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The LGBTQ+ Films and Shows Premiering in July
While Pride month is behind us, there's still enough new queer content to last through the summer.
We've put together a list of some of the LGBTQ-themed films and shows coming out in July, which include some old favorites like our favorite Staten Island-based vampires and familiar in What We Do in the Shadows, American Horror Stories, and the very queer crew of 20-somethings in Good Trouble. The new fare even includes some familiar universes like Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin. Looking for a solid series about starting fresh after a long relationship? Look no further than Uncoupled.
Not only is the content queer, but so are the actors. Neil Patrick Harris stars in the above-mentioned Uncoupled while trans rising star Evan Reign takes the lead in Billy Porter's directorial debut Anything's Possible.
The films and shows also run from the comedic -- Harley Quinn, anyone? -- to the more serious -- like the documentary following the trailblazing history of out Black soccer star Briana Scurry. Meanwhile, the wildly popular graphic novel Paper Girls gets a live-action series and Issa Rae is out with her post-Insecure debut, Rap Sh!t.
Grab the popcorn and a beverage. Then sit back, relax, and get your viewing on.
Here are 15 LGBTQ+ films and shows to watch for July 2022.
Stranger Things
The group has returned for the fourth installment's Vol. 2 of the beloved series. As teenagers in the town of Hawkins are killed by a haunting force, the gang decides to investigate. It turns out the Upside Down isn't done with the town and its residents quite yet, and the force behind the darkness plaguing the town might finally show its true face. The series has already featured out characters, and many have speculated that Will (Noah Schnapp), one of the show's main protagonists, is queer too.
Stream Stranger Things on Netflix now.
Good Trouble
Our faves at the Coterie return for the back half of season 4 on Freeform. The spin-off of the beloved The Fosters picks up with Cierra Ramirez's Mariana embroiled in a bit of beauty app espionage, while Zuri Adele's Malika navigates newish queer love. Alice moves on in the wake of the anti-Asian violence she experienced, Emma Hunton's Davia attempts to forge a friendship with Dennis (Josh Pence), and bisexual character Gael (Tommy Martinez) and Isabella (Priscilla Quintana) prepare to become parents. The series from queer creators Joanna Johnson, Peter Paige, and Bradley Bredeweg features several queer characters including Malika, Gael, and Alice, and stars queer ensemble members Cola, Adele, and Hunton.
New episodes of Good Trouble are now airing Wednesday on Freeform and on Hulu the following day.
Thor: Love & Thunder
The latest addition to the Thor franchise, Love and Thunder sees the hunky Thor (Chris Hemsworth) fight alongside his ex, Jane Foster (Natalie Portman), and everyone's favorite bi warrior, Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson), the King of New Asgard. Though some have already criticized the film as not living up to its queer hype, at least we do see more fight scenes featuring Valkyrie kicking ass and taking names.
The Marvel film is out July 8.
The Bob’s Burgers Movie
The Emmy-winning TV Bob's Burgers, which debuts its 13th season this fall, gets the movie treatment it so deserves. Queer-icon Bob (voiced by H. Jon Benjamin) must navigate his business after a sinkhole forms in front of his family's hamburger joint. His and Linda's (John Roberts) children try to do their part and work to solve a mystery that could be the restaurant's salvation.
Catch it on Hulu and HBO Max on July 12.
The Only
The documentary features the career of out soccer legend Briana Scurry. It follows the rise and fall of the legendary U.S. women's soccer goalkeeper. The film has interviews with soccer superstars Abby Wambach and Megan Rapinoe, as well as an interview Scurry herself.
"The documentary explores the inspirational glory and deeply dark corners of a Hall of Fame goalkeeper who stood alone on the field as the only Black starter and the only openly gay player. While celebrating the historic legacy of Scurry's career, including two Olympic gold medals and a penalty save to help the U.S. win the 1999 Women's World Cup, the film also tells the story of how she overcame racism and homophobia at the time of her greatest triumphs before later finding herself on the edge of suicide following a career-ending concussion. From Scurry's darkest moments to her current investment in the reigning NWSL champion, Washington Spirit, The Only provides a unique autobiographical account of the life of a sports pioneer," the documentary's description reads.
The Only comes to Paramount+ on July 12.
What We Do in the Shadows
The spin-off of Taika Waititi's mockumentary film returns to FX this month. The fourth season of the queer series will definitely have Laszlo (Matt Berry), Nadja (Natasia Demetriou), Guillermo (Harvey Guillen), Colin Robinson (Mark Proksch), and Nandor (Kayvan Novak) on more hilariously doomed misadventures.
Out star Guillen already teased in a recent interview that some unresolved things come to the surface this upcoming season. We're hoping that means the tension between Guillermo and Nandor, of course.
What We Do in the Shadows premieres on July 13 on FX.
