As the summer movie season draws to a close, Netflix is prepping a new batch of originals
that are just as good — if not better — than anything you'll catch at a theater, along
with a lot of big-time movies and TV shows you might have missed the first time around.
Stock up on popcorn, because here's what you can look forward to streaming on Netflix in
August.
Wet Hot American Summer: Ten Years Later
Grab your gear and prepare for one more visit to Camp Firewood.
Most of the gang from the cult classic Wet Hot American Summer returns for a sequel series
that picks up in 1991, a decade after the events of the original movie and the 2015
prequel series.
"What am I gonna miss my camp reunion?"
The eight-episode Wet Hot American Summer: Ten Years Later will bring back a lot of its
originals as well as introduce some new faces, so get ready to travel back in time to camp
on August 4th.
"Ahh!"
Voltron: Legendary Defender (Season 3)
A new take on the classic Voltron series from the '80s, Legendary Defender follows the pilots
of five mechanical lions who unite to form the massive Voltron.
But the third season of this revival will find our heroes in a tricky situation.
On one hand, they're still basking in the glory of their victory over Emperor Zarkon.
On the other, his son Prince Lotor is ready to step into his villainous shoes.
On top of all that, the Black Paladin Shiro is nowhere to be found, which means the other
pilots can't form Voltron.
"No black lion, no voltron."
Does that mean Princess Allura could take on a bigger role?
We'll find out when Season 3 of Voltron premieres on August 4.
Icarus
If you haven't yet heard enough about Russia on the news lately, you're in luck.
Icarus is a documentary that will delve into the story of how dozens of Russian Olympians
were caught in a state-run doping program designed to ensure the country would fare
well at the 2014 winter games in Sochi.
The movie follows filmmaker and biker Bryan Fogel as he attempts to beat anti-doping tests
and becomes mired in a conspiracy.
Along the way, he befriends the man who runs Russia's doping program, Dr. Grigory Rodchenkov,
who explains everything behind the scenes — including that some of his colleagues
have mysteriously vanished.
The documentary, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January, lands on Netflix
on August 4.
Naked
In this romantic comedy, Marlon Wayans finds himself in his own version of Groundhog Day,
but with a revealing new twist.
Instead of starting the day in bed, he continuously wakes up naked in an elevator.
Based on a Swedish film from 2000, the Americanized update will be available to watch over and
over beginning August 11.
Atypical
In this quirky new Netflix series, Jennifer Jason Leigh stars as Elsa, the protective
mother of Sam, an autistic high school senior who is navigating the transition into adulthood.
His journey isn't easy, and it forces both him and his mother to grapple with change
while Sam searches for love and independence.
"Why does my to-do list say remove stick from butt?
I don't know!"
Atypical premieres on the streaming service on August 11th
The Defenders
The top draw of the month is The Defenders, the long-awaited crossover miniseries that
ties together all four of Netflix's Marvel shows.
The Defenders will gather Jessica Jones, Daredevil, Luke Cage, and Iron Fist as the street-level
heroes team up against a diabolical villain named Alexandra — who may or may not be
the leader of the mysterious and ancient organization known as The Hand.
"I'm not hugging you."
The first season consists of eight episodes, all of which will be available to stream August
18th, so go ahead and cancel all your plans for that weekend.
This one'll be a must-watch.
What Happened to Monday?
If you're not that interested in watching small screen superheroes in action, another
option for August 18th will be the premiere of What Happened to Monday?
This futuristic thriller film centers on a family that gives birth to septuplets in a
world where parents are only allowed to bear one child each.
For all seven sisters to survive, the family will have to resort to extraordinary measures.
The pic features Noomi Rapace as all seven of the sisters, each named for the day of
the week on which they're allowed to go outside under a shared identity.
When one of the sisters goes missing, the others must carefully comb the city for their
missing sibling before the government gets their hands on her and exposes them all.
This dystopian thriller appears to fall somewhere in between TV's clone drama Orphan Black and
the Bourne Identity movies, so strap in for a wild game of cat and mouse...well, okay,
mice.
Death Note
What would you do if you stumbled across a mysterious notebook that allows you to kill
anyone you want just by writing their name in it?
You probably shouldn't sell it on Amazon.
Based on the iconic manga series that first debuted in 2003, the Netflix original movie
Death Note tells the story of Light Turner, a Seattle high school student who comes to
possess a notebook dropped to Earth by Ryuk, a god of death who handles all the murdering.
"Shall we begin?"
Turner decides to use the notebook to become a vigilante, but his run might not last long.
A detective named L is determined to uncover the source behind the killings.
Death Note premieres August 25, and from the looks of the the trailer, it's definitely
worth a watch.
Disjointed
This new Netflix Original sitcom stars Kathy Bates as a lifelong advocate for marijuana
legalization who finally lives out her dream as the owner of a cannabis dispensary in Los
Angeles.
Chuck Lorre, who brought The Big Bang Theory and Two and a Half Men to CBS, co-created
the series with former Daily Show head writer David Javerbaum, so prepare to find yourself
in a cloud of small screen smoke starting on August 25th.
New movies
Netflix is exponentially increasing its Keanu factor in August, with all three installments
of the Matrix trilogy hitting the service on August 1st.
But if you're in the mood for action with a little less social commentary, you can watch
Will Smith battle a giant mechanical spider in Wild Wild West that same day.
For those who love drama, The Founder is a must-watch.
It stars Michael Keaton as McDonald's creator Ray Kroc in this captivating biopic that hits
Netflix on August 2nd.
Netflix will also add Gold, the recent crime drama starring a very bald Matthew McConaughey,
on August 16th.
If you're looking for something a little more high-brow, however, the documentary drop is
pretty solid for the month as well.
The critically acclaimed Barbecue, which is about barbecue culture in different countries,
comes online August 15th.
And Feel Rich: Health Is the New Wealth, from executive producer Quincy Jones, centers on
a revolutionary shift in hip-hop culture from overindulgence to maintaining a healthier
lifestyle, and will be available August 23rd.
More vintage new releases for the month include Jackie Brown and I Am Sam, while more recent
little-seen films like Cloud Atlas and Beautiful Creatures will also be available for your
streaming pleasure this month.
As for those with kiddos, not to worry.
There'll be plenty of new family-friendly fodder available in August as well, including
Sing, Holes, and A Cinderella Story.
After the little ones go to bed, though, be sure to check out the newest thriller options
on the site, including The Astronaut's Wife, Funny Games, and The Number 23, all of which
arrive on August 1st.
New television
As always, there's a new batch of TV shows to catch up with — or suddenly become addicted
to — in August.
If you haven't gotten enough of the Medellin drug cartel thanks to Narcos, the first season
of Surviving Escobar will launch on the first of the month.
Meanwhile, the sixth season of ABC's Once Upon a Time will drop on August 25th, helping
catch you up on all the Storybrooke shenanigans before the seventh season reboots the show
into unknown magical territory this fall.
"Trust me I've done you a favor.
All magic comes with a price."
And if you didn't catch the first season of NBC's hit new sitcom The Good Place, well…
"Somebody royally forked up."
Be sure to circle August 25th on your calendar, because it's well worth your time.
"Do you have a second to eat my farts?"
"Ohhhh"
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