Trailer Blitz: Jaws @ 50, Sketch, The Toxic Avenger, Marlee Matlin: Not Alone Anymore, Pike River and More
Time to catch up on this week's movie trailers! Here's a list of films coming to screens soon!
“Jaws @ 50” Trailer: New Definitive Making-of Documentary Revisits Steven Spielberg’s Classic Shark Saga That Invented the Blockbuster 50 Years Ago – Premieres July 10th on Nat Geo, Streams July 11th on Disney+ and Hulu
It's rare for any movie to leave a lasting impression, let alone one that lasts for 50 years. But Jaws is that rare kind of film that only gets better with age. And as it celebrates its 50th anniversary this year, it's the perfect time to look back at why the film became such a cultural phenomenon—and why so many still hold it in reverence.
While there's plenty of evidence to show that Star Wars changed the landscape of cinema forever, Jaws, which arrived in theaters a year earlier, was the first film to truly draw massive crowds of moviegoers, with lines wrapped around the block for sold-out screenings. In fact, it marked the birth of the summer movie season as we know it today. And it was the enormous success of Jaws that gave us the term “blockbuster,” a word that has since become a defining part of the modern movie industry.
So, just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water, here comes a new retrospective documentary to remind us why Jaws, despite being 50, can still get its hooks in us, and never let go until the final credits roll.
Jaws @ 50: The Definitive Inside Story is the ultimate deep dive into the making of the classic blockbuster that turned beaches into panic zones and made audiences rethink spending their summers in the ocean. This authorized 90-minute retrospective reels in filmmaker Steven Spielberg himself, as he revisits the nightmare production that nearly sank his career—complete with rubber shark malfunctions, weather tantrums, and post-production panic attacks.
Packed with rare footage from Spielberg and Jaws author Peter Benchley’s personal archives, plus never-before-seen outtakes, Jaws @ 50 bares it all… teeth and all. But this doc isn’t just chum for movie buffs. Alongside Hollywood heavyweights like John Williams, George Lucas, Robert Zemeckis, James Cameron, Cameron Crowe, Emily Blunt, Jordan Peele, and Guillermo del Toro sharing their perspectives, we also hear all the great behind-the-scenes stories—like how Bruce the shark was a mechanical failure, yet Spielberg used creative tricks and pure ingenuity to deliver the scare-fest that ultimately became an unmitigated cinematic classic.
Directed by Laurent Bouzereau (Faye, Music by John Williams) and produced in partnership with Amblin, Nedland Films, and Wendy Benchley, Jaws @ 50 is set to premiere Thursday, July 10 on National Geographic, and swims onto Disney+ and Hulu the very next day.
Spoiler: you're gonna need a bigger couch.
“Sketch” New Trailer: Tony Hale Battles Googly-Eyed Monsters in This New Fantasy-Horror Comedy About a Girl’s Doodles Gone Dangerously Real – In Theaters August 6th
Every parent wants their child to live up to their full potential. And if that child is imaginative and filled with creativity, then yes, they should be encouraged to express it freely. But what if that child is going through “some stuff,” and their creativity becomes more intense... at times bleak, and maybe even a little unsettling? What if those crayon-colored scribbles on a sketch pad are actually signs of a kid grappling with some dark thoughts?
And now here’s the mother of all “what if” scenarios: what if those kid drawings of colorful monsters somehow magically leap from the page and into our reality? Now that's a nightmare no parent can prepare for... or even begin to understand. Until it's too late, and those googly-eyed monsters aren’t just in their child’s mind anymore, but are staring down at them, breathing, snarling, and very, very real.
In this new fantasy-horror romp Sketch, Emmy-winner Tony Hale (Veep, Arrested Development) stars as a frazzled father trying to keep it together when his 10-year-old daughter (played by newcomer Bianca Bell) starts producing some truly gory masterpieces—complete with blood-slurping, puke-happy beasts that would give even Guillermo del Toro a thumbs up. But what starts as innocent doodles becomes a full-blown nightmare when the girl's monstrous drawings spring to life after a fateful splash in a forest pond.
And let’s just say… these aren’t your average crayon creatures. These 50-feet-tall horrors come with long tentacle-like legs, eyeballs in all the wrong places, and an appetite for destruction, turning a sleepy suburban town into a surreal battleground of childhood imagination gone terrifyingly rogue. It’s enough for any father to regret ever buying that jumbo pack of crayons and a sketchbook in the first place.
