🎬 5 Film & TV Trends That Surprised Us This July:

Summer 2025 has been anything but predictable—and Black cinema is leading the charge. Whether it’s horror with heart, indie action-comedy shaking up the scene, or international gems finding love on streaming, July gave us more than just popcorn flicks. It gave us cultural moments. These five titles each set their own bold trend, reshaping what stories mean today. Here are five movie and TV trends that totally surprised (and thrilled) us this July:

1. To Kill A Monkey

Created and directed by Kemi Adetiba, this 8-part Netflix series follows Efemini (played by William Benson), a man drawn into the dark world of cybercrime in Lagos. He’s joined by a powerful cast: Bucci Franklin, Stella Damasus, Bimbo Akintola, Chidi Mokeme, Michael Ejoor, and Lilian Afegbai. Efemini, a gifted but struggling young man, is pulled into Lagos’s dark cybercrime world after his brother disappears. What begins as a desperate search turns into a dangerous descent into digital crime, brotherhood, and betrayal.

Trend it set: To Kill a Monkey ignited a wave of cybercrime thrillers with ethical depth in Nollywood. By blending tech, desperation, brotherhood, and betrayal, it framed modern crime through the lens of morality — showing that survival in a digital age comes with complex consequences.

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2. Midnight In Shangisha

After using a borrowed phone to respond to a strange message, a desperate job seeker wakes up to find his fiancée kidnapped by a contract killer. As he races against time to fix a life-threatening mistake, secrets unravel. This Nigerian thriller/drama film was released on July 4th, 2025. The movie stars Antar Laniyan, Baaj Adebule, Lanre Adediwura, Martha Ehinome Orhiere, Muyiwa Adegoke, Saeed Mohammed, Sola Sobowale, Tina Mba, and Ireti Doyle. It was directed by Ben Chiadika and Sola Osofisan, and distributed by The Nile Entertainment. 

Trend it set: Revived one-night thrillers rooted in urban chaos, proving that suspenseful, character-driven stories can thrive in tight, localized narratives.

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3. Out In The Darkness

Written and directed by Sarah Stella Kwaji, this Nigerian drama stars Kehinde Bankole, Deyemi Okanlawon, Bimbo Akintola, Tina Mba, and Jide Kosoko. Released in cinemas on July 4, it follows a young mother confronting postpartum depression and emotional isolation. A young Nigerian mother battles crippling postpartum depression after the birth of her first child. Isolated and emotionally fraying, her unraveling exposes cracks in societal silence around maternal mental health.

Trend it set: The film broke the silence on maternal mental health in African cinema. By portraying postpartum trauma with nuance and compassion, it challenged cultural taboos and positioned Nollywood to explore mental health stories with emotional truth.

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4.The Old Guard 2

Immortal warriors led by Andy (Charlize Theron) return to face new enemies and reckon with old wounds. Nile (KiKi Layne) steps fully into leadership, anchoring the film’s emotional arc. Also stars Chiwetel Ejiofor, Uma Thurman, and Marwan Kenzari. Andy and her team face a new, formidable threat. This threat challenges the very foundation of the Old Guard and is intertwined with the return of a long-lost immortal, Quynh, who is seeking revenge. The film also explores Andy's newfound mortality and the potential loss of immortality, adding another layer of complexity to the narrative. 

Trend it set: Brought emotional vulnerability to franchise action — expanding the role of Black female leads in blockbuster narratives while balancing legacy and loyalty.

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5. Heads Of State

Directed by Ilya Naishuller, this action comedy stars Idris Elba as the U.K. Prime Minister, with John Cena as the U.S. President. Released July 2 on Prime Video. When the U.S. President (John Cena) and U.K. Prime Minister (Idris Elba) are forced into a covert mission together, chaos — and comedy — ensues. Diplomacy takes a backseat to bullets, banter, and betrayal.

Trend it set: Blended global politics with charismatic leadership and humor—showing that political thrillers can be stylish, energetic, and grounded by compelling Black protagonists.

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These titles didn’t just drop, they made waves. From psychological suspense to socially charged storytelling, July’s releases proved that films can drive conversation, bend genre, and elevate voices. These are more than movies, they’re trendsetters.