This summer will be packed with a wide variety of options for moviegoers of every genre preference. While a large portion of them are action thrillers, some groundbreaking dramas and comedies will also dominate theaters. Here is a preview of movies we can look forward to.
Ironman 3
May 3
Set in the aftermath of The Avengers, Ironman 3 will boast lots of explosions, hand-to-hand combat and an introspective and troubled Robert Downey, Jr. as Tony Stark. With no end to the Marvel Comics movie franchise in sight, this movie could determine the box office fate for all the avengers.
The Great Gatsby
May 10
Riding on suspense built from its postponed Christmas Day release, Baz Luhrmann’s vibrantly modernized Gatsby will likely be this summer’s defining movie experience. Featuring an unexpected, yet tantalizing soundtrack with songs by Lana Del Rey and André 3000 and an iconic A-list cast, the real question is whether it will live up to the hype.
Star Trek Into Darkness
May 17
After reinvigorating the Star Trek franchise in 2009 with a gritty, youthful reboot, director J.J. Abrams returns for its sequel Star Trek Into Darkness. The new cast – including Zachary Quinto, Chris Pine and Zoe Saldana – all return in this space blockbuster. Benedict Cumberbatch, from the acclaimed series “Sherlock,” has been cast as the villain in what promises to be another heart-pounding thriller.
This is the End
June 12
We’ve all grown to love the quirky and hilarious characters that Seth Rogan and his gang created over the years. In This is the End, they all play fictionalized versions of themselves in an apocalypse story that promises to be funny, satirical and absolutely bonkers. Oh, Emma Watson is in it too.
Man of Steel
June 14
While superhero movies have been steadily rising in popularity over the past five years, the Superman franchise has struggled. The last attempt at reinvigorating the series was the failed 2006 film Superman Returns. This summer’s Man of Steel gives Superman a fresh start and will explore the origins of Clark Kent with a star-studded cast including Diane Lane, Kevin Costner and Amy Adams.
Monsters University
June 21
As the prequel to Monsters Inc., adorability expectations are high for Monsters University, which tells the story of how Mike and Sully’s unforgettable partnership came to be in college. While chances of a Boo comeback seem pretty slim, the movie promises to maintain Disney/Pixar’s common practice of endearing intricacy. The film has a hilarious website imitating a real college called monstersuniversity.com.
Elysium
Aug. 9
In 2009, Neill Blomkamp made a big splash with his allegorical sci-fi District 9. Not only did it gross an impressive $115 million at the box office, it was also nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards. Blomkamp’s follow up, Elysium, looks to be another attempt to combine biting social commentary with epic, sci-fi spectacle.