When the mercury begins to rise, just beeline to the nearest air-conditioned theater, prop up your feet, and enjoy the show
It’s a bird, it’s a plane. Nope, it’s just another sequel! Reboots and remakes are always the name of the summer game, but this year, we also have a ton of family friendly flicks, raunchy comedies, indie gems, and horror thrills to look forward to. Head under the sea for some live-action magic, bear witness to a clash of robotic titans, and then embark on a Mattel doll’s existential journey to self-discovery. This blockbuster lineup of new summer movies in 2023 has a popcorn flick for everyone.
New Summer Movies in 2023 for Families
The Little Mermaid
She wanted to be part of this world, and now she is … again. That’s right, the ocean’s most curious little mermaid, Ariel, is headed for land, in the flesh. Rob Marshall’s starry remake is the latest Disney classic to get the live-action treatment. Ariel’s human form takes shape in R&B newcomer Halle Bailey, with her fishy friends voiced by Daveed Diggs and Jacob Tremblay, and octo-nemesis Ursula coming to life through Melissa McCarthy.
Catch it in theaters on May 26
Spider-Man Across the Spider-Verse
The first Afro Latino Spider-Man, Miles Morales took the classic comic to new heights, flaunting his acrobatic prowess in vivid stepped animation. But after his introduction to the Multiverse in 2011, fans were left salivating for an encore. Come next month, they’ll get what they crave: Miles taking on more Multiverse turmoil with his adolescent baggage in tow, of course. Upping the ante, however, are six different animation styles and a whole new cast including Issa Rae and Daniel Kaluuya.
Catch it in theaters on June 2
Transformers: Rise of the Beasts
Set in 1994, the seventh installment of the Cybertron universe is a follow-up to 2018’s Bumblebee and a tribute to Hasbro’s Beast Wars. In the Heights star Anthony Ramos is in the driver’s seat; he plays Noah Diaz, an ex-military electronics expert who finds himself at the center on an intergalactic war with animalistic robots. He’s joined by Swarm’s Dominique Fishback, former SNL alum Pete Davidson, and the newly crowned Best Actress, Michelle Yeoh. So here’s hoping there’s oomph behind the action.
Catch it in theaters on June 9
Elemental
Ready for a little Pixar therapy? The studio’s next foray into abstract characters takes on the four elements of matter: fire, water, earth, and air. But don’t worry, that’s about the extent of grade-school science knowledge required for enjoying this family-friendly flick. The story belongs to Ember and Wade, an aptly named firecracker, and her new go-with-the-flow buddy. Though they’ve always been told elements don’t mix, the pair eventually learn they have more in common than they think.
Catch it in theaters on June 16
The Flash
The Flash, a 20-something speedster in a red suit, gets his own DC origin film. Directed by It’s Andy Muschietti and written by Birds of Prey’s Christina Hodson, the film introduces Barry Allen, spinning a yarn about how messing with the past can royally screw up the future. But before you book a ticket, know that the actor behind the mask is Ezra Miller, one of Hollywood’s most troubled actors. If you, like Warner Bros., are willing to give Miller another shot, then The Flash might be your next move.
Catch it in theaters on June 16
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny
Get ready to have “Bumbumbumbum bumbumbum” living rent-free in your head again, because everyone’s favorite dashing adventurer over 50 is back with another bold ancient mystery to unfold. For this chapter, James Mangold is at the helm, with old-guard Harrison Ford manning the whip. Rounding out the cast are Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Mads Mikkelsen, and Antonio Banderas. And for you loyalists, yes, Steven Spielberg is on also board (as an executive producer), giving his rare stamp of approval.
Catch it in theaters on June 30
Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken
DreamWorks gets in on the action with this summer movie in 2023 with a fish-out-of-water tale voiced by familiar names including Lana Condor, Toni Collette, and Jane Fonda. About a shy teenage kraken whose heritage lies in royalty, the story follows Ruby through the halls of Oceanside High as she tries to fit in. Of course, it’s only once she embraces her roots that everyone grows to love her. Go ahead, say it; we know you want to: Unleash the Kraken, Ruby!
Catch it in theaters on June 30
Haunted Mansion
Though Eddie Murphy navigated the haunted corridors of a creepy old Victorian mansion decades ago, this Disney escapade has no relation. Featuring an entirely different cast and story, Haunted Mansion takes inspiration from the popular amusement ride, its musical audio and décor translating well to the screen. Rosario Dawson stars as a single mom who enlists help to exorcise her new home. And in the skilled hands of Dear White People’s Justin Simien, why even bother with insurance?
