2022 proved to not only be a great year for movies critically, but financially too, and it cemented that going to the movies is back in style. Studios are clearly capitalizing on this as the 2023 Summer Movie season is stacked to the brim with some massive blockbusters and highly-anticipated tentpole films.
The summer season is kicking off strong with “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3,” which James Gunn is promising to be an emotional finale for the current line-up of heroes. The film will see the return of all its principal cast members, as well as newcomers like Chukwudi Iwuji as the villainous High Evolutionary and Will Poulter as the powerful Adam Warlock. It’s important that Marvel has a lot riding on this new installment as their previous release this year, “Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania,” majorly underperformed at the box-office and received less than favorable reviews from critics. The film releases on May 5.
Other superheroes hitting theaters include Ezra Miller’s speedster in “The Flash” on June 16. Despite the numerous controversies and legal battles Miller has found themselves in over the past two years, the film’s first trailer received overwhelming excitement from fans.
“The Flash” will also see the return of Michael Keaton and Ben Affleck as Batman. DC is also gambling on the relatively unknown Blue Beetle with his own solo film starring Xolo Maridueña on August 18.
Easily though, the most anticipated comic book outing has to be the long-awaited follow up “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.” Picking up where the original left off, Miles Morales will be taking on new villains and a whole multiverse of Spider people led by Miguel O’Hara (Oscar Isaac). The film will be swinging into cinemas on June 2.
June is looking to be the most jam-packed of the whole season with other major releases like “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny” on June 30. Details of the film’s plot are still scarce but it promises to be Harrison Ford’s final time dawning the fedora. The month also has the star-studded “Asteroid City” directed by Wes Anderson on June 16 and the horror comedy “The Blackening” on the same day.
In July, we have the road-trip comedy “Joy Ride ‘’ on July 7, and the following week will see Tom Cruise risking his life for our entertainment once more in “Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One” on July 14. However, July contains the ultimate showdown of cinematic powerhouses. July 21 will see the release of Christopher Nolan’s three-hour epic “Oppenheimer” and Greta Gerwig’s already iconic “Barbie.”
The month will conclude on a spooky note with one for the family and one for the older crowd. Disney will give audiences their new adaptation of their beloved theme park attraction in “Haunted Mansion” starring Owen Wilson and Lakeith Stanfield. Youtubers Danny and Michael Phillippou will make their film debut with A24’s “Talk to Me.”
Other summer releases worth noting include the live-action “The Little Mermaid” on May 26, Pixar’s most unique looking film in years with “Elemental” on June 16 and the Jennifer Lawerence comedy “No Hard Feelings” on June 23.
It should be noted that all release dates mentioned above are subject to change.
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