It’s hard to believe Netflix was once a humble mail-order DVD company sending out those familiar red envelopes. But from those beginnings has risen one of the most powerful hit-making studios in entertainment, churning out a seemingly endless supply of smart original programming. This year has already seen some great material, including The End of the F***ing World, One Day at a Time and Dear White People, and we’re only halfway through.
The rest of the year will see the return of a few favorites and even more opportunities to find a new streaming gem. This year, Netflix has expanded its reach globally, ordering at least six new European series and continuing its mix of documentary, comedy and drama in both films and series. It’s been one of the most successful original programming models in recent memory, and we’ll keep showing up and hitting that play button as long as Netflix keeps bringing us this kind of quality.
‘The Bleeding Edge,’ July 27
This is a film from director Kirby Dick, Oscar-nominated for his 2012 documentary The Invisible War, which exposed the issue of rape in the military. The Bleeding Edge is a look at the growing field of medical device technology and the problems that can arise when we try to push too far into the future too fast. According to Indiewire, the film “seems less concerned with explaining why these devices come to market than simply calling attention to their harmful effects."
‘Orange Is the New Black’ Season 6, July 27
The new season will pick up on the heels of the riot that left prisoners loading onto buses to be taken away from Litchfield. In an interview with Variety, Danielle Brooks (Taystee) gave a hint about what’s to come: “This season is different for sure. Coming off last season’s finale, there’s no up from there. There’s nowhere you can go that’s a positive. So you’re definitely going to see all of the girls trying to figure out how to get out of this rabbit hole they’ve created. Who is loyal to whom? Who is standing alone? Who is motivated by their own personal will to get out of prison? Who lies and who tells the truth? All of that stuff will come out this season.”
‘Like Father,’ Aug. 3
Kristen Bell plays a young executive who ends up left at the altar and contending with the father she hasn’t seen since she was 5. After a drunken blackout, the two of them find themselves on her Caribbean honeymoon cruise, where a few adventures and a lot of drinks reconnect them with each other and themselves.
‘All About the Washingtons’ Season 1, Aug. 10
In what sounds like a familiar formula, Netflix describes this new series as an “autobiographical scripted family sitcom that follows Joey Washington (Rev Run aka Joseph Simmons) and his wife Justine Washington (Justine Simmons), playing fictionalized versions of themselves raising a family of four kids.” Similar to the real Rev Run, Joey retires from his career as hip-hop royalty, leaving his wife free to follow her own career goals while he stays home with the kids. Kiana Ledé, Nathan Anderson, Leah Rose Randall and Maceo Smedley also star.
‘The House of Flowers’ Season 1, Aug. 10
In an odd twist on TheBrady Bunch, this Spanish-language show follows the patriarch of a successful, family-run flower business who takes on more than he bargained for when his mistress dies and he decides to move their children in with his wife and their kids. Netflix says, “The series explores the need to protect and forgive loved ones, no matter how uncomfortable.” Starring Cecilia Suárez, Verónica Castro, Roberto Quijano and Lucas Velazquez.
‘The Package,’ Aug. 10
Right now this film is listed on the actual Netflix site with the title The Package, but it was originally titled Eggplant Emoji. We're going to give you a second to figure out what the film could be about.
Here's Netflix's summary of The Package/Eggplant Emoji: “When four teens go on a spring break camping trip, an unfortunate accident sets off a race against time to save their friend’s most prized possession.”
To be clear, according to Variety, this film follows a kid who cuts his penis off while camping and the chaos that ensues to save it.
The film is produced by Ben Stiller and stars Daniel Doheny, Luke Spencer Roberts, Eduardo Franco and Sadie Calvano. Apparently there was an actual bidding war for this movie, and while it sounds a little (a lot?) gratuitous, you can bet there will be some squirm-inducing moments. Now the only question is which title they should settle on.
‘Disenchantment’ Season 1, Aug. 17
An animated comedy-fantasy series (how often are those words thrown together?) from Matt Groening. A not-so-princessy princess with a very foul mouth, her elf friend and her own personal demon live large in a kingdom that is hanging by a thread. The series is voiced by Abbi Jacobson, Eric Andre and Nat Faxon.
‘To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before,’ Aug. 17
Based on a YA novel by Jenny Han. A young girl deals with the fallout when all the love letters she’s written to her crushes are mysteriously mailed to them. God bless that girl for not just crawling under a pillow. Or maybe she will? This film stars X-Men: Apocalypse’s Lana Condor.
‘The Innocents’ Season 1, Aug. 24
A teen boy and girl fleeing their families to pursue their love are sidelined by the discovery that she is a shapeshifter. From Netflix: “As the star-crossed lovers struggle to control this strange new power, a mysterious professor reveals that June is not alone: There are more shifters out there like her, and he promises to cure June and reunite her with the mother who deserted her three years ago.” Their love is tested by circumstances beyond their control. It stars Sorcha Groundsell, Percelle Ascott and Guy Pearce.
