August Premiere Picks: 11 New Releases to Accompany You Through End-of-Summer Blues
As the days of summer vacation begin to wind down, you might be catching an unexpected case of the end-of-summer blues. If you find yourself feeling a little sad or lacking energy, EnVi has the perfect remedy to pick you right back up! From uplifting animated adventures to edge-of-your-seat finds, we present eleven new releases across television and film that will help aid in your recovery.
Badly In Love Season 2 – August 4
No matter who you are or what youโve been through, love is possible. Following its December 2025 debut, Japanโs yankii dating reality series Badly in Love returns for a second season. Created and produced by MEGUMI, the series, inspired by her own youth, follows 11 former delinquents living under the same roof for two weeks. As the days pass, the participants navigate fights, friendships, and first loves, dredging up many complicated emotions that clash with their tough exteriors. After finding solace in the mountains during the first installment, the season two contestants soak up the summer in Okinawa, the home prefecture of the newest panel member, Awich.
Where to Watch: Netflix
Flex X Cop Season 2 – August 7
Nearly three years after its premiere, Flex X Cop returns for a second season.ย A remake of the 2014 Russian series Silver Spoon, the action-comedy follows the third-generation chaebol Jin Yi-soo (Ahn Bo-hyun) as he suddenly becomes integrated into Kangha Police Station’s violent crimes team, with intentions to save his fatherโs reputation. In season two, following official police training, Jin returns to the unit ready to continue on the path of justice. However, his burning passion is quickly extinguished when he sees that the temporary stand-in for team leader is none other than Joo Hye-ra (Jung Eun-chae), a harsh instructor from his police academy days.
Where to Watch: Disney+ or Hulu, depending on region
The Last House – August 7
From Matthew Robinson, the writer behind Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die, comes another mystifying narrative. Directed by Louis Leterrier (The Incredible Hulk, Now You See Me), the upcoming science fiction thriller film The Last House follows a family of four who are trapped in their house with no way out. As they grapple with dwindling resources and deteriorating mental strength, they begin to realize there may be an even greater threat outside. Leading the film and family are Greta Lee (Past Lives, Toy Story 5) and Wagner Moura (Narcos, Puss in Boots: The Last Wish).
Where to Watch: Netflix
Olmo – August 7
Through a collaboration between childhood friends, director Fernando Eimbcke and novelist Vanesa Garnica crafted a humorous yet tender coming-of-age story. Set in 1979 New Mexico, the eponymous film centers on Olmo (Aivan Uttapa), a 14-year-old whose hopeful expectations of youth are crushed by a stark reality. On what was supposed to be his day off from taking care of his father, who is afflicted with multiple sclerosis, Olmo is suddenly reassigned to the duty. Under any other circumstance, he would begrudgingly comply, but the prospect of attending his next-door neighbor’s house party seems way more appealing.
Gelboys Season 2 – August 8
Oh, the joys of being young and in love. After escaping the clutches of situationship purgatory, the burgeoning relationships of four teenagers referred to as Gelboys are threatened by an unexpected force in the second season of the eponymous series.
Directed by Es Prinwat, the upcoming installment showcases the growing strain between Chian (Pide Montapoom) and his boyfriend Fou4Mod (New Chayapak), who is adjusting to fame as a rising T-pop star. Experiencing similar events is the second couple, Baabin (PJ Mahidol) and Bua (Leon Zech), who decide to stan the same member of a T-pop group. Narrating the tumultuous events of the season are Gelz (Peem Veeravit) and Baby (Mye Nattapat), the future sons of the respective couples.
Where to Watch: iQIYI
The Ribbon Hero – August 8
If youโre a fan of K-pop Demon Hunters’ uplifting story, this next pick is definitely for you. In his feature directorial debut film, animator Yuuki Igarashi adapts the widely recognized shoujo manga series โPrincess Knightโ by Osamu Tezuka (โAstro Boyโ). Leading the action-packed fantasy is Sapphire (voiced by Saaya Kadokura), the princess of the fallen kingdom Silverland.
