Callin’ out around the world — are you ready for a brand new beat?
Summer’s here and the time is right for sitting quietly in a dark theater.
I mean it! Hollywood is having its biggest sweaty season since at least 2019, with a much-anticipated release opening almost every single week for the next two months.
And the inventory runs the gamut. There are superheroes, talking toys, Cyclopses, brilliant indies, Minions and more.
Here are 10 of the hottest titles to look forward to as the weather heats up.
“Tuner” (May 29)
A low-key favorite among many at the Toronto International Film Festival last fall was the clever crime thriller “Tuner.” The plot is outrageously smart. Leo Woodall from “The White Lotus” plays a piano tuning apprentice with a hearing disorder that makes him extremely sensitive to loud noises. That personal difficulty, however, makes him an unmatched expert at cracking safes. Even better, Woodall is under the tutelage of Dustin Hoffman.
“Scary Movie” (June 5)
In the 13 years since “Scary Movie 5,” the horror genre has totally transformed. The films “Get Out” and “Sinners” both won Oscars. Last year’s “Weapons” became a sensation. A stalker named “Ma” and a freaky doll called “M3GAN” were inescapable memes. So there is a lot of meat for this old genre parody franchise to gnaw on. And not only are regulars Cheri Oteri, Anna Faris and Regina Hall returning — this is the first “Scary Movie” entry to be written by the Wayans brothers in 25 years.
“Disclosure Day” (June 12)
I was a big fan of “The Fabelmans” and a medium fan of “West Side Story.” But it’s exciting to see Steven Spielberg return to one of his winningest subjects — aliens. Of course, it remains to be seen whether he’s got an “E.T.” or an “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull” on his hands with the new flick starring Emily Blunt and Josh O’Connor. Either way, a totally original Spielberg thriller about the revelation of extraterrestrial life to the global public is enticing.
“Toy Story 5” (June 19)
Nothing has been easy for Pixar lately. The Disney-owned animation studio’s biggest original hit in 9 years was this year’s “Hoppers,” which grossed $385 million — almost $500 million less than “Coco” in 2017. But “Toy Story” is a sure thing. Even if No. 4 wasn’t on par with the series’ glory days — except hilarious Forky — it’s always nice to see Woody, Buzz and Mr. Potato Head, who this time have to compete with a high-tech tablet.
“The Death of Robin Hood” (June 19)
A24 is giving us a darker interpretation of the “steal from the rich, give to the poor” hero, who here is haunted by the demons of his past misdeeds. Rob is played by Hugh Jackman. And he’s joined by Jodie Comer and Bill Skarsgård, who will surely go down as the most terrifying Little John of all time.
“Supergirl” (June 26)
Color me cautiously optimistic. But last year’s “Superman” with David Corenswet was better than expected as it batted away Zack Snyder’s terrible, gloomy vision for the character and pumped in brightness and fun. Milly Alcock’s Supergirl, Clark Kent’s cousin, was introduced at the end of that, so I’m hoping her standalone movie follows suit — or, rather, cape.
“The Invite” (June 26)
When I saw Olivia Wilde’s comedy at Sundance — which, for a while, had banned happiness — it was the hardest I’d laughed in a long time. The set-up is familiar: a boring, stressed-out married couple (Wilde and Seth Rogen) have a more free-spirited pair (Edward Norton and Penelope Cruz) over for a dinner party. Booze is guzzled, pot is smoked. But Wilde’s snappy direction, the script’s wit and the cast’s unique sense of humor make “The Invite” its own extremely hilarious thing.
“Minions & Monsters” (July 1)
The Minions universe grows ever larger. This time, the funny yellow blobs who speak in Europeanish gibberish go back in time to the 1920s and attempt to find frightening ghouls and creatures to star in their monster movie. So it’s like “Shadow of the Vampire,” only, you know, for little kids.
“The Odyssey” (July 17)
Christopher Nolan is a true Hollywood anomaly. None — none! — of our other greatest living directors could take on the story of the scientist who invented the atomic bomb and make a near-billion-dollar-grossing hit out of it. His take on the epic Greek tale of gods and monsters, with megawatt stars such as Matt Damon, Tom Holland, Zendaya, Anne Hathaway and Charlize Theron, promises to be even grander.
“Spider-Man: Brand New Day” (July 31)
Even as the Marvel Cinematic Universe has struggled, one galaxy is still blazing — the reliably fun Tom Holland “Spider-Man” movies. “Brand New Day” will start on a note of seriousness though. Five years ago, “No Way Home” ended with a sad death and all of Peter Parker’s friends, including Zendaya’s MJ, having forgotten that he ever existed. We all wanna know where Spidey go from there.