Summers are not just about vacations, beaches and barbecues. It’s the time of the year when cinema enthusiasts break free from their couches and head to the theaters. With a diverse range of hits coming their way, moviegoers have a lot to look forward to.This Summer’s line-up has it all, history, adventure, action, superheroes, and espionage. Tomorrow.events is here to help you decide what to watch with a sneak peek into the most anticipated movies this summer. T.e envisions this summer’s revenue to give a much needed boost to the boxoffice.
Summer 2022 Box Office
With respect to the blow to the theater industry due to the pandemic in 2020 and 2021, 2022 was a relatively good year in terms of revenue. The biggest hit past summer was Top Gun Maverick, grossing $343.2M domestically. Besides a couple of Marvel cinematic Universe successes (ofcourse), the 2022 summer box office surprised everyone with four non-sequel movies making it to the top 10 domestic grossing films. It is interesting to note here that over half of all domestic ticket sales in summer of 2022 were between May 1 and July 10. According to data from Comscore, as of Aug 30 2022, domestic summer box office revenue was $3.35 billion as compared to $1.755 billion in 2022.
CinemaCon 2023
CinemaCon 2023 just concluded. This year was their 11th show, held at Ceasars Palace in Las Vegas from 24 April -27 April. CinemaCon, official Convention of The National Association of Theatre Owners (NATO), is a global event that attracts attendees from more than 80 countries. It features the largest cinema trade show in the world. It also caters to all the facets of the international film theater industry including, but not limited to, distribution, exhibition, marketing, publicity, advertising, internet and social media as well as theater equipment and concession manufacturers. The biggest production houses give their presentations showcasing what they have in store for the year to come. We all got a glimpse of what’s to come along with some surprise sneak peaks
Summer 2023 Box Office Season
The coming weekend will see the beginning of summer season at the boxoffice, which runs through all the way to Labor Day. The audience is in for a roller coaster ride. There moviegoers will see a rush of nostalgia as they bid farewell to some beloved characters they grew up with, while also paving way to some new beginnings. The summer releases, as always, are all about big productions. They also set the tone for the rest of the year in terms of box office trends.
What to Watch This Summer
Here is a glimpse into what Tomorrow.events foresees as the must-see movies of summer 2023. Check it out to be up-to-date on what to watch in the theatres. From Tom Cruise returning in a different role this year to saying farewell to two different sequels, a lot is happening!
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 – May 5
It is one of the most anticipated movies of 2023, especially by the MCU fans. The final film in the Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy and the 32nd one in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), Guardians of the Galaxy vol. 3 will release on May 5th. It is part of Phase 5 of the MCU. Peter Quill (Chris Pratt) returns with his team to defend the universe and protect one of their own. It has been nine years since The Guardians first got together on the big screen. Rocket, Groot and the other members of Quill’s team are together in a mission that might be their last as a team. Action, adventure, comedy, loyalty and love – the moviegoers are definitely in for a treat.
Famous for showcasing music from the 70’s the final chapter of the trilogy has some tracks from the later decades as well. The track list of Vol. 3 was revealed in April 2023 and is available on Spotify and Apple Music. The movie is rated PG 13. Tomorrow.events predict that the final chapter of the Guardians trilogy will earn more than $130 million on its 3 day opening weekend.
Fast X – May 9
The tenth installment of the Fast & Furious franchise is set to release on May 19. Fast X is the second last of the Fast franchise with its final installment set to release in 2025. For 22 years we have been following Dominic Toretto and his crew through many action packed adventures. No matter who they are up against, one thing has always remained constant in the franchise; the crew being a family and facing it all together.
With an ensemble cast (no surprise there), there are huge expectations from this movie. This time Dom (Vin Diesel) must protect his family and crew from the criminal mastermind Cipher (Charlize Theron). She has joined forces with (wait for it) Jason Momoa, who plays Dante Reyes, who is seeking revenge for his father’s death. Quick trip down memory lane: Dante’s father was Hernan Reyes who died in Fast Five. Fun Fact: Jason Mamoa has done his own stunts! Goosebumps much!?! Still wondering what to watch?
The Little Mermaid – May 26
Who does not know the story of Ariel, a princess mermaid. A huge Disney favorite, since its release in 1989, this classic musical fantasy animation is now a live-action movie. Halle Bailey plays Ariel and Melissa McCarthy is playing Ursula, the deceitful sea witch. If the nostalgia is not enough, the hauntingly beautiful music, vibrant costumes, enchanting visual effects and enormously detailed sets, all are the reason why The Little Mermaid is on this list.
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse – June 2
A sequel to Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018), this animated movie by Marvel Entertainment and Sony Pictures reunites us with Brooklyn’s friendly Spider-Man, Miles Morales and his Gwen Stacey (Spider-Woman). They embark on an adventure across the multiverse. There they come across the Spider-Verse and encounter the Spider-People. Facing a new threat together now, what will happen is for you to find out!
Transformers: Rise of the Beasts – June 9
The Transformers franchise revolves around the heroic Autobots and the evil Decepticons, alien factions at war for millions of years with the root of their conflict being their differing views on society and power. They can transform into other forms such as vehicles (and now animals), hence the name! This is the seventh installment in the Transformer film series, and is also a sequel to BumbleBee (2018). Set in the 90’s, a couple of archeologists on an adventure along with the autobots find themselves in the middle of a conflict. This time involving three more races of the transformers; the animalistics Maximals, the Predacons and the Terrorcons.
