July movies: Big blockbusters, beloved reboots and the return of The Smurfs

Jurassic World: Rebirth – out 2nd July

Set five years after the events of Jurassic World Dominion, this new instalment stars Scarlett Johansson, Wicked’s Jonathan Bailey and Academy Award-winner Mahershala Ali as a team of elite scientists on a covert mission to a remote island. Their goal? To extract DNA from three massive dinosaurs for a medical breakthrough. But when their expedition takes a dark turn, they uncover a terrifying secret hidden from the world for decades…

Hot Milk – out 4th July

The directorial debut from award-winning screenwriter Rebecca Lenkiewicz (Ida, Disobedience), Hot Milk is an intimate, slow-burning story of self-discovery, desire and complicated mother-daughter bonds. Based on the acclaimed novel by Deborah Levy, the film follows a mother (Fiona Shaw) and daughter (Emma Mackey) who travel to the Spanish coast in search of a cure for a mysterious illness – but what they find changes everything.

Superman – out 11th July

Is it a bird? Is it a plane? Nope – it’s James Gunn’s brand-new take on the Man of Steel, and it’s set to be the blockbuster of the summer. David Corenswet stars as a compassionate Superman trying to reconcile his Kryptonian roots with his human upbringing, all while dealing with enemies like Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult), newsroom politics, and a budding romance with Lois Lane (Rachel Brosnahan).

Top tip: catch this on the biggest IMAX screen you can.

I Know What You Did Last Summer – out 18th July

The cult ’90s slasher returns with a fresh twist. After a group of teens cover up a deadly accident, they’re haunted by a mysterious figure who knows their secret – and wants revenge. As the friends are picked off one by one, they turn to the two survivors of the original 1997 Southport Massacre for help. Expect jump scares, twists and throwbacks galore.

Smurfs – out 18th July

In this fun reboot of The Smurfs film series, Papa Smurf (John Goodman) is kidnapped by evil wizards Razamel and Gargamel, and Smurfette (voiced by Rihanna) leads a rescue mission into the real world. Joined by new friends, the Smurfs must discover their true destiny to save the universe. The all-star voice cast includes James Corden, Nick Offerman, Jimmy Kimmel and Hannah Waddingham.

The Fantastic Four: First Steps – out 24th July

Set in a retro-futuristic 1960s world, this long-awaited MCU debut introduces Marvel’s original super-family. Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn and Ebon Moss-Bachrach star as the Fantastic Four, who must juggle saving the world with staying a family – while facing cosmic threats from Galactus (Ralph Ineson) and the Silver Surfer (Julia Garner).

The Bad Guys 2 – out 25th July

Our favourite reformed villains are back – but not for long. When an all-female criminal squad forces them out of retirement for “one last job,” the Bad Guys must prove they’ve really changed. Packed with laughs and loveable characters, this animated sequel features the voices of Sam Rockwell, Craig Robinson and Awkwafina.