Wonder Woman
Wonder Woman - Bang
Starring: Gal Gadot, Chris Pine
About: The first of two superheroes on this list marks the first time in the new era of comic book movies dominating the box office that a female-led film has been released. Not only that, but Gal Gadot’s Wonder Woman has been met with massive commercial success and near-universal critical acclaim. In fact, Wonder Woman is well on track to be one of Warner Bros’ most successful hits.
Chris Pine co-stars alongside Gadot, who reprises her role from the lukewarmly-received Batman vs Superman: Dawn of Justice, as a World War One soldier who is accidentally transported to Wonder Woman’s mythical island home. This throws her into the midst of the trench fighting in an action-packed DC Comics adventure that, perhaps for the first time, actually delivers a Marvel-level movie experience.
The House
Starring: Will Ferrell, Amy Poehler
About: Saturday Night Live’s modern era boasts a laundry list of big names acting and writing for the show but Will Ferrell and Amy Poehler are perhaps two of the biggest names to emerge from that roster. Now they are united for the first time on the big screen in leading roles by starring together in The House, a movie that looks to be one of the summer’s funniest.
Ferrell and Poehler play parents in suburban America who must find a way to pay for their daughter’s college education. They’ve decided that their best course of action is to open an illegal underground casino, and of course hilarious hijinks ensue. It seems ridiculous until you remember that in the US, you can’t just play real-money online casino games with ease like you can in the UK – no wonder a new casino in the suburbs gets popular!
Spider-man: Homecoming
Starring: Tom Holland, Michael Keaton
About: The first pair of Spider-man films starring Tobey Maguire were massive hits, though they came in the era before comic book movies took over the world. The third? Not so much. This, being followed by Andrew Garfield’s disastrous turn as the not-so-Amazing Spider-man left people without much hope for a fantastic Spider-man film. Tom Holland already stole the show in Captain America: Civil War and his standalone film is perhaps the best Spider-man movie yet.
Taking a much more comic-book approach to the character and featuring Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man, this hilarious and action-packed origin story revamps the character and gives us a rare sight in a Marvel movie: a fantastic, fleshed-out villain in the shape of Michael Keaton’s Vulture.
Baby Driver
Starring: Ansel Elgort, Kevin Spacey
About: Edgar Wright is quite possibly the most talented and innovative director working today, and after the success of out-and-out comedies like Hot Fuzz and Shaun of the Dead as well as the cult hit Scott Pilgrim vs The World, he’s back with a bang. Baby Driver is a high-octane car movie with a musical twist that delights audiences.
A visual and aural treat with a soundtrack the likes of which we haven’t seen since Guardians of the Galaxy, Baby Driver stars Ansel Elgort as a driving savant who listens to all manner of music in order to focus his skills. He’s in the pocket of criminal mastermind Kevin Spacey, but plans to run away with his love until there is (no surprises) one last job to be done…