Co-starring D’Arcy Carden (The Good Place), Sketch is written and directed by acclaimed commercial director Seth Worley, in his feature debut based on his earlier proof-of-concept short film Darker Colors. The film, which earned strong reviews during its run on the festival circuit, appears to be mixing family adventure with monster mayhem and a healthy dose of offbeat humor. Think Bridge to Terabithia… if the bridge led straight to hell and back.
So, grab your markers and brace yourselves for some scribbled scares when Sketch reminds us that a child's imagination can be a beautiful thing... until it starts chasing you. The film will be opening in theaters August 6th.
“The Toxic Avenger” New Teaser: Peter Dinklage Battles Corruption as a Mop-Wielding Mutant, While Elijah Wood Plays a Demented Rock Manager in This Reboot of ’80s Cult Camp Classic – In Theaters August 29th
Move over, Marvel! ’Cuz there’s a new kind of superhero in town, and he’s radioactive, rage-fueled, and armed with a mop. The Toxic Avenger returns in a gloriously grotesque reboot of the cult ’80s classic, proving that justice isn’t just blind... it’s oozing.
Check out this new teaser trailer, offering a look at what’s likely to be one of the weirdest movies of the summer—thanks in no small part to Elijah Wood, who plays the deeply creepy Fritz Garbinger, a deranged manager of an underground rock-rap group that makes Insane Clown Posse look tame.
In the upcoming film, Peter Dinklage stars as Winston Gooze, a meek janitor with migraines and a moral compass, who gets dunked in toxic sludge and emerges as a monstrous, working-class avenger. With limbs flying and mop swinging, Winston sets out to scrub the powerful elite clean, starting with his villainous former boss, Bob Garbinger, played with smarmy callousness by Kevin Bacon.
Directed by Macon Blair (I Don’t Feel at Home in This World Anymore), this ultra-violent, hyper-camp romp throws subtlety into a vat of acid, delivering a movie that may not surpass the legacy of the original. But sure as hell, it isn’t afraid to try.
Co-starring Taylour Paige and Jacob Tremblay, The Toxic Avenger is part monster flick, part union rally, and all-out mayhem. Forget capes and spandex! 'Cuz this hero’s covered in sludge and fueled by righteous fury. The Toxic Avenger hits theaters August 29th. So yeah… it’s time to clean house, toxic style!
“Marlee Matlin: Not Alone Anymore” Trailer: The Oscar Winning Deaf Actress Reflects on 40 Years of Breaking Barriers in Hollywood in This New Documentary – Hitting Theaters June 20th
Breaking into Hollywood can be a frustrating, uphill battle for any actor with dreams as big as the silver screen itself. The journey will likely be filled with plenty of closed doors and endless auditions that end in more rejections than wins. But for an actor with a disability, that journey gets a little more complicated, a little more isolating, and a lot more stacked against them.
This is why actress Marlee Matlin is not only a rare Hollywood success story but also a trailblazer who shattered barriers and redefined what inclusion in Hollywood can look like. And now, with 40 years in the business—constantly working and constantly changing minds about how we perceive the Deaf community—it’s about time we give Matlin her flowers. Because Hollywood may be loud at times, but Marlee Matlin proves you don’t need to hear the noise to make history... you just need to make waves big enough for the world to feel them.
In the upcoming retrospective documentary Marlee Matlin: Not Alone Anymore, viewers will get to dive into the life and legacy of Marlee Matlin, who, at just 21, became the first Deaf actor to win an Oscar for her breakthrough lead performance in 1986’s Children of a Lesser God. And since then, she has been blazing a path for other Deaf actors to follow.
Directed by fellow Deaf actress Shoshannah Stern (This Close, Jericho) in her directorial debut, the film tosses the traditional doc format out the window, embracing open captions, split-screen interviews, and ASL as its beating heart. Stern sits down with Matlin for a deeply personal conversation about her journey in Hollywood—the good, the bad, and the ground-breaking—while striving to deliver an honest portrait of a woman who never asked permission to take up space... she just did it.
From her early stardom to standout roles in The West Wing and CODA, and her fearless push for on-screen and off-screen inclusion, Matlin opens up about fame, heartbreak, addiction, and advocacy with unflinching honesty and hard-won humor.
Marlee Matlin: Not Alone Anymore opens in theaters on June 20th.
