2015 Summer Movie Preview: Avengers, Jurassic, Pan, Ant-Man

[Mark Vader]

The Spring movie season is about to begin. Movie studios are ready to let the big dogs loose, but those will all be mere appetizers for what is to come two months from now, when the gargantuan Summer Movie season begins. And what a Summer it will be. Comic book franchises, or should I say, Marvel franchises, continue their stronghold this time of year, as movie audiences are not growing tired of them.

There will be 3 of them scheduled between May and August. After last summer's "Guardians of the Galaxy", Disney feels confident that they can sell any Marvel title to the masses, no matter how obscure. We also get our share of sequels, reboots, prequels, and animation.

While Warner Bros., Universal, Paramount, 20th Century Fox, & Sony have their big tentpole titles ready, no studio is primed to have as big a year at the box office as Disney. With 4 major titles set for this Summer, two of them Marvel franchises, one a Pixar animated, and the other a Disney original; it will all come after their live action "Cinderella" movie in the spring, then fast forward to November for their 2nd Pixar offering, "The Good Dinosaur", and it all wraps up in December as they save their biggest offering for last with "Star Wars: Episode VII: The Force Awakens". Needless to say, the sky, nee, the universe is the limit for Disney.

But let's stick with Summer. Here's what we have to look forward to.....

 

Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Chris Hensworth & Mark Ruffalo are all back in "Avengers: Age of Ultron". When Tony Stark tries to jumpstart a dormant peacekeeping program, things go awry and it is up to the Avengers to stop the villainous Ultron from enacting his terrible plans. After speculation over whether it was possible to keep the entire cast intact for a second film, here we are, and a third film has been approved. Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, Samuel L. Jackson, Don Cheadle, Cobie Smulders, Anthony Mackie, Paul Bettany, & Stellan Skarsgard also return, and James Spader, Elizabeth Olsen, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Idris Elba, Thomas Kretschmann & Andy Serkis join in.

 

Dinosaurs are cool again, and when you add Chris Pratt to the mix, everything is awesome. Universal revives the "Jurassic Park" franchise with "Jurassic World". Isla Nublar now features a fully functioning dinosaur theme park, Jurassic World, as originally envisioned by John Hammond. Of course, that doesn't mean it's a smart thing to do. It seems that scientists will never learn. This years, and I mean years, in development project finally gets released. Chris Pratt's star keeps rising, and it will be a lot of fun to return to this franchise again. After all, who doesn't love dinosaurs? Bryce Dallas Howard, Judy Greer & Vincent D'Onofrio also star.

 

Paul Rudd is "Ant-Man". Armed with a super-suit with the astonishing ability to shrink in scale but increase in strength, con-man Scott Lang must embrace his inner hero and help his mentor, Dr. Hank Pym, plan and pull off a heist that will save the world. Also starring Hayley Atwell, Evangeline Lilly, Judy Greer, Michael Pena & Michael Douglas. We shall see if Disney can successfully make this their next tie-in to "Avengers".

 

So how did Peter Pan, become Peter Pan? Warner Bros., not Disney, will show us with "Pan". The story of an orphan who is spirited away to the magical Neverland. Hugh Jackman headlines the cast as Blackbeard. Also starring Levi Miller, Jimmy Vee & Rooney Mara.

 

Disney and director Brad Bird bring the most intriguing and, what could be, the biggest surprise of the summer, with "Tomorrowland". Bound by a shared destiny, a teen bursting with scientific curiosity and a former boy-genius inventor embark on a mission to unearth the secrets of a place somewhere in time and space that exists in their collective memory. Trailers have been vague, but have created a certain buzz for this movie. Disney is so confident with this film that they landed the Memorial Day weekend spot for it. Starring George Clooney, Britt Robertson, Hugh Laurie & Raffey Cassidy.

