What To Watch Now: Wars, Wishes, And Warnings

Here’s what to add to your June watchlist
Published: June 26, 2026
(UNIVERSAL PICTURES)

From dragons looming over Westeros to technology threatening the future of toys, June is stacked with stories that balance nostalgia with fresh ideas. A young filmmaker makes his feature debut with Backrooms, while Obsession proves that a low-budget film can turn into a hit. Elsewhere, familiar favourites such as Netflix’s Avatar: The Last Airbender and Toy Story 5 prove that some franchises still have plenty left in the tank. If you're planning your next cinema trip or streaming binge, these are the releases of the summer to keep on your radar this month.  

Clarkson’s Farm, Season 5

Jeremy Clarkson returns to Diddly Squat Farm for a fifth season of Prime Video’s unlikely hit documentary series. Once dismissed as a celebrity vanity project, the former host of the BBC car show Top Gear attempts to run a 1,000-acre farm in the Cotswolds—with little to no farming experience. Clarkson faces new government policies, mounting financial pressure, and another unpredictable harvest, all of which force him to rethink how the farm operates. Joining him is Kaleb Cooper, as viewers follow the duo’s first trip abroad to experiment with new technology. 

The latest season sees Clarkson dealing with a health scare, forced to rest on doctor’s orders. However, rest has never been part of the British vocabulary, as he continues to navigate other issues on the farm. This includes trials to reduce manual labour, including new crop kits, high-tech farming experiments, and even bigger developments heading for the Diddly Squat 2.0. It also documents real-world events, such as Clarkson and his crew’s protest against the family farm tax, which sent shockwaves across the local farming community.

Masters of The Universe

More than four decades after He-Man first lifted the Sword of Power, the action figure finally gets another live-action adaptation. Under Travis Knight’s direction, the reboot aims to introduce Mattel's beloved fantasy franchise to a new generation without abandoning the adventure that made it a cult favourite. Leading the charge is a star-studded ensemble, including a buffed-up Nicholas Galitzine as He-Man/Prince Adam, a blue-eyed Camila Mendes as Teela, Idris Elba as Duncan/Man-At-Arms, Alison Brie as Evil-Lyn, and Jared Leto as Skeletor. 

The story follows Prince Adam as he embraces his destiny as He-Man to defend Eternia from the evil sorcerer Skeletor. Ancient magic, giant battles and familiar characters all return, but the film also explores Adam's struggle between ordinary life and heroic responsibility. After 15 years stranded on Earth, his life turns upside down when the Sword of Power finds its way back to him. Forced to confront his legacy, Adam must embrace his true calling, joining forces with his closest allies. If you've been waiting to hear "By the power of Grayskull!", this is your chance.

Backrooms

At just 20 years old, Kane Parsons has shattered box office records in his debut A24 horror feature. The project has drawn plenty of attention simply because the director first built his audience on YouTube. What began as a series of unsettling found-footage uploads, the film was inspired by the eerie online myth of creepypasta, which is meant to scare viewers in the strangest corners of the web. The young director explores this internet phenomenon in detail within the confines of a liminal space, a place that perpetuates an uncanny sense of familiarity.

The story follows Clark (Chiwetel Ejiofor), a failed architect turned furniture store owner struggling with alcoholism and marital issues. His therapist, Mary (Renate Reinsve), helps him through it before getting dragged in herself. Secrets buried beneath the basement’s flickering lights draw them into something the human mind was never built to map—a never-ending maze of unknown spaces. Trapped inside, they search for a way home. Strange entities stalk the corridors, while the shifting architecture turns every escape attempt into another dead end. 

Cape Fear

This series reimagines both John D. MacDonald's 1957 novel The Executioners and Martin Scorsese's acclaimed 1991 film, putting a new spin on the unsettling thriller story. With Steven Spielberg and Scorsese behind it as executive producers, the series soaks itself in prestige horror, with all its twisted reflections, slow-building unease, and shadows that never fully lift. The cast is packed with A-list faces like Javier Bardem as the psychotic Max Cady, alongside Amy Adams and Patrick Wilson as a married couple whose lives unravel after Cady’s release from prison. 

At the centre of the series is the Bowden family, which has it all—status, stability, and a life everyone dreams of. Years after a courtroom decision changed all their lives, Cady returns determined to destroy and hold the couple responsible. His campaign becomes increasingly psychological, forcing the couple to question every decision they make as they try to protect their children. Rather than relying purely on jump scares, the 10-episode limited series builds tension through paranoia, manipulation, and the constant feeling that danger is never far away.

Toy Story 5

Nearly 30 years after the first film changed animation forever, Toy Story asks once again how toys stay relevant. In this fifth instalment of Pixar’s beloved franchise, the toys are met with another adventure, this time involving technology. Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, and Joan Cusack all reprise their iconic roles as Woody, Buzz Lightyear, and Jessie, joined by Scarlett Spears as Bonnie and Greta Lee voicing a new role. Right from the start, the movie leans into Disney’s biggest strength, turning a story into a universe that meets fans everywhere they already are.

