Latest news with #sci-fi
News.com.au
7 hours ago
- Entertainment
- News.com.au
From docos on Jaws and Billy Joel to Happy Gilmore 2: the best shows to stream in July
From a 50th birthday celebration of a cinema classic to a fond farewell to a hit teen romance and a killer who seemingly can't die, there's streaming to suit all tastes in July APPLE TV+ FOUNDATION JULY 11 After the writers and actors strikes and budgeting issues, the third season of the sci-fi series has been a long time coming, but it looks as epic as the trailblazing Isaac Asimov books from which it was adapted. Set 152 years after the events of the second season it continues the story of a band of exiles trying to rebuild civilisation. Threatening the fragile alliance of the Empire and the Foundation is the arrival of a terrifying war lord known as The Mule (Pilou Asbaek, channelling his nasty, deranged agent of chaos Euron Greyjoy in Game of Thrones), who can control minds to 'convert enemies into allies, hate into love' and is hellbent in ruling the universe. THE WILD ONES JULY 11 In what's shaping up as a mash-up of a David Attenborough nature doco and a Bear Grylls adventure, three wildlife experts venture to some of the world's least accessible locations to track and protect some of the planet's most endangered species. Wildlife and camera trap expert Declan Burley and ecological storyteller and wildlife cinematographer Vianet Djenguet – under the watchful eye of former Royal Marines Commando Aldo Kane – visit Malaysia, Mongolia, Armenia, Indonesia, Canada, and Gabon, using hi-tech cameras to capture rare footage of elusive species, including the Malayan tiger, Gobi bear, Caucasian leopard, Javan rhino, North Atlantic right whale, and Western lowland gorilla. ALSO SHOWING Snoopy Presents: A Simmer Musical – July 18 BINGE THE LIBRARIANS: THE NEXT CHAPTER JULY 1 More than two decades after the original, made-for-TV fantasy adventure film starring ER's Noah Wyle as a time-travelling protector of magical artefacts, which was spun off into a TV series that ran for four seasons from 2014-2017, comes this reboot. Creator Dean Devlin is on board once more, with Callum McGovern starring as a new Librarian who has travelled from the past but is now stuck in the present. When he inadvertently unleashes magic on the modern world, he has to enlist a crack team of eclectic heroes to clean up the mess. THE GREAT AUSTRALIAN BAKE OFF JULY 29 Comedian Tom Walker takes over from the late, great Cal Wilson to join Natalie Tran as co-host when the ever-reliable and relatable baking reality show returns for an eighth season. Judges Rachel Khoo and Darren Purchase will also be back to critique the culinary creations of 12 amateur bakers from around the country as they tackle 30 challenges across ten weeks. This season will also feature a special Earth Week episode – dedicated to sustainability and championing green initiatives – in which bakers will craft raw cakes and edible terrariums. ALSO SHOWING The Couple Next Door Season 2 – 16 DISNEY+ JAWS@50: THE DEFINITIVE INSIDE STORY JULY 11 It kept traumatised viewers out of the water for years, broke box office records and redefined cinema and still stands up a stone-cold classic five decades later. As Steven Spielberg's masterpiece turns 50, the genius himself opens up on its famously troubled production – thanks to an unpredictable animatronic shark nicknamed Bruce and relentless weather delays – and how he thought the movie would end his career. Also featured are cast, crew and a who's who of filmmakers and superfans including J.J. Abrams, Emily Blunt, James Cameron, George Lucas, Jordan Peele reflecting on how Jaws influenced their careers. WASHINGTON BLACK JULY 23 This eight-part, coming-of-age drama is adapted from the 2018 Booker Prize short-listed bestseller of the same name and executive produced by Emmy-winning This Is Us actor Sterling K. Brown, who also stars. It follows the story of George Washington 'Wash' Black, an 11-year-old boy born in to slavery on a Barbados sugar plantation. When he's forced to flee after a life-threatening incident, his brilliant mind and curious nature – helped by a kindly explorer and engineer – will take him on an adventure around the world and help him dream of a future he once thought was impossible. ALSO SHOWING The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives: Reunion Special – July 1 Zombies 4: Dawn of the Vampires – July 11 It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia Season 17 – July 16 MAX BACK TO THE FRONTIER