 

Getting a reboot, finally, 20th Century Fox brings us "Fantastic 4". Four young scientists achieve superhuman abilities through a teleportation experiment gone haywire. They must now use these abilities to save the world from an uprising tyrant. The cast of relative unknowns is refreshing, even though fanboys were enraged at the early script reviews. The long delays it took to get this film where it is, makes this movie a big question mark this summer.

 

Another franchise getting a reboot, sort of, after 30 years since the last movie in it's series was released, Warner Bros. and director George Miller gives us "Mad Max: Fury Road". An apocalyptic story set in the furthest reaches of our planet, in a stark desert landscape where humanity is broken, and almost everyone is crazed fighting for the necessities of life. Within this world exist two rebels on the run who just might be able to restore order. Starring Tom Hardy & Charlize Theron. This movie is set before the events of "Mad Max 2".

 

Paramount Pictures and Arnold Schwarzenegger bring us "Terminator Genisys". After finding himself in a new time-line, Kyle Reese teams up with John Connor's mother Sarah and an aging terminator to try and stop the one thing that the future fears, "Judgement Day".

 

After skipping a year, Disney & Pixar are back with the animated movie, "Inside Out". Told from the perspective of the emotions inside the mind of a little girl. Starring the voices of Diane Lane, Amy Poehler, Bill Hader, Mindy Kaling & Kyle MacLachlan.

 

The "Minions", get their own movie. Minions Stuart, Kevin and Bob are recruited by Scarlet Overkill, a super-villain who, alongside her inventor husband Herb, hatches a plot to take over the world. Starring the voices of Chris Renaud, Pierre Coffin, Michael Keaton & Sandra Bullock.

 

"Entourage" gets the big screen treatment. Film star Vince Chase and his cronies take on Hollywood. Starring Adrian Grenier, Jeremy Piven, Kevin Connolly & Jeremy Ferrara.

 

Adam Sandler & Kevin James star in the Chris Columbus directed "Pixels". Video game experts are recruited by the military to fight 1980s-era video game characters who've attacked New York. Also starring Michelle Monaghan & Peter Dinklage.

 

Tom Cruise is back in "Mission: Impossible 5". Jeremy Renner, Simon Pegg, Alec Baldwin & Ving Rhames co-star. The plot is unkown, but apparently their is still an audience for this franchise.

 

Seth McFarlane brings us "Ted 2". Newlywed couple Ted and Tami-Lynn want to have a baby, but in order to qualify to be a parent, Ted will have to prove he's a person in a court of law. Starring Liam Neeson, Mark Wahlberg, Amanda Seyfried & Morgan Freeman.

 

Bradley Cooper, Emma Stone, Rachel McAdams & Bill Murray star in director Cameron Crowe's "Aloha". A celebrated military contractor returns to the site of his greatest career triumphs and re-connects with a long-ago love while unexpectedly falling for the hard-charging Air Force watchdog assigned to him.

 

From director Guy Ritchie comes "The Man From U.N.C.L.E". In the early 1960s, CIA agent Napoleon Solo and KGB operative Illya Kuryakin participate in a joint mission against a mysterious criminal organization, which is working to proliferate nuclear weapons. Starring Henry Cavill, Alicia Vikander, Armie Hammer & Hugh Grant.

 

Other offerings this Summer Season include:

 

The re-imagining of the horror classic, "Poltergeist"

 

Channing Tatum returns in "Magic Mike XXL"

 

The Barden Bellas are back, in "Pitch Perfect 2"

 

The NWA biopic "Straight Outta Compton"

 

And finally the overdue "Goosebumps" movie

 

Calendar with partial Trailers

 

May

 

5/1

"Avengers: Age of Ultron": http://marvel.com/avengers

 

5/15

"Mad Max: Fury Road: http://www.madmaxmovie.com/

 

"Pitch Perfect 2": http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi3447566105?ref_=ttvi_vi_imdb_1

 

5/22

"Tomorrowland": http://movies.disney.com/tomorrowland

 

