If climate change gets any more dramatic, the summer movie season is going to start in February. Not that you can really tell the difference anymore.
It used to be a joke that the first weekend in May — May, people! — was the kick-off of the summer movie calendar. And sure enough, this weekend brings the new Marvel “Civil War” extravaganza, as close to a guaranteed blockbuster as we have these days.
But summer has been impatient this year. Along with our unseasonably hot days, Batman, Superman and Deadpool have already swung through the box office, and “The Jungle Book” (opening day, April 15) is racking up summer-like numbers.
So the lines have blurred. But it’s not as though we’ll be running out of movies. This summer is stuffed with sequels and reboots, as the Hollywood studios try to sustain expensive franchises or start new ones.
Sources include everything from video games (“Warcraft”) to animated time-killers you play on your smartphone (“Angry Birds”). Even the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are coming back, which I’m not saying is a sign of the apocalypse from the Book of Revelation, but I’m not saying it’s not, either.
Here’s hoping you like superheroes, aliens and ghostbusters. The calendar that follows can (and will) shift around as the summer rolls on, and don’t forget the Seattle International Film Festival, a giant blow-out of movies, which runs from May 19 to June 12. Let’s look at the big films currently on the schedule:
May 13
“Money Monster.” George Clooney and Julia Roberts lead the cast in this suspense movie about one of those insufferable financial-network hosts taken hostage on live TV. This film sounds like it might be day late and a dollar short after “The Big Short,” but maybe director Jodie Foster will brew up something different.
“Last Days in the Desert.” Ewan McGregor plays Jesus, wandering in the wilderness for (I’m guessing) 40 days and 40 nights. Let’s see what McGregor and director Rodrigo Garcia (“Mother and Daughter”) can add to an oft-told tale.
“The Meddler.” A tour do force part for Susan Sarandon, as a widow too interested in solving other people’s problems, including her daughter’s (Rose Byrne). Two capable actresses there, although director Lorene Scafaria’s previous film was the dire “Seeking a Friend for the End of the World.”
May 20
“The Angry Birds Movie.” Didn’t Alfred Hitchcock already make this movie? This animated film is about the eternal enmity between red birds and pigs, and perhaps how the birds came to be so angry. Side note: Who is going to this?
“Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising.” Even by the standards of raunchy, sloppy comedies, “Neighbors” was lame. So here’s the sequel, as married squares Seth Rogen and Rose Byrne find their serenity challenged by frat boy Zac Efron and sorority sister Chloe Grace Moretz.
“The Nice Guys.” A promising duo, Russell Crowe and Ryan Gosling, play investigators in the sleazy side of 70s L.A. Please let this be as fun as it sounds. This action-comedy comes from “Lethal Weapon” guy Shane Black, who made a kicky directing debut with “Kiss Kiss Bang Bang.”
“A Bigger Splash.” Director Luca Guadagnino made a big impression with his enjoyable and ridiculous “I Am Love” a few years ago, and this drama sounds like more of the same: sexual fireworks on a lush Italian island, with a cast that includes Tilda Swinton, Ralph Fiennes, and Dakota Johnson.
May 27
“X-Men: Apocalypse.” Now that the timeline-universe for this comic-book franchise has been all messed up, I guess this new one will be even harder to sort out than usual. It seems like they keep adding X-Men, too, so good luck keeping that straight, although returning stars Jennifer Lawrence, Michael Fassbender, and James McAvoy will get their share of action.
“Alice Through the Looking Glass.” Tim Burton’s “Alice” movie was a giant hit in 2010, but that’s a pretty long lag time for a sequel. He’s not directing this follow-up, but Mia Wasikowska and Johnny Depp are back, and presumably the film will look just as eye-poppingly weird as the first one.
“Love &Friendship.” The Jane Austen novella “Lady Susan” is adapted by director Whit Stillman (“The Last Days of Disco”), a filmmaker with a witty style as distinctive as Wes Anderson. The lead is a fine witchy role for Kate Beckinsale, ably supported by a top-notch British cast.