JULY 10 In one of those 'better-them-than-me' scenarios, three American families head back to the 1880s prairie to get a taste of life in the Wild West. The devastation is almost palpable as the teenagers are made to give up their make-up, jewellery and devices while their parents aim to teach them the values of humility, hard work and simple pleasures. With the knowledge that one in three families failed on the land back in the day, the parents and children swap their modern comforts for handwashing clothes, sharing beds, milking cows and drop dunnies. AND SO IT GOES JULY 19 From the Emmy-winning producers of illuminating documentaries on Jane Fonda and Steven Spielberg comes this warts-and-all, two-part portrait of six-time-Grammy-winning, Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Billy Joel. Through revealing interviews with the Piano Man and those who know him well, as well as never-before-seen performances, home movies and photos, it traces his life as he rose from humble working-class Long Island to become one of the most successful and beloved singer-songwriters of his generation. ALSO SHOWING Dear Ms: A Revolution In Print – July 3 Batman Ninja Vs Yakuza League – July 3 Superman Through the Years – July 8 NETFLIX THE SANDMAN JULY 3 The trippy first season adapted from Neil Gaiman's (before he was cancelled for accusations of sexual misconduct, which he denies) trailblazing graphic novels after decades of failed attempts was one of the unexpected joys of 2022. Tom Sturridge returns as Lord Morpheus – aka Dream – in a second and final season that will be broken into two parts, with the second block released on July 24. The action kicks off a few weeks after the events of the first season with Dream rebuilding his kingdom and reckoning with monsters, demons and his immortal Endless siblings as he wrestles with the consequences of past misdeeds. HAPPY GILMORE 2 JULY 25 Nearly thirty years after the hit comedy was released in cinemas, Adam Sandler is back as the ice-hockey-stick swinging golfer with anger management issues. This time, Gilmore returns to the course to raise $300K to put his daughter through ballet school and once again becomes the talk of the pro circuit. Ben Stiller is along for the ride alongside a who's who of golf stars, with plenty of callbacks to the original, including Breaking Bad star Lavell Crawford as the (also one-handed) son of Happy's late mentor Chubbs and, of course, Christopher McDonald as his old nemesis, Shooter McGavin, ALSO SHOWING The Old Guard 2 – July 2 Tour de France: Unchained Season 3 – July 2 Too Much – July 10 Glass Heart – July 31 PARAMOUNT+ JULY 11 In stark contrast to his many victims, Michael C. Hall's Dexter Morgan apparently just can't die. Since the original series about the Miami forensic technician who murders those he believes deserve it wrapped up after eight series in 2013 with a truly terrible finale, there's been a do-over with 2022's New Blood and last year's prequel series, Original Sin. This new effort kicks off a few weeks after the end of New Blood, when Dexter took a bullet to the chest courtesy of his own son. He then follows him to New York City to make things right between them, with his own murderous past threatening to catch up with him. David Zayas returns as his former colleague Angel Batista, and Uma Thurman, Neil Patrick Harris and Peter Dinklage are also confirmed to appear. JULY 17 With a fourth season already in production and fifth and final season just announced, Strange New Worlds has proved to be one of the more engaging and enduring recent spin-offs in the sci-fi franchise that will turn 60 next year. Set on the USS Enterprise during the decade before the original series and including younger versions of beloved characters including Spock and Uhura, the third season continues the adventures of Captain Pike (Anson Mount) as they seek new civilisations and lifeforms – and a particularly threatening new villain. ALSO SHOWING Super Duper Bunny League – July 9 Dora and the Search for Sol Dorado – July 4 The Smurfs Season 4 – July 9 Teen Mom UK: Next Generation Season 3 – July 10 PRIME VIDEO BALLARD JULY 9 Maggie Q stars as Detective Renee Ballard in this latest entry into the Bosch universe, adapted from Michael Connelly's best-selling crime thrillers. Banished to the 'ass-end of the LAPD' to lead the new and underfunded cold case division – made up of reserves and volunteers – she's desperate to prove herself so she can get back to working homicide. With the help of the now retired Harry Bosch (Titus Welliver) and her new team, she investigates crimes that go back decades and point to a possible serial killer as well as uncovering a conspiracy within the police department. THE SUMMER I TURNED PRETTY JULY 16 After the first two seasons adapted from Jenny Han's best-selling trilogy went absolutely gangbusters, they have dialled the feels and angst up to eleven for the eagerly anticipated 11-episode finale. With Belly now in college and looking forward to spending summer with her soulmate Jeremiah – and wedding bells in the air – a series of events bring her first love Conrad (his brother) back into her life. Expect more brooding stares, heart-to-hearts, ocean sunsets, tears and swooning – all set to that killer soundtrack – as Belly decides which brother truly has her heart. ALSO SHOWING Simple Plan: The Kids In the Crowd – July 8 One Night In Idaho: The College Murders – July 11 The Chosen: Last Supper Season 5 – July 13 STAN THE INSTITUTE JULY 14 Adaptations of Steven King books have been a bit hit and miss of late – this year's The Monkey and the coming The Life Of Chuck nailed it, last year's 'Salem's Lot, not so much. This one looks as creepy as all get-out – think the X-Men meets One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest with Mary-Louise Parker going full Nurse Ratchet as the boss of a secret facility that conducts experiments on abducted children who have strange supernatural abilities. Ben Barnes also stars as a former cop trying to outrun his past who becomes entangled with the strange going-on at the institute. TWISTED METAL JULY 31 In the first season of the post-apocalyptic action comedy based on the video game of the same name, Anthony Mackie's amnesiac delivery driver was given a mission to cross a blasted America to deliver a mysterious package, meeting all manner of whackos and weirdos – and a psychopathic clown – on the way. The second season promises more nutjobs on wheels, as the killers, vigilantes and joy-riders are invited to participate in a demolition derby tournament with the promise of making the winner's greatest wish come true. 'Everybody's a villain this season because we're in a tournament,' says Captain America star Mackie. ALSO SHOWING The Carters: Hurts To Love You – July 2 Such Brave Girls Season 2 – July 4 Sin City Gigolo: A Murder In Las Vegas – July 20 The Accidental President – July 27
Geek Tyrant
17 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Geek Tyrant
Teaser Trailer For Emma Stone's Sci-Fi Comedy BUGONIA From Director Yorgos Lanthimos — GeekTyrant
Focus Features has released the first teaser trailer for Yorgos Lanthimos' sci-fi comedy Bugonia , which reteams the director with Emma Stone. The film is an English-language remake of South Korean film Save the Green Planet! , and it follows 'two conspiracy obsessed young men who kidnap the high-powered CEO of a major company, convinced that she is an alien intent on destroying planet Earth.' Bugonia also stars Jesse Plemons, Aidan Delbis, Stavros Halkias, and Alicia Silverstone. It was written by Will Tracy and produced by Ari Aster. Bugonia is slated for a special limited engagement on October 24th, ahead of a wide expansion on October 31st.
Geek Vibes Nation
19 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Geek Vibes Nation
GVN Exclusive: Pre-Concept Art Revealed For HiHi Studios & Otherly's First Project Bad Influence
HiHi Studios, founded by streaming icon Valkyrae and Range Media's Kai Gayoso, has experienced success due in part to its readiness to expand and collaborate with talented partners. This commitment was further demonstrated when they recently announced a strategic partnership with Otherly Productions. The first project resulting from this collaboration is the Webtoon 'Bad Influence,' written by Orson James and Roman Calais, with art by Jor Ros. This exciting new endeavor was revealed in the following press release. This is followed by a GVN exclusive look at some of the character concept art by Jor Ros. HiHi Studios and Otherly Productions Debut BAD INFLUENCE As a WEBTOON Original With Artist Jor Ros (Los Angeles, CA – June 26, 2025) HiHi Studios — the manga and anime-led studio co-founded by streaming icon Valkyrae and Range Media's Kai Gayoso — is announcing a new strategic partnership with start-up Otherly Productions, a next-generation studio reimagining how original franchises are created, launched, and scaled for today's audiences. The first of their collaborations is BAD INFLUENCE, a high-energy, emotionally-raw sci-fi thriller set