5/29

"Aloha": http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi1661251097?ref_=ttvi_vi_imdb_1

 

June

 

6/5

"Entourage": http://entouragemovie.com/

 

6/12

"Jurassic World": http://www.jurassicworld.com/

 

6/19

"Inside Out": http://movies.disney.com/inside-out

 

6/26

"Ted 2": http://www.legalizeted.com/

 

July

 

7/1

"Terminator Genisys": http://www.terminatormovie.com/

 

"Magic Mike XXL": http://www.magicmikemovie.com/

 

7/10

"Minions": http://www.minionsmovie.com/

 

7/17

"Ant-Man": http://marvel.com/antman#

 

7/24

"Pan": http://www.pan-movie.com/

 

"Pixels"

 

"Poltergeist": http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi4281314841?ref_=ttvi_vi_imdb_1

 

7/31

"Mission: Impossible 5"

 

August

 

8/7

"Fantastic Four": http://www.fantasticfourmovie.com/#trailer

 

"Goosebumps"

 

8/14

"The Man From U.N.C.L.E": http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi3556945433?ref_=ttvi_vi_imdb_1

 

"Straight Outta Compton"

 

There you have it. A lot to look forward too this Summer.

I'll have the March Movies up soon, until then.....Enjoy!

[CowgirlsFan]

"" Aloha"" for me then "" Pitch Perfect 2"

[Beef Jerky]

The Man From U.N.C.L.E

 

I love Guy Ritchie movies.

Edited March 1, 2015 by Beef Jerky

[shrader]

There have been four mission impossible movies?

[Beef Jerky]

There have been four mission impossible movies?

Yea...

[DC Tom]

 

Tom Cruise is back in "Mission: Impossible 5". Jeremy Renner, Simon Pegg, Alec Baldwin & Ving Rhames co-star. The plot is unkown, but apparently their is still an audience for this franchise.

 

 

Yeah, well...the first one came out 20 years ago, and the plot is still largely unknown.

[outsidethebox]

 

Yeah, well...the first one came out 20 years ago, and the plot is still largely unknown.

Hahahaha!!!!!!

[Mark Vader]

 

Yeah, well...the first one came out 20 years ago, and the plot is still largely unknown.

True, but at least it is not as nearly absurd as the second movie was.

[shrader]

True, but at least it is not as nearly absurd as the second movie was.

I remember seeing that one the day before I flew out for my college orientation. The opening scene I kept thinking "well, I'll have a fun flight tomorrow". Anyway, had to do a double take when Tom said it had been 20 years since the first movie, but I guess my little story of the 2nd one does put a good idea in my mind of how long ago that was, the last time I actually saw one of those movies.

 

Anyway, my wallet's going to be hurting from a lot of movies on this list. I'm a sucker for the Marvel stuff at this point. They've done such a good job with most of them. Other than those, I'm not sure how many off the list I will see in theaters. I might consider Terminator because visually it should be fun on the big screen. That's about it though, maybe the wife will want to see Minions.

[dpberr]

Avengers:AOU will test audience patience and attention. Movie clocks in at nearly three hours and they are getting into Ocean 11 territory with bunches of actors and characters all over the place.

 

The Mission Impossible films have all suffered from not having an above average or remotely entertaining antagonist.

 

I'm a big fan of the Terminator concept and movies, but sooner or later, somebody has to come up with something besides "big mean computer keeps sending various ethnicities of Terminators back to kill THIS guy or THAT woman." Is the sequel going to be Terminator Justice league with Asian Terminator, Arnold 1984, Robert Patrick, Female Terminator and Tim Burton's former girlfriend Terminator ALL in one movie hunting various versions of John Connor in Los Angeles?

[Mark Vader]

I remember seeing that one the day before I flew out for my college orientation. The opening scene I kept thinking "well, I'll have a fun flight tomorrow". Anyway, had to do a double take when Tom said it had been 20 years since the first movie, but I guess my little story of the 2nd one does put a good idea in my mind of how long ago that was, the last time I actually saw one of those movies.

