The 10 Best New Movies On Netflix In July 2025

Forbes

16 hours ago

Josh Hutcherson, Kristen Stewart and Jonah Bobo star in the 2005 family adventure film 'Zathura: A ... More Space Adventure.'
The movie lineup for Netflix's July looks like any other month—in a good way. You've got your fair share of new movies filled huge celebrities, from building action franchises starring Charlize Theron to decades-in-the-making sequels led by Adam Sandler. But then you've also got a plethora of older movie picks, from anti-war films from the 1980s with Tom Cruise at its center to brand new independent cinema filled with up-and-coming actors looking to make names for themselves. No matter which direction you point, there's a great movie waiting for you.
So what films are coming to Netflix in July 2025? This article contains all of them, including ten you specifically cannot miss. Below, I've listed out those ten movies and why you should watch them, along with trailers to help you decide. Then at the bottom of the article, you can find a full breakdown of every single movie hitting Netflix this month. Have fun, and happy watching!
10 Great New Movies On Netflix In July 2025
Charlize Theron, one of the most bankable movie stars in the entire world, is back on Netflix as Andy with The Old Guard 2. Fans of the first film will be delighted to find out the original team is reunited, with newcomers like Uma Thurman as the formidable Discord and Veronica Ngô as the vengeful Quynh added to the cast. Andy, once a centuries-old immortal who has now lost her healing powers, must race across continents to recover her magic, all the while facing deadly mercenaries and ancient evils. Through everything from underwater combat to rooftop duels, director Victoria Mahoney aims to match the blistering fight choreography of Gina Prince-Bythewood's first film, while also expanding this growing cinematic universe's mythological lore. In addition to the already stacked cast I've listed so far, you can expect to find people like KiKi Layne, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Marwan Kenzari, Luca Marinelli, Henry Golding and Matthias Schoenaerts in this long-awaited sequel.
Wes Craven is famous for his Nightmare on Elm Street franchise, as well as other horror classics like Scream, The Last House on the Left and The Hills Have Eyes. But the director has so many hidden gems within his filmography that get overshadowed, and that includes his tight, suspenseful 2005 thriller Red Eye, which turns a seemingly ordinary plane ride into a nerve-wracking fight for survival. Rachel McAdams stars as a hotel manager named Lisa who flies home after a family funeral. But the flight turns sour after she finds herself seated next to a charming stranger named Jackson (Oscar winner Cillian Murphy) who's secretly part of a political assassination plot. With her father's life threatened, Lisa must find a way to outmaneuver her captor from the confines of a commercial flight. With this simple, contained piece of art, Craven proves you don't need big effects or elaborate set pieces to keep audiences on edge—just two great actors, a tight script and nowhere to run.
There are few movies from my childhood that I know as well as Happy Gilmore. I know, like, literally…every. Single. Line. Every moment, every joke, every absurd piece of dialogue that populates this bona fide classic. So, naturally, I cannot wait for Adam Sandler to return as the temper-tantrum-prone golfer with a heart of gold in Happy Gilmore 2, which is slated to grace Netflix on July 25. Now hoping to fund his daughter's budding ballet career, Happy returns to the golf course alongside most of the original cast. Directed by Kyle Newacheck, the sequel leans into nostalgia with the old-school physical comedy fans love, bringing back favorites like Christopher McDonald's maniacally evil, ultra-competitive Shooter McGavin, as well as Ben Stiller's tyrannical retirement home orderly Hal L., but also sprinkles in fresh jokes and newer faces like Bad Bunny and Benny Safdie. Expect the same loud, goofy humor and unforgettable on-course outbursts, but with just enough heart to make it feel like a proper reunion rather than just another replay.
A directorial debut doesn't get much more hyped than it did for Bradley Cooper with A Star is Born, the fourth version of what has now become a timeless story that always remains relevant as the chase for stardom continues from generation to generation. But Cooper breathed new modern life into this familiar rise-and-fall narrative thanks to his incredible chemistry with Lady Gaga, which in turn produced some of the most unforgettable movie music we've heard in the 21st century (specifically the Oscar-winning song 'Shallow.') Cooper plays Jackson Maine, a fading country-rock star battling addiction, who discovers Ally (Lady Gaga), a talented but insecure singer-songwriter performing, at a drag bar. Before long, the two fall in love as Jackson helps launch Ally's career. But as her fame rises, Ally's desire to catapult in the industry and Jackson's personal demons threaten their relationship and ability to find fulfillment through music. The stellar cast is rounded out by the likes of Andrew Dice Clay, Dave Chappelle, Sam Elliott, Rafi Gavron and Anthony Ramos.
Say what you will about Tyler Perry, who continues to be one of the most polarizing voices in comedy. Many may decry the Perry formula—especially when it comes to his well-trodden Madea character, who has now starred in over one dozen movies and TV shows. But you can't deny that the man has a very unique brand of funny, constantly pushing the limits with his absurdity—he is, as far as I'm concerned, a true auteur. And his wacky experiment continues as the iconic matriarch returns in Madea's Destination Wedding. In this story, Madea and her crew (the cast is supported by Cassi Davis Patton, David Mann, Tamela Mann, Taja V. Simpson and Diamond White) vacation at a tropical resort for her nephew's wedding day. And before long, of course, things turn into a hilarious disaster zone. With this over-the-top family drama, Perry delivers his signature mixture of slapstick comedy and warm sentiment, shining a spotlight on a frighteningly familiar brand of chaos that somehow always seems to bring families closer.
