The Mummy
UK Release Date: June 9th
What is it: The first release in Universal’s planned shared monster universe. Starring Tom Cruise in the lead role, and Sofia Boutella as the eponymous Mummy.
Why it might be good: Tom Cruise, for all his flaws, is fairly consistent when it comes to big budget movies and the franchise is a tried and tested one that should bring in an audience. Sofia Boutella also kicks some serious ass in Kingsman: The Secret Service and could deliver a great turn here as Princess Ahnamet.
Why it might be bad: The Mummy franchise has been something of a mixed bag and the properties more recent outings received very mixed reviews. The trailers haven’t looked all that promising either and if Universal’s last take on an old tale – Dracula Untold – is anything to go by, then this could be one of the biggest disappointments of the summer.
Transformers: The Last Knight
UK Release Date: June 23rd
What is it: The fifth movie in Michael Bay’s Transformers series.
Why it might be good: Criticising the Transformers series has become a somnambulatory task for most film critics these days, and the first four films in the series have received an absolute pasting from critics across the globe. There is a chance, a very slim one, that Bay may try and mix things up here and do something that surprises us all – don’t hold your breath though.
Why it might be bad: Where to start? The last few Transformers movies have all been an absolute mess and there is nothing to suggest that this one is going to break that mold.
The trailers so far have indicated that we are likely to receive the usual incoherent nonsense from Bay and Co here, and just to add to the worries, the movie looks set to feature Hitler and The Nazis, which in the hands of Michael Bay is a disaster waiting to happen. Either way, it will sadly end up being one of the highest grossing movies of the summer.
Originally published April 22, 2017. Updated April 16, 2018.
