Summer blockbusters 2021: 11 Hollywood films to beat the heat

‘The Ride’ — June 10: Take an emotional journey with this movie about real-life BMX star John Buultjens who is fostered into an interracial family after having a troubled upbringing. It stars rapper and actor Ludacris and actress Marianna Buultjens as the couple who try to give their new family member a fresh start, ultimately starting him on a journey that would result in BMX glory.

‘A Quiet Place II’ — June 10: The follow-up to the 2018 surprise hit horror film, ‘A Quiet Place Part II’, brings back Emily Blunt as she fights to keep her family alive in a world where creatures that hunt by listening are lurking everywhere. The sequel pushes the mother of her three and her brood into the outer world where the monsters might not be their only predators. Cillian Murphy, Noah Jupe, and Millicent Simmonds also star, and John Krasinski returns as the film’s writer and director. Expect some good jump scares!

‘In the Heights’ — June 17: Touted to be the feel-good smash hit of summer 2021, ‘In the Heights’ is the big screen adaptation of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s pre-‘Hamilton’ Broadway show. Directed by Jon M Chu (‘Crazy Rich Asians’), the musical about a community pulling together through song and dance stars a bevy of talent, including Anthony Ramos, Corey Hawkins, Leslie Grace, Melissa Barrera, Olga Merediz, Daphne Rubin-Vega, Gregory Diaz IV, Stephanie Beatriz, Dascha Polanco, Jimmy Smits, Marc Anthony and Miranda himself.

‘Luca’ — June 17: While sun-filled summer vacations may seem like a distant memory, it shouldn’t stop you from taking a trip through the cinema. Set in a beautiful seaside town on the Italian Riviera, the animated film from Pixar is a coming-of-age story about one young boy experiencing an unforgettable summer filled with gelato, pasta and endless scooter rides. Luca shares these adventures with his newfound best friend, but all the fun is threatened by a deeply-held secret: he is a sea monster! Intrigued yet?

‘Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard’ — June 17: The world’s most lethal odd couple — bodyguard Michael Bryce (Ryan Reynolds) and hit man Darius Kincaid (Samuel L Jackson) — are back for another life-threatening mission. Still unlicensed and under scrutiny, Bryce is forced into action by Darius’s even more volatile wife (Salma Hayek). Soon, all three are in over their heads when a madman’s sinister plot threatens to leave Europe in total chaos. Joining in on the chaos and mayhem is also Morgan Freeman, so expect a total blast at the cinemas for this one!

‘Black Widow’ — July 8: The Marvel Cinematic Universe heads back to the cinemas after a two-year break! Originally supposed to release in theatres in May 2020, Scarlett Johansson’s much-awaited stand-alone ‘Black Widow’ film will see her confront the more sinister parts of her past. Pursued by a force that will stop at nothing to bring her down, Natasha must deal with her history as a spy and the broken relationships left in her wake long before she became an Avenger. Florence, David Harbour and Rachel Weisz also star.

‘Space Jam: A New Legacy’ — July 15: Us oldies remember the first ‘Space Jam’ film, which released 25 years ago to become an instant hit. The live action/animated comedy film gets a buzzy new update, this time starring LeBron James, Don Cheadle, Khris Davis, Sonequa Martin-Green, and Cedric Joe, alongside fan-favourite characters Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Marvin the Martian, Sylvester the Cat, Foghorn Leghorn, and Lola Bunny (voiced by Zendaya). A sure winner!

‘Jungle Cruise’ — July 29: A popular ride at several Disney theme parks, Jungle Cruise is now ready for a movie adaptation. (That’s Hollywood for you guys.) Directed by Jaume Collet-Serra, ‘Jungle Cruise’ tells the story of a riverboat captain (Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson) around the turn of the last century, who brings a scientist (Emily Blunt) and her brother (Jack Whitehall) on a trip into the jungle to find the Tree of Life. The film also stars Edgar Ramirez, Jesse Plemons and Paul Giamatti.

‘The Suicide Squad’ — August 4: While the title may confuse DC fans, ‘The Suicide Squad’ is a “stand-alone sequel” to 2016’s critically panned ‘Suicide Squad’. Directed by James Gunn (of Marvel’s ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ fame), it stars Margot Robbie, Idris Elba, John Cena, Joel Kinnaman, Sylvester Stallone, Viola Davis, Jai Courtney, and Peter Capaldi as a band of convicts on a mission to eliminate a Nazi-era prison and laboratory. In Gunn we trust, so expect a roller-coaster ride!

‘Free Guy’ — August 12: A superhero film with a twist, ‘Free Guy’ stars Ryan Reynolds as a non-player character (NPC) named Guy, a bank teller, in a video game called Free City. When new code is inserted into the game by its publisher (Taika Waititi), Guy suddenly becomes self-aware, and he starts trying to become the game’s hero. Meanwhile, the developers (Jodie Comer and Joe Keery) are trying to shut the whole thing down.

‘Shang-Chi and the Legend of Ten Rings’ — September 2: The first Marvel film with an all-Asian cast, ‘Shang-Chi and the Legend of Ten Rings’ stars Simu Liu (‘Kim’s Convenience’) in its title role. Directed by Destin Daniel Creton, the film follows Shang-Chi as he is drawn into the clandestine Ten Rings organisation, where he is forced to confront the past he thought he left behind. Awkwafina, Tony Leung, Michelle Yeoh, Fala Chen, Meng’er Zhang, Florian Munteanu and Ronny Chieng also star.