NEW YORK (AP) — After a brutal year of headlines about The Washington Post, executive editor Matt Murray sounded almost relieved to be talking about journalism.

In an interview, he was touting “100 scoops in 100 days” about the Post’s coverage of the Trump administration’s first weeks. What sounds like a publicist’s confection has truth behind it, with reporters putting their heads down and working, notably on stories involving the federal workforce and spending cuts.

Most stories about the Post in the past few months have been negative, including publisher Will Lewis’ botched reorganization that led to former executive editor Sally Buzbee’s resignation last June, owner Jeff Bezos asserting himself over the opinion section and defections among journalists worried about the outlet’s direction.

“Great stories and great scoops are always good to remind people — both externally and internally — that it’s all about the journalism at the end of the day,” Murray said.

The grunt work of reporting on the federal workforce

Dan Diamond, Hannah Natanson, Carolyn Y. Johnson and Lena H. Sun are among the reporters who have dug into specifics about Department of Government Efficiency-inspired cuts and what they’ve meant for medical research and services for Social Security recipients. Natanson, Rachel Siegel and Laura Meckler have explored the use of government data to go after undocumented immigrants.

Adam Taylor and John Hudson have dug into proposed cuts at the State Department. Maria Sacchetti and Artur Galocha showed how half of the people the White House reported as immigration enforcement arrests were already behind bars. Jacob Bogage wrote about a Trump appointee asking the IRS to review an audit of conservative personality Mike Lindell.

It’s grunt work, developing sources and stories that build upon other stories, many involving federal workers — the industry that the city is built upon.

“The Post has an historic obligation — it’s right in our name, Washington — to write aggressively, truthfully, thoughtfully about the government and what’s happening there,” Murray said. “Obviously the Trump administration, whatever one thinks of them, has the most aggressive change program that we’ve seen in many administrations.”

The work breaking stories has been noticeable, said Margaret Sullivan, a former media columnist at the Post who still writes, teaches at Columbia University and runs the Craig Newmark Center for Journalism Ethics and Security there.

“I’ve been happy to see that,” she said. “The place has been through such a difficult time and it’s not due to the journalists there. It’s because of the ownership and management.”

The Post hasn’t yet earned its own Truth Social post about its reporting since President Donald Trump’s return — the ultimate sign it has gotten under Trump’s skin — but the White House labeled one of its stories about health funding “fake news.” Tulsi Gabbard, national intelligence director, cited a Post story about Israel and Iran among her reasons to seek out internal leakers.

The work has also calmed fears about whether owner Bezos’ newfound friendliness with Trump would impact news coverage. Last fall, Bezos ordered a planned endorsement of Trump opponent Kamala Harris spiked, triggering an exodus of angry subscribers. He was a prominently visible guest at Trump’s second inauguration and soon after said the Post’s opinion pages should focus primarily on personal liberties and the free market.

That change in direction led to the resignations of editorial page editor David Shipley and two long-time Post columnists, Ruth Marcus and Eugene Robinson.

Bezos’ actions with the opinion section have hurt the Post’s reputation when the country really needs it, and when its news coverage has been excellent, said Robert McCartney, a retired Post columnist. “Their DOGE coverage has been really good, as good as anybody’s,” he said. “They have broken a lot of news. They have done a lot of important accountability reporting.”

Journalists are taking advantage of new opportunities

Between the turmoil and a sea of red ink resulting in layoffs, the Post suffered a significant talent defection at the end of last year. Journalists like Matea Gold, the respected managing editor, and reporters Josh Dawsey, Ashley Parker, Philip Rucker and Michael Scherer took new jobs. That exposed some thin skin; Murray, then only interim editor, briefly banned goodbye emails believing they were bad for morale, before the decision was reversed, the Guardian reported. The paper has banned its media writers from reporting stories about the newspaper.

“The reporters are doing good work, by and large,” said Richard Prince, a retired reporter and editor who spent 20 years at the Post in two stints. “It’s a shame there is all this turmoil that is coming from the top. It seems like they lost more talent than they gained.”

At a time there are more journalists than jobs, the Post is still a desired destination. “Many other people are stepping up and have had new opportunities and are showing their chops,” said Murray, who had the “interim” removed from his title with no fanfare earlier this year.

The Post is still in transition; Murray appointed some key deputies last week. It is still sorting out coverage areas that need more attention and those that don’t. He promised more resources to follow technology, artificial intelligence and the markets.

