Movies · Streaming Guides

What’s New to Stream on Netflix for August 2022

Lots to look forward to this month including new Korean action, new vampire action, and a new season of ‘Never Have I Ever!’
New on Netflix August 2022
By  · Published on August 2nd, 2022

Crossing the Streams is a series of columns spotlighting all the offerings hitting the big streaming services each month. This time we’re checking out the new Netflix arrivals for August 2022. They include a new slice of South Korean action in Carter, the premiere of Neil Gaiman’s The Sandman, and more!


Netflix Pick of the Month for August 2022

Carter
Netflix

You can’t help but get excited when a new film from the writer/director of The Villainess (2017) and Confession of Murder (2012) arrives, so yeah, our pick of the month is one to be excited about. Jung Byung-gil’s Carter (premieres August 5th) features a familiar enough plot about a man with no memory forced to fight his way to the truth, but with Jung, it’s all about the execution. His films always deliver the goods on the action front, and they typically do so with style, creativity, and energy. Some may temper their anticipation at the realization that this is a Netflix Original, but while the streamer has released some big-budget action duds over the years (The Grey Man, innocent), their smaller, international Originals have been pretty damn reliable.


New Netflix Originals for August 2022

Day Shift

Neil Gaiman has already seen more than a few of his creations hit the small screen, but his latest might just be the most anticipated by fans. (And by fans, I mean fans, not the assholes whining online about the casting.) The Sandman (premieres August 5th) adapts Gaiman’s popular graphic novel series about a character named Dream, “the personification of dreams,” who seeks all of the belongings he lost while imprisoned by a mad wizard. Tom Sturridge takes the lead role and is joined by Boyd Holbrook, Jenna Coleman, Gwendoline Christie, Kirby Howell-Baptiste, Patton Oswalt, David Thewlis, Charles Dance, Joely Richardson, Stephen Fry, and more.

Action/comedies are always welcome in this house, and that’s all the more true when they add a dash of horror into the mix. Day Shift (premieres August 12th) looks to check off all three of those genre boxes with its story of a pool cleaner (Jamie Foxx) whose actual job is as a vampire killer. The cast is an eclectic one, with Scott Adkins, Dave Franco, Meagan Good, and Snoop Dogg all joining Foxx for the California-set fun. Director J.J. Perry is making his feature debut here after handling 2nd unit directing duties on numerous action hits, so here’s hoping he pulls it off.

It might sometimes seem that I’m only about the genre fare hitting the various streamers, but my tastes are legion, friends. Case in point? The third season of Never Have I Ever (premieres August 12th) continues with more of the best thing Mindy Kaling has ever been a part of (outside of The Office, obviously). She’s a co-creator/producer here and doesn’t star as instead, it follows the ups and downs in the life of an Indian-American teenager balancing family, school, and romance. It’s a funny sitcom, narrated inexplicably but hilariously by John McEnroe — as himself! — that stays true to itself while racking up some fun times.

Babak Anvari’s Under the Shadow (2016) remains one hell of a feature debut, and while his follow-up film (2019’s disappointing Wounds) was a stumble he’s still a talent worth watching. His latest film is a Netflix Original thriller called I Came By (premieres August 31st), and it follows two young adults whose love for hijinks and graffiti lands them in real trouble. No, not with the law, but with a powerful man who’ll do anything to protect the dirty little secret they discovered. Solid enough setup, and it’s bolstered by a cast that includes George MacKay, Kelly Macdonald, and Hugh Bonneville.


Seen That Blockbuster? Now Watch These!

The Nice Guys
Warner Bros.

Sometimes you watch a big blockbuster and walk out wondering, “hey, what else has this director or actor been in that I can watch on Netflix?” If this happened to you after finishing this year’s Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, well, director Sam Raimi’s first big stab at comic book movies is now available on the streamer! His Spider-Man trilogy (2002-2007) is regarded by some to be the best of the big-screen superhero movies, and now you can either judge for yourself or nod in agreement with a rewatch.

While The Gray Man is far from a traditional blockbuster, it was a big release for Netflix last month (whether you like it or not). Ryan Gosling plays a killer with a flippant but dry sense of humor, and its tone reminds many of Shane Black’s The Nice Guys (2016, premieres August 9th). That film didn’t quite set the box office on fire, but its fans are numerous and vocal. I prefer Black’s superior 2005 buddy-action/comedy effort, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang — which also tanked in theaters — but you can’t go wrong with The Nice Guys. Gosling and Russell Crowe are wildly entertaining as a mismatched pair of private dicks, and if you’ve got a couple of hours to spare, it’s well worth your time.


The Oldest New Arrival to Netflix for August 2022

Ferris Bueller's Day Off

One of the ongoing complaints against Netflix is its prioritizing of recent films/shows and focus on new content at the expense of older movies. To that end, I like to highlight the oldest new arrival each month, and August’s winner is 1986’s Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. It’s the oldest arrival by a wide margin as the next oldest films are from the 90s, and while it’s not underseen it is a comedy classic. As with many movies more a generation old, John Hughes’ masterful ode to chaos and irresponsibility has been targeted by newer viewers as “not good, actually,” but fuck ’em, it’s still a masterful look at the idea we all have to say goodbye to our youth at some point.


