Advertisement

arts entertainmentMovies

This summer's big movie themes? Sequels and nostalgia

Nostalgia and sequels are major themes when it comes to this summer's biggest movie releases. We've got sequels to older movies, sequels to newer movies, movies about beloved childhood characters ... but there is also quite a bit of variety, meaning there is probably something coming to theaters that will be up your alley. Here are some highlights.

Breaking In (May 11)

Shaun Russell (Gabrielle Union) reluctantly takes her children to visit her old, secluded home after her father's death. Problem is, there are some men who want to spend some time there, too, and violently try to take what's hers by locking her out. But, as movies would have it, she goes all Mama Bear on them after having to break into her own home to save her children. They say you can't go home again. They, apparently, didn't know about Shaun.

Advertisement

Life of the Party (May 11)

Just like Rodney Dangerfield did a generation ago, Melissa McCarthy is going back to school. After her husband leaves her, Deanna (McCarthy) decides to fulfill her old desire to get a degree. Naturally, she decides to enroll in the same college as her daughter, where plenty of Mother's Day weekend-appropriate antics are sure to ensue.

News Roundups

Catch up on the day's news you need to know.

Or with:

Deadpool 2 (May 18)

The world was caught off-guard by how much money ($363 million domestic!) the original Deadpool movie made when it came out in 2016. The raunchy, ultraviolent superhero comedy broke records by breaking rules (and the fourth wall). Deadpool 2 looks like more of the same, but with a new supergroup (the X-Force) along for the ride.

Advertisement

Solo: A Star Wars Story (May 25)

Most people love cynical space smuggler Han Solo, but the world of Star Wars nerds is anxious to see if his solo outing will be worth the wait. Alden Ehrenreich plays a young Han alongside Donald Glover as a young Lando Calrissian in a sci-fi Western that has had a tumultuous journey through production so far.

Advertisement

Ocean's 8 (June 8)

The distaff addition to the Ocean's franchise is too big to fail. Sandra Bullock plays Debbie Ocean (Danny's sister), who can only dream while she's in jail of a big, fashionable heist during the annual MET Gala. But she's going to need help. Awkwafina, Cate Blanchett, Helena Bonham Carter, Anne Hathaway, Mindy Kaling, Sarah Paulson and Rihanna co-star to help her dream come true. Ours, too.

Won't You Be My Neighbor? (June 8)

The world could use a bit more of Mister Rogers' charm, empathy and kindness. This documentary about the life and career of beloved children's show host Fred Rogers has already received a positive reception at various film festivals.

Incredibles 2 (June 15)

It's been well over a decade since the first Incredibles movie, but the sequel is picking up right where Pixar's beloved superhero family drama left off. If you're not already sold, you should know that a large chunk of the movie seems to involve a superpowered stay-at-home dad attempting to take care of a baby with more powers than he can count.

Advertisement

SuperFly (June 15)

Cult films don't usually call for a remake, especially one that is a 1972 Gordon Parks original with music by Curtis Mayfield. But here we go again: Trevor Jackson (grown-ish) plays Youngblood Priest, who has slick hair and a slick "plan to stick it to the man" and then retire in this crime action drama set in Atlanta. This update of a definitive film of the blaxploitation genre is directed by Director X, with a soundtrack produced by Future (also a co-producer on the film). "Power never stopped a bullet," Priest says in the trailer. It never stopped a remake, either.

Advertisement

Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (June 22)

Your filmmakers were so preoccupied with whether they could make a sequel to Jurassic World, they didn't stop to think if they should. But it's hard to say no to Chris Pratt hanging out with dinosaurs, even if some of those dinos are man-made species determined to kill us all.

Uncle Drew (June 29)

This isn't the first movie based on a character created for an ad campaign. But it's probably the basketballiest. NBA star Kyrie Irving stars as the titular character from the Pepsi ad who was a legend on the court. He's recruited to lead a team in a street ball tournament, but has his own old gang in mind, including Shaquille O'Neal, Reggie Miller, Chris Webber, Nate Robinson and Lisa Leslie. The comedy also features former Carmichael Show co-stars Lil Rel Howery (Get Out) and Tiffany Haddish (Girls Trip) with Nick Kroll (The League) as a rival team owner.

Advertisement

Ant-Man and the Wasp (July 6)

The first Ant-Man caught us off-guard by being a surprisingly charming and funny heist movie based on a little-known superhero. The sequel looks to double down on the appeal of making things both much smaller and much bigger than they usually are, with the added bonus of a flying sidekick (Evangeline Lilly) to prop up Paul Rudd's small-but-mighty heroics.

Advertisement

Hotel Transylvania 3 (July 13)

North Texas native Selena Gomez returns to voice Mavis, the young vampire bride who fell in love with a human the first time out for this franchise helmed by Adam Sandler, who plays Dracula. This time, they're on vacation. Please let this be a mashup with 30 Days of Night.

Mission: Impossible -- Fallout (July 27)

Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) and the gang face more missions, more problems in this next episode in the film series. Why do they keep accepting them? Angela Bassett, Alec Baldwin, Ving Rhames, Simon Pegg, Michelle Monaghan, Wes Bentley and Henry Cavill also star as Hunt faces the fallout (get it) from all the missions he's loved before.

Advertisement

Christopher Robin (Aug. 3)

Winnie-the-Pooh's human best friend (Ewan McGregor) has grown up, had a family, and seems to be beaten down by adult life in a way that too many of us can relate to. This Pooh tale promises to be very different from what you're used to, using live-action and CGI instead of traditional Disney animation.

Advertisement

BlacKkKlansman (Aug. 10)

It's a new Spike Lee Joint, and we all know what he can do with a true story. The first black police detective in Colorado Springs, Colo., answers a recruitment ad and infiltrates the KKK, even becoming a leader. The film is based on the autobiography of Ron Stallworth, portrayed in the film by John David Washington (Denzel's son, Ballers). Harry Belafonte (!), Adam Driver and Topher Grace also star.

Actor Spike Lee attends The Hollywood Reporter's annual 35 Most Powerful People in Media...
Actor Spike Lee attends The Hollywood Reporter's annual 35 Most Powerful People in Media event at The Pool on Thursday, April 12, 2018, in New York.(Evan Agostini / AP)