The toys face a threat they can’t simply outsmart. It’s not the fear of being forgotten or a shiny new toy—it’s a tablet. Hoping to encourage Bonnie to socialise, her parents gift her a tablet named Lilypad/Lily. Technology has now become their biggest rival, leaving the toys neglected as they choose screens over playtime. Woody and Buzz Lightyear must find a new purpose as the gang navigates a future where imagination competes with devices. Pixar has tackled growing up before, but this chapter asks what happens when childhood itself starts to look different. 

House of the Dragon, Season 3

Game of Thrones fans rejoice! After a two-year break, fire meets blood once more for the third season of HBO’s fantasy drama. After the second season left the dragon-filled world of Westeros on the brink of all-out war, the series continues to broaden George R.R. Martin's prequel novel Fire and Blood, charting the brutal Targaryen civil war known as the Dance of the Dragons. Emma D'Arcy, Olivia Cooke, and Matt Smith all reprise their roles, while the latest season introduces more dragon riders and key players from across the Seven Kingdoms.

The latest season kicks off with the Battle of the Gullet, the deadliest naval battle in Westeros history. The fragile peace between Team Black and Green has finally collapsed, and every major house must decide where its loyalty lies, picking a side like it’s a blood sport. Expect larger battles, shifting alliances, and devastating losses as the fight for the Iron Throne spreads beyond King's Landing. With more dragons entering the conflict than ever before, the war becomes as destructive as fans of Martin's books have long anticipated. Tune in every Monday!

Avatar: The Last Airbender, Season 2

Netflix continues its live-action adaptation of Nickelodeon's beloved animated series, with a second season covering the events of Book Two: Earth. It picks up in the heavily fortified city of Ba Sing Se, home of the Earth King. Gordon Cormier, Kiawentiio, and Ian Ousley return as Team Avatar—Aang, Katara, and Sokka—embarking on a mission that grows more urgent with every step to the deepest ends of the Kingdom. Following a well-received first season, the new episodes also introduce fan favourite Toph Beifong, the franchise's most memorable character.

After securing a victory against the Northern Water Tribe from the invasion by the Fire Nation, Team Avatar reunites with a new aim in mind as the war amplifies. In hopes of convincing the evasive Earth King to aid against the ruthless Fire Lord Ozai (Daniel Dae Kim), they begin to learn that it isn’t as simple as it looks. Powerful new allies, dangerous conspiracies, and personal conflicts await the journey. Aang also begins mastering the elements as he meets the blind earthbender, Toph Beifong (Miyako), who shakes up everything he knows about strength. 

Little Brother

Directed by Ingrid Goes West filmmaker Matt Spicer, Netflix’s raunchy comedy pairs retired WWE wrestler John Cena with Eric André in a film about forced family bonding and very bad timing. You can never say no to family, right? The duo puts that to the test as brothers who couldn’t be any more different. Cena plays a tightly wound, image-conscious real estate agent, while André plays the chaotic little brother who suddenly reappears in his life. Their on-screen bromance really solidifies the performance, so get ready for your funny bones to take a beating.

The film follows Rudd, a successful realtor whose carefully curated life gets wrecked when his eccentric little brother, Marcus, crashes back into the picture. They met through a Big Brother mentorship program, leaving Marcus no choice but to turn to the only brother he’s ever known. What begins as an inconvenient reunion turns into a full-blown crisis, complete with family baggage, public embarrassment and the kind of chaos only André can bring. Think real estate ambition meets emotional damage, with Cena trying very hard to keep the walls from closing in.

The Bear, Season 5

“Yes, Chef!” is the last call we’ll hear from Christopher Storer's award-winning kitchen drama. Since 2022, the show has evolved into one of TV’s most acclaimed series, collecting multiple Emmy Awards. Storer planned to end the series after its fourth season, but given the audience response, the show meant too much to the fans. The latest season picks up after another exhausting year for the restaurant and its staff. Carmy Berzatto (Jeremy Allen White), Sydney Adamu (Ayo Edebiri) and Richie Jerimovich (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) are all back in Chicago.

The final season questions whether the struggling restaurant can survive without Berzatto, who continues to chase perfection, even as the kitchen remains loud, stressful, and relentlessly funny. Adamu faces major career decisions, stepping up as head chef, while dwindling sales put the building at risk. Jerimovich works to redefine his place in the restaurant, with every service feeling like another test of survival. Beneath the shouting, the staff must set aside their egos to work together to earn a Michelin star. And against all odds, learn what calm truly feels like.

Obsession

After building a loyal following on the festival circuit, the supernatural horror film finally debuts in local cinemas. Written, directed and edited by emerging filmmaker Curry Barker, the movie doesn’t hold back in showing how male entitlement and desire can become destructive. It delves into modern courtship dynamics, using intimate performances to build up the tension. The sketch comedian-turned-horror director doesn't just dust off the "be careful what you wish for" trope—he weaponises it, keeping the focus on a toxic relationship that spirals out of control.

Bear (Michael Johnston) is a music store worker who wants to profess his love for his childhood friend, Nikki (Inde Navarrette). He does what any reasonable man would do and buys a One Wish Willow, a cursed toy that grants him Nikki’s love once broken. What begins as an intense romance transforms into manipulation, paranoia, and violence. Both characters become trapped in a toxic cycle, with each revelation forcing them to confront what’s real, what's been imagined, and who’s truly in control. Little does Bear know, he’ll get more than what he wished for.

related posts

crosschevron-down