The Summer Blockbuster season is upon us, and this time around brings with it some choice entries. This is the time of year, starting in May and running to July/August, when the studios roll out their big-dollar productions hoping to draw as many people to the theaters as possible. And with cinema attendance continuing to decline over the last few years, this is an important time to gauge the health of movie theaters, as expectations are high for the films that will be premiering during these months. The Blockbuster Era kicked off way back in the 1970s with the arrival of the iconic films Jaws in 1975 and Star Wars in 1977, and it snowballed into a huge force in the industry over the decades that followed. We have experienced a major shift in theater attendance over the last decade, though, with the quicker availability of films on home (primarily through streaming) as well the lingering impacts of COVID. But the studios still bank on the Summer Blockbusters each year, hoping the latest entries will put people back in the seats at the cinemas.
At this point, I count 10 sci fi and fantasy entries for the Summer 2026, which is decent, but not as high as what we saw during the peak years of the Blockbuster Era, and it is light on actual sci fi entries with more in the way of superhero films. But the slate is less crowded, making it easier for each film to draw an audience without too much competition from the theater next door. Following is my rundown of all the genre entries currently on the schedule, with trailers and info on the films followed by my brief commentary on each. This does not include all the sci fi and fantasy movies that will be hitting the Box Office over the next few months, just the big releases, and you can see the full schedule at this link. Let us know in the comments which of these films you are excited to see, and which ones you may be passing on.
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Animal Farm
In Theaters, May 1
A satirical allegory of revolution and power, Animal Farm traces how a movement for equality is systematically corrupted. As the pigs consolidate control, truth is erased, dissent is crushed, and the farm descends into a ruthless dictatorship—fulfilling Orwell’s warning about the dangers of communism.
Directed by: Andy Serkis
Starring: Seth Rogen, Gaten Matarazzo, Steve Buscemi, Glenn Close, Laverne Cox, Kieran Culkin, Woody Harrelson, Jim Parsons, Andy Serkis, Kathleen Turner, Iman Vellani
Johnny Jay Says: In the current political environment, this Andy Serkis adaptation of George Orwell’s dystopian allegory is certainly appropriate (not so much for its commentary on communism, but more on totalitarianism). This book should be a must-read in schools, but sadly and ironically, it is getting banned more often than read of late. The Disney-fied version that the trailer suggests is a bit concerning, but it does look like Serkis has kept some of the important parts in there. I have high expectations for this one, and hopefully, the Blockbuster flourishes don’t drown out the social commentary.
Mortal Combat II
In Theaters, May 8
This time, the fan favorite champions—now joined by Johnny Cage himself—are pitted against one another in the ultimate, no-holds barred, gory battle to defeat the dark rule of Shao Kahn that threatens the very existence of the Earthrealm and its defenders.
Directed by: Simon McQuoid
Starring: Karl Urban, Adeline Rudolph, Jessica McNamee, Josh Lawson, Ludi Lin, Mehcad Brooks
Johnny Jay Says: I can’t say that I am a big fan of the Mortal Kombat franchise, but this one looks like it could be fun in a switch-off-the-brain sort of way. It’s not high on my priority list, but I may check it out.
The Mandalorian and Grogu
In Theaters, May 22
The evil Empire has fallen, and Imperial warlords remain scattered throughout the galaxy. As the fledgling New Republic works to protect everything the Rebellion fought for, they have enlisted the help of legendary Mandalorian bounty hunter Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) and his young apprentice Grogu.
Directed by: Jon Favreau
Starring: Pedro Pascal, Sigourney Weaver, Jeremy Allen White
Johnny Jay Says: This property took a major shift, moving from television to the big screen, and its third season–which last streamed three years ago–was somewhat of a disappointment. Will it rebound with its theatrical version? I plan on checking it out, but my expectations are tempered at this point.
Masters of the Universe
In Theaters, June 6
In Masters of the Universe, an orphan named Adam discovers he is a prince destined to be the savior of a faraway land and must quickly learn of his power and the importance of saving his true home from an evil force.
Directed by: Travis Knight
Starring: Noah Centineo, Morena Baccarin, Jared Leto, Steve Tisch, Kristen Wiig, James Purefoy
Johnny Jay Says: Yet another attempt to revive He-Man on the big screen, will this one bring in the Box Office gold the franchise has been looking for? I have to confess that I have never been a big fan of the character, but the trailer does look fun, so I might give it a look.
Disclosure Day
In Theaters, June 12
If you found out we weren’t alone, if someone showed you, proved it to you, would that frighten you? This summer, the truth belongs to seven billion people.
We are coming close to … Disclosure Day.
Directed by: Steven Spielberg
Starring: Emily Blunt, Josh O’Connor, Colin Firth, Eve Hewson, Colman Domingo
Johnny Jay Says: Spielberg is back and he is focusing on aliens again, will it be his next Close Encounters of the Third Kind? He has been mostly hit-or-miss with his genre entries from the past few decades, in my opinion, but I am certainly intrigued by this one and plan on checking it out.
