive Inside Story”
Disney+ – July 11
“Jaws” is, perhaps, the most well-documented film production of all time. Not only was there “The Jaws Log,” an indispensable book chronicling making of Steven Spielberg’s eventual classic, but there have been countless television specials, books and documentaries about exactly what happened during the trouble production and everything that came after. That’s what makes “Jaws @ 50: The Definitive Inside Story” such a tantalizing proposition – could this documentary, produced for the new anniversary and directed by Spielberg’s longtime chronicler Laurent Bouzereau, actually uncover something new? Well, yes and no. The documentary is certainly fun and full of details and there are new things to be mined, particularly from Greg Nicotero, who was responsible for restoring the original model of Bruce the shark for the Academy Museum in Los Angeles (he is also, perhaps unsurprisingly, an executive producer of the doc), but there are also some notable omissions – Richard Dreyfus doesn’t appear and the footage of John Williams is from Bouzereau’s recent “Music by John Williams.” Yes, it’s absolutely a thrill to hear from filmmakers like Jordan Peele, Guillermo del Toro and, in particular, Steven Soderbergh, who beyond being one of the world’s most exciting directors is also a foremost “Jaws” scholar, but why repeatedly cut to Emily Blunt talking about the movie? Sure, she’s in Spielberg’s new UFO thriller and has made some scary movies of her own, but really? All in all, you’ve got to take the good with the bad. And any new “Jaws” documentary is worth watching.
“Zombies 4: Dawn of the Vampires”
Disney+ – July 11
Here’s the official synopsis for the fourth entry in the long-running Disney Channel Original Movie (that’s DCOM for short) series: “After their summer road trip takes an unexpected detour, Seabrook’s zombie/cheerleader-alien sweethearts Zed and Addison inadvertently become camp counselors to two opposing monster factions — Daywalkers and Vampires. As tensions flare between the rival groups, the Seabrook crew must convince Nova, a Daywalker, and Victor, a Vampire, to try to unite their warring worlds to prevent a greater threat that endangers them all.” Got all that? Also: it’s a musical. Your kids are going to love it!
“Drop”
Peacock – July 11
Much has been made about Blumhouse’s disappointing 2025. And it’s a shame because they have put out some of their very best movies – first “The Woman in the Yard,” an exquisitely shot meditation on grief and depression (directed by low key auteur Jaume Collet-Serra) and then “Drop,” a high-tech Hitchcockian thriller from “Happy Death Day” director Christopher Landon. The set-up is simple and gripping (and based on something that actually happened to one of the writers): Violet (Meghann Fahy) is a single mom who is going out on a blind date (with “1923” breakout Brandon Sklenar) in a nice restaurant. But almost as soon as she gets there she starts getting threatening notes about her young son at home, anonymously airdropped to her phone. What is she to make of this? Who is sending her these notes? And will she (and her child) make it out alive? It’s a wonderful concept, brilliantly executed by Landon, with genuine movie star performances from Sklenar and Fahy. This movie should have made hundreds of millions of dollars and had everybody talking. Instead, it was promptly ignored upon its theatrical release. But that’s what makes streaming so exciting – you can catch up on things that you missed and maybe find your new favorite thriller.
“The Amateur”
Hulu – July 17
We love when Rami Malek is being a twitchy weirdo that has something to do with computers. And “The Amateur” certainly scratches the same itch that made “Mr. Robot” so compelling. The recent Oscar winner plays a CIA analyst whose wife is killed in a terrorist incident. He urges the agency to find her killer and, when that fails, takes it upon himself to right the wrongs. The movie, based on a 1981 novel by Robert Littell (it had been adapted, that same year, into a Canadian film, with John Savage in the Malek role), occasionally becomes too cumbersome and tripped up by its own knotty plot machinations (there’s an unnecessary bit where Malek is blackmailing the CIA). But more often than not, it’s a clean and effective thriller for adults, something that doesn’t happen so often anymore. (See also: “Drop.”) “The Amateur” is buoyed by a terrific supporting cast that includes Lawrence Fishburne, Rachel Brosnahan, Caitríona Balfe, Michael Stuhlbarg and Holt McCallany and some inventive set pieces, like when Malek’s character kills a guy swimming in a pool that connects two high rises. It’s enough to make you want the further adventures of this twitchy weirdo.
