Superman
Already carries quite a burden on his wide shoulders. It appears unjust to impose additional responsibilities upon him.
fate of Hollywood
to his worries.
However, that’s the sort of pressure associated with being one of the largest figures in the comic book world, set for a major comeback during an unstable period. Fortunately, he isn’t facing this solo—Marvel Studios is making a significant return to cinemas as well with two new releases.
movies
This summer, “Thunderbolts” and “The Fantastic Four: First Steps.”
After the COVID-19 pandemic caused the film industry to grind to a stop five years ago, and following another two years of challenges,
the strikes
The industry hasn’t completely bounced back yet. Although critics might have voiced concerns about superhero fatigue, following several summer seasons with fewer options, it’s evident that these movies play an essential role — particularly when executed well.
The $4 Billion Summer Blockbuster Season
“Barbenheimer”
might be best known for those two films, but it didn’t reach that total count without the
“Guardians of the Galaxy”
and
“Spider-Man
In movies, the ones with the second and third highest earnings of the season.
The filmmakers behind s
Some of the season’s most anticipated films
spoke to The Associated Press regarding expectations for 2025.
Summer Movie Math
Summertime kicks off in Hollywood during the first weekend of May. Even though kids could still be attending classes and pools may not yet be open, this launch period can significantly impact those crucial 123 days which traditionally see about 40 percent of yearly movie theater revenues.
Last year
It was among the first of many not tied to a Marvel film, which proved challenging as operations struggled for weeks until Disney stepped in to help.
“Inside Out 2”
and
“Deadpool & Wolverine.”
This year, the influential studio has returned to that well-known position.
“Thunderbolts,”
This gathers characters such as Yelena Belova alongside outcasts and rebels.
(Florence Pugh),
Red Guardian (David Harbour) and Bucky Barnes
(Sebastian Stan).
It adds an exciting new angle to what a film of this kind can be,” stated director Jake Schreier. “We’re going to explore territories that differ significantly from your usual expectations.
He stated, “The film aims to capture the essence of our current times—not from a political standpoint, but more so the general sentiment and experiences people have been enduring.”
The Memorial Day weekend might also turn out to be massive a bit later thanks to the release of the live-action “Lilo & Stitch” and “Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning,” which are set to hit theaters. Adding to this, we have a fresh installment of “Jurassic World,” an adaptation of “How to Train Your Dragon,” and even a film about Formula One scheduled for June and July. This lineup suggests that the summer 2025 season could potentially become the largest since the onset of the post-COVID period.
Prior to the pandemic, all summers except one since 2007 surpassed the $4 billion threshold. Since 2020, just one has done so: 2023, spearheaded by
“Barbie.”
Rescuing Superman (and the DC Universe)
Following three “Guardians” films, James Gunn has learned that he can’t really dictate whether audiences will purchase movie tickets. Instead, his role is to create content that is high-quality, engaging, and deserving of viewers’ time.
However, that might be downplaying the stress associated with facing off against Superman and being responsible for overseeing a
unified DC universe
It begins with “Superman” on July 11. He views this as his first genuine superhero film.
“It’s a completely fresh personal voyage for Superman,” Gunn stated. “Primarily, it focuses on his self-discovery. However, it also delves into the world of robots and the
flying dogs
And all that kind of thing. It’s about placing a genuine individual into an incredibly absurd scenario within an outlandish universe and having some fun with that concept. I find it quite entertaining for those reasons.”
The movie presents a fresh face for the character of Superman/Clark Kent with David Corenswet joining as the lead, along with other cast members.
Rachel Brosnahan
as Lois Lane and
Nicholas Hoult
As Lex Luthor. Gunn mentioned that we should anticipate various elements from each.
It was quite enjoyable creating a Lex who is really going to take down Superman,” he stated. “He comes across as rather frightening.
Gunn mentioned that the film is also “laying the groundwork for the rest of the DCU.” He added, “As long as it succeeds as a movie from a fundamental standpoint, that’s what matters most to me.”
As a franchise, Superman has consistently lagged behind Batman in terms of box office performance. None of Zack Snyder’s movies reached the milestone of $1 billion without adjusting for inflation, whereas both installments of Christopher Nolan’s “Dark Knight” series managed to do so. However, Gunn doesn’t seem too concerned with this discrepancy.
“I simply aim to create a respectable film that generates some profit,” Gunn stated.
Marvel’s First Family
Superman isn’t the only iconic brand set for a big comeback this summer.
new Fantastic Four crew
Assembled for the first time under the Marvel Cinematic Universe and overseen by Kevin Feige, this project is set to hit theaters on July 25.
Fantastic Four is a comic book I’ve been fond of since my childhood,” stated director Matt Shakman. “These characters are the iconic heroes of the 1960s who laid the foundation for Marvel’s Silver Age.
