Now that we’ve gotten the tent poles out of the way, it’s time to take a look at the considerable number of medium-sized releases coming down the pike this summer. There are over 20 films on the list; mostly comedies, with a few dramas, a couple of actioners, and an animated flick or two thrown into the mix.
May & June
Neighbors
Release Date: May 9
Studio: Universal
Logline: A family man has to contend with a particularly raucous member of a neighboring frat house.
SSN Insight: Advertised as Seth Rogen versus Zac Efron, it’s also family man versus frat boy in the first of several R-rated comedies on the list. The Animal House-esque comedy is the biggest release in a crowded field the weekend after Amazing Spider-Man 2, which means it’ll be a fight for second place. Our bet is that Neighbors will win out over …
Mom’s Night Out
Release Date: May 9
Studio: TriStar
Logline: A young mother and her friends they try to enjoy a rare night out on the town. Mayhem ensues.
SSN Insight: Grey’s Anatomy alum Sarah Drew gets her first starring role in this family comedy. After the evening goes astray, she and her pals are helped through it by country music star Trace Adkins. As one of the last TriStar films to be made before Tom Rothman took over, Out’s not exactly a high-profile entry, but it could be interesting counter programming against Neighbors and the summer’s first animated film …
Legends of Oz: Dorothy’s Return
Release Date: May 9
Studio: Clarius Entertainment
Logline: When Dorothy returns to Kansas, she finds her home state devastated by a tornado. She is transported back to Oz where she must help locate her old friends and makes new ones along the way.
SSN Insight: A low-budget attempt to capitalize on the amazing success of last year’s Oz, the Great and Powerful, it’s one of a handful of movies this summer coming from small distributor Clarius Entertainment. That it’s the initial animated film of the season is a positive, but it could very well get lost in the shuffle of that weekend which also features …
Chef
Release Date: May 9
Studio: Open Road Films
Logline: A chef loses his job and cooks up a new food truck business.
SSN Insight: Iron Man director Jon Favreau’s last studio film was the disappointing Cowboys and Aliens, so here he returns to his indie roots. He writes, produces, directs, and stars in this tale of a celebrity chef who loses his job and starts running a food truck. The drama also stars Sofia Vergara, Bobby Cannavale, Scarlett Johansson, Dustin Hoffman, John Leguizamo, and the IronMan himself, Robert Downey, Jr.
Million Dollar Arm
Release Date: May 16
Studio: Disney
Logline: The true story of a sports agent who seeks out pitching prospects in India.
SSN Insight: Jon Hamm finally gets his first starring film role as a down-and-out baseball scout who dreams of turning a couple of young Indian cricket bowlers into major league pitchers. The movie might be a bit too small to truly test Hamm’s box office draw, but that doesn’t mean Hollywood won’t be paying attention to opening weekend grosses. Considering its competition is Godzilla, there should be plenty of people looking for more grounded fare.
Blended
Release Date: May 23
Studio: Warner Bros.
Logline: A man and a woman find themselves, and their kids from previous marriages, stuck on a resort after a horrible blind date.
SSN Insight: The latest from Adam Sandler, this family comedy re-teams him with old pal Drew Barrymore, as two single parents who, after a disastrous date, end up on an African safari together with their kids. Isn’t that always the way? If Sandler can flog the Grown-Ups franchise for over $500 million worldwide, a romantic comedy with Barrymore should bring plenty of people to theaters, too.
A Million Ways to Die in the West
Release Date: May 30
Studio: Universal
Logline: A beautiful, mysterious woman helps timid sheep farmer Albert find his courage, which is put to the test when her husband, a notorious outlaw, comes to town.
SSN Insight: Seth MacFarlane’s highly-anticipated Ted follow-up is the summer’s next R-rated comedy. The trailers are hilarious, and MacFarlane’s audience followed him to Ted, so there’s no reason to think he can’t catch lightning in a bottle twice. The film’s main competition that weekend is Maleficent, which will appeal to a totally different audience. If we were the wagering types, we’d wager on this one.
22 Jump Street
Release Date: June 13
Studio: Columbia
Logline: Two cops return to undercover work as freshman college students, but their partnership becomes strained.
SSN Insight: There might not be a hotter combination in Hollywood right now than Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum, unless you count writing-directing team Phil Lord and Chris Miller, who recently made a little thing called The Lego Movie. The massive success of 21 Jump Street, and the sequel’s uproariously funny trailers, only add to the certainty that this will be a huge hit. Anything else would be inconceivable.
Jersey Boys
Release Date: June 20
Studio: Warner Bros.
Logline: The story of the Four Seasons, one of the most successful rock-n-roll groups of the ‘60s.
SSN Insight: Clint Eastwood directs this film adaptation of the Tony Award-winning smash, and it sounds like a recipe for success to us. Up against very little competition in the week between Jump Street and the new Transformers movie, one would think the relatively low-budget musical will have a solid draw from grownups looking to see a movie made for grownups.
Think Like A Man Too
Release Date: June 20
Studio: Screen Gems
Logline: The night before their wedding, a bride and groom experience ups and downs during their respective bachelorette/bachelor parties.
SSN Insight: How long can Kevin Hart’s string of success last? This sequel to his 2012 hit see a return of all the main players, including director Tim Story, so it probably won’t end here. Man shares a release date with Jersey Boys, and with each film taking in two very different audiences, there could be two relatively big openings.
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