The Post reportedly lost some 325,000 subscribers after the Harris non-endorsement and editorial policy change; the newspaper won’t say whether it has recovered that number since through new or returned subscribers. The newspaper is more aggressively seeking new readers and says 100,000 more new subscribers signed up this year than did over the same period in 2024.

It’s spring; consider them all shoots popping up from the ground after a damaging winter.

“I would not quit the Post,” Sullivan said. “If I were a regular reader, I would still find it very interesting and necessary.”

___

David Bauder writes about the intersection of media and entertainment for the AP. Follow him at http://x.com/dbauder and https://bsky.app/profile/dbauder.bsky.social

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — The Vietnam War greatly impacted U.S. society from the passage of the War Powers Resolution that restricts the president’s ability to send troops into extended combat without congressional approval to the cementing of college campuses as centers of student activism.

Millions of U.S. troops fought in Vietnam. For some Americans, the war that effectively ended with the fall of Saigon 50 years ago Wednesday on April 30, 1975, continues to shape their lives.

They include: A woman dedicated to recovering her father’s remains after the bomber he piloted disappeared over Vietnam’s Gulf of Tonkin. A Vietnam veteran who was heckled like scores of other troops when he returned home and now assists fellow veterans in rural Alaska. And an anti-war movement stalwart who has spent decades advocating for free speech after her brother was wounded when Ohio National Guard troops fired into a crowd of protesters at Kent State University.

Here are their stories.

Still waiting for dad to return home

Fifty years after the fall of Saigon, Jeanie Jacobs Huffman has not lost hope of bringing her father home.

Huffman was only five months old when her father, Navy Cdr. Edward J. Jacobs Jr., was reported missing in action after the plane he was piloting to photograph enemy targets vanished in 1967 over the Gulf of Tonkin, off the coast of North Vietnam.

Huffman has dedicated her life to finding the plane and recovering his remains and those of his two crew members. She also serves on the board of directors of Mission: POW-MIA, a nonprofit group dedicated to finding unaccounted Americans from past conflicts.

“It’s a lot of missing, you know, a huge void in my life,” she said, breaking into tears.

A professional photographer, Huffman has made a poster featuring the faces of the 1,573 missing service members from Vietnam.

“After this many years, we should never leave anyone behind,” she said.

A year ago, she visited the Gulf of Tonkin through a trip with the United States Institute of Peace, a nonprofit that promotes education and research on conflicts to prevent future wars. The group’s translator, who was from North Vietnam and also lost family members in the war, walked with Huffman into the water. Holding hands, they both cried, sharing their grief.

“So that was the closest I’ve been to him in 58 years,” Huffman said of her father.

She’s pushing for the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency to conduct an underwater search operation next year in hopes of recovering the plane. The U.S. Department of Defense agency is responsible for recovering and identifying service members listed as missing in action or prisoners of war.

“He deserves to be brought back home,” she said. “Even if it’s just a bone or a dog tag. Even the tangible things, like a dog tag or a piece of his plane, mean a lot to me because I don’t have anything else.”

Finding salvation after so many decades

For George Bennett, the road to sobriety and mental health continued long after flying home through San Francisco in 1968, where “sneering” protesters met returning soldiers in the terminal.

Someone yelled out, “baby killer.” Another spit at them. He and his fellow soldiers were turned away from one airport restaurant.

Only later did he realize how much Vietnam had changed him because the war went against the strict sense of values and Indigenous practices instilled by his parents.

A member of Alaska’s Tlingit tribe, Bennett said, “I would go get my beer and come home … just drink beer and do nothing.”

“I think part of it was the fact that I was ashamed and guilty because I was part of the atrocity that occurred in Vietnam. I feel that I violated the value and some of our cultural norms, and it made me want to run.”

And he did, from bar to bar and job to job.

Finally, he wound up receiving help for alcoholism and post-traumatic stress disorder.

It’s taken him 30 years to feel better, largely because of the support of Mary, his wife of 55 years. She insisted they move to the southeast Alaska city of Sitka, where he has integrated back into his native Tlingit culture.

He’s now Alaska’s sole rural veteran liaison, helping veterans secure benefits in the military’s health care system.

“I really had to find my spiritual way again,” he said. “It took me a while to get there, but here I am.”

Kent State University protester sees lessons for today

Chic Canfora still becomes emotional when she talks about the fall of Saigon.

