By Charlie Kendellen
This summer is setting out to be another great season for cinephiles, overflowing with highly anticipated blockbusters and new additions to beloved franchises.
Ballerina, dir. Len Wiseman
Release Date — 6th of June
Taking place between John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum (2019), and John Wick: Chapter 4 (2023), Ballerina follows Eve Macarro, played by Ana de Armas (Knives Out, Blade Runner 2049) as an assassin seeking revenge for her father’s death.
Dangerous Animals, dir. Sean Byrne
Release Date — 6th of June
Sean Byrne returns to the scene after a 10 year directing hiatus, previously delivering two exceptional indie horror films The Loved Ones (2009) and The Devil’s Candy (2015). Dangerous Animals premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in May and has already secured theatrical releases universally. The film follows a shark-obsessed serial killer who abducts a savvy, free-spirited surfer.
28 Years Later, dir. Danny Boyle
Release Date — 19th of June
Danny Boyle brings us the third installment in the 28 Days Later franchise. Teaming up with writer Alex Garland, (Ex Machina, Civil War, Men) the film follows a group of survivors, three decades since the rage virus commenced.
M3GAN 2.0, dir. Gerard Johnstone
Release Date — 27th of June
M3GANreturns this summer, accelerating the campiness of the original, bringing back Allison
Williams (Get Out, The Perfection) and Violet McGraw (Doctor Sleep, The Haunting of Hill House). M3GAN 2.0 follows M3GAN’s creator, Gemma, as she resorts to resurrecting her creation in order to take down Amelia, the military-grade weapon who was built by the defence contractor who stole and misused Gemma’s technology.
I Know What You Did Last Summer, dir. Jennifer Kaytin Robinson
Release Date — 18th of July
Jennifer Kaytin Robinson (Do Revenge) has taken on the challenge of bringing us the fourth installment in the I Know What You Did Last Summer franchise which has been reclaimed as a cult classic amongst slasher fans. The film follows a group of friends who are terrorised by a stalker who knows about a gruesome incident from their past, even featuring cameos from original cast members Jennifer Love Hewitt and Freddie Prinze Jr.
Bring Her Back, dir. Danny and Michael Philippou
Release Date — 1st of August
Danny and Michael Philippou burst onto the scene with their phenomenal directorial debut Talk to me (2022). They are finally back with another original horror film, starring Sally Hawkins (The Shape of Water, Paddington, Happy-Go-Lucky). The film follows a brother and sister, following the death of their father, as they are introduced to their new foster mother and sibling, discovering she has a terrifying secret.
Weapons, dir. Zach Cregger
Release Date — 8th of August
Zach Cregger brought us one of the best horror films of the last decade with his twisty, genre bending, Barbarian (2022). Weapons is his newest horror since Barbarian, following the disappearance of a classroom of all but one child, starring Julia Garner (Wolf Man, The Assistant), and Josh Brolin (Dune, No Country for Old Men, Sicario).
Eddington, dir. Ari Aster
Release Date — To be Announced
Ari Aster, known for his critically acclaimed Hereditary (2018) and Midsommar (2019), and controversial Beau is Afraid (2023), is back with Eddington, receiving divisive reviews upon its premiere at the Cannes Film Festival. The film follows a stand-off between a small-town sheriff and a mayor in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic. Eddington has a stacked ensemble cast, including Joaquin Phoenix, Pedro Pascal, Emma Stone, and Austin Butler. The film has yet to receive a release date in Ireland, however, the UK has confirmed its theatrical release for the 22nd of August, so we can expect to see it around this time.
Cinephiles, and particularly genre fans, are being fed this summer with some really fantastic releases. Run, don’t walk, to your local cinema to catch these new films!