Summer 2018 Movie Preview

Hollywood keeps trying to turn blockbuster movie season into a year-long affair – and it’s working, judging how big hit films like IT and Black Panther have turned former dead periods of cinema like September and February into deep wells of profit.

However, while blockbuster season may now run on a nonstop schedule, there is still nothing quite like that classic summer movie season. So, while most of the US is still trying to shrug off some late winter blues, the 2018 summer movie season will be kicking off earlier than ever – and it couldn’t have a better usher than Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson!

Scroll below for our full 2018 summer movie preview — keeping you informed of all the big geek-culture and genre films that will actually be worth your attention.

Rampage – April 13th

You know it’s summer movie season when Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson straps on some big guns (and not just his muscles) in order to save the world. In this adaptation of the classic video game, Johnson plays an animal trainer whose BFF, an ape named George, becomes one of several animals affected by a mysterious gene-altering weapon. That leaves Johnson trying to save both his Ape friend, and save the world from the threat of giant, gene-spliced monsters. Watch the trailer HERE. 

Truth or Dare – April 13th

This latest high-concept horror film from Blumhouse will see a group of teens go out for a fun night of drinking and a friendly game of ‘Truth or Dare,’ only to end up locked in a supernatural version of the game, which has fatal consequences for the losers. The creepy smiles and notion of turning a popular party game into a source of terror has us hoping this teen-horror flick will be as entertaining as last year’s Happy Death Day. Watch the Trailer HERE. 

Super Troopers 2 – April 20th

This is the long-awaited sequel to the cult-hit comedy that introduced the world to Broken Lizard. With the same cast returning, and a few high-profile celebrity cameos, Super Troopers 2 will be a reward for the faithful fans who waited for it. Plus, the “4/20” release date couldn’t be more appropriate for the film’s primary demographic audience. Watch the Trailer HERE. 

Avengers: Infinity War – April 27th

This is the culminating event of a decade of Marvel Cinematic Universe movies. it’s expected to pretty much take over the box office for weeks to come, and has a good chance of being the undisputed king of the entire summer box office. Watch the latest Trailer HERE. 

Deadpool 2 – May 18th

Ryan Reynolds is back for another outing as Marvel’s Merc With a Mouth, and this time he’s trying to stop Josh Brolin’s Cable from coming back to the past to kill a young mutant who may pose a big threat to the future. To help achieve his mission, Deadpool will recruit other morally-questionable mutants to form X-Force. Watch the trailer HERE. 

Solo: A Star Wars Story – May 25th

Solo is probably the riskiest film the Star Wars franchise has put out in years – and very public, troubled production didn’t help things. Still with a director Ron Howard at the helm, fans expect that we’ll at least be treated to a fun and lighthearted Star Wars adventure-comedy, so hopefully it delivers. Watch the trailer HERE. 

Upgrade – June 1st

Take Limitless and combine it with Robocop and you basically have the premise for Upgrade, a thriller that sees Logan Marshall-Green as Gray Trace, a man in a near-future where a crippling injury to his body gets corrected by an A.I. computer chip called Stem, that’s implanted in his body. Through Stem, Gray gains and entire arsenal of combat techniques and strategy, which he promptly uses to get revenge on those who wronged him.

Ocean’s Eight – June 8th

The ladies now get to have a good time being bad, as some big-name stars like Sandra Bullock, Cate Blanchett, and Rihanna all unite to pull off a massive heist – a family tradition for Bullock’s Debbie Ocean. Hopefully this Hunger Games director Gary Ross makes as slick a heist flick as director Steven Soderbergh did with the original Ocean’s remake. Watch the trailer HERE. 

Hereditary – June 8th

Acclaimed actress Toni Collette jumps into the horror genre for this thriller from first time director Ari Aster. When a family matriarch passes away, her surviving family members quickly discover they are under the threat of a terrifying legacy tied to their family ancestry. This Sundance hit could be the indie-horror flick that becomes a dark horse summer hit. Watch the trailer HERE.

