This coming month, Netflix has plenty of new original movies that are sure to get people talking.
Robert De Niro is teaming up with Adam Scott in the mystery thriller The Whisper Man, Greta Lee and Wagner Moura are gearing up to trigger our claustrophobia in The Last House and there’s a coming-of-age musical dramedy that is going to be the talk of every theatre on the planet.
But it’s not just about the feature-length offerings on Netflix this month.
Users also have some new TV to look forward to, including the returns of action-adventure Outer Banks and your favourite trashy reality shows – plus yet another of the authorised documentaries the streaming giant is becoming synonymous with.
Here are just 11 of our top picks to stream in the coming weeks…
Big Chicken: A Fast Food Conspiracy (5 August)
Tell me more:Comedian Mo Gilligan is adding another string to his bow with this new investigative documentary for Netflix.
Billed as a 28-day experiment, Big Chicken sees the Masked Singer judge replacing all of his meals with fried chicken for almost an entire month.
He also promises to dive into what Netflix describes as the “global fried chicken obsession” with surprisingly profound results as he examines the dish’s cultural, economic and environmental impact.
Netflix says:“A self-proclaimed lover of the food, Mo puts his body to the test in a bold experiment by eating fried chicken three times a day for 28 days straight.
“Over the course of the month, he embarks on an eye-opening journey from South London to the United States to reveal the historical origins of fried chicken and the social, economic and industrial forces driving our mass consumption of it – from fast-food chains to large-scale farming – and the impact on our health, our planet and the way we eat.
“As a Black British comedian, Mo also seeks to reframe perceptions of the dish by confronting negative stereotypes associated with it, examining how it’s been culturally appropriated and advertised in today’s market.”
Let’s Marry Harry (5 August)
Tell me more:Already a notorious reality TV star Down Under, Harry Jowsey became an international name when he was cast on the infamous dating series Too Hot To Handle.
Since then he’s been a reality fixture, competing on everything from The Amazing Race and Dancing With The Stars – and now, Netflix is giving him his own series.
In another dating format, Let’s Marry Harry sees the titular lothario vowing to put his badboy days behind him, as his loved ones help him find love from a group of young hopefuls.
Netflix says:“Heartthrob Harry Jowsey is done playing the field. This time, he’s handing the reins of his love life to those who know him best. After years of dating in the spotlight – and getting it wrong – his closest confidants are stepping in to make the tough calls.
“From a carefully selected pool of potential matches, they’ll decide who stays and who goes, guiding Harry toward what he truly wants: authentic love and marriage.”
One Hundred Years Of Solitude (Part 2) (5 August)
Tell me more:When adapting Colombian author Gabriel García Márquez’s beloved multi-generational novel One Hundred Years Of Solitude, Netflix, perhaps wisely, made the decision to split it into two separate seasons.
In his lifetime, García Márquez had always been reluctant to grant production companies the rights to adapt his works, believing a feature film would not be sufficient to tell the story fully, with this TV adaptation being made in collaboration with his surviving family members on the condition it was shot entirely on location in Colombia, featuring Spanish-speaking actors.
Almost two years after the success and acclaim of season one, the second half of the series is finally almost here, resuming the story at a time of more political unrest and personal drama for the central family.
Netflix says:“After the armistice and signing of the treaty of Neerlandia, peace still does not reach Macondo. The Conservatives, fearful of Colonel Aureliano Buendía’s threats, plot an attack that – by a twist of fate – brings Fernanda del Carpio from Bogotá to the town. When she marries Aureliano Segundo, one of the bastard Arcadio’s untamable twin sons, she gives Úrsula Iguarán her first legitimate heirs.
“Meanwhile, the other twin, José Arcardo Segundo, absorbed in José Arcadio Buendía’s manuscripts accomplishes the patriarch’s wild dreams of connecting Macondo with the world. The railroad’s arrival opens the doors to the banana company, which unleashes the town’s downfall and ultimately fulfills Úrsula Iguarán’s curse: for the races condemned to one hundred years of solitude were not granted a second opportunity on earth.”