“Pike River” International Trailer: Melanie Lynskey Demands Justice in This New Zealand Drama Based on the Tragic 2010 Mine Disaster – Coming Soon
Melanie Lynskey is a beloved television actress, best known to U.S. audiences for her role as the friendly stalker Rose on the long-running sitcom Two and a Half Men, as well as her acclaimed performance as the dubious Shauna in Showtime’s Yellowjackets, which earned her two Emmy nominations. She also picked up another Emmy nod for her guest-starring turn as a ruthless revolutionary leader in the first season of HBO’s The Last of Us.
What many may not realize is that Lynskey has expertly mastered the American accent for these roles. Because she’s originally from New Zealand and speaks with a natural, distinctly Kiwi accent that she rarely gets to use on screen these days. Well, it seems Lynskey recently had the chance to act in her natural voice, returning to her home country to star in a new feature film based on one of New Zealand’s darkest mining disasters in recent history.
In the upcoming Kiwi drama Pike River, Lynskey stars as a woman who refuses to let the truth stay buried after a tragedy that shook the nation. She stars alongside acclaimed Kiwi actress Robyn Malcolm (Top of the Lake) as Anna Osborne and Sonya Rockhouse, two ordinary mothers and wives whose lives were shattered when the 2010 Pike River Mine explosion claimed the lives of 29 men, including husbands and sons. What followed wasn’t just grief—it was a relentless crusade for justice, as these women took on bureaucracy, silence, and spin to demand accountability.
Directed by Rob Sarkies (Out of the Blue) and written by Fiona Samuel (Consent), Pike River turns heartbreak into a rallying cry, honoring the resilience of a community that wouldn’t be silenced. With a cast that includes Lucy Lawless, Erroll Shand, and John Leigh, the film appears to be a sobering yet stirring tale of loss, courage, and two women trying to give voice to the pain.
Opening in New Zealand this October, Pike River doesn't have an official U.S. release date yet—but you can check out the official international trailer, above.
“Found Footage: The Making of the Patterson Project” Trailer: Bigfoot Meets DIY Filmmaking in This New Horror-Comedy Mockumentary Exec. Produced By Radio Silence – In Theaters June 20th, and on VOD June 24th
This is the story of an aspiring filmmaker with a dream of launching a movie armed with nothing but hope and a prayer. Well, what can we say? It’s the kind of story that speaks to us. But add Bigfoot into the mix, and now you’ve got our full attention. You’re speaking our language.
Found Footage: The Making of the Patterson Project might not be for everyone. And that’s okay. Because it might be only a few (count us among that demographic) who truly appreciate the passion, chaos, and DIY madness that go into chasing a cinematic dream… especially one involving a man in a gorilla suit, trying to recreate the legendary Bigfoot footage from the 1967 Patterson–Gimlin film.
Directed by indie filmmaker Max Tzannes (Et Tu), Found Footage is a horror-comedy mockumentary that proves the scariest thing on a movie set isn’t the monster, but a filmmaker with a dream and no budget. Brennan Keel Cook stars as Chase, an ambitious amateur director determined to create the definitive found footage Bigfoot movie. He’s got passion. He’s got vision. He’s got… a crew of misfits, a dollar store camcorder, and absolutely no idea what he’s doing. It’s indie cinema at its purest form: no budget, but a lot of heart.
But as production descends into total disarray, strange happenings begin to plague the set. Missing gear. Unexplainable noises. Footprints where there shouldn’t be feet. Before long, the line between fake scares and real horror gets trampled… possibly by a very real Sasquatch in the wild.
Also starring Chen Tang (Warrior) and Erika Vetter (Somebody I Used to Know), alongside veteran character actor Dean Cameron (Summer School, Straight Outta Compton), the film is presented and executive produced by Radio Silence—the filmmaking collective (Chad Villella, Tyler Gillett, and Matt Bettinelli-Olpin) who are behind the recent Scream films, as well as horror hits Abigail and Ready or Not.
So, if you love movies about hopeless dreamers… and Bigfoot? Look no further than Found Footage: The Making of the Patterson Project, hitting theaters June 20th, followed by a VOD release on Tuesday, June 24th.
