Ethan Hunt’s last mission? A new Superman? Happy Gilmore as a dad? Three genre-spanning Pedro Pascal movies, including a romance, a superhero movie and an A24 Ari Aster thriller? Hollywood is pulling out the stops this summer movie season, which kicks off with the release Marvel’s “Thunderbolts(asterisk)” on May 2.
May also brings big studio releases like a live-action “Lilo & Stich,” “Mission: Impossible 8” and a new Wes Anderson film. June heats up with race cars in “F1,” adventure in “How to Train Your Dragon,” zombies in “28 Years Later” and a New York love triangle with Dakota Johnson’s matchmaker in the middle in “Materialists.”
July is supercharged with “Jurassic World Rebirth,” “Superman” and “Fantastic Four: The First Steps.” And August closes out the season with comedies, big (“The Naked Gun”) and dark (“The Roses”), horror (“Weapons”) and a light-hearted body-swap (“Freakier Friday”).
Here’s The Associated Press’ guide to help make sense of the many, many options in theaters and at home.
MAY MOVIE RELEASES
May 1
“Another Simple Favor” (Prime Video, streaming): Chill those martini glasses, Blake Lively and Anna Kendrick reunite with their “A Simple Favor” director Paul Feig for this Italy-set sequel.
May 2
“Thunderbolts” (Disney, theaters): Marvel’s antiheroes Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh), Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan) and Red Guardian (David Harbour) kick off the summer movie season in superhero style. “It’s a group of misfit toys that have been essentially thrown away at the beginning of the movie and have to figure out if they can work together to get themselves out of that mess,” director Jake Schreier told the AP.
“Bonjour Tristesse” (Greenwich Entertainment, theaters): Chloë Sevigny and Claes Bang star in this new adaptation of Françoise Sagan’s lusty, stylish coming of age novel about a playboy father and his teenage daughter (Lily McInerny) on the French Riviera.
“Pavements” (Utopia, theaters): Alex Ross Perry takes an experimental approach to the traditional music biopic in his portrait of the indie rock group Pavement that’s better experienced than described.
“Rust” (Falling Forward Films, theaters and VOD): The Alec Baldwin western “Rust” is actually coming out after years in limbo and litigation. Cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was fatally shot on set in Oct. 2021 and director Joel Souza was wounded during a rehearsal. Souza said at the film’s premiere at a festival in Poland in November that it was Hutchins’ husband, Matthew, who wanted the film to be finished.
“The Surfer” (Lionsgate, Roadside Attractions, theaters): Tensions are high on a “locals only beach” when Nicolas Cage and his son return to try to catch some waves.
“Magic Farm” (MUBI, theaters): Amalia Ullman directs this absurdist comedy about a documentary crew who ends up in the wrong town starring Chloë Sevigny, Alex Wolff and Simon Rex.
“Words of War” (Decal, theaters): Maxine Peake and Jason Isaacs star in this political thriller about journalist and human rights activist Anna Politkovskaya. Sean Penn produced.
“Vulcanizadora” (Oscilloscope, theaters): A black comedy following friends on a dark mission deep in the woods of Michigan.
May 9
“Friendship” (A24, theaters): Paul Rudd and “I Think You Should Leave” comedian Tim Robinson star in this absurd, comedic film about male camaraderie.
“Shadow Force” (Lionsgate, theaters): Kerry Washington and Omar Sy star in this Joe Carnahan-directed action thriller about a couple of ex-assassins running from their old boss (and trying to protect their young son).
“Nonnas” (Netflix, streaming): Vince Vaughn stars in this Stephen Chbosky-movie based on a true story of a Brooklyn guy who hires Italian grandmothers to be the chefs at a restaurant after the loss of his own mother. Susan Sarandon, Lorraine Bracco, Talia Shire and Linda Cardellini also star.
“Fight or Flight” (Vertical Entertainment, theaters): Josh Hartnett, sporting bleached blonde hair, is a mercenary on a flight full of assassins in this bloody action-comedy at 30,000 feet.
“Caught by the Tides” (Janus Films): Chinese filmmaker Jia Zhangke takes footage spanning 22 years to tell a story of love and longing that had Cannes critics raving last year. Zhao Tao stars.
