Where do we even start with Showmax’s streaming offering in July? It’s a lot, but a lot in the best sense. Below we’ve singled out a few new series, movie debuts and documentaries you should check out. Just know there is loads more entertainment waiting, and you can find the full schedule here.

Series

Like we said, we’re not trying to mention everything, so when it comes to new shows, honourable mentions out the gate go to prequel serial killer series Dexter: Original Sin S1 (Wednesdays from 30 July); and reboot Matlock S1 (Binge from Wednesday, 23 July), with Kathy Bates playing a brilliant seventy-something attorney. Now for our top picks.

For lovers of historical drama, especially of a saucy and scheming kind (remember The Tudors and The Borgias?), there’s Mary & George, coming our way via Sky and Starz. Julianne Moore and Nicholas Galitzine play real-life 17th Century figures Mary Villiers and her son, George, who did all manner of things to secure their place in the English court, including bedding King James I.

Catch all 7 episodes of the limited series from today, 2 July.

In a tonal 180, there’s Season 1 of South African crime actioner Code 13. Zolisa Xaluva plays no-nonsense detective Bheki Ndlovu, who, along with his team, is tasked with recapturing six of Johannesburg’s most dangerous criminals after they escape from a police van. Not helping matters is the corruption rampant within the police force. From the makers of Gomora, Seriti Films.

Binge all 12 episodes of Code 13 S1 from Monday, 7 July.

Finally, if you like a mix of mystery and science fiction in the vein of Stranger Things, you’ll want to check out brand new The Institute, based on the 2019 book by Stephen King. Things kick off when twelve year old genius Luke Ellis (Joe Freeman) is kidnapped and awakens in a facility full of children with unusual abilities. Luke’s story will collide with that of former police officer Tim Jamieson (Ben Barnes) who starts delving into the disappearances. Also with Mary-Louise Parker.

Watch The Institute on Mondays from 14 July, with episodes arriving fresh from the US for eight weeks.

Film

From M Night Shyamalan’s latest twisty thriller Trap (Stream from Thursday, 24 July), to Robert Zemeckis reteaming with Tom Hanks and Robin Wright for fixed camera family drama Here (Monday, 14 July), plus The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie (Sunday, 6 July) just in time for the school holidays, Showmax is debuting loads of new movies.

If we had to single out three films, though, we’re going to start with Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, last year’s sequel to the hit 1988 horror comedy. Filmmaker Tim Burton reunites with original stars Michael Keaton, Winona Ryder and Catherine O’Hara, and adds Jenna Ortega to the mix as three generations of Deetz women return to Winter River, and the wall between the living and the dead breaks down once more. Here’s our review.

Stream Beetlejuice Beetlejuice from Friday, 11 July.

A musical biopic with a difference, Oscar nominated Better Man explores the rise, fall and rise again of British singer Robbie Williams, whose cocky exterior has masked a lifetime of insecurities. That crisis of confidence is visualised in the movie by showing Williams as he sees himself: as a motion-captured chimp. To prepare yourself for this dynamic and emotionally moving experience, read our Better Man review here.

Stream Better Man from Friday, 18 July.

If you haven’t caught “found footage” horror film Late Night With the Devil before now, here’s your chance. Set on Halloween 1977, the film positions itself as a recording of a Late Night talk show that goes horribly wrong as amiable host Jack Delroy (David Dastmalchian) ignores warnings and brings supernatural danger into people’s homes, to achieve the ratings success that has eluded him.

Stream Late Night With the Devil on Showmax from 10 July.

Documentaries

First, special shout out to acclaimed HBO deep dive Last Call: When a Serial Killer Stalked Queer New York (Binge from Thursday, 10 July); and nature documentary The Americas S1 (Binge from Thursday, 17 July) from the producers of Planet Earth and Blue Planet.

Back to murderous matters, The ABC Killer is the latest Showmax Original with a true crime focus. It centres on Moses Sithole, who would go on to be convicted of 38 murders and 40 rapes – all committed within a year in the 1990s, in broad daylight, while sober. The series combines re-enactments and interviews with those involved in the investigation that ended his reign of terror. This includes journalist Tamsen de Beer and profiler Micki Pistorius.

Watch all three parts of The ABC Killer from Tuesday, 22 July.

Especially timeous with the Superman reboot coming to cinemas this month is the local small screen debut of documentary feature Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story. This award-winning film explores how actor Christopher Reeve delivered the definitive movie portrayal of comic hero Superman before becoming an inspiring figure in real-life following a near-fatal horse-riding accident that paralysed him from the neck down.

Watch Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story from Friday, 25 July.