Canfora was part of an anti-war protest at Kent State University in 1970 when Ohio National Guard troops fired into the crowd, killing four fellow students and wounding nine others, including her brother. The bullets sent Canfora diving for cover.

She believes the protest helped galvanize public opinion that would hasten the withdrawal of U.S. troops and ultimately lead to the fall of Saigon and the war’s demise.

A decade ago, Canfora visited the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall in Washington and was overcome at seeing how the number of names of the fallen dwindled after 1970.

“That was the first time it really hit me the impact of the anti-war movement and, so it’s particularly meaningful for me this year,” she said, choking up.

Canfora, who teaches journalism at Kent State, has spent her life sharing what she experienced. She said the lessons learned are more relevant than ever amid the Trump administration’s crackdown on student protesters, fears of deportation for international students and what critics describe as unprecedented attacks on campus speech.

She said she sees echoes of the past when then Ohio Gov. James Rhodes, who sent in the National Guard, called the Kent State demonstrators “the worst type of people that we harbor in America.”

“I was too young and too naive to recognize the danger of such inflammatory rhetoric because, in essence, all of these leaders in our country were putting targets on the backs of American college students who have historically served as the conscience of America,” Canfora said.

“I think students today are going through that same metamorphosis of awareness that I did in 1970.”

___

Watson reported from San Diego.

Ethan Hunt’s last mission? A new Superman? Happy Gilmore as a dad? Three genre-spanning Pedro Pascal movies, including a romance, a superhero movie and an A24 Ari Aster thriller? Hollywood is pulling out the stops this summer movie season, which kicks off with the release Marvel’s “Thunderbolts(asterisk)” on May 2.

May also brings big studio releases like a live-action “Lilo & Stitch,” “Mission: Impossible 8″ and a new Wes Anderson film. June heats up with race cars in “F1,” adventure in “How to Train Your Dragon,” zombies in “28 Years Later” and a New York love triangle with Dakota Johnson’s matchmaker in the middle in “Materialists.”

July is supercharged with “Jurassic World Rebirth,” “Superman” and “Fantastic Four: The First Steps.” And August closes out the season with comedies, big (“The Naked Gun”) and dark (“The Roses”), horror (“Weapons”) and a lighthearted body-swap (“Freakier Friday”).

Here’s The Associated Press’ guide to help make sense of the many, many options in theaters and at home.

MAY MOVIE RELEASES

May 1

“Another Simple Favor” (Prime Video, streaming): Chill those martini glasses, Blake Lively and Anna Kendrick reunite with their “A Simple Favor” director Paul Feig for this Italy-set sequel.

May 2

“Thunderbolts” (Disney, theaters): Marvel’s antiheroes Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh), Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan) and Red Guardian (David Harbour) kick off the summer movie season in superhero style. “It’s a group of misfit toys that have been essentially thrown away at the beginning of the movie and have to figure out if they can work together to get themselves out of that mess,” director Jake Schreier told the AP. (Read AP’s review.)

“Bonjour Tristesse” (Greenwich Entertainment, theaters): Chloë Sevigny and Claes Bang star in this new adaptation of Françoise Sagan’s lusty, stylish coming of age novel about a playboy father and his teenage daughter (Lily McInerny) on the French Riviera.

“Pavements” (Utopia, theaters): Alex Ross Perry takes an experimental approach to the traditional music biopic in his portrait of the indie rock group Pavement that’s better experienced than described.

“Rust” (Falling Forward Films, theaters and VOD): The Alec Baldwin Western “Rust” is actually coming out after years in limbo and litigation. Cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was fatally shot on set in October 2021 and director Joel Souza was wounded during a rehearsal. Souza said at the film’s premiere at a festival in Poland in November that it was Hutchins’ husband, Matthew, who wanted the film to be finished.

“The Surfer” (Lionsgate, Roadside Attractions, theaters): Tensions are high on a “locals-only beach” when Nicolas Cage and his son return to try to catch some waves.

“Magic Farm” (MUBI, theaters): Amalia Ulman directs this absurdist comedy about a documentary crew who ends up in the wrong town, starring Chloë Sevigny, Alex Wolff and Simon Rex.

“Words of War” (Decal, theaters): Maxine Peake and Jason Isaacs star in this political thriller about journalist and human rights activist Anna Politkovskaya. Sean Penn produced.

“Vulcanizadora” (Oscilloscope, theaters): A black comedy following friends on a dark mission deep in the woods of Michigan.

