It’s officially August, meaning it’s time to get planning what we’ll be watching during those long summer evenings glued to the couch.
This year has already brought us plenty of bingeable shows and escapist movies on Netflix – from Baby Reindeer and Bridgerton, to Under Paris and Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F.
With the Paris Olympics coming to a close on August 11, the second half of the month is looking particularly open to get stuck into some new releases on the streamer.
Here’s our 10 top picks you should check out when they drop on Netflix this month...
Saving Bikini Bottom: The Sandy Cheeks Movie (2 August)
Tell me more: Still thinking about the Triple Gooberberry Sunrise Ice Cream from the The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie? Same. Here’s a chance to revisit your childhood favourites with a brand new instalment in the Spongebob cinematic universe that sees Sandy the underwater squirrel step into the spotlight.
Netflix says: “They messed with the wrong squirrel. When Bikini Bottom and all its denizens are suddenly scooped out of the ocean, Sandy Cheeks and SpongeBob SquarePants journey to Texas to save the town from a villainous plot.”
The Influencer (6 August)
Tell me more: From first-gen YouTubers to Gen Z TikTokers, this new South Korean reality series brings together influencers with a collective 120 million followers battle it out and prove themselves as the greatest influencer of them all.
Netflix says: “Survive with your influence…Influence determines your value and authority, and relevance leads to money. Who can wield their influence and become a viral sensation in this fierce competition for social media superiority? 77 influencers play for social media survival on THE INFLUENCER.”
Love Is Blind: UK (7 August)
Tell me more: It’s everyone’s ultimate guilty pleasure, and it’s finally coming to the UK. Fans of the original US series will be familiar with the Love Is Blind concept which sees contestants date without being able to see the other person.
When they find a special connection, the guy pops the question before they finally see each other in person for the first time. Then it all comes down to whether they will say “I do” at the altar.
Netflix says: “It’s time for the UK to fall back in love with love. Emma and Matt Willis host a social experiment where British singles look for love and get engaged before meeting in person. But who will say “I do”?”
The Umbrella Academy Season 4 (8 August)
Tell me more: The hit superhero series based on the comics by My Chemical Romance frontman Gerard Way is back for one final outing. Fans will remember that the previous season wrapped as the siblings were left powerless – but now they must regroup and face a new threat head on.
This season also welcomes new cast members Nick Offerman, Megan Mullally and David Cross.
Netflix says: “Last season ended with a major twist: There’s a new timeline dictated by the family patriarch, Reginald (Colm Feore), and the siblings no longer have their powers. That’s not the only oddity in this timeline, where the stakes are higher than ever before – there are new enemies who want to see them wiped from existence, but how do they face their enemies without their powers? And will the siblings ever get them back?”
Worst Ex Ever (14 August)
Tell me more: If you got hooked on the 2022 docuseries Worst Roommate Ever – about living situations gone very wrong – you can expect more of the same in this new instalment about ex partners.
Netflix says: “From chilling betrayals to murder plots, this true-crime docuseries dissects the dark side of love through eyewitness testimonies.”
Emily In Paris Season 4 Part 1 (15 August)
Tell me more: Oh come on, you know you love it. It’s everyone’s favourite comfort show, and it’s back for a brand new season. You’ll remember that things were left on an excruciatingly ambiguous cliffhanger between Emily and Gabriel, so we’ll finally get to see where things stand between the pair (and also get to enjoy some more extravagant outfits along the way).
Netflix says: “After the dramatic events of Camille and Gabriel’s misbegotten wedding, Emily is reeling: she has strong feelings for two men, but now Gabriel’s expecting a baby with his ex, and Alfie’s worst fears about her and Gabriel have been confirmed….Emily and Gabriel’s chemistry is undeniable as they work together towards a Michelin star, but two big secrets threaten to undo everything they’ve dreamed of.”
The Union (16 August)
Tell me more: This new spy action-comedy stars Mark Wahlberg and Halle Berry as two exes who discover a lot has changed since they were together – mainly that one of them has become a top secret government agent.
A whirlwind journey ensues when Roxanne (played by Halle) recruits Mike for a dangerous intelligence mission in Europe.
Netflix says: “Mike, a construction worker from Jersey, is quickly thrust into the world of super spies and secret agents when his high school sweetheart, Roxanne, suddenly comes back into his life and recruits him on a high-stakes U.S. intelligence mission.”
Untold: The Murder of Air McNair (20 August)
Tell me more: 15 years since the American football quarterback’s shocking death aged just 36, questions still remain about the circumstances of what was initially determined by police to be a murder-suicide at the hands of his 20-year-old girlfriend. This new documentary attempts to get to the bottom of it.
Netflix says: “This documentary tracks the rise of legendary NFL quarterback Steve McNair and the perplexing details surrounding his shocking murder in 2009.”
Secret Lives of Orangutans (22 August)
Tell me more: The trailer for this new nature documentary features an adorable baby orangutan and it’s narrated by David Attenborough – need we go on?
Netflix says: “Follow a multi-generational orangutan family through their treetop triumphs and travails in this immersive documentary narrated by David Attenborough.”
The Deliverance (30 August)
Tell me more: After the buzz surrounding Longlegs this summer, we’re definitely on our horror beat right now. Glenn Close, Stranger Things’ Caleb McLaughlin, Andra Day, Octavia Spencer and more star in this brand new horror from The Butler director Lee Daniels, which is inspired by a true story of possession.
Netflix says: “After moving into a mysterious house, a struggling mother must face down her demons in order to save her children’s souls.”