Hollywood is betting this year on luring back moviegoers with franchise sequels, ambitious epics, and cultural manifestos. With the traditional blockbuster formulas no longer selling tickets, studios and A-list actors are experimenting with a new method: Make movies that get people talking.
Ticket sales in North America totaled $8.9 billion last year, up 2 percent from 2024 even while attendance declined 5 percent. Higher ticket prices drove the increase in revenue as sales have struggled to recover to pre-pandemic levels. While anticipated blockbusters fell flat, original titles that captured the cultural zeitgeist, like Sinners and F1: The Movie, did surprisingly well. In addition to being entertained, viewers want to feel a part of something bigger. Briefings has compiled a list of what to watch this summer so you can join the conversation.
The End of Oak Street
Director: David Robert Mitchell
Cast: Anne Hathaway, Ewan McGregor
A cryptic sci-fi about a family in the 1980s that starts to notice bizarre happenings in their neighborhood.
The Odyssey
Director: Christopher Nolan
Cast: Matt Damon, Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway
Based on Homer's Greek epic, the film follows Odysseus journeying home after the Trojan War.
I Love Boosters
Director: Boots Riley
Cast: Keke Palmer, LaKeith Stanfield, Naomi Ackie, Demi Moore
A comedy following a crew of shoplifters attempting to take down a fashion icon.
The Adventures of Cliff Booth
Director: David Fincher
Cast: Brad Pitt, Elizabeth Debicki, Yahya Abdul- Mateen II
The sequel to Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood is supposedly Quentin Tarantino’s final screenplay.
Disclosure Day
Director: Steven Spielberg
Cast: Emily Blunt, Josh O’Connor, Colin Firth
A sci-fi that asks: “If you found out we weren't alone … would that frighten you?”