May 9

“Friendship” (A24, theaters): Paul Rudd and “I Think You Should Leave” comedian Tim Robinson star in this absurd, comedic film about male camaraderie.

“Shadow Force” (Lionsgate, theaters): Kerry Washington and Omar Sy star in this Joe Carnahan-directed action thriller about a couple of ex-assassins running from their old boss (and trying to protect their young son).

“Nonnas” (Netflix, streaming): Vince Vaughn stars in this Stephen Chbosky-movie based on a true story of a Brooklyn guy who hires Italian grandmothers to be the chefs at a restaurant after the loss of his own mother. Susan Sarandon, Lorraine Bracco, Talia Shire and Linda Cardellini also star.

“Fight or Flight” (Vertical, theaters): Josh Hartnett, sporting bleached blonde hair, is a mercenary on a flight full of assassins in this bloody action-comedy at 30,000 feet.

“Caught by the Tides” (Janus Films): Chinese filmmaker Jia Zhangke takes footage spanning 22 years to tell a story of love and longing that had Cannes critics raving last year. Zhao Tao stars.

“Juliet & Romeo” (Briarcliff Entertainment, theaters): Shakespeare’s star-crossed lovers get the (pop) music treatment in this colorful take starring Clara Rugaard and Jamie Ward.

“Clown in a Cornfield” (RLJ Entertainment): This slasher from director Eli Craig (“Tucker & Dale vs. Evil”) features a killer named Frendo.

“Lilly” (Blue Harbor Entertainment, theaters): Patricia Clarkson plays equal pay activist Lilly Ledbetter in this biographical drama.

May 16

“Final Destination: Bloodlines” (Warner Bros., theaters): It’s been 25 years since the “Final Destination” franchise kicked off and they’re still finding new horrifying ways to kill off their characters.

“Hurry Up Tomorrow” (Lionsgate, theaters): The Weeknd (Abel Tesfaye) plays a fictionalized version of himself in this psychological thriller about an insomniac musician from Trey Edward Shults, co-starring Jenna Ortega and Barry Keoghan.

“Love” (Strand Releasing): This Norwegian film about two health care workers discussing relationship philosophies closes out Dag Johan Haugerud’s “Sex, Dreams, Love” trilogy.

“Sister Midnight” (Magnet Releasing, theaters): This black comedy about an unhappy arranged marriage and a series of chaotic events was a Cannes selection in 2024.

“The Ruse” (Seismic Releasing, theaters): This thriller centers on a caregiver and the mysterious patient she’s caring for in a remote home on the sea.

May 23

“Lilo & Stitch” (Disney, theaters): This live-action reimagining of the 2002 classic about orphaned Hawaiian sisters who unknowingly adopt an alien was directed by “Marcel the Shell with Shoes On” filmmaker Dean Fleischer Camp. Sydney Agudong, who plays older sister Nani, said, “The beauty of this movie is that it highlights the idea of Aloha and Ohana and the family dynamics that happen here along with the aliens and the Hawaiian roller coaster ride.”

“Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning” (Paramount, theaters): Nothing ever really ends in the land of franchise filmmaking, but the “final” in the title suggests this could actually be Tom Cruise’s last ride as Ethan Hunt. Even if it isn’t, audiences can trust it’ll be full of death-defying spectacles worthy of the big screen.

“Fountain of Youth” (Apple TV+, streaming): Natalie Portman and John Krasinski play siblings on a dangerous quest for the fountain of youth in this globe-trotting adventure from Guy Ritchie.

“Pee-Wee As Himself” (Max, streaming): This riveting two-part documentary about the life of Paul Reubens was crafted from some 40 hours of interviews and thousands of hours of archival footage.

“Jane Austen Wrecked My Life” (Sony Pictures Classics, theaters): A Parisian bookseller gets invited to the Jane Austen writers’ residency in this contemporary Austen-inspired romantic comedy written and directed by Laura Piani.

“Fear Street: Prom Queen” (Netflix, streaming): Prom queen candidates begin to vanish in this latest “Fear Street” installment, set in 1988.

“The Last Rodeo” (Angel Studios, theaters): Neal McDonough plays a retired cowboy who decides to return to the ring in a bid to pay his son’s medical bills.

May 30

“Karate Kid: Legends” (Sony Pictures, theaters): Jackie Chan and Ralph Macchio unite for the newest “Karate Kid” film, set three years after “Cobra Kai” and focusing on a new kid, Li, played by Ben Wang. “It kind of harkens back to the previous entries in the franchise,” Wang said. “It’s a kid who is a fish out of water who comes to a new city and has to face down bullies.”

