Nothing says summer quite like going to a blockbuster matinee on a lazy Saturday. From hostile aliens to Hamlet in the Savanna, this year’s line-up has no shortage of thrills and excitement. This summer, the movies reimagines some of our favorite characters and franchises: familiar–but new. Hollywood has had a penchant for recycled material in recent years, so we’re glad to see them breaking the mold a bit to give us fresh, unique takes on the characters and stories we love.
From movies inspired by comics to those made by filmmakers who love them, we’re excited for so many upcoming films that we’ve gone ahead and highlighted the ones on our radar.
Pangs of nostalgia and heart racing excitement, jaw-dropping special effects and sheer terror. Read on to see how we rank upcoming titles, from excited to can’t-hardly-wait.
4) The Lion King
It’s not just nostalgia that has us excited for Timon and Pumba’s return to the silver screen—this star-studded cast features Donald Glover in the title role, along with Seth Rogen, Beyoncé, and Eric André. Add James Earl Jones reprising his role of Mufasa and you have reason enough to go check out this updated version of the beloved children’s film. Director Jon Favreau (Iron Man) stayed faithful to the original film while not producing a shot-for-shot remake, promising to provide a familiar feeling yet new experience for children and adults this summer.
3) Men in Black: International
The first Men in Black film was the perfect summer blockbuster, and we’ve been loving the film franchise since 1997 (and the comics even longer!). This summer brings the men—and women—in black back, and with new faces. Featuring Tessa Thompson and Chris Hemsworth as our heroes keeping the planet safe from intergalactic threats, the series leaves the familiar Big Apple and goes global as a new generation comes to don the mantle and shades. More than just a reboot, Men in Black: International is looking to redefine the franchise we’ve loved since the 90’s. It’s hard to imagine the series without the iconic Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones, but with Spielberg producing and Liam Neeson also starring, we’re excited to try.
2) Spiderman: Far From Home
Your friendly neighborhood spider (Spider-man, should there be any question?!) is leaving the US in Marvel’s first major film since Avengers: End Game. Why are we excited? Nick Fury is back, Mysterio is making his screen debut, and Spider-man’s in Europe. We’re anxious to see how Peter Parker deals with a drastically changed world while grieving the loss of so much but definitely excited to see how the Elementals shake up our earth. With an all-star cast and Marvel’s perfect movie magic, the newest Spider-man promises to be one of the summer’s most entertaining films.
1) Joker
From Jack Nicholson’s playful crown prince of crime to Heath Ledger’s iconic and celebrated performance, the role of Batman’s arch nemesis, Joker, is one of the most difficult and celebrated roles in comic film history. We’re looking forward to this summer’s new take on the Joker, featuring award-winner Joaquin Phoenix in a retelling of how one man can grow twisted beyond redemption. Director Todd Phillips isn’t holding back, and the film has already earned an R rating, a first for DC films. Family friendly? Probably not, but Phoenix’s iteration of the world’s favorite super-villain promises to be haunting, terrifying, and completely unforgettable.
All in all, summer promises to be a surefire season of revamped classics and redefined favorites, and we’re anxious for all the new releases. We’d be lying if we said we weren’t primed for yet another celebrated actor taking the mantle of the Joker, though, and we’re excited the DC cinematic universe seems to finally be pulling together to give the members of the Justice League their due respect. Reviewing the above list, though, shows that we’ll be treated to a host of classic summer blockbusters at the box-office.
