99 Ways to Spend 99 Days: Your guide to soaking up summer's best movies, TV, and more

➼ 2. Never Have I Ever

Season 2 sees Devi (Maitreyi Ramakrishnan) left to choose between hottie Paxton (Darren Barnet) and smartie Ben (Jaren Lewison). Being a teen is tough! (Netflix, July 15)

➼ 3. Twelve Minutes

Here's a time loop with a home-invasion twist: A man (James McAvoy) must learn why a mystery intruder (Willem Dafoe) is after his wife (Daisy Ridley). (Xbox and PC, Aug. 19)

➼ 4. No Sudden Move

Steven Soderbergh returns to the crime genre in this '50s-set heist-gone-wrong thriller, with usual suspects (Benicio del Toro, Don Cheadle) along for the ride. (HBO Max, July 1)

➼ 5. Bask in the wisdom of Willie Nelson

The icon, 88, has written the new book Letters to America (June 29).

➼ 6. Nightbitch

The narrator of Rachel Yoder's electric debut novel asks the age-old question: Am I struggling with new motherhood or am I turning into a dog? (July 20)

➼ 7. Red Frontier

Betty Gilpin and Finn Wittrock lend voices to this podcast about a commander confronting the death of her crew while braving their mission to colonize Mars. (On Spotify)

➼ 8. Making the Cut

Tim Gunn and Heidi Klum's (shoppable!) competition to find the next great fashion brand returns for season 2 with Jeremy Scott and Winnie Harlow as judges. (Amazon, July 16)

➼ 9. The Night House

Rebecca Hall plays a teacher who's visited by a presence following the death of her husband. Is her lover reaching out? Or is something more sinister getting in ghostly touch? (In theaters Aug. 20)

➼ 10. They'll Never Catch Us

In Jessica Goodman's thriller, two sisters on a high school cross-country team become suspects when a teammate goes on a run...and never returns. (July 27)

➼ 11. The Bold Type

Put off your goodbyes to NYC besties Kat (Aisha Dee), Jane (Katie Stevens), and Sutton (Meghann Fahy) by rewatching all five seasons before the finale. (Available on Hulu)

➼ 12. Get your drama on!

Before Broadway reopens, take in an outdoor performance like the Public Theater's Free Shakespeare in the Park: Merry Wives runs from July 6 to Sept. 18. (Details and ticket information at PublicTheater.org.)

13. Jump into Jodie Comer's new world

For her first leading lady role in a big Hollywood studio movie, Jodie Comer's pulling double duty in this summer's Free Guy. As both Milly, a video game developer, and Molotovgirl, her character inside a popular game called Free City, the Killing Eve star brings the action-comedy back to newly opened theaters in a fun, rip-roaring way. Add in Ryan Reynolds, who plays a goofy NPC (non-playable character) who breaks free of his programming and becomes self-aware, the film from director Shawn Levy is everything you want in a summer movie. Plus, you can't miss the hotly anticipated Green Lantern reunion between Reynolds and Taika Waititi. (In theaters Aug. 13) —Nick Romano

14. No Man of God

In this drama, Luke Kirby plays serial killer Ted Bundy while Elijah Wood is Bill Hagmaier, the FBI agent Bundy confided in while on death row. (In theaters and on demand Aug. 27)

15. People Like Them

Fraught with class tension, Samira Sedira's delicious page-turner follows the unlikely friendship of two families in a remote French town. (July 6)

16. See

If you're looking for summer bod inspiration, look no further than this sci-fi series starring Jason Momoa. We aren't sure what the show's about, but does that matter? (Apple TV+, Aug. 27)

17. Dance in the streets with Anthony Ramos

In the movie adaptation of Lin-Manuel Miranda's smash Broadway musical In the Heights, the actor, 29, soars as bodega owner Usnavi. He shares how the show changed his life even before he landed the lead role. (In theaters and on HBO Max) —Ruth Kinane

On the first time he saw In the Heights on stage: "Growing up in a Puerto Rican neighborhood in New York, it was wild listening to this music, the salsa, the pulse of the show. It had felt hard to find my space in the Broadway world, and [ITH] gave me this spark plug, this voice telling me, 'Yo, don't worry. Keep going, things are changing."

