Credit - Stills: Disney, Universal (2), Sony, Netflix, Warner Bros., Focus, Lionsgate, A24; Source Images: AntonioSolano—Getty Images, Orbon Alija—Getty Images, AegeanBlue/Getty Images, Patchareeporn Sakoolchai—Getty Images, Paolo Graziosi—Getty Images Hollywood's obsession with IP and sequels certainly hasn't gone away, and the upcoming warm months will feature a number of remakes that nobody really asked for. Yet there are quite a few welcome big-budget popcorn flicks coming up: new entries in some of our most successful franchises, likeMission: Impossible, as well as follow-ups to refreshing recent genre movies likeM3GANandNobody. Franchising is a lot easier to stomach when the work feels new—and this summer there's plenty ofnew, both on the studio side and in the indie space. Let's take a look. Abel "The Weeknd" Tesfaye's recent forays into the film and TV world have met with mixed reviews, most notably his central co-writer/co-star role inThe Idol. Now he's teaming up with director Trey Edward Shults for a musical psychological thriller to pair with his album of the same name. The companion piece, which was developed prior to the album, centers on a fictionalized version of Tesfaye facing an obsessed stranger (Jenna Ortega) and a mental breakdown. Almost 14 years have passed since the fifth entry in theFinal Destinationfranchise. But Death is coming for us all, and so is another sequel. The late Tony Todd makes his final on-screen appearance as recurring character William Bludworth in this one, which follows a college student (Kaitlyn Santa Juana) having recurring nightmares about her family's demise—apparently the result of a curse that began when her grandmother averted a tragedy that was meant to occur. You'll never look at family barbecues the same way. This won't necessarily be Tom Cruise's last appearance as IMF spy Ethan Hunt—nor will it be Christopher McQuarrie's last time in the director's chair. But the eighth installment in one of Hollywood's most consistent action franchises is still a culmination, the conclusion to a two-part story that began with 2023'sDead Reckoning. Most of the usual brigade is back, including the last movie's additions: new IMF agent Grace (Hayley Atwell), French assassin Paris (Pom Klementieff), and villainous liaison to the Entity Gabriel (Esai Morales). Disney's latest live-action remake comes courtesy of Dean Fleischer Camp, director ofMarcel the Shell with Shoes On. Chris Sanders, who voiced the furry blue alien in the original, will also voice the CGI alien of the remake, with Maia Kealoha and Sydney Elizebeth Agudong respectively playing Lilo and her older sister Nani. In this take, some of the alien characters—including mad scientist Dr. Jumba Jookiba (Zach Galifianakis) and Agent Pleakley (Billy Magnussen)—will show up in human disguises. Read more:Every Disney Live-Action Remake, Ranked Australian twins Danny and Michael Philippou originally made a name for themselves on YouTube as RackaRacka before graduating to feature films with 2023's deeply disturbingTalk to Me. Next up is their sophomore horror picture, centered on a brother and sister who witness some sort of ritual at the home of their new foster mother (Sally Hawkins). Ralph Macchio is coming off six seasons ofCobra Kai, where he reprised his role as the iconicKarate Kidhero Daniel LaRusso. This movie, which takes place three years after the series, bridges the mainKarate Kid"Miyagi-verse" continuity with the 2010 Jackie Chan remake, creating a new shared universe. Daniel will link up with Mr. Han in New York City to help train kung fu prodigy Li Fong (Ben Wang). Read more:Here's Where Everyone Ends Up After Six Improbably Entertaining Seasons ofCobra Kai Benicio del Toro anchors Wes Anderson's latest comedy, this one a dad-and-daughter story about a wealthy businessman named Zsa-zsa Korda and the nun daughter (Mia Threapleton) he appoints as sole heir to his estate. In addition to Anderson newcomers like Michael Cera and Riz Ahmed, the ensemble features lots of regulars and veterans, including Tom Hanks, Bryan Cranston, Mathieu Amalric, Jeffrey Wright, Richard Ayoade, Scarlett Johansson, Benedict Cumberbatch, and Rupert Friend. Based on the trailer,Successioncreator Jesse Armstrong's latest project looks a lot like his last one. This time, he's teaming up with HBO for a satirical TV movie about four tech giants contending with financial catastrophe while on a boys trip. Steve Carrell, Jason Schwartzman, Ramy Youssef, and Cory Michael Smith star as the slimy billionaires. Set between the third and fourthJohn Wickmovies, this spinoff features Keanu Reeves's iconic assassin in a supporting role, along with returning characters Winston Scott (Ian McShane), Charon (Lance Reddick in his final posthumous screen appearance), and the Director (Anjelica Huston). The title role belongs to Ana de Armas as Eve Macarro, who trains in the traditions of the Ruska Roma and sets off on a revenge mission of her own—to avenge her father. Gabriel Byrne and Norman Reedus play new characters she'll meet along the way. Horror director Mike Flanagan has adapted two of Stephen King's novels in the past (Gerald's GameandDoctor Sleep), but this take on the 2020 novella of the same name is more tear-jerking than terrifying. Tom Hiddleston plays Chuck Krantz, a mysterious man who begins appearing on billboards as the world nears apocalypse. The following two acts of the film show Chuck at earlier points in his life, providing more context for the