“Jimmy and Stiggs” Trailer: Cult Horror Filmmaker Joe Begos Battles Aliens, Addiction, and Absolute Mayhem in His Latest Genre-Bending Splatterfest – In Theaters August 15
In the world of low-budget horror films, it's hard for a filmmaker to fully realize their vision. The money is usually very tight, time is always limited, and the special effects keep falling apart between takes. For most indie filmmakers, finishing a feature film takes a miracle. Then there’s cult horror filmmaker Joe Begos, who just keeps hacking away like a man possessed.
If you’ve seen any of his films, you know that Begos wears his influences on his sleeve. There’s clearly Carpenter, Raimi, Cronenberg, Hooper, Cameron, and a ton of others. And while he may not yet have reached the same level of mainstream acclaim as his idols, he’s certainly carved out a bloody, neon-soaked niche all his own with cult hits like Christmas Bloody Christmas, VFW, Bliss, The Mind's Eye, and Almost Human. Begos doesn’t just swing for the fences, he rips them out with a bloodstained chainsaw. And it’s that unadulterated love for splatter genre films that keeps us eager to see what he’s got lined up next. Sure, his films aren’t always perfect. But what they lack in finesse, they more than make up for in passion and sheer punk-rock attitude.
Begos returns with yet another batshit, blood-soaked, genre-bending splatterfest. And this time, he stars himself in full meltdown mode. In Jimmy and Stiggs, Begos plays Jimmy Lang, a washed-up filmmaker spiraling through a booze-soaked bender after hitting rock bottom. And just when things couldn't get any worse: enter the alien abduction... or so Jimmy claims. Either way, he’s convinced the aliens are coming back for him. Enter Stiggs (Matt Mercer), the loyal buddy and reluctant war pal, who joins Jimmy for one long night of psychotropic paranoia, intergalactic invasion, and skull-crushing carnage.
Blending '80s horror splatter with a splash of psychedelic sci-fi psychosis, Jimmy and Stiggs is a neon-drenched fever dream where the drugs are strong, the blood is plentiful, and the aliens are very, very real (well... maybe?).
Also co-starring Riley Dandy and Josh Ethier, with veteran character actor James Russo (Beverly Hills Cop, Django Unchained), Jimmy and Stiggs hits theaters August 15th. So when the world kicks you down, grab a bottle, call your weirdest friend, and fight back against aliens—because that’s the only way to survive... and maybe make the most deranged comeback story cinema’s ever seen.
“Elio” Final Trailer: Pixar’s New Animated Adventure Sends a Daydreaming Kid to Negotiate with Aliens – Hitting Theaters June 20th
If we’ve learned anything from decades of sci-fi movies about UFOs and humanity’s first contact with aliens, it’s this: we better have a solid handle on how to communicate with these space beings. Because one wrong word, and humans might accidentally start an intergalactic war.
So, imagine that pressure put on a small child who is accidentally mistaken for Earth’s top representative, and he’s tasked with speaking on behalf of the entire human race. Well, it’s going to take more than a few correctly played piano notes to set things right. That’s the gist of Elio, Pixar’s latest animated adventure, which flips the first-contact premise on its head.
In the upcoming film, Yonas Kibreab voices Elio Solis, a space-obsessed daydreamer who finally gets his wish when he’s abducted by aliens and accidentally zapped into the Communiverse—an intergalactic UN where Earth apparently forgot to RSVP. Mistaken for humanity’s official representative, Elio is suddenly thrown into a galaxy of googly-eyed extraterrestrials who think he knows what he’s doing. (Spoiler alert: he doesn’t.)
Directed by Coco’s Adrian Molina and co-directed by Turning Red’s Domee Shi and Burrow’s Madeline Sharafian, Elio looks to blend classic Pixar heart with cosmic hijinks—and it just might be the universal crowd-pleaser Pixar needs right now.
Joining Kibreab in the voice cast is Zoe Saldaña (fresh off her Oscar win for Emilia Pérez) as Elio’s tough-but-loving Aunt Olga, while Jameela Jamil (The Good Place) voices the unflappable Ambassador Questa, and Brad Garrett (Everybody Loves Raymond) brings some gravelly charm as the gruff Ambassador Grigon.
Opening June 20th in theaters, Elio sets out to prove that you don’t have to be a grown-up to lead the world... you just need a little courage and a healthy dose of imagination.
