It's that time of year folks. The sun is out, the temperatures are rising, and the summer movie season is upon us. In the past I've done most anticipated lists for the summer, but I've a very superstitious person now and I'm always scared that those will jinx movies I'm excited for and they'll end up being bad. So in lieu of that, I figured I'd just preview all the big releases for this summer. I'm using the IMDb release calendar, so some of these dates may be off due to limited release distributions or pushed release dates, but most of the big ones are pretty locked in. I'm also sure some movies will wind up coming out that aren't on this list that will end up being great, this is just everything we know to be coming. I'll be going in order of release date, so buckle in to see what you should be keeping an eye out for over the next few months.
May 2nd - Thunderbolts*
The unofficial kick off to the summer movie season. Marvel has opened the summer box office with some big success in the past, and with a string of disappointments under their belt recently, this could be the perfect film to right the ship. Early reviews are solid, and the film just looks like it's bringing back the style that worked so well for them in the mid 2010s. Throw in an all-star cast of characters that haven't had their time to shine, and I think this is a pretty perfect start to the summer movie season.
May 2nd - The Surfer
The Surfer is a film I honestly forgot about before looking at the release calendar. The latest from Nicholas Cage received solid reviews out of Cannes last year, but I haven't heard much about it since. Regardless, anything Cage does deserves at least some attention, so maybe keep this on your radar.
May 9th - Fight or Flight
This is one I don't know what to make of. I just saw the trailer recently, but now I keep seeing the trailer and I can't tell if it looks like a ton of fun or an absolute mess. It seems to essentially be Bullet Train but on a plane and starring a drunken Josh Hartnett, but it looks like it might be a bit sillier which I'm not sure is a good thing. I'm going to go into it with an open mind and hope for a fun time.
May 9th - Clown in a Cornfield
The first big horror movie of the summer is a Shudder release that hits theatres next week. Based on a 2020 novel and starring Katie Douglas (who I actually went to high school with so I'll always root for her), this looks like a fun entry into the killer clown subgenre. The reviews out of the SXSW festival are pretty positive, so I'm excited to check this one out.
May 9th - Friendship
I believe this is the limited release date, but to my knowledge this will be in a decent amount of theatres by the end of May. Friendship was one of the big surprises out of TIFF last year, with Tim Robinson and Paul Rudd making waves with the Midnight Madness crowd. It looks hilarious, and with positive reception behind it already I'm very much looking forward to it.
May 16th - Final Destination: Bloodlines
Horror franchises adding "Bloodlines" to the title is almost always a bad omen, but I'm holding out hope. I'm not a die hard Final Destination fan, but it's a franchise I have fun with and it's been a while since we had a new one. To my knowledge this is the last film featuring the late Tony Todd, so at the very least I look forward to seeing this one in honour of the great.
May 16th - Hurry Up Tomorrow
I haven't seen The Idol but I've heard horrible things. Based on that, you'd expect The Weeknd's foray into the movies to not be one I'm anticipating, but this is directed by Trey Edward Shults. Shults has made two of my favourite movies in A24's catalogue with Waves and Krisha, and he is one of the most stylistically interesting young filmmakers out there right now. I'm still not sure about The Weeknd as an actor, but this also stars Jenna Ortega and looks like it could be fascinating.
May 23rd - Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning
This may be the summer movie I'm most pumped to see. I absolutely love the Mission Impossible franchise, and this promises to be the exciting finale to the near three decade spanning saga. I've heard rumours that the stunts are among the best in the series, and if this manages to stick the landing it could be one of the year's very best.
May 23rd - Lilo & Stitch
I'm pretty skeptical of the live action Disney remakes, but this is one I'm holding out hope for. For one, Stitch looks adorable and the movie looks fun. More importantly though, the director is Dean Fleischer Camp, whose debut Marcel the Shell with Shoes on is one of the sweetest movies in recent memory. I could be sadly proven wrong, and this could be another Disney miss, but I have a gut feeling that this one will at least be decent, and if it is get ready for it to make a boatload of money.
May 30th - Karate Kid: Legends
If we're being honest this is one I don't really care about. I'm glad the Karate Kid fans get to go back to that world, but it just isn't a franchise that means much to me, so while I may wind up seeing this it isn't one I'm overly eager to run out for.
May 30th - Bring Her Back
Now onto one I can't wait for. Bring Her Back is the latest from the twin filmmakers behind the smash hit Talk to Me, and it looks terrifying. I don't really know what the movie is about, but the style looks on point and the scares look... well scary. The Philippous have my attention for whatever they do next after Talk to Me, and this also brings Sally Hawkins into the horror genre which I don't think I've seen her in before. This could be a highlight of the summer for horror fans.