Catch it in theaters on July 28
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem
Nickelodeon is beckoning your little ones’ favorite sewer-dwelling powerhouses out from the underground and into the Big Apple for some mutant mayhem and, of course, slices of pizza. Written by “permanent teenagers” Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg, and Jeff Rowe, this reboot has LOL written all over it for the kids, as well as the adults in the room whose childhood beds were covered in cowabunga linens featuring the heroes in a half-shell.
Catch it in theaters on August 4
Gran Turismo
Based on a true story, Gran Turismo rides shotgun with a teen whose skills with a video game controller land him behind the wheel of a professional race car. It’s an interesting fast-and-furious choice for director Neill Blomkamp, who wowed audiences with his 2009 feature debut, District 9. See’s Archie Madekwe stars, with Stanger Things’ David Harbour and Pirates’ Orlando Bloom costarring. May the G-force be with them all.
Catch it in theaters on August 4
Strays
Dogs say the darndest things in this comedy from the writer of American Vandal and the director of Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar. Will Ferrell voices Reggie, a border terrier who’s only recently gone off the leash, with Sofia Vergara, Jamie Foxx, and Randall Park lending their voices to an adorable pack. But cuteness overload ends there: These profane pups are on a mission to make sure Reggie’s bad owner never leaves the dog house again.
Catch it in theaters on August 18
Blue Beetle
Cobra Kai’s Xolo Maridueña gets lead superhero status in a popcorn movie that not only delivers on the thrills but celebrates Latino culture. He plays Jaime Reyes, a recent college grad who starts to bug out when a techno-beetle claims him as its host, thus turning him into the Blue Beetle. Affiliated with the Justice League and Teen Titans, the superbug has abilities beyond imagination, but in the wrong hands, could destroy the world.
Catch it in theaters on August 18
New Summer Movies in 2023 for Adults
Fast X
If you’ve dedicated the last 20 years to Vin Diesel’s Dom Toretto eluding physics and racing foes in supped-up muscle cars, then we’re not really talking to you. Your ticket’s already bought. For everyone else, there’s a reason this revenge saga still has gas in the tank. Not after awards street cred, Fast X is an absurd watch that will make you laugh, roll your eyes, and then laugh some more, in the best way. Also: Brie Larson costars.
Catch it in theaters on May 19
You Hurt My Feelings
In 2013, director Nicole Holofcener and actor Julia Louis-Dreyfus gifted us with Enough Said, a winsome midlife romance better than most modern rom-com movies. Fast-forward an entire decade, and the duo has teamed up again for another cinematic gem. This one, an honest and honestly hilarious peek into a marriage rattled by an innocent untruth, is more finessed observational storytelling from two of the most brilliant women working in the film industry today.
Catch it in theaters on May 26
Past Lives
In a directorial debut that had Sundance festivalgoers and film critics alike marveling, Celine Song borrows from her own life to tell the story of Nora and Hae Sung, kindred spirits who reunite later in life after being kept apart by time and distance. The indie was produced by visionary arthouse studio A24, so you know it has style and stars Russian Doll’s Greta Lee, so you know you’ll be moved. We recommend keeping the tissues on your person for this one.
Catch it in theaters on June 2
The Blackening
Tropes are oxygen in the horror genre. So anytime a film has the ability to turn them inside out—The Cabin in the Woods, A Quiet Place, Emergency—we take note. The latest, called The Blackening and directed by Barbershop’s Tim Story, invites a group of seven friends to spend Juneteenth camping remotely while a serial killer evens a score. A clever mix of comedy and horror, this slasher works to expel the tired trope of the Black character being the first to die in a scary movie.
Catch it in theaters on June 16
Asteroid City
Wes Anderson can always be counted on for a singular watch. Even though his resume is brimming with films that all share his distinct style, each one is its own world, its own universe even. So, expect the same meticulously created design with Asteroid City. Starring Anderson vets like Jason Schwartzman and Tilda Swinton, and newbies like Tom Hanks and Maya Hawke, the film, elevated by a celestial palette of blues and yellows, is set in 1955 at a Stargazer convention and possibly the epicenter of doomsday.
