What to Stream: Charli xcx, 'The Dink,' 'Stuart Fails to Save the
Universe' and '72 Hours'
[July 20, 2026]
Charli xcx's new album and a pickleball movie starring Jake
Johnson are some of the new television, films, music and games headed to
a device near you.
Also among the streaming offerings worth your time this week, as
selected by The Associated Press’ entertainment journalists: the “Big
Bang Theory” spin-off “Stuart Fails to Save the Universe,” “72 Hours”
and the Nintendo game “Splatoon Raiders.”
New movies to stream from July 20-26
— Pickleball is the target of the new Apple TV comedy “The Dink,”
starring Jake Johnson as a tennis pro who “almost beat Andy Roddick” and
reluctantly takes up the popular sport while recovering from an injury.
The movie, streaming on July 24, co-stars Ben Stiller, Mary Steenburgen,
Ed Harris and Patton Oswalt.
— Kevin Hart goes on a bachelor party trip with some twentysomethings
after being accidentally included in the group chat in the new Netflix
comedy “72 Hours,” streaming on July 24. Said twentysomethings are
played by “SNL” cast members Marcello Hernández, Kam Patterson and Ben
Marshall and Mason Gooding as the groom-to-be.
— “Blue Heron,” streaming on the Criterion Channel starting July 21,
made The Associated Press’s list for best movies of the year so far.
Film Writer Jake Coyle wrote that, “Sophy Romvari’s exquisite and
soulful directorial debut melds documentary and fiction, past and
present. It’s based on her own childhood, when her Hungarian parents
moved their family of six to Vancouver Island in British Columbia … It’s
an aching, probing memory piece.”
— Another movie that made our list, “Nirvanna the Band the Show the
Movie,” has a quite different tone. This silly, lo-fi indie about two
slacker buddies (Matt Johnson and Jay McCarrol) who concoct crackpot
schemes to land a gig at the Toronto music venue, the Rivoli, is a gem
that begins streaming on Hulu on July 24. I wrote that I’m proof that no
prior knowledge is needed to get on their goofy wavelength and enjoy the
ride — and all the “Back to the Future” references.
— AP Film Writer Lindsey Bahr
New music to stream from July 20-26
— “BRAT” summer came and stayed and eventually went — and what would be
built in its absence? Charli xcx claims the dance floor is dead on her
latest album, “Music, Fashion, Film,” out Friday. She’s making “Rock
Music” this time around, at least, her version of it: a bit troll-y, a
bit sincere, full of distorted guitars and processed vocals. But her pop
heart remains intact, like on the depressed and dreamy “SS26.” If that’s
not enough to inspire curiosity, perhaps this is: The album’s sole
feature credit is Canadian auteur and beloved horror filmmaker David
Cronenberg on its closer, “No One Lasts Forever.”
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 — Grammy winning South African
artist Tyla burst onto the mainstream with her 2023 global hit
“Water.” It married R&B, pop and amapiano — a style of music which
translates to “the pianos” in the Zulu language, a fusion of Kwaito
house music and jazz, often driven by log drums. And it did so at a
time where hunger and curiosity for African music was at an all-time
high. Afrobeats have only continued to skyrocket in the time since,
and Tyla has proven to be no one-hit wonder. She's paved her own
path. On Friday, she will release her sophomore album, “A(asterisks)POP.”
It’s the next evolution of her sound, which features a dancehall
collaboration with Zara Larsson, “She Did It Again,” the amapiano-pop
“Chanel” and so much more.
— AP Music Writer Maria Sherman
New series to stream from July 20-26
— The socially awkward comic bookstore owner Stuart from “The Big
Bang Theory” leads a new spinoff called “Stuart Fails to Save the
Universe.” Played by Kevin Sussman, Stuart fumbles a physics project
created by “Big Bang” OG characters Sheldon and Leonard that leads
to chaos he must undo. Other cast members Lauren Lapkus, Brian
Posehn and John Ross Bowie reprise their roles from the original
series. It premieres July 28 on HBO Max.
— Minka Kelly and Josh Duhamel return for Season 2 of Netflix’s
“Ransom Canyon.” The romantic drama follows two longtime friends,
Quinn O’Grady and Staten Kirkland, who finally got together in
Season 1 after years of teetering on a relationship. The happy
couple is challenged as Kelly’s Quinn questions whether small town
life is enough for her. This, while Duhamel’s Staten is trying to
stake his claim in the family ranch. The new season premieres July
28.
— AP Writer Alicia Rancilio
New video games to play from July 20-26
— Nintendo’s Splatoon franchise brought a vivid twist to the
multiplayer combat arena, mostly by replacing bullets with
multicolored ink. “Splatoon Raiders” takes you out of the arena
entirely with a treasure hunt across an exotic archipelago. Don’t
expect a mellow vacation, though — these islands are filled with
hostile wildlife known as Salmonids. Naturally, collecting more
treasure lets you beef up the gear you need to defeat the monsters.
“Raiders” aims to provide a satisfying solo experience for
Splatologists, but you can also play co-op with up to three friends.
Start squirting June 23 on Switch 2.
— Lou Kesten
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