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Our 23 Most Anticipated Movies of Summer 2018

From ‘Avengers: Infinity War’ to ‘The Happytime Murders’ — these are FSR’s most anticipated movies coming this summer to a theater near you.
Anticipated Summer Movies
By  · Published on April 26th, 2018

Eighth Grade (7/13)

“A teenager tries to survive the last week of her disastrous eighth-grade year before leaving to start high school.”

Another one I missed at Sundance only to see it praised endlessly by those who made a better choice! Bo Burnham’s feature debut is apparently a smart, honest, funny, and heartbreaking look at one week in a teen girl’s life, and we’re here for it.


The Equalizer 2 (7/20)

“Robert McCall serves an unflinching justice for the exploited and oppressed, but how far will he go when that is someone he loves?”

I’m a fan of Antoine Fuqua’s 2014 original (as well as the TV series from the 80s), so I’m looking forward to seeing more of Denzel Washington kicking ass. The two make a great pair (Training Day, The Magnificent Seven), so I’ll happily take a new entry in this franchise every four years. And even if I wasn’t already on board, this trailer makes a compelling case for why I should be.


Hotel Artemis (7/20)

“Set in riot-torn, near-future Los Angeles, ‘Hotel Artemis’ follows the Nurse, who runs a secret, members-only emergency room for criminals.”

Is it clearly inspired by John Wick‘s Metropolitan? Sure, but that doesn’t make look any less fun.Jodie Foster, Sterling K. Brown, Sofia Boutella, Dave Bautista, Charlie Day, and Jeff Goldblum are all compelling reasons to get excited about this action romp.


Mission: Impossible – Fallout (7/27)

“Ethan Hunt and his IMF team, along with some familiar allies, race against time after a mission gone wrong.”

It’s gonna be a long-ass summer getting to my own personal most-anticipated film, but I’m fully confident that it will be worth it. Tom Cruise’s epic franchise has already proven itself a must-see in theaters, and the pairing of Cruise with Christopher McQuarrie has only elevated it. From Edge of Tomorrow to M:I – Rogue Nation, these two are great for each other… and for the world.


Hot Summer Nights (7/27)

“A boy comes of age during a summer he spends in Cape Cod.”

Has there ever been a greater disparity between official synopsis and official trailer? Timothée Chalamet is still riding high on his Call Me By Your Name performance, and while he’ll probably be stuck in “coming of age” stories for a few more years this one looks to be an exciting, sexy, and life-filled entry thanks in part to a cast that also includes Maika Monroe, Thomas Jane, Emory Cohen, and William Fichtner.


The Meg (8/10)

“After escaping an attack by what he claims was a 70-foot shark, Jonas Taylor must confront his fears to save those trapped in a sunken submersible.”

If ever there was a movie that brought people from zero interest to full and undivided attention with only the drop of a single trailer… well, this is it. We knew Jason Statham fighting a shark could be a fun diversion, but nothing could have prepared us for how ridiculously entertaining this movie looks.


Happytime Murders Release Date News

The Happytime Murders (8/17)

“When the puppet cast of an ’80s children’s TV show begins to get murdered one by one, a disgraced LAPD detective-turned-private eye puppet takes on the case.”

There’s no trailer for this one yet, but the concept has had me sold since the script premiered on the Blacklist a few years ago. Brian Henson’s directing, Melissa McCarthy and Elizabeth Banks are starring, and my butt will be in a seat for it come August.


Individual most-anticipated lists:

Alex Vitti — Damsel, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, Oceans’s 8, Sorry to Bother You, The Spy Who Dumped Me, Under the Silver Lake

Sophia StewartCrazy Rich Asians, Eighth Grade, The Incredibles 2, Ocean’s 8, Sorry to Bother You

Meg Shields — Avengers: Infinity War, Boom for Real: The Late Teenage Years of Jean-Michel Basquiat, Deadpool 2, First Reformed, The Happytime Murders, Hereditary, Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation, The Incredibles 2Mission: Impossible – Fallout, Ocean’s 8Solo: A Star Wars Story, Sorry to Bother You, Whitney, Won’t You Be My Neighbor?

Natalie MokryAvengers: Infinity War, Deadpool 2, The Incredibles 2, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, Ocean’s 8, Solo: A Star Wars Story

Emily Kubincanek — Eighth Grade, Hot Summer Nights, Mary Shelley, On Chesil Beach, Terminal, Won’t You Be My Neighbor?

Rob HunterAvengers: Infinity War, Damsel, Deadpool 2, The First Purge, The Happytime Murders, Hereditary, Hotel Artemis, The Meg, Mile 22, Mission: Impossible  – Fallout, Revenge, Sicario 2: Soldado, Under the Silver Lake, Upgrade

Brad GullicksonAnt-Man and the Wasp, Hereditary, Hotel Artemis, The Incredibles 2, The Meg, Mission: Impossible – Fallout, Sicario 2: Soldado, Solo: A Star Wars Story, Upgrade, Won’t You Be My Neighbor?

Sarah Foulkes — Hereditary, The Incredibles 2, Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again, Ocean’s 8Solo: A Star Wars Story

Kieran Fisher — Christopher Robin, Deadpool 2, The Equalizer 2, The First Purge, The Meg, Sicario 2: Soldado, Skyscraper, Superfly, Upgrade

Valerie EttenhoferBlindspotting, Dog Days, Eighth Grade, Hereditary, The Miseducation of Cameron Post, Ocean’s 8, Sicario 2: Soldado

John DiLilloEighth Grade, The Happytime Murders, Mission: Impossible – Fallout, Solo: A Star Wars Story, Sorry to Bother You

Farah ChededThe Incredibles 2, Ocean’s 8

Chris CampbellAmerican Animals, Deadpool 2, The Equalizer 2, The Happytime Murders, The Incredibles 2, Leave No Trace, Madeline’s Madeline, Mission: Impossible – Fallout, Solo: A Star Wars Story, Sorry to Bother You, Won’t You Be My Neighbor?

Madison BrekDamsel, Eighth Grade, Hereditary, Ocean’s 8, Under the Silver Lake

Liz Baessler — Bad Samaritan, Duck Butter, Eighth Grade, Hereditary, Hot Summer Nights, On Chesil Beach, Solo: A Star Wars Story, Sorry to Bother You, Tag, Under the Silver Lake, Won’t You Be My Neighbor?

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Rob Hunter has been writing for Film School Rejects since before you were born, which is weird seeing as he's so damn young. He's our Chief Film Critic and Associate Editor and lists 'Broadcast News' as his favorite film of all time. Feel free to say hi if you see him on Twitter @FakeRobHunter.