Summer cinema traditionally brings Hollywood’s biggest gambles to the big screen – larger budgets, grander visions, major stars, and higher risks. This year’s slate includes expected heavy-hitters like Spider-Man, Minions, Star Wars and Toy Story films. However, the season’s most anticipated release draws from a 3,000-year-old ancient Greek tale.
Director Christopher Nolan views “The Odyssey,” arriving in theaters July 17, as more than just another project – he considers it the ultimate story that warranted the full force of modern filmmaking technology and resources.
“There’s a massive amount of pressure,” Nolan told The Associated Press. “Anyone taking on ‘The Odyssey’ is taking on the hopes and dreams of people for epic movies everywhere and that comes with a huge responsibility.”
The pressure feels familiar to the filmmaker who previously helmed three Batman movies. “What I learned from that experience is that what people want from a movie about a beloved story, a beloved set of characters, is they want a strong and sincere interpretation,” Nolan said. “They want to know that a filmmaker has gone to the mat for it. I really tried to make the best film possible.”
Following “Oppenheimer’s” nearly billion-dollar success three years ago, “The Odyssey” promises epic battles, mythological beings, supernatural creatures and an ensemble cast featuring Matt Damon, Anne Hathaway, Zendaya and Tom Holland. The production marks the first film captured entirely using IMAX cameras. Advanced ticket sales for premium IMAX 70mm screenings sold out within an hour, despite being available a full year ahead of release.
Unlike “Oppenheimer,” this epic will run shorter – three hours represents the maximum runtime possible for IMAX projection equipment. “It’s an epic film, as the subject matter demands,” Nolan said. “But it is shorter.”
While Hollywood no longer reserves all its biggest releases exclusively for warmer months, the 18-week period from early May through Labor Day remains crucial for the industry, generating approximately 40% of annual ticket sales. Since the pandemic began, this period has exceeded $4 billion only once, in 2023.
Marvel typically launches the summer season, but last year Disney contacted director David Frankel when “Avengers: Doomsday” faced delays: Could “The Devil Wears Prada 2” open the season instead?
The May 1 release date coincides with Met Gala timing and provides extended theatrical run potential, Frankel reasoned. The accelerated timeline meant completing production just weeks before release, but enthusiasm from fans photographing Anne Hathaway and Meryl Streep on New York streets, plus Anna Wintour’s support, provided motivation.
Beyond renewed “Prada” affection, the media landscape has transformed dramatically over two decades, with print magazines facing extinction. “How does Miranda Priestly deal with this changing world and what’s her future?” Frankel said. “The same with Andy Sachs: If all your ambition has been funneled in this one direction, what happens when you have to pivot and how do you adapt?”
The film industry faces its own adaptation challenges. Box office revenue remains more than 20% below pre-COVID levels. Streaming growth, pandemic impacts and altered release schedules have potentially permanently changed audience viewing habits. A potential Paramount-Warner Bros. merger could reduce major studio competition.
Despite challenges, James Cameron maintains optimism. “We still have a very robust theatrical industry at a time when it was kind of almost pronounced dead,” Cameron said.
Encouraging signs include studios committing to longer exclusive theater runs, original content and premium formats attracting audiences, and continued global market expansion.
Cameron contributes to theater-exclusive experiences with a 3D Billie Eilish concert film arriving May 8. Using innovative technology, 17 camera systems captured four Manchester performances from last year. “Seeing it in 3D is astonishing,” Cameron said. “You really feel an intimacy with her and yet you feel the scale of the spectacle.”
Universal’s summer roster includes another cinema legend: Steven Spielberg returns to familiar territory with “Disclosure Day” on June 12. Superhero offerings include “Supergirl” (June 26), which DC Studios co-head Peter Safran describes as “something cool and original and we haven’t seen before,” and “Spider-Man: Brand New Day” (July 31). The previous Spider-Man film earned over $1.9 billion but concluded with Holland’s Peter Parker erasing himself from everyone’s memory.
“This is a blockbuster action movie with all the humor and emotion we love about Spider-Man,” director Destin Daniel Cretton said. “But at its heart, it’s a story about learning how to reconnect with the ones you love.”
Family-friendly PG-rated content has gained significant influence recently. Summer offerings include “Toy Story 5” (June 19), “Minions & Monsters” (July 1) and live-action “Moana” (July 10), each potentially reaching billion-dollar earnings.
“The Sheep Detectives” (May 8) represents non-franchise family entertainment, featuring animal characters voiced by Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Bryan Cranston investigating their beloved owner’s death (Hugh Jackman). Writer Craig Mazin acknowledges the challenge of numerous inferior talking animal films, but insists this differs from simple comedic animal antics.
“There are some really beautiful moments and themes and things that parents can talk about with their kids,” Mazin said. “And most importantly, it is legitimately a movie that is meant for everyone.”
“Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu” (May 22) carries PG-13 rating but features an irresistibly adorable alien character. It joins several productions designed specifically for IMAX presentation.
“People have got great TVs at home,” said director Jon Favreau. “You’ve got to give them a reason to go out.”
Horror continues attracting studio investment with both franchise entries like “Evil Dead Burn” (July 10) and “Insidious: Out of the Further” (Aug. 21), plus independent offerings including conversion therapy horror “Leviticus,” “Rose of Nevada” (both June 19), “Backrooms” (May 29) and Jane Schoenbrun’s “Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma” (Aug. 7).
“Scary Movie 6” (June 5) reunites Regina Hall and Anna Faris with franchise creators Marlon and Shawn Wayans, absent since the 2001 sequel. Recent films provide abundant parody material including “M3GAN,” “Get Out,” “Weapons,” “Michael,” and “Sinners,” with Marlon Wayans particularly excited about the latter.
“Mockery is the greatest form of flattery,” Wayans said. “Sending up their movie was definitely tipping our hat to them.”
Audiences seek content beyond established brands and blockbusters. This year viewers have already demonstrated willingness to attend when excitement builds, whether for crowd-pleasers like “Project Hail Mary” or challenging fare like “The Drama.”
Olivia Wilde’s “The Invite” (June 26) shows breakthrough potential – a chamber dramedy following two contrasting couples (Wilde, Seth Rogen, Penélope Cruz and Edward Norton) through one wine-fueled evening that sparked competitive bidding at Sundance Film Festival. Wilde appreciated that most studios offered theatrical releases, ultimately selecting A24, which even produced a 35mm print.
“The whole project for me is really tipping my hat to Mike Nichols,” Wilde said. “We thought of the audiences that have always loved those films.”
Additional independent and original options throughout summer include Daniel Roher’s “Tuner” about a piano prodigy turned safecracker, Boots Riley’s colorful shoplifting story “I Love Boosters” (both May 22), John Carney’s musical featuring Paul Rudd (“Power Ballad,” June 5) and David Wain’s wholesome yet raunchy comedy “Gail Daughtry and the Celebrity Sex Pass” (July 10).
As Wilde noted, space exists for both original content and established franchises. “The audience really likes to recognize risk,” she said. “There’s something exciting about that.”
