'Doctor Strange,' 'Top Gun' and 18 more great summer movies
Sequels, prequels, remakes and the occasional original story – the summer movie season might be getting back to normal.
Let’s not jinx anything by saying the pandemic is over, but it does seem that the days of release-date postponements and schedule-juggling are behind us. As always, the summer kicks off on the first weekend in May with a new Marvel movie, “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.” The long-awaited sequel “Top Gun: Maverick,” starring Tom Cruise and Miles Teller, looks like a go after almost two years in COVID limbo. And it would take a real disaster to disrupt the release of Disney-Pixar’s “Lightyear,” a prequel to “Toy Story” that got a big promotional push during the now-infamous Oscars telecast.
As for the aforementioned original titles, there are a handful to watch out for, beginning with “Nope,” the latest from haute-horror maestro Jordan Peele. The action-thriller “Bullet Train” will pair megastar Brad Pitt with director David Leitch (“John Wick”). There’s also an intriguing-looking Elvis Presley biopic, “Elvis,” from the always dazzling director Baz Luhrmann.
If all goes to plan, these 20 big movies will be coming this summer:
DOCTOR STRANGE IN THE MULTIVERSE OF MADNESS (May 6) Director Sam Raimi, of the original "Spider-Man" films, ventures into the modern Marvel Cinematic Universe with this sequel. Starring Benedict Cumberbatch, Elizabeth Olsen and Chiwetel Ejiofor.
FIRESTARTER (May 13) A new adaptation of Stephen King's novel about a “pyrokinetic” girl on the run from the U.S. government. Ryan Kiera Armstrong replaces Drew Barrymore in the title role. With Zac Efron. Also streaming on Peacock.
DOWNTON ABBEY: A NEW ERA (May 20)
Penelope Wilton stars as Isobel Merton and Maggie Smith as Violet Grantham in "Downton Abbey: A New Era," a Focus Features release. Credit: Hugh Stewart/Ben Blackall
The British television hit about aristocrats and their servants gets its second theatrical feature, with nearly all the original cast and new additions Hugh Dancy, Nathalie Baye and Dominic West.
MEN (May 20) Jessie Buckley, a newly minted Oscar nominee ("The Lost Daughter"), plays a young woman whose countryside vacation takes on a sinister tone. Written and directed by Alex Garland, of "Ex Machina" and "Annihilation."
TOP GUN: MAVERICK (May 27)
Tom Cruise plays Capt. Pete "Maverick" Mitchell in "Top Gun: Maverick." Credit: Paramount Pictures/Scott Garfield
Tom Cruise, now 59, reprises his role as Navy pilot Pete "Maverick" Mitchell, now training a youngster named Rooster (Miles Teller).
THE BOB’S BURGERS MOVIE (May 27) This mystery-adventure, based on the long-running animated series, centers on an enormous sinkhole that opens in front of the Belcher family’s beloved hamburger joint. With the voices of Kristen Schaal, Zach Galifianakis and Kevin Kline.
JURASSIC WORLD DOMINION (June 10)
Chris Pratt as Owen Grady in "Jurassic World Dominion." Credit: Universal Pictures/Amblin Entertainment
Billed as "the epic conclusion of the Jurassic Era," this sequel unites the original franchise trio of Sam Neill, Laura Dern and Jeff Goldblum with next-gen stars Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard.
LIGHTYEAR (June 17)
Disney and Pixar’s “Lightyear” is an all-new, original feature film that presents the definitive origin story of Buzz Lightyear (voice of Chris Evans).
Credit: PIXAR/Pixar
Disney-Pixar's animated "Toy Story" prequel features Chris Evans as the man who inspired the Buzz Lightyear action figure. Also with the voices of Keke Palmer and Taika Waititi.
ELVIS (June 24)
Austin Butler as Elvis and Tom Hanks as Col. Tom Parker in Warner Bros. Pictures’ drama “Elvis."
Credit: Warner Bros. Pictures/Hugh Stewart
Yes, as in Presley. He’s played by Austin Butler (“Once Upon a Time in Hollywood”), though the big casting news is Tom Hanks as the singer’s enigmatic manager, “Colonel” Tom Parker. Directed and co-written by Baz Luhrmann (“The Great Gatsby”).
THE BLACK PHONE (June 24) Ethan Hawke reteams with director Scott Derrickson (“Sinister”) for a horror film about a 13-year-old boy (Mason Thames) trapped in a soundproofed basement with a phone that eerily connects him to previous victims.
MINIONS: THE RISE OF GRU (July 1)
Gru (Steve Carell) with his minions in Illumination’s "Minions: The Rise of Gru", directed by Kyle Balda. Credit: Illumination Entertainment/Universal Pictures
Universal’s animated “Despicable Me” prequel follows a young Gru (the voice of Steve Carell) as he comes of age in the 1970s. Super-producer Jack Antonoff curates the soundtrack.
THOR: LOVE AND THUNDER (July 8) Chris Hemsworth returns in the Nordic title role with Tessa Thompson as fan favorite Valkyrie. Long Island’s Natalie Portman, who bowed out of the previous films, also returns as astrophysicist Jane Foster. Directed by Taika Waititi.
PAWS OF FURY: THE LEGEND OF HANK (July 15) An animated comedy-adventure about a hard-luck hound, Hank (Michael Cera), who becomes the unlikely savior of a town full of cats. With Mel Brooks, Aasif Mandvi and Michelle Yeoh.
WHERE THE CRAWDADS SING (July 15)
Kya (Daisy Edgar-Jones) and Tom (David Strathairn) in Columbia Pictures' "Where the Crawdads Sing." Credit: Sony Pictures/Michele K. Short
In the North Carolina marshlands, an elusive loner named Kya (Daisy Edgar-Jones) becomes the suspect in a murder. Based on Delia Owens’ bestselling novel.
NOPE (July 22)
Daniel Kaluuya in "Nope", written and directed by Jordan Peele. Credit: Universal Pictures
Director Jordan Peele (“Get Out”) returns with a story of inland Californians who witness a strange event. With Oscar winner Daniel Kaluuya, Keke Palmer and Oscar nominee Steven Yeun (“Minari”).
DC LEAGUE OF SUPER-PETS (July 29) Krypto, dog of Superman, leads a motley group of shelter animals on a mission to save the imperiled Justice League. Warner-DC’s animated comedy features the voices of Kevin Hart, Kate McKinnon, John Krasinski and Natasha Lyonne.
BULLET TRAIN (July 29) Brad Pitt plays an aging assassin named Ladybug who must fend off rivals while trying to collect a briefcase on a Japanese train. With Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Joey King and Bad Bunny. Directed by David Leitch (“John Wick”).
VENGEANCE (July 29) B.J. Novak, of “The Office,” makes his directorial debut with a horror-thriller about a journalist (Novak) investigating the death of a woman he’d been casually dating. With Issa Rae and Ashton Kutcher.
EASTER SUNDAY (Aug. 5) Filipino American comedian Jo Koy plays a man reuniting with his family for an Easter celebration. With Jimmy O. Yang, Tia Carrere and Tiffany Haddish.
BEAST (Aug. 19) While visiting a South African game reserve, Dr. Nate Daniels (Idris Elba) and his two daughters are hunted by a human-hating lion. With Sharlto Copley. Directed by Baltasar Kormákur (“Everest”).
