As the summer movie season approaches, it appears that it's not going to be business as usual. The effects of the pandemic and the Hollywood strikes are still being felt with attendance still significantly below previous years. It's proven to be even more challenging than expected to get people to want to leave their home to see a new movie in a theater after being conditioned to wait until it hits VOD.
This past Memorial Day weekend has proven to be a big disappointment with the final box-office tally over the four days ended up being the lowest in thirty years. And with the strikes lasting for months, there were no movies being made, leaving not enough major movies available to fill the schedule throughout this year. All of this doesn't seem to bode well for the upcoming summer. But I'm optimistic that there will be several films that will breakout over the next three months that will generate buzz and business. Here are a few upcoming movies that I am looking forward to see this summer:
All release dates are subject to change:
"THE BIKERIDERS"
Release date: June 21, 2024
It has been almost nine years since Jeff Nichols, the filmmaker behind the critically acclaimed, "Take Shelter", "Mud" and "Loving", has directed a feature film. He is finally back with his sixth film, "The Bikeriders", inspired by a real-life Chicago based biker gang. Set in the '60's, the film follows the rise of the Vandals MC, a group of motorcycle riding outcasts and we watch it's members (Tom Hardy, Austin Butler, Mike Faist and Michael Shannon who has appeared in all of Nichols' films) form a surrogate family. But when a violent criminal element enters their group, it creates problems for some members.
"THELMA"
Release date: June 21, 2024
The actor, Josh Margolin, makes his directorial film debut with the action-comedy, "Thelma". June Squibb stars (for the very first time in her seventy year acting career) as the title character, a grandmother who is duped by a phone scammer pretending to be her grandson (Fred Hechinger), stealing her hard earned money. Not willing to accept this loss, Thelma is determined to track down the thieves with the help of her friend (Richard Roundtree), much to the horror of her daughter (Parker Posey) and son-in-law (Clark Gregg).
"JANET PLANET"
Release date: June 28, 2024
"Janet Planet" is a coming-of-age drama about the arduous relationship between Janet (Julianne Nicholson), a free-spirited, single mother and Lacy (Zoe Ziegler), her clingy, pre-teen daughter. Over the summer, Janet invites three important people in her life; her boyfriend (Will Patton), her best friend (Sophie Okonedo) and a theater group leader (Elias Koteas), to spend time with her at her home in rural Massachusetts. Lacy, however, is not at all happy about this arrangement. Annie Baker, a playwright who won a Pulitzer for her drama, “The Flick”, makes her cinematic debut as a writer and director.
"MAXXXINE"
Release date: July 5, 2024
In the final film of his horror trilogy, Ti West will deliver "MaXXXine". We follow Maxine (Mia Goth), now living in 1980's Los Angeles and still determined to become a star. Hollywood is not particularly interested in her talents so she settles for a career in adult films. Her fame brings her the unwanted attention of a serial killer known as "the Night Stalker". Elizabeth Debicki, Bobby Cannavale, Giancarlo Esposito and Kevin Bacon also star.
"DEADPOOL AND WOLVERINE"
Release date: July 26, 2024
This summer's Marvel Comics movie is "Deadpool and Wolverine", the third in the series of the wisecracking superhuman, this time directed by Shawn Levy. Leaving his life behind as Deadpool, Wade Wilson (Ryan Reynolds) is pulled back into a mission by the Time Variance Authority to stop an existential threat to his home universe. And he's teamed up with an even more reluctant Wolverine (Hugh Jackson, first time back in costume since 2013) to help fight in this battle.
"BORDERLANDS"
Release date: August 9, 2024
I do not play video games and have not been much of a fan of film adaptations of them. But I have to admit I'm intrigued by "Borderlands", the latest venture in trying to develop a narrative around a software program. Based on the space-western game, Lilith (Cate Blanchett) is an ruthless outlaw who is hired by Atlas (Edgar Ramírez) to track down his missing daughter. She assembles a gang of oddball misfits (which includes Kevin Hart, Jamie Lee Curtis and the voice of Jack Black) to help find the girl, encountering alien monsters and deranged bandits along the way. The cast is certainly inspired and Eli Roth, a filmmaker best known for his horror thrillers, "Cabin Fever", "Hostel" and "Thanksgiving", is an adventurous choice for director.
"BLINK TWICE"
Release date: August 23, 2024
The actress Zoë Kravitz has moved behind the camera to direct and co-write her first feature film, the psychological comedy-thriller, "Blink Twice". A waitress (Naomi Ackie) is lured by a charming tech mogul (Channing Tatum) to go off to his private island for sun, fun and adventure. She brings along a friend (Alia Shawkat) to keep her company and for safety but odd and disturbing things begin to happen on the isle that prevents them from helping each other. Kravitz has assembled a great supporting cast for her film that includes Christian Slater, Simon Rex, Haley Joel Osment, Kyle MacLachlan and Geena Davis.
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