“Juliet & Romeo” (Briarcliff Entertainment, theaters): Shakespeare’s star-crossed lovers get the (pop) music treatment in this colorful take starring Clara Rugaard and Jamie Ward.
“Clown in a Cornfield” (RLJ Entertainment): This slasher from director Eli Craig (“Tucker & Dale vs. Evil”) features a killer named Frendo.
“Lilly” (Blue Harbor Entertainment, theaters): Patricia Clarkson plays equal pay activist Lilly Ledbetter in this biographical drama.
May 16
“Final Destination: Bloodlines” (Warner Bros., theaters): It’s been 25 years since the “Final Destination” franchise kicked off and they’re still finding new horrifying ways to kill off their characters.
“Hurry Up Tomorrow” (Lionsgate, theaters): The Weeknd (Abel Tesfaye) plays a fictionalized version of himself in this phycological thriller about an insomniac musician from Trey Edward Shults, co-starring Jenna Ortega and Barry Keoghan.
“Love” (Strand Releasing): This Norwegian film about two healthcare workers discussing relationship philosophies closes out Dag Johan Haugerud’s ”Sex, Dreams, Love″ trilogy.
“Sister Midnight” (Magnet Releasing, theaters): This black comedy about an unhappy arranged marriage and a series of chaotic events was a Cannes selection in 2024.
“The Ruse” (Seismic Releasing, theaters): This thriller centers on a caregiver and the mysterious patient she’s caring for in a remote home on the sea.
May 23
“Lilo & Stitch” (Disney, theaters): This live-action re-imagining of the 2002 classic about orphaned Hawaiian sisters who unknowingly adopt an alien was directed by “Marcel the Shell with Shoes On” filmmaker Dean Fleischer Camp. Sydney Agudong, who plays the older sister Nani said, “The beauty of this movie is that it highlights the idea of Aloha and Ohana and the family dynamics that happen here along with the aliens and the Hawaiian roller coaster ride.”
“Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning” (Paramount, theaters): Nothing ever really ends in the land of franchise filmmaking, but the “final” in the title suggests this could actually be Tom Cruise’s last ride as Ethan Hunt. Even if it isn’t, audiences can trust it’ll be full of death-defying spectacles worthy of the big screen.
“Fountain of Youth” (Apple TV+, streaming): Natalie Portman and John Krasinski play siblings on a dangerous quest for the fountain of youth in this globetrotting adventure from Guy Ritchie.
“Pee-Wee As Himself” (Max, streaming): This riveting two-part documentary about the life of Paul Reubens was crafted from some 40 hours of interviews and thousands of hours of archival footage.
“Jane Austen Wrecked My Life” (Sony Pictures Classics, theaters): A Parisian bookseller gets invited to the Jane Austen Writers’ residency in this contemporary Austen-inspired romantic comedy written and directed by Laura Piani.
“Fear Street: Prom Queen” (Netflix, streaming): Prom queen candidates begin to vanish in this latest Fear Street installment, set in 1988.
“The Last Rodeo” (Angel Studios, theaters): Neal McDonough plays a retired cowboy who decides to return to the ring in a bid to pay for his son’s medical bills.
May 30
“Karate Kid: Legends” (Sony Pictures, theaters): Jackie Chan and Ralph Macchio unite for the newest Karate Kid film, set three years after “Cobra Kai” and focusing on a new kid, Li, played by Ben Wang. “It kind of harkens back to the previous entries in the franchise,” Wang said. “It’s a kid who is a fish out of water who comes to a new city and has to face down bullies.”
“Bring Her Back” (A24, theaters): “Talk to Me” filmmakers Danny and Michael Philippou return with this creepy new movie about death, resurrection and the arrival of an adopted kid who is not quite right. Sally Hawkins plays the mother.
“The Phoenician Scheme” (Focus Features, theaters): Benicio del Toro stars as one of the richest men in Europe, and father to nine sons and one daughter (Mia Threapleton), in Wes Anderson’s newest film featuring a typically starry ensemble including Tom Hanks, Michael Cera, Scarlett Johansson, Riz Ahmed and Benedict Cumberbatch.
