Best new movies and TV series on Neon: July 2025
Three of the best incoming TV series and three top film titles, all brand new to NEON this month.
Neon continues to bring in a convoy of quality shows and films. See our handpicked highlights below followed by the full release schedule.
See also
* The best movies to watch on Neon
* All new streaming movies & series
Top picks: TV
Licence to Drive: Season 1 (July 2)
Buckle up for this sweet docuseries, which captures the nervewracking process of learning to drive through the perspectives of disabled New Zealanders. They face additional barriers to operating a car, but that’s not going to stop any one of them.
Some describe getting certified to drive as earning “the key to independence,” where their short stature or different abilities might otherwise mean they need help getting around town. Another says earning her plates would act “as a bit of a f**k you” to everyone who underestimates her. It should certainly bring back bittersweet memories of terrorising your own parents on those first frightening drives, and shed some light on the physical hurdles many of us don’t need to consider when putting pedal to metal.
Outrageous: Season 1 (July 30)
Think Downton Abbey, but the tea is spiked with something a bit spicier. Set in the 1930s and based on real historical figures, this scandalous new drama reintroduces us to the Mitford sisters, an aristocratic batch with some troubling political views and plenty of tragedy to share. An article about “those maddening Mitfords” describes the lineup like so: “Diana the Fascist, Jessica the Communist, Unity the Hitler-lover; Nancy the Novelist; Deborah the Duchess and Pamela the unobtrusive poultry connoisseur.”
Larger than life and simultaneously blessed and cursed by their family’s high-profile reputation, the women clash and compete against one another, the series drawing from correspondence between each vastly different sis to characterise them. It might take a few episodes to figure out which girl loves National Socialism and which one loves chicken, but it’ll be fascinating company the whole while.
Top picks: Movies
Joker: Folie à Deux (July 1)
Alienating the toxic fans who made your movie a phenomenon: it’s a bold move, and it seemingly did not pay off. And yet I kind of admire Todd Phillips’ follow-up to his 2019 hit Joker, which refuses to let audiences valorise the weepy, institutionalised Joaquin Phoenix take on DC’s Clown Prince of Crime.
Falling in deep with a sympatico Lady Gaga, the Joker grumbles his way through a few Great American Songbook standards, fails to represent himself in court and ends things on a tragic note. The film flopped and upset fanboys, but for all its tonal and moral mess I appreciated it more than the first film.
Practical Magic (July 3)
This is the definition of a cosy winter watch—witches, sisterhood, a big rambling Victorian mansion and big-hearted romantic country songs on the soundtrack. The only thing that could make your viewing experience more perfect is a big serving of pumpkin pie.
Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman sparkle as sisters living under a supernatural curse, wherein any man they fall in love with is destined to die tragically. Directed by Griffin Dunne, it received so-so reviews when it came out in 1998, and it’s certainly not a perfect film. But if anything, its meandering story only adds to the comfy, bundled-up vibe you’ll experience watching from your couch. TBH I wouldn’t mind a miniseries remake, either.
Better Man (July 26)
Just when you begin to worry that the musical biopic is out of ideas, along comes a movie like Better Man—which makes the ingenious decision to cast a mo-cap monkey as the troubled pop star at its centre. Even better, the film itself never smugly acknowledges that Robbie Williams is being portrayed as an ape. After so many banger songs reimagined with striking, depressing visuals, you even forget that he’s less than human.
Directed by Aussie filmmaker Michael Gracey, the movie feels special not just because of its central monkey business gimmick, but also because of its raw emotional storytelling. Daddy issues, controlling music industry shenanigans and substance addiction are not new ideas in this genre, but Williams’ excoriating self-awareness and shame build to the kind of climax you’ve never seen before: of a monkey battling copies of himself in the audience of his biggest gig ever, the lyrics “let me entertain you” sounding like a desperate plea.
Everything Coming to Neon this July
July 1
Blue’s Clues & You: Seasons 1-3
Bubble Guppies: Season 6
Butterbean’s Cafe: Season 2
Dora and Friends: Into the City!: Season 2
Days of Our Live: Season 61
Joker
Joker: Folie a Deux
Murder Under the Friday Night Lights: Season 4
July 2
The Loud House: Seasons 4-6
Rugrats (2021): Season 1
Spongebob Squarepants: Seasons 10-13
Licence to Drive: Season 1
Mia Farrow: Shadows and Light
Nicole Kidman: Eyes Wide Open
July 3
Practical Magic
July 4
Monster Summer
Mystery at Blind Frog Ranch: Season 4
Polyfamily: Season 1
July 5
Richard Stork and the Mystery of the Great Jewel
Sniper: The Last Stan
July 7
Grizzly and the Lemmings: World Tour: Season 4
Krypto the Superdog: Season 1
Sonic the Hedgehog 3
Superman: Doomsday
July 9
10 Lives
Outback Farm: Season 1
July 10
Ambush
Panda Bear in Africa
July 11
Assassin’s Plan
The Canterville Ghost
Super Mega Cakes: Season 11
July 12
Just Go With It
July 14
5lbs of Pressure
Jellystone!: Season 3
My Adventures with Superman: Season 2
July 16
Cash Out
Glenn Close: A Feminist Force
Martin Scorsese: The Italian-American Master
July 18
Ghost Rider
July 19
Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs
Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2
July 20
Lee
July 21
Tom and Jerry Tales: Season 1
July 22
Dirty Pretty Things
July 23
Kate Winslet: A Quest for Authenticity
July 24
Crank: High Voltage
Murdoch Mysteries: Seasons 16-17
July 25
Lord of Dogtown
July 26
Better Man
July 27
Toxic: Season 1
July 28
Bugs Bunny Builders: Season 2
The Last Musician of Auschwitz
The Lobster
July 29
1000lb Sisters: Season 6
1000lb Sisters: Clapback
Expedition Bigfoot: Season 5
Funny Girl
July 30
The Commandant’s Shadow
Outrageous: Season 1
July 31
Chowder: Seasons 2-3
Red Mole: A Romance
Tom and Jerry Tales: Season 2
