Liam Hoofe looks the summer’s big movie releases…
While the rest of the world continues to go a little mad, movies fan the world over are super excited about what looks to be one of the biggest summers in the history of cinema. Several big franchises are releasing sequels/prequels/spin-offs and several new franchises are bringing their cards to the table this summer too.
The summer box office season, as decreed by Box Office Mojo, begins on the first Fridawy of May, and finishes on Labour Day Weekend – so this year that will be from May 4th to September 4th, exactly four months.
Join us here as we take a look at every big movie that is being released between those two dates, and analyse what might be good, and what might be bad.
Note: The movies are based on UK release dates – the only one that is changed is Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, which arrives a week early in the UK but would have been criminal to miss off this list.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2
UK Release Date: April 28th
What is it: The much-anticipated sequel to 2014’s Guardian of the Galaxy.
Why it might be good: Guardians of the Galaxy was the surprise hit of 2014, and according to us here at Flickering Myth, the best Marvel movie to date. The trailers released so far have been nothing but promising and the addition of several new characters, including ones played by Kurt Russell and Sylvester Stallone, only add to the excitement.
The first movie came totally out of left field and made $773.3 million at the worldwide box office. The second one looks set to overtake that and become one of Marvel’s highest grossing movies.
Plus, it’s Marvel, the gift that just keeps on giving.
Why it might be bad: While it’s very unlikely the film will be out and out terrible, there is always a chance that it may be overly reliant on the things that made the first such a success, in turn making this one feel a little lazy and/or over the top.
Alien: Covenant
UK Release Date: May 12th
What is it: The long-awaited sixth entry in the Alien franchise, following on from 2012’s Prometheus.
Why it might be good: Prometheus was an incredibly polarising movie that created a lot more questions than it answered. While many praised its ambiguity it also had its detractors and it’s highly likely that Scott will want to avoid such confusion this time around.
The trailers released so far suggest the movie is going to return to the sci-fi/horror tone of the original and this will no doubt please fans of the franchise. Michael Fassbender, who was easily the best thing about Prometheus, is also returning to his role as the enigmatic David.
Why it might be bad: As we’ve learned from Terminator, returning to a successful 80’s franchise decades later is not always a good thing, and there is every chance that this movie is just a lazy cash in, boasting none of the things that made the originals so awesome in the first place. Prometheus also suffered due to a pretty muddled script, so let’s just hope this movie makes a lot more sense.
Originally published April 22, 2017. Updated April 16, 2018.
