The 5 Most Anticipated Movies of July (2024)

by RT Staff | July 5, 2023 | Comments

We’re midway through summer and a few of the most anticipated films of the year are set to hit theaters. And while one of them clearly resonated with more of our fans across social media than the other offerings, it wasn’t a unanimous winner, and the films that finished in second and third weren’t all that far behind. Read on for the most anticipated movies opening in July 2023!

Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One (2023)

#1 on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube; #2 on Twitter
Release Date: July 12

Tom Cruise is back to perform death-defying stunts for our entertainment, and by the looks of things, everyone is ready to dive back into the world of Ethan Hunt and his fellow IMF agents. Reviews have just dropped for the film, and perhaps unsurprisingly, they are overwhelmingly positive, which is a good sign, considering this is just the first of a two-part story. This is pure popcorn entertainment led by one of the world’s last true movie stars, so it’s no surprise to see it at the top of this month’s list.

Oppenheimer (2023)

#1 on Twitter; #2 on Instagram and YouTube; #3 on Facebook
Release Date: July 21

Christopher Nolan is one of a handful of directors who can pretty reliably count on his fanbase to show up for his films, no matter what. As its title suggests, his latest project is a based-on-true-events profile of the man credited with shepherding the atomic bomb into existence. Not only is the film directed by Nolan, but it also stars one of his frequent (and fan-favorite) collaborators, Cillian Murphy, and it’s the first film to shoot IMAX in black and white, so there are a lot of reasons to check it out.

Barbie (2023)

#2 on Facebook; #3 on Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube
Release Date: July 21

Opening directly oppositeOppenheimer and offering a bit of distinct counter-programming, we have this tongue-in-cheek meta-comedy about arguably history’s most popular doll, directed by Greta Gerwig and starring Margot Robbie. Again, all extremely compelling reasons to see the film. Will the weekend be ruled by Ken and Barbie or kiloton bombs? Will either of them even be able to dethroneMission: Impossible, which opens the week before them? Mark your calendars and be prepared to spend a chunk of change at the theater.

Haunted Mansion (2023)

#4 on Facebook and Instagram; #5 onYouTube
Release Date: July 28

Coming in far behind Ethan Hunt, J-Bob Oppenheimer, and Barbie is Disney’s second attempt to adapt the titular amusem*nt park ride into a movie. Rosario Dawson leads an eclectic all-star cast (Owen Wilson, LaKeith Stanfield, Tiffany Haddish, Danny DeVito) in a horror-comedy ostensibly aimed at families with particularly brave children. Directed by Justin Simien (Dear White People), this one managed a fourth place finish on Facebook and Instagram and snuck in at No. 5 on YouTube.

Insidious: The Red Door (2023)

#4 on Twitter and Youtube
Release Date: July 7

Lastly, coming in behind Disney’s horror-comedy for kids, we have the latest chapter of another horror franchise. Insidious: The Red Door is actually a direct sequel toInsidious: Chapter 2, and it marks the directorial debut for star Patrick Wilson, who reunites with his screen family (Rose Byrne, Ty Simpkins, and Andrew Astor) for a story that picks up 10 years afterChapter 2. The series has admittedly lost some of its luster, but it still maintains a dedicated following, so it makes some sense that there are still fans out there looking forward to more.

Thumbnail by ©Universal Pictures

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