‘Ozark’ Season 2, Aug. 31
In season two, the show ratchets up the danger, according to Netflix. “The stakes are even higher than before and the Byrdes soon realize they have to go all in before they can get out.” Jason Bateman stars again alongside Sofia Hublitz, Charlie Tahan, Julia Garner and Skylar Gaertner.
‘Sierra Burgess Is a Loser,’ September
Stranger Things’ Shannon Purser and Chrissy Metz from This Is Us join Lea Thompson and Alan Ruck in this “rom-com center[ed] on an intelligent teen [who] does not fall into the shallow definition of high school pretty,” says Netflix. A modern-day Cyrano de Bergerac story that sees a misfit teamed with the popular girl to win over a crush.
‘Private Life,’ Sept. 21
Paul Giamatti, Kathryn Hahn and Molly Shannon star in this funny, touching story of a man and woman trying to keep everything, including their marriage, together during the stress of fertility treatments. A recent college drop-out, played by newcomer Kayli Carter, gives them new hope. Released at Sundance, Private Life has garnered positive reviews and has an 81% score on Metacritic.
‘Hilda’ Season 1, Sept. 21
Based on a children’s comic series from Luke Pearson, this animated series follows a blue-haired girl who's traveling from her home in the wilderness to the city of Trolberg. Expect elves, giants and “mysterious creatures who are stranger — and sometimes more dangerous — than she ever expected,” according to Netflix. The series stars Daisy Haggard, Nina Sosanya, Bell Ramsey and Ilan Galkoff.
‘Dogs of Berlin’ Season 1, date TBD
This German-language series centers on two police detectives in Berlin who are forced to team up following a high-profile murder and who find themselves confronted by an underworld that tests their own morality and resolve. It stars Felix Kramer, Anna Maria Muhe and Katharina Schuttler.
‘Génération Q,’ date TBD
Netflix describes this eight-episode French-language rom-com as follows: “Set in modern-day Paris, the series follows a group of friends who rally around their perpetually single girlfriend Elsa, who can't seem to figure out why she is so unlucky in love. In a misguided attempt to build back Elsa's confidence, they hire a male escort to renew Elsa's faith in dating, relationships and finding love.” The limited series will introduce us to French actors Zita Hanrot (pictured), Sabrina Ouazani, Joséphine Draï and Marc Ruchmann.
‘How It Ends,’ date TBD
Theo James shot into the limelight as Divergent’s Four. Now he’s battling not-quite-dystopian elements again as “a mysterious apocalypse causes the spread of misinformation and violence,” according to Netflix. The character works with his estranged father-in-law in an epic journey across a crumbling country to save his pregnant wife. This original also stars Kat Graham, Kerry Bishe and Forest Whitaker.
‘Kiss Me First’ Season 1, date TBD
After a lonely teen girl finds a new friend through an online gaming site, she is shocked when the girl vanishes. That doesn’t stop her from assuming her friend’s much wilder identity, which pulls her into the danger and mystery of her disappearance. Kiss Me First stars Tallulah Haddon, Simona Brown, Matthew Beard and Freddie Stewart.
‘The Mechanism’ Season 2, date TBD
The fictionalized story of Operation Car Wash, a task force that started as a money-laundering investigation and ended up unveiling massive corruption in the government of Brazil. Starring Selton Mello, Caroline Abras, Enrique Diaz and Leonardo Medeiros.
‘Robozuna,’ date TBD
Follow along in this animated kids' series as Ariston, an orphaned teen, and his homemade robot, Mangle, work to overthrow an evil empire with its robot army. Themes of good vs. evil, friendship and the search for home shine through lots of action that will keep kids intrigued. Robozuna stars Taylor Clarke-Hill and Tom Clarke-Hill.
‘The Other Side of the Wind,’ date TBD
A tale almost too tall to be real, but it is. The Other Side of the Wind was filmed between 1970 and 1976 by Orson Welles from an original script. Money trouble, including funding from the deposed Shah of Iran, and legal entanglements prevented it from being completed until decades later, when financiers decided that to see their money again, the film needed to be finished. It’s been two decades in post-production, and Netflix picked it up for release in 2016. Will The Other Side of the Wind finally make it onto screens? The story focuses on a legendary film director, played by John Huston, trying to make one last masterpiece and stage a comeback.
‘The Umbrella Academy’ Season 1, date TBD
An adaptation of a comic series by Gerard Way, this series is the story of a dysfunctional family of superheroes who have to work together to solve the mystery of their father’s death. But will their divergent mindsets and powers pull them apart first? Starring Ellen Page, Tom Hopper, Robert Sheehan, Emmy Raver-Lampman, David Castaneda and Aidan Gallagher. Also look for Mary J. Blige.
‘Zion,’ date TBD
A powerful documentary short film on Zion Clark, which premiered to acclaim at Sundance. Clark is a young wrestler born without legs who grew up in foster care. He began wrestling in second grade against his able-bodied peers. As he moved from foster home to foster home, wrestling provided him the family he couldn’t find anywhere else. During an interview with the Sundance Institute, director Floyd Russ said, “Zion is a unique individual who could have given up a long time ago but never did.”
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