The Incredibles 2 – June 15th

This long-awaited sequel to Pixar’s superhero family drama mashup will explore some modern topics like the changing gender roles of parents, and other modern day parenting issues like trying to keep up with changing school teaching methods. Watch the trailer HERE.  

Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom – June 22nd

The next chapter of the Jurassic World saga sees Claire Dearing (Bryce Dallas Howard) and Owen Grady (Chris Pratt) return to Jurassic World, trying to save what dinosaurs they can before an active volcano wipes out the part forever. By now we know what the franchise offers, so you should know if you’re in or not. Watch the trailer HERE. 

Sicario: Day of the Soldado – June 29th

This dark, hitman thriller is getting the sequel that no one really expected. The first film was a bleak and dark look at the corrupting nature of darkness and the social pressures women face – no telling if the sequel will be anything better than a B-movie knock-off. The fact that Josh Brolin and Benicio Del Toro are both back is a good sign.   

The First Purge – July 4th

The Purge franchise goes back to where it all started in this prequel tale of the horrific night’s origins. Since it’s the premise and not the characters or filmmakers who drive these films, this chapter has jus as much of a chance as any of the others. It should be noted that the social justice aspect seems a lot more pronounced in this film. 

Ant-Man and the Wasp – July 6th

Marvel will be following Avengers: Infinity War with this new adventure of its smallest hero – who will be a getting a much-needed partner in the form of Evangeline Lily’s Wasp. Watch the trailer HERE. 

Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation – July 13th

Acclaimed animator Genndy Tartakovsky is back for a third installment of his supernatural family drama series, with big stars like Adam Sandler, Andy Samberg, Selena Gomez, Kevin James, David Spade, Steve Buscemi and Mel Brooks, all in tow. Watch the trailer HERE. 

Skyscraper – July 13th

Dwayne Johnson won’t just be battling giant monsters in Rampage this summer – he’ll also be doing his own Die Hard act in this B-movie thriller. Watch the trailer HERE.

The Equalizer 2 – July 20th

No details have been revealed about the sequel to this movie reboot of the old TV series, just that Denzel Washington is back, and he’s joined by Kingsman 2‘s Pedro Pascal this time around. 

Mission: Impossible – Fallout – July 27th

Tom Cruise’s Ethan Hunt and his IMF team are back, in the first installment of the franchise that’s a direct sequel to the previous one. After Ethan’s team botches a mission, the resulting backlash puts targets on all of their backs. With Ilsa Faust (Rebecca Ferguson) and Solomon Lane (Sean Harris) also back, it seems like Ethan’s business with the Rogue Nation isn’t quite done yet. Watch the Trailer HERE.  

Teen Titans GO to the Movies – July 27th

Our favorite satirical superhero cartoon is getting the chance to bring its winking comedic style to the big screen. Should be fun for kids and fans everywhere. Watch the trailer HERE. 

Disney’s Christopher Robin – August 3rd

This colorful comedy will explore what happens when an adult Christopher Robin (Ewan McGregor) is reconnected with his childhood friend Winnie-the-Pooh, and must learn lessons on how to enjoy life again. Watch the trailer HERE. 

Captive State – August 17th

This sci-fi thriller examines the effects on the inner city of Chicago, years after an alien force has occupied the earth. A new tale from Rise of the Planet of the Apes‘ Rupert Wyatt. tarring John Goodman, Vera Farmiga, James Ransone, Madeline Brewer and Ben Daniels. 

Slender Man – August 24th

This horror film will turn the urban legend and controversy of the Slender Man murders into a full-on horror film experience. Directed by Sylvain White (The Losers, Stomp the Yard). 

*****

That’s it for our Summer Movie Preview 2018 – which film are you most excited for? Did we leave off anything you want to see? Let us know in the comments!