On filming "96,000" in a Washington Heights pool: "That s--- was brutal. The water was cold. It was gloomy. It was also amazing. We were cheering [the dancers] on, like, 'Let's go. This is for the culture!' The music starts playing, and you could feel the energy. That power, that adrenaline, that heart was what kept everybody going."

On what he learned from playing Usnavi: "I wanted to run away for so many years because I thought if I could leave [my neighborhood], I'd made it. What this movie taught me over time is that it's actually about finding peace within yourself, which is what Usnavi — this dude who is dreaming of leaving — does."

READ MORE: In the Heights cast on bringing fireworks to the screen with film's long-awaited debut

18-21. (Re)visit old friends

➼ 18. iCarly | 5…4…3…2…and we're back with OG influencer Carly Shay (Miranda Cosgrove) as she and her pals navigate work, love, and family in their 20s. (Paramount+, June 17)

➼ 19. Space Jam: A New Legacy | LeBron James faces the Goon Squad, his biggest b-ball challenge yet, in the reimagining of 1996's Space Jam. (In theaters and on HBO Max July 16)

➼ 20. This Is Your Mind on Plants | Michael Pollan's next drug-reframing opus shows how mescaline, opium, and caffeine can help in quarantine. (Ya think?) (July 6)

➼ 21. F9 | The megafranchise welcomes director Justin Lin and star Sung Kang (Justice for Han!) back into the fold for blockbuster No. 9. Family, right? (In theaters June 25)

22. Electric Easy

Satisfy everyone on your road trip with this musical telling of Kesha and Chloe Bailey as androids and Mason Gooding as a human in hot pursuit. Sparks fly. (On podcast platforms)

23. New World

Does Amazon have a top-tier videogame now too? With both massively multiplayer- and player-vs.-player-focused fantasy combat, this is its best chance yet. (PC, Aug. 31)

24. Abandon your at-home workout

Grab a yoga mat, a water bottle, and a friend, and bring your fitness routine outside. (We love Jess Sims' HIIT Cardio classes, available on the Peloton app.)

➼ 25. Stand for Myself

Yola's golddusted sophomore effort — a groovy mix of Americana, soul, and disco chic — cements her status as one of our era's foremost vocalists. (July 30)

➼ 26. Hideaway

The new nine-track LP from pop-punk crew Wavves — their first in four years — is packed with sunny power chords, dark story lines, and extremely infectious hooks. (July 16)

➼ 27. Vessel

Cai Chongda traces his rise from a rural childhood to being director at GQ China in Beijing, and reflects on the family with whom he has increasingly little in common. (July 6)

➼ 28. Making It

Amy Poehler and Nick Offerman are still making it hard not to laugh as they encourage and guide talented makers on this crafting and DIY competition series. (NBC, June 24)

➼ 29. Coda

Siân Heder puts a fresh twist on coming of age in her crowd-pleasing Sundance smash — a frank, funny drama about the hearing daughter of deaf parents. (In theaters and on Apple TV+ Aug. 13)

➼ 30. Candyman

Nia DaCosta's long-awaited remix of 1992's Candyman stars Yahya Abdul- Mateen II as an artist whose exploration of racial violence reawakens the supernatural killer. (In theaters Aug. 27)

➼ 31. He's All That

We can neither confirm nor deny whether this gender-swapped remake has a "Kiss Me" moment. But it'll still probably hit every nostalgia button you have. (Netflix, Aug. 27)

➼ 32. Welcome 2 America

This politically charged album, completed in 2010 prior to Prince's Welcome 2 America tour, has been languishing in the Paisley Park vault. No more. (July 30)

33. Get away with some Vacation Friends

Get ready to make some new Vacation Friends! Hulu's raunchy new comedy stars Lil Rel Howery and Yvonne Orji as Marcus and Emily, an engaged couple who encounter thrill-seeking partiers Ron (John Cena) and Kyla (Meredith Hagner) at a Mexican resort. But the party doesn't stop there, when, months later, Ron and Kyla show up to Marcus and Emily's big day — uninvited. "The chemistry is uncanny with the four of us," says Howery, who views the film as a "brochure" for the return of vacations and a reminder of "how much you need to get away." (Hulu, Aug. 27) —Derek Lawrence

READ MORE: John Cena and Lil Rel Howery become Vacation Friends in first look at new Hulu comedy

