Netflix reveals its summer movie slate - and it's incredible

Netflix has revealed its upcoming summer movie slate and we have to say we are impressed with the line-up.

These movies are the Netflix Originals that are coming out on the service, so there will also be a whole host of third-party films appearing.

But it's always good to look at the original programming, as this is what is unique to the streaming site - unless Netflix changes tack, as Amazon has recently.

Some of these movies have already been previewed but without release dates and there are more coming to Netflix than the selection we have chosen below, with a number of new docs appearing.

But here we have chosen 7 films that we think have blockbuster potential for Netflix...

1. The Mother

J-Lo is a superb actress and it's great to see her in roles that we don't normally see her in. Case in point: The Mother. Here she plays an assassin that comes out of hiding to protect her estranged daughter.

Niki Caro is directing this one, who has brought us the brilliant Whale Rider and impressive live-action retelling of Mulan. Other folks in the cast include: Joseph Fiennes, Lucy Paez, Omari Hardwick, Paul Raci and Gael García Bernal.

• Netflix release date: 12 May

2. Extraction 2

The first Extraction was a huge hit for Netflix. It felt like an Arnie movie from the past, with its fantastic stunts and the quite unbelievable death-defying stuff Chris Hemsworth got up to as black ops merc Tyler Rake (What. A. Name).

Hemsworth is back for another mission: saving a family from their ruthless gangster patriarch. Director Sam Hargrave returns and Marvel marvel Joe Russo has written this one.

Other cast include Golshifteh Farahani reprising her role from the first film, Adam Bessa, Olga Kurylenko, Daniel Bernhardt and Tinatin Dalakishvili.

• Netflix release date: 16 June

3. Nimona

Based on best-selling graphic novel by ND Stevenson, Nimona is a family adventure movie with an all-star cast.

Riz Ahmed voices Ballister Boldheart, a knight in a futuristic medieval world who needs to prove his innocence after being accused of a crime he didn't commit. To help him on his way to justice is Nimona (Chloë Grace Moretz) who hides a shape-shifting secret.

Directed by Nick Bruno and Troy Quane (Spies In Disguise) Nimona also stars the voices of Eugene Lee Yang, Frances Conroy, Lorraine Toussaint, Beck Bennett, Indya Moore, RuPaul Charles, Julio Torres and Sarah Sherman.

• Netflix release date: sometime in June

4. Bird Box Barcelona

Now this one was a huge surprise but given that Bird Box is the third most watched Netflix movie of all time, we get why Netflix wants to turn it into a franchise.

Bird Box Barcelona is a prequel of sorts, starting just after a mysterious force decimates the world’s population and creatures begin populating earth that really don't like making eye contact.

Directors Álex Pastor and David Pastor have made some decent movies and shows before this (Carriers follows similar themes to Bird Box), so we are quietly hoping for big things.

Cast-wise, it's all-new with the likes of Mario Casas, Georgina Campbell and Diego Calva starring.

• Netflix release date: 14 June

5. They Cloned Tyrone

We bloody love a government conspiracy at ShortList and that's the crux of what They Cloned Tyrone is about, with a John Boyega, Jamie Foxx and Teyonah Parris teaming up and going on the trail of a nefarious government conspiracy.

Juel Taylor is the director for this one, who previously wrote the excellent Creed II.

Other cast includes: David Alan Grier, J. Alphonse Nicholson, Tamberla Perry, Eric Robinson Jr and Kiefer Sutherland.

• Netflix release date: 21 June

6. Heart of Stone

Gal Gadot has swapped Wonder Woman for the secret service in Heart Of Stone. Here she plays Rachel Stone (hence the title), an "intelligence operative and the only woman who stands between her powerful global peacekeeping organisation and the loss of its most valuable - and dangerous - asset."

Director Tom Harper has had a fantastic career in TV (directing This Is England '86, Peaky Blinders and Misfits among others) and has made the transition to movies admirably, with Wild Rose and The Aeronauts so we are looking forward to this one.

Others in the cast include: Jamie Dornan, Alia Bhatt, Sophie Okonedo, Matthias Schweighöfer, Jing Lusi and Paul Ready.

• Netflix release date: 11 August

7. The Monkey King

Director Anthony Stacchi has created animated gold in bis career so far, with Boxtrolls and Open Season - having started off in VFX for the likes of Ghost and Rocketeer - so we are really looking forward to this one.

Netflix reckons The Monkey King is "Inspired by an epic Chinese tale, translated into an action-packed comedy, a Monkey and his magical fighting Stick battle demons, dragons, gods and the greatest adversary of all - Monkey’s ego."

Cast wise, there's Jimmy O. Yang, Bowen Yang, Jolie Hoang-Rappaport, Jo Koy, Ron Yuan, Hoon Lee, Stephanie Hsu, Andrew Pang, Andrew Kishino, Jodi Long, James Sie and BD Wong all lending their voices.

• Netflix release date 18 August

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