Summer is the time we go outside and play, right? Wrong! Now that we’re adults, we can spend our summer staying inside and being entertained with games, films, and television shows. Here’s a quick guide to what summer has in store for you!



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On the TV

Yeah, the sixth season of Game of Thrones is over. I know, it sucks. And now it looks like the seventh season will be here later than usual, with filming being delayed currently. Thankfully, it doesn’t mean that we’re going to be left without any good television throughout the summer.

If you’re watching some awesome ongoing television shows, then good news! Many of your favourites are returning this summer. Ray Donovan, Killjoys, The Strain, and the awesome Mr Robot will all be back. But it’s also worth remembering that there are going to be a bunch of new shows premiering this summer.



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There are three such shows that have really caught my eye. The first is Roadies, which was created and written by Cameron Crowe. Yes, the guy who made the Oscar-winning film Almost Famous. As you can probably guess by the title, Roadies will have a similar premise to that film. It will follow a group of roadies as they tour with a hot rock band.

The other show is Stranger Things, which is debuted on Netflix later this month. It’s a sci-fi drama that is inspired by the likes of Spielberg and Carpenter. It will star Winona Ryder in the lead role, in case you were wondering what she was up to these days! The next one I need to mention is Vice Principals, an upcoming dark comedy show for HBO. It’s created and written by Danny McBride, who will also star in the lead role. Like his previous show, it will be a foul-mouthed series set in a high school. You can watch the teaser trailer for the show at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qerpkmHGvuE.



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At the movie theaters

Summer at the movies is defined by one thing: the summer blockbuster. This is the season where we see the biggest films that the year has to offer, all coming to us at a slightly disconcerting rate. We have, of course, already seen a bunch of blockbusters this year. Captain America Civil War, Zootopia, and The Jungle Book have been billion-dollar successes this year. Will we see the same success with the blockbusters just round the corner?

In just a few days from now, the world will finally be able to see the new Ghostbusters film. I know already that there are a lot of people who will flat-out refuse to see it. The trailer, after all, was pretty bad. But hey, I’ve seen worse trailers for films that actually turned out to be pretty good. And I’m refusing to believe that a Paul Feig film starring Melissa McCarthy can be complete trash. I’ll be checking it out! (But, yes, I will have my fingers crossed.)



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Another trailer that people seemed to dislike? Star Trek Beyond. Personally, any trailer that features the Beastie Boys is good in my book. But will the film itself - the third of the “new” Star Trek films - be any good? Well, Star Trek and Beyond Darkness weren’t bad at all. This one was actually written by one of the film’s stars, Simon Pegg. Yes, the guy who once joked in the television series Spaced that all the odd-numbered Star Trek films are terrible. Well, this is technically Star Trek 13. Don’t fulfill your own prophecy, Simon!

Late summer will see the releases of two highly-anticipated films: Suicide Squad and Jason Bourne. Of course, not everyone wants to see these action-fuelled blockbusters. Well, don’t worry: summer will be bringing you a few films that are a little different. The Light Between Oceans will be a low-key drama starring Michael Fassbender which has already been touted for Academy Awards. Summer will also bring you the new Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg film, an animated comedy titled, erm, Sausage Party. And no, that won’t be a kid-friendly film. Read more about it at http://www.movies.com/sausage-party/m70242.



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Home video

Is the movie theatre a bit too adventurous for you? There’s no need to fear. Summer is also the time where a bunch of amazing films make it to DVD and Blu-Ray! Perhaps the most noteworthy film coming to home media is Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. And yes, I hear you: it got some atrocious reviews. People hated it. But the home video edition is the “Ultimate Edition”. The two-and-a-half hour PG-13 film is now a three-hour R-rated film. Though no-one is hailing it a classic, many have said that this cut is actually pretty decent. I guess it’s a shame that an R-rated theatrical release wouldn’t have made as much money, eh?



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Summer will also see the home video release of Everybody Wants Some!! It wasn’t a smash hit at the theatres, but it did receive very positive reviews. It was written and directed by Richard Linklater, creator of 2014’s darling Boyhood. The film is very much a spiritual successor to Linklater's classic Dazed & Confused. If you were a fan of that, I’d recommend this in a heartbeat!

Of course, these days you’re not just limited to DVDs and Blu-Ray when it comes to new home entertainment. There are a bunch of films that are planned for release on Netflix. Some of them are hits from 2015 and this year; some of them are classics that are well worth a rewatch. Check out a list of what Netflix has in store for you at http://www.netflixupdate.com/coming-july-2016-netflix/.

Video games

Video games are no longer the hobby of nerds and loners! (And I’m allowed to say that because I was totally one of those nerds and losers!) Summer also brings a slew of highly-anticipated games that will sell in the millions.



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Inside, the new game by the creators of Limbo, was released on PC on July 7. I’ve already played it on the Xbox One, and I can assure you that it’s every bit the classic that Limbo is. In a few weeks, Deus Ex: Mankind Divided will be hitting the shelves. Summer will also see the release of the long-awaited adventure game No Man’s Sky. That is, if it isn’t delayed yet again! Read more about this ambitious project at http://www.gamespot.com/articles/making-sense-of-no-mans-skys-massive-universe/1100-6441344/.