Best films released in the UK this month: August 2023
Highlights this month include Gran Turismo: Based on a True Story, Blue Beetle and Scrapper.
July was one of the best months for film in quite some time, with a number of high-profile blockbusters including Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part 1, Barbie and Oppenheimer all arriving in cinemas – the latter two famously on the very same day.
And while August's slate might not be quite as exciting as the month gone by, there are still plenty of big releases to come before summer blockbuster season is over, with highlights including the video game-inspired Gran Turismo: Based on a True Story and DC flick Blue Beetle.
There's also plenty to enjoy for comedy fans: Lakeith Stanfield and Danny DeVito are among the big names in a star-studded new adaptation of the beloved Disneyland attraction The Haunted Mansion, while Will Ferrell and Jamie Foxx voice stray dogs out for revenge in Strays, and Oscar-nominated Stephanie Hsu stars in road trip movie Joy Ride.
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Meanwhile, fans of Jason Statham and prehistoric sharks can look forward to Meg 2: The Trench, while those who prefer indie fare should be sure to check out the new British film Scrapper.
To help you pick out the highlights, we've put together a selection of some of the best films to watch this month – watch the video above or read on for our choices.
Joy Ride
Release date: Friday 4th August in cinemas
Ashley Park, Sherry Cola, Stephanie Hsu and Sabrina Wu star in this riotous road trip comedy, which is directed by Awkwafina Is Nora from Queens co-creator Teresa Hsiao.
The film follows a group of four friends who find themselves embarking on a chaotic journey across China after a business meeting goes wrong – with the quartet bonding during the wild events that follow.
Meg 2: The Trench
Release date: Friday 4th August in cinemas
Kill List and Sightseers filmmaker Ben Wheatley is the unlikely choice of director for this sequel to 2018's The Meg, which saw Jason Statham star as a rescue diver forced to grapple with a prehistoric shark.
This time around, Statham's character Jonas has an even tougher task on his hands, as he comes face-to-face with numerous Megalodons after an exploratory dive to the depths of the ocean.
Gran Turismo: Based on a True Story
Release date: Wednesday 9th August in cinemas
This film – which as the tagline reminds us, is based on a true story – explores how dedicated Gran Turismo fan Jann Mardenborough went from gamer to professional racer with the help of the GT Academy.
See and Midsommar star Archie Madekwe plays the central role, while David Harbour and Orlando Bloom provide memorable support as his trainer and the founder of the Academy respectively.
Haunted Mansion
Release date: Friday 11th August in cinemas
Twenty years ago, Eddie Murphy starred in an adaptation of the Disneyland attraction The Haunted Mansion, and now a new version has been released - boasting an extremely star-studded cast that includes Lakeith Stanfield, Rosario Dawson, Owen Wilson, Danny DeVito and Tiffany Haddish.
Stanfield stars as an astrophysicist-turned-supernatural tour guide who is one of many spiritual experts brought in to scare off the ghosts invading a single mother's new home.
Blue Beetle
Release date: Friday 18th August in cinemas
The latest film from DC Studios is the first to feature Jaime Reyes, a recently graduated student who is transformed into the titular hero after he comes into possession of a mysterious and ancient relic called a Scarab.
With his new powers, he must help to battle against the evil Kord Corporation – who are led by Victoria Kord (Susan Sarandon) and are desperate to use the Scarab to manufacture the ultimate weapon.
Strays
Release date: Friday 18th August in cinemas
Will Ferrell, Jamie Foxx, Isla Fisher and Randall Park all voice dogs in this adult-themed comedy flick from Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Ma director Josh Greenbaum.
Ferrell is gullible Border Terrier Reggie, who enlists the help of various stray pooches for a revenge mission against his ruthless former owner Doug (Will Forte) – who abandoned him on the street.
The Blackening
Release date: Wednesday 23rd August in cinemas
This comedy horror flick from Ride Along and Barbershop Tim Story is both a send-up of and a homage to the slasher genre, following a group of African American friends who find themselves sharing a cabin with a masked killer on the Juneteenth holiday.
Reminiscent of the Scream films, the group must rely on their knowledge of horror movie tropes if they are to make it out of the situation alive.
Scrapper
Release date: Friday 25th August in cinemas
This indie comedy-drama is the directorial debut of British filmmaker Charlotte Regan, and centres on the relationship between 12-year-old Georgie and the father she'd never previously met.
Harris Dickinson stars as the father, Jason, who leaves his life in Ibiza behind to care for Georgie in London after her mother passes away.
Check out more of our Film coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on tonight.
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Authors
Patrick Cremona is the Senior Film Writer at Radio Times, and looks after all the latest film releases both in cinemas and on streaming. He has been with the website since October 2019, and in that time has interviewed a host of big name stars and reviewed a diverse range of movies.
