What’s New to Stream on Netflix for July 2023

Crossing the Streams is our series of guides looking at all the offerings hitting the big streaming services each month. This time we’re checking out what’s new to streaming on Netflix in July 2023, including Hidden Strike with Jackie Chan, a Bird Box spin-off, and more!

Netflix Pick of the Month for July 2023

The general idea behind these picks of the month is to highlight the title we’re most excited about, and to that end, Hidden Strike (2023, premieres July 28th) fits well enough. To be fair, there’s little reason to suspect it’ll be any good — it’s been sitting on the shelf for about three years, and that first trailer suggests an abundance of CG backdrops and action destined to leave viewers unimpressed. And yet… I’m a Chan fan, John Cena has proven himself a fun addition in action/comedies elsewhere, and director Scott Waugh (he of next year’s Expend4bles) has crafted grounded action previously with the likes of Act of Valor (2012). Of course, all of that said, not even Renny Harlin (Skiptrace, 2016) could deliver a late-career Chan jam worth a damn, so who knows. We’ll find out together at the end of the month!

New Netflix Original Films

I’m not the biggest fan of 2018’s Bird Box, but it was a monster hit for the streamer meaning a sequel wasn’t out of the question. Bird Box Barcelona (premieres July 14th) is more of a spin-off than a sequel, and it looks to follow a mostly similar path as a family deals with a monstrous entity that kills you if you see it. (Seriously, the premise is still stupid.) On the plus side, Barbarian‘s (2022) Georgina Campbell headlines, and it’s from the directors of the underappreciated Carriers (2009). Is that enough to overcome the goofy setup? Hopefully!

A bit more of an outlier, but even more star-filled, is They Cloned Tyrone (premieres July 21st). Jamie Foxx, John Boyega, David Alan Grier, and Kiefer Sutherland star in the comedic thriller about some sort of government conspiracy that most likely involves cloning. Director Juel Taylor is following up his 2017 debut, Actors Anonymous, with a film guaranteed to find more eyeballs thanks to its cast and streaming home. The cast is more than capable, and it looks like a fun enough time.

The Netflix Original I’m most looking forward to this month is the one with the lowest profile. Paradise (premieres July 27th) is a new sci-fi/thriller from Germany that finds an interesting new angle on an otherwise familiar setup. Science has evolved to create a way to add years and youth to the lives of people who can afford it. The catch? It’s based on the ability to take life and youth from those in need of cash. When one woman in debt sells off decades of her life, her husband sets out to get them back. It’s a great hook.

Odds & Ends

A certain famous ship has been in the news lately for tragic reasons. It sank over a century ago, but some wealthy fools went down for a photo op and ended up permanent residents in Davy Jones’ locker. I don’t even know what that means. Anyway, James Cameron’s Titanic (1997), one of his three mega blockbusters, is new to Netflix this month. The film remains a real banger combining romance, class commentary, disaster thrills, and moral dilemmas (he would have fit on that door, Rose!) into something truly special. Kate Winslet, Leonardo DiCaprio, Bill Paxton, Billy Zane, Kathy Bates, and more memorable faces star, and while the front half delivers drama and character beats it’s the back half that wows thanks to our good friend, the iceberg. Watch it again.

Netflix is no stranger to documentaries — they’re cheaper to produce, require fewer resources, and are cheaper to produce. Some have been interesting while others, well, less so, but their latest takes a dive into some fairly engaging waters. Unknown: The Lost Pyramids (premieres July 3rd) kicks off the four-part series, and the remaining titles focus on Killer Robots, a Cave of Bones, and the Cosmic Time Machine. All four topics are interesting enough, so hopefully the execution lives up to the source material.

We can probably all agree that Adam Devine is something of an acquired taste. As much as I dig him in The Righteous Gemstones, some of his feature work is a bit… much. But hey, I’m always hoping for the best. The Outlaws (premieres July 7th) sees him headlining as a young man who discovers his fiancée’s parents are bank robbers. Wacky hijinks ensue, probably, and with any luck some of them will be hilarious. The odds are aided somewhat with the presence of Ellen Barkin and Pierce Brosnan as the thieves, and we also get supporting turns from Michael Rooker and Julie Hagerty so maybe, just maybe, this will be the one.

The Oldest New Arrival to Netflix for July 2023

One of the very legitimate gripes against Netflix is the dearth of older films on the streamer — movies made before the 90s, basically — so each month we like to highlight the oldest new arrival. This month’s winner is actually a trilogy that kicks off with The Karate Kid (1984). John G. Avildsen’s box-office hit remains a solid coming of age film capped off with some remarkably weak martial arts. The Karate Kid: Part II (1986) sends Ralph Macchio to Japan so he can forget about Elizabeth Shue (apparently), and The Karate Kid: Part III (1989) — well I’ll be honest, I thought part three was the one with Hilary Swank so I guess I’ve never actually seen part three? Anyway, they’re the oldest new arrivals! Give ’em a watch so Netflix sees that “old” movies have fans too. In case you’re unaware, Netflix also has an ongoing series called Cobra Kai that’s ultimately a sequel to all of it, and it’s equally entertaining while still delivering underwhelming fights.

The Complete Netflix List for July 2023

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