Five big films to look forward to in July: From Star Trek to The BFG

The appeal of a quiet night in front of the television might have dwindled since Game Of Thrones ended, so thank goodness the cinema is beckoning with a series of big releases over the next few weeks.

From blockbuster action to family films for the school holidays, here is a selection of the titles hitting the big screen this month:

Star Trek Beyond

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Justin Lim directs this third instalment of the rebooted Star Trek chronicles, co-written by Simon Pegg and Doug Jung. Captain Kirk (Chris Pine), Spock (Zachary Quinto) and the rest of the USS Enterprise crew face annihilation after a relentless army of hostile aliens destroy their ship and leave them stranded and vulnerable on an unknown planet. Karl Urban, Zoe Saldana, John Cho and Anton Yelchin reprise their roles, with Idris Elba and Sofia Boutella joining the action. Released 22 July

Ghostbusters

Paul Feig's reboot of the 1980s classic comedy sees a mostly female cast take up the fight against the slimy forces of darkness. Bridesmaids stars Kristen Wiig and Melissa McCarthy play a pair of hapless writers who are ridiculed for publishing a book about the authenticity of ghosts, but are later forced to team up with a nuclear engineer and a subway worker to save the world from an evil supernatural being who can control human forms. The film has been battling some pre-release negativity from fans of the original, who dislike the idea of a female remake, so we'll have to wait and see if the girl-powered comedy can vaporise the doubters. Released 11 July

Jason Bourne

For some red-blooded spy action, check out the latest film in Paul Greengrass's Bourne franchise. Matt Damon returns to the role of the indestructible former secret-service agent several years after his disappearance at the end of the Bourne Ultimatum. A new program has been created to hunt him down, just as he starts to discover the answers about his past and family. Co-stars Julia Stiles, Alicia Vikander, Tommy Lee Jones and Vincent Cassel. Released 27 July.

The BFG

Steven Spielberg adapts Roald Dahl's children's classic, toning down some of the darker elements but turning up the spectacular visual effects. Orphan Sophie is snatched by the scary looking but ultimately good-hearted and lonely BFG, who has been made an outcast because he refuses to eat children. The unlikely duo team up to distribute dreams and protect the world from the hostile giants. It "offers magic and visual delights," says Empire. Released 22 July.

Finding Dory

The sequel to Finding Nemo, Pixar's 3D-animated comedy follows the adventures of amnesiac fish Dory, who is on a journey to be reunited with her family when she is captured and taken to a public aquarium. This launches Marlin and Nemo on a mission to rescue her. The film reprises the voices of Ellen DeGeneres and Albert Brooks, along with voice work from Ed O'Neill, Kaitlin Olson and Diane Keaton. "Brims with humour, heart and animation miracles," says Rolling Stone. Released 29 July.