These are 10 movies I wouldn’t mind seeing this summer:
“Chuck” (May 5) – As “Creed 2” languishes, folks desperate for “Rocky”-related content might be curious about this biopic of Chuck Wepner (played by Liev Schreiber), an underdog who takes Muhammad Ali to 15 rounds. Crazily, just as Wepner once sued Sylvester Stallone for using his life story as the inspiration for “Rocky,” he’s now suing the makers of “Chuck.” Maybe that story will also become a movie – and then Wepner will sue over that too.
“Alien: Covenant” (May 19) – The most obvious must-see of the summer takes place between “Prometheus” and “Alien,” either linking them together or getting closer to linking them. Michael Fassbender, Noomi Rapace and Guy Pierce return from “Prometheus,” which sort of felt like an origin story for the xenomorphs (but mostly wasn’t). The trailers for “Covenant” aren’t shy about admitting there are aliens a-plenty here. Arguably, it looks too on the nose; on the other hand, it’s the first movie to feature xenomorphs since 2007’s “Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem.”
“Wonder Woman” (June 2) – Other than “Star Wars: Episode I,” I can’t think of a film that’s been more talked about before its actual premiere (Wonder Woman was created in 1941, but this marks her first big-screen starring role). There’s no way this fourth entry in the DC Movie Universe can live up to the hype, but it does have some good things going for it: We already know from “Batman v. Superman” that Gal Godot cuts a fine figure as the title character, Zach Snyder is NOT directing this movie, and the trailer shows a dash of clash-of-cultures humor as Diana – who hails from a remote island with no men – visits sprawling London.
“It Comes at Night” (June 9) – The moody trailer featuring an ominous red door and chronicling people who isolate themselves from a plague paints this as the must-see artsy horror movie of 2017, continuing the trend of last year’s “The Witch” and 2015’s “It Follows.”
“The Mummy” (June 9) – If you think Tom Cruise looks good for his age, check out the title character, who is thousands of years old, yet looks as good as the pale-skinned chick from “Star Trek Beyond.” The start of a proposed Universal Monsters saga, this version aims to be a bit scarier than the Brendan Fraser “Mummy” series, although the previews make it look like a typical action movie.
“The Big Sick” (June 23) – Well-regarded on the festival circuit, this is a true story from the life of Kumail Nanjiani (who I know from his “X-Files Files” podcast and who is best known for TV’s “Silicon Valley”), who balances a stand-up comedy career with the emotional turmoil of his wife Emily (Zoe Kazan in the film) being in a coma. No previews have been cut for the film yet, but it’s safe to say it will feature the funniest “His wife is in a coma” jokes since George’s boardroom bomb on “Seinfeld.”
“The House” (June 30) – Comedy was the dominant genre of last summer, but 2017 appears to be quite a drop-off. This film could be the exception to the rule: Parents Will Ferrell and Amy Poehler open a casino, fight club and strip joint in their basement in order to raise money for their daughter’s college tuition.
“War for the Planet of the Apes” (July 14) – Along with “Alien: Covenant,” this third film in the “Apes” prequel series is the summer’s other blatant must-see. Watching the trailer, I feel my hatred for the humans (led by Woody Harrelson) bubble up as they again make war on the sentient apes with whom they share Earth. At the same time, a more nuanced theme is brewing about the problems of warmongers and the power-hungry on both sides. Nova (Charlton Heston’s mute companion in the 1968 original) is a young girl in this film, so she could be among the first generation that is persecuted by the dominant ape culture.
“Wish Upon” (July 14) – Chronicling a disaffected teen (Joey King from “Fargo” Season 1 and “Wish I Was Here”) who gets her hands on a magic box that grants wishes – which she uses to gruesome effect on her hated classmates – “Wish Upon” could turn into a surprising teen horror franchise along the lines of “Final Destination.”
“Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets” (July 21) – A wild-card entry on my list, this out-of-the-mainstream comic-turned-movie will be devoured by “Fifth Element” fans, as this is also a Luc Besson visual feast. I wasn’t a huge fan of that 1997 movie, but there’s no denying the visual artistry in that film or this one — featuring Cara Delevingne of “Paper Towns” as one of the co-leads and Rihanna as a shapeshifting dancer — which will at least whet our appetites for fall’s “Blade Runner” sequel.
What movies are you looking forward to this summer? Share your lists below.