This year's catalog of summer movies feels about as close to normal as it's been since the pandemic forced theaters to close doors in 2020. Many movies in 2021 premiered on streaming, most notably under the decision of Warner Bros. to release their entire catalog of films in theaters and on streaming (HBO Max) at the same time.
2022 is making a name for itself as the "year of the sequel," with Black Panther 2, Doctor Strange 2, Avatar 2, and Into the Spider-Verse 2, among other franchise films releasing their third, fourth, fifth, and even sixth installments. As the pandemic continues to crunch the past couple of years' worth of blockbusters into one bonanza year at the box office, this year's summer schedule is looking bigger and brighter than ever.
10 Jurassic World Dominion Will Be Released In Theaters June 10
Steven Spielberg's 1993 science-fiction horror masterpiece ushered forth one of the most breathtakingly realistic monster movies of all time. Jurassic Park brought prehistoric beasts back from extinction through a seamless blend of digital artistry and practical alternatives, combining computer-generated imagery with animatronic puppets.
Now, Jurassic World Dominion plans to conclude the series with an epic finale; helmed by Colin Trevorrow, Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard, alongside the long-awaited return of 93's original cast members—Laura Dern, Sam Neill, and Jeff Goldblum.
9 Lightyear Will Exclusively Hit Theaters June 17
A spin-off to the highly popular, critically-acclaimed Disney/Pixar franchise Toy Story, Lightyear follows the origin story of Buzz Lightyear, taking flight in a series of space-travel tests to explore new galaxies for Star Command to come in peace.
Starring Chris Evans in the titular role of Buzz, alongside Taika Waititi as Mo Morrison, Keke Palmer and Uzo Aduba as Izzy and Alicia Hawthorne, Peter Sohn as Sox, and Dales Soules as Darby Steel, Lightyear's trailers have teased an exciting interstellar adventure to infinity and beyond.
8 Cha Cha Real Smooth Will Stream on Apple TV+ On June 17
Written, directed, produced, and co-edited by actor Cooper Raiff, Cha Cha Real Smooth follows fresh-out-of-college Andrew (Raiff) who decides to move back home over the summer while his girlfriend travels to Barcelona. Landing a job as a party-starter for bar mitzvahs, Andrew meets Domino (Dakota Johnson) and her autistic teenage daughter Lola (Vanessa Burghardt).
Apple TV+ acquired the distribution rights to Cha Cha Real Smooth after premiering at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival in January. Rotten Tomatoes' consensus describes the film as "A touching dramedy that wears its heart proudly on its sleeve, Cha Cha Real Smooth further affirms writer-director-star Cooper Raiff as a talent to watch."
7 The Black Phone Is Set To Premiere In Theaters On June 24
Ethan Hawke stars in Scott Derrickson’s latest horror film The Black Phone, as a serial killer who traps children inside a soundproof basement. When 13-year-old victim Finney (Mason Thames) discovers a phone with the ability to transmit the voices of previous victims, he plots an escape plan.
Based on the short story by Joe Hill, The Black Phone is co-written, co-produced, and directed by Derrickson, with C. Robert Cargill serving as co-writer/co-producer, and Jason Blum serving as co-producer. The film currently sits at 100% on Rotten Tomatoes.
6 Elvis Will Debut In Theaters On June 24
Directed and co-written by Baz Luhrmann, Elvis chronicles the life and career of actor-singer Elvis Presley, seen through the prism of his complicated relationship with his enigmatic manager, Colonel Tom Parker. Spanning over 20 years, the film will explore Elvis' early days as a child to becoming the world's biggest rock and roll and movie star.
Starring Austin Butler as Elvis and Tom Hanks as Parker, alongside Helen Thomson, Richard Roxburgh, Olivia DeJonge, Luke Bracey, Natasha Bassett, and Kodi Smit-McPhee.
5 Marcel The Shell With Shoes On Will Premiere On June 24
Marcel the Shell with Shoes On is a live-action/animated coming-of-age mockumentary comedy that follows an anthropomorphic one-inch-tall shell, Marcel, as he searches for his family with the help of a documentary filmmaker. Directed by Dean Fleischer-Camp, the film is based on a series of shorts created and uploaded to YouTube by Fleischer-Camp in 2010. Starring Jenny Slate as Marcel, Rosa Salazar as Larissa, Thomas Mann as Mark, and Isabella Rossellini as Connie.
Having premiered at the Telluride Film Festival in 2021, Marcel the Shell with Shoes On is scheduled to release on June 24, 2022, by A24. The film currently sits at 100% on Rotten Tomatoes.
4 Minions: The Rise Of Gru Is Exclusively In Theaters July 1
Following the events of 2015's Minions, The Rise of Gru is the fifth entry overall in the Despicable Me franchise. Set in the 1970s, a 12-year-old Gru grows up in the suburbs and hatches a plan to join a supervillain group known as 'the Vicious 6'—when their leader, Wild Knuckles, is fired, Gru interviews to become their newest member.
Directed by Kyle Balda, Minions: The Rise of Gru sees the return of Steve Carell as Gru, alongside Pierre Coffin as the Minions, with Taraji P. Henson, Michelle Yeoh, Jean-Claude Van Damme, Danny Trejo, Russell Brand, Julie Andrews, and Alan Arkin co-starring.
3 Thor: Love & Thunder Will Finally Reach Theaters July 8
Director Taika Waititi returns with Thor: Love & Thunder—a direct sequel to Thor: Ragnarok—with Chris Hemsworth starring as the mighty Asgardian God himself, alongside Natalie Portman returning as Jane Foster to wield Thor’s mighty hammer as Lady Thor.
Joining the cast is the Guardians of the Galaxy crew, with Chris Pratt, Dave Bautista, Sean Gunn, Vin Diesel, Pom Klementieff, and Karen Gillan reprising their respective roles. Christian Bale also joins as Gorr the God Butcher. Thor: Love and Thunder will release as the twenty-ninth film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, as part of Phase Four.
2 Nope Will Thrill Audiences When It Hits Theaters July 22
From the man who masterminded Get Out, Jordan Peele directs Nope, which follows the residents of an isolated town in California who witness the happenings of an abnormal, mysterious event.
Scheduled to be released on July 22, 2022, Nope stars Daniel Kaluuya and Keke Palmer as James and Jill Haywood, alongside Steven Yeun, Michael Wincott, Brandon Perea, Barbie Ferreira, and Terry Notary. Shot by Christopher Nolan's go-to cinematographer Hoyte van Hoytema, Nope will be shot on Kodak film, including 65mm film in the IMAX format.
1 Bullet Train Will Open In Theaters July 29
Directed by David Leitch, Bullet Train follows trained killer Ladybug as he is directed to collect a briefcase aboard a bullet train heading from Tokyo to Kyoto. Once onboard, he and five competing assassins discover that their missions are all interconnected.
Bullet Train is set to be released on July 29, 2022. Starring an ensemble cast that includes the likes of Brad Pitt, Joey King, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Brian Tyree Henry, Andrew Koji, Hiroyuki Sanada, Michael Shannon, Bad Bunny, Zazie Beetz, Logan Lerman, Karen Fukuhara, Masi Oka, and Sandra Bullock.