Summer ain’t over yet, kids! If you’re feeling a little beat from the heat, Disney+ has plenty of exciting new series and movies coming to the platform this month. As usual, there’s fun new Star Wars– even with the Andor premiere being pushed back to September! We’ve also got two new Marvel shows, the latest Pixar movie, and three seasons of a great sci-fi comedy drama. So, try your best to stay cool, and enjoy our seven top picks for what’s new on Disney+ this month.
Lightyear
Available: August 3
Directed by: Angus MacLane
Starring: Chris Evans, Keke Palmer, Taika Waititi, James Brolin, and Uzo Aduba
If you didn’t make it out to theatres to witness the origin story of cinema’s favorite Space Ranger, now’s your chance to catch up with Buzz (Chris Evans), and discover the man behind the toy. Director Angus MacLane is no stranger to expanding the worlds of our most beloved Pixar characters; he was previously the co-director of Finding Dory. With a voice cast that includes Keke Palmer, Taika Waititi, and James Brolin alongside Evans, expect gorgeous animation and a good ol’ fashioned adventure of a motley but heartfelt space crew.
LEGO Star Wars Summer Vacation
Available: August 5
Directed by: Ken Cunningham
Starring: Omar Miller, Weird Al Yankovic, Anthony Daniels, Billy Dee Williams, and Kelly Marie Tran
You know what I don’t have any bad feelings about? Star Wars friends enjoying summer vacation together! According to Disney+ itself, “Finn has arranged a surprise vacation for his friends aboard the Galactic Starcruiser, The Halycon! But Finn’s plan quickly goes awry when he’s separated from the group.” Disney Parks nerds will immediately catch that The Halycon is also the name of the famously expensive Galactic Starcruiser resort in Orlando. Where did Finn get the credits for such accommodations?! (Probably not the point.) 2020’s LEGO Star Wars Holiday Special was an unexpected delight, so it should be lots of fun to see what these versions of our favorite characters get up to on a summer vacation together!
I Am Groot
Available: August 10
Directed by: Kirsten Lepore
Starring: Vin Diesel and Bradley Cooper
Keeping it short and sweet (like the little guy himself), I Am Groot is a collection of five original shorts, all starring the cutest member of the Guardians of the Galaxy. With Vin Diesel and Bradley Cooper returning to voice Groot and Rocket, this little series promises to be more of the wacky but sweet adventures of Groot growing up and getting into trouble. After the absolute delight that was Baymax!, this author is fully onboard for more animated shorts focusing on the smaller adventures of our favorite characters.
The Orville
Available: August 10
Created by: Seth MacFarlane
Starring: Seth MacFarlane, Adrianne Palicki, Penny Johnson Jerald, and Scott Grimes
Looking for a fun sci-fi binge before summer winds down? All three existing seasons of Seth MacFarlane’s epic space comedy-drama are coming to Disney+! The Orville is set about 400 years in the future, following the crew of the spaceship, The Orville. MacFarlane stars as Captain Ed Mercer, who starts the series barely holding it together after the end of his marriage. Sounds like the perfect guy to lead an exploratory ship, right? Instead of being a parody of something like Star Trek, The Orville is a loving tribute, clearly reverent of its inspirational sources while still finding the space for some good situational sci-fi comedy. Reviews for the series’ first season were a little mixed to negative, but seasons two and three have been widely praised for their strong, character-driven storytelling.
Disney’s Summer Magic Quest
Available: August 12
Starring: Yvette Nicole Brown
Who among us doesn’t dream of running around EPCOT, competing in games and challenges? Well, that’s exactly what the young cast of Disney’s ZOMBIES 3 is up to in this fun, summertime competition show! Making their way through all the various sections of EPCOT, two teams are in a race against the clock to finish all of their challenges before sundown. Honestly, I still don’t really understand what the stakes of this show are, but dashing frantically through EPCOT’s World Showcase under cover of darkness, competing in themed challenges? Oh, and Yvette Nicole Brown is hosting? Mark me down as nerdy and intrigued.
She-Hulk: Attorney at Law
Available: August 17
Created by: Jessica Gao
Starring: Tatiana Maslany, Mark Ruffalo, and Jameela Jamil
Jennifer Walters (Tatiana Maslany) is an attorney who specializes in cases involving superhumans. Complicated enough, right? Well, after getting accidentally contaminated with the blood of her cousin Bruce Banner (Mark Ruffalo), things get just a smidge more complicated! Look, yes, there have been a lot of Hot Takes about the CGI we’ve seen in trailers so far. But Mark Ruffalo has been one of the acting standouts of the MCU since the beginning, and Tatiana Maslany has more than proven herself based on her work in Orphan Black alone. For this author, the cast alone (also including Jameela Jamil, Renee Elise Goldsberry, Tim Roth, Benedict Wong, and Charlie Cox reprising his role as Matt Murdock) is more than enough of a reason to be deeply excited about this new series.
Secrets of the Zoo: Down Under
Available: August 31
Narrated by: Naomi Watts
I’m going to keep putting new seasons of this excellent National Geographic series on these lists, and I will not apologize! Secrets of the Zoo gives audiences an in-depth, behind-the-scenes look at the operations of some of the most famous and incredible zoos around the world. Season 3 of Secrets of the Zoo: Down Under takes us back to Australia’s Taronga Zoo. As with so many long-lived zoos (Taronga first officially opened in 1916), the 1960s brought a new emphasis on education and conversation to the park, and now the zoo takes care of the creatures in their living collection as well as threatened species in the wild. This most recent season has been airing on National Geographic all summer, featuring animals such as baby echidnas, snakes, and a bunny named Daphne.