The most binge-worthy releases on Netflix, Prime, and Disney+
By Shaan Bajaj
Ms. Marvel (Disney+ Hotstar)
Kamala Khan, starring Iman Vellani, is Marvel’s latest desi superhero, and a welcome addition to their growing diverse roster. The first season of Ms. Marvel will tell the origin story of Kamala, a 16-year-old Pakistani-American girl based in Jersey City, whose life starts to change when she gets super powers like her idol, Captain Marvel. The lead screenwriter for the show will be multi-talented Bisha K. Ali, who also wrote for the smash-hit series Loki, and it promises to not only bring plenty of thrills, but also be a thoughtful depiction of life as a young Muslim immigrant in America. The first season is slated to have six episodes, and excitement is already at an all-time high!
Release date: 8th June
Hustle (Netflix)
Netflix and LeBron James have come together to produce a compelling sports drama about a Philadelphia-based basketball scout, Stanley Beren, played by the talented Adam Sandler. Down on his luck and on the lookout for the next phenomenal baller to add to his team, Stanley scouts Bo Cruz, played by real-life Spanish NBA basketball player Juancho Hernangomez, who brings his professional skillset to the screen. Over the course of the film, Bo confronts his past to prove himself and his agent worthy of the NBA. The film is co-written by Will Fetters, best known for his work in A Star is Born (2018), and is expected to be an inspiring, feel-good movie.
Release date: 8th June
The Summer I Turned Pretty (Amazon Prime)
Are you already missing the To All the Boys films? You’re in luck – Jenny Han, the author of the novels, signed a deal with Amazon Prime Video to bring another coming-of-age trilogy to your screens, The Summer I Turned Pretty, also based on novels she penned. 16-year-old Isabel ‘Belly’ Conklin, starring Lola Tung, spends her summer at the beach town with her mother’s friend and the friend’s two sons, Conrad and Jeremiah Fisher. The storyline follows Isabel as she transitions from a teenager to an adult, with the expected tales of love and heartbreak. Each season is based on one book from the trilogy, and according to the author, “It really is about growing up and coming into your own and that loss of innocence.”
Release date: 17th June
Escape from Spiderhead (Netflix)
The remarkable Chris Hemsworth has been cast as Steve Abnesti, who oversees a state-of-theart prison. The film is based on a short story with the same title, which was written by George Saunders for the New Yorker. The synopsis follows two inmates, played by Jurnee Smollett and Miles Teller, who agree to be part of a drug trial in exchange for a shorter prison sentence, and who then endure strange side-effects. This sci-fi thriller is directed by Joseph Kosinski, who also worked on recent blockbuster, Top Gun: Maverick (2022), and is written by the writers of Deadpool (2016), Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick, so expect plenty of action and deftly-written dialogue.
Release date: 17th June