May 30th - Jane Austen Wrecked my Life
I have no idea if this is actually being released at the end of the month, but it's one I saw at TIFF and it's on the calendar. Those who love books or romantic comedies will have a great time with this one, a subtly hilarious and all around touching watch with a great rural English setting. Would highly recommend this one if it's showing near you.
June 6th - Ballerina
My gut is telling me this is going to be the first flop in the John Wick franchise. I love these movies, and I'm hoping for the best, but I've heard some concerning things that are giving me that bad gut feeling. At the very least it will be fun to see Keanu Reeves back despite his fate in the fourth film, and hopefully Ana de Armas is a good addition in the leading role.
June 6th - The Life of Chuck
This is another one I saw at TIFF, and one I have been eagerly waiting to see again. This is among the best Stephen King adaptations of all time, taking the tenderness that lingers under the surface of lots of his work and bringing it to the forefront. Mike Flanagan is one of my favourite filmmakers, and seeing him move away from horror to deliver something beautiful and life affirming was a real treat. The cast is amazing, the movie is amazing, I can't wait until everyone can see this one.
June 6th - The Phoenician Scheme
I doubt this actually comes out early June, but whenever it does release I will be there. This is the latest from Wes Anderson, and while his recent work has alienated some, I still love his style. Anderson is a filmmaker I will be in the theater opening weekend for until he starts making real stinkers, so I am still very excited for this one.
June 13th - How to Train Your Dragon
I am still against live action remakes of beloved animated films, but this looks so good. Yes it seems to be a near shot for shot remake, but it looks gorgeous and the director is the same man behind the animated films so I have faith. Toothless also looks absolutely adorable, I'm really excited for this one.
June 13th - The Materialists
This is the sophomore effort from Celine Song, whose first film Past Lives was my favourite of 2023. I've seen a lot of people complain that this looks like a basic rom-com, but I have a strong feeling that Song will elevate a seemingly familiar premise to something special, and the love triangle between Dakota Johnson, Pedro Pascal, and Chris Evans, may prove to be a ton of fun.
June 20th - 28 Years Later
I honestly can't really believe this is coming. It's been so long since 28 Weeks Later, so not only having this come out but have Danny Boyle back in the director's chair has me ridiculously excited. The cast is great, the trailers have all been excellent, and if this comes even close to living up to my expectations for it I will be over the moon.
June 20th - Elio
This is the latest original Pixar movie, and I don't know how to feel about it. It could be a beautiful touching film that reminds us of their best, or it could feel like it's missing something like some of their more recent efforts. The trailer doesn't wow me, and it feels like we've been waiting on this one for ages, so I sadly don't have very high hopes.
June 27th - F1
Director Joseph Kosinski follows up his box office smash Top Gun: Maverick with this Formula 1 drama. I have to assume that the sound design and action are going to be amazing thanks to his work on Top Gun, but I'd be lying if I said the lack of Tom Cruise here didn't worry me. Brad Pitt and Kerry Condon headline the cast, and I'm ultimately just hoping for a solid racing movie. Expect this to either flop or be a surprise box office smash.
June 27th - M3GAN 2.0
The bitch is back. M3GAN is one of the most fascinating success stories recently, essentially using meme and tiktok culture to bring in a ridiculous amount of money. I had fun with the first film, so while I'm not expecting anything special here I am excited to see how they follow it up. At the very least I reckon this will be a fun time.
July 2nd - Jurassic World: Rebirth
Those who know me know how much of a die hard Jurassic Park fan I am. I've loved all the movies even as they've fallen into critical hell, so even if this ends up being a dud I'm expecting to like it. The additions of Scarlett Johansson, Jonathan Bailey, and Mahershala Ali, as well as Gareth Evans taking the director's chair, all have me hoping that this can get the franchise back on track. If you put dinosaurs in a movie I'll probably be there opening weekend, so I can not wait for this.
July 11th - Superman
I am admittedly not a big fan of Superman as a character, and based on the trailers there are some things that give me hesitation, but this is no doubt one of the biggest movies of the summer. I think David Corenswet is a perfect choice for the title role, and I love Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane. James Gunn has a proven track record with the Guardians of the Galaxy movies, so I'll put my trust in him to deliver here and bring Superman back to greatness.
