August And Everything After

Kneecap
In cinemas 23 August

The hit of this year’s Sundance and Irelands submission for Best International Feature for the 2025 Oscars, is this ‘sort of’ biopic about the rise of Northern Irish hip-hop trio Kneecap. Starring the band themselves, it shows how fate brought together a Belfast teacher with two self confessed ‘low life scum’ Naoise and Liam to form a controversial group rapping in the under-used native Irish language. With Michael Fassbender along for the ride as Naoise’s father this is a brilliantly funny, ground-breaking film which should be top of everyone’s watch lists this August.

Trap
In cinemas 9 August

The latest offering from director M. Night Shyamalan, follows Josh Hartnett as a father who accompanies his daughter to what seems like a harmless pop concert. However, the outing takes a dark turn when they discover it’s a setup to catch a serial killer — revealed to be the father himself. With an R rating and Shyamalan’s proven track record for delivering unexpected plot twists in films like The Sixth Sense and Split, audiences can anticipate a narrative rich in psychological depth, where every character and situation may hide deeper secrets than at first apparent.

Borderlands
In cinemas 9 August

The latest in the world of video game adaptations looks to be a bizarre take on one of the most bizarre video game franchises out there. Set in the world of Borderlands, using characters from Borderlands including Cate Blanchett as a bounty hunter called Lilith, but having nothing to do with the story of the games, the film looks to utilise the characters and the style of the games without any of the subtle substance or writing featured in them, especially Borderlands 2. The Independent have described it as “uncool and disastrous” while Empire called it “clunky and forgettable”. So if you thought Claptrap was annoying enough in video game form, imagine him on the big screen…

Alien: Romulus
In cinemas 16 August

Set between Alien and Aliens, Romulus takes us aboard a mysteriously empty space station with a group of young adults looking for more purpose in their lives. With some recent breakout talent starring, such as David Jonsson, Cailee Spaeny, and Isabela Merceda aboard, as well as a familiar acid-bleeding and face-hugging creatures, it’s unlikely that the purpose these space colonists were looking for will be found without their chest exploding. Director Fede Alvarez has a track record of delivering a lot of scares (Don’t Breathe, Evil Dead) and using old school practical effects rather than CGI, we’re hoping this is more Alien than Alien: Resurrection.

Horizon: An American Saga Chapter 2
In cinemas 16 August

The second part of Kevin Costner’s Western epic, these are directed by, produced by, and starring Costner, with the first part having released earlier this year to a mixed/lukewarm reception. Following the development of the United States in the mid-late 19th century, Horizon follows Costners’ Hayes Ellison and his friends, foes, and family in the last days of the Old West. Hopefully this second chapter is received better, and Costner can continue being the cowboy we all want to be.

Blink Twice
In cinemas 23 August

“So, everybody’s dead. How about we start at the beginning?” Channing Tatum’s chilling line sets the tone for Blink Twice, the directorial debut of Zoë Kravitz. The film follows Tatum, playing a charismatic tech billionaire, who invites Frida (Naomi Ackie) and Jess (Alia Shawkat) to his private island for what seems like a laid-back beach holiday. However, as the trailer suggests, not everything is as it seems. Wild nights soon blend into unsettling events, forcing Frida to uncover the truth if she hopes to escape the island alive.

The Crow
In cinemas 23 August

Following nearly 16 years of development, The Crow is finally ready to seek vengeance once again. First announced back in 2008, this supernatural fantasy film is based on James O’Barr’s 1989 comic-book series which was most memorably brought to life in 1994 by actor Brandon Lee and director Alex Proyas. This time round Bill Skarsgård stars as Eric Draven, a murdered man avenging his and his fiancée’s deaths, alongside FKA Twigs, in the film directed by Rupert Sanders. When soulmates Eric and Shelly are brutally murdered, Eric is given the chance to save his true love by sacrificing himself and sets out to seek revenge, traversing the worlds of the living and the dead to put the wrong things right.

Kaos
On Netflix from 29 August

An almost adult take on a similar world as seen in Percy Jackson, Kaos follows the current world being intertwined with that of the mythologies of Ancient Greece. With Jeff Goldblum as Zeus, which is undeniably excellent casting and actually replaced Hugh Grant, we watch the consequences of Zeus’ past actions impact the present-day lives of three regular humans. With other Gods making their appearances on Earth rather than Mount Olympus, we’re excited for Netflix’s take on these myths and legends.

Batman: Caped Crusader
On Prime from 1 August

We’re always down for more from the World’s Greatest Detective, and Caped Crusader looks to deliver that. Set in the 1940s, before Bruce Wayne has the technology seen in future bat-stallments, we follow Batman, and some alternate takes on his iconic Rogues’ gallery such as Oswalda Cobblepot, this animated series looks to take some of the best parts of Batman: The Animated Series and transport them into an earlier decade.

The Lord Of The Rings: The Rings Of Power Season 2
On Prime from 29 August

The second series of Amazon’s Lord Of The Rings epic is almost upon us. The first series visually was stunning, but fell flat in other aspects that are vital to a TV series, such as plot and pacing. With new characters (including never before seen on screen Tolkien ones such as Tom Bombadil), this series sees Sauron’s quest to create the rings of power leading to an almighty ding dong between men, elves and orcs. We’re really hoping that this second series has learnt from the first, and taken inspiration from the greatest cinematic trilogy ever made in that the second part is easily the best one.

Bad Monkey
On Apple+ from 14 August

Vince Vaughn returns! From the creator of Scrubs, Bill Lawrence, Bad Monkey will follow Vince Vaughn’s Andrew Yancy as a restaurant inspector, who was previously a detective, who stumbles on a case that begins with a severed human arm fished up by tourists. If he can prove murder he might just get his old job back. Also starring L. Scott Caldwell, Rob Delaney, and Jodie Turner-Smith, this is based on Carl Hiaasen’s New York Times best-selling novel. And oh yes there is indeed one bad monkey in it…