The light at the end of every grueling school year is the slate of summer films (or maybe that’s just me). Hollywood saves their splashiest films for this release window, making it a very exciting time for moviegoers everywhere. So what does Hollywood have in store for us this year?
“Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu” (May 22)
“Star Wars” has been in the gutter. The once legendary franchise that transported audiences to a galaxy far, far away with unparalleled cinematic gravitas has now become a television novelty act. Ever since the controversial “The Last Jedi” and pathetic “The Rise of Skywalker,” Disney has been left dumbfounded on how to move forward (the brilliant “Andor” withstanding). The only thing that has really dazzled the general public is “The Mandalorian” on Disney+, but even that started to falter with a weak Season 3. Nevertheless, Disney is now counting on it to revive the franchise at the box office with “Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu,” which is set to hit theaters May 22. The trailers have looked decent, but I think the first “Star Wars” theatrical film in seven years needs a little more pizazz; it still ultimately looks like a television episode I could catch on Disney+. But if you’re a fan of the show or itching to watch “Star Wars” on the big screen again, this will probably be worth watching.
“Backrooms” (May 29)
Internet urban legends are the defining folklore of the 21st century. Cursed figures and horrifying stories born in the dark corners of the internet have ingrained themselves in the public imagination of those who grew up online — the playground rumors of old have now moved to YouTube comment sections. So it makes perfect sense that A24 is now adapting one of these stories for the big screen with “Backrooms.” For those who don’t know, Backrooms describes a type of haunting liminal space: abandoned rooms that stretch forever, with no sign of civilization in sight. Kane Parsons helped popularize the urban legend through his YouTube videos and is now directing this film, due May 29. The fact that he is directing an A24 film at only 20 has made me feel a lot of things about what I’m doing with my life. But putting that aside, “Backrooms” looks unlike any other horror film I’ve seen, with the central concept of the backrooms exuding a haunting allure. I’d recommend you watch this not only for its mysterious novelty, but also to understand what the future of cinema will look like as Gen Z assumes the directorial chair.
“Scary Movie” (June 5)
We are currently living in a post-woke moment, with many people eager to indulge in dark humor after years of aggressive institutional endorsement of progressive values. “Scary Movie” is back to capitalize on this trend, constantly flaunting edgy jokes and mocking political correctness in its trailers. I personally find this style of humor to be grating and lazy; making a pronoun joke the big punchline in your trailer demonstrates the same comedic instincts as a fifth grader. Perhaps the trailers are overplaying this style of humor, and the film will primarily focus on sending up horror films, which is kind of the whole point of the franchise anyway. But if you’re exhausted from woke, and you need a Hollywood film to tell you it’s OK to laugh at marginalized groups again, then “Scary Movie” might be perfect for you. And try to catch it sooner rather than later, as Woke 2.0 will soon take over and destroy all copies of it.
“Disclosure Day” (June 12)
Interest in aliens has surged in recent years, as if people are so tired of humanity and this world that they hope an advanced species out there will either come to save or destroy us. Here to add fuel to this wildfire of speculation is Steven Spielberg and his newest film about aliens, “Disclosure Day.” Spielberg is no stranger to the topic, having directed films like “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial” and “Close Encounters of the Third Kind.” However, this film seems much more urgent and serious than those, almost as if Spielberg is genuinely wrestling with what the existence of aliens means for humanity. At CinemaCon, Spielberg said he “truly believe[s] that this movie is going to answer questions and cause you to ask a lot of questions” and that the film is “way closer to truth than to fiction.” Did he capture real footage of aliens for this film? The only way to find out is to see it in theaters. And even if you’re not that interested in the topic of aliens, any film from a masterful director like Spielberg should be seen on the big screen.
“Toy Story 5” (June 19)
I know many people groaned when Pixar announced they were making “Toy Story 5”. The previous installment, “Toy Story 4,” was already met with a heavy amount of skepticism, as many claimed it was a shameless cash grab after the perfectly satisfying ending of “Toy Story 3”. But I will always defend this franchise continuing after the third installment because these new films have something worth saying. “Toy Story 4” smartly evolved the themes of purpose and responsibility from the previous films, and “Toy Story 5” seems set to critique our increasing dependence on technology that has been creeping deeper and deeper into childhood. I know Pixar has been inconsistent this decade, but I trust them to cook with their most cherished property, and you should, too.