“The Kingdom” (Metrograph, theaters): This Cannes breakout is about a teenage girl who goes on the run with her estranged mob boss father one summer in Corsica.
“Ghost Trail” (Music Box Films, theaters): Jonathan Millet directed this revenge thriller about a Syrian man in France who is in pursuit of the man who tortured him at an infamous military prison.
“Tornado” (IFC Films, theaters): Kōki, Jack Lowden, Takehiro Hira and Tim Roth star in this revenge thriller set in 1790s Britain.
JUNE MOVIE RELEASES
June 6
“Ballerina,” (Lionsgate, theaters): Ana de Armas leads this John Wick spinoff about a deadly (and classically trained) assassin.
“The Life of Chuck” (Neon, theaters): This is not your typical Stephen King adaptation. Mike Flanagan directs the sentimental and supernatural story about the life of an ordinary man named Charles Krantz, told in three chapters. Tom Hiddleston, Mark Hamill, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Mia Sara, Benjamin Pajak and Karen Gillan are among the large ensemble cast.
“The Ritual” (XYZ Films, theaters): Al Pacino and Dan Stevens as men of the church performing exorcisms? Sure, why not.
“Dangerous Animals” (IFC Films, theaters): Jai Courtney plays a serial killer who feeds his victims to sharks in this bonkers-sounding movie.
“I Don’t Understand You” (Vertical, theaters): Nick Kroll and Andrew Rannells are a couple vacationing in Italy in this dark comedy with an escalating body count.
“Straw” (Netflix, streaming): Taraji P. Henson leads this Tyler Perry drama about a single mother.
“Dan Da Dan: Evil Eye” (GKIDS, theaters): More adventures of Momo and Okarun in this series based on the popular manga by Yukinobu Tatsu.
June 12
“Deep Cover” (Prime Video, streaming): Bryce Dallas Howard plays an improv comedy teacher recruited by an undercover cop (Sean Bean) for a mission which she enlists two of her students (Orlando Bloom and Nick Mohammed) for.
June 13
“How to Train Your Dragon” (Universal, theaters): Unlike most live adaptations of animated movies, filmmaker Dean DeBlois is behind both. DeBlois said their goal was to make the film “really immersive,” to dial up the sense of urgency and peril and “to just pull the audience in and make them feel like these dragons are real, that you could own one, you could fly on the back of one.” Mason Thames plays Hiccup and Nico Parker takes on the role of Astrid in this epic fantasy sure to enchant a new generation (and the one who grew up on the original).
“Materialists” (A24, theaters): Dakota Johnson plays a matchmaker torn between two prospects (played by Chris Evans and Pedro Pascal) in love story from “Past Lives” filmmaker Celine Song. “It’s a modern love story that’s set in New York City and it’s inspired by the brief time that I worked as a professional matchmaker,” Song said. “I really tried in this film to be really honest about the marketplace of dating, as the people actually experience it and live it today.”
“Echo Valley” (AppleTV+, streaming): Claire (Sydney Sweeney) shows up on her mother’s (Julianne Moore) doorstep covered in someone else’s blood in this thriller from Brad Ingelsby.
“The Unholy Trinity” (Roadside Attractions, theaters): Pierce Brosnan and Samuel L. Jackson lead this Western, set in 1870s Montana.
“Prime Minister” (Magnolia, theaters): This documentary follows Jacinda Ardern through her tenure as Prime Minister of New Zealand.
June 17
“Sally” (NatGeo/Disney+, streaming): Blue Origin who? Sally Ride, the first woman to go to space, is the focus of this new documentary that chronicles her professional accomplishments and her little-known personal life.
June 20
“28 Years Later” (Sony Pictures, theaters): The original team behind “28 Days Later,” including director Danny Boyle and writer Alex Garland, return with a new entry featuring Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Jodie Comer and Ralph Fiennes.
“Elio” (Disney/Pixar, theaters): This intergalactic adventure centers on an 11-year-old earthling (Yonas Kibreab) who is abducted by aliens and assumed to be a world leader. Oscar-winner Zoe Saldaña is part of the voice cast.