34-41. Summer books about summer

➼ 34. Heatwave by Victor Jestin | Originally published in France and now translated by Sam Taylor, this tale of a teenage boy who witnesses a death while on vacation is a fiery page-turner. (June 29)

➼ 35. Rock the Boat by Beck Dorey-Stein | Immerse yourself in the other Jersey Shore — the fictional town of Sea Point, where the beach bungalows are quaint and there's nary a fist pump in sight. (June 29)

➼ 36. Nobody, Somebody, Anybody by Kelly McClorey | At a bougie yacht club, a young woman takes a summer gig as a chambermaid while she studies for an exam — and slowly loses her mind. (July 6)

➼ 37. Virtue by Hermione Hoby | Against the backdrop of an intern spending the summer at a wealthy couple's beach house, Hoby explores the pitfalls of a class-obsessed New York City. (July 20)

➼ 38. The Summer Job by Lizzy Dent | This novel is what happens when you combine Sweetbitter with The Princess Switch, place it in the Scottish Highlands, and throw in a whole lot of wine. (May 18)

➼ 39. The Fiancée by Kate White | A book quite literally about Summer: She's a struggling actress who attempts to expose the truth about her brother-in-law's girlfriend after a family tragedy. (June 29)

➼ 40. The Guncle by Steven Rowley | Gay Uncle Patrick is given custody of his young niece and nephew for the summer, and struggles to integrate his lifestyle as an actor with his new charges. (May 25)

➼ 41. People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry | Two best friends reinstate their defunct yearly summer vacation tradition in an attempt to save their rocky relationship. (May 11)

➼ 42. Jungle Cruise

Set sail with Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt on this quippy riverboat adventure. All the fun of the classic Disneyland ride, no trip to Anaheim required. (In theaters and on Disney+ with Premier Access July 30)

➼ 43. Mario Golf: Super Rush

We appreciate a game that takes big swings — even if those swings are literal. Mario Golf is back, bringing Mushroom Kingdom heroes to tear up the green. (Nintendo Switch, June 25)

➼ 44. Bachelor in Paradise

Savvy singles from multiple seasons of the reality TV franchise travel to sun-drenched Mexico in search of their semipermanent soul mate. Switch off your brain and enjoy! (ABC, Aug. 16)

➼ 45. Old

Director M. Night Shyamalan's latest mystery box, inspired by the graphic novel Sandcastle and starring Gael García Bernal, follows a group of people who find themselves rapidly aging on a beach. (In theaters July 23)

➼ 46. Go for the (Olympics-watching) gold

Find a spot with outdoor tables and TVs to cheer on Team USA at the Tokyo Games. (July 23-Aug. 8)

➼ 47. Happier Than Ever

Billie Eilish's 2021 so far: Won a Record of the Year Grammy, released her first book, nabbed her 22nd Hot 100 entry. Next up: her very anticipated new LP. Slacker. (July 30)

➼ 48. Jersey Shore Family Vacation

The party's back! Unlike the first half of season 4, these episodes of MTV's reality hit won't be Snooki-less, with Nicole Polizzi reemerging for the snowy fun. (MTV)

➼ 49. Give My Love to the Savages

Chris Stuck's short-story collection comes together as a harrowing portrait of race relations in America, as beautiful as it is urgent. (July 6)

➼ 50. Multitask your self-care

Take a walk and listen to wellness podcast Hurdle: Host Emily Abbate and guests like Olympian Alexi Pappas will inspire you to achieve your own big goals. (On podcast platforms)

51. Find intense thrills in Beckett

John David Washington is going on the run. This tense thriller from director Ferdinando Cito Filomarino stars Washington as an unassuming American man, who's drawn into a political conspiracy while vacationing in Greece with his girlfriend (Alicia Vikander). Suddenly, Beckett finds himself scrambling through the wilderness, trying to outrun mysterious assassins and make his way to the American embassy. "It was interesting to embrace the variety of Greece's topography," Cito Filomarino says, "like, what can we throw at Beckett next?" (Netflix, Aug. 13) —Devan Coggan

