The biggest movies you may have missed this summer
Abby Perez / Thresher
Did you spend most of your summer stuck in a lab or taking a hard class with a semester’s worth of material in the span of a month? If so, then you probably missed the 110 films that came out this summer. With so many, it’s hard to know which ones are worth your time. This is a list of the top six films that won’t make you fall asleep (unlike your lectures).
6. Jurassic World Rebirth
Despite being the seventh movie in the Jurassic World franchise, this film captures the feel and suspense of the early films. It’s a standalone film and does not include any returning characters, which means audiences not familiar with the original material can still enjoy it. If you’re wondering how this movie manages to squeeze more content out of the franchise, rest assured, it proves intriguing — and at times, even scary. This movie once again proves that big, angry dinosaurs never go out of style.
5. Thunderbolts*
“Thunderbolts*” follows the events of the 2021 film “Black Widow.” Although it provides important insight into the protagonist, you do not need to be familiar with the previous film to enjoy this one. It is a rollercoaster of emotions, combining intense fighting scenes, funny bits and emotionally chilling scenes. With morally ambiguous characters, it is far from a typical superhero film. The twists and turns of this film, and the unlikely team that has to deal with them, will have you equally in suspense and laughter.
4. How to Train Your Dragon (2025)
The beloved animated movie “How to Train Your Dragon” has filled many childhoods with love for dragons. The original 2010 movie introduced us to the iconic duo of Hiccup and Toothless. For the nostalgic watchers, the casting had discrepancies, but the recreation of the scenes and the dragons make up for it. Incredibly, this movie stayed true to the original, involving breathtaking imagery and dialogue that is almost word-for-word identical. If the 2010 mfilm left you with an unfathomable urge to move to Berk, this movie is for you.
3. The Fantastic Four: First Steps
Being some of the first superheroes made by Marvel all the way back in 1961, the Fantastic Four have great importance in the world of superhero teams. Set in a 1960s retro-futuristic city, the worldbuilding of the film feels unique and captivating. Described by Screen Rant as “the most faithful recreation of the franchise,” this movie invokes feelings of nostalgia for older audiences while having a compelling storyline that new audiences can appreciate. Whether you are a fan of the Marvel Cinematic Universe or are just watching for Pedro Pascal, this movie will have you glued to it from start to finish.
PS: For physics/astronomy majors, beware of scientific inaccuracies that will have you itching to comment during the movie. If this happens, take a deep breath and count contact forces.
2. Superman (2025)
Despite being a hardcore Marvel fan, this movie earned a point for DC in my book. Audiences tired of the gloomy, vengeful Superman will adore this friendly, squirrel-saving superhero rendition. With a whopping $614 million, it is the seventh highest-grossing movie of this year, and for good reason. A lovable main character, a jealous villain who has it out for people with hair, a hyperactive dog and incredibly cool fighting scenes have made for the perfect superhero movie to chill with this summer.
1. KPop Demon Hunters
I officially apologize to my neighbors for blasting this movie’s soundtrack for the past month, but after seeing the movie, they might grant me some amnesty. “KPop Demon Hunters” is the only movie on this list that did not come out in theaters; instead, it was released as a Netflix original animated film. Despite the name possibly causing skepticism for some, this film is an incredible example of a movie that exceeds expectations on all three of its prime components: animation, character writing and soundtrack. In the short time this movie has been out, one of its most popular songs, “Golden,” became the number one song on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The dynamic animation by Sony Pictures Animation, mixed with the badass personalities and complexity of the characters, has made this movie a remarkable, well-earned success.
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