Summer movie season guide: Top 21 films to watch for (and where to watch them)

May normally marks the start of a stream of blockbusters making their way to multiplexes, but nothing has quite been normal during the pandemic, and 2020 was the first year in decades cinemas went without a summer movie season, save for a few scattered titles such as Christopher Nolan’s “Tenet.”

Now as vaccinations are underway and movie theaters have largely reopened across the country, studios are feeling confident enough again to send a steady flow of big-name films to the big screen. Yet the pandemic shook up the film industry drastically, and this summer movie season is still shaping up to be like no other.

To see some of this summer’s biggest movies on opening weekend, such as horror sequel “A Quiet Place Part II” or the latest “Fast & Furious” film “F9,” you’ll still have to head to theaters like years past. 

Yet Warner Bros.’ new simultaneous streaming release strategy means anticipated titles such as “In the Heights” and “The Suicide Squad” will premiere on HBO Max the same day as theaters, while Disney’s live-action “Cruella” and Marvel movie “Black Widow” will also be available to purchase at home through Disney+ Premier Access. Some summer blockbusters will skip theaters mostly or entirely, such as Netflix zombie film “Army of the Dead” or Pixar’s latest, “Luca,” debuting on Disney+.

To help keep track of what are the most noteworthy movies coming out this summer, and where you can watch them, we’ve compiled this list of 20 films, plus a bonus title of particular interest for Florida viewers. Dates/venues are subject to change.

‘Spiral’ (May 14)

The latest entry in the “Saw” horror movie franchise, “Spiral” stars Chris Rock as a police detective investigating murders reminiscent of killer mastermind Jigsaw, with Samuel L. Jackson playing Rock’s father. The “Saw” series has been stagnant for a while now and was arguably never all that great to begin with, but Rock and Jackson’s participation in this latest film is intriguing, particularly with Rock reportedly being a fan of the series who was heavily involved in the creative development process.

Where to watch: Theaters

‘Those Who Wish Me Dead’ (May 14)

Angelina Jolie stars in this adaptation of Michael Koryta’s novel as a smokejumper who helps a young murder witness evade two assassins pursuing him, as well as a forest fire started to root them out. The film is directed by Taylor Sheridan, who’s had a string of successes between his screenplays for “Sicario” and “Hell or High Water,” the series “Yellowstone” he co-created and his 2017 directorial effort “Wind River,” with Koryta and Sheridan co-penning the screenplay along with Charles Leavitt.

Where to watch: Theaters and HBO Max

‘Army of the Dead’ (May 21)

Tampa’s Dave Bautista stars in Zack Snyder’s latest film about a group of mercenaries attempting to pull off a heist in a zombie-ridden Las Vegas, with a cast that also includes Ana de la Reguera, Tig Notaro and Garret Dillahunt. Better known for his comic book blockbusters like “Justice League” and “Man of Steel,” Snyder’s best film might remain his lean, nasty 2004 “Dawn of the Dead” remake, so it should be interesting to see him return to the genre of his debut film on a much larger scale and budget.

Where to watch: Netflix

‘Cruella’ (May 28)

Disney’s latest live-action adaptation offers an origin story for “101 Dalmatians” villain Cruella de Vil, played by Emma Stone, set behind the backdrop of ’70s London and the fashion world. Centering on a character best known for her attempted mass murder of dogs may seem like an unusual choice for a Disney film — this features a still-rare PG-13 rating for one of its non-Marvel or Star Wars movies — but Stone looks to be having fun in the role, as Glenn Close did in Disney’s previous live-action “101 Dalmatians” adaptations.

Where to watch: Theaters and Disney+ Premier Access (additional fee)

‘A Quiet Place Part II’ (May 28)

This sequel to John Krasinski’s 2018 horror hit, which was set for release last March before the pandemic shut down theaters, sees the light of day more than a year later. Emily Blunt, Millicent Simmonds and Noah Jupe reprise their roles as a family trying to survive in a world overrun by monsters with an acute sense of hearing, with Cillian Murphy and Djimon Hounsou joining the cast. The first “A Quiet Place” was a surprise smash both commercially and critically; hopefully its sequel can find the same success.

Where to watch: Theaters

‘The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It’ (June 4)

The third entry in “The Conjuring” horror series follows paranormal investigators Lorraine and Ed Warren (Vera Farmiga and the St. Petersburg-raised Patrick Wilson) and their involvement in the real-life 1981 murder trial of Arne Cheyenne Johnson, who claimed to have been possessed by a demon. Though stars Farmiga and Wilson are returning, director James Wan is not, releasing his new horror film “Malignant” later this year as “The Curse of La Llorona” filmmaker Michael Chaves takes his place.

