The Most Promising Summer Movies of 2017

Victoria Stuewe ’20 / Emertainment Monthly Assistant Movies Editor
Summer is finally here, which means some of the highly anticipated films of the year are finally slated to premiere on the big screen. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 was just released – read Emertainment Monthly’s review here – finally kicking off the summer season in Hollywood. There are many highly anticipated films being released, but these are the top ten most promising out of the elite crowd of blockbuster films.
Alien: Covenant

After years of anticipation, the next installment in the Alien franchise will finally be here. Following the prequel Prometheus, Alien: Covenant follows the crew of the Covenant as they explore planets on the far side of the galaxy. Though they find a place that seems like paradise, there is something much more sinister hiding in the dark world.
With Michael Fassbender reprising his role from the previous film as well as Ridley Scott directing the film, Covenant is definitely in good hands. Some reviews have already come in for the film and, so far, the film is looking like it was done fairly well. Though Prometheus received mixed reviews overall, Covenant has many similar qualities to the original Alien movie with its female star – now being Katherine Waterston – a crew ensemble stuck in a ship on a seemingly abandoned planet, and a terrifying central alien. Though this could prove to be a major downfall should it be too similar, it might conversely mean that Covenant has the potential to be the best Alien movie since the spectacular second installment, Aliens.
Alien: Covenant will be released on May 19. See the trailer here.
Wonder Woman

Serving as a prequel to Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Wonder Woman takes place during World War I. The titular character, played by Gal Gadot, meets Steve Trevor (Chris Pine) when he wakes up on the shores of the Amazons. Trevor tells Wonder Woman, previously known as Diana, about the deadly war, she leaves with him to help save the foreboding threat. Though she is the princess of the Amazons, she goes to prove her power in the new world.
This film has many firsts for DC and Hollywood in general: it’s the first solo film for Wonder Woman, it’s the first DC film with a female lead, and this film marks the first time a female directed a superhero blockbuster. With all of this riding on the film, there is a lot of hope that it will prove to be an epic film. If the film is anything like the trailers, there is no doubt that it will be an exciting movie, but, with DC’s rough patch of films that has lasted since the formidable Dark Knight Trilogy, there is also a lot of hesitation to call this DC’s next critical hit. However, if Gadot’s charm that was present in her appearance in Batman v Superman, there is still a glimmer of hope for this film. Additionally, it seems like Director Patty Jenkins has taken a lighter approach, unlike other DC Extended Universe films. This could prove to be a great positive and turn around for the suffering DC films.
Wonder Woman will be released on June 2. See the trailer here.
It Comes at Night

A24, the rising studio for independent films, has yet another hair-raising horror film coming out this year. Though It Comes at Night’s plot is extremely vague, what the trailer has revealed is that there is a family who seeks refuge in a house in the middle of the woods. The family that currently resides allows them in but warns of a sinister threat that, as the title suggests, comes at night. The two families begin to distrust each other as time goes on, creating paranoia not only for what’s roaming outside but also inside the desolate house.
With A24’s recent critically acclaimed releases – such as Room, Ex Machina, and Green Room – there could be another hit with It Comes at Night. With a relatively unknown cast and an up and coming director, this independent film might bring something new to the horror genre. With its chilling first trailer that was recently released, It Comes at Night looks to be an innovative and terrifying horror film, unlike most of the trope-filled horror flicks of today.
It Comes at Night will be released on June 9. See the trailer here.
Cars 3

Pixar’s first film of the year is the threequel to their heavily popular Cars series. Departing from the “super spy” theme of Cars 2, Cars 3 goes back to its roots by focusing on the legendary Lightning McQueen (Owen Wilson). Though he’s getting older, Lightning still doesn’t want to give up on the sport he loves: racing. However, due to age and newer, younger racers, this is becoming a harder task to overcome. To get back into the game, he decides to help a newcomer named Cruz Rameriez (Cristela Alonzo) to prove himself to the world
With the prospect of going back to the Cars premise of racecar driving, this seems to be a great comeback for this series. The original teaser was highly emotional, which is what Pixar also seems to do best. Though all Pixar films seem to do well, Cars 2 was a bit of a disappointment among the critics, but by going back to the original premise rather than opting for another obscure story, this will hopefully prove to be a smarter decision by Pixar.
Cars 3 will be released on June 16. See the trailer here.
All Eyez on Me

