From 'Odyssey' to 'Star Wars,' 15 must-see summer movies in theaters
From 'Odyssey' to 'Star Wars,' 15 must-see summer movies in theaters
Brian Truitt, USA TODAYTue, April 28, 2026 at 1:01 PM UTC
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This summer's biggest movie hero isn't from a comic book. He's from your high school reading list.
Matt Damon is the determined ancient warrior Odysseus in "The Odyssey," director Christopher Nolan's high-profile, star-studded adaptation of Homer's classic with Zendaya, Anne Hathaway, Robert Pattinson, Charlize Theron and more. Quite a few A-list protagonists are stopping by cinemas between now and Labor Day: The Mandalorian and Grogu (aka Baby Yoda) headline a May "Star Wars" adventure, He-Man and Supergirl return to the big screen, while Tom Holland's Marvel web-slinger swings through New York City again in July's "Spider-Man: Brand New Day." But really, there's something for everyone this blockbuster season, from horror spoofs to animated antics.
Here's an exclusive peek at 15 new movies you absolutely, positively must see this summer:
'The Mandalorian and Grogu' (May 22)
Colonel Ward (Sigourney Weaver, left) meets up with the Mandalorian (Pedro Pascal) and Grogu in the new "Star Wars" movie "The Mandalorian and Grogu."
The galaxy's favorite father-son duo blasts off to the big screen in the first "Star Wars" movie since 2019. Mando (Pedro Pascal) and his adorable young apprentice look out for each other while on a mission to find Jabba the Hutt's son (Jeremy Allen White) and keep the New Republic safe from the threat of still-powerful Imperial warlords.
'Passenger' (May 22)
Jacob Scipio and Lou Llobell play a road-tripping couple who get saddled with a demonic presence in the supernatural horror movie "Passenger."
Director André Øvredal's supernatural horror flick will have you rethinking that summer road trip. Jacob Scipio and Lou Llobell play a young couple traveling in their van who witness a terrifying accident and in the aftermath, they unwittingly pick up a dark demonic presence that they can't escape.
'The Breadwinner' (May 29)
Nate Bargatze is a working dad who takes on more responsibilities at home and with the kids in the comedy "The Breadwinner."
Nate Bargatze is Mr. Mom for the 21st century. He stars in the comedy as a salesman who struggles to keep the household – and three children – from descending into absolute chaos when his wife (Mandy Moore) goes on an important business trip after her invention scores big on "Shark Tank."
'Power Ballad' (May 29)
Nick Jonas (left) plays a fading boy-bander who makes a hit out of a song by a wedding singer (Paul Rudd ) in "Power Ballad."
The latest music-filled outing directed by John Carney ("Once," "Sing Street") stars Paul Rudd as Rick, a wedding singer who's seen better days. A chance encounter at a gig leads to a jam session with washed-up boy-bander Danny (Nick Jonas), and Rick is thrown for a loop when Danny turns one of his songs into a career-redefining hit.
'Pressure' (May 29)
Brendan Fraser plays Allied commander Dwight D. Eisenhower in the D-Day drama "Pressure."
The tense drama satisfies history lovers and weather nerds. Everybody's feeling the pressure 72 hours before D-Day, as British meteorologist James Stagg (Andrew Scott) has to figure out if storm conditions are a go for Allied invasion forces led by Dwight D. Eisenhower (Brendan Fraser) or postpone and risk losing World War II.
'Masters of the Universe' (June 5)
He-Man (Nicholas Galitzine) harnesses the power of Grayskull taking out Skeletor's goons in the fantasy adventure "Masters of the Universe."
Based on the popular cartoon/toy franchise of the 1980s, the adventure stars Nicholas Galitzine as Adam, who was sent to Earth as a child away from the fantastical kingdom of Eternia. He returns as an adult, harnessing the power of Grayskull as the heroic He-Man to battle the evil forces of the dastardly Skeletor (Jared Leto).
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'Scary Movie' (June 5)
Anna Faris reprises her role as Cindy – and spoofs Jamie Lee Curtis' recent "Halloween" films – in the new "Scary Movie."
