It’s almost summer (finally), and you know what that means. Time for the movies with the biggest stars, and the biggest budgets to blow us away with their special effects. The sweltering summer months are the perfect time to kill a few hours in an air conditioned theatre watching a mindless action movie, or a star studded comedy. And that’s exactly what the studios are counting on. Here is our list of this year’s biggest summer blockbusters.
Godzilla (May 16, 2014)
A reboot of the original Godzilla series, this version tells the origins of Godzilla in contemporary times. Starring up-and-comers Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Elizabeth Olsen, as well as Bryan Cranston, the acting definitely won’t fall by the wayside in comparison to the special effects. But it is the title monster everyone wants to see. Even though this is more of a spring release, it is sure to stay strong through the summer months, as it made $9.3 million at late night screenings the day before its release, alone.
X-Men: Days of Future Past (May 23, 2014)
The seventh installment in Marvel’s X-Men franchise is about as star-studded as it gets. With James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, and Jennifer Lawrence all reprising their roles as Professor X, Magneto, and Mystique, respectively, this X-Men is guaranteed to be even better than the last. Mutants from the past are returning, and new mutants are popping up, making Days of Future Past a complicated cross-section of Marvel’s still ongoing X-Men comic book franchise. This is director, Bryan Singer’s fourth X-Men movie, so he must know what he’s doing.
Transformers: Age of Extinction (June 27, 2014)
Star Shia LaBeouf has been replaced by Mark Wahlberg in the fourth Transformers film, and it could be a good thing, or it could make no difference whatsoever. If the trailer is any indication, the special effects and action scenes are what make the film worth seeing. Director, Michael Bay is the king of summer action movies, so this should be no exception. Another plus is the Dinobots will finally be making an appearance. Maybe the new cast will give the franchise a reboot, and the Transformers will live on.
22 Jump Street (June 12, 2014)
The sequel to 2012’s 21 Jump Street, brings back the bromantic combination of Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum to go undercover as college students. They’re assignment is to bring down another secret drug ring (I guess there are a lot of those). The first film was a huge success, so hopefully 22 Jump Street doesn’t recycle the same jokes, and can stand on its own. We don’t need another sequel fail like Hangover 2 on our hands.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (August 8, 2014)
Megan Fox might not be in Transformers anymore, but she found her way into another live action big screen adaptation of a cartoon from the 80s. Alien turtles aren’t your typical superhero, but the nostalgia will probably propel this film towards top box office numbers. It will be interesting to see how the CGI turtles turn out. Also it’s produced by Michael Bay’s production company, so the action scenes will be front and center.
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (July 11, 2014)
This summer is clearly the summer of reboots and sequels, and this film is both of those things. With a new cast consisting of Gary Oldman and Keri Russell, and the return of Andy Serkis to bring the lead ape, Ceasar, to life, this is another one that will be all about the special effects. It has been awhile since the last Planet of the Apes movie, but it will be interesting to see how the story continues to lead up to the events of the original Planet of the Apes from 1968.
Jupiter Ascending (July 18, 2014)
Channing Tatum is a huge star right now, so it is only fitting that he would get his very own sci-fi summer blockbuster. Add in Mila Kunis to attract male audiences, and you have the perfect combination for a mid-summer release. This is the only movie on this list that isn’t a sequel or a reboot of an existing franchise, so it has to work even harder to get attention, but it’s star power and unique story line should give it an edge for audiences who want to see something other than superhero and monster movies.
