Summer isn’t just for lazy beach days and staying up until morning. In addition to big tech announcements and cultish weekly retreats, the next few months will be filled with some of the year’s most entertaining summer movies. Not Oscar-worthy material, but the kind of mind-numbing popcorn flicks that draw us to theaters in the first place.
Transformers: Age of Extinction? Almost laughable, and certainly doesn’t require intelligence beyond that of a full-grown canine. But entertaining? Absolutely. These summer movies typify the summertime blockbuster surge, when studios put out their best and most expensive cash cows. There’s a lot to see in the coming months—Captain America: The Winter Soldier already kicked things off in style.
We’ve already covered our 14 most anticipated sci-fi and fantasy flicks coming out this year, but we thought we’d take a broader look at what’s to come. We’re big tech nerds, yes, but that doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy a movie outside of X-Men and Spider-Man, though those make our list. Here are the twenty movies we’ll be checking out over the next few months.
The Amazing Spider-Man 2
The anticipated follow-up to 2012’s Spider-Man reboot, The Amazing Spider-Man 2 will focus on Peter Parker as he copes with his new-found responsibilities. We’ve seen a ton of footage already, and can’t wait to see Spider-Man do battle with Electro, Green Goblin and Rhino all in one movie. What mysteries is Oscorp cooking up? We’ll find out this week. May 2 (U.S.) and April 18 (U.K.)
Neighbors
Comedies like Neighbors are perfect for the younger summer crowds. They’re raunchy, offensive and, most of all, fun, and judging by the trailers, Neighbors is going to be hilarious. Starring Seth Rogan and Rose Byrne, Neighbors centers on a young couple who suddenly find themselves being invaded by a fraternity next door. Chaos ensues, of course, with plenty of over-the-top partying and slapstick gags that will no doubt please fans of movies like Pineapple Express and Super Bad. May 9 (U.S.) and May 3 (U.K.)
Godzilla
Hollywood’s relationship with Godzilla isn’t exactly a happy one. But that doesn’t mean interest in the most famous kaiju has let up. First introduced back in 1954, the latest reboot will center on Godzilla’s origin story, and how mankind’s destruction of the Earth ties in to the monster’s existence. There are a lot of big names attached to the summer movie, including the red-hot Bryan Cranston. Out of all the summer movies listed here, this is probably the one I’m most excited to see. May 16 (U.S.) and May 15 (U.K.)
X-Men: Days of Future Past
There’s been a flurry of marketing activity over the past few weeks for X-Men: Days of Future Past, leading up nicely to the end of May release. In Days of Future Past, we’ll see an ensemble cast—some from the most recent film, some from earlier X-Men movies—get together as the mutants try and stop a war with the Sentinels from even happening. We’ll see Wolverine, played by Hugh Jackman, travel back in time to meet the young versions of Professor X and Magneto (played by James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender, respectively). May 23 (U.S.) and May 22 (U.K.)
A Million Ways to Die in the West
Another comedy! Hey, we can like comedies, too. This one is being helmed by Family Guy creator, Seth MacFarlane, and, as the title suggests, is a gag on how crummy the Old West was. When you’re not being riddled with diseases, you’re either being crushed by giant cubes of ice or, worse, getting gunned down by the ultimate bad ass, Liam Neeson. MacFarlane’s humor is kind of tired and predictable, but we’re still looking forward to this one nonetheless. “She had a splinter, Doc.” May 30 (U.S. and U.K.)
Maleficent
A different take on the Sleeping Beauty classic, Maleficent will show audiences what the popular villain was like before cursing Aurora (sleeping beauty). Angelina Jolie looks positively chilling as the titular witch, with just the right amount of evil and humanity thrown in. Maleficent will explore why the witch’s heart turned to stone in the first place, with the themes of deceit, lies and betrayal rife throughout the film. May 30 (U.S.) and May 28 (U.K.)
Edge of Tomorrow
Mech suits, Tom Cruise and nonstop action. Sounds like a good movie to me. In Edge of Tomorrow, Cruise plays a soldier caught in a mysterious time loop, continuously fighting in a futuristic war. There’s a lot of mystery surrounding the plot—the kind of movie you’ll need to see twice to fully “get it”—though the talent involved is certainly promising. The film was directed by Doug Lima, who also directed The Bourne Identity, if that helps sway your opinion about this movie. June 6 (U.S.) and May 30 (U.K.)
22 Jump Street
Did you see the first movie? Hilarious. So why wouldn’t they make a follow-up? What seemed like an unusual comedy pairing at the time, Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum are back, but this time they’ve moved across the street, to 22 Jump Street. The two undercover agents are forced to go back to college, where they hunt for a popular new drug that’s hitting the streets. Based on the trailer, the second film will be just as funny. June 13 (U.S.) and June 6 (U.K.)
How to Train Your Dragon 2
It’s been four years since the original sleeper animated hit came out, and this one will stick to the familiar cast of characters. Hiccup and his dragon, Toothless, will embark on a new journey that’ll see them encounter a breed of new dragons, along with a mysterious new figure, Dragon Rider.The first movie was a major charmer and featured plenty of wacky characters, and the sequel will no doubt pick up right where that left off. June 13 (U.S.) and July 4 (U.K.)
