Even with all the uncertainty happening, you can always count on a good movie to bring you a much-needed laugh, cry, or mere distraction. Here are a few of the season’s most anticipated films.

ACTION: The Old Guard, Netflix, July 10, stars Charlize Theron, Chiwetel Ejiofor, and Matthias Schoenaerts based on the comic book series of the same name. The Tax Collector, starring Bobby Soto, Shia LaBeouf, and George Lopez, follows a group of guys who collect the profits from street gangs for a local crime lord until their boss’s rival shakes things up. Scheduled for August 7.

HORROR: The Rental, July 24, is a sinister chiller directed by Dan Franco, starring Alison Brie (Community, Glow).

COMEDY: America’s favorite dippy duo is back in Bill & Ted Face the Music, rescheduled for August 28. The series’ third installment, the fi lm centers on a mysterious visitor from the future, instructing the pair that one of their songs can bring harmony to the universe.

COMIC-CON IS ON (LINE)
For the first time since its inaugural celebration in 1970, Comic-Con in San Diego (which attracted over 130,000 costumed attendees in 2019) was canceled, but don’t hang up your super hero digs just yet. Organizers announced the show will go on online, that is! The convention’s free, at-home celebration is officially called Comic-Con@Home.

The event kicks o on July 22 and ends on Sunday, July 26. David Glanzer, a SDCC spokesperson, said of the digital event: “For the first time in our 50-year history, we are happy to welcome virtually anyone from around the globe …Although conditions prevent celebrating in person, the show, as they say, must go on. With Comic-Con@Home, SDCC hopes to deliver the best of the Comic-Con experience and a sense of its community to anyone with an internet connection and an interest in all aspects of pop culture.”

STAYING GROUNDED
Zac Efron is back on the small screen, but this time without a character name or catchy high school dance number. The 32-year-old actor is the lead in Netflix’s new travel docuseries Down to Earth, which follows Efron and wellness expert Darin Olien as they visit different countries, including Iceland, Costa Rica, Sardinia, and Peru, on a quest to learn more about sustainable living. “We’re traveling around the world to find some new perspectives on some very old problems,” added the star in the show’s official trailer. “Food, water, and energy are all the main staples for modern life. We’re going to see some top eco innovators to see how change is an inside job. And we’re going to be eating really, really well. We need to start rethinking how we consume everything, from our food to our power. Change has to start somewhere. Maybe it’s about time we all changed. It’s time to get down to earth.” The series premiered on July 10 on Netflix.

NBC’S PLAYBOOK
With the pandemic shutting down Hollywood for many months, television networks have been forced to pivot. NBC recently made the choice to stagger the debut of their new television series, delaying production on the 12 pilots it currently has in development. The network has stated if things improve, actors can return to their shows and production can resume later this year. This is Us, the spinoff Law & Order: Organized Crime, and the drama Langdon which centers around the character made famous in Dan Brown’s iconic novels are all slated to premiere later in the year.

But unfortunately, not all of NBC’s shows will likely be ready for fall. Five pilots At That Age from Carla Banks-Waddles; Echo from JJ Bailey; Rachele Lynn and Seth Meyers’ Crazy For You; Jim Jefferies’ self-titled comedy; and Someone Out There from 30 Rock producers Matt Hubbard, Josh Siegal, and Dylan Morgan have been pushed to next year.

AND THE NOMINEES ARE…
On July 28, Television Academy members will officially unveil their nominations for the 72nd Primetime Emmy Awards.

Current frontrunners include: Succession (HBO), Ozark (Netflix), The Crown (Netflix), Better Call Saul (AMC), The Handmaid’s Tale (Hulu), The Morning Show (Apple TV+), and Big Little Lies (HBO). Mark Ruffalo from I Know This Much is True (HBO) and Regina King from Watchmen (HBO) are top contenders for Outstanding Lead Actor/Actress.

The 72nd Primetime Emmy Awards ceremony is scheduled to air on Sunday, September 20 on ABC. But, due to the pandemic, this year’s award ceremony will be particularly unique; it’s very possible there will be an online component, with celebrities appearing live from their homes.