“Bring Her Back” (A24, theaters): “Talk to Me” filmmakers Danny and Michael Philippou return with this creepy new movie about death, resurrection and the arrival of an adopted kid who is not quite right. Sally Hawkins plays the mother.

“The Phoenician Scheme” (Focus Features, theaters): Benicio del Toro stars as one of the richest men in Europe, and father to nine sons and one daughter (Mia Threapleton), in Wes Anderson’s newest film, featuring a typically starry ensemble including Tom Hanks, Michael Cera, Scarlett Johansson, Riz Ahmed and Benedict Cumberbatch.

“The Kingdom” (Metrograph, theaters): This Cannes breakout is about a teenage girl who goes on the run with her estranged mob boss father one summer in Corsica.

“Ghost Trail” (Music Box Films, theaters): Jonathan Millet directed this revenge thriller about a Syrian man in France who is in pursuit of the man who tortured him at an infamous military prison.

“Tornado” (IFC Films, theaters): Kōki, Jack Lowden, Takehiro Hira and Tim Roth star in this revenge thriller set in 1790s Britain.

JUNE MOVIE RELEASES

June 6

“Ballerina,” (Lionsgate, theaters): Ana de Armas leads this “John Wick” spinoff about a deadly (and classically trained) assassin.

“The Life of Chuck” (Neon, theaters): This is not your typical Stephen King adaptation. Mike Flanagan directs the sentimental and supernatural story about the life of an ordinary man named Charles Krantz, told in three chapters. Tom Hiddleston, Mark Hamill, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Mia Sara, Benjamin Pajak and Karen Gillan are among the large ensemble cast.

“The Ritual” (XYZ Films, theaters): Al Pacino and Dan Stevens as men of the church performing exorcisms? Sure, why not.

“Dangerous Animals” (IFC Films, theaters): Jai Courtney plays a serial killer who feeds his victims to sharks in this bonkers-sounding movie.

“I Don’t Understand You” (Vertical, theaters): Nick Kroll and Andrew Rannells are a couple vacationing in Italy in this dark comedy with an escalating body count.

“Straw” (Netflix, streaming): Taraji P. Henson leads this Tyler Perry drama about a single mother.

“Dan Da Dan: Evil Eye” (GKIDS, theaters): More adventures of Momo and Okarun in this series based on the popular manga by Yukinobu Tatsu.

June 12

“Deep Cover” (Prime Video, streaming): Bryce Dallas Howard plays an improv comedy teacher recruited by an undercover cop (Sean Bean) for a mission for which she enlists two of her students (Orlando Bloom and Nick Mohammed).

June 13

“How to Train Your Dragon” (Universal, theaters): Unlike most live adaptations of animated movies, filmmaker Dean DeBlois is behind both. DeBlois said their goal was to make the film “really immersive,” to dial up the sense of urgency and peril and “to just pull the audience in and make them feel like these dragons are real, that you could own one, you could fly on the back of one.” Mason Thames plays Hiccup and Nico Parker takes on the role of Astrid in this epic fantasy sure to enchant a new generation (and the one who grew up on the original).

“Materialists” (A24, theaters): Dakota Johnson plays a matchmaker torn between two prospects (played by Chris Evans and Pedro Pascal) in love story from “Past Lives” filmmaker Celine Song. “It’s a modern love story that’s set in New York City and it’s inspired by the brief time that I worked as a professional matchmaker,” Song said. “I really tried in this film to be really honest about the marketplace of dating, as the people actually experience it and live it today.”

“Echo Valley” (AppleTV+, streaming): Claire (Sydney Sweeney) shows up on her mother’s (Julianne Moore) doorstep covered in someone else’s blood in this thriller from Brad Ingelsby.

“The Unholy Trinity” (Roadside Attractions, theaters): Pierce Brosnan and Samuel L. Jackson lead this Western, set in 1870s Montana.

“Prime Minister” (Magnolia, theaters): This documentary follows Jacinda Ardern through her tenure as prime minister of New Zealand.

June 17

“Sally” (NatGeo/Disney+, streaming): Blue Origin who? Sally Ride, the first American woman to go to space, is the focus of this new documentary that chronicles her professional accomplishments and her lesser-known personal life.