in a world of candy-colored lies, illustrated by the Barcelona-based artist Jor Ros and co-written by Orson James and Roman Calais. The first three episodes of BAD INFLUENCE are now available as a WEBTOON Original, with subsequent episodes dropping every Thursday. Readers have the option to unlock up to three additional episodes using WEBTOON's Fast Pass feature. In BAD INFLUENCE, the city of Weisshorn is a surveillance city, where life is a never-ending parade–literally. Mascots smile from every screen, propaganda loops in cheery jingles, and the people are kept docile by distraction. At the center of it all is Oswald, a charismatic dictator with a showman's flair and a deep need to control the story everyone lives inside. The series follows the adventures of Nel — a hot-headed and haunted young woman, who isn't buying the dream sold to the masses. Nel joins a rebel gang to take the system down. But the deeper she digs, the weirder it gets. She unearths glitches, ghosts, and truths that no one wants uncovered. Reality's falling apart. And Nel might be next. Co-Writer Orson James 'BAD INFLUENCE is about a reluctant rebel fighting back against the system. Weisshorn is a broad-smiling dystopia where control is asserted through system doesn't just rule with fear — it distracts, dazzles, and scripts your life through spectacle. If everyone's smiling, how bad can it be? It's the surveillance state dressed up as a theme park.' Co-Writer Roman Calais Nel's rebellion is an act of self-discovery. Nel isn't just fighting the regime — she's trying to figure out who she is beneath the roles she's been forced into. Life in Weisshorn is a mess of lies and trauma, and Nel's ready to break out. But she's not the chosen one. She feels lost, confused. Nel carries herself like a fighter, but behind that is a young woman patching over the cracks of doubt and insecurity with stubbornness and sheer will. And, in this world, holding it together might be the most radical act of all. Exclusive Early Concept Art for Bad Influence as presented by Co-Writers James and Calais Here's some early concept art of Nel–our main character–and her crew, the Headless Sixx. They're based in Sector 6 and got their name from a habit of blowing the heads off statues of Oswald's mascots. Subtlety isn't really their thing. When they want to stay anonymous, they wear rough, homemade masks of those same mascots–twisted tributes to the symbols they reject. Some people love them. Most don't. Partnering on Otherly Production's debut is HiHi Studios, a manga and anime-led studio, co-founded by Range Media's Kai Gayoso and streaming icon Valkyrae (13M+ subscribers). Valkyrae, Co-Founder of HiHi Studios 'My community has always been the heart of everything I do. When I saw what Otherly was building, I knew I had to be part of it. This partnership lets us launch and grow worlds fans will truly care about. Our first IP, BAD INFLUENCE, is weird, wild, and full of heart — and I'm so proud of it. Even if you've never read a comic in your life, trust me – once you start scrolling, you'll be hooked.' BAD INFLUENCE is available now as a WEBTOON Original, tapping into WEBTOON's millions of monthly readers and popular vertical scrolling format. Designed for cross-platform expansion, the release is the first step in a broader strategy to scale creator-owned worlds across short-form video, interactive experiences, merch, and long-form content. Otherly's Bryan St. John With a pipeline of similar projects launching in the coming year, the partnership with HiHi Studios reimagines how IP can be launched, scaled, and sustained — built for fandom from the ground up, and designed to meet audiences where they already are. Artist Jor Ros BAD INFLUENCE is about defiance, and being bold enough to break away from scripts and algorithms. The story of Nel, a deeply flawed yet earnest misfit, who is just trying to find her sense of belonging in a world she feels largely disconnected from, has been an incredible experience and opportunity as an artist. I've developed a deep bond with the characters in this world, and I think everyone will be able to see part of themselves in them. After all, their story boils down to people trying to figure things out in a relentless world that won't stop yelling at you so that it can capture your full attention, all of the time.' For more information follow Otherly Productions on Instagram, TikTok, X, BlueSky and YouTube. For more information follow HiHi studios on Instagram and follow Valkyrae on Instagram, Tik Tok and Youtube.
