The IMAX Blockbusters You Can’t Miss This Summer

Sinners

Director: Ryan Coogler
Cast: Michael B. Jordan, Hailee Steinfeld, Wunmi Mosaku
Rating: R
Genre: Horror/Adventure

Okay, this isn’t technically a summer release, but if you’re able to catch it in IMAX before it leaves your city, cancel all your plans and do it. Ryan Coogler’s horror-adventure starring Michael B. Jordan as twins Smoke and Stack is thrilling, bloody, inventive, and altogether one of the most original pieces of filmmaking released in the past decade. Seeing it on a larger screen takes the whole experience over the top, thanks to changing aspect ratios that add another layer to Coogler’s storytelling and exploration of cultural and artistic appropriation and assimilation. Plus, who wouldn’t want to see that stunning Juke Joint scene on the largest screen possible?

F1: The Movie

Director: Joseph Kosinski
Cast: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Sports, Drama

Director Joseph Kosinski knows how to make movies for the big screen, as evidenced by the towering success of Top Gun: Maverick. F1: The Movie gives him one of the most popular sports franchises in the world (and Brad Pitt, to boot), so you tell us why this movie shouldn’t be seen. In the film, Pitt portrays Sonny Hayes, a racer returning to the track after an accident almost ended his career. While the setup is relatively simple, when you consider just how enjoyable it was to watch Brad Pitt drive a car in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood… It’s hard to imagine this movie being anything but a blast.

Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning

Director: Christopher McQuarrie
Cast: Tom Cruise, Hayley Atwell, Pom Klementieff
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Action/Thriller

The eighth (and supposedly final) film in Tom Cruise’s decades-running action franchise, Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning aims to be the biggest entry yet. Following Ethan Hunt (Cruise) and the rest of the IMF team, The Final Reckoning pits our beloved spies against a rogue AI with the capacity to destroy all of humanity. Sounds pretty current, right? When it comes to IMAX movies to see, everything about Mission: Impossible 8 is bigger and bolder than ever. Even the poster design featuring a yellow plane bursting out of the frame is larger than life. Cruise has the stunts to match that scale, and they deserve to be seen in beautiful 70mm!

The Fantastic Four: First Steps

Director: Matt Shakman
Cast: Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn, Ebon Moss-Bachrach
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Superhero/Action

Like Superman, The Fantastic Four has been a tricky comic book series to properly adapt for the big screen. While Marvel’s done well with Thunderbolts*: The New Avengers, it certainly wouldn’t hurt for The Fantastic Four to be another major tentpole in the MCU, similar to the Guardians movies. Based on the initial trailers, The Fantastic Four: First Steps definitely looks promising. From its Jetsons-esque 1960s setting to its casting of Pedro Pascal as Mister Fantastic and Vanessa Kirby as Invisible Woman (not to mention the inclusion of Joseph Quinn and Ebon Moss-Bachrach), this iteration seems to have all the right ingredients to be the first of many successful films. We can’t wait to see its retro-futuristic visuals on the big screen.

Superman

Director: James Gunn
Cast: David Corenswet, Rachel Brosnahan, Nicholas Hoult
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Superhero, Action

It’s no secret that DC desperately needs a win. With James Gunn on their side, they may actually get one. This reboot of the Man of Steel brings new faces to the characters of Clark Kent/Superman, Lois Lane, and Lex Luthor with the talents of David Corenswet, Rachel Brosnahan, and Nicholas Hoult, respectively. Filmed for IMAX, this Superman is just about sticking the landing with a beloved comic book character; it’s also about resetting the DCEU and launching what the studio refers to as “Chapter One: Gods and Monsters.” Seeing what Gunn was able to accomplish with Guardians of the Galaxy and 2021’s The Suicide Squad (aka the good one), we think this one’s going to be something you don’t want to miss.

Final Destination: Bloodlines

Director: Zach Lipovsky, Adam Stein
Cast: Kaitlyn Santa Juana, Teo Briones, Richard Harmon
Rating: R
Genre: Horror/Mystery

The Final Destination series is back and bigger than ever. The fifth film in the horror series responsible for terrifying a generation of drivers with its infamous log scene is now playing in IMAX with even more gruesome, Rube Goldberg-inspired death scenes for its cast to square off against in their battle to cheat Death. From the very start of the film, which features the explosion and collapse of a Space Needle-esque high-rise restaurant, you’ll be grateful you’re experiencing all of the heart-pounding scenes in the biggest and loudest theater possible. Just try to forget what happens with the MRI machine…

How to Train Your Dragon

Director: Dean DeBlois
Cast: Mason Thames, Nico Parker, Gerard Butler
Rating: PG
Genre: Fantasy/Action/Adventure

Disney has been remaking its animated classics for years now, with Lilo & Stitch serving as the latest hit in this box office playbook. Not one to be outdone, Dreamworks has launched its own live-action remake of a beloved animated film from its own catalogue: How to Train Your Dragon. Fans of the original will know this movie tells the story of a viking boy named Hiccup (Mason Thames) who befriends a young dragon named Toothless and must face an ancient threat. Think of it as a more family-friendly Game of Thrones but with some serious nostalgia. Based on the trailers, soaring through the skies is going to be a blast on the big screen. If this one sticks the landing, does that mean we’ll get a live-action Shrek?

With summer finally upon us, it’s summer blockbuster time — and the movies on this list demand to be seen on the biggest screen possible. From beloved superhero characters to high-octane sports dramas, there’s something for everyone this summer. Streaming is great, but it’s more of a convenience than an experience. Do yourself a favor and get the ticket to the IMAX screening.