Top 10 Anticipated Releases of July 2016

Blink-182’s seventh studio album was largely delayed due to Tom DeLonge’s schedule. In 2015, DeLonge left the group after tension between band members hit an all time high, and was replaced by vocalist/guitarist Matt Skiba of Alkaline Trio. Although DeLonge’s departure marks the end of an era, drummer Travis Barker is optimistic about the rock band’s future, describing “California” as “the best material we've written or put out in years.” The album’s lead single, “Bored to Death,” is already a critical and commercial success, becoming Blink-182’s highest debut ever on multiple charts.    

Set 19 years after the Battle of Hogwarts, this two-part stage production follows a grown up Harry Potter and his youngest son, Albus. The casting of Swaziland-born Noma Dumezweni as Hermione has notably generated some controversy. Nevertheless, this official eighth installment in the series received highly positive feedback from audiences that saw the pubic previews. If you can’t catch the play’s premiere at London’s Palace Theatre, don’t worry. The script book will be published the following day on July 31. Hey, that’s also Harry’s birthday! 

Kentaro Miura’s acclaimed manga was previously adapted into a 25-episode anime series, airing from 1997 to 1998. This second “Berserk” TV series serves as a follow-up to the “Golden Age Arc” film trilogy, chronicling the original “Black Swordsman” storyline. Miura will act as an executive supervisor with most of the “Golden Age Arc” voice cast reprising their roles. If the series can live up to its awesome source material, this dark fantasy is sure to offer more than enough gothic imagery, deep character development, and ofcourse GUTS!

 
The upcoming “Ghostbusters” reboot might have the most disliked movie trailer in YouTube history, but that doesn’t mean the film will be bad. Given the talent involved, the female-centered “Ghostbusters” actually has the potential to be hysterical. Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Kate McKinnon and Leslie Jones are four of the hottest women in comedy at the moment while director Paul Feig has yet to let us down. With several key players from the original classic making cameos as well, we’re hopeful this reboot won’t leave us disappointed.

Even if you haven’t seen “Mr. Robot,” chances are you have a friend who won’t shut up about it. Season one of Sam Esmail’s thrilling drama was among last year’s best-reviewed shows. On Rotten Tomatoes, “Mr. Robot” set a record after each episode received a perfect score of 100% positive. It also took home two Golden Globe Awards, including Best Drama Series. If you haven’t caught up with this phenomenal show yet, you’d better start binging before season two begins.   

If you’ve officially completed “Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate”, don’t worry. “Monster Hunter Generations” should keep you occupied for another couple hundred hours. This 3DS title naturally centers on hunting ferocious beasts, introducing various new fighting styles and special attacks along the way. The game will also allow us to finally play as Felynes and dress them up as Amaterasu from Capcom’s “Okami”. Tell us, what’s the only thing cuter than a cat? A cat wearing a wolf suit of course!

Roald Dahl, Steven Spielberg, and Disney have been defining childhood for generations. When it was announced all three of these storytelling giants would be uniting on the big screen, it seemed like a dream come true. Spielberg and Disney’s adaptation of Dahl’s beloved novel stars Oscar-winner Mark Rylance as the titular Big Friendly Giant, along with young Ruby Barnhill in her feature film debut as Sophie. Premiering at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival last May, early reviews suggest that “The BFG” will stand tall. 

 
Since 2016 marks the 50th anniversary of Gene Roddenberry’s landmark sci-fi series, “Star Trek Beyond” couldn’t be coming to theaters at a more perfect time. While still acting as a producer, J.J. Abrams chose not to direct the USS Enterprise’s latest voyage in favor of “Star Wars: The Force Awakens”. Instead, Justin Lin of the “Fast & Furious” franchise will be piloting this mission. While the action-heavy trailer has received some backlash from diehard Trekkers, Simon Pegg insists, “there’s a lot more to the film”.

Who knew horses lived such interesting lives? Over the past couple years, BoJack Horseman has stood out as one of the funniest and most complex characters on television. You wouldn’t think a cartoon about a talking, alcoholic horse would be anything profound. Yet this Netflix original series has evolved into a truly clever commentary on celebrity culture, hilariously mixing brutal honesty and sheer lunacy together. With two great seasons already under his belt, let’s see if BoJack can go for the Triple Crown.

“The Bourne Legacy” didn’t exactly blow audiences away, but this blockbuster franchise might be able to redeem itself now that Jason Bourne is back in action. Despite his initial reluctance, Matt Damon finally agreed to reprise his role as everyone’s favorite super spy. Well, second favorite super spy… Director Paul Greengrass also returns for this anticipated thriller, which unveiled its title during Super Bowl 50. The question is if this will be Jason Bourne’s final outing or a new beginning? Either way, we’ll never forget his name.