Summer 2018 movie season keeps on rolling, but August’s new releases certainly have a tough act to follow. Thankfully, there’s a bunch of August 2018 films we’re excited for.
After all, July brought some big heavy hitters out to play, including Ant-Man and the Wasp and Mission: Impossible — Fallout. The latter film even delivered the biggest opening weekend of the franchise to date as well as universal critical acclaim. Meanwhile, smaller releases like Eighth Grade and Sorry to Bother You continue to gain traction as they roll out to more and more theaters. Last month wasn’t good news for everyone though, as Dwayne Johnson’s latest, Skyscraper, underperformed in a big way.
Still, moviegoers looking to catch something new have plenty to choose from this month. Let’s take a look at what is coming to theaters over the next few weeks.
10. Slender Man (Release Date: August 10)
Yes, Slender Man is based on the meme that has been swirling around the Internet since 2009. However, don’t let the film’s origins fool you. If we can get a critically acclaimed smash hit based on Lego bricks, then anything is possible. For director Sylvain White (The Losers, Stomp the Yard), this latest project could be the hit he needs to kick off a whole new franchise.
Slender Man follows a group of teenage girls — led by Joey King (Wish Upon) — who begin investigating the mystery of the titular supernatural creature and wind up becoming his latest target. Although the film might fly under the radar for some audiences, its particular brand of teen-friendly PG-13 horror has been known to do solid business.
Watch: The Latest Trailer for Slender Man
9. The Darkest Minds (Release Date: August 3)
It’s been a hot minute since a new film based on a best-selling young-adult series has aimed to kick off a new film franchise. This month, The Darkest Minds takes a crack at it. Based on Alexandra Bracken’s novel, the film centers on a group of super-powered teens on the run from the government. Amandla Stenberg of The Hunger Games fame leads the cast.
In addition to its aspiration of kicking off a new franchise, The Darkest Minds also represents director Jennifer Yuh Nelson’s leap into live-action territory. Thus far, Nelson’s directorial credits extend only to the two Kung Fu Panda sequels. With this latest YA offering, she could establish herself as a larger player in the studio system.
Watch: The Latest Trailer for The Darkest Minds
8. Mile 22 (Release Date: August 17)
Mark Wahlberg and Peter Berg clearly have a good thing going. The star and director have collaborated on films like Lone Survivor, Deepwater Horizon and Patriots Day in recent years, and now they’re back together for Mile 22. The action thriller sees Wahlberg and Ronda Rousey play CIA agents who must escort a vital witness (The Raid: Redemption’s Iko Uwais) to an extraction point 22 miles away.
That premise has a sweet simplicity to it that could very well serve as the perfect setup for a compelling action thrill ride. Audiences who have relished Wahlberg and Berg’s previous efforts will likely find plenty to love about Mile 22. The film’s standout supporting cast — which also includes John Malkovich and The Walking Dead’s Lauren Cohan — definitely helps to flesh out the central conflict.
Watch: The Latest Trailer for Mile 22
7. Searching (Release Date: August 24)
Casual moviegoers probably still know John Cho best for his franchise work in the Harold and Kumar and Star Trek films. But the actor has demonstrated a ton of range in smaller films and television roles in recent years. With Searching, he gets to explore that even farther as a father desperately searching for answers regarding his daughter’s disappearance.
What separates Searching from other thrillers, however, is that the film is told entirely from the perspective of computer and smartphone screens. Director Aneesh Chaganty employs this distinctive style to hone in on the intimate nature of Cho’s character’s search, and judging by the rapturous reviews the film has received thus far, this tactic appears to have worked beautifully.
Watch: The Latest Trailer for Searching
6. Christopher Robin (Release Date: August 3)
Disney has been dipping into its archives a lot lately, and with new takes on Dumbo, Mary Poppins and Mulan on the way, that doesn’t appear to be stopping any time soon. For decades, A.A. Milne’s iconic Winnie the Pooh characters have been inextricably tied to the studio. So it stands to reason that Pooh and his friends are making the leap to live action in Christopher Robin.
