Summer doesn’t officially begin until June 20, 2024, but for the entertainment industry, the summer season starts in early May. In fact, as far as the Netflix streaming service is concerned, summer this year starts on May 3rd, so they have just unveiled their full 2024 Summer Movie slate! As they put it, “Summertime: The living is easy, school’s (almost) out, and the days are growing longer and hotter — which means there’s plenty of space for cool nights spent on the couch. Curl up with family, pals, or a really big bowl of popcorn, and queue up your next Netflix obsession.” Here’s what they’ll have to offer over the next few months:
MAY 3
Unfrosted
GENRE: Comedy
SYNOPSIS: Michigan, 1963. Kellogg’s and Post, sworn cereal rivals, race to create a pastry that will change the face of breakfast. A tale of ambition, betrayal, sugar, and menacing milkmen, Unfrosted stars Jerry Seinfeld in his directorial debut.
CAST: Jerry Seinfeld, Melissa McCarthy, Jim Gaffigan, Amy Schumer, Hugh Grant, Max Greenfield, Christian Slater, Bill Burr, Daniel Levy, James Marsden, Jack McBrayer, Thomas Lennon, Bobby Moynihan, Adrian Martinez, Sarah Cooper, and Fred Armisen
DIRECTOR: Jerry Seinfeld
MAY 9
Mother of the Bride
GENRE: Rom-com
SYNOPSIS: Lana’s daughter Emma returns from abroad and drops a bombshell: She’s getting married. In Thailand. In a month! Things only get worse when Lana learns that the man who captured Emma’s heart is the son of the man who broke hers years ago.
CAST: Brooke Shields, Miranda Cosgrove, Benjamin Bratt, Rachael Harris, Sean Teale, and Chad Michael Murray
DIRECTOR: Mark Waters
MAY 10
Living with Leopards
GENRE: Documentary
SYNOPSIS: An incredible ‘coming of age’ tale of a pair of leopard cubs born into one of the most dramatic landscapes on earth.
DIRECTOR: Alex Parkinson, Brad Bestelink
MAY 17
Thelma the Unicorn
GENRE: Animated Comedy
SYNOPSIS: Thelma is a small-time pony who dreams of becoming a glamorous music star. In a pink and glitter-filled moment of fate, Thelma is transformed into a unicorn and instantly rises to global stardom. But this new life of fame comes at a cost. Thelma the Unicorn is a quirky, hilarious, and heartfelt ride from directors Jared Hess (Napoleon Dynamite) and Lynn Wang (Unikitty!).
CAST: Brittany Howard, Will Forte, Jemaine Clement, Edi Patterson, Maliaka Mitchell, Ally Dixon, Fred Armisen, Zach Galifianakis, and Jon Heder
DIRECTOR: Jared Hess and Lynn Wang
BASED ON THE BOOK BY Aaron Blabey
Power
GENRE: Documentary
SYNOPSIS: Driven to contain threats to social order, American policing has exploded in scope and scale over hundreds of years. Now, it can be described by one word: power.
DIRECTOR: Yance Ford
MAY 24
Atlas
GENRE: Sci-Fi Action
SYNOPSIS: Atlas Shepherd (Jennifer Lopez), a brilliant but misanthropic data analyst with a deep distrust of artificial intelligence, joins a mission to capture a renegade robot with whom she shares a mysterious past. But when plans go awry, her only hope of saving the future of humanity from AI is to trust it.
CAST: Jennifer Lopez, Simu Liu, Sterling K. Brown, Gregory James Cohan, Abraham Popoola, Lana Parrilla, and Mark Strong
DIRECTOR: Brad Peyton
JUNE 5
How to Rob a Bank
GENRE: Documentary
SYNOPSIS: It’s 1990s Seattle and the world’s best bank robber has it all: looks, charm, a sprawling treehouse hideout, and an uncanny ability to disappear using Hollywood-style makeup. But as law enforcement inches closer, his once-carefree life spirals into a suffocating trap, forcing him and his crew to risk it all in one final heist.
DIRECTOR: Seth Porges, Stephen Robert Morse
On Netflix in select countries* JUNE 7, in select theaters MAY 24
GENRE: Comedy
SYNOPSIS: Inspired by an unbelievable true story, a strait-laced professor discovers he has a hidden talent as a fake hit man. He meets his match in a client who steals his heart and ignites a powder keg of deception, delight, and mixed-up identities.
CAST: Glen Powell, Adria Arjona, Austin Amelio, Retta, Sanjay Rao, Molly Bernard, and Evan Holtzman
DIRECTOR: Richard Linklater
*COUNTRIES: United States, United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Iceland, Hong Kong, Indonesia, India, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Vietnam
JUNE 12
Mysteries of the Terracotta Warriors
GENRE: Documentary
SYNOPSIS: From the makers of Secrets of the Saqqara Tomb, this feature documentary will explore Emperor Qin’s extraordinary tomb in China.