Stop! That! Train!
In Theaters, June 12
This film follows best friends Tess (Ginger Minj) and DeeDee (Jujubee), train stewardesses who trade their dreary shifts on the Stank Rail for the glitzy Glamazonian Express. When a catastrophic “Stormaganza” threatens to derail the high-speed train and crash it into Los Angeles, the duo in coach must join forces with the snobby first class attendants (Symone, Brooke Lynn Hytes, Marcia Marcia Marcia) and President Gagwell (RuPaul) to save the day in this wild ride of camp and comedy.
Directed by: Adam Shankman
Starring: Ginger Minj, Jujubee, RuPaul Charles, Brooke Lynn Hytes, Chris Parnell, Latrice Royale, Sarah Michelle Gellar
Johnny Jay Says: This one looks like a Summer romp that will be a ton of fun! Airplane on a high-speed train with plenty of sci fi and action movie riffs. Who knows, it could surprisingly turn into the big hit of the season.
Supergirl
In Theaters, June 26
When an unexpected and ruthless adversary strikes too close to home, Kara Zor-El, aka Supergirl, reluctantly joins forces with an unlikely companion on an epic, interstellar journey of vengeance and justice.
Directed by: Craig Gillespie
Starring: Milly Alcock, Matthias Schoenaerts, Eve Ridley, David Krumholtz, Emily Beecham, Jason Momoa
Johnny Jay Says: James Gunn and Peter Safran have been doing a good job with the DC reboot thus far, and Gunn’s Superman was the best big-screen Man of Steel movie since 1980’s Superman II in my opinion (and his Peacemaker and Creature Commandoes shows have been a ton of fun as well). This does look like it will be a very different movie than the James Gunn film, with Craig Gillespie directing, who doesn’t have any genre entries of note on his resume. But the trailer certainly makes it look like fun, so I plan on giving it a look.
The Odyssey
In Theaters, July 17
A mythic action epic that follows Odysseus’ journey home after the Trojan war.
Directed by: Christopher Nolan
Starring: Matt Damon, Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway, Charlize Theron, Zendaya, Lupita Nyong’o, Robert Pattinson
Johnny Jay Says: Will one of the greatest fantasy epics of all time finally get the big screen treatment it deserves? Does Matt Damon have the action-hero chops to play Odysseus (hey, I liked him as Batman and he killed in the Jason Bourne movies)? This is a different type of film than what we usually get from Christopher Nolan, but I think he has the talent to pull it off. I’m figuring this one is going to be boom or bust, but it is on my to-watch list.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day
In Theaters, July 31
After the record-breaking global success of Spider-Man: No Way Home, Spider-Man: Brand New Day marks an entirely new chapter for Peter Parker and Spider-Man. Four years have passed since the events of No Way Home, and Peter is now an adult living entirely alone, having voluntarily erased himself from the lives and memories of those he loves. Crime-fighting in a New York that no longer knows his name, he’s devoted himself entirely to protecting his city — a full-time Spider-Man — but as the demands on him intensify, the pressure sparks a surprising physical evolution that threatens his existence, even as a strange new pattern of crimes gives rise to one of the most powerful threats he has ever faced.
Directed by: Destin Daniel Cretton
Starring: Tom Holland, Zendaya, Sadie Sink, Jacob Batalon, Jon Bernthal, Tramell Tillman, Mark Ruffalo
Johnny Jay Says: This one rounds out the current Summer slate as the last major entry at this point as far as I can see, though we may get some late additions for August. And I believe it is the one that has the best chance of winning the season, as the recent Spider-Man movies have been performing quite well. It continues to bring in characters from the MCU–most surprisingly, The Punisher–and that is a good thing. It also looks like it will be a soft reboot for the character, but for the most part, it appears to be carrying on in the tradition of the previous Tom Holland Spider-Man films, so it is certainly a must-see for me.
The End of Oak Street
In Theaters, August 14
After a mysterious cosmic event rips Oak Street from suburbia and transports their neighborhood to someplace unknown, the Platt family soon discovers that their very survival depends on them sticking together as they navigate their now unrecognizable surroundings.
Directed by: David Robert Mitchell
Starring: Anne Hathaway, Ewan McGregor, Maisy Stella, Christian Convery
Johnny Jay Says: I’m not certain if this one is going for the Blockbuster audience, and studios do tone down their releases once August arrives. It has J.J. Abrams attached as executive producer, and it appears to be delivering a big-screen riff on Lost and/or From with a little bit of La Brea thrown in as well. It could be a mish-mash of genre tropes that fails to register with audiences, and Anne Hathaway will likely score better at the beginning of the season with The Devil Wears Prada 2. But I am intrigued by this one and may plan a visit to the theaters to cap off the season.
Keep up with all the sci fi and fantasy entries arriving in the coming months with our Sci Fi Movie Schedule page.
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