July 2025 Movie Guide: Top 10 Must-Watch Films – Superman, Eddington
July’s Must-Watch Movies: From Superheroes to Spine-Chilling Thrillers!
1. Eddington: Ari Aster’s Bonkers Dive into American Mayhem
Release Dates: July 18 (US), July 24 (Australia)
From the twisted mind behind Hereditary and Midsommar, Ari Aster takes a surprising turn with Eddington. This satirical comedy plunges us into a small New Mexico desert town where Sheriff Joaquin Phoenix and Mayor Pedro Pascal are locked in a bizarre feud. Their conflict, touched by the enigmatic Emma Stone, explodes in 2020 amid the COVID-19 pandemic and Black Lives Matter protests. Elle‘s Tomris Laffly calls it “gloriously bonkers” and “the definitive Covid movie.” Expect an insightful, hilarious, and ultimately darkening modern-day Western that transforms “everyday American insanity into one of the most artistically complete and compulsively watchable doom-scrolls of the year.”
2. Heads of State: Presidents as Action Heroes!
Get ready for some presidential punch! Following Viola Davis’s butt-kicking POTUS in G20, Heads of State brings us John Cena as a former Hollywood actor-turned-US President alongside Idris Elba as the UK’s Prime Minister. When their plane is shot down, these unlikely allies must fight their way back to civilization with help from Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Jack Quaid. Directed by Ilya Naishuller (known for Nobody‘s incredible fight scenes), this action-comedy promises non-stop thrills. Cena himself teases, “Once it jumps off, you are on the edge of your seat the whole time. Once it goes, it doesn’t stop.”
3. Together: A Horrifyingly Close Connection
Allison Brie and Dave Franco star as Millie and Tim, a couple whose bond becomes terrifyingly literal in the new horror drama Together. After Tim drinks stagnant water in a mysterious cave, his desire to be with Millie becomes an agonizing reality as their bodies begin to fuse. Michael Shanks’s directorial debut boasts a 100% “Fresh” rating on Rotten Tomatoes! IndieWire‘s Kate Erbland calls this “delightfully unhinged spin on the body horror joint” a film that “should leave audiences yelping and tittering in equal measure.” Just maybe skip this one for your next date night!
4. 40 Acres: A Dystopian Fight for Survival
In a world ravaged by a pandemic that has wiped out animals and food supplies, debut writer-director RT Thorne delivers the gripping dystopian survival thriller 40 Acres. Set in Canada, the film focuses on a family of color – led by a matriarch with a military background (Danielle Deadwyler) and her First Nations husband (Michael Greyeyes) – who must defend their farm from desperate outsiders. The title itself carries a profound historical weight, referencing the “40 acres” promised to enslaved people after the American Civil War. The Wrap‘s Chase Hutchinson notes the film’s “gory action” and its exploration of deep questions: “Is there room for community and care when everyone is at each other’s throats in what was already a painful existence?”
5. Superman: A New Dawn for the Man of Steel
The DC Universe gets a fresh start with James Gunn’s Superman, and it’s looking brighter than Zack Snyder’s previous moody takes! This first film in the revamped DCU introduces David Corenswet as the iconic hero, alongside Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane and Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor. Get ready for a vibrant world filled with familiar faces like Green Lantern, Hawkgirl, and even Krypto the Superdog! Gunn promises a Superman “about the compassion of the human spirit” – a “complex character” whose deep humanity will surprise audiences.
6. Smurfs: Rihanna Joins the Tiny Blue Tribe!
Those tiny, blue, music-loving humanoids are back! While the Trolls dominated the animated musical scene last decade, the Smurfs are ready to reclaim their spotlight. This new film zaps animated Smurfs into live-action Paris, with the biggest buzz surrounding Rihanna voicing Smurfette and contributing new songs. Director Chris Miller (known for Puss in Boots) emphasizes that Peyo’s original Belgian comic strips were his guiding inspiration. Expect a “fun and buoyant” animation style filled with the “action lines and thought bubbles” from the beloved comics.
7. I Know What You Did Last Summer: The Slasher Icon Returns!
The 90s slasher craze is officially back! Following the successful return of the Scream franchise, I Know What You Did Last Summer is ready to terrify a new generation. This legacy sequel features a fresh set of teens and another deadly car accident, but it’s set in the same universe as the 1997 original. Fans will rejoice to see Jennifer Love Hewitt and Freddie Prinze Jr. reprise their roles as Julie and Ray, the survivors of the first killing spree. Writer-director Jennifer Kaytin Robinson aimed to explore how that traumatic event shaped these characters, asking, “Where would they be today?”
8. The Fantastic Four: First Steps: Marvel’s First Family Gets a Fresh Start
It’s been a bumpy road for Marvel’s first superhero team on the big screen, but The Fantastic Four: First Steps looks set to finally get it right! This 2025 iteration stars Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach as the iconic quartet. The exciting twist? This film isn’t set in the main Marvel Cinematic Universe but in a vibrant, space-aged 1960s utopia in a parallel reality. Director Matt Shakman reveals it’s all about “the spirit of the Space Race,” imagining the Fantastic Four as America’s most famous adventurers and explorers, rather than just superheroes.
Source: BBC