Geek Tyrant
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Geek Tyrant
Gareth Edwards Sees JURASSIC WORLD REBIRTH as a Metaphor for the Film Industry — GeekTyrant
Gareth Edwards is no stranger to creating thought-provoking sci-fi, whether he's building his own worlds in Monsters or The Creator or working within established universes like Godzilla and Rogue One . For Edwards, science fiction is never just about spaceships, robots, or dinosaurs. Instead, it's about what lies beneath the surface: the hidden metaphor, the deeper meaning that makes these stories truly resonate. As he prepares for the release of Jurassic World Rebirth , Edwards revealed that the film's underlying theme is something more profound than just prehistoric creatures running amok. To him, the dinosaurs are a stand-in for something bigger… the very nature of the film industry itself. Edwards explained to io9: '[Sci-fi] films are never really about spaceships, robots or dinosaurs. They feel pointless if they are. They [only] have meaning when the whole thing is kind of an analogy for something else.' He then goes on to explain that Jurassic World Rebirth is about the decline of cinema, the challenge of keeping audiences engaged in an ever-evolving media landscape. 'The idea of people sort of slowly not going to the cinema, you know what I mean? They started trying different things to make them more entertaining, they mutated them, they created this stuff that people can't watch or look at. 'And I kind of felt like this, in a weird way, I was getting a kick out of, it was some strange version of the situation we're in as filmmakers, where, like, how do you get people excited about this stuff again?' It's a sentiment that's all too familiar to those of us who have witnessed the shift in audience habits from the rise of streaming services to the explosion of content on platforms like YouTube, Tiktok, and Twitch. The film industry has had to adapt to these new demands, and in some ways, so has the Jurassic Park franchise. When the original Jurassic Park hit theaters, audiences were awestruck by the groundbreaking special effects. But over time, those effects became standard fare, and what was once a dazzling spectacle was now expected in every blockbuster. In Jurassic World Rebirth , Edwards picks up on that shift and brings it to the forefront. 'My first movie was a monster movie set in Central America. It was supposed to be like, at the end of King Kong, King Kong falls onto the middle of New York and dies… Imagine a movie where they're now trying to tidy that up and clean it up. How do you move King Kong out of the way for traffic?' For Edwards, it's the idea of exploring the aftermath, dealing with the fallout of something big, something that's already been seen. It's a way to inject fresh perspective into an old idea, something that is becoming increasingly important in the current landscape of filmmaking. So, Jurassic World Rebirth is a commentary on the current state of cinema and how even the largest blockbusters can begin to feel stagnant. The dinosaurs, once awe-inspiring and mysterious, are now just another part of the everyday, much like the formulaic nature of big-budget films today. The industry has mutated, tried to keep up with audience demand, and yet, Edwards argues, that very mutation has led to a disconnect between what filmmakers are creating and what audiences are truly craving. As Edwards sees it, this film is his way of exploring the 'ending of another movie,' but in doing so, he's tapping into the larger question of what happens when the magic fades and the spectacle becomes routine. It's not just about the dinosaurs in the film, it's about the entire industry, struggling to find its next big thing. With Jurassic World Rebirth set to hit theaters on July 2nd.
New York Times
a day ago
- Entertainment
- New York Times
Amie Donald Has the Moves as the Killer Robot in ‘M3gan 2.0'
Onscreen, Amie Donald is best known for her role as the killer robot M3gan in the sci-fi horror franchise. But, in real life, Donald, 15, spends a majority of her days in the idyllic, sun-soaked setting of lushly forested New Zealand, where kiwi roam and she's apt to take a bush walk outside her parents' home in Papakura, a suburb in South Auckland. 'I really enjoy all the nature here,' she said on a video call from the house on a recent morning. Her long red hair fell in beachy waves as sunlight danced on her white sweater. Framed photos of her and her parents and older brother filled the walls behind her. Donald is about the furthest you could get from the cutthroat killer robot returning in the new sequel, 'M3gan 2.0.' For one thing, she smiles far too much. Other people, she said, would describe her as 'very caring.' She wasn't a fan of horror films until landing 'M3gan' — though she's since started watching them with her father, and now counts 'It' and 'The Purge' among her favorites. 'I love them so much,' she said. M3gan, the robot that becomes frighteningly protective of a young girl named Cady, was Donald's first role in a film, following her TV debut as Maya Monkey, an acrobatic girl with simian features, in Netflix's postapocalyptic series 'Sweet Tooth.' Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
