With the release last week of the Michael B. Jordan/Ryan Coogler instant classic “Sinners,” we have officially entered the 2025 summer season of movies. Just like every year, May through July, we’re going to get a few fun but stupid ones, some awkwardly terrible ones, then hopefully one or two that stand the test of time as genuinely great. They’re all just guesses at this point, but let’s take a look at some of the upcoming summer movies and decide whether they’re going to be worth our time.
May 2: “Thunderbolts*”
Verdict: I know Marvel isn’t as universally beloved as it once was, but I have an unhealthy amount of optimism for this one mostly because teaming up Florence Pugh with Wyatt Russell, Sebastian Stan and David Harbour sounds like a blast. Plus, with Son Lox (“Everything Everywhere All At Once”) composing the score, the fascinating Andrew Droz Palermo (“The Green Knight”) as cinematographer and Joanna Calo (“The Bear” & Beef”) on scripting duties, the creative team is filled with actual artists. If this one is a letdown, my inner 12-year-old will be heartbroken.
May 9: “Fight or Flight”
Verdict: I love Josh Hartnett and the concept of an unhinged badass protecting someone on a flight filled with assassins sounds like fun. The trailer is an action-packed blast of “John Wick-ish” adrenaline, but the real test will be if the film can walk the line of comedic action well, or end up in the pile of forgettable ones like “Bullet Train” or “Fall Guy.” I’ll be there anyway since I’m always rooting for Hartnett.
May 16: “Final Destination: Bloodlines“
Verdict: I’ve been waiting 14 long years for another entry into this sublimely gory and hilarious franchise and I’m positive I’m not the only one. The idea of someone cheating death and then the grim reaper coming for them is an evergreen one and the movies do a delightful job setting up horrific Rube Golberg-ian accidents for them to get sucked into. All five other films have their highs and lows, but I’m pretty excited to see what modern prosthetics and special effects have in store for us with this one.
May 23: “Lilo & Stitch” and “Mission: Impossible- The Final Reckoning“
Verdict: Could this be the next “Barbenheimer?” I’m doubting it, because while both movies will probably make a shipping container full of money, neither one seems to carry the cultural importance of either “Barbie” or “Oppenheimer.” I am very much not the target market for a live action “Lilo & Stitch” remake, as this is aimed at people nostalgic for the original and for little kids who think Stitch is adorable. I apologize, but this new version of him just looks (AND SOUNDS) annoying to me. And, while I’m a big fan of several of the “Mission: Impossible” movies, I outright disliked the most recent: 2023’s “Dead Reckoning: Part One.” Since “Final Reckoning” is a direct sequel, I’m less enthused than I should be, but if this really is set up to be Tom Cruise’s final “Mission,” then I guess I’ll be there. At worst, watching him power run across a rooftop or almost kill himself for our entertainment is still enjoyable.
May 30: “Bring Her Back“
Verdict: I thought 2023’s “Talk to Me” was a damn-fine horror flick from Danny and Michael Philippou, which revived my love of the genre while also telling a creepy and daringly original tale. Their new one, “Bring Her Back,” not only looks even scarier, but with the great Sally Hawkins in the lead role, means we’re going to get some genuinely potent acting as well. I don’t know anything about the plot and I’m keeping it that way! Horror fans are already here for it.
June 6: “The Ballerina” and “The Life of Chuck”
Verdict: I enjoy the “John Wick” movies, but a large reason why is watching Keanu Reeves being a deadpan badass. As much as I like Ana de Armas, I don’t know if I’m as excited to dive back into the Wick-iverse without Reeves. Still, the trailer is fun, so I’m cautiously optimistic. However, I’m over-hyped for “The Life of Chuck,” based on a wonderful short story by Stephen King. This is the Master of Horror back in his heartwarming mode like he was in “Shawshank” and “Stand By Me,” so I’m hoping for greatness here. With Mike Flanagan (“Haunting of Hill House”) in the director’s chair, I think we’re going to get it.
June 13: “How to Train Your Dragon:”
Verdict: I had hoped that “Snow White” would teach studios about the folly of live-action remakes, but apparently not. This looks almost shot-for-shot of the animated film, so…cool, I guess? But what’s the point aside from a cash grab?
June 20: “28 Years Later“
Verdict: I’m hoping this is the greatest zombie movie ever made, so, yeah, expectations are high. Danny Boyle is back, Alex Garland is back… this needs to be an all-timer. And, holy hell, that trailer is terrifying.
June 27: “F1” and “M3GAN 2.0”
Verdict: A Formula One movie starring Brad Pitt and directed by Joe Kosinski, the brain behind the shockingly entertaining “Top Gun: Maverick” sounds good on paper, but the trailer just looks profoundly generic to me. I’m much less optimistic about a sequel to “M3GAN” where they ditch the horror aspects to turn the franchise into a “Terminator-esque” action series. It might be campy enough to be hilarious, but it makes me tired.
July 2: “Jurassic World: Rebirth”
Verdict: The last “Jurassic World” movie was the worst of the franchise, so I’m not sure why they didn’t rebrand back to “Jurassic Park,” but I’m no Hollywood exec. I would completely sit this one out if it wasn’t for director Gareth Edwards, who did impressive work with scale on “The Creator” and “Rogue One.” It’s also written by David Koepp, who wrote the original “Jurassic Park,” so I’m hoping they can recapture some magic.
July 11: “Superman”
Verdict: Yes, we’ve had a lot of comic book movies over the years, but this is James Gunn (“Guardians of the Galaxy”) relaunching the DC Universe under his own supervision. I want to see characters like The Green Lantern, Swamp Thing, Animal Man and Constantine through his twisted lens, so I hope “Superman” does well enough so we finally get some really weird comic stuff. I really want an R-Rated “Swamp Thing” movie.
July 18: “Eddington”
Verdict: A new Ari Aster (“Hereditary”) movie being released in blockbuster season is an interesting choice, but the teaser featuring Joaquin Phoenix as a small town sheriff during the pandemic is a tantalizing one. I expect this to be Aster’s take on our current culture war, so expect audiences to get mighty riled up.
July 25: “The Fantastic Four- First Steps”
Verdict: This looks like the live-action “Jetsons” movie I always wanted. Take my money.
Here are a few more exciting releases to look for over the summer months:
5/2: “The Surfer”
5/9: “Caught by the Tides”
5/16: “Hurry Up Tomorrow”
5/30: “The Phoenician Scheme”
6/13: “The Materialists”