My Life With The Walter Boys (6 August)
Tell me more:Coming-of-age teen drama My Life With The Walter Boys premiered in 2023, introducing us to our heroine Jackie Howard, who moves from Manhattan, New York after the deaths of her parents to live with a sprawling new family in rural Colorado.
Since then, the story has moved on quite considerably, with several characters in the young cast now grappling with the highs and lows of their first loves.
In the new run of <a href="https://comicvibe.com/essential-futurama-episodes-to-watch-before-season-14/” title=”Essential Futurama Episodes To Watch Before Season 14″>episodes, Jackie once again finds herself torn, not just between two boys, but also her old and new life, when a familiar face from her past arrives in Silver Falls unexpectedly.
Netflix says:“The path of true love never runs smooth, especially in Silver Falls. The last time we saw the Walters, Jackie and Cole finally confessed their love for each other, only for Jackie’s boyfriend – and Cole’s brother – Alex to overhear. But their conversation was interrupted when Walter patriarch George was rushed to the hospital.
“Season three sees the Walters realise what’s important in the fallout from this – and discover that it’s okay to go after what you want. With their love lives still hanging in the balance, Alex turns to his new rodeo riding team, and Cole gets back in the driver’s seat of his life, literally, when a race car driver sees potential in him.
“Meanwhile, Jackie pours her heart into developing the town’s community space. But when a childhood friend arrives from New York, the life she left behind proves harder to forget than she expected.”
The Last House (7 August)
Tell me more:Oscar nominee Wagner Moura and Greta Lee take the lead in this unsettling new thriller as Jason and Riley, the heads of a small family who suddenly find themselves being held captive in their home by a mysterious malevolent force.
Louis Leterrier takes on directing duties in this claustrophobic psychological horror, having previously enjoyed success with Now You See Me and films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and Fast & Furious franchise.
Netflix says:“A family of four are suddenly sealed inside their home with no way out, and must work together to survive against both their dwindling reapped.”
Ricky Gervais’ Alley Cats (7 August)
Tell me more:Given what a vocal animal lover he is, we’re surprised it’s taken Ricky Gervais this long to come up with a show like Alley Cats, an adult animation series about a group of street cats.
As well as Ricky himself, the comedy features voice work from Kerry Godliman, Diane Morgan and EastEnders icon Natalie Cassidy, among others.
Netflix says:“Alley Cats is an adult animated sitcom created by and starring the multi award-winning Ricky Gervais.
“The series follows the trials and tribulations of a group of feral British cats from all walks of society, who seek companionship while ruminating on everyday life. From the funny to the absurd, the series is packed with Gervais’ signature style of heart and social commentary that audiences have come to expect.”
Mourinho (11 August)
Tell me more:Still on a high from the World Cup? Well, Netflix has got something you might be interested in.
If you enjoyed Netflix’s sports documentaries about the likes of David Beckham, Rafael Nadal and Jamie Vardy, you’re going to love this three-part series, which chronicles the rise of José Mourinho, the former footballer who went on to became one of the game’s most revered managers.
Mourinho himself allowed Netflix access to his life over a two-year period, with those who’ve known and worked with him also contributing interviews to bring his story to the screen.
Netflix says:“Filmed over two years, Mourinho tells the story of the man who revolutionised what it meant to be a football manager, charting his rise into one of football’s most trophy-laden and outspoken figures – winning league titles in four different countries and lifting the Champions League twice.
“With exclusive access to Mourinho himself, alongside candid interviews with Sir Alex Ferguson, John Terry, Iker Casillas, Zlatan Ibrahimović, Didier Drogba, Marcelo, Samuel Eto’o, Javier Zanetti, Frank Lampard, Petr Čech and more of football’s greatest names – this three-part documentary goes beyond the headlines and the touchline theatrics to get under the skin of the ‘Special One’.”