 

Anyway, my wallet's going to be hurting from a lot of movies on this list. I'm a sucker for the Marvel stuff at this point. They've done such a good job with most of them. Other than those, I'm not sure how many off the list I will see in theaters. I might consider Terminator because visually it should be fun on the big screen. That's about it though, maybe the wife will want to see Minions.

I just don't know if there is such a demand for the Mission: Impossible series to continue. Wouldn't be surprised if it gets pushed back.

 

As for the Terminator series, that is something that should be put to bed already.

[shrader]

As for the Terminator series, that is something that should be put to bed already.

I thought the only potential it had at this point was more storylines in the future. That way, you at least have no idea how it ends because no one is guaranteed to survive anymore. That's a big part of why the new Star Wars will have so much more potential than the prequels did. Forget for a second all of the crappy writing and the long list of other issues, I always felt that those movies were doomed from the start because we knew exactly how it had to end, Luke and Leia are born, mommy and all the Jedi die.

[Acantha]

I thought the only potential it had at this point was more storylines in the future. That way, you at least have no idea how it ends because no one is guaranteed to survive anymore. That's a big part of why the new Star Wars will have so much more potential than the prequels did. Forget for a second all of the crappy writing and the long list of other issues, I always felt that those movies were doomed from the start because we knew exactly how it had to end, Luke and Leia are born, mommy and all the Jedi die.

The Star Wars movies have no chance period. I'm sure they'll do fine financially, which of course is all that matters in the end, but they will be ridiculed non-stop from every direction no matter what happens. The fanboys, which is damn near everyone it seems, are just too horrible. Hell, they had a 30 second trailer that set off half of the internet because of a 2 second shot of a new light saber.

 

Star Wars doesn't have the opportunity to be on the same grading scale as anyone else. It could be the greatest movie in the past 50 years and it would still be crap to many.

Edited March 5, 2015 by Acantha

[Dante]

The Man From U.N.C.L.E

 

I love Guy Ritchie movies.

Snatch is maybe my favorite movie of all.

[Mark Vader]

Avengers:AOU will test audience patience and attention. Movie clocks in at nearly three hours and they are getting into Ocean 11 territory with bunches of actors and characters all over the place.

 

The Mission Impossible films have all suffered from not having an above average or remotely entertaining antagonist.

 

I'm a big fan of the Terminator concept and movies, but sooner or later, somebody has to come up with something besides "big mean computer keeps sending various ethnicities of Terminators back to kill THIS guy or THAT woman." Is the sequel going to be Terminator Justice league with Asian Terminator, Arnold 1984, Robert Patrick, Female Terminator and Tim Burton's former girlfriend Terminator ALL in one movie hunting various versions of John Connor in Los Angeles?

I too am surprised at the running time for "Avengers: Age of Ultron". Still, Disney & Marvel have been up to the challenge before, and they have succeeded every time.

 

Completely agree with you about the Terminator series. It's redundant. "Terminator Salvation" may not have been the best movie of the series, but it at least attempted to move the timeline forward.

Edited March 6, 2015 by Mark Vader

[dpberr]

I too am surprised at the running time for "Avengers: Age of Ultron". Still, Disney & Marvel have been up to the challenge before, and they have succeeded every time.

 

Completely agree with you about the Terminator series. It's redundant. "Terminator Salvation" may not have been the best movie of the series, but it at least attempted to move the timeline forward.

 

Agreed. I didn't find Salvation to be a truly terrible movie. Much like the 3rd installment, it had it's moments.

 

I'm surprised the Terminator franchise didn't ditch the whole "send the emotionally challenged robot from the future" script and replace at least one of the movies with no cyborgs but with a sci-fi/conspiracy story. Skynet was destroyed but some evil corporation, government, etc. is hell bent on getting that band back together, piece by piece. The TV series with Lena Headley went somewhat in that direction before it was cancelled.

