Forget the weather! This summer is already heating up with some of the films set to be released this year. From the moment the live-action Little Mermaid trailer dropped, it was all anyone could talk about, and seeing America’s favorite couple, Barbie and Ken, on the big screen sparked our excitement for Barbie.
And of course, we can’t forget Tom Cruise, who always delivers when it comes to Mission: Impossible stunts. With all the different genres represented in this summer lineup, there’s something for everyone, so check out Shondaland’s list of anticipated films for the summer.
White Men Can’t Jump — May 19
A remake of the 1992 sports-comedy film, White Men Can’t Jump follows two streetballers, played by Jack Harlow and Sinqua Walls, who con their way through basketball challenges by tricking their opponents into thinking that Harlow’s character can’t play basketball. This film will be Jack Harlow’s first acting role, so fans will have to tune in on May 19 to see if he can act as well as he raps.
Fast X — May 19
The 10th installment of the Fast & Furious franchise promises to be another exciting car adventure film featuring the beloved characters we’ve come to know and love. Dom (Vin Diesel) and his family are up against a new foe, Dante (Jason Momoa), who is out for revenge against his father’s enemies. Dante is a formidable opponent, and we can’t wait to see the epic showdown.
The Little Mermaid — May 26
A live-action remake of the animated film, The Little Mermaid tells the story of Ariel (Halle Bailey), an inquisitive and vibrant mermaid curious about the world beyond the sea. Upon venturing into the world outside the sea, she meets and falls in love with a young royal, Prince Eric. When an evil witch, Ursula, offers her a deal to become human, Ariel’s life is forever changed. The film is a dream come true for little girls everywhere.
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse — June 2
We fell in love with our first-ever Afro-Latino superhero, Miles Morales, when the first Spiderverse film, Into the Spider-Verse, debuted in 2018. Now, we get to see even more of Miles in the sequel. In this film, Miles teams up again with his best friend and love interest, Gwen Stacy, to save the world from a new villain, the Spot, bent on destroying the world. Miles and Gwen journey through the multiverse and meet other spider-people as they figure out how to protect everyone from the new threat.
Transformers: Rise of the Beasts — June 7
Set in the ’90s, the newest installment in the Transformers franchise introduces a new set of Transformers, who join the battle between the Autobots and Decepticons as they try to stop the destruction of the world once again. Starring Anthony Ramos and Dominique Fishback, the film features an all-star cast to bring the robots to life, including Peter Dinklage, Michelle Yeoh, and Pete Davidson.
The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster — June 9
What human problem would you cure if you could? Well, in this film, Vicaria (Laya DeLeon Hayes), a brilliant young girl who witnesses the death of her mother and her brother, sets out to cure death. Yeah, that’s right, death! Against all odds, she succeeds, but things quickly take a dark turn when her reanimated brother begins to terrorize Vicaria and her community.
The Blackening — June 16
The Blackening is a movie that will make you laugh and also send shivers down your spine. It follows a group of friends who decide to spend their Juneteenth weekend at a cabin in the woods. However, things take a turn for the worse when they realize that they have a masked killer on their hands. What makes this horror movie different is that it puts a hilarious spin on the fact that Black people have often been the first to die in horror films. The killer is not just randomly choosing his victims but is judging them on their degree of Blackness. This leads to some hilarious and ridiculous situations as the characters try to prove how “Black” they are to avoid being killed.
Anthem — June 2023
In this new film, acclaimed composer Kris Bowers (Bridgerton, When They See Us, King Richard) and Grammy-winning music producer DJ Dahi (Travis Scott, Kendrick Lamar, Drake) unite to reimagine “The Star-Spangled Banner,” infusing musical elements across the world to create a modern version of the song reflective of our world today.
Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One — July 12
Spy agent Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise), along with his crew, is back again on another mission to save the world. We’re used to Cruise performing his own stunts, like riding a motorcycle off a cliff or jumping out of an airplane, so we’re excited to see what daredevil stunts he will attempt in this new film. If you’re as excited as we are to see Cruise on the big screen, check out the film when it drops on July 12.
Oppenheimer — July 21
During World War II, America dropped the world’s first atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, two cities in Japan, as retaliation for attacking Pearl Harbor. Oppenheimer follows J. Robert Oppenheimer, the man behind the creation of the bomb. Though praised for his accomplishment, Oppenheimer was known to be conflicted about creating a weapon of destruction and opposed using nuclear weapons later in life. The film is directed by Christopher Nolan and features a talented cast, such as Cillian Murphy, Emily Blunt, and Matt Damon, and we’re in for a cinematic experience when it opens in theaters.
They Cloned Tyrone — July 21
Premiering at the American Black Film Festival (ABFF), They Cloned Tyrone is a Netflix film starring John Boyega, Jamie Foxx, and Teyonah Parris. The science-comedy film follows the group as they discover a series of eerie events that lead them on a trail of government conspiracies and unorthodox research on Black bodies.
Stephen Curry: Underrated — July 21
Here comes the story of Stephen Curry, lauded as one of the greatest basketball players of all time. This feature documentary, which combines archival footage with on-camera interviews, showcases Curry as he grows from an undervalued college player at a small Division I school to a four-time NBA champion and two-time NBA MVP who helped build one of the sport’s most prolific dynasties.
Barbie — July 21
“She’s everything, and he’s just Ken” is our new slogan for this film! The moment the teaser trailer dropped, fans were excited about this live-action fantasy film and went wild for the Barbie selfie generator. Starring Margot Robbie, Ryan Gosling, Issa Rae, Simu Liu, and others, this movie is a star-studded film that will have our eyes glued to the big screen when it premieres on July 21.
Haunted Mansion — July 28
Inspired by the classic theme park attraction, Haunted Mansion is about a woman (Rosario Dawson) and her son who recruit an eclectic group of people, including a tour guide, a psychic, a priest, and a historian, to exorcize their home of supernatural ghosts in their newly bought mansion. The film also features Jared Leto, LaKeith Stanfield, Tiffany Haddish, and Owen Wilson.
Blue Beetle — August 18
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We can’t wait for the release of Blue Beetle! The trailer gave us goosebumps, and we’re sure DC fans will be thrilled to see the story of Jaime Reyes come to life on the big screen. After Jaime receives a mysterious box containing a scarab shortly after graduating from college, his life is forever changed as he becomes a beetle with superpowers and embarks on a journey filled with adventure and unexpected turns.
Oyinda is a Nigerian-born freelance writer whose work has been featured in Byrdie, Blavity, and Medium. She can talk for hours about her favorite TV shows. You can find her on Twitter and Instagram.
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