Already, 2023 has been just an absurd year for movies. We’ve already seenThe Super Mario Bros. Moviedominate the box office, sequels that expand their respective universes in fascinating ways, likeCreed III,John Wick Chapter 4, andScream VI, and whateverBeau Is Afraidis. But the first few months of 2023 have nothing on this summer, which is jam-packed with blockbusters, Oscar-potential dramas, and some of the best independent films of the year. Hell, this summer is even giving us the cinematic face-off that isBarbievs.Oppenheimer— Whoever Wins, We…Win.
As we prepare for the cinematic insanity that will be this summer, let’s take a look at 52 of our most anticipated films to come out from May to August.
RELATED:The 100 Most Anticipated Films of 2023
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3- May 5
It’s rare for anything in the Marvel Cinematic Universe to conclude. Even death doesn’t have to mean the end in the MCU, with multiverses, quantum realms, and all matter of other workarounds. ButGuardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3is being billed as the final adventure for Marvel’s galactic defenders, leaving many to wonder if this could mean goodbye, or even the death, of some of this universe’s most iconic characters. Would Marvel have the audacity to kill Rocket, even after exploring his origins in this film? Could Groot go back to a sapling? Is Chris Pratt simply too busy voicingeverycharacter to continue as Star-Lord? We’ll have to wait to see, but one thing seems certain: this will likely be the last Marvel film from writer-directorJames Gunn, who will be moving on as the co-chairman and co-CEO of DC Studios. For the Guardians and Gunn,Vol. 3certainly seems to be the last ride for this team.
BlackBerry- May 12
2023 has been the year of biopics centered around unexpected topics, as we’ve already had movies aboutTetrisand shoes withAir, not to mention the Cheetos movie,Flamin' Hot. But the summer begins withBlackBerry, directorMatt Johnson’s look at the rise and fall of the phone brand.Jay Baruchelstars asMike Lazaridis, the founder of BlackBerry, while a baldGlenn HowertonplaysJim Balsillie, the salesman who helped popularize the device. There are plenty of intriguing biopics that have come out this year, butBlackBerryhas thatThe Social Networkfeel to it that could make it the best of them all.
Book Club: The Next Chapter- May 12
In the five years sinceBook Clubbecame a major comedy hit, it’s kind of surprising the importance this film has had in the subsequent years. It seems like every few months now, we’ve got an80 for BradyorMoving Oncoming soon, and it’s pretty awesome that actors likeDiane Keaton,Jane Fonda,Candice Bergen, andMary Steenburgenare still major box-office draws. In the sequelBook Club: The Next Chapter, we see this quartet take their eponymous book club to Italy (as one does), and of course, hijinks ensue.
Fool’s Paradise- May 12
Charlie Day’s directorial debut has been in the works for quite some time, as the untitled film was announced back in 2018, when filming also began. Earlier last year, Day said that he had done some reshoots, was going into final editing, and got some advicefrom formerIt’s Always Sunny in Philadelphiacameo-makerGuillermo del Toro.Formerly titledEl Tonto, which Day also wrote, tells the story of a silent person who accidentally becomes a celebrity and then loses everything. Day’s directorial debut is jam-packed with great actors, including hisIt’s Always SunnyfriendsGlenn HowertonandMary Elizabeth Ellis. It’s been a long time coming, but a Day-directed film sounds like something we all need to see ASAP.
Hypnotic- May 12
We haven’t had a major theatrical action film fromRobert Rodriguezsince 2019’sAlita: Battle Angel, and for his latest, Rodriguez has gone back to a script he originally wrote over 20 years ago withHypnotic.Rodriguez has saidit is “one of my favorite stories,” and called it “like a Hitchcock thriller on steroids.”Hypnoticcertainly looks like a departure from what we expect from a Rodriguez film, as the film followsBen Affleck’s Danny Rourke, a detective who gets caught up in a mystery that includes his missing daughter and a secret government program. Rodriguez and Affleck is an interesting combination, and we’ll see if the writer-director’s latest is worth the decades of excitement he’s brought to the project.
Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie- May 12
DirectorDavis Guggenheimtakes an unflinching look at life with Parkinson’s disease inStill: A Michael J. FoxMovie, which also acts as a biographical look at theBack to the FutureandFamily Tiesstar’s life. Despite the everyday struggles that Fox has to deal with, he remains optimistic and as lively as ever, often attempting to go faster than his body will allow him.Still: A Michael J. Fox Moviesucceeds because of Fox, and it’s hard to not get wrapped up in appreciation for this man, and the nostalgia for all the roles that showed Fox has always been an engaging and wonderful performer. Guggenheim’s approach gives us an even deeper appreciation for Fox as both an actor and an activist.
Fast X- May 19
John Cenabodyslamming a guy through multiple stories of a house.Vin Dieseltaking down two helicopters with nothing more than a car. An insane amount of Oscar winners for any film. Those can all mean one thing: the family is back.Fast X, which features first-timeF&FdirectorLouis LeterrierafterJustin Linleft the project, looks like it could be the most insane film in this series (which is truly saying something), as we meetJason Momoa’s Dante Reyes, the son ofFast Five’s Hernan Reyes, and who was apparently in that film this entire time. But it’s that sort of ridiculousness that makes this one of the most fun franchises ever—an absurd amalgamation of impossible physics, massive stars, and some of the most bonkers ideas ever seen in the movies. We’ll all be living our lives a quarter mile at a time until we can see this tenth installment.
White Men Can’t Jump- May 19
DirectorCalmaticis just working his way through 90s classics, having remadeHouse Partyearlier this year, and now,White Men Can’t Jumponly four months later. Instead ofWesley SnipesandWoody Harrelson, this update gives usAmerican Soul’sSinqua Wallsand the acting debut ofJack Harlow. But likeHouse Party, it’s the supporting cast here that may be even more interesting, as the Hulu film also featuresTeyana Taylor, hot off the Sundance hitA Thousand and One, as well asSpider-Man: Homecoming’sLaura Harrier,Vince Staples, and one of the last performances fromLance Reddickbefore his untimely death in March.
Master Gardener- May 19
In this period of his career,Paul Schraderhas found a mode that works for him and is sticking with it. After the success ofFirst Reformed, and his most recent film, 2021’sThe Card Counter, the trailer forMaster Gardenershould look familiar, asJoel Edgertonstars as Narvel Roth—believe it or not, a master gardener—and another Schrader character looking for redemption from his dark past. Schrader also bringsSigourney Weaverinto his latest tale of quiet, solitude, and violent pasts.
Sanctuary- May 19
What more do you need to know aboutSanctuary, other than that it starsChristopher Abbottas an heir to a hotel empire, who attempts to end his relationship with his dominatrix, played byMargaret Qualley, as they do BDSM battle in a hotel room? Who needs anything more? The first trailer forSanctuarylooks sexy and terrifying in equal measure, and placing Abbott and Qualley at odds with each other in this insane scenario seems like it could make this one of the more intriguing indies coming out early this summer.