READ MORE: John David Washington teases his tense Greek thriller Beckett

52. Team up with The Suicide Squad

Guardians of the Galaxy's James Gunn directs this follow-up to 2016's Suicide Squad, which once again stars Margot Robbie, Joel Kinneman, Jai Courtney, and Viola Davis. They're joined by, among others, the Peacemaker-portraying John Cena. "He has this moral code that seems skewed by the amount of violence he inflicts," says producer Peter Safran of Cena's character. "It's like f---ing for virginity, he's fighting for peace." (In theaters and on HBO Max Aug. 6) —Clark Collis

READ MORE: James Gunn calls The Suicide Squad a 'war-caper movie with s---ty supervillains'

➼ 53. A Touch of Jen

Remy and Alicia are obsessed with Jen in Beth Morgan's darkly funny novel. When Jen invites them on a trip to the Hamptons, the infatuation turns violent. (July 13)

➼ 54. Exit Wounds

After EP-ing and starring in the 2018 doc Echo in the Canyon, Wallflowers frontman Jakob Dylan decided to get the band back together; Wounds is their first album since 2012. (July 9)

55-59. Go down kicking and screaming

➼ 55. The Ice Road | Liam Neeson lends his very particular set of action-movie skills to trucks in this film, as a driver on a mission to rescue trapped mine workers. (Netflix, June 25)

➼ 56. Black Widow | Florence Pugh, Rachel Weisz, and David Harbour join Scarlett Johansson in one very messy Russian spy family. (In theaters and on Disney+ Premier Access July 9)

➼ No 57. The Tomorrow War | As war wages against future alien invaders, Chris Pratt plays a combat vet–turned–science teacher with the brains and brawn needed to save humanity. (Amazon Prime Video, July 2)

➼ 58. Sweet Girl | More Jason Momoa! In this action blockbuster, the erstwhile Aquaman plays a widower planning vengeance on those behind his wife's death. (Netflix, Aug. 20)

➼ 59. The Protégé | This thriller finds Maggie Q and Samuel L. Jackson playing contract killers; Michael Keaton stars too, as a shadowy figure from their past. Strap in. (In theaters Aug. 20)

➼ 60. Enjoy cinema under the stars

Catch a new release (or a classic) at your local drive-in, or set up a projector in your backyard for an al fresco film festival. Don't forget the popcorn!

61. Read the buzziest novel of the summer

"Dating you is like dating a StairMaster," Erica Albright (Rooney Mara) tells Mark Zuckerberg (Jesse Eisenberg) in The Social Network, David Fincher's 2010 biopic of the once messianic founder. Tahmima Anam's novel The Startup Wife is, essentially, what happens when you give Erica her full due: the story of an epic rise and fall, told by the woman who wakes up with the messiah every morning. Asha Ray, the daughter of Bengali immigrants, marries her high school crush, Cyrus Jones, two months after they reconnect at a former teacher's funeral. He is a spirit guide inventing rituals cobbled together from different religions, including hosting the funeral where their re-meet-cute went down. Together, they create a social media platform dedicated to providing those rituals for occasions both typical (burials, anniversaries) and bizarre (cat baptisms). It's an instant hit, but as their membership — and Cyrus' fame — swells, Asha begins to resent the absurdities of the start-up industry and the way their mutual success has somehow marginalized her at home and at work. There's delicious humor in Asha's subtly savage takedowns of the Silicon Valley system — the start-up with trampolines for floors, the VC who drinks birch water, the bubble-gum-pink girlboss aesthetic at female founder symposiums — but the novel's biggest strengths show as Anam deftly explores the gender politics of the book's central partnership. As Asha finds herself disillusioned, the reader finds someone to root for. (July 13) —Seija Rankin

62. Grill with the greats

Michael Symon, co-host of BBQ Brawl, shares his fruity take on summer chicken.