With the sixth installment of the horror-spoof franchise, the Wayans family continues to poke fun at popular scary movies. Everything from "Sinners" and "Get Out" to "Scream" and "Weapons" is sent up in a film featuring returning stars Regina Hall and Anna Faris, who parodies Jamie Lee Curtis' "Halloween" final girl Laurie Strode.
'Disclosure Day' (June 12)
Emily Blunt plays a Kansas City meteorologist affected by an extraterrestrial presence in Steven Spielberg's "Disclosure Day."
Steven Spielberg + aliens is a tried-and-true blockbuster formula. The iconic Oscar-winning director returns to his sci-fi roots with this thriller centering on a Kansas City meteorologist (Emily Blunt), a young whistleblower (Josh O'Connor) and a secret that's been covered up for decades and could change everything for everyone.
'The Death of Robin Hood' (June 19)
Hugh Jackman plays an older version of the legendary title outlaw in the dark thriller "The Death of Robin Hood."
Directed by Michael Sarnoski ("Pig"), the dark thriller rethinks the legend of a mythic figure. After being gravely injured in battle, the aging outlaw archer (Hugh Jackman) is forced to face a past full of crime and murder, though a mystery woman offers him a chance at redemption before it's too late.
'Toy Story 5' (June 19)
Jessie (second from left, voiced by Joan Cusack) and her horse Bullseye are joined by new characters Atlas (Craig Robinson), Smarty Pants (Conan O'Brien) and Snappy (Shelby Rabara) in Disney/Pixar's "Toy Story 5."
Best pals Woody (voiced by Tom Hanks) and Buzz (Tim Allen) reunite in this latest installment of the Disney/Pixar franchise. The old-school toys, now owned by 8-year-old Bonnie, face an existential threat with the introduction of a high-tech tablet toy named Lilypad (Greta Lee) that takes up most of the girl's attention.
'The Invite' (June 26)
Penelope Cruz (left) and Olivia Wilde are neighbors whose relationship gets complicated in the dramedy "The Invite."
In director Olivia Wilde's dramedy, Joe (Seth Rogen) and Angela (Wilde) are a couple struggling on the relationship front. They invite the upstairs neighbors (Penelope Cruz and Edward Norton) down for dinner, which unlocks a whole bunch of intimate temptations that could bring them together or tear them apart further.
'Supergirl' (June 26)
Kara (Milly Alcock) is on a mission to save her beloved canine Krypto in the DC superhero adventure "Supergirl."
Superman's cousin Kara Zor-El (Milly Alcock) gets her own cosmic DC superhero adventure. On the way to save her beloved canine buddy Krypto, the party-hearty but tortured Supergirl teams up with a vengeful youngster (Ruthye Marye Knoll) and a rambunctious intergalactic bounty hunter (Jason Momoa).
'Moana' (July 10)
Australian newcomer Catherine Laga'aia stars as the young title wayfarer in Disney's live-action "Moana."
The live-action version of Disney's hit 2016 animated musical casts Australian newcomer Catherine Laga'aia as the title wayfarer on a mission to save the people of her island. Dwayne Johnson reprises his role from the earlier "Moana" films as her reluctant travel partner, the trickster demigod Maui.
'The Odyssey' (July 17)
Matt Damon stars as the legendary Odysseus in Christopher Nolan's epic adaptation of Homer's "The Odyssey."
Christopher Nolan follows "Oppenheimer" with something truly epic: the ultimate hero's journey. The adaptation of the Homeric classic casts Matt Damon as Odysseus, the legendary Greek warrior embarking on a dangerous way home after the Trojan War to once again see his wife Penelope (Anne Hathaway) and son Telemachus (Tom Holland).
'Coyote vs. Acme' (Aug. 28)
Wile E. Coyote (left) runs into his old foe, the Road Runner, in the live-action/animated comedy "Coyote vs. Acme."
Three years after being shelved as a Warner Bros. tax write-off, the Looney Tunes movie finally sees the light of day. After decades of using malfunctioning ACME contraptions to take out the Road Runner, Wile E. Coyote sues the corporation in a live-action/animated legal comedy starring Will Forte, Lana Condor and John Cena.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Movies in theaters this summer: 15 must-see new releases
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
