After more than a year of benching its biggest spectacles, Hollywood is ready to dazzle again.

From B次元官网网址淔9B次元官网网址� and B次元官网网址淚n the HeightsB次元官网网址� to B次元官网网址淭he Suicide SquadB次元官网网址� and B次元官网网址淏lack Widow,B次元官网网址� there will be a steady stream of blockbusters populating multiplexes across the country for the first time since March 2020.

For streaming-weary audiences, the promise of air conditioning, popcorn, soda fountains, 60-foot screens and state-of-the-art sound could be a welcome respite from the living room and virtual watch parties. Not to mention the ever-romantic concept of the shared experience.

For beleaguered movie theaters, itB次元官网网址檚 not a moment too soon.

The modern summer movie season, which runs from May through Labor Day, regularly accounts for over $4 billion in revenue and makes up around 40% of the yearB次元官网网址檚 grosses. Last year, summer earnings were $176 million, down 96% from 2019. Although theaters have been ramping up operations for a while, this summer will prove to be the biggest litmus test so far about whether habits have changed irrevocably during the pandemic.

In some ways, the calendar looks like a do-over of last summer. Many of the most anticipated releases were supposed to come out a year ago, including John KrasinskiB次元官网网址檚 B次元官网网址淎 Quiet Place Part II,B次元官网网址� up first on May 28, the big screen adaptation of Lin-Manuel MirandaB次元官网网址檚 Tony-winning B次元官网网址淚n the HeightsB次元官网网址� (June 11), the ninth installment of the B次元官网网址淔ast & FuriousB次元官网网址� series, B次元官网网址淔9B次元官网网址� (June 25), MarvelB次元官网网址檚 B次元官网网址淏lack WidowB次元官网网址� (July 9) starring Scarlett Johansson, the Emily Blunt and Dwayne Johnson action adventure B次元官网网址淛ungle CruiseB次元官网网址� (July 30) and Nia DaCostaB次元官网网址檚 B次元官网网址淐andymanB次元官网网址� reboot (Aug. 27).

B次元官网网址淚n the HeightsB次元官网网址� director Jon M. Chu had to convince Miranda that it was worth it to wait for a theatrical release. Miranda wanted to get his joyous musical about a bodega owner, Usnavi (Anthony Ramos) and his friends in Washington Heights out to people immediately. But Chu knows just how important a global release is for films with underrepresented casts. Like B次元官网网址淐razy Rich Asians,B次元官网网址� B次元官网网址淚n the HeightsB次元官网网址� features unknowns in key roles who are poised for a breakout given the right platform.

B次元官网网址淲e had big dreams for this,B次元官网网址� Chu said. B次元官网网址淭o be able to do it on the biggest scale possible meant so much.B次元官网网址�

And itB次元官网网址檚 not the only blue-sky blockbuster in the bunch. The B次元官网网址淔ast & FuriousB次元官网网址� series has always been about creating a fun theatrical experience and B次元官网网址淔9B次元官网网址� not only brings back a fan favorite B次元官网网址� Sung KangB次元官网网址檚 Han B次元官网网址� but also literally sends cars into space. ItB次元官网网址檚 expected to be one of the seasonB次元官网网址檚 biggest hits.

B次元官网网址淲henever I get together with Vin (Diesel) and everybody to make these movies, weB次元官网网址檙e not even talking about the plot or anything like that, but the feeling. I just remember as a kid in the summer saving enough money to go to the movies to share that experience with a bunch of strangers,B次元官网网址� said director Justin Lin. B次元官网网址淲hen that moment hits and everyoneB次元官网网址檚 laughing or cheering together, it is magical.B次元官网网址�

Before the pandemic, going to the movies in the summer was a ritual. Audiences made up for last year by screening at drive-ins. Now itB次元官网网址檚 a wild card whether the promise of an B次元官网网址渆vent filmB次元官网网址� will motivate audiences back to theaters, especially if something is also available to watch at home.

B次元官网网址淪pace Jam: A New LegacyB次元官网网址� director Malcom D. Lee called his film, B次元官网网址淭he epitome of a popcorn movie.B次元官网网址� The sequel to the 1996 Michael Jordan pic finds LeBron James now sharing the screen with classic Looney Toons characters.

Those looking for a more R-rated experience can thank James Gunn, who made movie stars out of the once obscure B次元官网网址淕uardians of the Galaxy,B次元官网网址� and now is out to do the same for the B次元官网网址渕isfit, Z-grade supervillainsB次元官网网址� of B次元官网网址淭he Suicide Squad.B次元官网网址� He had his pick of DC characters and turned down Superman for Margot RobbieB次元官网网址檚 Harley Quinn, Idris ElbaB次元官网网址檚 Bloodsport and John CenaB次元官网网址檚 Peacemaker.