 

You wonder if there will be superhero fatigue. There are a lot in this new Avengers/Expendables-Lite movie, and with studio persistence in endless reboots of Batman and Spiderman and countless other solo pictures coming out, will people get bored?

 

Speaking of Expendables, I see that's going to be a TV series now. Perhaps Carl Weathers can finally make it in one.

[Deranged Rhino]

 

Agreed. I didn't find Salvation to be a truly terrible movie. Much like the 3rd installment, it had it's moments.

 

I'm surprised the Terminator franchise didn't ditch the whole "send the emotionally challenged robot from the future" script and replace at least one of the movies with no cyborgs but with a sci-fi/conspiracy story. Skynet was destroyed but some evil corporation, government, etc. is hell bent on getting that band back together, piece by piece. The TV series with Lena Headley went somewhat in that direction before it was cancelled.

 

You wonder if there will be superhero fatigue. There are a lot in this new Avengers/Expendables-Lite movie, and with studio persistence in endless reboots of Batman and Spiderman and countless other solo pictures coming out, will people get bored?

 

Speaking of Expendables, I see that's going to be a TV series now. Perhaps Carl Weathers can finally make it in one.

 

Good lord, please, yes! I love popcorn flicks and don't want to do away with all the super heroes, but I'm hoping Avengers tanks (it won't) just to get some variety back into the theaters. Superhero movie tent poles have absolutely destroyed the middle budget movie within the mainstream studio system. Unless your movie is $125 million plus with a superhero / comic book hero as your lead, or unless your movie is under $5 million and stars a teenage girl in a horror set up, there's no room for your movie anymore in Hollywood. It's straight to VOD for anyone in between.

 

Hollywood used to make dozens of movies a year between 20-50 million. Those were the ones that tended to win most of the accolades because they weren't SFX driven machines but instead real stories about real people (sometimes in unreal situations) -- and largely drew older audiences. Now those don't get made unless it's outside the studio system.

 

The snake is eating its own tail.

[LB3]

I know it's not a movie in this thread, but I just watched Foxcatcher and all I can say is wow. Carell and Tatum were both great, but I don't think Ruffalo got enough credit for his role. He was fantastic.

[Mark Vader]

I thought the only potential it had at this point was more storylines in the future. That way, you at least have no idea how it ends because no one is guaranteed to survive anymore. That's a big part of why the new Star Wars will have so much more potential than the prequels did. Forget for a second all of the crappy writing and the long list of other issues, I always felt that those movies were doomed from the start because we knew exactly how it had to end, Luke and Leia are born, mommy and all the Jedi die.

For me I was just happy to return to that universe. I like the prequels, yes I have some issues with them, but I enjoyed them. I loved "Revenge of the Sith". Yes, we all knew how it would end, but I had fun watching them.

 

The Star Wars movies have no chance period. I'm sure they'll do fine financially, which of course is all that matters in the end, but they will be ridiculed non-stop from every direction no matter what happens. The fanboys, which is damn near everyone it seems, are just too horrible. Hell, they had a 30 second trailer that set off half of the internet because of a 2 second shot of a new light saber.

 

Star Wars doesn't have the opportunity to be on the same grading scale as anyone else. It could be the greatest movie in the past 50 years and it would still be crap to many.

Yes, the Star Wars fanboys are relentless and ridiculous.

 

Personally, I think the Star Wars franchise is in good hands. People were worried when Disney bought Marvel, and look at the results. Also having directors like J.J. Abrams, Rian Johnson & Gareth Edwards in charge are all good signs.

 

You are correct that the fanboys will whine and moan about the smallest thing and will do everything they can to trash it. That's not me, and I consider myself a fanboy. I grew up watching Star Wars and have loved it ever since. I want to see what this new generation of directors, writers and actors can do with this franchise.

 

The stories that can be made in this universe is vast. I'm ready for all of it.