With temperatures soaring, summer is the ideal time to cool down in front of the big screen with a few of your favorite heroes and villains. So many characters await!

Blockbusters

In April, “Avengers: End Game,” sure to be the biggest movie of the year, if not of all time, was released, putting an end to an epic 10-year arc that spanned 20+ Marvel movies. As the calendar changes to July, what other blockbusters and must-see movies will movie goers flock to see? You don’t want to miss these five blockbusters release this summer.

“Spider-Man: Far From Home”

With the dust settling from “Avengers: End Game,” Marvel now embarks on what is being called Phase Four. However, before it can begin, the Amazing Spider-Man hit theaters July 4th, wrapping up phase three. No spoilers. In “Spider-Man: Far From Home”, Marvel’s friendly neighborhood Spider-Man finds himself dealing with the sacrifices that were made in the fallout of “End Game.” Also on a school trip headed to London, Peter Parker travels “Far From Home,” the fitting title of this film. London is attacked by Elementals, while Parker happens to be in the city. Nick Fury, played by Samuel L. Jackson, recruits Spider-Man to help combat this new threat, with help from Quentin Beck. Hailing from another dimension, Beck is otherwise known as Mysterio, a classic Spider-Man villain. Will Spider-Man be able to defeat the Elementals, and can he trust Quentin Beck? 

“The Lion King”

Continuing with Disney’s remaking of classic animated movies, “The Lion King” roars into theaters July 19th. The movie’s director, Jon Favearu, not only directed the first “Iron Man,” but also the remake of “The Jungle Book” in 2016. The story follows a young lion cub named Simba, who must regain his rightful place as king, following the tragic events he blames himself for when he was young. Most of the voice cast has been replaced for 2019, with the exception of legendary actor James Earl Jones, who returns as the voice of Mufasa. 

“Once Upon a Time in Hollywood”

The ninth film from Quentin Tarantino, “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood,” makes its way into theaters in the latter part of July. The movie stars Leonardo DiCaprio as Rick Dalton, a struggling actor, and Brad Pitt as his long time stuntman Cliff Booth, trying to make a name for themselves in 1969 Hollywood. Their lives become a little more complicated by Dalton’s next-door neighbor, Sharon Tate. Tarantino has hinted about this film being his last. Recently, however, the film maker confirmed that he will be making a 10th film, which is rumored to be the next Star Trek movie. As is the case with most of Tarantino’s films, “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” is generating a lot of Oscar buzz.

“Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs and Shaw” 

As the summer winds down, the month of August brings another installment in the “Fast & Furious” franchise. “Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs and Shaw,” is a spinoff featuring Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson as Federal Agent Luke Hobbs and Jason Statham as Deckard Shaw. They are brought together to stop a super-powered villain named Brixton, who has been cyber-genetically enhanced, with a plan to potentially alter humanity forever. Look for big explosions and a lot of witty banter between the two best frenemies. Hobbs and Shaw will be in theaters August 2nd.

“Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark”

For the horror movie lovers, Guillermo Del Toro will bring to life the popular children’s novel “Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark.” The plot centers on a group of kids who find a book written by Sarah, a girl who turned her tortured life into a collection of scary stories. Soon the kids experience the stories coming to life and haunting them, one by one. “Scary Stories” is directed by André Øvredal, who is best known for “Troll Hunter,” and the well- received horror movie “The Autopsy of Jane Doe.”

Family-Friendly Movies

There are also a number of eagerly awaited family movies in or coming to a cinema near you this summer. 

Kid favorites like “Dora: The Explorer” and “Angry Birds 2” will both be released in August.  Also worth considering, a trio of films already getting Oscar chatter: Richard Linklater’s adaptation of Maria Semple’s “Where’d You Go Bernadette,” Danny Boyle’s “Yesterday,” and Disney’s “Toy Story 4.”

Cover photo  Ahmet Yalçınkaya on Unsplash
Native Austinite Brian Maass has long had a passion for music and movies, and is now bringing that same passion to the world of photography. @maass_brian and brian_maass_photographer