Now that the Oscars are out if the way, we can look forward to the time of the year in which movie studios tend to release their big budget action blockbusters.
Where Oscar season is a time for actors and directors to flaunt their talents – like a overachieving child desperate for for more accolades despite the fact the living cabinet already contains more shrapnel than the beaches of Normandy – the summer is the time for studios to splash the cash and produce movies for the kind of folk who are hoping to just be entertained rather than sit through a movie that while brilliantly made, is just too depressing to be considered an enjoyable experience – We’re looking at you Manchester by the Sea.
The upcoming summer release schedule is full of some potential cracking films – So in case you’ve been living under a rock, here’s a list of the 10 most anticipated summer blockbusters of 2017.
10. King Arthur: Legend of the Sword – Friday, May 12
The story of King Arthur has been told a thousand times already, so you can be excused if you rolled your eyes at the sight of this list entry. However, the story of King Arthur has never been told by Guy Ritchie – Until now.
Guy Ritchie – the man who turned an average soccer player (Vinnie Jones) into a movie star – is known for his Tarantino-esque ability to create stylish films with unforgettable dialogue and is no stranger to creating movies based on classic English stories – directing the popular 2009 Sherlock Holmes film and its less successful sequel.
Playing the titular character is Charlie Hunnam, the British actor whose popularity soared following the success of the Sons of Anarchy TV series. Hunnam will no doubt be hoping that teaming up with Ritchie on this project will help transition him into a Hollywood leading man, something that Pacific Rim failed to do. However teaming with Ritchie will not guarantee success as the director is not completely immune from knocking out a duff creation – see ‘Swept Away’ for the best example.
9. Baywatch – Friday, May 26
It might seem unbelievable now but in the 90’s – before the internet became the colossal information and entertainment library it is today – there used to be two places where adolescent teen boys and frustrated husbands could get their quick fix of half-naked women.
One was the underwear section of the household clothes catalogue and the other was Baywatch: A TV series (starring David Hasselhoff) about Los Angeles County Lifeguards who run across the beach in slow motion for dramatic effect – Not to emphasise the hypnotic bouncing of the female cast member’s prized assets of course.
Baywatch makes its return in 2017 but rather than a straight remake or continuation, Paramount Pictures has opted to give Baywatch the ’21 Jump Street’ treatment and make the new version more comedic.
While the movie might seem like a sure bet to win a Golden Raspberry Award, the excellent cast including Dwayne Johnson, Zac Effron and Alexandra Daddario could provide enough laughs to make people give the film a thumbs up.
8. Wonder Woman – Friday, June 2
Ok, so the DC cinematic universe is failing when compared to Marvel, there is zero doubt about that. But you have to give credit where it’s due and acknowledge that out of the two titanic comic book companies, DC will be the first to release a film centered on a strong female main character.
Yes, Marvel had awesome female characters with the likes of Black Window, Gamora and Jessica Jones but apart from the later – who has her own TV show but not a movie – all of them are featured in productions where the male characters steal the show.
Far removed from the campy image of the 1970’s TV show starring Lynda Carter, the new version of Wonder Woman – played by Gal Gadot – is one that oozes strength while retaining her femininity and as displayed in BVS: Dawn of Justice, she is more than capable of holding her own against DC figureheads Batman and Superman and arguably even outshine them.
7. War for the Planet of the Apes – Friday, July 14
Planet of the Apes returns for the third outing in 20th Century Fox’s reboot of the franchise – the best reimagining of the property since the musical in The Simpsons season seven – and sees Andy Serkis return to reprise his role as Caesar, the central chimpanzee who was genetically enhanced by a drug forged to cure Alzheimer’s disease and is the leader of the apes.
War for the Planet of the Apes progresses the events from the second film and sees the war between Man and Ape escalate to devastating heights. Matt Reeves returns to direct and Woody Harrelson plays the antagonist called the Colonel – The leader of the humans who is obsessed with wiping out the apes and protecting his kind.
6. Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets – Friday, July
Based on the French comics of the same name, Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets is film about two special operatives who are charged with keeping order throughout the human territories.
While on an assignment the two undertake a mission to a thriving metropolis where many species from across the universe have emigrated over centuries to share knowledge, intelligence, and culture. In the background, a mysterious dark force threatens the peaceful existence of the City of a Thousand Planets, and the two operatives must race to identify the menace and ensure the future of the universe.
The film is directed by Luc Besson and features a superb cast including Dane DeHann, Cara Delevingne, Clive Owen, John Goodman, Ethan Hawke and Rihanna.