Blockbuster season is upon us! We’ve already gotten some true gems in 2022 (such as Everything Everywhere All At Once and The Batman) and now we shall bask in the warm light of broad, four-quadrant entertainment! I’ve compiled a list of 10 movies to mark on your calendars this summer (August is strangely pretty dead this year). I did my best to create a healthy balance of genres in a movie season that prioritizes “a little something for everyone.” HAGS!
Honorable Mentions: The Black Phone (June 24); Men (May 20); Cha Cha Real Smooth (June 17)
10. Crimes of the Future (June 3)
Why To See It: This is a wild card pick. We have director David Cronenberg returning to his early ‘body horror’ roots (The Fly, Scanners) and reteaming with frequent collaborator Viggo Mortensen. Little is known about the plot, but Cronenberg has been noodling on this project for the better part of 20 years, and with a strong cast rounded out by Léa Seydoux and Kristen Stewart, this is one to watch for horror fans. Watch the trailer.
9. Elvis (June 24)
Why To See It: Baz Luhrmann (Moulin Rouge!, The Great Gatsby) is attached to this Elvis biopic. Luhrmann is known for his larger-than-life bombast and style, so if the film lacks substance, it will at least likely be an engrossing, gaudy, visual feast. Watch the trailer.
8. Lightyear (June 17)
Why To See It: We’ve had some fun at Chris Evans’ expense as he explained that this summer’s new Pixar film is “the origin story of the human Buzz Lightyear” and not the toy, but this does look fun and heartwarming. Evans is leading a strong voice cast, and the animation looks beautiful. Potential strikes against Lightyear for not being a wholly original idea, but it’s hard to bet against Pixar. Watch the trailer.
7. The Gray Man (July 15)
Why To See It: Brothers Anthony and Joe Russo’s directorial follow-up to their record-breaking, back-to-back success of Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame finds them returning to spy-thriller territory. They have solid action-directing chops (they do cut too much, but know how to stage an action sequence) and a stacked cast in tow (Ryan Gosling! Chris Evans! Ana de Armas! Jessica Henwick! Wagner Moura! I could go on!). With their ability to manage large ensembles from their time with Marvel and their illustrious comedy background directing quantities of Arrested Development and Community—this has potential to be a fantastic summer romp. Watch the Netflix preview.
6. Top Gun: Maverick (May 27)
Why To See It: After a series of COVID-related delays, Tom Cruise’s belated follow-up is finally here. Lega-sequels can be a mixed bag, but the previews and buzz of Cruise’s return to the skies promise a mix of thrilling, high-flying stunts and melodrama that made the 1986 original a phenomenon. Watch the trailer.
5. Jurassic World: Dominion (June 10)
Why To See It: I’ve been burned by this film series before: 2015’s Jurassic World was mostly a Greatest Hits album, and the 2018 follow-up was one-half generic retread and one-half (sort of fun?) haunted house. This time around, the global mix of dinosaurs and humans has potential and is something fresh for a franchise that has been happy to coast on goodwill. Another feather in its cap is the return of Jurassic Park‘s original trio, and I’m embarrassed at how easily I acquiesced to this ploy after seeing them share the screen again. Is it a blatant exploitation of nostalgia to bring back Neill, Goldblum, and Dern for this movie? One hundred percent! But dinosaurs are fun! It will never be as good as the OG Park (a perfect movie), but it has a shot at taking 2nd or 3rd? Watch the trailer.
4. Bullet Train (July 29)
Why To See It: We’ve got the perfect ingredients for a good time: David Leitch, co-director of John Wick and director of Atomic Blonde and Deadpool 2; a knock-out cast in Brad Pitt, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Zazie Beetz, among others; and a promising, action-comedy set-up about assassins on a closed bullet train. Even the worst version of this is sure to be more creative, engaging, and flat-out fun than the typical genre fare we get on the regular. Watch the trailer.
3. Nope (July 22)
Why To See It: Jordan Peele is back, once again dabbling in science fiction and horror, surrounded by some of Hollywood’s top talent (Daniel Kaluuya! Keke Palmer! Steven Yeun!). What else is there? Watch the trailer.
2. Thor: Love and Thunder (July 8)
Why To See It: Is it cliched that Marvel takes the top spots for hotly-anticipated summer movies? Maybe, but this Thor four-quel looks genuinely funny and visually resplendent (a common weak point in other Marvel fare). The top brass at Marvel have been smart to lean into Chris Hemsworth’s comedic chops for his last few Thor appearances, and hopefully the resounding success of 2017’s Thor: Ragnarok has given director Taika Watiti and crew more free reign for his particular brand of weirdness. Watch the trailer.
1. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (May 6)
Why To See It: This will be released at the time of this writing, and while mixed reviews have been pouring in, I’m remaining cautiously optimistic. The rumor mill around this film has been churning for months, and the movie itself threatens to be weighed down by Marvel’s multiversal ambitions. That said, Spider-Man: No Way Home managed to shovel fan service our way without derailing its emotional focus—and you’d hope that Marvel wouldn’t hire a filmmaker as visually distinct, recognizable, and exciting as Sam Raimi (Spider-Man trilogy, The Evil Dead trilogy) and not let him work within his very particular, stylized wheelhouse. It’s the film I’m most curious to see if it can pull off all that’s been teased. Watch the trailer.