DIRECTOR: James Tovell
JUNE 14
Ultraman: Rising
GENRE: Animated Action
SYNOPSIS: With Tokyo under siege from rising monster attacks, baseball star Ken Sato reluctantly returns home to take on the mantle of Ultraman. But the titanic superhero meets his match when he reluctantly adopts a 35-foot-tall, fire-breathing baby kaiju. Sato must rise above his ego to balance work and parenthood while protecting the baby from forces bent on exploiting her for their own dark plans. In partnership with Netflix, Tsuburaya Productions, and Industrial Light & Magic, Ultraman: Rising is written by Shannon Tindle and Marc Haimes, directed by Shannon Tindle, and co-directed by John Aoshima.
CAST: Christopher Sean, Gedde Watanabe, Tamlyn Tomita, Keone Young, and Julia Harriman
DIRECTOR: Shannon Tindle
CO-DIRECTOR: John Aoshima
JUNE 18
Outstanding: A Comedy Revolution
GENRE: Documentary
SYNOPSIS: Outstanding: A Comedy Revolution is the first feature-length documentary to examine the history of queer stand-up comedy. The documentary considers the importance of LGBTQ+ stand-up as an instrument for social change over the past five decades, actively reflecting and challenging cultural norms and values. Ultimately, the film reveals that queer comedians — whether they intended to or not — helped change the world, one joke at a time.
Outstanding: A Comedy Revolution combines interviews, memorable stand-up performances, archival materials, and verité footage featuring top LGBTQ+ comedians including Lily Tomlin, Sandra Bernhard, Wanda Sykes, Eddie Izzard, Hannah Gadsby, Tig Notaro, Rosie O’Donnell, Margaret Cho, Bob the Drag Queen, and Trixie Mattel, among others.
CAST: James Adomian, Kate Aurthur, Sandra Bernhard, Bob the Drag Queen, Joel Kim Booster, Guy Branum, River Butcher, Margaret Cho, Jim David, Billy Eichner, Fortune Feimster, Hannah Gadsby, Solomon Georgio, Todd Glass, Judy Gold, Roz Hernandez, Dave Holmes, Patti Harrison, Eddie Izzard, Shar Jossell, Matteo Lane, Mae Martin, Roger Mason, Trixie Mattel, Tog Notaro, Rosie O’Donnell, Susan Stryker, Scott Thompson, Lily Tomlin, Robin Tran, Robin Tyler, Wanda Sykes, Bruce Vilanch, Marsha Warfield, KJ Whitehead, Gina Yashere, and Suzanne Westenhoeffer
DIRECTOR: Page Hurwitz
JUNE 19
Black Barbie: Documentary
GENRE: Documentary
SYNOPSIS: Black Barbie celebrates the momentous impact three Black women at Mattel had on the evolution of the Barbie brand as we know it. Through these charismatic insiders’ stories, the documentary tells the story of how the first Black Barbie came to be in 1980, examining the importance of representation and how dolls can be crucial to the formation of identity and imagination.
DIRECTOR: Lagueria Davis
JUNE 21
Trigger Warning
GENRE: Action
SYNOPSIS: A skilled Special Forces commando (Jessica Alba) takes ownership of her father’s bar after he suddenly dies, and soon finds herself at odds with a violent gang running rampant in her hometown.
CAST: Jessica Alba, Mark Webber, Tone Bell, Jake Weary, Gabriel Basso and Anthony Michael Hall. Also starring Kaiwi Lyman, and Hari Dhillon
DIRECTOR: Mouly Surya
JUNE 28
A Family Affair
GENRE: Rom-com
SYNOPSIS: A surprising romance kicks off comic consequences for a young woman (Joey King), her mother (Nicole Kidman), and her movie star boss (Zac Efron) as they face the complications of love, sex, and identity.
CAST: Nicole Kidman, Zac Efron, Joey King, Liza Koshy, Kathy Bates
DIRECTOR: Richard LaGravenese
JULY 3
GENRE: Action Comedy
SYNOPSIS: Detective Axel Foley (Eddie Murphy) is back on the beat in Beverly Hills. After his daughter’s life is threatened, she (Taylour Paige) and Foley team up with a new partner (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) and old pals Billy Rosewood (Judge Reinhold) and John Taggart (John Ashton) to turn up the heat and uncover a conspiracy.
CAST: Eddie Murphy, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Taylour Paige, Judge Reinhold, John Ashton, Paul Reiser, Bronson Pinchot, and Kevin Bacon
DIRECTOR: Mark Molloy
JULY 19
Skywalkers: A Love Story
GENRE: Documentary
SYNOPSIS: Part romance, part thriller, this film follows a daredevil couple as they take their relationship to terrifying new heights in a wild scheme to climb the world’s last great skyscraper and perform a death-defying stunt on the spire.