After the evil entity Nergal returns to destroy the peaceful Goldland, Sapphire is forced to harness her dual strengths to keep her new homeland safe from harm. Adding an extra layer to the narrative is the main theme song โRebornโ by the Korean-Japanese hybrid-virtual girl group Girlโs Archive. Releasing on August 7, the pop-rock song is about breaking free from the expectations set for you, and instead taking full control of who you want to be with no hesitation.
Where to Watch: Netflix
The End of Oak Street – August 14
Following the premiere of The Odyssey in July, award-winning actress Anne Hathaway will return to the silver screen with her fourth project of the year. Directed by David Robert Mitchell (It Follows) and produced by J.J. Abrams (Star Wars: The Force Awakens), the upcoming sci-fi thriller The End of Oak Street centers on the harrowing occurrences that follow a sudden cosmic event. Joining Hathaway in the fight for survival are Ewan McGregor (Star Wars prequels), Maisy Stella (Nashville), and Christian Convery (Sweet Tooth).
Colony – August 28
Known for his command of suspenseful and eerie genres, director and screenwriter Yeon Sang-ho returned to familiar ground with Colony, set to hit North American theaters on August 28. Made up of a star-studded cast โ Jun Ji-hyun, Koo Kyo-hwan, Ji Chang-wook, Kim Shin-rok, Shin Hyun-been, and Go Soo โ the narrative follows a group of survivors trapped in a high-rise building during a sudden outbreak.
After attending what was supposed to be a straightforward conference, biotechnology professor Kwon Se-jeong (Jun) works to decipher the source of the mystery outbreak while leading the survivors to safety. Taking on an antagonistic role is Koo, portraying the twisted biology scientist Seo Young-cheol, who possesses the vaccine for the zombie outbreak he created.
Filipiรฑana – August 28
Expanding on his 2020 thesis short film of the same name, Filipino filmmaker Rafael Manuel made his feature directorial debut with Filipinaรฑa in January. Following its premiere at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival, the black-comedy will make its North American debut at the Film Forum in New York before screening in select theaters across the country. A critique of the postcolonial class disparity in the Philippines, Filipinaรฑa centers on a 17-year-old tee girl, Isabel (Jorrybell Agoto), whose simple errand leads her to uncover a distorted reality concealed within the walls of an upscale country club.
Four Hands, Two Sonatas – August 29
One highly anticipated return and one bittersweet farewell. Nearly a year after his military discharge, Song Kang (Sweet Home, Navillera) is set to make his drama comeback, starring alongside Lee Jun-young (When Life Gives You Tangerines), who enlisted on July 21. An original work from Studio N, the upcoming coming-of-age romance Four Hands, Two Sonatas centers on the complicated relationship held between two young pianists, Kang Pi-o (Song) and Choi Jeong-yo (Lee).
As the duo progresses from school rivals to full-blown professional pianists, they play off one another, overcoming their deepest troubles and pushing to new heights. Joining in on the rhapsody is Jang Gyu-ri (When the Phone Rings, Cheer Up), who portrays Hong Jae-in, a viola major with sensitive hearing.
Where to Watch: Netflix
The Last Blossom – August 30 – 31
After premiering in Japan on October 10, 2025, The Last Blossom (or Housenka) will be shown in select North American cinemas for two nights only on August 30 & 31. In collaboration with the award-winning animation studio CLAP (Pompo: The Cinรฉphile), the creators of ODD TAXIย (Baku Kinoshita and Kazuya Konomoto) crafted a sensitive narrative centered on a former yakuza.
Following a 30-year prison sentence, a feeble and elderly Akutsu, voiced by Kaoru Kobayashi (present) and Junki Tozuka (past), lies in his solitary prison cell, drawing on the last of his fading energy to reflect on his life. He is not entirely alone, however. Accompanying him on this contemplative journey is a red balsam flower (voiced by Pierre Taki) with a sassy demeanor. His memories revisit his first encounter with the woman he loved and her infant son in the summer of 1986. Despite his inability to show his fondness through words, Akutsu ultimately proves that he would do anything to keep them safe.
Not ready for the summer to be over? Check out our list of travel reality series to check out now!
