June 2017 comes with a mix of high profile money makers, animated family affair, Summer horror counter-programming, and smaller films. We’re looking at a June box office that will see a DC figurehead go up against the seemingly unending onslaught of transforming toys. We’re looking at comedy and horror that will try to become surprise hits. And there’s a Tupac movie.

Let’s take a look at what June has in store.

 

June 2:

Wonder Woman

Here’s why you don’t get your hopes up, folks. People will tell you that this looks like the one: the first universally enjoyed DC expanded universe film. People were pumped for Batman v. Superman, too. Yes, those trailers are not bad. They aren’t promising, either, though. At least now we’re looking at Patty Jenkins and not Zach Snyder. But Wonder Woman is a vastly different aesthetic to Monster. I’ll keep my expectations tempered for now.

 

Captain Underpants

Oh, to be a kid again! If I was an eight year old boy now, this would be my most anticipated film of the year. Instead, I am a cynical 20-something whose view on nostalgia does not extend back to any earnest feeling of reminiscence.

I love the cast of this film. But…I don’t know. This movie is about toilets. Kids don’t clean toilets, they just think toilets are funny. I’ve cleaned toilets. There’s nothing funny about a toilet.

 

June 9:

The Mummy

Listen, I don’t want to engage in the male gaze. But what am I supposed to think about a sexy, undead Sofia Boutella strutting around those trailers with four eyes, almost naked, and in chains and stuff? And then there’s Tom Cruise!

You probably want a serious anticipatory response to this upcoming release. See: Wonder Woman.

 

It Comes at Night

Ooh……boy! That trailer! If you haven’t seen it, check it out. It’s a work of art of its own. This is easily my most anticipated film of Summer 2017. Krisha director Trey Edward Shults is giving us what appears to be a slow-burn, dread-filled horror film. And I’m in all the way.

 

 

June 16:

Cars 3

The only Pixar movies I’ve never seen: the Cars films. So I’m no expert, but: No?

 

All Eyez On Me

I’m kind of disappointed with All Eyez On Me. When I heard about the development of a Tupac biopic, I was loving it. After the success of the sister rapper biopic Straight Outta Compton, why not? I mean, I even enjoyed Notorious well enough (the 2009 film, not the 1946 film, which is much better than just “well enough”).

But the trailer for All Eyez On Me hasn’t given me much. The lead, while visually resembling the iconic rapper, doesn’t carry much energy. Everything about the trailer feels lethargic.

 

47 Meters Down

Johannes Roberts’ most famous credit as a director is The Other Side of the Door. Not the biggest marker of quality. Now he’s coming with a Summer release in the shark movie 47 Meters Down, perhaps only getting a June release after the modest success of The Shallows.

Well…it has Mandy Moore.

 

Rough Night

A great cast of comic actors (plus Scarlett Johansson and Zoe Kravitz). A proven director of comic television. A workable premise. And a terrible trailer. What to do with this? Perhaps it is the cut of the trailer, but there is a noticeable lack of comic timing. Comedy trailers can be problematic at times, not entirely capturing the tone of the film in their attempt at marketing. But I have some reservations with this one.

 

June 23:

Transformers: The Last Night

Y’all hear about this one? Sounds like the next big thing. They’re cars. But they’re also robots. Sounds fresh. Maybe it will even make some money.

 

The Big Sick

The June 23 release date for The Big Sick is almost certainly not a nationwide release date. But it is worth commenting on either way. The film was a huge splash at Sundance. While this doesn’t necessarily spell instant classic, the Michael Showalter-directing, Kumail Nanjiani-starring shows promise(the film was also written by Nanjiani and his wife Emily V. Gordon). Keep this one on your radar.

 

June 30:

Baby Driver

Edgar Wright knows comedy. He also knows filmmaking. This separates him and his movies from other comedy features that come out of the woodwork. Wright uses the camera as a tool for comedy where many lesser comedies use the camera as a point-and-shoot device to capture punchlines.

Now, Wright is making a pseudo-Drive-inspired action dark comedy. And it looks sleek and funny. Perhaps less overtly comedic than Wright’s previous Cornetto Trilogy, but Baby Driver is expected to deliver. Here’s hoping it will.

 

Amityville: The Awakening

This didn’t work the last few times they did this, right? So…don’t hold your breath?

 

Despicable Me 3

I hate to sound like a broken record, but  I haven’t seen any of the Despicable Me films (notice the pattern?). So…whatever. The real question of interest is which film will make more money: Cars 3 or Despicable Me 3? I’d put your money on Despicable Me.

 

The House

Andrew Jay Cohen, writer of the two Neighbors films and last year’s Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates, makes his feature length directorial debut this Summer with The House. In The Houes, comedy heavy hitters Will Ferrell and Amy Poehler take on illegal gambling to pay for their child’s education. The combination of talent in this film (Jason Mantzoukas also co-stars) sounds promising enough. What could go wrong?

 

As always, thanks for reading!

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—Alex Brannan (@TheAlexBrannan)