movie's heavy exploration of life and mortality. Past Livesestablished director Celine Song's aptitude at exploring complexlove triangles, which looks to continue in her new romantic comedy. Dakota Johnson stars as a successful matchmaker who juggles a wealthy older love interest (Pedro Pascal) with a not-so-wealthy old flame (Chris Evans). The latest trailersuggestsa throwback '90s vibe. Read more:Celine Song's Journey From Matchmaking toMaterialists The live-action take on the 2010 animated filmHow to Train Your Dragonseems pretty close to the original, including the CGI used to produce the lovable feline-esque dragon Toothless. This time, Jay Baruchel's memorably nasally lead vocal performance is swapped out for Mason Thames (The Black Phone), who plays the young Viking Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III—though Gerard Butler reprises his original role as Hiccup's father, Stoick the Vast. What if the undead could run? That was just one of the invigorating new ideas Danny Boyle brought to the zombie apocalypse genre with28 Days Laterin 2002. Now he's back in the director's chair for the third film set in this world, the first of a planned sequel trilogy. Original screenwriterAlex Garlandreturns. Pixar'slatest original feature follows an introverted 11-year-old alien fanatic who is mistaken for the ambassador of Earth—and gets beamed up to outer space for the adventure of a lifetime. At the Communiverse, a United Nations-esque interplanetary organization, representatives from alien races come together to solve crises all over the universe—and now, Elio must make friends with creatures out of his wildest dreams. Actor and comedian Eva Victor, who appeared on the last few seasons ofBillions, wrote, directed, and stars in this comedy-drama about a young college professor coping in the aftermath of sexual assault. The movie got rave reviews at Sundance for its dark humor, poignancy, and the confidence of its debut filmmaker; Victor is certainly one to watch. In the kinetic new underdog sports drama from director Joseph Kosinski (Top Gun: Maverick), a retired Formula One racer (Brad Pitt) takes a young rookie prodigy (Damson Idris) under his wing for the Apex Grand Prix team (APXGP). Filmed during actual grand prix races and made in collaboration with FIA, real-life Formula One teams and drivers will also appear. The higher-stakes sequel to 2022's campy horror delightM3GANlooks less scary but heavier on the comedy and action. The new-and-improved title character (still played by Amie Donald and voiced by Jenna Davis) gets the Terminator treatment, enlisted by her creator Gemma (Allison Williams) to fight an even larger threat: a rogue military robot named Amelia constructed from the stolen M3GAN technology who wants to take down everyone who had a hand in her creation. After two installments focused on dinosaurs infiltrating human environments, the fourthJurassic Worldfilm (and seventhJurassic Parkoverall) is an intentional return to the traditional model of humans exploring dinosaur environments. An all-new team (including the top-billed Scarlett Johansson) is tasked with collecting DNA from three large prehistoric species on the island that housed the original Jurassic Park research facility, where they encounter a new threat: mutated failed dinosaur experiments. Director Gareth Edwards proved his skill at conveying scale with hisGodzillamovie, which makes him a natural choice for this ever-expanding franchise. Gina Prince-Bythewood's 2020 superhero filmThe Old Guardwas a unique entry in a genre dominated by Marvel and DC. Written by Greg Rucka and based on his comic of the same name, the movie introduced a team of immortal mercenaries consisting of leader Andromache "Andy" of Scythia (Charlize Theron), Nile (KiKi Layne), Nicky (Luca Marinelli), Joe (Marwan Kenzari), and Booker (Matthias Schoenaerts). All are back for this sequel, but how will Andy live her life now that she lost her immortality? And will facing off against the first of the immortals, Quỳnh (Vân Veronica Ngô), threaten what precious life she has left? Read more:The Old GuardMay Be the Best Action Movie of the Summer American-South African actor Embeth Davidtz makes her debut as writer-director with this adaptation of Alexandra Fuller's intense memoir of the same name. The book tells the story of Fuller's family of white tenant farmers in Zimbabwe prior to and following the Rhodesian Bush War. The DC Universe's next slate of movies, given the reboot title "Chapter One: Gods and Monsters," begins with James Gunn's take on DC Comics' most iconic character. David Corenswet plays a 25-year-old version of the title role, with a bright, snazzy new suit—and a more optimistic, Christopher Reeve-influenced vibe thanHenry Cavill's take—along with Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane, Skyler Gisondo as Jimmy Olsen, and Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor. Read more:Meet David Corenswet, the New Superman Ari Aster's newest continues his slide away from the straight horror of his early films (Hereditary,Midsommar). This one is a contemporary Western set in May 2020, early in the COVID-19 pandemic. Joaquin Phoenix stars as Joe Cross, the small-town sheriff of Eddington, New Mexico, who comes into conflict with mayor Ted Garcia (Pedro Pascal). Emma Stone, Austin Butler, and Luke Grimes play supporting roles. It's been over 25 years sinceI Still Know What You Did Last Summer, the last theatrical sequel to the original slasher