Hollywood's Summer Movies: Something for Everyone

Hollywood's Summer Movies: Something for Everyone

It is Memorial Day weekend in the United States, a time many Americans consider the official start of summer. And that means the start of summer movie season, too!

The film industry in Hollywood, California, has produced some high-budget action films led by major movie stars that will open in the coming days and weeks. At least one is expected to be a blockbuster.

Top Gun: Maverick¹ is a Paramount² Pictures film starring Tom Cruise. It just opened May 27, after two years of pandemic postponements. Producer Jerry Bruckheimer said he never reconsidered his early decision to delay the film's release until movie theaters were open again. He said he thinks the film requires a big screen for full enjoyment³.

The filmmakers used a complex mix of camera equipment to get shots from high above the ground and inside military fighter airplanes.

"It's the kind of movie that embraces the experience of going to the theater. It takes you away. It transports you. We always say: We're in the transportation business. We transport you from one place to another, and that's what ‘Top Gun' does," Bruckheimer said.

The movie industry has already had several notable hits in the past six months too, including Spider-Man: No Way Home. The film is now the third-highest selling film of all time. The Batman, The Lost City and Everything Everywhere All At Once also saw considerable profits. Hollywood hopes the momentum⁴ will only increase in the coming months.

"We're still waiting for older audiences to come back. But it really feels like we've turned a corner," said Jim Orr, a top official with Universal Pictures.

Before the pandemic, the summer movie season could produce over $4 billion in admissions sales. That is about 40 percent of the year's total sales, reports Comscore media research company.

But in 2020, theaters were closed for the majority of the season and summer ticket sales fell sharply to $176 million. Last summer brought a clear improvement, with $1.7 billion in sales. But the total was still not close to normal earnings⁵ of the past. Many moviemakers chose to either delay releases further or to release films online.

Now, everyone is centered on theatrical⁶ releases. The ticketing service Fandango recently questioned more than 6,000 ticket-buyers. The company said 83 percent of people said they planned to see three or more movies in the theaters this summer. Streaming services may suffer. Netflix last month reported its first loss in streaming accounts in 10 years. It said it expects to lose 2 million accounts by summer's end.

"Finally, it is movie time, with blockbuster after blockbuster after blockbuster after blockbuster," said Adam Aron. He is chairman and CEO of AMC Theatres, the nation's largest theater corporation. He praised movie series like Doctor Strange 2, Top Gun 2, and Jurassic World: Dominion⁷, which comes out June 10.

Later in the summer, movie goers can see actor Chris Hemsworth's return as the lead in Marvel⁸ Cinematic Universe's Thor series. The third installment⁹ Thor: Love and Thunder comes out July 8. Hemsworth has played Thor from the series beginning in 2011. This time, however, Hemsworth also served as a top producer on the film.

Adam Aron also noted¹⁰ what he called "new film concepts" that open this summer, like actor-director Jordan Peele's movie, Nope. Like his other films, Peele combines science fiction and horror in a story of a community that witnesses a mysterious and powerful event. Nope is set for release July 22.

Paul Dergarabedian is the lead media expert for Comscore. He said the movie business this summer could reach the heights it saw in 2019.

On their own, Thor and other superhero movies cannot support a healthy or especially appealing film world, experts suggest. The industry needs to make different kinds of movies for theaters to survive.

"We have something for every audience," said Orr, the Universal Pictures official.

Along with Jurassic Park, Universal's summer movies include animated¹¹ family films, thrillers¹³ and horrors.

Funny movies, called comedies, are also waiting for release.

Universal's Easter Sunday tells a story about a large Filipino-American family that gathers to observe a major holiday. But some members do not get along and behave badly --- and humorously. The movie opens August 5.

If you are a book lover, several summer films may hold special appeal, like Where the Crawdads Sing from director Olivia Newman. The movie is based on the 2018 book of the same name by writer Delia Jones. It tells about a poor, uneducated girl, left by her parents to raise herself. The film is set in North Carolina in the 1950s and ‘60s, with Daisy Edgar-Jones starring as Kya.

Bullet Train, starring Brad Pitt and Sandra Bullock, is based on the Japanese book Maria Beetle¹⁴ by Kotaro Isaka. The movie is a thriller¹² and a comedy about a trained killer¹⁵ who wants to get out of the assassination¹⁶ business. It will arrive in theaters August 5.

Many summer movies will be available on streaming services, too. But producer Jerry Bruckheimer suggests there is room for both online and theater presentation.

"It all depends on the movies. It's always about the movies. If there's stuff people want to see, they're going to show up," he said.

He added, "You have a kitchen in your apartment or home, but you like to go out to eat. You want a different meal."

