10 Blockbuster Movies Still Scheduled to Be Released This Summer

The COVID-19 pandemic is affecting nearly every aspect of everyday life, as governments are encouraging people to stay home and self-isolate to help lessen the virus’ spread. Countless forms of public activities have been forced to temporarily shut down, including most major movie chains. As a result, an ever-growing list of blockbusters have postponed their release dates, with audiences being unsure when films like Black Widow, The New Mutants, and In the Heights will debut. Sony recently shook the potential summer movie season up even further, delaying films like Ghostbusters: Afterlife and Morbius.

While there is still no clear indication of when theaters will reopen and business will begin to return to normal, there are still a handful of films that are slated to open this summer. Of course, things could easily change in the days and weeks to come, but here’s what the 2020 summer movie season could end up looking like.

The Spongebob Movie: Sponge on the Run

If nothing else changes, The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run might end up opening the summer movie season. The film is currently slated for release on Memorial Day weekend, May 22nd.

Tom Kenny will once again voice SpongeBob SquarePants, and he’s joined by returning franchise stars Bill Fagerbakke, Clancy Brown, Lori Alan, Rodger Bumpass, and Carolyn Lawrence. Kelly Marie Tran, Awkwafina, and Reggie Watts have also joined the cast in undisclosed roles, with Keanu Reeves cast as a talking tumbleweed. Long-time SpongeBob writer Tom Hill directs the new film and Hans Zimmer will provide the score.

Candyman

The first Candyman trailer broke the Internet when it debuted earlier this year — but it’s unclear if it will ultimately meet its original release date. The film is currently expected to debut on June 12th.

The sequel follows a desperate artist named Anthony McCoy, who discovers the story of the Candyman which he initially uses as inspiration for his paintings, but begins to lose his sanity and unleashes a wave of violence, death and misery leading him to face his destiny.

Candyman stars Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Teyonah Parris, Nathan Stewart-Jarrett, Colman Domingo, along with Tony Todd and Vanessa Estelle Williams reprising their roles from the original film. The film is directed by Nia DaCosta, who co-wrote the screenplay with Jordan Peele and Win Rosenfeld.

Soul

The second animated film that is still set to debut this summer is Soul, the latest film from Disney and Pixar. Its current release date is set for June 19th.

The film is about a jazz musician named Joe Gardner (Jamie Foxx), who is forced to put his dreams on hold when he becomes a teacher. When he suddenly dies in an accident, his soul is sent to a new place called You Seminar, and his afterlife adventure begins.

Soul will also star Tina Fey (30 Rock, Modern Love) as 22, Quest Love (The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon) as Curly, Phylicia Rashad (The Cosby Show, Creed) as Libba Gardner, and Daveed Diggs (Hamilton, Snowpiercer) as Paul. The film is directed by Pixar president Pete Docter, from a script he co-wrote with Mike Jones and Kemp Powers.

Top Gun: Maverick

Fans have been waiting for Top Gun: Maverick for nearly three decades, and it’s unclear if they’ll have to wait a little longer. The film’s release date is currently set for June 24th.

The film will see Pete pushing the envelope as a courageous test pilot and dodging the advancement in rank that would ground him. Joining him will be an array of new pilots, including Bradley “Rooster” Bradshaw (Miles Teller), the son of Maverick’s late partner, Goose.

The cast of Top Gun: Maverick also includes Val Kilmer, Glen Powell, Jennifer Connelly, Jon Hamm, Ed Harris, and Lewis Pullman.

Free Guy

Another film that is still keeping its original release date is Free Guy. The Ryan Reynolds-led video game movie is set to debut on July 3rd.

In the open-world video game Free City, an amalgamation of Grand Theft Auto and Fortnite, Guy is a non-player character (NPC) working as a bank teller. Thanks to a code developed by programmers Milly and Keys inserted into Free City by the publisher Antoine, Guy becomes aware of his world being a video game, and takes steps to make himself the hero, creating a race against time to save the game before the developers can shut it down.

Free Guy is directed by Shawn Levy, with a cast that also includes Jodie Comer, Joe Keery, Taika Waititi, Lil Rel Howery, Utkarsh Ambudkar, and Camille Kostek.

Tenet

Another highly-anticipated release is Tenet, the latest film from visionary director Christopher Nolan. Reports have indicated that the film will still keep its July 17th release date, but that could end up changing.

While details surrounding the film are currently vague, the official description hints that it involves a secret agent, who is tasked with preventing World War III through the use of time travel.

Tenet will star John David Washington (BlackKklansman), Robert Pattinson (The Lighthouse, The Batman), and Elizabeth Debicki (The Man From U.N.C.L.E., Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2). 

Jungle Cruise

While Disney has postponed several of its upcoming blockbusters, it still has Jungle Cruise on track for release on July 24th.

Set during the early 20th century, a riverboat captain named Frank takes a scientist and her brother on a mission into a jungle to find the Tree of Life which is believed to possess healing powers. All the while, the trio must fight against dangerous wild animals and a competing German expedition.

The film stars Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt, with a cast that also includes Edgar Ramirez, Jack Whitehall, Jesse Plemons, and Paul Giamatti.

The French Dispatch

The French Dispatch, Wes Anderson’s first live-action film since The Grand Budapest Hotel, is currently on track to be released on July 24th.

Inspired by The New Yorker, the film brings to life a collection of stories published in “The French Dispatch Magazine”.

The star-studded film includes Benicio del Toro, Adrien Brody, Tilda Swinton, Léa Seydoux, Frances McDormand, Timothée Chalamet, Lyna Khoudri, Jeffrey Wright, Mathieu Amalric, Steve Park, Bill Murray and Owen Wilson. 

Wonder Woman 1984

While Wonder Woman 1984 was originally slated for release in June, it has since moved its opening weekend to August 14th, in hopes that theaters will be somewhat back to normal by then.

In 1984, Diana Prince comes into conflict with two formidable foes – media businessman Maxwell Lord and friend-turned-enemy Barbara Ann Minerva, the Cheetah – while reuniting with her past love Steve Trevor.

Wonder Woman 1984 stars Gal Gadot, Chris Pine, Kristen Wiig, Pedro Pascal, Robin Wright, and Connie Nielsen. The film is directed by Patty Jenkins, who co-wrote the screenplay with Geoff Johns and David Callaham.

Bill & Ted Face the Music

While it’s up for debate exactly when the “summer movie season” comes to a close, Bill & Ted Face the Music is expected to probably be a part of that. The long-awaited threequel is slated to be released on August 21st.

Now enduring the monotony of middle-aged life, William “Bill” S. Preston, Esq. and Theodore “Ted” Logan are warned by a visitor from the future of the need for them to create a song in 78 minutes that will save all life on Earth and the entire universe. The pair work with their families, old friends, famous musicians, and each other to complete the task.

Bill & Ted Face the Music stars Keanu Reeves, Alex Winter, Samara Weaving, Brigette Lundy-Paine, Scott Mescudi (Kid Cudi), Kristen Schaal, Anthony Carrigan, Erinn Hayes, Jayma Mays, Jillian Bell, Holland Taylor, Beck Bennett, William Sadler, Hal Landon Jr., and Amy Stoch.

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