Gunn looked to one of his favorite genres for inspiration: The 1960s war caper. Think, B次元官网网址淭he Dirty DozenB次元官网网址� and B次元官网网址淲here Eagles Dare.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淭o reinvigorate that genre just using these crappy supervillains as the protagonists was very appealing to me,B次元官网网址� Gunn said.

There are many other options too, including a host of big-name documentary titles, from Morgan NevilleB次元官网网址檚 B次元官网网址淩oadrunner: A Film About Anthony BourdainB次元官网网址� (July 16) to Peter JacksonB次元官网网址檚 B次元官网网址淭he Beatles: Get BackB次元官网网址� (Aug. 27). There are family films, like B次元官网网址淧eter Rabbit 2: The RunawayB次元官网网址� (June 18) and B次元官网网址淗otel Transylvania: TransformaniaB次元官网网址� (July 23) and horrors like B次元官网网址淭he Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It (June 4), and B次元官网网址淒onB次元官网网址檛 Breathe 2B次元官网网址� (Aug. 13).

You can see Matt Damon try to save his daughter in the drama B次元官网网址淪tillwaterB次元官网网址� (July 30) or watch as Gael Garc铆a Bernal starts to age rapidly in M. Night ShyamalanB次元官网网址檚 B次元官网网址淥ldB次元官网网址� (July 23). Ryan Reynolds is in two big action flicks, B次元官网网址淭he HitmanB次元官网网址檚 WifeB次元官网网址檚 BodyguardB次元官网网址� (June 16) and B次元官网网址淔ree GuyB次元官网网址� (Aug. 13). ThereB次元官网网址檚 even an epic Dev Patel-led take on a classic Arthurian legend, B次元官网网址淭he Green KnightB次元官网网址� coming July 30.

B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 really glad that our movie is one of the ones that was held back because I really I want audiences to get a chance to see it on the big screen,B次元官网网址� said B次元官网网址淭he Green KnightB次元官网网址� director David Lowery. B次元官网网址淚t was obviously meant to be seen that way but also itB次元官网网址檚 a strange movie and I think that the idea of having that experience in a cinema with other people is going to be really, really exciting, especially after a year away from the big screen.B次元官网网址�

Some studios have been lately, like B次元官网网址� .B次元官网网址� But after seven weeks, even that monster sock B次元官网网址榚m up is still shy of cracking the $100 million mark domestically. And itB次元官网网址檚 unclear what the new benchmarks for success will be or if any movie has a chance of hitting anything close to pre-pandemic expectations. The last B次元官网网址淔astB次元官网网址� movie opened to $98.8 million in 2017. B次元官网网址淏lack WidowB次元官网网址� was once pegged for at least a $90 million launch. So far this year, .

For moviegoers, itB次元官网网址檚 also become hard to keep tabs on ever shifting dates, delays and multi-platform releases. Some summer-ready titles, like B次元官网网址淭op Gun: MaverickB次元官网网址� and the new James Bond, B次元官网网址淣o Time To Die,B次元官网网址� are waiting until later in the year to debut. B次元官网网址淛urassic World: DominionB次元官网网址� pushed to 2022. And changes are still being made as some offload titles to streaming services. Sony sold its Camilla Cabello and Billy Porter-led B次元官网网址淐inderellaB次元官网网址� to Amazon Prime and its Kevin Hart as a single dad pic B次元官网网址淔atherhoodB次元官网网址� to Netflix.

Even the films with theatrical debuts will have either unique hybrid release plans or . including B次元官网网址淚n the Heights,B次元官网网址� B次元官网网址淭he Suicide Squad,B次元官网网址� B次元官网网址淪pace Jam,B次元官网网址� will be available free for HBO Max subscribers for 31 days as well as in theaters. Most Disney movies, including B次元官网网址淐ruellaB次元官网网址� (May 28), B次元官网网址淏lack WidowB次元官网网址� and B次元官网网址淛ungle CruiseB次元官网网址� are opening both in theaters and on Disney+ as a premium $29.99 rental. Their Pixar title B次元官网网址淟ucaB次元官网网址� is going straight to Disney+, free for subscribers, on June 17. And the Sundance breakout B次元官网网址� B次元官网网址� is getting a simultaneous release in theaters and on Apple TV+.

For theaters and studios, the unknowns are many. Are movie theaters even on peopleB次元官网网址檚 re-opening priority lists? Will there be a $100 million opening weekend any time soon? Will there ever be a $250 million opening weekend again? The filmmakers arenB次元官网网址檛 trying to concern themselves with that. But everyone is feeling emotional that moviegoing might finally become normal again.

B次元官网网址淚 think about it all the time,B次元官网网址� said Gunn. B次元官网网址淚 canB次元官网网址檛 wait to sit in a theater with a group of people and watch films again. It is a true joy in life. ItB次元官网网址檚 a magical space for me and has been since I was a very little boy.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址� Lindsey Bahr, The Associated Press