The Devil Wears Prada 2 kicked off the summer movie season with an impressive opening weekend. The season has already seen the release of titles like Mortal Kombat II, Obsession, The Sheep Detectives, I Love Boosters, and The Mandalorian and Grogu. The end of May marks the release of the buzzy horror film The Backrooms. Summer 2026 is expected to draw in big box office numbers, the best since the COVID-19 pandemic shut down theaters in 2020.
While the summer movie season is known for blockbusters, it’s also a time for smaller films, many from the Sundance Film Festival, to shine. There is a certain magic in the air when going to the movies. When else could you see a double feature of Past Lives and Transformers: Rise of the Beasts? Since I have a summer birthday, I’ve celebrated with a wide range of films over the years, including some surprises like Werewolves Within and Thelma, alongside must-see blockbusters like Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny and Superman Returns. Some of the best movie-going experiences are tied to the summer. With all that in mind, here are the 15 movies to keep an eye out.
15
‘Tony’ (August TBD)
While Tony doesn’t have an official August release date, it is still slated for summer 2026, so it counts. Hot off his incredible directorial effort for Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie (the best movie of 2026 so far), Matt Johnson looks to tackle the story of a young Anthony Bourdain in the summer of 1975 that led him to become the world-famous chef and food critic. Dominic Sessa, who appeared in The Holdovers, stars as the young Anthony Bourdain in a biopic that should be as honest, blunt, and charming as its subject.
14
‘The End of Oak Street’ (August 14)
It Follows director David Robert Mitchell and producer J.J. Abrams’ The End of Oak Street looks like it could be the breakout hit of 2026, like the horror movie Weapons. The Warner Bros. film will be released in mid-August and has a buzzy trailer that presents an intriguing mystery. In this case, where and why did this neighborhood move, and why are there dinosaurs? Starring Ewan McGregor and Anne Hathaway, this sci-fi survival thriller has us intrigued. However, the fact that it has been delayed so many times, including May 15, 2025, and March 13, 2026, is slightly concerning.
13
‘Masters of the Universe’ (June 5)
Director Travis Knight, who made the best Transformers movie with Bumblebee, will now bring another iconic 1980s toy line to the big screen with Masters of the Universe. With an aesthetic that commits to the cartoonish, over-the-top visuals of the animated series and an incredible cast (minus Jared Leto), Masters of the Universe has everything going for it to be a blockbuster. Audiences just need to get on board. The movie looks like an old-fashioned fantasy blockbuster that the whole family can enjoy and might invite a new generation of fans to the property.
12
‘I Want Your Sex’ (July 31)
One of the leading figures of the New Queer cinema movement, Gregg Araki’s I Want Your Sex will have a late-summer release after debuting at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year. The movie follows Elliot (Cooper Hoffman) as renowned and provocative artist Erika Tracy (Olivia Wilde) hires him to be her sexual muse. Rounded out by a cast that includes Mason Gooding, Chase Sui Wonders, Johnny Knoxville, Margaret Cho, Daveed Diggs, Roxane Mesquida, and Charlie XCX, I Want Your Sex sounds like a wickedly erotic comedy that will play well at the end of the summer movie season.
11
‘Power Ballad’ (June 5)
While technically in limited release on May 29, Power Ballad hits a wide release on June 5. Power Ballad stars Paul Rudd and Nick Jonas and is the latest film from director John Carney, whose credits include Once, Sing Street, and Flora & Son. The film follows wedding singer Rick (Rudd), who discovers that a famous pop star, Danny (Jonas), took one of his songs after a jam session and turned it into a hit. Power Ballad has 88% on Rotten Tomatoes at the time of this writing. Given Carney’s past work, it will be another heartwarming tale about the power of music and will feature some incredible tracks that could become must-listen summer hits.
10
‘Girls Like Girls’ (June 19)
In Girls Like Girls, Hayley Kiyoko adapts her 2023 novel, which itself was based on her hit 2015 song of the same name. Maya Da Costa and Myra Molloy play Coley and Sonya, two young women who quickly develop deep feelings for one another. Since it’s a coming-of-age romance set during the summer, it’s a must-watch for the season. It will perfectly capture the warm tones and vibes of a carefree day and feature characters on a journey of young love and self-discovery.
9
‘The Death of Robin Hood’ (June 19)
The Death of Robin Hood is being pitched as “Logan but with Robin Hood,” with Hugh Jackman as the title character. After years of disappointing Robin Hood films, ranging from Ridley Scott’s lackluster 2010 film to the Batman Begins knock-off from 2018 starring Taron Egerton, The Death of Robin Hood will offer something new to the classic tale. Director Michael Sarnoski, best known for Pig and A Quiet Place: Day One, adapts the 17th-century ballad of the same name that deconstructs the legendary Robin Hood in a film that theoretically could act as the final installment for any past film incarnation of Robin Hood. Well, maybe not the Disney Fox one.
8
‘The Invite’ (June 26)
The third film directed by Olivia Wilde, following her excellent debut film Booksmart and mildly disappointing sophomore effort Don’t Worry Darling, The Invite is a remake of the 2020 Spanish comedy The People Upstairs. Anchored by four incredible performances, including Wilde, Seth Rogen, Penélope Cruz, and Edward Norton, The Invite follows neighboring couples who, over dinner, make a proposition that changes the tone of the evening.
Debuting at the Sundance Film Festival, The Invite had a bidding war with A24 winning over the likes of Netflix, Neon, Apple TV, and Warner Bros. Clockwork. The Invite has a 91% on Rotten Tomatoes as of this writing, and could be the adult-oriented film that becomes a surprise hit at the box office amongst all the blockbusters.
7
‘Supergirl’ (June 26)
The second film in James Gunn’s DCU, Supergirl will be directed by I, Tonya‘s Craig Gillespie and star Milly Alcock as Kara Zor-El/Supergirl. Drawing heavily from the iconic Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow miniseries, Supergirl is being pitched as a sci-fi take on True Grit but with the Girl of Steel in the Rooster Cogburn role. Even though the trailers for Supergirl have left something to be desired, I’ve enjoyed every entry in the DCU so far and am excited for this next chapter. The movie teases an interesting change of pace, following up Superman with a more overt, character-centric sci-fi story rather than another big, universe-expanding story.
6
‘Coyote vs. Acme’ (August 28)
After it appeared that Coyote vs. Acme was going to be lost media, the movie thankfully was saved and is getting a full theatrical release. Leaning into the behind-the-scenes troubles, the movie is marketing itself as the film Acme (Warner Bros.) doesn’t want you to see.
Hopefully, everyone who showed support for the film online goes out to theaters to support it and turn it into a box office hit, both showing that the Looney Tunes still have a place in pop culture and making Warner Bros.’ decision to scrap it look even worse. However, even without all that, the movie’s premise of Will E. Coyote suing Acme for their inventions backfiring sounds funny.