“Marlee Matlin: Not Alone Anymore” (Kino Lorber, theaters): Marlee Matlin gives an unflinchingly honest account of her experiences as a deaf actor in this funny and revelatory documentary, directed by Shoshanna Stern, who also is deaf. The film is closed captioned and includes verbal translations for hearing audiences.
“Sovereign” (Briarcliff, theaters): Dennis Quaid, Nick Offerman and Jacob Tremblay lead this crime thriller about anti-government extremists and a police standoff.
“Bride Hard” (Magenta Light Studios, theaters): Rebel Wilson is a secret agent whose skills come in handy hat her friend’s wedding when a hostage situation emerges in this Simon West-directed comedy.
“Everything’s Going to Be Great” (Lionsgate, theaters): Bryan Cranston and Allison Janney are lifelong actors in regional theater trying to raise their very different sons.
“Alma and the Wolf” (Republic Pictures, theaters): Ethan Embry and “Sinners” breakout Li Jun Li star in this psychological horror about a mysterious wolf attack and a police officer’s missing son.
“KPop Demon Hunters” (Netflix, streaming): An animated action comedy about K-pop superstars who also hunt demons on the side.
June 27
“F1” (Warner Bros./Apple, theaters): Brad Pitt plays “the best that never was,” F1 driver Sonny Hayes, who’s recruited to mentor a young up and comer (Damson Idris) in this high-octane film from “Top Gun: Maverick” filmmaker Joseph Kosinski. Real racing cars were used, driver Lewis Hamilton consulted and a new camera system was developed to give audiences an immersive experience. “It’s a story about a last place team, a group of underdogs, and Sonny Hayes in his later years having one more chance to try to do something he was never able to do, which is win a race in F1,” Kosinski said.
“M3GAN 2.0” (Universal, theaters): The creepy, dancing doll is back — as is an even more dangerous version on a killing spree who she has to stop. Any questions?
“Sorry, Baby” (A24, theaters): One of the big breakouts from this year’s Sundance Film Festival, the debut feature of writer-director-star Eva Victor follows Agnes, a grad student, in the aftermath of a sexual assault. “I wanted to make a film that was about feeling stuck when everyone around you keeps moving,” Victor said. “I really think the thing it’s about is trying to heal and the the slow pace at which healing comes and how it’s really not linear and how there are joys to be found in the every day and especially in very affirming friendships and sometimes, like, a sandwich depending on the day.”
JULY MOVIE RELEASES
July 2
“Jurassic World Rebirth” (Universal, theaters): Filmmaker Gareth Edwards (a “Jurassic Park” superfan and the director of “The Creator”) is ushering in a new era of Jurassic movies and harkening back to the Steven Spielberg originals in this film with Scarlett Johansson, Mahershala Ali and Jonathan Bailey. Much about the film is being kept top secret, but Edwards said David Koepp’s script read like a love letter to Spielberg’s early work. “It’s basically a mission story where these military types go to this island to get this DNA, then there’s a twist,” Edwards said. “This family ends up involved and it becomes a story of survial. It’s like one giant roller coaster ride and once it gets going, it sort of doesn’t stop.”
“The Old Guard 2” (Netflix, streaming): Charlize Theron is back with her immortal team for a new mission. KiKi Layne, Matthias Schoenaerts, Marwan Kenzari and Luca Marinelli also reprise their roles.
“40 Acres” (Magnolia, theaters): Danielle Deadwyler and Michael Greyeyes lead this post-apocalyptic thriller about a plague that has caused worldwide famine.
July 10
“Brick” (Netflix, streaming): In this German horror, a couple wakes up to find they’re trapped in their apartment.
July 11
“Superman” (Warner Bros., theaters): James Gunn is ushering in a new era of Superman, with a fresh face in David Corenswet and the promise that he’s a different Superman than what audiences have seen before. Gunn told the AP that this is, “a Superman that’s both more grounded in his own personality and his relationship, which is much more complex than has been in the past. And then also the big magic world of Superman being in the world of the DCU with flying dogs and robots and giant monsters.” There’s romance with Rachel Brosnahan’s Lois Lane, and a “pretty scary” Lex Luthor in Nicholas Hoult. “He’s actually going to kill (Superman),” Gunn said. “And that’s cool to see.”