Spatchcock Brick Chicken & Blackberry BBQ Sauce | Serves 4

Ingredients:
4 lb. whole chicken
kosher salt
olive oil
ground pepper
2 bricks

For the sauce:
3 pints fresh blackberries
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup balsamic vinegar
1 cup red wine vinegar
1 clove garlic, minced
1 onion, sliced
1 habanero pepper
1 dark beer
1 tbsp. ground coriander
1 tbsp. ground cumin
1 tbsp. ground coffee
1 tbsp. chipotle powder

For the chicken | The night before, place the chicken, breast side down on a work surface. Starting at the thigh end, cut along one side of the backbone with kitchen shears. Turn the chicken around; cut along the other side. Discard the backbone or save for stock. Flip the chicken, open it like a book, and press firmly on the breastbone to flatten. Season well on both sides with kosher salt. Refrigerate overnight. The next day, remove the chicken from the refrigerator, let the chill come off (about 20 minutes). Rub with olive oil and season with ground pepper. Wrap two bricks in foil and set aside. Fire up your grill to medium-high heat, place the chicken on the grill, skin side down, with the prepared bricks on top. Cook without moving for 10 minutes, until the skin is charred and crisp. Remove the bricks, gently flip the chicken, and replace the bricks. Cook for another 10 minutes, until the internal temperature registers at 155-160 degrees. Remove the chicken from the grill to rest for 10 minutes before quartering.

For the sauce | Place all of the sauce ingredients into a saucepan and cook for two hours over medium-low heat. Remove from the heat and place into a food processor or blender and puree until smooth. Strain the sauce before serving. It will continue to thicken as it cools. Any remaining sauce will keep in the refrigerator for one week or in the freezer for six months.

63. Frosé all day

Say cheers with Jeni's Frosé sorbet — or grab a pint of the Lemon Bar flavor for an alcohol-free option. (Order at jenis.com.)

64. Top Chef Amateurs

Gail Simmons hosts a new competition that puts home cooks to the test using some of the franchise's toughest challenges, with cameos from all-star cheftestants. (Bravo, July 1)

65. The Great Food Truck Race: All-Stars

Seven winning teams head out on the road again to prove who has the best food on four wheels — and one will win $50,000. Buckle up and bring your appetite. (Food Network, Discovery+)

66-73. Which summer song are you?

74. Sparking Joy

Marie Kondo has already taught us how to tidy up. Now the organizational expert is showing us how to find joy in our everyday lives — with friends, at work, and in our communities. (Netflix, August)

75. Fresh, Fried & Crispy

From Baltimore to San Diego, famed social media food reviewer Daym Drops is sampling the best and craziest deep-fried dishes (lobster fingers! taffy!) across the U.S. (Netflix)

76. PAW Patrol: The Movie

Your (or your kids') favorite can-do pups from TV get the big-screen treatment as they're called to Adventure City and tasked to save it. (In theaters and on Paramount+ Aug. 20)

77. Be Antiracist With Ibram X. Kendi

The best-selling author and his podcast guests discuss the role of communities and individuals in building an equitable society. (On podcast platforms)

78. Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart

The latest entry in this nearly 20-year-old action platformer launches players across planets and dimensional rifts at warp speed. (PS5)

79. Go see some stunning art

Get up close and personal with the eye-candy masterworks of Van Gogh in this immersive exhibit popping up in various cities. (Get tickets at vangoghexpo.com.)

80. Gold-Diggers Sound

Gently plucked guitars, muted horns, that patented velvetsmooth croon — singer Leon Bridges' new solo LP is the audio version of lying in a hammock. (July 23)

81. Rick and Morty

Season 5 of the hilarious sci-fi meta-comedy welcomes guest stars like Christina Ricci, Steve Buscemi, Darren Criss, Alison Brie, and Michelle Buteau. (Adult Swim, June 20)

82. Firebug

Titan of true crime Marc Smerling (Crimetown, The Jinx) produces this addicting new podcast about an arson investigator with a fiery secret. (On podcast platforms July 21)

83. Hunt for the truth with Matt Damon

This dramatic thriller stars Matt Damon as Bill Baker, an oil rig worker from Stillwater, Okla., who travels to France, to exonerate his daughter (played by Abigail Breslin), who is in jail for a murder she says she didn't commit. Director and co-writer Tom McCarthy (Spotlight) tells EW he was initially inspired by the real-life Amanda Knox murder case and started penning the script about 10 years ago, but just couldn't crack it at the time. "[Then] I reached out to French writers Thomas Bidegain and Noé Debré, and I asked them to take a look at it and consider it," he says. "It really became this kind of American-French collaboration, both in terms of story and, I think, approaches to cinema, which was really exciting."

