The summer is starting to fade away a bit, with almost all of this year’s biggest blockbusters already in the rearview, but that doesn’t mean we’re out of exciting new releases just yet! Nowhere near it, actually. The biggest release of the weekend actually is already out, with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem having hit theaters this past Wednesday. This new and exciting version of the iconic turtle vigilantes strays far away from the usual cynicism of bringing back franchises, falling way more in line with innovative animated movies like Spider-Verse and Puss in Boots: The Last Wish. There’s another problem that Raph and the gang can’t take on, though … and that’s a megalodon. This Friday, Meg 2: The Trench is hitting theaters, looking like a wilder and infinitely more fun version of its predecessor. Blumhouse is also releasing a new horror film called The Passenger — a nasty, violent road trip movie that’s sure to fulfill all of your post-Talk to Me needs!
Over on the TV side of things, the first two episodes of Reservation Dogs’ third season premiered this on Hulu. Then, over on Netflix, the second part of The Lincoln Lawyer’s second season just dropped on Thursday.
Here’s a closer look at five exciting titles to check out this weekend!
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem
Where to Watch: In movie theaters now
For the first time in years, Raphael, Donatello, Leonardo, and Michelangelo are back on the big screen in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem. This new movie is an interesting change of pace for the franchise, being its second full-length, theatrically-released animated entry, this time with an innovative artistic style. The film follows the heroes in a half shell as they try to fit in as normal teenagers in New York City while also facing off against a whole slew of mutant enemies. Mutant Mayhem is directed by Jeff Rowe and boasts the voice acting talents of newcomers Micah Abbey, Shamon Brown Jr., Nicolas Cantu, and Brady Noon, as well as loads of heavy hitters, including Jackie Chan, Seth Rogen, Rose Byrne, Maya Rudolph, and Ice Cube.
Collider’s own Ross Bonaime had a blast with this latest version, stating, “Mutant Mayhem is an excellent return for the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, with an approach to these characters that just feels right. Rowe and co-director Kyler Spears are able to make this world action-packed, exciting, abnormal, and humorous in equal measure, and by focusing on making these TEENAGE Mutant Ninja Turtles into authentic youths, Mutant Mayhem takes characters we’ve seen over and over again and makes them fresh once more.”
Meg 2: The Trench
Where to Watch: In movie theaters starting Friday
The Meg was a fun, if forgettable, giant shark … sorry … megalodon movie that came out in 2018. After what has felt like a million years, why are we bringing The Meg back, five years later? Because director Ben Wheatley is stepping in, that’s why. Wheatley is one of the most prolific and exciting faces in the last decade of horror, making his jump to this science-fiction/action/giant-fish-fest an incredibly weird, super fun move. The plot is simple: A group of scientists must go up against and battle a megalodon, this time at the deepest depths of the ocean. The film stars Jason Statham, Wu Jing, and Cliff Curtis.
The Passenger
Where to Watch: Streaming now on MGM+
After the release of last week’s absolutely terrifying horror ride Talk to Me, this week we have another interesting genre movie hitting dropping on MGM+ – The Passenger. This film is directed by Carter Smith, director of the late 2000s cult classic The Ruins. Smith’s latest follows a man who is forced into facing his troubled past after his coworker goes on a violent killing spree. If anything, The Passenger looks like a fun and tense simple thriller, the exact type of movie that we don’t get too much of anymore. The film stars Kyle Gallner, Liza Weil, Johnny Berchtold, and Billy Slaughter.
Reservation Dogs (Season 3)
Where to Watch: Season 3 Episodes 1 and 2 are now streaming on Hulu with new episodes dropping weekly
Taika Waiti and Sterlin Harjo’s hit TV show Reservation Dogs is back! This time for its third season, with the first two episodes premiering on Hulu this week. While Seasons 1 and 2 have both had plenty of darker moments mixed in with the comedy, you can expect season three to be darker than anything the series has seen yet. In a recent interview with Harjo, he stated that the “Rez Dogs” had never faced anything quite as dark as they do in this season yet. Not only that, the series is ending with this season, so if you’ve ridden the Reservation Dogs train this far, better hop on one last time for the end of the ride. Reservation Dogs stars Devery Jacobs, D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai, Lane Factor, and Paulina Alexis.
Collider’s Chase Hutchinson loved the series’ final season, saying, “Even as there remains a persistent sense this closing chapter could have been the beginning of so much more, there is also a feeling that we are starting to wind down to something beautiful. As we now find this story drawing to one final close, Reservation Dogs remains as cutting, clever, and compassionate as ever. While we wish it could continue, we’ll cherish it all the same. What a true gift of television this show has been. From the beginning, where these kids hurtled down the road in a stolen chip truck with sparks flying behind it, to now, it has never been anything short of visionary in a television landscape in desperate need of it.”
The Lincoln Lawyer (Season 2 Part 2)
Where to Watch: Season 2 Part 2 is now streaming on Netflix
After a long awaited break, part two of Season 2 of The Lincoln Lawyer is finally arriving on Netflix. This season has more closely followed the fourth novel in the Lincoln Lawyer series, The Fifth Witness, but with extra bits from other books trickling their ways into these latest episodes. The series is set to continue following Mickey Haller as he tries to figure out who killed Martha Renteria, takes on a new murder case, and represents Lisa Trammel in court. So whether things will be looking up for Mickey by the end of the second season is up to be seen. The Lincoln Lawyer stars Manuel Garcia-Rulfo, Neve Campbell, and Becki Newton.
Other New Releases
Movies
Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead
Dreamin’ Wild
Til Death Do Us Part
Shortcomings
What Comes Around
Television
Physical Season 3 (Hulu)
Heartstopper Season 2 (Netflix)
The Chi Season 6 (Showtime)
The Lost Flowers of Alice Heart (Prime Video)
Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty Season 2 (HBO)