Possibly one of the least known movies of the ten stated here, All Eyez on Me depicts the complex story that is Tupac Shakur, who will be played by Demetrius Shipp Jr. The film spans from Tupac’s early days to his young death at 25.
It’s strange that it took this long to make a Tupac film, but there will finally be one not only focusing on his controversial death but also his career as a whole. It seems like it will bring a fresh perspective on him as a person. It’s also refreshing to see both known actors as well as unknown so that more careers might be able to flourish due to this film. Should the film portray Tupac in an accurate and entertaining way, this could be a new hit and a possible contender during awards season, as it is reminiscent of fellow rapper biopic, Straight Outta Compton.
All Eyez on Me will be released on June 16. See the trailer here.
Spider-Man: Homecoming

After a wildly surprisingly successful cameo in Captain America: Civil War, Tom Holland returns as Spider-Man, rebooting the hero’s film franchise yet again. Taking place after the events of Civil War, Peter teams up with Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) while also dealing with the dramas of high school. Because Stark does not have full faith in Peter’s ability to balance being a superhero and being a regular teenager, Peter tries his hardest to prove himself to join the Avengers team.
Holland’s take on Spider-Man was arguably one of the best parts of Civil War, so anticipation for his first solo film is higher than before. Unlike earlier versions of Peter, Holland takes a more adolescent approach, something that proved to be wildly successful during his short stint in Civil War. With both Peter and Downey Jr.’s hilarious Stark, Homecoming looks to be a fun ride. Another plus with this film is that it is not necessarily an “origin story.” It’s refreshing to not have another origin for Spider-Man and instead focus on him as a character and getting through regular life instead of spending half of the film on how and why he became Spider-Man.
Spider-Man: Homecoming will be released on July 7. See the trailer here.
Dunkirk

The magnificent director that is Christopher Nolan is finally back, but this time, he has taken a break from his usual science-fiction genre and has instead opted to make a biopic. Taking place during World War II, the film focuses on the Battle of France on the beaches of Dunkirk, Frances. Surrounded by the German army, evacuated Allied soldiers from Belgium, Britain, Canada, and France must survive for their lives, despite their doomed prospects.
Just having Nolan as the writer and director on the credits means that Dunkirk will be a hit at the box office, and possibly with critics as well. Just adding to the film’s already long list of great qualities is the all-star cast – including Tom Hardy, Cillian Murphy, Kenneth Branagh, and Mark Rylance – thrilling trailers that just get better and better, the intense visuals, and more equates to mean that this film is looking to be another great on Nolan’s already-prestigious resume.
Dunkirk will be released on July 21. See the trailer here.
Atomic Blonde

Charlize Theron helms this spy action film, and, so far, it looks unbelievably thrilling. Atomic Blonde follows Lorraine Broughton (Theron), an undercover MI6 agent, who is sent on a mission during the Cold War to investigate the murder of a fellow agent and to recover a list of double agents.
The first trailer released displayed Theron in an action-packed fight scene, and, unlike other recent action films, it was almost all in one take. This prospect alone makes this film seem to be a refreshing take on the action genre. This smooth cinematography, along with the equally realistic and intense action makes this film look like a great stray from the regular superhero action films that audiences have become accustomed to.
Atomic Blonde will be released on July 28. See the trailer here.
The Dark Tower

The first of two Stephen King’s books to be released into film this year, The Dark Tower is a fantasy and science-fiction western that takes place after the events of the book series. It follows The Gunslinger, Roland Deschain (Idris Elba), who is hunting the Man in Black (Matthew McConaughey) while also searching for the Dark Tower to save his own world.
Being the complex and strange story that it is, The Dark Tower could be the next epic fantasy franchise like The Lord of the Rings. King’s inclusion in the production, as he’s a producer, is especially great because the original author has a say in what goes on during filming, which has been seen as he gave his approval to Elba as being the star of the film. Additionally, the fact that the story takes place after the original series means that the film can go wherever it wants, giving a load of possible plotlines for the film, which is an interesting way of approaching a book adaptation. All-in-all The Dark Tower has a lot of potential to be the next great fantasy adaptation and could even rejuvenate the western genre.
The Dark Tower will be released on August 4. See the trailer here.
Detroit

After five years, Kathryn Bigelow if finally coming out with a new film after her critically-acclaimed films, The Hurt Locker and Zero Dark Thirty. By having the first female who won the Academy Award for Best Director helming the film, Detroit might possibly be another critical hit. It depicts a police raid in 1967 that resulted in being one of the largest citizen uprisings in United States history.
The already released trailer shows Bigelow’s great directing all over it. With tension-filled scenes, it looks like Bigelow might have another hit in the making both in the box office and with critics. With great actors like John Boyega, John Krasinski, Samira Wiley, and Anthony Mackie that are featured in the film, it seems like Detroit is in great hands.
Detroit will be released on August 4. See the trailer here.