What’s coming soon to Sky and NOW TV in July 2018?
David Farnor | On 30, Jun 2018
Only a matter of days after Westworld’s second season finale, HBO is already unleashing your latest TV obsession: eight-part thriller Sharp Objects, from the writer of Gone Girl, the director of Big Little Lies and starring Amy Adams. Sky is balancing that drama with some action this July, courtesy of Stan Lee’s Lucky Man – back for a third run of highly fortunate high-octane shootouts – and comedy, courtesy of Sick Note Season 2 (featuring Lindsay Lohan). All that and every episode of Patrick Melrose, Billions, The Deuce and two of Stargate’s TV series, in case Game of Thrones wasn’t enough of a reason to be addicted to Sky Box Sets.
Don’t have Sky? You can stream all of the above live and on-demand through NOW, Sky’s contract-free VOD service, which costs £8.99 a month. For more information, click here.
Sky Cinema, though, is giving its TV arm a serious run for its money this summer, with the arrival of one of last year’s best films: the swooning coming-of-age drama Call Me By Your Name. That’s joined by Gerard Butler blockbuster Geostorm, the Wonder Woman origins story you didn’t know, the fascinating Fashionista, the indie gem Daphne and the delirious Jeff Goldblum-tinged fun that is Thor: Ragarok.
Again, if you don’t have Sky, you can stream all of Sky Cinema live and on-demand through NOW, for £11.99 a month. For more information on that, click here. For F1 and other sports, you can also sign up to NOW’s Sky Sports Pass on a contract-free basis. For more information, click here.
Here’s your guide to what’s coming soon in July 2018:
TV
Shades of Blue – Good Police (Sky Living, 9pm) – 3rd July
Tough, morally ambiguous, and utterly compelling. Shades of Blue returns for its third and final chapter Jennifer Lopez and Ray Liotta return as Brooklyn cops Harlee Santos and Matt Wozniak and prepare to walk the thin line between justice and retribution for the last time. As Harlee and Wozniak continue to deal with the trauma from their near death experiences, they encounter a grisly crime scene that launches a new mystery.
The South Bank Sky Arts Awards 2018 – (Sky Arts, 8pm) – 4th July
Melvyn Bragg resumes his role as master of ceremonies as The South Bank Sky Arts Awards once again shines a light on the arts’ outstanding achievers. One of the most coveted arts awards in the world, it brings together individuals from a diverse array of backgrounds to celebrate a shared passion for innovation and creativity. Last year’s winners include comedy Fleabag, novelist Rose Tremain and the English National Ballet, and 2018 is set to highlight even more outstanding artistic talents.
S.W.A.T: Season 1 (Sky 1, 9pm) – 8th July
Big on heart and even bigger on action, this high-octane reboot has been a hit across the pond. Made by the guys that brought us The Shield, Timeless and Friday Night Lights, the show stars Criminal Minds’ Shemar Moore as newly promoted S.W.A.T sergeant Daniel “Hondo” Harrelson – a former marine torn between his loyalty to the LA streets and his brothers in blue. Justin Lin (Fast & Furious) directs the first pulse-pounding episode.
Sharp Objects (Sky Atlantic, 9pm) – 9th July
Amy Adams stars in this dark and deeply compelling HBO drama. Based on the book of the same name by The New York Times bestselling author Gillian Flynn (Gone Girl) and directed by Jean-Marc Vallée (Big Little Lies), this eight-episode series tells the story of reporter Camille Preaker (Adams), who returns to her small hometown to cover the murders of two preteen girls. Trying to put together a psychological puzzle from her past, she finds herself identifying with the victims a bit too closely. Can’t wait until 9pm to see each episode? The show is simulcast at 2am with its US broadcast, with the episode then available to stream on-demand.
Stan Lee’s Lucky Man: Season 3 (Sky 1, 9pm) – 20th July
Expect stunts, shoot-outs and street fights galore as the mysterious bracelets draw Harry
(James Nesbitt) to Hong Kong and into the path of his greatest nemesis yet (Spooks’ Rupert
Penry-Jones). Rejected by fellow officer Suri, accused of Isabella’s murder and on the run with Eve (Sienna Guillory), Harry may have to take his biggest ever gamble if he’s to hold on to his freedom… and his life. Even more action-packed than before, series three also stars The Replacement’s Neve McIntosh.