⇩ Additional Trailers:
“The Stranger in My Home” Trailer: Sophia Bush Faces Gaslighting and Deadly Secrets in Twisty Family Thriller with Amiah Miller – Arriving on VOD June 24th
In this new twisty family thriller, Sophia Bush stars as Ali, a happily married woman who’s built a cozy life with her teenage daughter Katie (Amiah Miller) and loving husband (Chris Johnson). That all changes when a mysterious man (Chris Carmack) knocks on the door with a claim that sends everything spiraling: he says he’s Katie’s biological dad. What starts as an awkward reunion quickly twists into a high-stakes game of gaslighting, obsession, and family secrets sharp enough to shatter the white picket fence. As the truth unravels, Ali must protect her daughter from a past she never knew existed... and a present that’s growing more dangerous by the hour. Based on the bestselling novel, The Stranger in My Home, this thriller is a chilling reminder that not every knock at the door should be answered. Streaming on VOD June 24th. Just make sure you double-check the peephole first.
“Emmanuelle” Trailer: Noémie Merlant Stars in Audrey Diwan’s Seductive Reimagining of the Erotic Classic – Arriving on VOD June 6th
Desire gets a reboot in this sultry modern take on the iconic French erotic series that once scandalized and titillated cinephiles in equal measure. This time, Noémie Merlant (Portrait of a Lady on Fire) takes on the role of Emmanuelle, a woman adrift in sensual distraction while haunted by a chance encounter with the mysterious and maddeningly elusive Kei (Will Sharpe). From candlelit hideaways to moments of exquisite tension, she’s pulled into a whirlpool of passion, longing, and beautifully shot intimacy that dares to ask: is pleasure enough, or is connection the ultimate high? Directed by Audrey Diwan (Happening) and co-starring Naomi Watts and Jamie Campbell Bower, this new take isn’t just about baring skin... it’s about peeling back the layers of passion, pleasure, and intimacy. Out on VOD June 6th.
“Diciannove” Trailer: Luca Guadagnino Produces This New Italian Coming-of-Age Drama About a Nineteen-Year-Old in Crisis From Writer-Director Giovanni Tortorici – In Theaters July 25th
Turning nineteen is hard. Turning nineteen while stuck between Palermo, London, and a crisis of identity? Well, that's a raw coming-of-age tale that trades training wheels for emotional whiplash. Newcomer Manfredi Marini stars in this new Italian drama as Leonardo, a teenage dreamer with a suitcase full of ambitions and zero chill. When he leaves his Sicilian home for university life in Siena, by way of a detour through London, he quickly learns that academia isn't just about lectures and libraries... it's about butting heads with instructors, dodging disillusionment, and spiraling into existential chaos… with a side of espresso. Written and directed by Giovanni Tortorici and produced by none other than Luca Guadagnino, this is an emotionally messy coming-of-age film for anyone who ever flunked a class, fell in love, or just totally freaked out at the age of nineteen. In theaters July 25.
“The G” Trailer: Dale Dickey Is an Angry Grandma with Payback on the Mind in This Elder Scam Thriller – In Select Theaters and on VOD July 27th
You can scam a lot of people... but you do not mess with Grandma! In this new revenge thriller, Dale Dickey (Winter’s Bone) delivers what seems like a powerhouse performance as Ann Hunter, a steely widow who finds herself the target of a cold-blooded elder scam. Stripped of her legal rights and facing forced relocation to a care facility, the con artists think she’ll go quietly. Big mistake.What they don’t realize? Ann’s got grit, guts, and a loaded gun. When they try to erase her life, she has other plans... starting with making them regret it. Written and directed by Karl R. Hearne and inspired by his own grandmother’s real-life ordeal, this blistering "winter noir" trades warm blankets for cold retribution. In select theaters and on VOD July 27th.
“Jim Thorpe: Lit by Lightning” Trailer: LeBron James Produces This New Powerful Doc on America’s First Sports Icon – Premiering July 7th on the History Channel
Before there was LeBron, Brady, or Bo... there was the man, the myth, the legend: Jim Thorpe. This two-hour documentary charges headfirst into the life of one of the most overlooked icons in sports history. Thorpe wasn’t just an Olympian... he was the Olympian. The first Native American to win Olympic gold for the U.S., he was a multisport phenom who dominated football, baseball, basketball, and track like it was no big deal. From his battles against racism and injustice to his unmatched athletic brilliance, this new doc paints a portrait of a man who didn’t just break records, he broke barriers. Executive produced by LeBron James and Maverick Carter, the film premieres Monday, July 7th on the History Channel. Don’t miss the story of an American icon whose impact was as thunderous as his stride.