Amaze-Amaze-Amaze. The AI metrics that now control my brain and yours are crystal-balling that the next four months will add up to the Summer of Money-Money-Money at the box office. You heard right. Hollywood intends to rocket launch a fleet of big-ticket blockbusters to finally lift us out of the financial funk brought on by Covid and the dual writers and actors strikes. Don’t get too excited. Originality is still a lost art in a season bought and paid for by prequels, sequels and reboots. Luckily, even greed can’t kill the fun dished out by folks who know how to get us back into theaters, slathering our mugs with popcorn with a look that begs, “Astonish me.”
Can “Toy Story 5” zoom ahead of close competitors “Spider-Man: Brand New Day” and “Minions and Monsters” to seize the season top spot? Or will the new “Star Wars” epic, “The Mandalorian and Grogu,” show strength in the stretch along with “Scary Movie 6” whose wanna-see factor is off the charts? Or maybe another billion dollar jackpot will come Christopher Nolan’s way for “The Odyssey,” the all-star epic tipped to grab him another Best Picture Oscar to share shelf space with his gold statue for “Oppenheimer.”
According to AI projections, the domestic box office total for summer 2026 will be a wowza $4.5 billion. That would represent a 24% increase over last summer's $3.6 billion, and would beat the $4 billion haul of summer 2023, the current peak of the pandemic era that was defined by Barbenheimer—the cash cow combo of Greta Gerwig’s “Barbie” with Nolan’s atomic biopic blast. With Gerwig’s last-minute call to pull “Narnia” out of the race till 2027, Nolan looks to have the awards heat all sewed up for Summer 2026.
So we’re off to the races. Expect surprises, big ones. “The Devil Wears Prada 2,” the first film aimed at women to open a testosterone-dominated summer season in forever, defied the odds with a worldwide weekend gross of $233 million that put the 2006 OG “Prada” in the shade. Gird your loins. Between now and Labor Day, the usual rules don’t apply. Stop vegging out at home with a TV streaming binge and get out to a theater near you. Here are my 20 picks for the movies most eager to put the sizzle into your summer.
May 1
“The Devil Wears Prada 2”
Twenty years on, Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt and Stanley Tucci are watered down but hardly obsolete. Their fashion statement of a sequel proves that when you do it gloriously right, everything old is new again. Miranda Priestley, the Runway editor from hell as played for the ages by Meryl Streep, is in distress. The threat of cancel culture means she can’t bully or fat shame her interns, whip her coat on their faces or do what entitled editors did with impunity in the early aughts. Now billionaire owners force compliance to the bottom line. And her former assistants, played by Hathaway, Blunt and Tucci, exact revenge in verbal bonbons spiked with wit and malice. Print media may have lost its relevance in 2026, but these fashionistas never go out of style. Just look at the lines at the box office. According to PosTrak exit polls, the strongest quad on opening day were ages 25-34, a mix of Gen Zers and younger Millennials. Near the end, Miranda stares down the villain with these words: “You’re not a visionary, you’re a vendor.” Has AI ever had a better putdown? Ouch, and it hurts so good.
May 15
“Obsession”
Prepare for the hottest summer of terror in years. And start with this next gen “Fatal Attraction.” It makes a star out of Inde Navarrette as a dream girl turned nightmare when music store incel (Michael Johnston) makes a wish that coworker Navarette will love him forever. Be careful what you wish for. The scares come from the sight of a woman losing her mind when she loses agency over her body. Navarrette is brilliant at showing the battle within, saying yes when she means no no no no no. Her violent eruptions can freeze the blood. And filmmaker Curry Barker, just 26, is a fresh and perversely funny voice in body horror with a stunning future.
May 22
“Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu”
OK, it’s not really “Star Wars;” it’s a one-shot movie of a Disney TV series that fell apart in its lousy third season. No matter. I want to see Baby Yoda on the big screen and also want to see Pedro Pascal unmasked as bounty hunter Din Djarin/The Mandalorian since casting hottie Pascal and then hiding behind a helmet does not qualify as a bright idea. In the film, which hopefully will avoid the jinx of the “Peaky Blinders” cash grab movie, the Mandalorian teams up with Grogu at the behest of New Republic to rescue Rotta the Hutt, played by Jeremy Allen White. Jon Favreau writes and directs. And if wishes could make it so, I’m wishing that it works this time. Over and out.