“Supergirl” (June 26)
Last year’s “Superman” was a great time, but the real test of James Gunn’s new leadership of DC Comics will be this summer’s “Supergirl.” While Superman is a wholesome Boy Scout, Supergirl is a belligerent party girl, and the gritty style of the film reflects this. The film centers around Supergirl going on a revenge mission for her dog, Krypto, a la John Wick. Director Craig Gillespie is a reliable journeyman, and from what we’ve seen so far, Milly Alcock is a great Supergirl, so I’m confident this will turn out to be a solid entry in the burgeoning DCU.
“Moana” (July 10)
How low can corporate greed go? Disney is trying to answer this age-old question with the live-action “Moana.” Yes, Disney is really doing a live-action remake of “Moana” only 10 years after the animated original came out. Why, you may ask? Well, there’s something called money, and Disney wants a lot of it. Even better, the footage from the trailers looks as soulless as the film’s existence sounds. The film is an abomination devoid of any artistic merit. It will probably make a billion dollars.
“The Odyssey” (July 17)
Ladies and gentlemen, this is it. The definitive movie of the summer is Christopher Nolan’s “The Odyssey.” After the success of “Oppenheimer,” Nolan was given a blank check to adapt Homer’s “The Odyssey,” among the most important stories in the Western world. Even though the sprawling epic was written almost 3,000 years before Nolan was born, it feels like it was made for his directorial style, with its non-linear storytelling and time as the driving conflict. It also features an all-star cast that’s the result of every actor in Hollywood vying for a spot in Nolan’s biggest film yet. Previews so far have been promising: As long as you’re not obsessed with historical accuracy, I think this film will live up to the hype.
“Spider-Man: Brand New Day” (July 31)
No matter how bad superhero fatigue gets, nobody will ever get tired of Spider-Man. Underneath all the spider superpowers is Peter Parker, an immensely relatable young guy who struggles with money and love just like everyone else. It seems that “Spider-Man: Brand New Day” will be leaning heavily into Peter’s grounded personal problems. In the widely memed trailer for the film, we see Peter struggling with the fallout of everyone on Earth forgetting who he is after the magic spell in “Spider-Man: No Way Home.” He is profoundly lonely, and even worse, he is forced to watch MJ, the love of his life, move on as if he never existed — these emotional stakes give the film the potential to reach the heights of the Raimi trilogy. Also, Sadie Sink will be playing a superhero villain! The film will be a perfect midsummer pick-me-up if you have any baseline interest in Spider-Man.
“One Night Only” (Aug. 7)
You ask, “Who loves rom-coms?” and the entire room raises their hands. You then ask, “Who wants to watch a rom-com in theaters?” and most of the hands go back down. The genre has been consistently struggling at the box office as audiences are satisfied getting their rom-com fix from TV shows or at-home movies. But there have been some exceptions, including “Anyone but You,” starring Sydney Sweeney and Glen Powell. Rom-com expert Will Gluck was behind that film, and he’s back again with “One Night Only”. It’s a high-concept rom-com in the style of “The Purge,” taking place in an alternate world where pre-marital sex is only legal one night a year. It also stars two beautiful people, Monica Barbaro and Callum Turner, so it should be a fun if slighly bizarre time at the movies.
“The End of Oak Street” (Aug. 14)
“Jurassic Park” holds a monopoly on dinosaurs in movies, which is rather unfortunate, as they are marvelous creatures. However, the last big release of the summer is stepping up and taking a crack at them. “The End of Oak Street” is currently shrouded in mystery, but the basic premise is that an entire neighborhood street is magically transported to a world with dinosaurs. Indie darling David Robert Mitchell is behind the film, and seeing a director like him getting a summer blockbuster is super exciting. The trailers also look great, making this a very promising finish to the summer.
Overall, the box office is looking incredibly healthy this summer. We have original blockbusters from auteurs, new entries in beloved franchises and a solid diversity of genres. Now it is up to us, the audiences, to show up and tell Hollywood with our wallets what kind of films we want from them.
