Summer is always full of swimming, the sun and the heat, but there’s one activity that always manages to bring people back inside for a couple of hours: the summer blockbuster. Whether it’s in the middle of a heat wave or a few rainy days, the movie theater is always ready to welcome people back inside for a few hours.
The idea of the summer blockbuster started in 1975 with Jaws, and it became a cinema staple in 1977 with the first Star Wars movie A New Hope. This happened by accident when production delays pushed the first Star Wars film to a May release, but the impact of this summer movie has affected Hollywood ever since.
The 1980s were the golden age of summer blockbusters with releases like The Lost Boys, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, Poltergeist, Back to the Future, Ghostbusters and E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial. All these movies are fan favorites, and they’re still quoted in pop culture by people from all age groups.
By the time the 2000s rolled around, superheroes were all the rage when it came to summer blockbusters, and this trend continues today. This era of Hollywood saw things like Thor, Iron Man, Batman Begins, Captain America and The Amazing Spiderman released, and they led to entire universes and franchises that are still being produced.
Summer blockbusters came to a screeching halt in 2019 due to the pandemic, and many critics and movie fans alike feared they wouldn’t return to their status. It seems like there is nothing to worry about for these movies as this summer is seeing releases like Top Gun: Maverick, Jurassic World: Dominion, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, and Lightyear.
Between the summer heat and the thunderstorms, think about heading to the movies and experiencing the summer blockbuster revival. What movie are you excited to see this summer?
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