Hollywood is in a transformative period in the wake of last year’s Writer’s Guild of America strike, which began on May 2 and ended on Sept. 27, 2023. With major studios delaying many of their releases because of the strike, and the ever-increasing number of films being released directly to streaming services, there may appear to be fewer options at the movie theater this summer.
However, despite these industry-wide setbacks, the summer movie slate promises to provide unique and familiar films alike.
First up is “Inside Out 2” directed by Kelsey Mann. Released on June 14, the sequel to Pixar’s Oscar award-winning “Inside Out” has been anticipated by fans for nearly a decade. The film has received stellar reviews and follows up on the emotional story told in the first film with a deeper exploration of what goes on inside our heads. The colorful aesthetic and warm animation style make this film a perfect family watch.
Bolstering a star-studded cast, “The Bikeriders” directed by Jeff Nichols releases at FilmScene on June 21. Leading the film is recent breakout star and former Disney Channel kid Austin Butler as a young inductee to a Midwestern motorcycle club. Also starring Tom Hardy and Jodie Comer, this long-delayed drama received rave reviews when it debuted at the Telluride Film Festival late last year.
If you’re as big a horror fan as I am, you might be interested in “Longlegs” directed by Oz Perkins. Early reactions to this film have called it the scariest of the year, and the trailers back that claim up. Starring Maika Monroe and Nicolas Cage, the film follows a young FBI agent who is given a long-unsolved serial killer case with hints towards the occult. This psychological horror flick will be released on July 12.
Craving the superhero action that has been a staple of summer movies for years now? “Deadpool and Wolverine” has you covered. Directed by Shawn Levy, the third installment in Ryan Reynold’s violent action-comedy series pairs two of the most popular comic characters for a road-trip-style adventure. Sure to be one of the biggest movies of the summer, this long-awaited sequel releases on July 26.
Coming to theaters on the same day, “Didi” offers a smaller independent film vibe to the summer slate. This coming-of-age tale directed by Sean Wang takes place in the summer leading up to 13-year-old Taiwanese-American boy Didi’s freshman year of high school. The film was the audience choice for best drama at this year’s Sundance Film Festival.
If you’re looking for films to throw on at home this summer, the options are more limited but still stellar.
The first major Netflix film of the summer, “Hit Man,” was released on June 7. Directed by acclaimed director Richard Linklater, the film follows the story of real-life undercover hitman Gary Johnson portrayed in the film by Glen Powell. The film deviates from the true story as Johnson finds himself involved in a deadly conspiracy and relationship with a former client played by Adria Arjona. This crowd-pleasing romantic comedy is now streaming on Netflix.
Hardcore action fans who may be searching for the next John Wick this summer are in luck with “Kill.” The aptly titled Hindi film is directed by Nikhil Nagesh Bhat and takes place entirely on a train overtaken by bandits. Army commando Amrit witnesses his girlfriend’s abduction at the hands of these bandits and works his way through the train in an increasingly violent fashion to rescue her. This badass revenge flick releases in U.S. theaters on July 4.
History fans will be thrilled about Netflix’s documentary film “Apollo 13: Survival,” directed by Peter Middleton. The harrowing story of NASA’s crisis response to the Apollo 13 mission explores the stories of three astronauts stranded halfway to the moon. Releasing on Sept. 5, the film promises to unveil previously unknown details of the infamous story.