Catch it in theaters on June 23
No Hard Feelings
A husband, a baby, and a serious indie under her belt in the last five years—we’re ready for J-Law to just let go and tap into her goofy side again. Luckily, No Hard Feelings is just around the bend. From the guy behind Bad Teacher, The Office, and Good Boys, this naughty comedy sees Lawrence playing a hottie hired by a 19-year-old’s parents to help their introverted son emerge from his cocoon. Raunch, slapstick, F-bombs: This summer movie for 2023 earns its R rating.
Catch it in theaters on June 23
Insidious: The Red Door
You only thought the book was closed on the horrifying saga of The Further unleashed by James Wan back in 2010. The star of the series, Patrick Wilson, takes the baton from Wan to direct himself in the latest terrifying chapter. Costar Rose Byrne and writer Leigh Whannell also return for the screamer, which picks up 10 years later, with Dalton heading off to college and his father working through visits from repressed demons.
Catch it in theaters on July 7
Joy Ride
The journey to self-discovery knows no bounds. Taking a route off the beaten path, and littered with foul language, four Asian American friends head east to help one of them find her birth mother. Bonding, breakthroughs, and blunders are aplenty, but the pals at the core of Adele Lim’s winning comedy are the real gems: From Emily in Paris’s Ashely Park to Everything Everywhere All at Once’s Stephanie Hsu, there’s major star power and brilliant humor coming at you all at once.
Catch it in theaters on July 7
Mission Impossible – Dead Reckoning, Part One
With Tom Cruise as the screen’s most famous international spy and madcap daredevil, Ethan Hunt, apparently no mission is impossible. Up next on his never-ending to-do list: Push all the limits and hopefully save mankind … again. Action auteur Christopher McQuarrie, who directed the previous two missions, takes the reins for another go, with Vanessa Kirby, Simon Pegg, and Ving Rhames also along for another wild ride.
Catch it in theaters on July 12
Theater Camp
Not just for Broadway nerds, Theater Camp is a stage comedy starring seasoned performers Ben Platt and Molly Gordon as drama instructors at an upstate New York theater camp on the verge of expulsion. The idea for the film spawned from the actors’ much-loved short film parody of the same name, which had viewers in stitches right at the start of the pandemic. A mockumentary that lives somewhere between Wet Hot American Summer and Waiting for Guffman, Theater Camp deserves its round of applause.
Catch it in theaters on July 14
Barbie
Greta Gerwig and crew have tried to keep the plot of their blushing comedy under wraps, but after two trailers, a slew of character posters, and CinemaCon reactions, here’s what we know: When Barbie (Margot Robbie) is booted out of Barbie Land because of her imperfections, she and Ken (Ryan Gosling) head to the real world for an existential adventure. There are dance numbers, shattered plastic dreams, and female empowerment themes unraveling through a neon-soaked reel. It’s going to be fun, fun, fun.
Catch it in theaters on July 21
Oppenheimer
The maestro of mind-benders, Christopher Nolan is dropping another epic on fans this summer. Oppenheimer, a riveting exploration of the enigma behind the atomic age, chronicles the role of J. Robert Oppenheimer, a.k.a. the father of the atomic bomb. Fusing genius with moral dilemma into one highly anticipated blockbuster, the film stars Cillian Murphy, with fellow familiar faces Matt Damon, Emily Blunt, Florence Pugh, and Robert Downey Jr.
Catch it in theaters on July 21
Talk to Me
Sleepover games like Light as a Feather, Stiff as a Board have nothing on Talk to Me. Another slick A24 production, this supernatural thriller watches brave souls make un-nice with spirits beyond the grave. Their portal? An embalmed hand. The rules? Light a candle, get a good grip, then say those titular three words. Stuffed to the gills with truly disturbing imagery, this summer movie for 2023 might just be for parents’ night out only. Viewer discretion is advised.
Catch it in theaters on July 28
Meg 2: The Trench
Summer wouldn’t be summer without a water-soaked romp with a razor-toothed shark. And because bigger and better is, well, better in practice, The Meg is returning with a sequel to its 2018 box-office hit about a mega-Jaws out for blood. Yes, bankable action star Jason Statham will be the man taking on the beast, but perhaps the most interesting bit of news is the thriller’s director—Ben Wheatley, the convention-defying helmer behind indie gems Kill List, Sightseers, and High-Rise.
Catch it in theaters on August 4
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