I’ve been making my way through Studio Ghibli films now that they’re up on HBO Max, and last week I got around to watching Kiki’s Delivery Service for the first time. It’s a remarkably charming film, and it shows Ghibli coming a long way in figuring out what, uh, plot is after the extremely bare bones My Neighbor Totoro came out just a year earlier.
Kiki’s Delivery Service adds just enough stakes to Ghibli’s beautiful worlds to make you care about what’s happening, but not so much to actually get you stressed out. The film is serene to watch — almost every character is remarkably nice and generous, the landscapes are gorgeous, and the talking cat doesn’t hurt either.
Check out 11 trailers from this week below.
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Foundation
Here’s our first look at Apple TV Plus’ adaptation of Foundation, Isaac Asimov’s epic series of sci-fi novels. I’ve been pretty skeptical of Apple’s interest in making anything too interesting (its latest original is a documentary about dads called Dads), but this legitimately looks visually stunning so far. The show premieres sometime next year.
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Hamilton
Here it is at long last: a look at Disney’s recording of Hamilton starring Lin-Manuel Miranda and the rest of the original cast. The film comes to Disney Plus on July 3rd.
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Over the Moon
Over the Moon looks like Netflix’s attempt to make a Disney-style musical, and it seems like it might just work. The film comes from former Disney animator Glen Keane, and it’s about a young girl trying to build a rocket to the moon to meet the Moon Goddess. It looks charming, and if you stick around till the end of this trailer, you’ll see the film slip into a colorful Pixar-like twist. The film comes out some time this fall.
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The Handmaid’s Tale
The Handmaid’s Tale is coming back for a fourth season — not any time soon, but Hulu’s teasing that it’s on the way, with a trailer focused on showing the next steps in the fight for Elisabeth Moss’ character. The show returns some time next year.
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Antebellum
This trailer offers the clearest look yet at Antebellum, a sci-fi horror film that has Janelle Monáe playing a woman who seems to be kidnapped and taken back in time where she’s enslaved in the American South. The film is now scheduled to come out August 21st.
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Homemade
This is neat: Netflix had a bunch of filmmakers create new shorts while stuck at home during the pandemic. The visuals look decidedly rough, but that stripped-down approach is a big part of the appeal here. Directors include Ana Lily Amirpour, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Kristen Stewart, Paolo Sorrentino, David Mackenzie, and quite a few more. It comes out June 30th.
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Brave New World
NBCUniversal’s new streaming service, Peacock, launches in less than a month, and now we’re getting a closer look at its flashiest original series — an adaptation of Brave New World starring Alden Ehrenreich. It debuts July 15th.
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The King’s Man
The latest trailer for the Kingsman prequel makes the film look every bit as ridiculous of a send-up of action films as the two films that preceded it — which makes sense, given that Matthew Vaughn is back as director. The film comes out September 18th.
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Sweat
This Swedish film about a fitness influencer was meant to debut at Cannes (which didn’t quite happen — the entire festival, that is), and it looks like an intimate drama about the horrors of fame. IndieWire called it “the most intense look at a social media fiend since Eighth Grade.” There’s no release date just yet.
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Muppets Now
Disney is making a Muppets variety show for its streaming service that’ll have the iconic characters interviewing celebrities and hosting some goofy segments along the way. It debuts July 31st.
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Ava
Jessica Chastain plays an assassin who’s on the run from her own organization after its leader turns on her. It’s maybe the most formulaic plot possible, but the cast is great, with Colin Farrell, Common, and John Malkovich filling it out. There doesn’t appear to be a release date just yet.