Don’t Say Good Luck (14 August)
Tell me more:A must-watch for theatre kids past and present, this dramedy introduces us to high school student Sophie Birenbaum as she prepares to try out for her high school’s annual musical production while grappling with regular teen life.
However, she finds it all difficult to juggle alone when her family life is unexpectedly turned upside down.
You Are So Not Invited To My Bat Mitzvah’s Sunny Sandler (yes, the daughter of Adam Sandler) leads a cast that includes everyone from New Girl’s Max Greenfield and Emmy winner Steve Buscemi to Encanto’s Stephanie Beatriz and Avatar’s Jack Champion.
Netflix says:“In this coming-of-age dramedy, Sophie Birenbaum is ready for the spotlight as the lead in her high school musical – until suddenly she’s living with even more drama at home than on the stage.”
Love Is Blind UK (19 August)
Tell me more:You know the drill by now – a group of singles embark on an experiment try and find lasting love, by dating in “pods”, where their partners are kept completely separate from them until the moment they declare they’re ready to get married.
From there, they quickly move in together and try to fit into one another’s lives as they prepare for their big days, before deciding whether or not to commit to one another forever by saying “I do”.
An international reality TV fave since 2020, the UK version of Love Is Blind is now into its third season, with Emma and Matt Willis back on presenting duties.
Netflix says:“UK and Ireland-based singles who want to be loved for who they are have signed up for a less-conventional approach to modern dating, and will choose someone to marry without ever meeting them.
“Over several weeks, the newly engaged couples will move in together, plan their wedding and find out if their physical connection matches their strong emotional bond developed in the Pods. When their wedding day arrives, will real-world realities and external factors push them apart, or will they marry the person they fell blindly in love with?
“Hosted by Emma and Matt Willis, this series will uncover whether looks, race or age do matter, or if love really is blind.”
Outer Banks (20 August)
Tell me more:Six years on from its debut, it’s almost time for Outer Banks’ final curtain – but not before one last adventure.
Netflix’s action-packed teen drama returns after a critically-acclaimed fourth season, with its two rival gangs, the “Kooks” and “Pogues” both pushed to their limits after the tragic events of last year.
Madison Bailey’s Kiara, Jonathan Daviss’ Pope, Carlacia Grant’s Cleo andDrew Starkey’s Rafe are all present and correct in the new episodes, in which J. Anthony Crane’s murderous Chandler Groff is also still at large.
Netflix says: “Season five finds the Pogues at their absolute breaking point following the tragic loss of JJ in Morocco. Stranded far from home and mourning the heart of their crew, they’ve lost the Blue Crown and continue to face a gauntlet of familiar threats.
“With Chandler Groff still at large, Dalia and the Corsairs closing in, and the Kooks ensuring the Pogues have no home to return to, John B, Sarah, Kiara, Pope, and Cleo must rely on their scrappy instincts – and an uneasy alliance with Rafe – to keep from falling apart for good.
“Their mission is now a desperate race to reclaim their future and finally win the freedom they’ve been chasing since the beginning. It’s the Pogues against the world as they seek to avenge their best friend and bring it on home… one final time.”
The Whisper Man (28 August)
Tell me more:If you’ve been hooked on Netflix’s past mystery thrillers, you’re definitely going to want to get comfortable for this feature-length offering.
Featuring an all-star cast led by Robert De Niro and Emmy winner Adam Scott, The Whisper Man blends elements of crime drama, psychological thriller and detective mystery as a crime writer takes it upon himself to investigate the disappearance of his eight-year-old son alongside his retired detective father.
Look out for appearances from The White Lotus’ Michelle Monaghan, Oscar nominee Michael Keaton and Tony winner Will Brill, who has been on a roll lately with appearances in everything from Caught Stealing and Fellow Travelers to Netflix offerings The Beast In Me, Monster and Long Story Short.
Netflix says:“When his eight-year-old son is abducted, a widowed crime writer looks to his estranged father, a retired former police detective, for help, only to discover a connection with the decades-old case of a convicted serial killer known as ‘The Whisper Man’.”