June 3
“Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows.” Why were they in the shadows? It seems unfair. But here they are again, still teenage after all these years, and apparently still prepped to fight crime. Not sure if this turns “dark” or “gritty,” but get ready for a generation to have its childhood memories revived.
“Me Before You.” Young love, physical ailments, tragedy—good ingredients for a Young Adult movie, especially with Emilia Clarke (“Game of Thrones”) and Sam Claflin (who deserves a break after surviving the “Hunger Games” and “Hunstman” franchises).
June 10
“The Conjuring 2.” The first one had some nice horror moves, although it was much better when people stopped talking. Director James Wan returns with ghost-hunters Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson, who nose around another haunted house.
“Now You See Me 2.” This sequel to a surprise hit finds another elaborate heist for the gang of illusionists to pull off; Daniel Radcliffe is new to the cast, as a tech wizard (Get it? Wizard?) who hires Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson et al. for a tricky new gig.
“Warcraft.” The popular gaming universe comes to big-screen life in this splashy extravaganza, which Universal is hoping will turn into a movie franchise of “Lord of the Rings” proportions. Note of interest: The director is Duncan Jones, the son of David Bowie and talented creator of “Moon.”
“Maggie’s Plan.” Director Rebecca Miller goes for comedy in this tale of a homewrecker (Greta Gerwig) who plots to get her beau (Ethan Hawke) back together with his ex-wife (Julianne Moore).
June 17
“Finding Dory.” There should be a huge built-up audience for this follow-up movie to the Pixar smash “Finding Nemo.” The vocal talents of Ellen DeGeneres and Albert Brooks are back for more underwater fishiness.
“Central Intelligence.” Real CIA agent Dwayne Johnson teams up with accountant Kevin Hart for some big-time espionage. This has the faint aroma of putting Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny DeVito together, but if it works, it works.
June 24
“Independence Day: Resurgence.” Took a while for a sequel to the wonderfully silly 1996 sci-fi hit, but here’s another alien invasion (without Will Smith this time). Returning cast members like Jeff Goldblum and Bill Pullman are joined by newbies, but everybody must bow before our extraterrestrial overlords.
“Free State of Jones.” A Mississippi farmer (Matthew McConaughey) is not down with the Confederacy, so during the Civil War he wages a rebellion against the rebels. At least this is an offbeat contender in blockbuster season.
July 1
“The BFG.” A much-loved children’s book by Roald Dahl comes to life, with newly-minted Oscar winner Mark Rylance starring as a fairy-tale giant who doesn’t relish eating children. Who’d they dig up to direct this thing? Oh, uh…Steven Spielberg. All right then.
“The Purge: Election Year.” The thriller franchise (which upended the order of things by having a sequel that was far superior to the original film) comes back with Part 3, in which a presidential candidate vows to eliminate the annual day every goes berserk.
“The Legend of Tarzan.” Some ideas never grow old—or do they? There’s some Hollywood anxiety about whether a new Tarzan picture will speak to the kids. At least this isn’t yet another origin story: Tarz (Alexander Skarsgaard) has already relocated to London, but must return to his jungle home for something or other. Margot Robbie and Samuel L. Jackson co-star.
July 8
“Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates.” Zac Efron and Adam DeVine are the title characters, searching online for escorts; Anna Kendrick and Aubrey Plaza are the allegedly lucky ladies.
“The Secret Life of Pets.” What really goes on with our animal companions is exposed in this shocking exposé, with is actually a cartoon from the people who did “Despicable Me.” Voices in include Kevin Hart, Jenny Slate, and Louis CK.
July 15
“Ghostbusters.” A remake of the 1984 hit, but with women in the lead roles. This is progress, I guess. Melissa McCarthy and Kristen Wiig lead the cast, so there must surely be some laughs in there somewhere. (Bill Murray has a small role, too.)
July 22
“Star Trek Beyond.” There are more galaxies to explore, and here’s hoping this galaxy is more interesting than 2013’s “Into Darkness.” The usual crew is back, with Idris Elba as the new villain — we assume he’s the villain, anyway, as actual plot information is closely guarded.
