As we look over the schedule of new movie releases, one thing is certain: It’s time to get ready for a Pedro Pascal summer!

Pascal, sometimes known as “the internet’s daddy,” may have finished his run as Joel Miller in The Last of Us. But he will star as Reed Hastings in Marvel’s The Fantastic Four: First Steps, to be released July 25. He also has leading roles in not one but two summer releases from A24.

A wonderful variety of new and established filmmakers, including Pascal, are bringing indie films to theaters this summer. We’re here to tell you about the films and help you find showtimes near you!

The Life of Chuck (Neon)

Some might mistake Charles “Chuck” Krantz (Tom Hiddleston) for a boring accountant, but he has a remarkable passion for dancing. His story is traced backwards through time in The Life of Chuck, a heart-warming, philosophical film based on a tale by – Stephen King?!

Almost just as surprisingly, the film’s director is another master of horror, Bram Stoker Award® winner Mike Flanagan (The Haunting of Hill House, Doctor Sleep). But there is a method to the apparent madness, because Chuck grows up in a house that might be haunted in Stephen King’s novella.

See the film adaptation in a theater near you beginning June 6.

Materialists (A24)

Can a professional matchmaker (Dakota Johnson) take her own advice when it comes to her relationships with a volatile ex (Chris Evans) and a dreamy newcomer (Pedro Pascal)? We have made some poor decisions in our own romantic past, but we don’t see how this New York City bachelorette can go wrong. Not when her prospects include Captain America and Mr. Fantastic!

Materialists is the second feature film from playwright Celine Song. She made her debut with Past Lives, one of our favorite films from 2023. It earned Academy Award® nominations for Best Picture and Best Original Screenplay, so we can’t wait to enjoy what Song has created for us next!

See this romantic comedy in a theater near you beginning June 13.

40 Acres (Magnolia)

When famine leads to a second U.S. Civil War, Hailey Freeman (Danielle Deadwyler) realizes that she cannot rely on anyone else for protection, not even the Union Army. But Freeman is determined to defend the family farm, founded by her ancestors after the abolition of slavery.

Viewers may recognize Deadwyler from Till, a biopic centered on Emmett Till’s aggrieved yet formidable mother. As Variety observes, Deadwyler shows “gravitas and physical prowess” in 40 Acres. It is directed by R. T. Thorne, a music video and television director (Backstage, The Porter), who now makes his feature directorial debut.

See this action thriller in a theater near you beginning July 2.

Sorry, Baby (A24)

With help from her morbid sense of humor, Agnes (Eva Victor) struggles to move on after sexual assault by her advisor at the very same university where she is now a professor. Luckily, she has support from her friend Lydie (Naomi Ackie), a former classmate who moved to New York City but still visits frequently.

The film, which was produced by Barry Jenkins, is a feature debut from Victor, who plays Agnes. Previously, Victor made comic shorts for a series called Eva Vs. Anxiety. (Click here for one example.) At Sundance, Sorry, Baby won the Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award (U.S. Dramatic), as well as earning high praise from Vanity Fair, which called it “a meticulously crafted wonder.”

See this wonderful debut in a theater near you beginning July 17.

Eddington (A24)

In Eddington, New Mexico, Mayor Ted Garcia (Pedro Pascal) and Sheriff Joe Cross (Academy Award® winner Joaquin Phoenix) face off just months into the COVID-19 pandemic. Cross wants to take over as mayor, but can he count on a vote from his own wife (Academy Award® winner Emma Stone)?

Eddington is the fourth feature by writer-director Ari Aster (Midsommar). He made his debut in 2018 with the horror film Hereditary. To judge by festival nominations, Aster’s star is only rising: Eddington competed at Cannes this spring for the Palme d’Or.

See this modern western in a theater near you beginning July 18.

Americana (Lionsgate)

Aspiring singer Penny Jo Poplin (Sydney Sweeney) wants to make her fortune by stealing a Lakota Ghost Shirt, a rare religious artifact from the late nineteenth century. The only problem is that she is in a race against bounty hunter Dillon MacIntosh (Eric Dane), Lakota tribal members Ghost Eye (Zahn McClarnon) and Hank Spears (Derek Hinkey), and just about everybody else in this tale of a heist gone wrong.

Americana is a feature directorial debut from television writer Tony Tost (Longmire). IndieWire describes it as “a film that plays out like an early Tarantino movie directed by the Coen brothers, while never feeling derivative of either of the filmmakers.” What’s more, the film features Halsey as Dillon’s unhinged mother.

See this crime drama/western at a theater near you beginning August 22.

Honey Don’t! (Focus)

Looking into a rash of suspicious deaths, a private investigator named Honey O’Donahue (Margaret Qualley) follows the trail of clues to a small-town church. Reverend Drew (Chris Evans) might or might not be a murderer, but he is certainly guilty of conduct unbecoming a man of the cloth, and not just in the bedroom.

Honey Don’t comes from Academy Award®-winning writer and director Ethan Coen. He usually collaborates with his older brother, Joel (Fargo, No Country for Old Men). But this time, Ethan directed solo and co-wrote the script with his wife, Tricia Cooke, an experienced film editor (The Big Lebowski, O Brother, Where Art Thou?).

See this mystery thriller at a theater near you beginning August 22.

Lurker (MUBI)

When Matthew (Théodore Pellerin) gains acceptance among the entourage of rising pop star Oliver (Archie Madekwe), it is like a dream come true. But after Matthew overstays his welcome, he will not hesitate to blackmail his former friend to get his popularity back.

Lurker is the first film by Alex Russell, who worked as a writer for Dave, Beef, and The Bear. Variety gave his directorial debut an enthusiastic review for being “a tight, nifty, and unsettling little parable of the pathology of fame in our time,” meaning the time of social media influence campaigns.

See this timely tale of a celebrity stalker in a theater near you beginning August 22.

Well, that’s our roundup! But in case you wouldn’t mind just a little more Pedro Pascal, allow us to show you this short video, where he talks about his favorite films with fellow cast members from Materialists.

There are many other exciting indie releases that we didn’t have space to cover! We deliberately held back some horror titles, such as Weapons from Zach Cregger (Barbarian), in case we decide to do another Halloween roundup.

We’ll be back soon to highlight more amazing creatives – unless we’re reenacting actor Tom Hiddleston’s dances as Chuck on TikTok, getting shredded at the gym like action hero Danielle Deadwyler, or bursting into laughter at sketches by comedian Eva Victor.

Until next time, find some creativity wherever you can. Stay safe, and be well. #StandCreative