The Complete Netflix List for August 2022

Release DateTitleNote
8/18 Mile (2002)
28 Days (2000)
Above the Rim (1994)
The Age of Adaline (2015)
Battle: Los Angeles (2011)
Big Tree FamilyNetflix Family
Bridget Jones' Diary (2001)
Bridget Jones' Baby (2016)
Constantine (2005)
Dinner for Schmucks (2010)
Eyes Wide Shut (1999)
Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986)
Footloose (2011)
Hardcore Henry (2015)
Legends of the Fall (1994)
Love & Basketball (2000)
Made of Honor (2008)
Men in Black (1997)
Men in Black II (2002)
Men in Black 3 (2012)
Miss Congeniality (2000)
Monster-in-Law (2005)
No Strings Attached (2011)
Pawn Stars - Season 13
Polly Pocket - Season 4, Part 2
She's Funny That Way (2014)
Space Jam (1996)
Spider-Man (2002)
Spider-Man 2 (2004)
Spider-Man 3 (2007)
Top Gear - Seasons 29-30
The Town (2010)
Woman in Gold (2015)
8/2Flight (2012)
Ricardo Quevedo: Tomorrow Will Be WorseNetflix Comedy
8/3BubaNetflix Film
Don't Blame Karma!Netflix Film
Good Morning, Veronica - Season 2Netflix Series
Trainwreck: Woodstock '99Netflix Documentary
8/4Kakegurui TwinNetflix Anime
Lady TamaraNetflix Series
Super Giant Robot BrothersNetflix Family
Wedding SeasonNetflix Film
8/5CarterNetflix Film
DarlingsNetflix Film
The Informer (2019)
Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The MovieNetflix Film
The SandmanNetflix Series
Skyfall (2012)
8/6ReclaimNetflix Film
8/7Riverdale - Season 6
8/8Code Name: EmperorNetflix Film
Team Zenko Go - Season 2Netflix Family
8/9I Just Killed My DadNetflix Documentary
The Nice Guys (2016)
8/10Bank Robbers: the Last Great HeistNetflix Documentary
HeartsongNetflix Film
Indian Matchmaking - Season 2Netflix Series
Instant Dream HomeNetflix Series
Iron Chef BrazilNetflix Series
Locke & Key - Season 3Netflix Series
School Tales: The SeriesNetflix Series
8/11Dope (2015)
DOTA: Dragon's Blood - Book 3Netflix Anime
Stay on Board: The Leo Baker StoryNetflix Documentary
8/1213: The MusicalNetflix Film
Day ShiftNetflix Film
A Model FamilyNetflix Series
Never Have I Ever - Season 3Netflix Series
8/15Ancient Aliens - Season 4
Deepa & AnoopNetflix Family
Learn to Swim (2021)
8/16Untold - Volume 2Netflix Documentary
8/17High HeatNetflix Series
Junior Baking Show - Season 6Netflix Series
Look Both WaysNetflix Film
RoyalteenNetflix Film
UnsuspiciousNetflix Series
8/18He-Man and the Masters of the Universe - Season 3Netflix Family
Inside the Mind of a CatNetflix Documentary
Tekken: BloodlineNetflix Anime
8/19The Cuphead Show! - Part 2Netflix Family
EchoesNetflix Series
The Girl in the MirrorNetflix Series
Glow Up - Season 4Netflix Series
KleoNetflix Series
The Next 365 DaysNetflix Film
8/20Fullmetal Alchemist: The Revenge of ScarNetflix Film
8/21A Cowgirl's Song (2022)
8/23Chad and JT Go DeepNetflix Series
8/24Lost OllieNetflix Series
MoNetflix Series
Queer Eye: BrazilNetflix Series
Running with the Devil: The Wild World of John McAfeeNetflix Documentary
Selling the OCNetflix Series
Under FireNetflix Series
Watch Out, We're MadNetflix Film
8/25Angry Birds: Summer Madness - Season 3Netflix Family
History 101 - Season 2Netflix Documentary
Rilakkuma's Theme Park AdventureNetflix Anime
That's AmorNetflix Film
8/26Disobedience (2017)
Drive Hard: The Maloof WayNetflix Series
Loving AdultsNetflix Film
LudikNetflix Series
Me TimeNetflix Film
Seoul VibeNetflix Film
8/29Mighty Express - Season 7Netflix Family
Under Her ControlNetflix Film
8/30I Am a Killer - Season 3Netflix Documentary
8/31Club América vs Club AméricaNetflix Documentary
Family SecretsNetflix Series
I Came ByNetflix Film

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Rob Hunter has been writing for Film School Rejects since before you were born, which is weird seeing as he's so damn young. He's our Chief Film Critic and Associate Editor and lists 'Broadcast News' as his favorite film of all time. Feel free to say hi if you see him on Twitter @FakeRobHunter.