Where to watch: Theaters and HBO Max

‘In the Heights’ (June 11)

After the smash success of “Hamilton,” including last year’s Golden Globe-nominated filmed version, Lin-Manuel Miranda’s earlier musical now gets a cinematic adaptation, directed by “Crazy Rich Asians” filmmaker Jon M. Chu. Set in New York City’s largely Dominican neighborhood Washington Heights, “In the Heights” stars “Hamilton” actor Anthony Ramos as a bodega owner, with the cast also including Corey Hawkins, South Florida-raised singer Leslie Grace, Jimmy Smits and Miranda.

Where to watch: Theaters and HBO Max

‘Luca’ (June 18)

The latest Pixar film follows two boys sharing adventures, gelato and scooter rides in an Italian Riviera town, with their seemingly carefree life holding one big concern: hiding the fact they are secretly sea creatures in disguise. Any new Pixar film is worth watching at least once, and while it’s a bit disappointing this won’t play on the big screen, hopefully it’s not a sign of a lack of quality; the studio’s previous film “Soul” also debuted exclusively on Disney+ before going on to recently win two Oscars.

Where to watch: Disney+

‘F9’ (June 25)

The “Fast & Furious” family returns for this ninth installment in the series, with the ever-expanding cast now adding John Cena, who plays the assassin brother of protagonist Dom (Vin Diesel.) The series decided about halfway through its current run to transition from relatively straightforward street-racing crime films to increasingly, gleefully absurd action spectacles. And judging from the “F9” trailer, which appears to deliver on the idea that the only place left for the series to go is space, this latest entry will be no different.

Where to watch: Theaters

‘Zola’ (June 30)

“Zola” itself may not necessarily be a blockbuster, but the viral, 148-tweet thread that inspired the film is, telling the story of “Zola” (Taylour Paige), who finds herself on a road trip to Florida with another woman (Riley Keough) that turns wild. Actually filmed in Florida (you can glimpse the Sunshine Skyway Bridge in the trailer), the movie is co-written by Tony-nominated “Slave Play” playwright Jeremy O. Harris and directed by Janicza Bravo joins the growing list of Florida films from studio A24, including Best Picture winner “Moonlight,” “The Florida Project,” “Spring Breakers” and “Waves.”

Where to watch: Theaters

‘Summer of Soul (... Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised)’ (July 2)

Roots drummer Questlove’s documentary chronicles the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival, dubbed Black Woodstock by some as it took place the same summer and featured performers such as Stevie Wonder, Nina Simone and Sly & The Family Stone. “Summer of Soul” premiered at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, winning the U.S. Documentary Grand Jury Prize and Audience Award and heralded by critics as an instant addition to the concert film canon. Searchlight Pictures and Hulu acquired the documentary for a record $12 million, which seems to indicate a belief it could be a commercial hit, too.

Where to watch: Theaters and Hulu

‘Black Widow’ (July 9)

As Marvel is now seemingly preparing a movie or series for just about every character it has, one of the original Avengers now gets her own standalone movie: Natasha Romanoff, or Black Widow, portrayed by Scarlett Johansson for more than a decade now. Set before the events of 2019’s “Avengers: Endgame,” “Black Widow” will add multiple new actors and characters to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, including Florence Pugh as Yelena Belova and “Stranger Things” star David Harbour as Red Guardian.

Where to watch: Theaters and Disney+ Premier Access

‘Space Jam: A New Legacy’ (July 16)

Bringing the 1996 hybrid live-action/cartoon film starring Michael Jordan and the Looney Tunes characters to a new generation, this sequel stars fellow basketball phenom LeBron James as himself, as he’s transported to an universe full of Looney Tunes and other Warner Bros. characters. “Space Jam” has always been somewhat nostalgically misremembered as an actually good movie (speaking as a ’90s kid who was very much in its target audience), but James proved a charismatic screen presence in his role in “Trainwreck,” and if he can carry this film, he should be able to carry any.

Where to watch: Theaters and HBO Max

‘Old’ (July 23)

M. Night Shyamalan’s latest thriller, inspired by the graphic novel “Sandcastle,” follows a vacationing family who visits a beach that mysteriously causes them to age rapidly. Though even Shyamalan’s supposed current comeback phase of his career has produced mixed results so far (“Glass,” pretty good; “The Visit,” not so much), this film’s Super Bowl spot was intriguing, and it features an excellent cast including Gael García Bernal, Vicky Krieps, Thomasin McKenzie, Eliza Scanlen and Alex Wolff.