“I Love Boosters”
What’s not to trust about a new comedy from “Sorry to Bother You” prankster Boots Riley? This one, which made them laugh like crazy at the SXSW Fest, stars diva supreme Keke Palmer as Corevette, who leads her trio of boosters, including Naomi Ackie and Taylour Paige, on a raid of upscale stores in San Francisco. The gang’s chief target is billionaire Christie Smith, played by a Demi Moore as a hissable villain who steals ideas from Black designers and gets what she deserves. Look, the film’s drift into sci-fi might throw you, but the comic whack at capitalism taken by Boots is a provocation worth making.
May 29
“Backrooms”
If the sterile, empty office spaces in Apple TV’s “Severance” freak you out (they do me), wait till to you get a load of “Backrooms.” This sci-fi scare fest, directed by Kane Parsons from a script Will Soodik, is based on the Parsons web series and inspired by the “backrooms” creepypastya. Google it and you’ll find it’s a containment concept involving a labyrinth, a seemingly endless maze of rooms and environments, credited with popularizing the idea of liminal spaces in online horror culture. Hooked? I thought so. Now Parsons, just 20, is making his directing debut in a film starring “Sentimental Value” Oscar nominee Renata Reinsve as a therapist tracking a patient (Chiwetel Efiofer) into the yellow-tinged maze. The cool kids are going to mind meld with this one. Guaranteed.
“Power Ballad”
Fans of the music-themed cinema romances of Irish writer-director John Carney—that’s me raising my hand in favor of “Once,” “Sing Street,” “Begin Again” and “Flora and Son”—will gladly gravitate to “Power Ballad.” Paul Rudd is at his very best as Rick Power, a wedding singer who has an encounter with faded boy band star Danny Wilson (an equally terrific Nick Jonas). The result is that Danny retools one of Rick’s songs and turns it into a massive comeback hit. No permission granted. What’s next is full of surprises you won’t see or hear coming. Don’t you love it when that happens?
“Pressure”
As an admirer of Brendan Fraser, who doesn’t think his Oscar win for “The Whale” was a miscalculation, I’m intrigued to see him costarring with Andrew Scott, another favorite, in a historical war drama about the intense 72-hour period leading up to the D-Day landings on Omaha Beach on June 6, 1944. Fraser plays Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower and Scott is the British meteorological officer James Stagg who gets to tell Ike if the weather on that date would permit an invasion, it could change the course of the war. No pressure. But director Anthony Maras probably made the right decision to focus on the critical, dramatic moments of decision and not on the combat footage, which Steven Spielberg captured for all-time in the opening 20-minutes of “Saving Private Ryan.” That you don’t mess with.
June 5
“Scary Movie 6”
Don’t kid yourself. Comedy-horror is a summer essential; the season can’t breathe without it. And you better believe that the return of the Wayans family for the first time since “Scary Movie 2” in 2001 is a major event, not just another excuse to giggle over gore. Marlon Wayans is back as Shorty Meeks with brother Shawn as Ray Wilks. They also produce and write for Regina Hall as Brenda and Anna Faris as Cindy, who’s looking for a “substance” to reboot her far-off youth. Eat your heart out, Demi Moore. And so the parodies begin and spill all over each other. Hello again, Ghostface! Marlon described the film as being a "rebooquel" and cited the downfall of producers Bob and Harvey Weinstein as another reason to get back in the game. Whatever the reasons, the game is on!
June 12
“Disclosure Day”
The reaction to the first trailer for “Disclosure Day” was decidedly mixed. Then in his first CinemaCon stage appearance in Las Vegas in April, Steven Spielberg received a standing ovation when he gave the audience a close encounter with extra footage from his new UFO epic. The legendary director said he refused to use any scenes from the last third of his film in the trailer to maintain surprise and suspense. Not a bad idea since trailers give away too much these days. We do know that “Prada’s” first and forever Emily, the always captivating Emily Blunt, stars as Margaret Fairchild, a Kansas City TV meteorologist who experiences alien contact while broadcasting a live weather report. I’m in. How about you?