Sick Note: Season 2 (Sky 1, TBC) – Date TBC
The lies keep coming as Daniel (Rupert Grint) and Dr Glennis (Nick Frost) return for a second dose of the brilliantly dark Sky original production, with Lindsay Lohan joining the cast. The star plays the CEO daughter of Daniel’s boss Kenny, and she’s got a
seriously awkward job for Daniel. Plus, Will_5000 rocks up threatening to spill some serious secrets and a spot of blackmail throws Daniel in with a psychopathic drug dealer. Oh, and the police are still sniffing around, too.
Soundtracks: Songs That Defined History (Sky Arts, TBC) – Date TBC
This eight-part series explores the music tied to iconic moments in history, from the march on Washington in 1963 and the riots at the Stonewall in 1969 to the Apollo 11 moon landing and Hurricane Katrina. Each episode illuminates how music has played an integral role in celebrating, criticising and amplifying these seismic events, featuring rare archival footage alongside interviews with legendary musicians, journalists, historians and other notable figures including Neil deGrasse Tyson, Dwayne Johnson, Billy Joel and more.
Box Sets
Carnage: Season 1 – 10th July
Weaponised cars go bumper-to-bumper Mad Max-style in this high-octane Sky original production hosted by Freddie Flintoff, Lethal Bizzle and Vick Hope. Teams of engineers, mechanics and drivers take their souped-up pride and joys into the desert for a series of almighty duels. Armed with flamethrowers, rams and circular saws these war machines are tooled up to create havoc in the most explosive way imaginable.
Patrick Melrose: Season 1 – 11th July
Benedict Cumberbatch stars as Patrick Melrose in Sky’s classily performed, tragic and darkly funny five-part adaptation of Edward St Aubyn’s acclaimed novels.
Billions: Seasons 1 to 3 – 15th July
Every episode of the critically acclaimed finance drama comes to Sky Box Sets and NOW as maverick hedge fund kingpin Bobby Axelrod (Damian Lewis) goes head-to-head with Chuck Rhoades (Paul Giamatti), a US attorney determined to bring an end to Wall Street corruption.
The Deuce: Season 1 – 15th July
James Franco and Maggie Gyllenhaal star in a gritty drama from David Simon and George Pelecanos (The Wire) that traces the evolution of the porn industry in New York City’s Times Square in the 1970s.
Bulletproof: Season 1 – 20th July
Whether you missed Sky One’s smash-hit buddy cop drama starring Ashley Walters and Noel Clarke the first time around or just want to experience every shoot-out, car chase and punch-up again, here is your chance. All six episodes come to Sky Box Sets and NOW, delivering an action-packed ride through the streets of London as indomitable law-enforcing duo Pike and Bishop attempt to bring down the capital’s meanest criminals.
Stargate SG1: Seasons 1 to 10 – 20th July
Based on Roland Emmerich and Dean Devlin’s award-winning 1994 sci-fi adventure film, this popular series follows a team of explorers made up of soldiers and scientists who travel through a Stargate, an ancient portal to other planets, where they explore new worlds, forge ties with friendly civilisations and protect Earth from hostile forces.
Stargate Atlantis: Seasons 1 to 5 – 20th July
A new team of explorers travels to the distant Pegasus galaxy where they discover the lost city of Atlantis. But once there, the team not only find themselves unable to contact Earth, they come face to face with a sinister enemy known as The Wraith.
Movies
Call Me by Your Name – 1st July
Luca Guadagnino (A Bigger Splash) directs this sublime coming-of-age love story. Adapted from the novel of the same name and nominated for four awards at both the Oscars and BAFTAs, it’s set during a long, hot, early-80s Italian summer. Michael Stuhlbarg plays Perlman, a middle-aged American professor of archaeology living with glamorous wife Annella (Amira Casar) and precocious teenage son Elio (the excellent Timothée Chalamet). The latter is drifting along without really knowing what to do with himself, but then handsome grad student Oliver (Armie Hammer) arrives…
Geostorm – 6th July
Independence Day and Godzilla co-writer Dean Devlin makes his directorial debut, pitting Gerard Butler against some very, very bad weather. The London Has Fallen star is Jake Lawson, a bad-boy scientist behind the creation of a state-of-the-art climate control system that uses a vast satellite network to keep global warming and its devastating effects at bay. Of course the system – codenamed Dutch Boy – ends up malfunctioning, so Jake has to suit up and head into space to investigate.