June 20

“28 Years Later” (Sony Pictures, theaters): The original team behind “28 Days Later,” including director Danny Boyle and writer Alex Garland, return with a new entry featuring Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Jodie Comer and Ralph Fiennes.

“Elio” (Disney/Pixar, theaters): This intergalactic adventure centers on an 11-year-old earthling (Yonas Kibreab) who is abducted by aliens and assumed to be a world leader. Oscar-winner Zoe Saldaña is part of the voice cast.

“Marlee Matlin: Not Alone Anymore” (Kino Lorber, theaters): Marlee Matlin gives an unflinchingly honest account of her experiences as a deaf actor in this funny and revelatory documentary, directed by Shoshannah Stern, who also is deaf. The film is closed captioned and includes verbal translations for hearing audiences.

“Sovereign” (Briarcliff, theaters): Dennis Quaid, Nick Offerman and Jacob Tremblay lead this crime thriller about anti-government extremists and a police standoff.

“ Bride Hard” (Magenta Light Studios, theaters): Rebel Wilson is a secret agent whose skills come in handy at her friend’s wedding when a hostage situation emerges in this Simon West-directed comedy.

“Everything’s Going to Be Great” (Lionsgate, theaters): Bryan Cranston and Allison Janney are lifelong actors in regional theater trying to raise their very different sons.

“Alma and the Wolf” (Republic Pictures, theaters): Ethan Embry and “Sinners” breakout Li Jun Li star in this psychological horror about a mysterious wolf attack and a police officer’s missing son.

“KPop Demon Hunters” (Netflix, streaming): An animated action comedy about K-pop superstars who also hunt demons on the side.

June 27

“F1” (Warner Bros./Apple, theaters): Brad Pitt plays “the best that never was,” F1 driver Sonny Hayes, who’s recruited to mentor a young up-and-comer (Damson Idris) in this high-octane film from “Top Gun: Maverick” filmmaker Joseph Kosinski. Real racing cars were used, driver Lewis Hamilton consulted and a new camera system was developed to give audiences an immersive experience. “It’s a story about a last-place team, a group of underdogs, and Sonny Hayes in his later years having one more chance to try to do something he was never able to do, which is win a race in F1,” Kosinski said.

“M3GAN 2.0” (Universal, theaters): The creepy, dancing doll is back — as is an even more dangerous version on a killing spree whom she has to stop. Any questions?

“Sorry, Baby” (A24, theaters): One of the big breakouts from this year’s Sundance Film Festival, the debut feature of writer-director-star Eva Victor follows Agnes, a grad student, in the aftermath of a sexual assault. “I wanted to make a film that was about feeling stuck when everyone around you keeps moving,” Victor said. “I really think the thing it’s about is trying to heal and the slow pace at which healing comes and how it’s really not linear and how there are joys to be found in the everyday and especially in very affirming friendships and sometimes, like, a sandwich depending on the day.”

JULY MOVIE RELEASES

July 2

“Jurassic World Rebirth” (Universal, theaters): Filmmaker Gareth Edwards (a “Jurassic Park” superfan and the director of “The Creator”) is ushering in a new era of “Jurassic” movies and harkening back to the Steven Spielberg originals in this film with Scarlett Johansson, Mahershala Ali and Jonathan Bailey. Much about the film is being kept top secret, but Edwards said David Koepp’s script read like a love letter to Spielberg’s early work. “It’s basically a mission story where these military types go to this island to get this DNA, then there’s a twist,” Edwards said. “This family ends up involved and it becomes a story of survival. It’s like one giant roller coaster ride and once it gets going, it sort of doesn’t stop.”

“The Old Guard 2” (Netflix, streaming): Charlize Theron is back with her immortal team for a new mission. KiKi Layne, Matthias Schoenaerts, Marwan Kenzari and Luca Marinelli also reprise their roles.

“40 Acres” (Magnolia, theaters): Danielle Deadwyler and Michael Greyeyes lead this post-apocalyptic thriller about a plague that has caused worldwide famine.

July 10

“Brick” (Netflix, streaming): In this German horror, a couple wakes up to find they’re trapped in their apartment.

