August is a freelance film writer. She studied journalism and cinema at American University. She is a member of the journalism honor society, Kappa Tau Alpha. August has written for various networks and publications, including PBS, Gargoyle Magazine, TheThings, and Identity Theory Magazine. Before returning to entertainment writing, August worked in the Automotive section of U.S. News & World Report. In her free time, August enjoys watching movies in theaters, watching movies at home, listening to podcasts about movies, reading books about movies, watching video essays on movies, talking about movies, thinking about movies, and knitting.
The summer blockbuster season is just around the corner, and the theatrical calendar is stacked with highly anticipated movie releases.
Summer is a prime time for blockbuster films, as movie-going habits are at their peak. Distribution companies capitalize on this profitable period and save their most enticing features for summer releases. This leads to a seasonal box office showdown among major studios.
The summer blockbuster season has been around for generations. In June 1975, Universal Pictures released Jaws, which grossed $260 million at the U.S. box office. In May 1989, Paramount debuted Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, amassing $197 million at the U.S. box office.
While the increased prevalence of streaming has altered movie-going habits, the summer blockbuster remains firmly intact. Even today, the summer movie has a knack for drawing audiences out of the house and into the theater.
In May 2026, several of the most anticipated films of the year will be making their way to theaters. Inventive horror that generated buzz during the film festival season receives wide releases next month. Several films that have been years or even decades in the making will be debuting as well.
A wealth of content is coming to theaters this May and kicking off a seemingly stellar season at the U.S. box office.
The Devil Wears Prada 2 is strutting into theaters this May, 20 years after the beloved first film’s release. Director David Frankel and writer Aline Brosh McKennafinally are finally revisiting their iconic dramady to deliver a fun and timely story (via USA Today).
The original cast is reuniting for this devilish sequel, including Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, and Stanley Tucci. The film also introduces fresh faces to the mix, including Caleb Hearon (Sweethearts) and Simone Ashley (Bridgerton).
The upcoming movie has already turned heads during its high-fashion press tour, which concluded with a live stream of the Red Carpet World Premiere. Following the multi-decade wait and mounting hype, the wide release of The Devil Wears Prada 2 is poised to outperform the original at the box office.
American rapper, RZA is storming into theaters this May with his fourth feature film, One Spoon of Chocolate. While not as highly publicized as other 2026 summer blockbusters, RZA’s flick promises to deliver an adrenaline-fueled good time.
The action-thriller follows a veteran and ex-convict as he becomes the target of a local gang and the sheriff’s office. The protagonist is played by Shameik Moore, known as Miles Morales in the Spider-Verse trilogy. Michael Jackson’s daughter, Paris Jackson, plays the love interest.
RZA has explained that the film’s unique title represents the lead character’s ability to forge change. “One spoon of chocolate can change a whole glass of milk,” RZA tells The Hollywood Reporter. The film has a limited release, so interested audiences should secure their tickets.
Hokum captured the attention of horror buffs with the release of its teaser trailer in January. In Neon’s upcoming film, Adam Scott (Severance) visits an Irish inn and is tortured by disturbing visions conjured by a witch, who is rumored to reside on the premises. Hokum sees Scott in a more complex role than his usual “good guy” archetype.
The film’s vague advertising keeps audiences in suspense, teasing terrifying visuals and nightmarish creatures. The horrifying imagery of the trailers sparks intrigue for this hyped horror. The involvement of producer Steven Schneider has also grabbed the attention of horror aficionados. Schneider is known for his involvement with the popular Insidious and Paranormal Activity franchises.
Fans can finally catch this highly-anticipated feature during its limited theatrical release this May.
After it was pulled from the fall theatrical calendar, Mortal Kombat II is finally arriving to theaters this May.
A sequel to the 2021 reboot, *Mortal Kombat II *places Earth’s beloved champions in the threatening Outworld. Simon McQuoid returns as director with a familiar cast, now including Karl Urban as Johnny Cage.
Warner Bros. Studios has perfectly positioned Mortal Kombat II at the start of the blockbuster season, and afforded it the exclusive theatrical release the first film lacked. As such, the Mortal Kombat sequel is set to K.O. the original at the box office.
One of the most anticipated video game movies of the year, Mortal Kombat II is predicted to gross $40 to 50 million during its U.S. opening weekend (via Deadline). This estimation would make it one of the highest-grossing movies of the summer, behind The Devil Wears Prada 2.
*Obsession *received immediate acclaim following its premiere at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival. The horror film’s long-awaited wide release arrives this May.
In a cautionary tale of wish fulfillment, *Obsession sees *a boy’s deep desire for a girl’s love granted, at a deadly price. The lead “couple” is played by relatively unknown actors Michael Johnston and Inde Navarrette. Obsession is the major feature debut for director Curry Barker. Barker is known for his disturbing found-footage horror on YouTube, *Milk and Serial *(2024).
Critics have praised the director’s feature debut for its strong tone and gripping plot. Produced by Blumhouse and distributed by Focus Features, *Obsession *already boasts a 96% on Rotten Tomatoes.
*Star Wars *was one of the first summer blockbusters, and the franchise continues to hold box office clout. This May, Star Wars returns to the big screen following a seven-year hiatus, with The Mandalorian and Grogu.
Directed by Jon Favreau, *The Mandalorian and Grogu *continues the story of Favreau’s hit Disney+ series, The Mandalorian. The film chronicles an epics adventure of Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) and Grogu, worthy of a cinematic feature.
Disney is pulling out all the stops to dodge criticism that the new movie is simply a season of *The Mandalorian condensed to a two hour runtime. Trailers for The Mandalorian and Grogu tease a grand, entertaining movie, aimed to please franchise *fans and intrigue general audiences.
Backed by the Star Wars brand, The Mandalorian and Grogu is expected to make a major impression at the box office.
I Love Boosters is Boots Riley’s first film since his 2018 capitalist satire, Sorry to Bother You. The director’s last feature was a critical darling and cult favorite, with a 93% on Rotten Tomatoes and 9/10 on Screen Rant. I love Boosters promises to deliver the burgeoning auteur’s signature style.
I Love Boosters follows a group of stylish shoplifters—Keke Palmer, Naomi Ackie, Taylour Paige, and Poppy Liu —as they set their sights on a merciless fashion mogul (Demi Moore).
True to form, Riley delivers a hilarious yet thoughtful capitalist critique through dazzling and surreal visual storytelling. Following its debut at the 2026 South by South West (SXSW) festival, the film received a perfect score on Rotten Tomatoes. That score has since decreased to 97%. Still, the film maintains a considerable level of hype going into its limited theatrical release.
The latest A25 horror movie is based on the viral “creepy pasta” story of the same name, The Backrooms. The horror feature is directed by the creator of the found-footage web series, 20-year-old Kane Parsons.
The Backrooms is a series of seemingly mundane hallways that create an endless labyrinth existing in an alternate dimension. The upcoming A24 film will be one of the most extensive looks at the fascinating and disturbing horror concept. This concept also inspired the popular Apple TV series, Severance.
Backrooms stretches the internet folklore to a 105-minute feature. The intriguing film is led by actors Chiwetel Ejiofor (12 Years a Slave) and Renate Reinsve (The Worst Person in the World).
Backrooms is one of the most **anticipated movie releases **of the summer.