1UP
Queer actor Ruby Rose (Batwoman) plays a videogame aficionado training the next gen of young women gamers for competition in the film from Kyle Newman. Paris Berelc (Mighty Med, Alexa & Katie) plays Valerie, a college student set to lose her college scholarship after quitting her esports team amid gaslighting by her male teammates. It's then that she assembles a group of gamers that includes Hari Nef's Sloane and enlists Rose's Parker to train them. That's when things go vintage with Parker training them on '80s video games.
1UP premieres on Amazon Prime July 15.
American Horror Stories
Back to haunt your nightmares, American Horror Stories comes to FX on Hulu this month. The weekly anthology series by Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk, features a new horror story each episode and is a spin-off of American Horror Story. Last season featured Matt Bomer, Billy Lourd, and Cody Fern, and many other AHS favorites with call backs and stories connected to the original series. This season begins with a visit to the "Dollhouse."
Watch American Horror Stories starting on July 21.
Rap Sh!t
From Insecure's Issa Rae, comes Rap Sh!t, about friends, Shawna (Aida Osman) and Mia (KaMillion), who decide to kickstart a rap group after reuniting. Osman is making history as the first Black nonbinary lead of a series while the show also costars Jonica Booth as Chastity, a sex worker who goes by the handle, "The Duke of Miami."
Catch Rap Sh!t on HBO Max beginning July 21.
Anything's Possible
Starring Eva Reign as Kelsa and Abubakr Ali as Khal, Anything's Possible tells the story of a trans young girl experiencing her senior year in high school and falling in love. The movie is the film directing debut of out Golden Globe-winning actor and singer Billy Porter.
Watch it on Amazon's Prime Video starting July 22.
High School Musical: The Musical: The Show
The hit that launched Grammy-winning singer Olivia Rodrigo's career returns for season 3. The series also stars out actors Joshua Bassett and Larry Saperstein. LGBTQ+ celebrities JoJo Siwa and Jesse Tyler Ferguson are set to appear in the season.
With every season having a dedicated production to follow, for season three, prepare yourselves for a combo of Frozen, Camp Rock, High School Musical, and original songs.
Catch High School Musical: The Musical: The Show on Disney+ starting on July 27.
Harley Quinn
Harley and the gang are back for season 3. The season kicks off as Harley Quinn and Poison Ivey are the "new power couple" of Gotham.
The HBO Max description reads, "The mayhem and madness continue in season three of this biting and uproarious adult animated comedy series. Wrapping up their 'Eat. Bang! Kill. Tour,' Harley Quinn (Kaley Cuoco), and Poison Ivy (Lake Bell) return to Gotham as the new power couple of DC villainy. Along with their ragtag crew - King Shark (Ron Funches), Clayface (Alan Tudyk), and Frank the Plant (JB Smoove) - 'Harlivy' strives to become the best version of themselves while also working towards Ivy's long-desired plan of transforming Gotham into an Eden paradise."
Harley Quinn Season 3 debuts July 28 on HBO Max.
Paper Girls
Based on the popular graphic novels of the same name, Paper Girls is the time-traveling teen-girl-led series rife with adventure and mystery traditionally reserved primarily for boys in fare like Stand By Me and The Goonies. The show's synopsis reads:
"In the early morning hours after Halloween 1988, four paper girls -- Erin, Mac, Tiffany, and KJ -- are out on their delivery route when they become caught in the crossfire between warring time-travelers, changing the course of their lives forever. Transported into the future, these girls must figure out a way to get back home to the past, a journey that will bring them face-to-face with the grown-up versions of themselves."
Sophia Rosinsky plays tomboy Mac, the first "paperboy who isn't a boy" in the neighborhood, while Camryn Jones plays Tiffany, Fina Strazza is K.J., and Riley Lai Nelet plays Erin. Ali Wong stars as Erin in the future, and the cast also features The 100's Adina Porter.
Paper Girls premieres on Amazon's Prime Video July 29.
Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin
We're hoping this series that takes place in the same universe as Pretty Little Liars is as campy and queer as the last -- but maybe without the teacher-student relationship.
The description for the "dark, coming-of-age, horror-tinged" series states, "Twenty years ago, a series of tragic events almost ripped the blue-collar town of Millwood apart. Now, in present day, a disparate group of teen girls -- a brand-new set of Little Liars -- finds themselves tormented by an unknown Assailant and made to pay for the secret sin committed by their parents two decades ago...as well as their own."
The series premieres on HBO Max on July 28.
Uncoupled
Tony-winning actor Neil Patrick Harris is starring in Darren Star's newest Netflix series Uncoupled. The series follows a gay man in his forties whose husband leaves him after 17 years together.
"Overnight, Michael has to confront two nightmares -- losing what he thought was his soulmate and suddenly finding himself a single gay man in his mid-forties in New York City," reads the show's description.
The series premieres on July 29.