July 11

“Superman” (Warner Bros., theaters): James Gunn is ushering in a new era of Superman, with a fresh face in David Corenswet and the promise that he’s a different Superman than what audiences have seen before. Gunn told the AP that this is “a Superman that’s both more grounded in his own personality and his relationship, which is much more complex than has been in the past. And then also the big magic world of Superman being in the world of the DCU with flying dogs and robots and giant monsters.” There’s romance with Rachel Brosnahan’s Lois Lane, and a “pretty scary” Lex Luthor in Nicholas Hoult. “He’s actually going to kill (Superman),” Gunn said. “And that’s cool to see.”

“Don’t Let’s Go to the Dogs Tonight ” (Sony Pictures Classics, theaters): Actor Embeth Davidtz directs and stars in this critically acclaimed adaptation of Alexandra Fuller’s bestselling memoir of growing up on a farm in the former Rhodesia before and after the 1980 election, as the colonial system crumbles. The story is told through the eyes of 8-year-old Bobo (Lexi Venter).

“Tyler Perry’s Destination Wedding” (Netflix, streaming): Madea goes to the Bahamas.

“Skillhouse” (Fathom, theaters): 50 Cent stars in this horror about influencers who are lured into a “content house” and forced to compete in deadly challenges.

July 18

“I Know What You Did Last Summer” (Sony Pictures, theaters): Jennifer Love Hewitt and Freddie Prinze Jr. reprise their roles from the 1997 slasher in this new installment featuring an eerily similar situation and a cast of pretty young up-and-comers including Madelyn Cline, Chase Sui Wonders, Jonah Hauer-King and Tyriq Withers.

“Smurfs” (Paramount, theaters): Rihanna produced and stars as Smurfette in this new musical adventure. “There’s a purity to the Smurfs mythos,” said Nick Offerman, who voices Papa Smurf’s brother Ken. “That, I think, is what makes their appeal so timeless. They’re a benevolent group of wee blue villagers who, you know, want to love one another and lead productive lives while fending off the world’s forces of evil, usually represented by the machinations of some wizards out for ill gotten gains.”

“Eddington” (A24, theaters): Ari Aster re-teams with Joaquin Phoenix for this film about a standoff between a small-town sheriff and a mayor in the early months of the COVID-19 lockdowns. Pedro Pascal, Emma Stone and Austin Butler also star.

“Unicorns” (Cohen Media Group, theaters): A young, single father from Essex (Ben Hardy) is disarmed when he falls for a drag queen.

July 25

“The Fantastic Four: First Steps” (Disney, theaters): Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn and Ebon Moss-Bachrach unite to play “Marvel’s first family” in this retro-futuristic world set in 1960s New York. Director Matt Shakman (“WandaVision,” “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia”) said they are the only superheroes in their world and are the leading lights of their age. While the scale and world building were on another level, Shakman said, “it’s also no different from all of the great comedies and dramas that I’ve done — in the end, it comes down to character, to relationships and to heart and humor.”

“Happy Gilmore 2” (Netflix, streaming): Adam Sandler returns to the green (and one of his most beloved roles) after almost 30 years, along with Shooter McGavin (Christopher McDonald), Hal (Ben Stiller), Virginia (Julie Bowen) and Doug (Dennis Dugan) and an army of newcomers, including some Gilmore offspring. “The first one is so iconic, we all kind of knew the world that we were stepping into,” said Conor Sherry, who plays one of his sons. “We were like the newest additions to a long, long, long family.”

“Oh, Hi!” (Sony Pictures Classics, theaters): Molly Gordon and Logan Lerman lead this dark romantic comedy about a married couple’s first romantic weekend getaway.

“Diciannove” (Oscilloscope, theaters): Luca Guadagnino produced this coming-of-age film about a 19-year-old’s journey of self-discovery.

July 30

“Together” (Neon, theaters): Real life couple Dave Franco and Alison Brie play a frighteningly codependent couple in this inventive body horror that had Sundance crowds raving.

AUGUST MOVIE RELEASES

Aug. 1

“The Bad Guys 2” (Universal, theaters): Sam Rockwell, Marc Maron, Craig Robinson, Awkwafina and Anthony Ramos return for another animated heist, but this time they’re teaming up with a new squad called the Bad Girls (voiced by Danielle Brooks, Maria Bakalova and Natasha Lyonne).

“The Naked Gun” (Paramount, theaters): Liam Neeson flexes his particular set of comedy skills as Frank Drebin Jr. in this irreverent new entry from Lonely Island veteran Akiva Schaffer, featuring Paul Walter Hauser and Pamela Anderson.

Aug. 6

“Sketch” (Angel Studios, theaters): This horror comedy about a girl’s drawings that come to life stars Tony Hale and D’Arcy Carden.