“Ice Age: Collision Course.” The heroes of prehistory return, but this time the epoch is threatened by the arrival of species-obliterating asteroids. I like these animated prehistoric pictures as much as the next guy, but does this sound like a jump-the-shark scenario?
July 29
“Jason Bourne.” Bourne again! You know that “Bourne” movie they did without Matt Damon? Just ignore that, because the star is back, and apparently has regained his memory. New Oscar winner Alicia Vikander joins the series, and director Paul Greengrass returns to the helm.
“Bad Moms.” Three mothers (Mila Kunis, Kristen Bell, and Kathryn Hahn) have had enough, and a naughty rampage is recommended. The directors wrote “The Hangover,” so yeah, that’s probably where this is headed.
“Genius.” Non-blockbuster stuff here, with a study of the famous literary editor Maxwell Perkins (Colin Firth), the man who guided F. Scott Fitzgerald, Ernest Hemingway, and Thomas Wolfe. Interesting idea, but why are all these great American figures played by Brits and Aussies?
August 5
“Suicide Squad.” DC Comics unleashes a ragtag group of troublemakers against the Joker (Jared Leto), in what looks like a pretty berserk comic-book outing. Will Smith and Margot Robbie lead the way, and we may glimpse Ben Affleck’s Batman, too.
“The Founder.” Time for a biopic about Ray Kroc, the man whose business acumen and downright chicanery turned McDonald’s into the future of America. Could be a juicy role for Michael Keaton, but does it come with fries?
August 12
“Pete’s Dragon.” Disney’s gone through the roof with its re-do of “The Jungle Book,” so even a middling Disney title like this has a shot at minting money. Like the 1977 film, it’s a mix of live-action and animation—but what movie isn’t these days? The tale of a boy befriended by a dragon stars Bryce Dallas Howard and Robert Redford.
“Florence Foster Jenkins.” Can’t wait to see what Meryl Streep does with this role, the real-life society lady whose terrible singing voice did not stop her from sharing her “talent” with others. Hugh Grant co-stars.
“Sausage Party.” This animated movie is strictly for adults, and looks into the world of food products who realize their ultimate destiny is to be chopped, boiled, and consumed. The delicious vocal cast includes Seth Rogen, Paul Rudd, Kristen Wiig, Jonah Hill—yeah, pretty much everybody from that group.
“Café Society.” The annual Woody Allen picture (which will open SIFF in May) gets its regular release here, and it sounds like it might be close to the spirit of “Midnight in Paris”: 1930s Hollywood comes alive through the eyes of a newcomer (Jesse Eisenberg); Kristen Stewart and Blake Lively are part of the welcome.
August 19
“Ben-Hur.” Apparently it’s time to re-visit the classic sword-and-sandals epic (the 1959 version swept the Oscars that year), with Jack Huston taking on the old Charlton Heston role in the days of ancient Rome.
“The Space Between Us.” A bit of Young Adult sci-fi here, with a 16-year-old lad raised on Mars journeying to Earth to meet the girl he’s been corresponding with. Asa Butterfield (the kid from “Hugo”) and Britt Robertson (“Mother’s Day”) are the leads.
“Kubo and the Two Strings.” One more animated feature, from the people who did “The Boxtrolls.” This one’s about a boy who must find a samurai to help his town after ancient spirits are set free. Matthew McConaughey and Charlize Theron lead the voice cast.
August 26
“Hands of Stone.” A boxing biopic that focuses on Roberto Duran (Edgar Ramirez) and his tough trainer, Ray Arcel (Robert De Niro, revisiting the haunts of “Raging Bull”). Expect reviewers to say “no mas” a lot.
“Mechanic: Resurrection.” Apparently Jason Statham’s “Mechanic” did well enough to merit this sequel, which has the ice-cold contract killer taking on three new assassinations—but it’s possible that “this time, it’s personal.”
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