“Don’t Let’s Go to the Dogs Tonight” (Sony Pictures Classics, theaters): Actor Embeth Davitz directs and stars in this critically acclaimed adaptation of Alexandra Fuller’s bestselling memoir of growing up on a farm in the former Rhodesia before and after the 1980 election, as the colonial system crumbles. The story is told through the eyes of 8-year-old Bobo (Lexi Venter).
“Tyler Perry’s Destination Wedding” (Netflix, streaming): Madea goes to the Bahamas.
“Skillhouse” (Fathom, theaters): 50 Cent stars in this horror about influencers who are lured into a “content house” and forced to compete in deadly challenges.
July 18
“I Know What You Did Last Summer” (Sony Pictures, theaters): Jennifer Love Hewitt and Freddie Prinze Jr. reprise their roles from the 1997 slasher in this new installment featuring an eerily similar situation and a cast of pretty young up-and-comers including Madelyn Cline, Chase Sui Wonders, Jonah Hauer-King and Tyriq Withers.
“Smurfs” (Paramount, theaters): Rihanna produced and stars as Smurfette in this new musical adventure. “There’s a purity to to the Smurfs mythos,” said Nick Offerman, who voices Papa Smurf’s brother Ken. “That, I think, is what makes their appeal so timeless. They’re a benevolent group of wee blue villagers who, you know, want to love one another and and lead productive lives while fending off the world’s forces of evil, usually represented by the machinations of some some wizards out for ill gotten gains.”
“Eddington” (A24, theaters): Ari Aster re-teams with Joaquin Phoenix for this film about a standoff between a small-town sheriff and a mayor in the early months of the COVID-19 lockdowns. Pedro Pascal, Emma Stone and Austin Butler also star.
“Unicorns” (Cohen Media Group, theaters): A young, single father from Essex (Ben Hardy) is disarmed when he falls for a drag queen.
July 25
“The Fantastic Four: First Steps” (Disney, theaters): Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn and Ebon Moss-Bachrach unite to play “Marvel’s first family,” in this retro-futuristic world set in 1960s New York. Director Matt Shakman (“WandaVision,” “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia”) said they are the only superheroes in their world and are the leading lights of their age. While the scale and world building was on another level, Shakman said, “it’s also no different from all of the great comedies and dramas that I’ve done — in the end, it comes down to character, to relationships and to heart and humor.”
“Happy Gilmore 2” (Netflix, streaming): Adam Sandler returns to the green (and one of his most beloved roles) after almost 30 years, along with Shooter McGavin (Christopher McDonald), Hal (Ben Stiller), Virginia (Julie Bowen) and Doug (Dennis Dugan) and an army of newcomers, including some Gilmore offspring. “The first one is so iconic, we all kind of knew the world that we were stepping into,” said Conor Sherry, who plays one of his sons. “We were like the newest additions to a long, long, long family.”
“Oh, Hi!” (Sony Pictures Classics, theaters): Molly Gordon and Logan Lerman lead this dark romantic comedy about a married couple’s first romantic weekend getaway.
“Diciannove” (Oscilloscope, theaters): Luca Guadagnino produced this coming-of-age film about a 19-year-old’s journey of self-discovery.
July 30
“Together” (Neon, theaters): Real life couple Dave Franco and Alison Brie play a frighteningly co-dependent couple in this inventive body horror that had Sundance crowds raving.
AUGUST MOVIE RELEASES
Aug. 1
“The Bad Guys 2” (Universal, theaters): Sam Rockwell, Marc Maron, Craig Robinson , Awkwafina and Anthony Ramos return for another animated heist, but this time they’re teaming up with a new squad called the Bad Girls (voiced by Danielle Brooks, Maria Bakalova and Natasha Lyonne).
“The Naked Gun” (Paramount, theaters): Liam Neeson flexes his particular set of comedy skills as Frank Drebin Jr. in this irreverent new entry from Lonely Island veteran Akiva Schaffer, featuring Paul Walter Hauser and Pamela Anderson.
Aug. 6
“Sketch” (Angel Studios, theaters): This horror comedy about a girl’s drawings that come to life stars Tony Hale and D’Arcy Carden.
