As millions of people feel the excitement of summer vacation, they also feel the same toward the many movies rushing into theaters. As if things were not crazy already, the season starts one week earlier than usual with one of the biggest blockbuster events in recent history.
Marvel Studios kicks off the season as per tradition, this time on April 27 with the release of the highly anticipated “Avengers: Infinity War.”
This film features the original Avengers lineup- along with the Guardians of the Galaxy and practically every superhero introduced in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) movies so far- as they all unite to stop the mad titan Thanos (Josh Brolin) before he gathers the six Infinity Stones and wreaks havoc across the cosmos.
This is an unprecedented feat that no feature-length film has ever attempted before; with nearly 30 stars and 10 years in the making, this is bound to be the movie event of a generation.
Following the reassembly of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, the MCU returns its focus to ex-convict turned hero Scott Lang/Ant-Man (Paul Rudd) as he heads home in “Ant-Man and the Wasp” on July 6. Taking place in the aftermath of “Captain America: Civil War,” Lang’s newfound colleagues Hope Van Dyne/Wasp (Evangeline Lilly) and Dr. Hank Pym (Michael Douglas) also return to help him uncover and protect the Pym family’s scientific secrets.
Marvel Studios might be the dominating force in its genre, but there are other superhero sequels that fans are very excited to see. 20th Century Fox will release “Deadpool 2” on May 18, with Ryan Reynolds reprising his title role from the 2016 runaway hit to deal with mutant soldier Nathan Summers/Cable (Josh Brolin) and the warnings he bears from a dystopian future.
Plus, Pixar’s long overdue sequel “Incredibles 2” arrives July 15, seeing Bob Parr/Mr. Incredible (Craig T. Nelson) as a stay-at-home dad while his wife Helen Parr/Elastigirl (Holly Hunter) is hired by a mysterious CEO (Bob Odenkirk) to headline the next generation of superheroes.
Summer 2018 will also be a memorable season as it features many spin-offs. On May 25, “Solo: A Star Wars Story” will dive into the backstory of smuggler Han Solo (Alden Ehrenreich) and will feature younger versions of other fan-favorite characters from the Star Wars saga, including Lando Calrissian (Donald Glover) and Chewbacca (Joonas Suotamo).
Trading the console for the film projector, “Slender Man” will bring the horror game franchise to the big screen as the titular monster claims woodland-wandering victims starting August 24.
In reboot news, the Ocean’s heist franchise will be the latest male-led series to receive a gender-swap treatment with “Ocean’s 8” (June 8) featuring Sandra Bullock, Cate Blanchett and Helena Bonham Carter.
A remake for the 1987 film “Overboard” is due May 4, with Anna Faris and Eugenio Derbez replacing Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell, respectively.
Original films will be available for viewing this summer as well.
Comedies include “Life of the Party” (May 11), which features Melissa McCarthy as a mother attempting to exit a mid-life crisis. “Sorry to Bother You” (June 29) stars Lekeith Stanfield as a telemarketer who discovers the secret to financial success by disguising his actual voice.
Original horror-thrillers will also be prominent, as “The Meg” (Aug. 10) involves a deep sea rescue of a sunken crew from a giant prehistoric shark called the megalodon.
In the end, superheroes might still dominate cinema through the end of the decade, but there are far more movies to marvel at this summer.
Whether one wants to escape prehistoric danger in “Jurassic World: Lost Kingdom” (June 22), endure chases and thrills in “Mission: Impossible—Fallout” (July 27), or go for another round of musical comedy in “Mama Mia: Here We Go Again!” (July 20), there is bound to be a summer blockbuster for everyone this year.
Sean Coffindaffer, Features Writer
