With the start of August, the dog days of summer are officially here as heat waves crescendo and thunderstorms keep audiences inside. Fortunately, Netflix has unveiled plenty of new movies and television series and added fan-favorite licensed programming to its extensive streaming library to kick off the month in style. And CBR is here with recommendations for what exactly audiences should binge this weekend to stay entertained while keeping cool.
Here are the biggest and best television shows and films available to stream on Netflix in the first week of August 2022. From the eagerly anticipated premiere of a celebrated comic book adaptation to a cinematic continuation of a popular animated series, there is plenty to watch on Netflix this weekend.
The Sandman Makes Its Long-Awaited Debut
After years of being stuck in development hell in various mediums, the landmark comic book series The Sandman by Neil Gaiman, Sam Kieth and Mike Dringenberg is getting adapted for the screen on Netflix. The series follows Morpheus, the Lord of Dreams, who emerges from a lengthy imprisonment and looks to rebuild his kingdom. And while Morpheus has been held captive, terrifying nightmares and sinister conspiracies have escaped from the Dreaming into the real world, leaving Morpheus to track them down.
The Sandman features an all-star cast, with Tom Sturridge as Morpheus, Kirby Howell-Baptiste as his sister Death and Mason Alexander Park as their scheming sibling Desire. Notably, the adaptation features Gaiman as a series writer and executive producer, helping translate his comic story to the screen for a new generation. For longtime fans of the comic and those looking to experience The Sandman for the first time, the Netflix adaptation is ready to invite audiences into the Dreaming.
A Much Different Constantine Arrives on Netflix
The Sandman features its own iteration of DC occultist John Constantine, with Jenna Coleman playing Johanna Constantine and her ancestors in the series. For a different take, the 2005 supernatural horror movie Constantine has been added to Netflix this week. Starring Keanu Reeves as the paranormal expert, the movie has earned its fair share of fans while providing a decidedly unique twist on the comic book character.
After meeting Detective Angela Dodson (Rachel Weisz), Constantine learns Lucifer’s son Mammon is plotting to unleash Hell on Earth. With Angela targeted by demons for her latent psychic abilities, Constantine has to face the forces of Heaven and Hell if he hopes to save humanity from final judgment. A solid action-horror movie that admittedly takes some liberties with the comic book source material, Constantine is a genuine thrill ride led by Reeves in the title role.
Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Movie Gets Its Continuation Film
It’s been two years since Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, the bold animated series reinvention of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise, aired its final episode. The story continues with the Netflix original animated movie, Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Movie, which just premiered on the streaming service. With the original voice cast back together, the feature film pulls out all the stops as the Ninja Turtles face the greatest threat they’ve ever known.
Two years after the series finale, which culminated in the defeat of the villainous Shredder, the Ninja Turtles meet a time traveler from the future who warns them of imminent danger. Learning of the extraterrestrial enemy Krang, Leonardo has to step up and lead his brothers in a battle for the fate of Earth. With high-flying martial arts action and the Ninja Turtles back together for a cinematic adventure, it’s great to have the world of Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles back.
The Original Spider-Man Trilogy Swings into Netflix
Audiences saw all three live-action, cinematic Spider-Men swinging together to save the day in last year’s Spider-Man: No Way Home. The Marvel Cinematic Universe film featured the first appearance of Tobey Maguire as Peter Parker since 2007’s Spider-Man 3, alongside fellow big screen Spider-Men Andrew Garfield and Tom Holland. And now, audiences can see all of Maguire’s Spider-Man movies together, with the Sam Raimi-helmed trilogy now available to stream on Netflix.
2002’s Spider-Man introduced Maguire in the iconic superhero role as Peter gets his powers from a genetically engineered spider bite before facing off against the Green Goblin (Willem Dafoe). 2004’s Spider-Man 2 saw Peter struggle with the personal sacrifices that came with his superhero double life while a new supervillain in Doctor Octopus (Alfred Molina) threatens Manhattan. Maguire’s initial tenure as Spider-Man concludes with Spider-Man 3, with Peter contending with three different supervillains as his relationship with Mary Jane Watson (Kirsten Dunst) is challenged.
Men in Black Reports for Duty on Netflix
Spider-Man isn’t the only trilogy coming to Netflix, with the original Men in Black trilogy now available to stream on the digital platform. Starring Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones as the clandestine extraterrestrial watchdog operatives Agents J and K, the movies adapt the comic book series by Lowell Cunningham and Sandy Carruthers. The original trilogy is among Smith and Jones’ most popular projects, blending buddy-cop comedy with science fiction action.
The 1997 film has New York City Police detective James Darrell Edwards recruited into the MIB and partnering up with Agent K when an extraterrestrial criminal menaces New York. The 2002 sequel reverses the dynamic, with Agent J bringing K out of retirement when an enemy from the veteran agent’s past resurfaces. 2012’s Men in Black 3 pits J on a time-bending adventure to team up with a younger K when a time-traveling extraterrestrial threatens to alter history.