In a case of art imitating life, Bill also must collaborate with the French in his quest to free his daughter, which leads him to befriend a local woman, Virginie (Camille Cottin), and her daughter, Maya (Lilou Siauvaud), who help him navigate and learn about French culture. Says McCarthy, "I think that as a storyteller, there's a real engine of a thriller under there, but there's a much more human dramatic element to the story. This movie operates on a couple of different levels, which is really satisfying and, I think, keeps it really unexpected." (In theaters July 30) — Lauren Huff

READ MORE: Matt Damon is an Oklahoma roughneck out to save his daughter in Stillwater first look

84. Nine Days

Five souls audition for the chance to be born in Edson Oda's gently surreal Sundance sensation starring Bill Skarsgård, Zazie Beetz, and an unforgettable Winston Duke (Us). (In theaters July 30)

85. Reminiscence

Hugh Jackman is a private investigator of the mind (whatever that means) who navigates the dark world of memories to find the alluring Mae (Rebecca Ferguson). (In theaters Aug. 20)

86. Radiant Fugitives

Author Nawaaz Ahmed fictionalizes a Kamala Harris campaign consultant who's reconciling her Western values with her family still in India. (Aug. 3)

87. Edith!

Audiobook superstar Rosamund Pike plays American First Lady (and low-key shadow president) Edith Wilson in this historical-fiction podcast. (On podcast platforms this summer)

88. We Are the Brennans

Every summer reading list needs a juicy family tale; the Irish-Catholic siblings in Tracey Lange's novel live on opposite coasts, torn apart by secrets. (Aug. 3)

89. Sometimes I Might Be Introvert

U.K. rapper Little Simz sounds like anything but the title of her cinematic fourth album, dropping gems on everything from femininity to political strife. (Sept. 3)

90. Embrace the magic

Manage some mischief for your house of choice at the massive new Harry Potter store now open in New York City. (Visit HarryPotterStore.com for more details.)

91. Meet the Scarecrow of Titans

The doctor will see you now. When the superteam drama returns for its third season, Mad Men's Vincent Kartheiser checks in as Dr. Jonathan Crane, a.k.a. the fear-toxin-loving Batman rogue Scarecrow, who now moonlights for the Gotham City Police Department while incarcerated in Arkham Asylum. "Think Hannibal Lecter," says showrunner Greg Walker. "He's been given an opportunity to opine on ways to stop villains and a villain breaks out in Gotham and it draws [Dick Grayson] to work with him. Crane's introduction into the world of Titans arrives as the titular squad of young heroes, led by Dick, a.k.a. Nightwing (Brenton Thwaites) relocates from San Francisco to Gotham City. That move also leads to the introduction of a couple familiar DC Comics characters, including former Batgirl-turned-GCPD Commissioner Barbara Gordon (Savannah Welch) and Tim Drake (Jay Lycurgo), who eventually becomes Robin in the comics. (HBO Max, Aug. 12) —Chancellor Agard

READ MORE: Titans reveals Scarecrow and Barbara Gordon in season 3 first look

92. Behind the Music

The VH1 documentary series on the lives of music's biggest names gets a new life in podcast form…to accompany the show's Paramount+ reboot! (On podcast platforms July 29)

93. Pink Noise

Laura Mvula's first two albums received loads of acclaim but little commercial attention in the States. Her can't-miss, '80s-inflected third LP should change that. (July 2)

No 94-97. Sing for your summer

➼ 94. McCartney 3,2,1 | Paul McCartney and überproducer Rick Rubin tell the stories behind some of the biggest hits in music history in a six-part docuseries. (Hulu, July 16)

➼ 95. Annette | French auteur Leos Carax returns with this surreal Adam Driver–Marion Cotillard musical, set to open the Cannes Film Festival. (In theaters Aug. 6 and on Amazon Aug. 20)

➼ 96. Central Park | This dizzyingly delightful (and musical!) animated series returns for a second season that's as breezy and charming as, well, a walk in the park. (Apple TV+, June 25)

➼ 97. Respect |Jennifer Hudson's awards-buzzed turn as Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin alone should be worth the price of admission for Liesl Tommy's melodic biopic. (In theaters Aug. 13)

98. Laugh out loud

If you couldn't snag a ticket to one of Dave Chappelle's outdoor performances in May, check for open-air comedy shows in your area, like the ones by NYC's Stand Up NY in the Park.