June 19
“Toy Story 5”
Has artificial intelligence invaded the animated world of Woody (Tom Hanks) and Buzz (Tim Allen) in the eagerly awaited “Toy Story 5?” Looks like A.I. is a central theme as the film explores a conflict between traditional toys and modern technology, featuring a "tech-villain" in the form of an AI-powered tablet named Lilypad (voiced by Greta Lee) that competes for the attention of Bonnie (Scarlett Spears) and threatens the old toys with obsolescence. Director Andrew Stanton explained that the film is a "realization of an existential problem: that nobody's really playing with toys anymore," and asks what increasing screen time means for children. The toys must confront what it means to stay relevant when digital devices reshape playtime. Perhaps the most chilling line of the summer comes when Lilipad the iPad whispers, “I’m always listening.”
“The Death of Robin Hood”
Talk about a song sung blue. Hugh Jackman plays iconic outlaw Robin Hood as an old man facing death after a horrific injury in battle forces him to confront his past and the criminal life he's led up to that point. A second chance comes in the form of a mystery woman, played by the always great Jodie Comer. Having already dealt with the waning years of Wolverine in “Logan,” Jackman portrays another action hero raging against the dying of the light. Directed by Michael Sanorski, who did an artful job with the Nic Cage slow-burn revenge drama “Pig,” the film serves as a touching meditation on age and smart counter programming to the kid-friendly “Toy Story 5,” opening on the same day.
June 26
“Supergirl”
From the DC Studios poster alone, “Supergirl” vibes like a comic-book movie with attitude. There’s star Milly Alcock as Kara Zor El/Supergirl with the coat, the shades, the belt, the boots and the swagger that say “look out” instead of her cousin Superman’s more timid “look up.” Introduced at the end of last year’s “Superman,” with David Corenwet’s new Man of Steel, Alcock’s diva take on Kara dares you to cross her. Raised on a chunk of the destroyed planet Krypton where she watched her family die, Kara is a party girl who likes to drink and travel the planets looking for trouble. Director Craig Gillespie describes her as an “anti-hero.” That’s good for starters. I have hopes for this one. How about you?
“The Invite”
Don’t expect an easy, breezy romcom. This hit out of Sundance plays like a spin on “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf” that goes for a hardcore hilarity that doesn’t always go down easy. Olivia Wilde (“Booksmart,” “Don’t Worry Darling”) directs and costars with Seth Rogen as a couple with issues about staying together. One night they extend an informal dinner invite to just moved-in neighbors, played by Penelope Cruz and Edward Norton. They don’t play “Get the Guests,” since the newbies are swingers who would prefer to play sex games. It's not just laughs that come tumbling down; it’s clothes, masks, inhibitions and fragile egos. Surprise isn’t a big enough word to describe what happens next.
July 3
“Minions and Monsters”
Going up against “Toy Story 5” as the summer’s reigning animated cash cow, this third chapter in the “Minions” prequel series is also the seventh installment in the “Despicable Me” franchise as a whole. Now that you have your bearings, you’ll have to find a way to tell the kids that Steve Carell won’t be returning as Gru since the film is set in the 1920s, decades before the reformed supervillain was born. The new movie tracks those immortal, small, yellow, pill-shaped creatures who wear goggles, talk gibberish and serve despicable masters. Their goal this time is to make a monster movie of their own in old Hollywood. Minions are childish, curious and easily distracted, which tragically describes the target audience for most movies made in summer and the other three seasons as well.
July 10
“Moana”
Not another cartoon, like the first two “Moana” films. This live-action version features Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson in human form to play Maui, the demigod he previously just voiced. This time Maui joins Moana, played by Catherine Laga’aia in her film debut, on her first journey beyond her home island of Motunui and its barrier reef to save her people and their culture. Some critics objected to the earlier portrayal of Maui as overweight, lazy, and overly cartoonish.” No more, says Johnson. "This story is my culture, and emblematic of our people's grace and warrior strength. I wear this culture proudly on my skin and in my soul.” “Hamilton” creator Lin-Manuel Miranda, a songwriter on the first film, has returned with composer Mark Mancina to do the score. Adds Johnson: “There is no better world for us to honor the story of our people, our passion and our purpose than through the realm of music and dance, which is at the core of who we are as Polynesian people.” Bring it on.