Aug. 8
“Weapons” (Warner Bros., theaters): Children are disappearing in filmmaker Zach Cregger’s eerie follow-up to “Barbarian,” starring Josh Brolin, Julia Garner and Alden Ehrenreich.
“Freakier Friday” (Disney, theaters): Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan are back as the body-swapping mother and daughter duo.
“My Mother’s Wedding” (Vertical, theaters): Kristen Scott Thomas directs and stars in this drama about a woman getting married for the third time, which is occasion for her three daughters (Scarlett Johansson, Sienna Miller, Emily Beecham) to come home.
Aug. 13
“Fixed” (Netflix, streaming): An adult animated comedy from Genndy Tartakovsky about a dog’s quest for one last adventure before being neutered.
Aug. 15
“Nobody 2” (Universal Pictures, theaters): Bob Odenkirk’s former assassin Hutch Mansell can’t catch a break. This time, Keanu Reeves joins the bloody fun.
“Clika” (Sony Pictures, theaters): A small-town musician (Jay Dee) goes viral in this drama set in the world of Mexican American music. It’s the debut feature of Rancho Humilde CEO Jimmy Humilde’s production company.
“East of Wall” (Sony Pictures Classics, theaters): Kate Beecroft’s debut film about a young horse trainer grappling with financial insecurity and grief in the South Dakota Badlands won the audience award in the NEXT section at the Sundance Film Festival.
“Eli Roth Presents: Jimmy and Stiggs” (Iconic Events, theaters): A low budget “splatter fest” for horror devotees, Joe Begos wrote, directed and stars.
“Witchboard” (Atlas, theaters): “Stranger Things’” Jamie Campbell Bower stars in this supernatural horror set in New Orleans (a remake of a 1986 cult classic).
Aug. 22
“Lurker” (MUBI, theaters): Another Sundance gem, this paranoid thriller is the feature debut of “The Bear” and “Beef” writer Alex Russell, about celebrity, fandom and being very online, featuring a buzzy young cast led by Théodore Pellerin and Archie Madekwe.
“HONEY DON’T!” (Focus Features, theaters): Margaret Qualley, Aubrey Plaza, Charlie Day, Billy Eichner and Chris Evans star in this dark comedy from Ethan Coen about a small town private investigator and a string of mysterious deaths.
“Americana” (Lionsgate, theaters): This Sydney Sweeney-led crime thriller, a revisionist Western set in South Dakota, debuted at South by Southwest in 2023 and concerns the theft of a valuable artifact.
“Eden” (Vertical, theaters): Ron Howard directs Jude Law, Ana de Armas, Vanessa Kirby and Sydney Sweeney in this survival thriller set in the Galapagos after the first World War.
“Relay” (Bleecker Street, theaters): Riz Ahmed plays a corporate fixer in this contemporary riff on the paranoid thriller from “Hell or High Water” filmmaker David Mackenzie.
“Grand Prix of Europe” (Viva Pictures, theaters): “F1” for the pre-school set? This animated film is also set in the world of car racing.
Aug. 28
“The Thursday Murder Club” (Netflix, streaming): Helen Mirren, Pierce Brosnan, Ben Kingsley and Celia Imrie play retirees who spend their time solving cold cases in this adaptation of Richard Osman’s best-seller, directed by Chris Columbus.
Aug. 29
“Caught Stealing” (Sony Pictures, theaters): Filmmaker Darren Aronofsky’s film is written by and based on the Charlie Huston books about an ex-baseball player(Austin Butler) who gets tangled up in New York’s criminal underworld in the 1990s. Zoë Kravitz, Regina King, Liev Schreiber, Matt Smith and Bad Bunny also star.
“The Roses” (Searchlight Pictures, theaters): The modern re-imagining of “The War of the Roses” stars Olivia Colman and Benedict Cumberbatch as the feuding couple. It was written by Tony McNamara, the Oscar-nominated screenwriter of “Poor Things” and creator of “The Great,” and directed by Jay Roach.
“The Toxic Avenger” (Cineverse and Iconic Events Releasing, theaters): Peter Dinklage stars as the titular superhero in this supremely gory and graphic film, which sat on the shelf for a few years in search of a distributor. Elijah Wood, Jacob Tremblay, Kevin Bacon and Taylour Paige also star.
