Summertime usually means being outside in your favorite bikini or swim trunks, but with sweltering heat waves and torrential downpours pummeling the nation, you might find yourself indoors a lot.
Thankfully, Hollywood and the streaming giants are serving up plenty of reasons to embrace theater air conditioning or the comfort of your couch. From inspiring dramas and eye-opening documentaries to blockbuster adventures and laugh-out-loud comedies, these are the films you’ll want on your summer watch list.
Let’s start with Andrè Holland, Samira Wiley and Wendell Pierce, who star in They Fight. It’s the story of Walt (Holland), an ex-con who returns home to the underdog boxing gym that could be his path to redemption, making this film about much more than boxing.
“It’s the first headgear-and-oversized-gloves boxing movie told through the coming-of-age journey of our beautiful Black boys,” writer and director Sheldon Candis exclaimed to EBONY. “Walt stands before the boys, purging his pain while pledging to be the mentor every boy needs.” They Fight comes to Hulu on Disney+ on July 17.
Expand your horizons with World Is Not My Own, an engrossing documentary on the life of self-taught Black artist Nellie Mae Rowe. Acclaimed filmmaker Dream Hampton used a mix of archival footage, animation, and detailed recreations to tell the story, which is now running as part of Black Public Media’s AfroPoP: The Ultimate Cultural Exchange.
Here are eight more films for your summer roster.
Man of War
LaMonica Garrett plays a U.S. special forces veteran who must save his adopted niece when she’s taken hostage in the early days of the Russo-Ukrainian War. Now on Prime Video
Moana
Dwayne Johnson returns for another unforgettable ocean adventure with Disney’s beloved heroine in this live-action remake that’s perfect for the whole family. In theaters on July 10.
Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey
Zendaya and Lupita Nyong’o are part of a stellar cast that brings the epic poem about ancient soldiers making their way home to life. In theaters July 17.
Bull Street
Loretta Devine headlines this Southern drama set in a small South Carolina town. A woman must fight to hold on to her family land that’s been passed down through generations — but isn’t protected by a deed — is threatened by outside forces. On TVOD July 17.
72 Hours
Hoping to save his career, a millennial joins a group of twenty-somethings on a wild three-day bachelor party after he’s inadvertently added to their group text. Starring Kevin Hart, 72 Hours premieres July 24 on Netflix.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day
Clamoring for the days when his friends will remember him, Peter Parker faces a powerful new threat and the dangerously changing nature of his superpowers. Zendaya stars. In theaters July 31.
PAW Patrol: The Dino Movie
Our favorite rescue pups are back. When a prehistoric discovery unleashes dino-sized trouble in Adventure Bay, Ryder and the PAW Patrol spring into action to protect their community and delight families everywhere. Jennifer Hudson stars in a voice-over role. In theaters July 31.
Spa Weekend
Michelle Buteau stars in this ensemble comedy about three friends who head out for a relaxing spa vacation, only to be interrupted by another friend who brings chaos along with her. In theaters August 21.