If you’re planning on trekking to the movie theater from Memorial Day to August, you’ll find plenty to capture your attention (we cannot to wait to hear you roar, Beyoncé).
Still, if it gets too hot and you’d rather couch-surf, there’s a ton of appointment TV coming to keep you entertained.
From Niecy Nash returning in her addictive TNT dramedy, Claws, to MJ Rodriguez ruling her house in Pose, these series starring strong Black female leads—and a few of our favorite leading men—are definitely not to be missed.
01
She’s Gotta Have It (May 24)
A second season of examining the layers of Black female sexuality, starring DeWanda Wise? Yes, please.
02
Ma (May 31)
Octavia Spencer gets dark in this thriller as Sue Ann, a loner in a lazy Ohio town. When a local teen asks Sue Ann to buy alcohol for a party, she takes it as a good opportunity to make some new friends.
03
Pose (June 5)
Season two of the groundbreaking series flashes forward to 1990 when the HIV/AIDs epidemic is reaching a fever pitch. The House of Evagelista must re-set in order to reach legend status.
04
Claws (June 9)
In season three, Desna (Niecy Nash) adds casino boss to her growing list of big-money problems.
05
Queen Sugar (June 12)
As the Bordelons continue rewriting their legacy, a new path unfolds for Darla (Bianca Lawson) in season four.
06
Shaft (June 14)
Have you ever seen three bad-ass Black men on the big screen? If we have, it’s certainly been a long time, which is why we’re excited for Samuel L. Jackson, Jessie T. Usher and Richard Roundtree in this version of the iconic film.
07
Men in Black: International (June 14)
Galaxy defender Tessa Thompson teams up with Chris Hemsworth in the next installment of this franchise.
08
The Lion King (July 19)
The Disney classic gets a CGI upgrade with guest star Beyoncé Knowles-Carter as the voice of Nala.
09
Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw (August 2)
Dwayne Johnson reprises his role as Luke Hobbs in the Fast & Furious franchise’s stand-alone film. And this time, he’s joined by British actor Idris Elba as bad boy Brixton in this action-thriller.