Aug. 8

“Weapons” (Warner Bros., theaters): Children are disappearing in filmmaker Zach Cregger’s eerie follow-up to “Barbarian,” starring Josh Brolin, Julia Garner and Alden Ehrenreich.

“Freakier Friday” (Disney, theaters): Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan are back as the body-swapping mother and daughter duo.

“My Mother’s Wedding” (Vertical, theaters): Kristin Scott Thomas directs and stars in this drama about a woman getting married for the third time, which is an occasion for her three daughters (Scarlett Johansson, Sienna Miller, Emily Beecham) to come home.

Aug. 13

“Fixed” (Netflix, streaming): An adult animated comedy from Genndy Tartakovsky about a dog’s quest for one last adventure before being neutered.

Aug. 15

“Nobody 2” (Universal Pictures, theaters): Bob Odenkirk’s former assassin Hutch Mansell can’t catch a break. This time, Keanu Reeves joins the bloody fun.

“Clika” (Sony Pictures, theaters): A small-town musician (Jay Dee) goes viral in this drama set in the world of Mexican American music. It’s the debut feature of Rancho Humilde CEO Jimmy Humilde’s production company.

“East of Wall” (Sony Pictures Classics, theaters): Kate Beecroft’s debut film about a young horse trainer grappling with financial insecurity and grief in the South Dakota Badlands won the audience award in the NEXT section at the Sundance Film Festival.

“Eli Roth Presents: Jimmy and Stiggs” (Iconic Events, theaters): A low budget “splatter fest” for horror devotees, Joe Begos wrote, directed and stars.

“Witchboard” (Atlas, theaters): “Stranger Things’” Jamie Campbell Bower stars in this supernatural horror set in New Orleans (a remake of a 1986 cult classic).

Aug. 22

“Lurker” (MUBI, theaters): Another Sundance gem, this paranoid thriller is the feature debut of “The Bear” and “Beef” writer Alex Russell, about celebrity, fandom and being very online, featuring a buzzy young cast led by Théodore Pellerin and Archie Madekwe.

“HONEY DON’T!” (Focus Features, theaters): Margaret Qualley, Aubrey Plaza, Charlie Day, Billy Eichner and Chris Evans star in this dark comedy from Ethan Coen about a small-town private investigator and a string of mysterious deaths.

“Americana” (Lionsgate, theaters): This Sydney Sweeney-led crime thriller, a revisionist Western set in South Dakota, debuted at South by Southwest in 2023 and concerns the theft of a valuable artifact.

“Eden” (Vertical, theaters): Ron Howard directs Jude Law, Ana de Armas, Vanessa Kirby and Sydney Sweeney in this survival thriller set in the Galapagos after the first World War.

“Relay” (Bleecker Street, theaters): Riz Ahmed plays a corporate fixer in this contemporary riff on the paranoid thriller from “Hell or High Water” filmmaker David Mackenzie.

“Grand Prix of Europe” (Viva Pictures, theaters): “F1” for the preschool set? This animated film is also set in the world of car racing.

Aug. 28

“The Thursday Murder Club” (Netflix, streaming): Helen Mirren, Pierce Brosnan, Ben Kingsley and Celia Imrie play retirees who spend their time solving cold cases in this adaptation of Richard Osman’s bestseller, directed by Chris Columbus.

Aug. 29

“Caught Stealing” (Sony Pictures, theaters): Filmmaker Darren Aronofsky’s film is written by and based on the Charlie Huston books about an ex-baseball player (Austin Butler) who gets tangled up in New York’s criminal underworld in the 1990s. Zoë Kravitz, Regina King, Liev Schreiber, Matt Smith and Bad Bunny also star.

“The Roses” (Searchlight Pictures, theaters): The modern reimagining of “The War of the Roses” stars Olivia Colman and Benedict Cumberbatch as the feuding couple. It was written by Tony McNamara, the Oscar-nominated screenwriter of “Poor Things” and creator of “The Great,” and directed by Jay Roach.

“The Toxic Avenger” (Cineverse and Iconic Events Releasing, theaters): Peter Dinklage stars as the titular superhero in this supremely gory and graphic film, which sat on the shelf for a few years in search of a distributor. Elijah Wood, Jacob Tremblay, Kevin Bacon and Taylour Paige also star.

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This story has been corrected to report that Sally Ride was the first American woman in space, not the first woman in space.