By Bryan Alkemeyer

Theater goers this summer have already enjoyed indie releases like Obsession (Focus Features) and Backrooms (A24). There are many more still on the way, so we are back with another indie film roundup to keep you focused on the good stuff.

There are too many great indie titles this year to fit in one post, so consider this your starter pack for the rest of the summer.

Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma (MUBI)

When Kris (Hannah Einbinder) gets a chance to direct a new Camp Miasma film (a fictional series of horror B-movies), she wants to hire the horror franchise’s first star, Billy Presley (Gillian Anderson). But Billy has refused all previous requests, even though she now lives at the original filming location, a former sleepaway camp. Deciding to visit Billy, Kris begins a relationship that soon turns intimate – and possibly dangerous.

Neither horror lovers nor fans of director Jane Schoenbrun will be surprised that this film goes thrillingly off the rails. Known for semi-autobiographical allegories, Schoenbrun first drew widespread attention for We’re All Going to the World’s Fair and more recently made the fascinating I Saw the TV Glow. Besides Einbinder (Hacks) and Anderson (The X-Files), the cast includes comedians Sarah Sherman (SNL) and Eva Victor (Sorry, Baby) – which should tip you off that Schoenbrun’s latest film will have a few good laughs.

See Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma in a theater near you.

The Rivals of Amziah King (Black Bear)

Oklahoman beekeeper Amziah King (Matthew McConaughey) finds purpose by playing bluegrass and teaching the family business to his adult foster daughter, Katerina (Angelina LookingGlass). Unfortunately, competition is ruthless, and corruption runs rampant. As Katerina concludes, dealing with an unscrupulous businessman (Kurt Russell) calls for some vigilante justice.

Oscar® winner McConaughey (Dallas Buyers Club) returns to star in a feature film for the first time since The Gentleman (2019), but critics have been equally enthusiastic about the breakout performance from LookingGlass. The film is by screenwriter-director Andrew Patterson, past winner of a Slamdance Audience Award (The Vast of Night). Variety called his latest film “a neorealist beekeeper Western musical revenge fable.” If that doesn’t make you want to watch it, we don’t know how to help you!

See The Rivals of Amziah King in a theater near you beginning August 14, 2026.

The Wrong Girls (Neon)

What should you do if you find a metal case holding vials of glowing liquid? If you lack judgment like Frankie (Kristen Stewart) and Molly (Alia Shawkat), you chug them! Now, the two potheads are on the run from not only their landlord but also some truly scary people. Frankie and Molly’s new superpowers might help them survive… IF they prove useful beyond reading the minds of their fussy cats (voiced by Seth Rogen and Kumail Nanjiani).

You can tell from the casting as well as the plot that the film will be hilarious – it features talented comic actors Stewart (American Ultra), Shawkat (Arrested Development), Rogen (The Studio), and Nanjiani (The Big Sick). The stoner comedy marks the directorial debut of screenwriter Dylan Meyer. Delightfully, it also showcases Kate McKinnon (SNL) in the role of a very disappointed German scientist.

See The Wrong Girls in a theater near you beginning August 14, 2026.

Hot Spot (Focus Features)

In a cyborg future of brains melded with computers, Detective Jan 623 (Andrzej Konopka) investigates the murder of a refugee. When he meets self-confessed witch Rana (Noomi Rapace), he joins her cell of insurgents against the AI that runs the government. But increasingly, the detective realizes that his will is not his own.

Although the plot and theme are reminiscent of Blade Runner, the mood is quite different, evoking energetic punk rock rather than brooding film noir. The director, Agnieszka Smoczynska, won a Sundance Special Jury Prize for The Lure. Fans of Ghost in the Shell might especially enjoy this sci-fi thriller, for in both films, cybernetic technology makes it difficult for characters – and viewers – to distinguish perceptions from reality.

See Hot Spot in a theater near you beginning August 21, 2026.

Tony (A24)

In 1975, Anthony Bourdain (Dominic Sessa) arrives in Provincetown as “a spoiled, miserable, narcissistic, self-destructive and thoughtless young lout, badly in need of a good ass-kicking,” as the real-life chef admitted 25 years later in Kitchen Confidential. Actually, an ass-kicking is not enough, but Bourdain does start to grow while working for a local restaurant owner (Antonio Banderas). Of course, the 19-year-old still has a long way to go before becoming the celebrity that audiences fondly remember today.

Indie film lovers may recognize Sessa from The Holdovers, for which he earned a Film Independent Spirit Award for Best Breakthrough Performance. Director Matt Johnson previously made another biographical and historical film, BlackBerry, as well as a mockumentary about his fictional two-man band Nirvanna. Featured alongside Sessa, Leo Woodall (Tuner) has impressed critics for portraying a belligerent restaurant worker who becomes an unlikely friend.

See Tony in a theater near you beginning August 21, 2026.

Fall 2: Deadpoint (Lionsgate)

As Jax Hunter (Harriet Slater) and Luce (Arsema Thomas) climb Mount Kwan in Thailand, why should they have anything to fear? Jax knows what happened to her sister Shiloh (Virginia Gardner) on top of a rusty old television tower… and Shiloh only climbed it AFTER her friend Becky Connor (Grace Caroline Currey) had lost her father on a cliffside… Clearly, Jax and Luce are pursuing a safe and reasonable recreational activity.

Of course, plenty of things go wrong, so Jax and Luce’s extreme climbing misadventure will give adrenaline junkies their fix. The directors, the twin brothers Michael Spierig and Peter Spierig, have previously collaborated on Predestination starring Ethan Hawke and Jigsaw from the popular Saw franchise. Check out the latest thriller from the Spierig brothers – unless you have a debilitating fear of heights.

See Fall 2: Deadpoint in a theater near you beginning September 2, 2026.

Onslaught (A24)

It’s difficult to be a single parent. One minute, you’re feeding your daughter a burrito. The next, you’re grabbing a chainsaw to defend your family from bioengineered killers. At least, that’s what parenthood is like for one army-trained, gunslinging mother (Adria Arjona). But she will happily take on the Butcher (Alex Pereira) to ensure the safety of her daughter (Blake Kennedy).

If you enjoyed watching Arjona play Bix Caleen in Andor, you’ll relish her performance as a fiercely protective mother and expertly trained warrior in Onslaught. The director, Adam Wingard, is already known for You’re Next, The Guest, and Godzilla vs. Kong. Notably, the Butcher is played by UFC champion Alex Pereira in his acting debut.

See Onslaught in a theater near you beginning September 4, 2026.

That’s this year’s lineup: a handful of the indie titles actually worth your time and money this summer. New ones keep landing every week, so don’t treat this list as final – treat it as a starting point. Grab a friend, pick a theater, and go support the kind of storytelling that doesn’t always get the big marketing push.