Sean Baker's name now carries a new aura. Once a champion of independent cinema only known by those bold enough to travel into the strange corners of cinema not occupied by superhero movies or sci-fi epics, Baker is now known by the masses after winning Best Director at the most recent Academy Awards, and after his film, Anora, won Best Picture. And while he has been an important director since the early 2000s with films like Four Letter Words and Prince of Broadway, Baker first gained a bigger audience with his audaciously composed Tangerine. Shot entirely on an iPhone 5s and bursting with kinetic energy, Tangerine is completely unapologetic in its irreverent approach; a raw and vibrant odyssey through the streets of Los Angeles on Christmas Eve. Our main character is a transgender sex worker named Sin-Dee (Kitana Kiki Rodriguez). She's just been released from jail, only to discover her boyfriend/pimp has been cheating on her. Determined to confront him (and the 'other woman'), Sin-Dee embarks upon a city-spanning odyssey, dragging her best friend Alexandra (Mya Taylor) into the chaos.
While several great comedies have been released in the past decade, from Barbie to Bottoms to Dinner in America, I can't help but feel sadness for the death of the '2000s comedy." A special brand of absurdist humor supported some of the biggest names in Hollywood, like Will Ferrell, who were stripped free from Hollywood's leash and allowed to create some of the strangest comedy ever. But few comedies from the 2000s embraced absurdity with as much commitment as Blades of Glory, a ridiculous and endlessly quotable send-up of the ultra-serious world of figure skating. Ferrell and Jon Heder star as Chazz Michael Michaels and Jimmy MacElroy, two rival skaters who are banned from figure skating after brawling on the medal podium—well, banned from solo figure skating, which allowed the pair to exploit a loophole and become the first male-male pair in competitive skating history. Appearances by Amy Poehler, Will Arnett and Craig T. Nelson allow Blades of Glory to thrive like few 2000s comedies could.
Tom Cruise has been a movie star since the early 1980s, starring in all kinds of blockbusters, from Top Gun to War of the Worlds to the Mission Impossible franchise. But hopefully in the fray we don't forget about his incredible breadth of dramatic work—Magnolia, Eyes Wide Shut and Jerry Maguire, to name a few. Oh, and we can't forget what is arguably his best performance ever: Born on the Fourth of July. Director Oliver Stone's war film, based on the autobiography of Vietnam veteran Ron Kovic, follows Kovic's journey from eager enlistee to paralyzed war hero to, ultimately, outspoken anti-war activist. Cruise dons Kovic's uniform with unflinching vulnerability, while Stone, himself a Vietnam veteran, directs with righteous anger and empathy. Together, they capture not only the trauma of war but also the bitter alienation many veterans faced upon returning home. The film's power lies not in battlefield spectacle but in its depiction of a man rebuilding his identity in a country he no longer recognizes.
In light of the rather lackluster giant monster movies we've received over the past decade (with the exception of Godzilla Minus One, of course), I feel like I gotta recommend a movie like Pacific Rim—a full-throttle love letter to giant monster and robot movies from director Guillermo del Toro that owns far more visual artistry and sincerity than your typical 2020s blockbuster. Set in a near future where Earth is under siege from Kaiju, humanity is forced to call upon our man-created juggernauts known as Jaegers. Operated by two pilots whose minds must sync to control the—the washed-up flyer (Charlie Hunnam) and an untested trainee (Rinko Kikuchi)—they must overcome trauma, trust issues and overwhelming odds to protect what's left of the planet. What makes Pacific Rim stand out isn't just the city-leveling action, but del Toro's deep affection for the genre, evident in the tactile production design, heartfelt performances and respect for character amid the chaos. Also, watch for Idris Elba, who delivers a powerhouse performance that elevates the film to even greater heights.
Ever since 1995 when Jumanji hit theaters, and through recent years when the second third films in the series, Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle and Jumanji: The Next Level, were released (a fourth movie is expected to release in 2026, by the way), the Jumanji franchise has dominated the 'games come to life' genre. But a spiritual successor to those films has always stood out to me as the best the genre has to offer: Zathura: A Space Adventure, which stands on its own as a thrilling, imaginative ride that combines sibling rivalry with intergalactic chaos. When two brothers, Danny (Jonah Bobo) and Walter (Josh Hutcherson), discover an old board game in their basement that unexpectedly brings cosmic events to life, from meteor showers to malfunctioning robots to a stranded astronaut, they must travel through space to reach 'the end' and complete the game. Directed by Jon Favreau before his Marvel days and starring the likes of Kristen Stewart, Dax Shepard and Tim Robbins, Zathura leans heavily on practical effects and inventive set pieces to achieve a special sort of tactile, adventurous energy that holds up to this day.
Every New Movie On Netflix In July 2025