DIRECTOR: Jeff Zimbalist
CO-DIRECTOR: Maria Bukhonina
Find Me Falling
GENRE: Rom-com
SYNOPSIS: Coming off a flop album and his biggest hit’s dwindling popularity, aging rock star John Allman (Harry Connick Jr.) decides to take a break from his career to reclaim his spark. He moves to an isolated cliffside home on the idyllic Mediterranean island of Cyprus. His dream of keeping a low profile is derailed when he is routinely confronted by desperate souls and later faced with even more complicated surprises when an old flame reignites. Also starring Agni Scott, Ali Fumiko Whitney, Tony Demetriou, Aggeliki Filippidou, Lea Maleni, Athina Roditou and Clarence Smith, Find Me Falling is directed, written and produced by Stelana Kliris alongside producers Steven Shapiro and Keith Arnold.
CAST: Harry Connick Jr., Agni Scott, Ali Fumiko Whitney, Tony Demetriou, Aggeliki Filippidou, Lea Maleni, Athina Roditou, and Clarence Smith
DIRECTOR: Stelana Kliris
JULY 31
Mountain Queen: The Summits of Lhakpa Sherpa
GENRE: Documentary
SYNOPSIS: The first Nepali woman to successfully climb and summit Mount Everest — now a single mom working minimum wage jobs in Connecticut — returns to the mountain for another attempt, motivated by her intrepid spirit and hoping to make a better life for her daughters.
DIRECTOR: Lucy Walker
AUGUST 2
Saving Bikini Bottom: The Sandy Cheeks Movie
GENRE: Animated Comedy
SYNOPSIS: When Bikini Bottom and all its denizens are suddenly scooped out of the ocean, Sandy Cheeks and SpongeBob SquarePants journey to Texas to save the town from a villainous plot.
CAST: Carolyn Lawrence, Tom Kenny, Wanda Sykes, Clancy Brown, Bill Fagerbakke, Mr. Lawrence, Rodger Bumpass, Johnny Knoxville, Craig Robinson, Grey DeLisle, Ilia Isorelýs Paulino, and Matty Cardarople
DIRECTOR: Liza Johnson
AUGUST 14
Daughters
GENRE: Documentary
SYNOPSIS: A moving portrait of empathy and forgiveness, Daughters traces an eight-year documentary journey by filmmaker Natalie Rae and social change advocate Angela Patton. The film intimately follows Aubrey, Santana, Raziah, and Ja’Ana as they prepare for a momentous Daddy Daughter Dance with their incarcerated fathers. Speaking openly about their aspirations, dreams, and the emotional toll of their fathers’ absence, compounded by the constraints of virtual visits, these girls reveal a profound wisdom and resilience beyond their years. As they navigate heartbreak, anger, and uncertainty, they seize a precious opportunity to forge connections. Daughters sheds light on the complexities of familial bonds strained by the unforgiving barriers of the criminal justice system and emphasizes that the foundation of community healing lies within the family unit.
DIRECTOR: Natalie Rae, Angela Patton
AUGUST 16
The Union
GENRE: Action Comedy
SYNOPSIS: Mike (Mark Wahlberg) is happy living a simple life as a construction worker in his native New Jersey – until his long-lost high school sweetheart, Roxanne (Halle Berry), shows up with more on her mind than romance. Knowing he’s the right man for the job, she recruits Mike on a dangerous intelligence mission in Europe that thrusts them back together into a world of spies and high-speed car chases, with sparks flying along the way. Directed by Julian Farino (Giri/Haji, Entourage), The Union also stars Mike Colter, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Jessica De Gouw, Alice Lee, Jackie Earle Haley, and J.K. Simmons.
CAST: Mark Wahlberg, Halle Berry, Mike Colter, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Jessica De Gouw, Alice Lee, Jackie Earle Haley, and J.K. Simmons
DIRECTOR: Julian Farino
AUGUST 22
Secret Lives of Orangutans
GENRE: Documentary
SYNOPSIS: Orangutans are not just one of our closest relatives, they’re perhaps more relatable to us than any other great ape. Narrated by David Attenborough, this film follows a remarkable group of orangutans in the pristine jungles of Sumatra. At the centre of this story is 8 year old Eden, who’s about to embark on the most challenging moment of her life.
DIRECTOR: Huw Cordey
AUGUST 23
Incoming
GENRE: Comedy
SYNOPSIS: Four freshmen are eager to make a splash at their first-ever high school party. But you know what they say about best laid plans… sh*t happens.
CAST: Mason Thames, Bobby Cannavale, Kaitlin Olson, Scott MacArthur, Raphael Alejandro, Isabella Ferreira, Ali Gallo, Loren Gray, Ramon Reed, and Bardia Seiri
DIRECTOR: Dave Chernin, John Chernin
SEPTEMBER 5
Apollo 13: Survival
GENRE: Documentary
SYNOPSIS: Just nine months after Neil Armstrong landed on the moon, NASA faced its greatest crisis — three astronauts stranded halfway to the moon on a spacecraft that had suffered a catastrophic explosion.
DIRECTOR: Peter Middleton
What do you think of Netflix’s summer 2024 slate? How many of these movies are you interested in checking out, and which one of the bunch is your most highly anticipated? Let us know by leaving a comment below.
I’m interested in several of these movies, but my most anticipated of the bunch is Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F.