8 Massive Movies to Watch this August

This August, the cinematic release list heats up with some exciting and gritty new action releases, some harrowing true story entries, and some light-hearted, cowabunga-flaunting fun for everyone to enjoy. Here are our picks for the movies releasing in August 2023:

Haunted Mansion

Release date: 4 August 2023

A reboot of Disney’s Haunted Mansion (which was originally based on the theme park attraction) arrives this August, starring Owen Wilson, Danny DeVito, Rosario Dawson, Jamie Lee Curtis, and Jared Leto. The film follows a single mom named Gabbie who hires a tour guide, a psychic, a priest, and a historian to help exorcise her newly bought mansion after discovering it is inhabited by ghosts.

Meg 2: The Trench

Release date: 4 August 2023

The Meg was one of the underrated movies of 2018, delivering a fun, often silly, but self-aware CGI-filled shark-a-thon that had an element of dark humour. The sequel, titled Meg 2: The Trench, sees Jason Statham returning to take on the biggest Megalodon shark of them all.

Gran Turismo

Release date: 11 August 2023

Based on the long-running video game franchise and the true story that saw a player win Nissan-sponsored gaming competitions, leading him to become a professional race car driver, Gran Turismo stars David Harbour, Orlando Bloom, Archie Madekwe, Darren Barnet, Geri Halliwell Horner, and Djimon Hounsou.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem

Release date: 11 August 2023

Written by Seth Rogan and Evan Goldberg, this new spin on the beloved TMNT franchise sees a younger set of turtles in a hand-drawn animation style similar to that of Spider-Man: Into the Spider-verse. After years of being sheltered from the human world, the Turtle brothers set out to win the hearts of New Yorkers and be accepted as normal teenagers. Their new friend, April O’Neil, helps them take on a mysterious crime syndicate, but they soon get in over their heads when an army of mutants is unleashed upon them.

Blue Beetle

Release date: 18 August 2023

Following The Flash, DC is now set on soft-rebooting their comic-book universe, and the first foray into that new world is Blue Beetle. The film follows college grad Jaime Reyes who finds himself in possession of an ancient relic of alien biotechnology: the Scarab. When the Scarab suddenly chooses Jaime to be its symbiotic host, he is bestowed with an incredible suit of armour capable of extraordinary and unpredictable powers, forever changing his destiny as he becomes the superhero, Blue Beetle.

The Last Voyage of the Demeter

Release date: 18 August 2023

Fans of vampiric horror are in for a treat this year as The Last Voyage of the Demeter is hitting cinemas and bringing arguably the greatest blood-sucker of all time back to the big-screen. Based on a single chapter, the Captain’s Log, from Bram Stoker’s classic 1897 novel Dracula, the story is set aboard the Russian schooner Demeter, which was chartered to carry private cargo – twenty-four unmarked wooden crates – from Carpathia to London. The film details the strange events that befell the doomed crew as they attempt to survive the ocean voyage, stalked each night by a terrifying presence on board the ship.

Sound of Freedom

Release date: 18 August 2023

This film starring Jim Caviezel (Passion of the Christ) has been making waves for its subject matter and brilliant performances, and should be a must-watch for everyone this month. Based on a true story, the film follows a federal agent who rescues a young boy from ruthless child traffickers. However, the agent learns that the boy’s sister is still captive and decides to embark on a dangerous mission to save her. With time running out, he quits his job and journeys deep into the Colombian jungle, putting his life on the line to free her from a fate worse than death.

Retribution

Release date: 25 August 2023

Liam Neeson always seems to find himself in precarious situations in his films. From fending off wolves in The Grey (a must-watch) to fighting for survival on an international flight in Non-Stop, the man has a knack for situation-based thrillers. His new film is Retribution, and sees Neeson playing an American businessman, Matt Turner, who must follow a series of orders after learning his car is wired to explode. Although, there seems to be some connection between Turner and the mysterious caller. We’re intrigued.

Which movies are you most looking forward to in 2023? Let us know by tweeting @MenStuffZA, posting on our Facebook page, or commenting below.