July 18th - I Know What You Did Last Summer
This could suck, but I'm a sucker for these horror legacy sequels and I like the original a lot so I'll be there opening weekend. It feels like forever since we saw Freddy Prinze Jr or Jennifer Love Hewitt on the big screen, so their involvement is reason enough for me to be excited. Hopefully this turns out more like 2018's Halloween or 2022's Scream than the new Texas Chainsaw Massacre.
July 18th - Eddington
Midsommar is one of my favourite movies of all time, Hereditary is a horror classic, and Beau is Afraid is one of the most ambitious films in recent memory. Suffice to say, I will be excited for anything and everything Ari Aster makes. I do wish he was still working more in the horror genre, but I have high hopes here and the cast is pretty great.
July 18th - Smurfs
I feel morally obliged to mention that this is coming out, but I do not feel morally obliged to say it looks good. Hopefully I'm wrong.
July 25th - The Fantastic Four: First Steps
I think Thunderbolts will be a step in the right direction for Marvel, but I think this may be the one that fully brings them back to success. With the 60s setting this feels fresh and exciting for a franchise that has felt somewhat stale. I love what I've seen from the production design and costumes, and the cast is really growing on me. I have all the hope in the world that this winds up being a hit, if it isn't I fear Marvel may not be able to rebound.
August 1st - Together
I've been hearing about this one since its January debut at Sundance, and I am eagerly anticipating the day I get to see it. It stars real life couple Dave Franco and Alison Brie and from what I've heard it's a gnarly body horror. I don't actually know much in the way of plot details, but the hype has been strong.
August 1st - The Bad Guys 2
I enjoyed The Bad Guys, a movie I thought looked pretty bad but wound up being a bit of a hit. I don't love the look of the sequel, but I was proven wrong once so I would be happy to be proven wrong again.
August 1st - The Naked Gun
Liam Neeson has fallen into an unfortunate string of action movies with lessening returns in the quality department. Once in a while he delivers one with some self-awareness like Cold Pursuit, so him taking on the iconic Naked Gun franchise might be exactly what he needs to deliver something fun. This is also directed by Akiva Schaffer from The Lonely Island, so hopefully it winds up being a success.
August 8th - Weapons
This may be a sneaky contender for my most anticipated of the back half of the summer. The trailer and poster just came out along with reports of a ridiculous bidding war for the script that caused Jordan Peele to fire his management. Writer/director Zach Cregger struck lightning in a bottle with his debut Barbarian, and everything I've heard and seen suggests that this may blow that one out of the water.
August 8th - Freakier Friday
This is essentially in the same boat as the new Karate Kid for me. I enjoy the original enough, but I don't think this one looks great and I wouldn't be surprised if it winds up being a bust. Maybe it'll be good though, and in the chance that it is I will be very happy.
August 15th - Nobody 2
Here's a movie I never expected to get a sequel. Nobody was a solid action movie but I wasn't as crazy about it as some people. Hopefully this one can up the ante, otherwise I reckon it will be a fairly forgettable one.
August 22nd - Honey, Don't!
Ethan Coen's last solo directorial effort Drive Away Dolls was a bit of a disappointment, but I'm still holding out hope for this one. The premise sounds fun, and the cast is headline by Margaret Qualley, Chris Evans, and Aubrey Plaza. We don't have a trailer or anything for this one yet so I wouldn't be surprised if it winds up being pushed back, but if it keeps this release date it'll be one of the August movies I'm most looking forward to.
August 29th - The Toxic Avenger
This is one I feel like we've been waiting on for ages. This reboot of the 80s cult classic first screened at Fantastic Fest back in 2023, but has had trouble securing a distributor thanks to it's gore and graphic content. As a horror fan, those words are music to my ears, and it looks like we'll finally get to see this one at the end of the summer. The cast is stacked, with Kevin Bacon, Elijah Wood, Peter Dinklage, and Jane Levy, this one should be a blast.
August 29th - Caught Stealing
This is the latest from Darren Aronofsky, and a few days ago I probably would have guessed this was going to be delayed, but a bunch of stills were released just yesterday which give me hope that this one is ready to go. Aronofsky has some misses in his filmography, but this sounds like a wild one and has a crazy strong ensemble cast headlined by Austin Butler and Zoe Kravitz. Hopefully this acts as the perfect ending for the summer movie season.
And so concludes the summer movie preview. Stay tuned as I'll hopefully be doing reviews for most of the films on here, and let me know if I missed any that you're looking forward to. See ya at the movies!
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