Professor Marston and the Wonder Women – 8th July
Wonder Woman gets yet another origins story, although this one’s a little less innocent than Patty Jenkins’ blockbuster smash. The focus is on academic turned comic book writer William Moulton Marston (Luke Evans), a polyamorist psychology professor with a taste for spanking, bondage and S&M – and the man credited with creating the iconic DC heroine. His inspiration? A three-way romance with steely wife/research partner Elizabeth (the always excellent Rebecca Hall) and their young, inexperienced assistant Olive Byrne (Fifty Shades Darker’s Bella Heathcote). All of a sudden the Lasso of Truth takes on a whole new dimension.
Fashionista – 12th July
Psychologically fragile April (Amanda Fuller) and her husband Eric (Ethan Embry) run a vintage clothing store and keep the overwhelming piles of stock in their apartment. April is paranoid about losing the seemingly devoted Eric, a situation not helped by her Svengali-like relationship with wealthy Randall (Eric Balfour) and her descent into an unhealthy obsession with the clothes surrounding her.
Happy Death Day – 13th July
Groundhog Day gets dark in this high-concept slasher, as college birthday girl Tree (Jessica Rothe) finds herself repeating the same deadly day over and over again. Each and every morning she wakes up hungover in the initially unfamiliar dorm room of a freshman named Carter (Israel Broussard), naturally assuming that the pair have had a one night stand. She makes her excuses and goes about her day, only to be set upon by a murderous psychopath wearing a creepy baby mask. Can she break the cycle?
Thor: Ragnarok – 20th July
Taika Waititi (What We Do in the Shadows, Hunt for the Wilderpeople) skippers this delightfully bonkers third outing for Chris Hemsworth’s musclebound Asgardian prince. Things aren’t exactly looking rosy when goddess of death Hela (a game and gothed-up Cate Blanchett) returns from exile, but even being banished to a remote junk planet and forced into gladiatorial combat can’t keep our hero down. Before long he’s formed a quite glorious odd-couple double act with AWOL Avengers pal Hulk/Bruce Banner (Mark Ruffalo), and the fightback is on.
Daphne – 23rd July
Self-sabotaging 30-something Londoner Daphne (Emily Beecham) gets drunk on a nightly basis and hooks up with random guys. She also has a difficult relationship with her disapproving mother (Geraldine James) and appears to be heading nowhere fast. But when she saves the life of a shopkeeper stabbed in a botched robbery, the impenetrable armour she wears to protect herself begins to crack.
Jupiter’s Moon – 25th July
While trying to flee across the border into Hungary, Syrian refugee Aryan (Zsombor Jéger) is shot by a trigger-happy immigration officer. However, while he’s being treated in hospital, he suddenly discovers he can levitate. Doctor Gabor Stern (Merab Ninidze) thinks his patient may be an angel…and embarks on a lucrative tour of rich patients. However, Aryan has other plans… Hungarian director Kornél Mundruczó’s oddity flirts with sci-fi and fantasy.
The LEGO Ninjago Movie – 28th July
This is the third animated big-screen romp based on those little Danish bricks
and again it’s a winner, with the focus this time on the faraway city of Ninjago and the colourful team of teenage ninja warriors – led by Dave Franco’s Lloyd/Green Ninja – sworn to protect it. Usually that means battling volcano-dwelling ne’er-do-well and Lloyd’s estranged dad Lord Garmadon (the excellent Justin Theroux), but when an even greater threat emerges an uneasy alliance must be formed.
Other movies coming soon in July 2018:
2nd July
Barracuda
3rd July
Alien Invasion: S.U.M.1
4th July
Tom of Finland
5th July
The Midnight Man
7th July
The Wilde Wedding
9th July
Wetlands
10th July
FML
11th July
More
14th July
Renegades
15th July
Tommy’s Honour
16th July
Realive
17th July
22 Chaser
18th July
The Last Diamond
19th July
An Ordinary Man
21st July
The Shanghai Job
22nd July
Same Kind Of Different As Me
24th July
Heartlock
26th July
Road Hard
27th July
The Mountain Between Us
29th July
Ingrid Goes West
30th July
Rememory
31st July
The Delinquent Season