film. The upcoming fourth installment, co-written and directed by Jennifer Kaytin Robinson (Someone Great,Do Revenge), will introduce a new cast—and feature the return of Jennifer Love Hewitt and Freddie Prinze Jr., along with the famous hook-handed killer of the original. Nearly 30 years after the goofy golf comedyHappy Gilmore, Adam Sandler and his co-writer Tim Herlihy reunite for this sequel, which will also bring back Julie Bowen, Dennis Dugan, Christopher McDonald, and Ben Stiller. Molly Gordonand Logan Lerman play a couple navigating their new relationship on a weekend getaway in thisanti-rom-comfrom writer-director Sophie Brooks, who co-wrote the script with Gordon. It seems to promise a wild, unpredictable satire of millennial commitment-phobia and situationships. Most would agree that theFantastic Four, despite being some of Marvel Comics' most well-known superheroes, have never gotten the right cinematic treatment. The new MCU attempt could be different, though, with its 1960s-inspired retrofuturism and the quartet of Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Mister Fantastic, Invisible Woman, Human Torch, and the Thing. This supernatural body horror film from debut writer-director Michael Shanks was hit with a copyright lawsuit just this month, but early reviews have been very positive. Real-life married actors Alison Brie and Dave Franco play a couple who encounter a force that causes changes to their bodies—presumably fusing the two together somehow, if the supremely unsettlingposterimage of their eyes is any indication. The Lonely Island member Akiva Schaffer's reboot of this classic crime spoof-comedy franchise will feature Liam Neeson as the son of Leslie Nielsen's original protagonist, Detective Sergeant Frank Drebin. Theteaser traileroffers at least one very funny reference to O. J. Simpson's role in the original. Lindsay Lohan and Jamie Lee Curtis are back for this sequel to the 2003 body-swap comedy, itself based on the children's novel, along with Mark Harmon, Chad Michael Murray, Christina Vidal, and several of the other stars of that film. This time, it's a four-way body swap that also brings in Anna's (Lohan) daughter and soon-to-be stepdaughter. Zach Cregger's 2022 filmBarbarianestablished theWhitest Kids U Knowstar as an exciting new voice in the horror space. His much-anticipated sophomore film is set in a small town where all but one of an 18-kid class go missing at the same time one night. Josh Brolin plays the father of one of the missing children, whileJulia Garnerplays the teacher. Bob Odenkirk got a rare chance to shine as an action star in 2021'sNobody, a nastyJohn Wick-influenced thriller about a former government assassin named Hutch Mansell who lives an average, calm life as an office worker—but returns to the violent man he used to be when a crime lord threatens his family. Odenkirk, Connie Nielsen, Christopher Lloyd, Michael Ironside, Billy MacLellan, Colin Salmon, and RZA are all in the sequel, though we don't yet know why exactly Hutch is back to his old tricks. The darkly comic debut film from writer Alex Russell (The Bear,Beef) garnered early acclaim at Sundance this year for its story of an obsessive fan (Théodore Pellerin) who manipulates his way into the inner circle of his favorite rising pop star (Archie Madekwe). The Coen brothers have each pursued their own projects over the last few years, including Ethan Coen's solo directorial debut,Drive-Away Dolls, the first in a planned "lesbian B-movie trilogy." This summer, we get the second entry: a detective comedy about Honey O'Donahue (Margaret Qualley, who played a different role inDolls), a private investigator looking into a series of deaths in a small town alongsideAubrey Plaza, Charlie Day, and Chris Evans as a cult leader masquerading as a priest. Coen began writing the script with his wife Tricia Cooke over 20 years ago. Director Michael Angelo Covino's comedy sounds promising, especially with Adria Arjona andDakota Johnsonlisted in the cast. Arjona and Kyle Marvin play Ashley and Carey, a married couple on the verge of divorce, while Johnson and Covino play Carey's friends who are in a happy open marriage. When Carey crosses a line, all these relationships get a lot more complicated. Spike Lee and Denzel Washington's fifth collaboration—their first link-up since 2006'sInside Man—is a reimagining of the Akira Kurosawa filmHigh and Low, itself a loose adaptation of the novelKing's Ransomby Ed McBain. In this version, the lead is a music mogul in New York City, forced to make a difficult moral decision after becoming the target of a ransom plot. The ensemble also includes Ilfenesh Hadera,Jeffrey Wright, Ice Spice (in her film debut), and ASAP Rocky. Macon Blair's follow-up to his 2017 directorial debut,I Don't Feel at Home in This World Anymore, reboots theToxic Avengerfilm series. Peter Dinklage plays the title role, a janitor who becomes a CEO-fighting vigilante after falling into toxic waste and transforming into a mutant with superhuman size and strength. Thelatest teaser trailerfeatures some of the same delightful absurdity as the 1984 original. Jay Roach's upcoming satirical black comedy about a vicious divorce is a reimagining of the acclaimed 1989 filmThe War of Roses, itself based on Warren Adler's novel of the same name. Benedict Cumberbatch and Olivia Colman anchor the stacked ensemble, which also includes Andy Samberg, Allison Janney, Kate McKinnon, andNcuti Gatwa, among others. Contact usatletters@time.com.
