From a Pedro Pascal, Dakota Johnson romance to a Dave Franco horror: 10 movies to see this summer
Ah. Summer — our least favorite season in the hotter parts of the Golden State, but also the best time to spend inside a cold movie theater.
It can be a drag to get through the long, hot months ahead. But movies are always there to make us forget, at least for a few hours, about the blistering heat outside that's forcing us to seek shelter inside air-conditioned spaces.
Sometimes the movies that come out in the summer aren't the cream of the crop, but I'm pleased to report that that doesn't seem to be the case in 2025. From a new quirky Wes Anderson joint to a terrifying apocalypse film, there's truly something for everyone coming to theaters these next several months.
Here are the 10 films we're most looking forward to seeing this summer.
Release date: May 30
I will admit, I have gotten a little tired of Wes Anderson's usual schtick. While I love all the perfect shot compositions, the awkward characters and strange situations they find themselves in don't seem to pull me in anymore. However, I am intrigued by whatever is going on in "The Phoenician Scheme." A wealthy businessman (Benicio del Toro) wants to pass his wealthy estate onto his only daughter (Mia Threapleton), but assassins, businessmen and hordes of other people attempt to stop them so they can get their hands on the fortune first. Based on the trailer, the film looks as Wes Anderson-y as possible, and it has a stacked cast (Michael Cera, Riz Ahmed, Tom Hanks, Bryan Cranston, Richard Ayoade, Jeffrey Wright, Scarlett Johansson, Benedict Cumberbatch, among others).
Release date: June 6
Film adaptations of Stephen King stories may often give us freights ("The Shining," "IT"), but they've also been known to be life-affirming and emotionally shattering ("Stand by Me," "The Shawshank Redemption," "The Green Mile"). "The Life of Chuck" belongs in the latter group, and I'm fully prepared to be devastated. Adapted and directed by Mike Flanagan, the film tells a triptych story of an ordinary man named Charles "Chuck" Krantz (Tom Hiddleston) who impacts so many people's lives. The trailer alone has hit me hard with the feels, so I'm ready to sob loudly in the theater.
Release date: June 13
My favorite movie of 2023 was Celine Song's moving "Past Lives," which told the story of two childhood friends over two decades and the complexity of their relationship. It made me laugh, it made me cry and it made me so eager to see what else Song had up her sleeves. We'll get to find out this summer with her sophomore feature "Materialists." Though it seems lighter than her debut film, I'm sure she'll still find a way to pull at my heartstrings as she explores a whole new love triangle, this time between Dakota Johnson, Pedro Pascal and Chris Evans. I should also note that I'm fully in love with Johnson, so her involvement in the film has me even more excited.
Release date: June 20
I watched "28 Days Later" for the first time earlier this year, and I was gripped and moved by Cillian Murphy's wonderful performance. Though he is not starring in "28 Years Later," the third film of the franchise, many of the original filmmakers (director Danny Boyle and screenwriter Alex Garland) are back to bring another horrific time to theaters. This film follows a group of survivors who have managed to stay safe from the virus that's killed millions around the world. But when a father and son leave to go to the mainland, they discover secrets, wonders and horrors of the outside world. The cast features some incredible actors, such as Jodie Comer, Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Ralph Fiennes, so I am ready to be terrified.
Release date: June 27
When "M3GAN" was released in 2022, the titular homicidal robot became an icon. From her hilarious one-liners to her incredible pre-killing dance routine, we all couldn't get enough of her. Now imagine my delight when "M3GAN 2.0" was announced. Not only are we going to get even more deranged moments in this one, but M3GAN gets a glow-up as well. Sometimes dreams really do come true.
Release date: June 27
"Sorry, Baby" is one of the most acclaimed films to come out of this year's Sundance Film Festival, and for good reason. Part funny, part devastating and wholly human, "Sorry, Baby" feels so natural to life as it explores the wonderful, weird, messed up and curious parts of it. Agnes has lived through a traumatic event, and while everyone around her has been able to move on with their lives, she's more or less stuck. With plenty of humor and charm to match some emotionally heavy moments, Eva Victor dazzles with her feature film directorial debut.
Release date: July 18
Ari Aster is a really weird guy who loves to make really weird movies, and I really love it. His first two films, "Hereditary" and "Midsommar," were among my favorites the years they came out, and they cemented him as a master of the horror genre. "Beau is Afraid" proved to be more experimental and trippy, but it was still a wild ride from start to finish. With "Eddington," which will have its premiere at the Cannes Film Festival, he's taking us back to the height of the COVID-19 pandemic and in the middle of an escalating feud between a small-town sheriff and mayor. I don't know how much he'll lean into the horror elements with this film, but with a stacked cast consisting of Joaquin Phoenix, Emma Stone, Austin Butler and Pascal, I'm here for whatever he throws at us.
Release date: July 25
I'm not really a superhero or Marvel person, but I can't say I haven't been swept up in the excitement surrounding the new "Fantastic Four" film. A great cast is at the helm — Pascal (three movies this summer!), Vanessa Kirby ("Pieces of a Woman"), Evon Moss-Bachrach ("The Bear") and Joseph Quinn ("Gladiator II") — and considering how low the bar is after the 2000s movies, this is sure to be a hit. Plus, I'm a big fan of the retro-futuristic look based off the trailer.
Release date: July 30
You may think you know what a clingy relationship looks like, but wait until you see how far director Michael Shanks takes it with his grotesque, body horror directorial feature debut "Together." It's got absolutely disgusting practical effects, it's got big laughs from all the crazy antics, and it's got the two best people starring in it, real-life married couple Alison Brie and Dave Franco. I saw this movie at Sundance and there are some images that I'll never forget from it.
Release date: Aug. 8
I love horror movies, and "Weapons" is one of few from this year that actually has me spooked. Almost all the students from one class disappear in the middle of the night at the same time, and the parents all point their fingers at their children's teacher. The visuals are so creepy — the sight of all those children running at night is truly nightmarish — and it looks like it's a twisted and messed up story that will freak out viewers. Is it bad to say I can't wait?
Ema Sasic covers entertainment and health in the Coachella Valley. Reach her at ema.sasic@desertsun.com or on Twitter @ema_sasic.
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Summer movie guide: 10 films to see starring Pedro Pascal, Dave Franco
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