Where to watch: Theaters

‘Jungle Cruise’ (July 30)

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson plays a riverboat captain escorting a scientist (Emily Blunt) in Disney’s latest cinematic adaptation of one of its theme park attractions, which have had a success rate ranging from widespread disapproval (“The Haunted Mansion”) to enormous commercial and critical success (“Pirates of the Caribbean.”) It’s taken one step in the right direction by — like “Pirates” and its then-seemingly unorthodox choice of director Gore Verbinski — hiring Jaume Collet-Serra, a filmmaker better known for thrillers like “The Shallows,” “The Commuter” and “Orphan.”

Where to watch: Theaters

‘The Suicide Squad’ (Aug. 6)

The collective of comic book ne’er-do-wells who made their big-screen debut in 2016’s “Suicide Squad” come back for this film, with returning characters including Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn alongside several new ones like Idris Elba as Bloodsport, John Cena as Peacemaker and Sylvester Stallone voicing the CGI King Shark. “Guardians of the Galaxy” director James Gunn moves from Marvel to DC for this film which, unlike those movies or the original “Suicide Squad,” will be R-rated, looking more in line with Gunn’s earlier dark comedies “Super” and “Slither.”

Where to watch: Theaters and HBO Max

‘Free Guy’ (Aug. 13)

Ryan Reynolds stars in this action-comedy as a non-player character in a video game who suddenly becomes aware of his situation and chooses to become a hero, in this film seemingly blending the third-wall-breaking of Reynolds’ “Deadpool” films, “Ready Player One” and “The Truman Show.” The trailers thus far haven’t inspired much confidence, but it does feature a solid supporting cast that includes Jodie Comer, Lil Rel Howery and Taika Waititi.

Where to watch: Theaters

‘Respect’ (Aug. 13)

After the box office and awards success of “Bohemian Rhapsody” and “Rocketman,” this Aretha Franklin biopic with Jennifer Hudson playing the Queen of Soul looks like it could be the next big hit in the genre. Delayed from last winter to this summer – probably for the best for Hudson’s awards chances, as this year’s Best Actress Oscar race was very competitive and already featured two portrayals of real-life singers – the film’s cast also includes Forest Whittaker as Franklin’s father and Marc Maron as the late legendary producer and longtime Siesta Key resident Jerry Wexler.

Where to watch: Theaters

‘The Beatles: Get Back’ (Aug. 27)

Peter Jackson’s documentary chronicles the making of the Beatles’ last studio album, 1970’s “Let It Be” — the subject of a prior documentary of the same name — using previously unseen footage and featuring the group’s final rooftop concert in full. Most music documentaries could hardly be considered blockbusters, but most also aren’t about the most acclaimed band ever or made by the director of “The Lord of the Rings,” with Jackson reportedly using similar techniques to his stunning World War I documentary “They Shall Not Grow Old,” and Disney releasing the film.

Where to watch: Theaters

‘Candyman’ (Aug. 27)

The 1992 horror film about the title hook-wielding spirit (Tony Todd) who appears when his name is repeated in front of a mirror gets a new sequel, following an artist (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II) who lives in a condo built on the torn-down Chicago housing projects that Candyman haunted and becomes involved in his legend. Previous “Candyman” sequels didn’t add much to the well-executed original, but this one features a talented creative team in producer Jordan Peele and director Nia DaCosta and looks to tackle topics of race and gentrification, further impressing with a shadow puppet teaser.

Where to watch: Theaters

‘Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings’ (Sep. 3)

The second Marvel Cinematic Universe movie set to come out this year, “Shang-Chi” introduces the titular comic book character to the big screen, played by Simu Liu. The film looks to honor the character’s heritage with a largely Asian and Asian-American creative team and cast that also includes the great Tony Leung and Michelle Yeoh, with Destin Daniel Cretton (“Just Mercy,” “Short Term 12”) directing, as well as introduce some more martial arts-inspired action into the MCU.

Where to watch: Theaters

Other notable releases: “The Woman in the Window” (May 14, Netflix); “Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard” (June 16, theaters); “Fatherhood” (June 18, Netflix); “The Forever Purge” (July 2, theaters); “The Tomorrow War” (July 2, Prime Video); “Cinderella” (July 16, theaters); “Escape Room 2” (July 16, theaters); “Snake Eyes: G.I. Joe Origins” (July 23, theaters); “Stillwater” (July 30, theaters); “Don’t Breathe 2” (Aug. 13, theaters); “BIOS” (Aug. 20, theaters); “Reminiscence” (Aug. 27, theaters and HBO Max)

Email entertainment reporter Jimmy Geurts at jimmy.geurts@heraldtribune.com. Support local journalism by subscribing.