The 2016 summer movie season is looking more super than ever with two highly anticipated superhero films, five animated films, and a bunch of long-awaited sequels. Mark your calendars, here’s what your family won’t want to miss:
MAY
Captain America: Civil War (PG-13). For those who were super excited about Batman battling Superman, Marvel is about to knock your cape off. A rift between Iron Man and Captain America creates a fissure within the group, causing every superhero to choose a side, resulting in an EPIC Avenger-vs.-Avenger takedown. In theaters May 6.
Angry Birds (PG). The world’s most popular gaming app comes to the big screen, and moviegoers finally learn why those birds are so mad. Moreover, audiences see how anger can be a useful emotion, especially when it comes to fighting off invading pigs! In theaters May 20.
Alice Through the Looking Glass (PG). Years have passed since Alice’s trip to the magical world of Underland, and upon her return, she must take on Time himself to save her beloved Mad Hatter. In theaters May 27.
X-Men: Apocalypse (PG-13). In the latest sequel to the X-Men prequels, the mutants evolve from students to full-blown superheroes to save the world against some of their own. X-Men films rank high in the superhero genre, but they’re also the most complicated, so plan time to marathon the previous prequels to be ready for this experience. In theaters May 27.
JUNE
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows. Michelangelo, Raphael, Donatello and Leonardo bring laughs, fun and zeal to an action film – as only vigilante, pizza-eating turtles can. Casey Jones, who fights crime with a hockey stick, joins TMNT while the crew battles Bebop, Rocksteady and Dr. Baxter Stockman. In theaters June 3.
Me Before You (PG-13). This romantic-novel adaptation may best be explained as The Fault in Our Stars meets The Theory of Everything: a young woman takes a job caring for a handsome, wealthy and recently paralyzed young man whose spirit needs revitalizing. Swooning will commence at popcorn’s first whiff. In theaters June 3.
Finding Dory. The memory-challenged blue tang was so supportive in helping Marlin find Nemo, and now it’s time to discover: where is Dory’s family? Assisting her are some fish with challenges of their own, including a nearsighted whale shark and a beluga whale with a wonky sonar. In theaters June 17.
JULY
The BFG. In a town with a high missing-persons count, children are warned to stay in bed and away from the windows at night. Sophie ignores this advice, gets kidnapped and makes the friend of a lifetime. While this may sound a bit scary, Steven Spielberg adapting this Roald Dahl children’s classic is an assurance that the result will be a magical, imaginative parental fantasy. Just don’t mind the child-eating giants. In theaters July 1.
The Legend of Tarzan (PG-13). Tarzan no meet Jane in this live-action story. This is about the now civilized and dignified Lord Greystoke III, long married to Jane Porter, who returns to the jungle in a diplomatic role and gets his ape man groove back. Expect a tree house project in your future. In theaters July 1.
The Secret Life of Pets (PG). The cozy life of house dog Max is disrupted when his owner brings home a “brother” from the pound. Sibling rivalry leads to trouble… and a good deal of toilet-drinking and butt-sniffing humor! In theaters July 8.
Ghostbusters (PG-13). “Watch this great ‘80s movie with me!” isn’t as effective as “Hey, you want to see this hilarious new version of a comedy classic with all your favorite SNL actresses? (Yes!) With me? (Oh. Um. Okay.)” Parent-teen bonding, commence! In theaters July 15.
Star Trek: Beyond (PG-13). Now three films deep, the storytelling moves “beyond” the origin story setups and is now well into its mission exploring deep space. Captain James T. Kirk and his crew find themselves fully entrenched in alien troubles, under attack and stranded without the Enterprise on a foreign planet. In theaters July 22.
Ice Age: Collision Course (PG). 2016 is a stellar year for movies: Star Wars. Star Trek. Star Scrat. The sabre-tooth squirrel mistakenly goes to space where, per usual, he causes an Earth-altering catastrophe. This time, it’s a huge asteroid heading straight for Earth. The good news? Jungle adventurer and lovable lunatic Buck is back! In theaters July 22.
AUGUST
Pete’s Dragon (PG). Who is to say that imaginary friends aren’t real? When a 10-year-old boy is found living in the woods of the Pacific Northwest, he says he’s been under the care of a giant green dragon. The thing is, there’s one old man who believes him. In theaters August 12.
Kubo and the Two Strings. Family dynamics can be complicated. Adapted from Japanese folklore, a 12-year-old boy leaves his goddess mother on a quest seeking his heroic destiny, armed with a musical instrument that magically serves as a weapon. The only one who can stand in his way? The vengeful Moon King, better known to Kubo as “Grandpa.” In theaters August 19.