July 17
“The Odyssey”
There is no movie I’m hungrier to see this summer and this year than “Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey.” Can this film of Homer’s ancient Greek epic make as much money and win as many Oscars as Nolan’s last film, “Oppenheimer?” Nobody knows. But no filmmaker is taking a bigger swing than Nolan is with this tale of Odysseus (Matt Damon), the king of Ithaca, and his perilous, 10-year journey home after the Trojan War. Anne Hathaway plays his wife Penelope in an all-star cast that includes Zendaya, Tom Holland, Rob Pattinson and Charlize Theron. With an estimated budget of $250 million, “The Odyssey” is the most expensive film of Nolan’s career and his first to be shot entirely on Imax 70mm cameras. Is there a filmmaker right now more qualified to take on a project of this gargantuan scope and creative risk? I don’t think so. Win or lose, watching this generational talent take on the biggest gamble of his career is why we go to movies. At least I do. You?
July 31
“Spider-Man: Brand New Day”
Expectations are sky-high for this fourth standalone Spidey epic starring Tom Holland and the first directed by Destin Daniel Cretton, the indie whiz kid behind “Short Term 12.” Still, I don’t see how it beats 2021’s “No Way Home,” which featured three Spideys in the same frame—Holland joined by Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield. A gimmick, sure, but it worked like gangbusters. The plot this time is Spider-Man going solo as the lonely arachnid after Doctor Strange erased global memory of Peter Parker’s existence. He’s a nothing to girlfriend MJ (Zendaya) and bestie Ned (Jacob Batalon). Sad. Sad. Sad. But Spidey’s flying fight scene with an army of ninjas is Killer. Killer. Killer. Mid-summer action escapism is just not going to get better than this. Act accordingly.
August 7
“Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma”
Produced for less than the daily snack budget on “Spider-Man: Brand New Day,” this indie spellbinder from Jane Schoenbrun (“We’re All Going to the World’s Fair,’” “I Saw the TV Glow”) is my kind of summer movie—experimental, exhilarating and untied to the Hollywood playbook. Schoenbrun is transfeminine and non-binary, having described themselves as a trans and queer child who did not yet have the language to understand their identity while growing up. Films do it now. “Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma” follows a struggling slasher franchise —“Camp Miasma”—being rebooted by a young, ambitious director, played by “Hacks” Emmy winner Hannah Einbinder. As she works to revive the series, she becomes fixated on casting the mysterious, reclusive actress who played the “final girl” in the original film. Gillian Anderson takes that role and runs with it. Need to know more? I didn’t think so. See you at the movies.
August 14
“The Rivals of Amziah King”
It’s always a treat when Oscar winner Matthew McConaughey gets himself a new role he can sink his teeth into. Filmmaker Andrew Patterson, whose calling card was 2019’s retro sci-fi gem “The Vast of Night,” gives him a juicy challenge as Amziah King, an Oklahoma beekeeper and banjo player, trying to reconcile with his estranged foster daughter Kateri (Angelina LookingGlass) while taking down a local criminal (Kurt Russell) bent on his destruction. Amid the showoff fireworks of summer, delicate feelings are being transacted in “Amziah King,” a film that celebrates the small things that count. Alright, alright, alright.
“The End of Oak Street”
It’s been quite the year for Anne Hathaway. After “Mother Mary,” “The Devil Wears Prada II” and “The Odyssey,” she ends the summer with a film that takes place in a quiet 1980s suburban neighborhood. The mother (Hathaway) is thinking of leaving her husband (Ewan McGregor) and children (Christian Convery and Maisy Stella) to start again. And then, bada boom, director David Robert Mitchell (“It Follows”) zaps the family into prehistoric times when dinosaurs roam the earth determined to hunt down and kill this brood. There’s a metaphor for togetherness here and Hathaway, bless her, isn’t afraid to take it on.
August 28
“The Dog Stars”
Pups are always a good way to end a movie season. Throw in” Frankenstein” Oscar nominee Jacob Elordi and Thanos himself Josh Brolin and you have a starry post-apocalyptic thriller about a devastating flu pandemic that has near eradicated humanity. Directed by the great Ridley Scott (except for the godawful “Gladiator 2”), and based on the 2012 novel by Peter Hell, the film casts Elordi as a dog-loving civilian pilot and Brolin as a hardened ex-marine, both looking for signs of life. But there’s always a but; the end of August is where bad movies go to die. You probably don’t remember Austin Butler in Darren Aronofsky’s “Caught Stealing,” the August box-office bomb that played taps for summer 2025. My point exactly. Let’s end on a note of optimism—there’s always fall.