So far, 2024 has been a treasure trove for cinema, and it’s easy to see why. The past six months have given us fantastic releases such as “Furiosa,” “Immaculate,” “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes,” “The Fall Guy” and box office behemoth “Dune: Part Two.” That being said, the next few months may prove to be equally exciting for film enthusiasts (such as myself). Here’s a look at some of my most anticipated releases coming to theaters this summer.
“A Quiet Place: Day One”
The beloved horror series is back with a bang as Michael Sarnoski and John Krasinski present fans with its third installment, one that serves as a prequel to the main storyline of the first two films. The film depicts what happens on the very first day of sound-sensitive aliens descending to Earth, and the catastrophe that ensues.
Through the two previous installments, “A Quiet Place” has grossed over $638 million at the global box office, and “Day One” is expected to hit $40 million on opening weekend. Most horror films released this past year have capped at $8-12 million openings, making “Day One”’s predicted numbers somewhat of a breakthrough. “A Quiet Place: Day One” releases June 28.
“Twisters”
This is something I’m personally excited for because the premise is wildly simplistic. The universal idea of humans-versus-weather is a classic David and Goliath scenario, which couldn’t appeal to me more. The film is set to be an indirect sequel to the 1996 hit “Twister,” but with its own standalone story.
“Twisters” follows a group of storm chasers who risk their lives to test out an experimental weather device in the face of multiple storm systems that converge over central Oklahoma. With a star-studded cast in Glen Powell from “Anyone But You,” Kiernan Shipka from “Flowers in the Attic” and Anthony Ramos from “In the Heights.” Director Lee Isaac Chung wants audiences to realize that storm chasers come from all walks of life. “Twisters” storms into theaters July 19.
“Despicable Me 4”
A film series that needs no introduction is finally back with its fourth installment after a seven-year lapse since the release of its predecessor. Following Steve Carell’s Gru and his family, the film introduces antagonists Maxime Le Mal (Will Ferrell) and Valentina (Sofia Vergara). While development on the film began in September 2017, it was only officially confirmed in February 2022.
Gru Jr., a new addition to the family, is bent on tormenting his dad, something that is likely to introduce conflict in the film. “Despicable Me 4” comes to theaters July 3.
“Deadpool & Wolverine”
To me, this could be the biggest MCU movie Marvel has graced the public with in years. After the mediocre performances delivered by films such as “Eternals,” “The Marvels” and “Madame Web,” Marvel may have finally found its footing.
“Deadpool & Wolverine” represents an inflection point for both the Deadpool and X-Men franchises, and may finally mark the arrival of the X-Men in the MCU that everyone has been waiting for. The story follows Wade Wilson thrust back into the psyche of Deadpool as he joins a reluctant Wolverine on a mission to save his home universe from an existential crisis.
The film is also set to make MCU history by being the first film in the cinematic universe to receive an R-rating, which director Shawn Levy attributes to Marvel Studios imposing no creative restrictions. “Deadpool & Wolverine” indicates a promising future for the MCU with its release on July 26.
“Alien: Romulus”
This summer, we’ve been blessed with not one, but two prequels to successful horror franchises. The “Alien” franchise is synonymous with space horror and has cemented itself as second-to-none in the category since the first film’s release in 1979. “Romulus” aims to bring fans back to the original experience that makes the franchise unique—suffocating yet thrilling settings with an innovative blend of horror and science fiction.
Director Fede Álvarez has previously been involved with “Don’t Breathe” (2016) and “Evil Dead” (2013), so we can expect the film to pull out all the stops in the horror department. The film has also received praise from Ridley Scott, director of the first “Alien” film. “Alien: Romulus” creeps into theaters August 16.
“MaXXXine”
Penultimate on this list is “MaXXXine,” A24’s sequel to “X” (2022) and “Pearl” (2022). The upcoming slasher film is the third installment in the “X” series directed by Ti West and stars Mia Goth, who reprises her role as Maxine Minx from “X.” The film follows Maxine as she continues to pursue her dreams of becoming an actress in 1980s Hollywood after surviving the massacre that takes place in “X.” In her pursuit of fame and success, Maxine becomes the unfortunate target of the real-life killer known as the “Night Stalker.”
Although “MaXXXine” was initially planned to end the trilogy, West has revealed there are already plans for a fourth installment. “MaXXXine” releases July 5.
“Borderlands”
Saving the best for last, my final film on this list is none other than “Borderlands.” The simplest description of “Borderlands” would be to call it an extremely chaotic blend of “Guardians of the Galaxy” and “Mad Max: Fury Road,” and the anticipation is killing me. Not only am I simply excited, but a lot of films have tried and failed to adapt video games to the big screen. “Borderlands” is a video game series especially close to my heart, and seeing a big budget theatrical film adaptation for it on this level makes me especially nervous.
The story follows Lilith, an outlaw who returns to her home planet “Pandora” to search for the missing daughter of the most powerful man in the universe, and she does so by allying herself with an unexpectedly-idiosyncratic team that weather the dangers of Pandora together in an action-packed adventure.
According to Gearbox founder Randy Pitchford, the film will not be adapting a specific game in the “Borderlands” series, but will instead have its own independent storyline with familiar characters. “Borderlands” blasts into theaters August 9.
Summer 2024 is shaping up to be a season packed with franchise continuations and independent films, and with this diverse lineup, there’s something for everyone to enjoy.
