5 new films to stream this summer

With cinemas closed and films like No Time to Die, Mulan, and Black Widow having been delayed, we’re turning to streaming sites now more than ever to get our movie fix. Here are five new film releases to check out over the summer!

Da 5 Bloods

12 June – Netflix

Da 5 Bloods is Spike Lee’s first film, since winning the Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay for BlacKkKlansman, last year. It’s a drama about a group of African-American veterans of the Vietnam War, who return to Vietnam to search for the remains of their fallen leader, Norman (Chadwick Boseman), and the gold they buried during the war, all while dealing with the scars of their past.

Historically, films about the Vietnam War – such as Francis Ford Coppola’s Apocalypse Now (1979) and Stanley Kubrick’s Full Metal Jacket (1987) – have mainly focused on the experiences of white soldiers. But Lee wanted to tell a different story. Explaining the film’s significance, co-writer Kevin Willmott said: “There really hadn’t been a major film about the Black Vietnam experience, one that really explored what Black veterans had gone through.”

Video: Netflix

Artemis Fowl

June 12 – Disney+

Based on Eoin Colfer’s book of the same name, and directed by Kenneth Branagh, Artemis Fowl is one of the many new films to skip a theatrical release due to the coronavirus pandemic. Unlike Scoob! and Trolls: World Tour, which were both made available to buy on VOD,  Artemis Fowl has found its home on Disney+.

The eponymous protagonist is a highly intelligent 12-year-old boy (Ferdia Shaw), who follows in the footsteps of his criminal mastermind father (Colin Farrell) after he goes missing. Artemis must team up with various allies to confront the group of fairies who have taken his father hostage.

Video: Disney

One-Way To Tomorrow

June 19 – Netflix

This is one for fans of foreign-language cinema! Netflix is about to release its first original Turkish film, One Way to Tomorrow, which is a drama about two strangers (Metin Akdulger and Dilan Cicek Deniz) who unexpectedly strike up a romance on a train from Ankara to Izmir.

Romance? On public transport? Sounds like the perfect antidote to our social distancing woes.

Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga

June 26 – Netflix

The Eurovision Song Contest may have been cancelled this year, but in its place comes Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga, a comedy following an eccentric Icelandic singing duo (Will Ferrell and Rachel McAdams), who are chosen to represent their country at the contest.

With Pierce Brosnan, Demi Lovato, and Dan Stevens in supporting roles – along with a cameo by Eurovision presenter Graham Norton himself – it is sure to fill the Eurovision-sized hole in our hearts.

Video: Netflix

The Old Guard

July 10 – Netflix

Adapted from the Image comic book, The Old Guard follows a group of immortal vigilantes who have protected ordinary citizens for centuries. But when their leader Andy (Charlize Theron) enlists new member Nile Freeman (KiKi Layne), they find themselves under threat from those who want to weaponise their powers.

An alternative to the likes of Marvel and DC, The Old Guard could stir up some more competition within the superhero genre if it proves popular. Could a new hit franchise be on the horizon?

Which will you be adding to your summer-stream list?

Please note: This content was created prior to Coronavirus, and some things might be different due to current laws and restrictions. Please refer to Government advice and the University of Lincoln for the latest information.