Words in This Story

blockbuster – n. a hugely successful movie

screen – n. a flat surface on which a picture or series of pictures is shown

embrace – v. to take in or include as a part, item, or element of a more inclusive whole

momentum – n. strength or force gained by motion or by a series of events

audience – n. a group of listeners or watchers

ticketing – n. the act of selling tickets for admission to movie theaters and other entertainment places

streaming – n. the act, the process, or an instance of sending data or of accessing data that is being streamed

thriller – n. a work of fiction or drama designed to hold the interest by the use of a high degree of intrigue¹⁷, adventure, or suspense¹⁸

assassination – n. murder by sudden or secret attack often for political reasons

1 maverick   

adj.特立独行的；不遵守传统的；n.持异议者，自行其是者

参考例句：

• He's a maverick.He has his own way of thinking about things.他是个特异独行的人。对事情有自己的看法。
• You're a maverick and you'll try anything.你是个爱自行其是的人，样样事情都要尝试一下。

2 paramount   

a.最重要的，最高权力的

参考例句：

• My paramount object is to save the Union and destroy slavery.我的最高目标是拯救美国，摧毁奴隶制度。
• Nitrogen is of paramount importance to life on earth.氮对地球上的生命至关重要。

3 enjoyment   

n.乐趣；享有；享用

参考例句：

• Your company adds to the enjoyment of our visit. 有您的陪同，我们这次访问更加愉快了。
• After each joke the old man cackled his enjoyment.每逢讲完一个笑话，这老人就呵呵笑着表示他的高兴。

4 momentum   

n.动力，冲力，势头；动量

参考例句：

• We exploit the energy and momentum conservation laws in this way.我们就是这样利用能量和动量守恒定律的。
• The law of momentum conservation could supplant Newton's third law.动量守恒定律可以取代牛顿第三定律。

5 earnings   

n.工资收人；利润，利益，所得

参考例句：

• That old man lives on the earnings of his daughter.那个老人靠他女儿的收入维持生活。
• Last year there was a 20% decrease in his earnings.去年他的收入减少了20%。

6 theatrical   

adj.剧场的，演戏的；做戏似的，做作的

参考例句：

• The final scene was dismayingly lacking in theatrical effect.最后一场缺乏戏剧效果，叫人失望。
• She always makes some theatrical gesture.她老在做些夸张的手势。

7 dominion   

n.统治，管辖，支配权；领土，版图

参考例句：

• Alexander held dominion over a vast area.亚历山大曾统治过辽阔的地域。
• In the affluent society,the authorities are hardly forced to justify their dominion.在富裕社会里，当局几乎无需证明其统治之合理。

8 marvel   

vi.(at)惊叹vt.感到惊异；n.令人惊异的事

参考例句：

• The robot is a marvel of modern engineering.机器人是现代工程技术的奇迹。
• The operation was a marvel of medical skill.这次手术是医术上的一个奇迹。

9 installment   

n.(instalment)分期付款；(连载的)一期

参考例句：

• I shall soon pay the last installment of my debt.不久我将偿付我的最后一期债款。
• He likes to buy things on the installment plan.他喜欢用分期付款法购买货物。

10 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

11 animated   

adj.生气勃勃的，活跃的，愉快的

参考例句：

• His observations gave rise to an animated and lively discussion.他的言论引起了一场气氛热烈而活跃的讨论。
• We had an animated discussion over current events last evening.昨天晚上我们热烈地讨论时事。

12 thriller   

n.惊险片，恐怖片

参考例句：

• He began by writing a thriller.That book sold a million copies.他是写惊险小说起家的。那本书卖了一百万册。
• I always take a thriller to read on the train.我乘火车时，总带一本惊险小说看。

13 thrillers   

n.紧张刺激的故事( thriller的名词复数 )；戏剧；令人感到兴奋的事；（电影）惊悚片

参考例句：

• He has written seven thrillers, and clearly enjoys intellectual pursuits. 他已经写了7本惊悚小说，显然很喜欢这样的智力活动。 来自辞典例句
• Most Americans prefer to read fast-moving adventure stories that we call "thrillers". 大部分美国人喜欢看我们称之为"惊险小说"的情节多变的冒险故事。 来自辞典例句

14 beetle   

n.甲虫，近视眼的人

参考例句：

• A firefly is a type of beetle.萤火虫是一种甲虫。
• He saw a shiny green beetle on a leaf.我看见树叶上有一只闪闪发光的绿色甲虫。

15 killer   

n.杀人者，杀人犯，杀手，屠杀者

参考例句：

• Heart attacks have become Britain's No.1 killer disease.心脏病已成为英国的头号致命疾病。
• The bulk of the evidence points to him as her killer.大量证据证明是他杀死她的。

16 assassination   

n.暗杀；暗杀事件

参考例句：

• The assassination of the president brought matters to a head.总统遭暗杀使事态到了严重关头。
• Lincoln's assassination in 1865 shocked the whole nation.1865年，林肯遇刺事件震惊全美国。

17 intrigue   

vt.激起兴趣，迷住；vi.耍阴谋；n.阴谋，密谋

参考例句：

• Court officials will intrigue against the royal family.法院官员将密谋反对皇室。
• The royal palace was filled with intrigue.皇宫中充满了勾心斗角。

18 suspense   

n.（对可能发生的事）紧张感，担心，挂虑

参考例句：

• The suspense was unbearable.这样提心吊胆的状况实在叫人受不了。
• The director used ingenious devices to keep the audience in suspense.导演用巧妙手法引起观众的悬念。