‘Superman,’ Mission: Impossible,’ ‘F1’ and summer’s must-see films
USA TODAY film critic Brian Truitt releases his list of summer’s must-see films. The highlights include “Superman” and “Mission: Impossible.”
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There’s a lot of star power coming to theaters this summer. But you won’t find the sequel to an Adam Sandler classic, a globetrotting Natalie Portman/John Krasinski adventure, or a Charlize Theron action flick coming soon to a cinema.
Warm months mean streaming services like Netflix, Apple TV+, Disney+ and more are heating up, with new original movie fare to watch on whatever device you fancy. (Watching on a large TV and a comfy couch seems like the best option, but you do you!)
Among the films to put on your calendar: an animated “Predator” movie, the latest installment of Disney’s musical “Zombies” franchise, a Madea comedy from Tyler Perry, and another stab at a teen slasher based on R.L. Stine’s beloved “Fear Street” books.
Here’s an exclusive peek at 15 new movies you can soon stream at home:
‘Fear Street: Prom Queen’ (May 23)
Dipping back into R.L. Stine’s horror novels, this latest “Fear Street” takes audiences back to high school circa 1988. India Fowler stars as an outsider nominee in the race to be Shadyside High’s prom queen, and while the student body attends the big dance, a raincoat-clad masked killer begins taking out her competition one by one.
Where to watch: Netflix
‘Fountain of Youth’ (May 23)
Director Guy Ritchie’s adventurous mix of “Indiana Jones” and “National Treasure” centers on a pair of estranged siblings, an art thief (Krasinski) and his gallery-curating sister (Portman). They team up to find the legendary Fountain of Youth but run afoul of a mystery woman (Eiza González) on the way to finding immortality.
Where to watch: Apple TV+
‘Mountainhead’ (May 31)
“Succession” creator Jesse Armstrong returns to the world of the rich and powerful with this dramedy he wrote and directed. Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman, Cory Michael Smith and Ramy Youssef play wealthy tech leaders who get together for a snowy retreat, but tempers flare and morals are questioned when a global crisis bubbles up.
Where to watch: Max
‘Predator: Killer of Killers’ (June 6)
The animated action adventure blends world history with the long-running sci-fi “Predator” franchise. This anthology film tells of three fierce human warriors – a vengeful Viking raider, a ninja in feudal Japan and an Allied pilot in World War II – who face off against a deadly alien hunter with otherworldly weaponry and a mean streak.
Where to watch: Hulu
‘Straw’ (June 6)
Written and directed by Tyler Perry, the twisty thriller stars Taraji P. Henson as a single mom struggling to take care of her sick daughter. When she goes to cash a check and is accused of attempting to rob the bank, it begins an unfortunate series of chaotic events in the drama also starring Teyana Taylor and Sherri Shepherd.
Where to watch: Netflix
‘Deep Cover’ (June 12)
The action comedy stars Bryce Dallas Howard as an improv comedy teacher questioning her career when an undercover cop (Sean Bean) asks her to infiltrate the London underworld. She recruits a couple of her students (Orlando Bloom and Nick Mohammed) to harness their inner gangsters and impersonate wanted criminals.
Where to watch: Prime Video
‘Echo Valley’ (June 13)
Sydney Sweeney stars in the thriller as a young, troubled addict who’s done something very bad (by the look of her blood-soaked clothes), Julianne Moore is the worried mom working to cover up her daughter’s misdeeds, and Domhnall Gleeson is the mystery man wanting to use their misfortune for his own gain.
Where to watch: Apple TV+
‘Sally’ (June 17)

‘Sally’ documentary follows trailblazing life of Sally Ride
The new documentary “Sally” chronicles the life of Sally Ride, trailblazing physicist, astronaut and first American woman in space.
The documentary centers on a trailblazing subject: NASA astronaut and physicist Sally Ride, who became the first woman in space in 1983. The film discusses her professional success and also her personal life, including the relationship with her partner, Tam O’Shaughnessy, that was kept secret from the public for 27 years.
Where to watch: Disney+ and Hulu
‘KPop Demon Hunters’ (June 20)
A trio of wildly popular K-pop superstars regularly sell out stadiums of cheering fans, yet music is only their day job: They also rock secret identities as demon hunters who protect the world from supernatural threats. In this movie, their most formidable foes are a hellish bunch of beasties disguised as a rival boy band.
Where to watch: Netflix
‘The Old Guard 2’ (July 2)
The action-packed sequel again features Andy (Charlize Theron) and her squad of immortal soldiers (KiKi Layne, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Luca Marinelli and Marwan Kenzari). They enlist the help of an old friend (Henry Golding) to face an ancient foe (Uma Thurman), even as Andy struggles with her own newfound mortality.
Where to watch: Netflix
‘Madea’s Destination Wedding’ (July 11)
Tyler Perry writes, directs and reprises his signature role in the comedy as the elderly and irascible Madea. She heads to the Bahamas with her pals while a young woman named Tiffany (Diamond White) drops a huge bomb on her divorced parents that she’s marrying a rapper in two weeks that she just met on a yacht.
Where to watch: Netflix
‘Zombies 4: Dawn of the Vampires’ (July 11)
First, the musical Disney franchise had zombies, then werewolves, then aliens, and now bloodsuckers. Undead Zed (Milo Manheim) and his cheerleader love Addison (Meg Donnelly) return for a new installment that takes them to a summer camp where they’re counselors in the middle of a monstrous rivalry between Daywalkers and Vampires.
Where to watch: Disney+
‘Happy Gilmore 2’ (July 25)
Nearly 30 years after saving his grandma’s house, Adam Sandler’s title golfer hits the links again in the comedy sequel. Original stars Julie Bowen and Christopher McDonald return alongside a slew of newcomers, including Travis Kelce, Ben Stiller, Masters champion Rory McIlroy and Bad Bunny (as Happy’s caddie).
Where to watch: Netflix
‘Fixed’ (Aug. 13)
In the R-rated animated romantic comedy, a mutt named Bull (voiced by Adam Devine) learns he’s going to be neutered. He decides to have one last wild adventure, manhood intact, with his pack of pals – including boxer Rocco (Idris Elba) and beagle Lucky (Bobby Moynihan) – to proclaim his love for the show dog next door (Kathryn Hahn).
Where to watch: Netflix
‘The Thursday Murder Club’ (Aug. 28)
The adaptation of Richard Osman’s novel stars Helen Mirren, Pierce Brosnan, Ben Kingsley and Celia Imrie as friends at a retirement home who solve cold cases for funsies. However, their casual hobby gets very real when an actual whodunit lands in their lap and they have to take their sleuthing seriously.
Where to watch: Netflix
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