“Death of a Unicorn”
Max – July 25
The next A24 movie hitting Max this month is “Death of a Unicorn,” the dark comedy starring Jenna Ortega and Paul Rudd about a father-daughter duo who accidentally kill a unicorn with their car. That’s just the beginning of this story, which chronicles the fallout when they discover the unicorn’s blood has magical applications – like curing acne. Will Poulter, Tea Leoni and Richard E. Grant co-star.
“Happy Gilmore 2”
Netflix – July 25
He’s back! Adam Sandler reprises his beloved Happy Gilmore role in this Netflix sequel, which brings back all the favorites from the original including Julie Bowen, Christopher McDonald and, yes, Ben Stiller. The story picks up 30 years after winning his first Tour Championship as Happy heads back to the golf course to pay for his daughter’s ballet school. Kyle Newacheck, who directed Sandler’s 2019 Netflix comedy “Murder Mystery,” steps into the director’s chair this time around with a screenplay by Sandler and Tim Herlihy, who wrote the 1996 original.
“Wicked”
Prime Video – July 25
If you care to find “Wicked,” look to Prime Video at the end of the month. The smash-hit musical adaptation starring Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande finds a new streaming home in July, arriving on Prime Video after first exclusively streaming on Peacock. The film was a behemoth when it hit theaters last November, and now’s the perfect time to revisit (or watch it for the first time) ahead of the release of the grand finale “Wicked: For Good” later this year.
“Memoir of a Snail”
Hulu – July 29
One of last year’s buzziest animated features, the Oscar-nominated stop-motion powerhouse “Memoir of a Snail” is finally streaming – so buckle up. The movie, written and directed by Australian auteur Adam Elliot (“Mary and Max”), follows Grace (voiced by Sarah Snook), a young girl who is born with a cleft lip. She imagines herself as a snail, shrinking from society, and soon becomes fixated with the animal. Her life is incredibly sad – she’s separated from her twin brother (Kodi Smit-McPhee), after her father, an alcoholic Frenchman, dies. Eventually she gets married, to a man who doesn’t deserve her. But she draws strength from an elderly friend (Jacki Weaver), who shows Grace how to draw power from her inner strength. Idiosyncratically animated and full of heart, the movie is at times so sad that you wonder how you can continue watching and just like that – bam! – there’s some revelation or reversal that is the absolute sweetest thing you could imagine. And it fills you up with joy. This is the magic of “Memoir of a Snail,” and why it was so highly regarded – you feel every emotion, big time.
“Miley Cyrus: Something Beautiful”
Disney+ – July 30
Just a few years ago, it seemed that every major pop star (among them: Beyonce, Kacey Musgraves, Halsey and Taylor Swift) had to have some kind of “visual album” component to their rollout. That compulsion was fueled, in part, by the pandemic and us needing something (anything!) to watch. The urge has mostly subsided, but Miley Cyrus is bringing it back. “Something Beautiful” is based on her recent album of the same name. It was produced and largely inspired by Panos Cosmatos, the director behind “Mandy” and “Beyond the Black Rainbow,” and shot by Benoît Debie, the Belgian cinematographer best known for his collaborations with Gaspar Noé. By all accounts the movie, which debuted at the Tribeca Film Festival earlier this year, is a series of music videos strung together without a real narrative framework. But honestly that’s okay. “Something Beautiful” is an artistic triumph for Cyrus – the songs are terrific and should make for some good, slinky visuals. Plus, if you grew up obsessively watching stuff like Michael Jackson’s “Moonwalker,” a loose collection of music videos should do just fine.
“War of the Worlds”
Prime Video – July 30
Steven Spielberg’s 2004 adaptation of “War of the Worlds” is not just an alien invasion film – it is very much a film about 9/11. Spielberg framed the story of alien invaders as his commentary on 9/11, and the fallout afterwards. The film is told entirely from the point of view of a single father (played by Tom Cruise) watching his kids, and the audience never sees anything they don’t see. It’s a masterful chronicle of panic and confusion, and the lengths to which people will go to keep themselves and their loved ones safe in the face of impending danger.