The film stars Ewan McGregor as the grown-up version of the young boy who spent his childhood with Pooh, Piglet, Tigger, and company. Suddenly, his old pals return to help Christopher Robin reignite his imagination. Disney’s latest looks it may hew closely to Hook territory in depicting an older version of a child hero, and with any luck, Christopher Robin can live up to the promise of its universal themes.
Watch: The Latest Trailer for Christopher Robin
Page 2: R-Rated Puppets, Mila Kunis, Spike Lee, a Diverse Romantic Comedy, and a Massive Shark
5. The Happytime Murders (Release Date: August 24)
Believe it or not, it looks like The Happytime Murders may finally receive a theatrical release this month. The film — directed by Brian Henson, son of the late Jim Henson — has languished in development hell for over a decade. At last, this very adult tale featuring Muppet-like characters will reveal just how far it’s willing to push the envelope.
The Happytime Murders stars Melissa McCarthy as a human cop who reteams with her puppet ex-partner Phil (performed and voiced by puppeteer Bill Barretta) to solve a murder mystery tied to an old children’s television show. The film’s trailer divided fans and even drew a lawsuit from Sesame Street with its over-the-top crude humor, but no matter how the film turns out, we must admit we’re curious to see the finished product.
Watch: The Latest Trailer for The Happytime Murders
4. The Spy Who Dumped Me (Release Date: August 3)
Speaking of R-rated comedies, here’s another one for those of you looking for an uproariously good time at the movies. The Spy Who Dumped Me stars Mila Kunis as Audrey, whose life is in danger when her ex-boyfriend reveals he is a CIA agent. From there, Audrey and best friend Morgan (Kate McKinnon) get mixed up in an international conspiracy and must fight for their lives.
The film is only the second theatrical feature directed by Susanna Fogel (after 2014 comedy Life Partners). Yet, the premise at the heart of The Spy Who Dumped Me is ripe with potential for broad comedy and solid action, much in the same way that Spy — another female-led espionage action comedy — won over audiences back in 2015.
Watch: The Latest Trailer for The Spy Who Dumped Me
3. BlacKkKlansman (Release Date: August 10)
Spike Lee is known for courting controversy with his films, but even by that measure, BlacKkKlansman is one of his more provocative films to date. Based on the autobiography by Ron Stallworth, the real-life tale follows an African-American police officer (John David Washington) in Colorado who infiltrates the local chapter of the Ku Klux Klan.
Featuring a supporting cast that includes Adam Driver, Laura Harrier, Topher Grace, Corey Hawkins and Alec Baldwin, the film is one of the most-talked-about films of the year. Since its premiere at the Cannes Film Festival last spring, BlacKkKlansman has been gaining critical praise for its timely social commentary and performances.
Watch The Latest Trailer for BlacKkKlansman
2. Crazy Rich Asians (Release Date: August 15)
Based on Kevin Kwan’s best-selling novel, Crazy Rich Asians is the rare case of a mainstream studio release featuring an all-Asian cast. Directed by Jon M. Chu (Now You See Me 2), the film isn’t only a positive move forward for diversity in Hollywood but also looks to be a charming romantic comedy-drama in its own right.
Constance Wu stars as a Chinese-American woman named Rachel who travels to Singapore with her boyfriend Nick (Henry Golding), only to discover the truth about his family. Conflict inevitably boils to the surface, specifically between Rachel and Nick’s mother, Eleanor (Michelle Yeoh). Count on this one to be among the month’s biggest sleeper hits.
Watch: The Latest Trailer for Crazy Rich Asians
1. The Meg (Release Date: August 10)
Jason Statham faces off against a 70-foot prehistoric shark, the Megalodon, in this sci-fi action horror release based on the book by Steve Alten. As far as late summer blockbusters go, The Meg may be one of the season’s last true exercises in spectacle, and if the trailers are any indication, moviegoers may be in for a blast when they hit theaters.
Director Jon Turteltaub has delivered crowd-pleasing adventure before with the National Treasure films, and with Statham’s charisma at the forefront, The Meg — which also stars Li Bingbing, Rainn Wilson, Ruby Rose, Winston Chao, and Cliff Curtis — could make quite a splash at the box office. At the very least, it should hold giant monster fans over until Godzilla’s return next year.