Stan Lee and Jack Kirby created “The Fantastic Four,” which stands as one of Marvel’s longest-standing comic book series. However, it hasn’t enjoyed the smoothest journey on screen, having been featured in two movies starring Chris Evans and another featuring Michael B. Jordan.
“The Fantastic Four: First Steps” takes place in a retro-futuristic version of 1960s New York, where
Pedro Pascal’s
Shakman mentioned that Reed Richards is “like a combination of Steve Jobs and Einstein, developing technologies that are revolutionizing the world,” and he described Vanessa Kirby’s Sue Storm as “practically the Secretary-General of the United Nations.”
A seasoned director with credentials from series such as “WandaVision” and “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia,” Shakman stated his aim is to honor both the characters and the viewers.
It’s operating on an immensely grand scale when it comes to world-building, yet it mirrors many of the exceptional comedies and dramas I’ve been part of,” Shakman stated. “Ultimately, it boils down to characters, their interactions, as well as emotion and comedy.
Moreover, he believes in the duty towards what represents a major blockbuster film during summertime.
It was the delight of my youth… Much of it stems from constructing universes and immersing myself in a sense of marvel,” he stated. “That’s how I felt watching ‘Indiana Jones’ as a child, and it’s what I aspire for audiences to experience when they watch ‘Fantastic Four’ this coming summer.
Why summer 2025 could be a significant season for cinema releases.
Studios understand that standalone superhero films aren’t enough to sustain a thriving movie market. They have numerous alternatives available, such as franchise productions, major events films, and independent projects.
There are family pics
(“Smurfs,” “Elio,” “The Bad Guys 2”); action and adventure (“Ballerina,” “The Karate Kid: Legends”); horror, thriller, and slasher (“28 Days Later,” “I Know What You Did Last Summer,” “M3GAN 2.0”); romance
(“Materialists,”
“Jane Austen Ruined My Life”; dramas like “Sorry, Baby,” “The Life of Chuck”; a new Wes Anderson film titled “The Phoenician Scheme”; and comedies such as “Freaky Friday,” “Bride Hard,” “The Naked Gun” — although one of the most highly awaited movies, “Happy Gilmore 2,” will premiere on Netflix instead.
The pace at which these movies are coming out, along with their quantity and the apparent quality and buzz around this collection, is unprecedented,” stated Paul Dergarabedian, a senior media analyst from Comscore. “Sketch me an outline of your ideal summer film schedule: we’ve got it in 2025.
The most anticipated film of the season could be “Jurassic World Rebirth,” which is the seventh installment in a blockbuster series worth $6 billion. Despite this,
poorly received predecessor
generated earnings of over $1 billion. For this installment, they brought aboard a fresh director, the self-declared “Jurassic Park” enthusiast Gareth Edwards, along with the writer from the first film to create an all-new chapter featuring Scarlett Johansson, Mahershala Ali, and Jonathan Bailey.
People mention stuff like, ‘Do you feel pressured?’ And honestly, the biggest pressure comes from me—as someone who admires the work deeply—and wanting to meet Steven Spielberg’s standards without letting him down,” Edwards stated. “Ironically, one of the best parts about working on a ‘Jurassic’ film is knowing that everyone involved secretly dreams partly of being part of something so iconic just because of how much his movies have influenced them.
In a sense, it’s appropriate that 2025 will mark the 50th anniversary of what is regarded as the first summer blockbuster: “Jaws.”
Edwards mentioned that he grew up in an environment dominated by major summer blockbuster films, which fueled his initial passion for cinema. He expressed that directing such a film “is essentially the ultimate aspiration. It gives you the opportunity to aim high.”
Moreover, an unpredictable economy could actually benefit the sector, particularly concerning cinema visits. Despite higher ticket costs, going to theaters remains one of the cheapest forms of leisure away from home, and viewership typically surges during economic downturns. In fact, the yearly domestic revenue surpassed $10 billion for the first time back in 2009.
Recently, during the week when the tariffs were introduced,
“A Minecraft Movie”
It doubled its expected opening weekend revenue, with all these moviegoers having seen the trailers and promotional materials for upcoming releases. According to Dergarabedian, this stood as one of the few bright spots financially during that period.
“Top Gun: Maverick”
Filmmaker Joseph Kosinski has some experience with releasing high-budget blockbusters into an unpredictable market. However, he remains optimistic about the summer season and his film “F1” fitting well within it. Warner Bros. will handle the release.
Release “F1” on June 27.
This is the season when everything we’ve been developing over the past several years will finally hit the market, so I’m quite hopeful,” Kosinski stated. “Ideally, by the close of this summer, folks won’t be discussing their down periods anymore; instead, they’ll feel rejuvenated and ready to take off.
Lindsey Bahr from The Associated Press
