The summer season is almost upon us and that means it’s time to dust off the beachwear, light the BBQ and chill those beers. But the summer isn’t all about that time spent on the beach! After a two-year hiatus, we finally have a summer blockbuster season worthy of a return to the cinema. This year’s line-up is an extensive one that offers up popular franchise returns, iconic biographies, action-packed adventures, and plenty of scares along the way. Whatever your taste, there’s plenty to add to your list!
Below, we take a look at the biggest and most anticipated releases hitting the big screen this summer. Let us know your most anticipated films in the comments section.
Jurassic World Dominion – June 10th
Generations collide as faces old and new unite to tackle a world filled with rampaging dinos. The sixth and final installment of the Jurassic saga sees Sam Neil, Jeff Goldblum and Laura Dern return to the franchise alongside Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard. Set four years after the events of Fallen Kingdom, dinosaurs now live and hunt alongside humans all over the world. This fragile balance will reshape the future and determine, once and for all, whether human beings are to remain the apex predators on a planet they now share with history’s most fearsome creatures in a new era.
Lightyear – June 17th
The Toy Story franchise is branching out with Lightyear giving us a definitive origin story for Buzz Lightyear. Presented as a film within a film, Lightyear is the film that inspired the toy that became so iconic. The events of Lightyear follow the legendary space ranger after he is marooned on a hostile planet 4.2 million light-years from Earth alongside his commander and their crew. As Buzz tries to find a way back home through space and time, he is joined by a group of ambitious recruits and his charming robot companion cat, Sox. Complicating matters and threatening the mission is the arrival of Zurg, an imposing presence with an army of ruthless robots and a mysterious agenda.
The Black Phone – June 24th
The Black Phone follows Finney Shaw, a shy but clever 13-year-old boy, who is abducted by a sadistic killer and trapped in a soundproof basement where screaming is of little use. When a disconnected phone on the wall begins to ring, Finney discovers that he can hear the voices of the killer’s previous victims. And they are dead set on making sure that what happened to them doesn’t happen to Finney.
Ethan Hawke takes on the villainous role of The Grabber in what could be the year’s most terrifying watch.
Director Scott Derrickson gave up directorial duties on Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness in order to make the film, so we’re expecting big things from this one.
Elvis – June 24th
Elvis is a biographical music drama that chronicles the legendary life and career of Elvis Pressley. The film follows his life from the early days as a child right through to becoming a rock and roll star. Austin Butler takes on the iconic role and stars alongside Tom Hanks, who plays the role of Colonel Tom Parker.
Minions: The Rise of Gru – July 1st
The Minions franchise continues with an untold story of one twelve-year-old’s dream to become the world’s greatest supervillain. Set in the 1970s, The Rise of Gru follows a young Gru as he hatches a plan with his loyal Minions to join a supervillain supergroup known as the Vicious 6. Steve Carrell returns at the voice of Gru alongside an impressive voice cast that includes Jean Claude Van Damme, Michelle Yeoh, Dolph Lundgren, Danny Trejo, and Russell Brand.
Thor: Love and Thunder – July 8th
The fourth installment of the Thor franchise sees Chris Hemsworth return in the titular role. As Thor is enjoying retirement and putting in a lot of workout time, a new threat emerges that promises to test the loveable hero to his limits. To combat the threat, Thor enlists the help of King Valkyrie, Korg, and ex-girlfriend Jane Foster, who – to Thor’s surprise – inexplicably wields his magical hammer, Mjolnir, as the Mighty Thor. The film will see Christian Bale debut in the MCU as Gorr The God Butcher – a galactic killer who seeks the extinction of the gods. Natalie Portman returns as Jane Foster alongside Tessa Thompson, Taika Waititi, and Russell Crowe.
Nope – July 22nd
Jordan Peele makes his long-awaited return to the horror genre with this latest entry. His previous entries Get Out and Us established Peele as one of the most critically acclaimed minds of the horror genre, so expectations for Nope will be high. While plot details remain sparse, the film is described as a reimagining of a summer movie with a new pop nightmare. Daniel Kaluuya stars alongside Keke Palmer and The Walking Dead’s Steven Yeun.
DC League of Super Pets – July 29th
The world of superheroes continues to expand with a new breed of heroes stepping up to save the world. After Superman and the rest of the Justice League are kidnapped, Krypto the Super-Dog must convince a rag-tag shelter pack – Ace the hound, PB the potbellied pig, Merton the turtle, and Chip the squirrel – to master their own newfound powers and help him rescue the Superheroes.
League of Super Pets boasts a star-studded voice ensemble that includes Dwayne The Rock Johnson, Kevin Hart, Diego Luna, John Krasinski, and Keanu Reeves.
Bullet Train – August 5th
Bullet Train sees Brad Pitt star as Ladybug, an unlucky assassin determined to do his job peacefully after one too many gigs gone off the rails. Fate, however, may have other plans, as Ladybug’s latest mission puts him on a collision course with lethal adversaries from around the globe – all with connected, yet conflicting, objectives – on the world’s fastest train. From the director of Deadpool 2, David Leitch, the end of the line is only the beginning in a wild, non-stop thrill ride through modern-day Japan.
Also coming along for the ride are Sandra Bullock, Aaron Taylor Johnson, Karen Fukuhara and Michael Shannon.
Bodies Bodies Bodies – August 5th
A24, the production company behind hit horror releases like The Witch, Hereditary, and Midsommar, takes a stab into the slasher genre with Bodies Bodies Bodies. When a group of rich 20-somethings plan a hurricane party at a remote family mansion, a party game turns deadly in this fresh and funny look at backstabbing, fake friends, and one party gone very, very wrong. The film sees Amandla Stenberg star alongside Pete Davidson and Borat 2 breakout Maria Bakalova.
Resurrection – August 5th
Beast – August 19th
Idris Elba has faced many a battle in his cinematic exploits, but his latest might be the most ferocious yet. Beast is a pulse-pounding new thriller about a father and his two teenage daughters who find themselves hunted by a massive rogue lion intent on proving that the savannah has but one apex predator. Elba plays Dr. Nate Daniels, a recently widowed husband who returns to South Africa, where he first met his wife, on a long-planned trip with their daughters to a game reserve managed by an old family friend and wildlife biologist. But what begins as a journey of healing jolts into a fearsome fight for survival when a lion, a survivor of blood-thirsty poachers who now sees all humans as the enemy, begins stalking them.