While moviegoers await the arrival of big titles in theaters this summer, Netflix has added some new options to its catalogue to stream in June 2024. Newcomers to the streamer’s slate offer options for young adults, history buffs, book adaptation lovers and adrenaline junkies that like action-packed stories.
Richard Linklater’s $20 million Hit Man starring Glen Powell arrives early on, while rom com starring Nicole Kidman, Joey King and Zac Efron arrives at the end of the month. In between those launches, viewers can catch all three Divergent films, Paul Mescal’s Oscar-nominated performance in Aftersun and the Shondaland-produced Black Barbie.
Here are seven of the best new movies on Netflix in June 2024:
Divergent – June 1
On the heels of a new Hunger Games prequel book and film announcement, some may be craving a return to the dystopia craze that the Suzanne Collins franchise fueled. Veronica Roth’s Divergent book series arrived shortly after The Hunger Games, and the series was also developed into three films, all of which are available on Netflix as of June 1. Shailene Woodley brings heroine Tris Prior to life alongside Theo James as Tobias Eaton, Miles Teller as Peter, Ansel Elgort as Caleb Prior, Ashley Judd as Natalie Prior, Tony Goldwyn as Andrew Prior, Kate Winslet as Jeanine and more throughout the films. The soundtracks contain original songs from M83, Ellie Goulding, Imagine Dragons and others.
On the Basis of Sex – June 1
Felicity Jones embodies the late and great Ruth Bader Ginsburg in On the Basis of Sex, which goes down in the canon of historical biopics. The film follows Ginsburg’s true life story as she helped her husband (Armie Hammer) through law school and took on cases that demonstrated her battle for equal rights and led to her nomination and confirmation to the Supreme Court.
Crazy Rich Asians – June 6
Based on the best-selling trilogy by Kevin Kwan, Crazy Rich Asians stars Constance Wu as Rachel Chu, an Asian American woman who visits Singapore to meet her boyfriend Nick Young’s (Henry Golding) family. She faces the striking difference between herself and the culture she finds in Singapore, particularly from Nick’s mother Eleanor (Michelle Yeoh). The cast also includes Gemma Chan, Awkwafina, Lisa Lu, Harry Shum Jr., Ken Jeong, Ronny Chieng, Nico Santos and more. A confident Rachel comes out victorious, ending the film on a triumphant note.
Hit Man – June 7
Glen Powell plays fake hitman Gary Johnson in this film from Richard Linklater. Powell’s character is based on an article written by Skip Hollandsworth in the Texas Monthly. Powell’s Johnson becomes all kinds of different versions of himself to satisfy his various clients’ visions of a hitman. From fake stubble to colored contacts and different wigs as well as accents, Gary manages to convince customers that he’ll get the job done for them only to turn them in for their activity. Things change, though, when he meets Madison (Adria Arjona). The many versions of Glen Powell mark this comedy as one showing his range. Sanjay Rao, Retta and Austin Amelio star as well.
Black Barbie – June 19
Following fictional Barbie’s (2023) success at the box office, this documentary, produced by Shonda Rhimes and Betsy Beers for Shondaland, shines a light on three women who worked to create the first Black Barbie. Director Lagueria Davis explores the roles of Beulah Mae Mitchell, Kitty Black and Stacey McBride Irby in the debut of the doll. The film debuted at the 2023 SXSW Film Festival.
Aftersun – June 21
Written and directed by Charlotte Wells, Aftersun got actor Paul Mescal (Normal People) his first Oscar nomination for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role. Frankie Corio portrays Mescal’s character’s daughter Sophie who reflects on a holiday she took with her father 20 years ago and the melancholy that surrounded it. The film has made waves since its premiere at the Cannes Film Festival in 2022.
A Family Affair – June 28
Nicole Kidman, Zac Efron and Joey King lead this rom-com arriving on the streamer at the end of the month. After two years of being an assistant to Chris Cole (Zac Efron), Zara Ford (Joey King) walks in on him and her mother Brooke Harwood (Nicole Kidman) having sex. The romantic comedy, which also stars Kathy Bates as Zara’s grandmother and Liza Koshy as Zara’s best friend, hails from the producers of Anyone But You starring Glen Powell and Sydney Sweeney. Richard Lagravenese directs from Carrie Solomon’s script.