Axel Foley returning to Beverly Hills, an animated feature from former Studio Ghibli talent, a jaw-dropping doc about love-struck “rooftoppers” and final seasons from three big shows — a Spanish teen drama, a viking saga and Daniel LaRusso’s last hurrah — are some of the highlights on Netflix in July.
Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F, Netflix’s high profile feature release for this month, arrives on July 3. The fourth installment in the Eddie Murphy-led action-comedy franchise, sees Detroit detective Axel Foley return to Beverly Hills, thirty years after his last visit. This time, Foley must team up with a new partner — played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt — when his daughter’s (Taylour Paige) life is threatened. Franchise fans will be happy to see regulars Billy Rosewood (Judge Reinhold), John Taggart (John Ashton), Jeffrey Friedman (Paul Reiser) and Serge (Bronson Pinchot) make appearances and series newcomer Kevin Bacon is also part of the action as Captain Grant.
Launching on Netflix on July 5, is The Imaginary, the second animated feature from Japanese animation house Studio Ponoc, a company built by former Studio Ghibli staffers. The animated film premiered in competition at this year’s Annecy Animation Festival, and is directed by Ghibli alum Yoshiyuki Momose (Modest Heroes, Tomorrow’s Leaves) from a script by longtime Ghibli producer Yoshiaki Nishimura (The Tale of The Princess Kaguya) and is based on the novel of the same name by A.F. Harrold. The film tells the story of a young girl’s make-believe friend who endeavors to save her and their relationship.
On July 11, we get closure on the sagas of Leif Erikson, Freydís Eiríksdóttir and Harald Sigurdsson as Vikings: Valhalla concludes with its third and final season. The spinoff series of Vikings ended its second season with Leif’s crew reaching Constantinople, the beating heart of the lavishly rich Byzantine Empire. Sam Corlett, Frida Gustavsson and Leo Suter return as Leif, Freydís and Harald, respectively, with season three introducing newcomers Maniakes (Florian Munteanu), a fearless Byzantine general who answers only to the Emir, and Erik the Red (Goran Višnjić), Leif and Freydís’ father.
Saying a long goodbye that begins this summer is Cobra Kai, with the first part of the sixth and final series hitting Netflix on July 18. Season five ended with the dastardly Terry Silver thwarted, but the equally dastardly John Kreese has escaped the big house and is on the lam! All the beloved regulars, including Ralph Macchio, William Zabka, Courtney Henggeler, Xolo Maridueña, Tanner Buchanan, Mary Mouser, Jacob Bertrand, Peyton List and Martin Kove, all return for what’s sure to be a dramatic denouement to the Emmy-nominated action-comedy series. Part two of the final season launches on Netflix in November, with the third part debuting next year.
Debuting on the streamer on July 19, is Jeff Zimbalist’s jaw-dropping documentary, Skywalkers: A Love Story. The doc, which premiered at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival, tells the story of Russian “rooftoppers” Angela Nikolau and Vanya Beerkus, the daredevil couple who have scaled, often illegally, some of the world’s tallest buildings. The film distills over 200 hours of material shot across seven years and six countries, as well as Nikolau and Beerkus’ own footage of their most insane ascents.
Only July 26, Netflix’s hit international teen drama Elite returns for a hotly anticipated eighth and final season. The Spanish-language series, set in the fictional Las Encinas elite private school, will serve up more of its trademark twists and betrayals while also doing an admirable job of covering social issues in an artful way. The final season will pick up the action with the characters dealing to the aftermath of Raul’s murder. Newcomers for season eight include Ane Rot, Nuno Gallego, Alexandra Pino and Mario Ermito.
Movies added to Netflix in July include American Hustle, American Psycho, Annabelle, Back to the Future Part I-III, Big Daddy, The Blind Side, Call Me by Your Name, Captain Phillips, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2, Easy A, The House Bunny, Jigsaw, The Karate Kid, Magic Mike XXL, Matilda, The Nun, Paw Patrol: The Movie, Spider