Transformers: Age of Extinction
Probably the most divisive of the summer movies on this list, Transformers: Age of Extinction is a reboot of sorts, and the first film under the helm of Michael Bay not to feature Shia Lebouf. Instead, Age of Extinction will follow Cade Yeager (Mark Wahlberg) as he and his family are thrust into the middle of a Transformer war. Oh, and the Dinobots are making an appearance this time, further expanding the Transformers universe. June 27 (U.S.) and July 10 (U.K.)
Deliver Us From Evil
I’m a big horror fan and especially enjoy movies loosely based on true events. In Deliver Us From Evil, the movie focuses on Ralph Sarchie (played by Eric Bana), an NYPD officer who is tapped to investigate a case that is supposedly “demonic related.” Of course, Sarchie begins experiencing paranormal forces, forcing him to confront his own beliefs about life and the possibility of deeper, more unknown evils. July 2 (U.S.) and Aug. 22 (U.K.)
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes
This one follows the most recent film in the Apes franchise, picking up as Caesar (played by Andy Serkis) leads his genetically evolved primate empire following the simian plague. Humans are no longer the dominating species, which means the remaining survivors need to battle for their freedom. On the brink of war, a short-lived peace between apes and humans comes to a head, leading to both species fighting for domination. July 11 (U.S.) and July 17 (U.K.)
Jupiter Ascending
Jupiter Ascending comes from the minds that introduced us to The Matrix, so you know it’ll be operatic and complex. The film follows Jupiter Jones (Mila Kunis), and her protector, Caine Wise (Channing Tatum), as a battle over planets wages in a dystopian future. Jones finds out she’s royalty and the rightful heir to Earth, which, of course, leads to a bounty being put on her head. Will she survive and fulfill her destiny? July 18 (U.S.) and July 25 (U.K.)
Hercules
I was so, so disappointed by this trailer. I’m a pretty casual moviegoer, and consider some pretty bad movies to be good, or at least entertaining. But after seeing this trailer, I was bummed. However, I still have high hopes, and consider The Rock to be a pretty compelling screen presence, so there’s a possibility Hercules will wind up being good. Let’s hope Hercules will be good, and the trailer was simply a fluke. July 25 (U.S.) and Aug. 8 (U.K.)
Sex Tape
The Cloud; what is it? Who knows. It’s mysterious—I sure can’t see it. The new comedy, as the title suggests, features a sex tape accidentally uploaded to the cloud, leading to a wacky journey as the couple, played by Jason Segel and Cameron Diaz, attempt stop its spread before more people see it. It looks raunchy, as you’d expect from the title, so if you’re sensitive to more mature subject matter than obviously this isn’t for you. The cloud! July 25 (U.S.) and Sept. 5 (U.K.)
Guardians of the Galaxy
The jury is still out on this relatively unknown Marvel franchise. Starring a dysfunctional ragtag group, lead by Star-Lord (Chris Pratt), Guardians of the Galaxy will follow the group as they evade a super villain known as Ronan the Accuser. Executives close to the project have said Guardians of the Galaxy will tie-in to The Avengers universe, so this project definitely isn’t being taken lightly. Aug. 1 (U.S. and U.K.)
Lucy
Starring Scarlet Johansson, the film follows Lucy as she’s suddenly provided with super human abilities after a drug, implanted into her body for transport, leaks into her system. She doesn’t just suddenly gain the ability to beat the crap out of anyone; she also the ability to tap into the far reaches of her brain, allowing her to control time and manipulate her surroundings. This one is being helmed by Luc Besson, who also directed Leon: The Professional and The Fifth Element. Aug. 8 (U.S.) and Aug. 22 (U.K.)
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
If you grew up in the 90s, chances are Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles holds a special place in your heart. A big part of that, in addition to the cartoons, were the live action movies that came out; they were charming, campy but ultimately incredibly fun. That’s why, under the watchful eye of Michael Bay, who is producing this latest reboot, people are so upset another movie is coming. But, we must admit, the trailer looks promising, so perhaps the weird humanoid look of the newest turtles won’t be so bad after all. Aug. 8 (U.S.) and Oct. 17 (U.K.)
The Expendables 3
If you’re an action movie fan, then you know the Expendables is like the poster child for the genre. Comprised of every leading action star from the past twenty years, the Expendables 3 will again follow Sylvester Stallone and his bros as they embark on one last hurrah. New to the franchise will be Harrison Ford, Wesley Snipes, Antonio Banderas, Kelsey Grammer and Mel Gibson. That’s in addition to stars such as Jet Li, Jason Stathom, Dolph Lungren and Arnold Schwarzenegger. Aug. 15 (U.S. and U.K.)
Sin City: A Dame to Kill For
It’s been almost ten years since the first Sin City movie came out, but the wait could be worth it. From what the trailer suggests, A Dame To Kill For is going to be a great representation of the graphic novel genre, as Frank Miller and Robert Rodrigues brings the noir world of Sin City to life. The second film is based largely on the second book by Miller, and features a star-studded cast, including Jessica Alba, Josh Brolin and Eva Green. Aug. 22 (U.S.) and Aug. 20 (U.K.)