The Flash – June 16
Good news for all DC fans! Initially scheduled for release in 2018, The Flash is finally ready to hit the screens! The Fl;ash is the 13th installment in the DC Extended Universe (DCEU). The movie shows what happens when Barry Allen aka the Flash (Ezra Miller) travels back in time using his super speed to prevent his mother’s murder. Consequently this trip traps in an alternate reality, a world with no metahumans. Guess what, in this reality General Zod has returned. Barry’s only hopes are now his own younger self, retired Batman (Michael Keaton), and Super Girl. Will the Fl;ash be able to save that world and return to his own universe? You will find out soon enough!
Elemental – June 16
Still wondering what to watch? This new Pixar original is an animated romantic comedy. Revolving around the themes of immigration and family, it is the story of a boy and a girl. The only difference is that they are fire and water. Set in Element City, where all the elements reside, with only one rule – ‘Elements can not mix!’ As a result we will get a glimpse of the power of connection, community and tolerance.
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny – June 30
The world first met Indiana Jones in 1981 and ever since then the character is synonymous with adventure, exploration, action, comedy and well, the fedora (hats)! Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny is the fifth movie of the famous series. It is also the last one in which we will see Harrison Ford as Indy. This time on the adventure with him is his goddaughter, played by Waller-Bridge. The movie is set in 1969. It has Nazis and Russians and is set around the premise of the space race.
The previous 4 Indiana Jones movies were directed by the legendary Steven Spielberg. James Mangold, who has ‘The Wolverine’ and ‘Ford v Ferrari’ to his credit, has directed this latest movie which is also the last of the franchise. In this movie’s case, some might not be wondering what to watch, but instead when, as they may plan to binge watch the previous movies for nostalgia’s sake.
If the Indy fans are worried if justice has been done to the character and the movie, fear not! Steven Spielberg has not only watched it, he loved it! Speaking at The Time 100 Summit, his response to a question about this movie was, “When the lights came up I just turned to the group and said, ‘Damn! I thought I was the only one who knew how to make one of these.”
Mission Impossible-Dead Reckoning Part 1 – July 12
After ruling over the box office last summer with Top Gun Maverick, Tom Cruise is back this year, now as Secret Agent Ethan Hunt. This is the seventh installment of the Mission franchise. The initial release date was July 14. However the new date was announced at CinemaCon 2023 along with a 20 minute extended sequence from the upcoming flick as a surprise. Part 2 of this ‘Mission’ is scheduled to be released in June 2024. For all the action, spy-thriller, Tom Cruise loving fans, these two movies are the final ones of Agent Hunt.
Fun Fact: Tom Cruise performs his own stunts in the Mission Franchise. Much about this upcoming movie is being kept under the wraps. So let’s see if, like last year, a Tom Cruise movie will end up being the highest grossing summer movie again. In either case it is on T.e’s ‘what to watch’ list.
Oppenheimer – July 21
As evident by its name, this Christopher Nolan movie is based on the work of theoretical physicist Robert Oppenheimer and The Manhattan Project. Cillian Murphy plays Oppenheimer, famously known as ‘father of the atomic bomb.’ Universal Studios’ presentation at CinemaCon 2023 started off with new footage of this movie. Everyone knows the story behind the atomic bomb and what happened back then. However it is the mastery of Nolan’s directorial vision and the star studded cast of this movie that has everyone anticipating it to be one of the best films this year. It is last in order of T.e’s ‘what to watch’ recommendations but in no way is it any less anticipated.
Overall, the summer season is a key period for the US box office because of the larger audience, the release of blockbuster films, and the potential to set the tone for the rest of the year. This year is bringing to the screens some nostalgia, much anticipation and extreme excitement. On one hand the moviegoers will bid farewell to some old beloved characters and stories. On the other hand they will embark on some new adventures. So if you were wondering what to watch this summer, here are the top 10 titles sorted for you by Tomorrow.events. So mark your calendars. The popcorn will be waiting for you!
Tomorrow.events Box Office Forecast
2023 seems to be a year of quite a few farewells. Now that T.e has shared with you what to watch, here’s our prediction of how some of these picks will do at the box office.
Tomorrow.events sees Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 to be the highest grossing movie this summer. Take it as James Gunn leaving Marvel with a spectacular bang! ‘Right by its side, by a little margin, T.e foresees Mission Impossible-Dead Reckoning Part 1. We are taking into consideration how these 2 franchise movies have consistently out-done their previous titles each time. Also, especially keeping in mind that these are the final instalments of the said franchises, T.e has no doubt the pull will be way too strong for cinemagoers to resist.
Although Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny is another franchise that is coming to an end this summer (and that too after a run of 4 decades), T.e predicts that Fast X will accelerate much farther than the former in box office revenues (pun intended). Because Fast X itself is the beginning to the end of the franchise, and those cars, those high speed chases, and to top it off Vin Diesel vs Jason Mamoa! Must we say any more? However, we at T.e are not taking Transformers: Rise of the Beasts lightly. Why? Well, because of the introduction of the Beast War characters! As mentioned earlier it is also a prequel to BumbleBee the Movie, and that is also something we have taken into account. As for Oppenheimer, the movie will do fairly well on the box office. However T.e sees it making much more noise at the Oscars instead! reason: Christopher Nolan+Cillian Murphy!
So, there you have it, Tomorrow.events’ summer box office forecast!
