April may have been the month that The Fate of the Furious sped to an easy $1 billion (and counting) worldwide box office gross, but Dominic Toretto and his crew aside, few films managed to connect with audiences. Sure, Colossal earned rave reviews amid its limited theatrical run, but films like Free Fire fell flat, and the Emma Watson-Tom Hanks thriller The Circle debuted behind less prominent releases like How to Be a Latin Lover and Indian film Baahubali 2: The Conclusion. Thankfully, May brings a ton of promising new features to the foreground, including several hotly anticipated franchise films. The 2017 summer movie season is upon us.
So, as always, here are 10 films to check out in May 2017:
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Guardians of the Galaxy vol. 2 (Release Date: May 5)
If you even casually visit the site, then you know how much anticipation surrounds Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. The first film proved that Marvel Studios has such powerful goodwill from fans that it can take chances on riskier, more obscure titles and, in the process, transformed characters like Star-Lord, Gamora, Drax, Groot and Rocket Raccoon into household names.
Now that these characters are so beloved, writer/director James Gunn has the task of continuing their story in a way that lives up to its predecessor while expanding the cosmic side of the Marvel Cinematic Universe in fun, surprising ways. After all, this is likely our last chance to catch up with the Guardians prior to that Infinity War we keep hearing about. So here's hoping those a-holes are up to the challenge.
Check out the latest trailer for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2.
3 Generations (Release Date: May 5)
Despite some early controversy surrounding the casting of Elle Fanning in the lead, 3 Generations looks like it will provide an engrossing tale of family and self-discovery from a transsexual perspective. The film tells the story of Ray (Fanning), a teenager who begins to pursue his true identity as a male, and The Weinstein Company campaigned heavily to secure a PG-13 rating for the film.
Released to select theaters this month, 3 Generations delves into the effects Ray's decision has on his relationships with his mother (Naomi Watts) and grandmother (Susan Sarandon). It's a story that will likely resonate with many moviegoers who have thus far been severely underrepresented on the big screen and may relate to director Gaby Dellal's film.
Check out the latest trailer for 3 Generations.
The Lovers (Release Date: May 5)
A24 has a near-flawless track record for intriguing releases, and The Lovers - which arrives in limited release this month - is no exception. From director Azazel Jacobs, the film follows a married couple (Debra Winger and Tracy Letts) who are cheating on each other but find themselves falling in love all over again.
The romantic comedy offers a fresh new take on the complications of love and might serve as shrewd counter-programming to the more expensive Hollywood fare this month will bring. Following its premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival last month, The Lovers is already poised to be a critical darling and could expand into more theaters if word of mouth builds.
Check out the latest trailer for The Lovers.
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King Arthur: Legend of the Sword (Release Date: May 12)
The tale of King Arthur has been adapted to the screen many, many times over the years. Yet, King Arthur: Legend of the Sword attempts to give the classic story an update, with Charlie Hunnam taking on the title role and Àstrid Bergès-Frisbey as Guinevere. Envisioned to start a potential franchise, the film serves as an origin story for Arthur, who is unaware of his royal lineage until he encounters Excalibur.
While the notion of a new King Arthur film may seem outdated, the new film does come from director Guy Ritchie. His take on Sherlock Holmes in the pair of recent films starring Robert Downey Jr. has played a vital role in re-popularizing that classic detective. So perhaps King Arthur: Legend of the Sword can achieve a similar effect for Camelot itself.
Check out the latest trailer for King Arthur: Legend of the Sword.
Snatched (Release Date: May 12)
Stand-up comedian Amy Schumer catapulted from the small-screen confines of her Comedy Central series, Inside Amy Schumer, to become a full-fledged movie star in the 2015 comedy Trainwreck. While that film paired her up with director Judd Apatow, Snatched sees Schumer teamed with another big-screen talent, Oscar winner Goldie Hawn.
Hawn - who hasn't appeared in a film in 15 years - stars as the mother of Schumer's character, and the pair find themselves kidnapped during a tropical vacation. Jonathan Levine (50/50, Warm Bodies) directs this mother-daughter comedy adventure. So we expect it will feature just as much heart and humor as his previous films.
Check out the latest trailer for Snatched.
The Wall (Release Date: May 12)
Amazon Studios made a big impression earlier this year when Manchester by the Sea helped the studio earn its first Academy Awards. While The Wall (no connection to the classic Pink Floyd album) isn't expected to generate much awards buzz, the film - which hits limited theatrical release this month - does demonstrate Amazon's commitment to intriguing new releases.
Starring Aaron Taylor-Johnson and John Cena, The Wall follows two soldiers trapped by a sniper, with only a wall keep them safe. Yet, perhaps the film's biggest selling point is director Doug Liman. The Wall marks his first directorial effort since the popular sci-fi action thriller Edge of Tomorrow in 2014. There's no telling if The Wall will live up to that standard, but we can hope.
Check out the latest trailer for The Wall.
Alien: Covenant (Release Date: May 19)
Prometheus was - to put it mildly - a divisive entry in the Alien franchise, but the film still left some moviegoers hopeful that a sequel could finally achieve the promise that director Ridley Scott laid out in the first film. So the legendary filmmaker returns once again to the series he started way back in 1979's Alien with his latest, Alien: Covenant.
The new film follows the crew of the Covenant as it lands on an uncharted planet, where unspeakable terror is unleashed. While Michael Fassbender and Noomi Rapace reprise their Prometheus roles, the former also plays a new android, alongside new cast members Katherine Waterston, Billy Crudup and Danny McBride. The story remains largely shrouded in mystery, but we wouldn't expect anything less.
Check out the latest trailer for Alien: Covenant.
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Everything, Everything (Release Date: May 19)
Even though adaptations of young adult novels appear to be exploding onto the screen every other week, Everything, Everything still has a chance to be a sleeper hit. The film - based on the popular book by Nicola Yoon - follows a young girl (The Hunger Games' Amandla Stenberg) stricken with an illness that forces her to reman indoors at all times.
Naturally, that status quo is challenged when she falls in love with the boy next door (Jurassic World's Nick Robinson). Director Stella Meghie's film might not be every moviegoers' taste, but with its built-in fanbase and romantic subject matter, there's every chance that Everything, Everything could be this summer's The Fault in Our Stars.
Check out the latest trailer for Everything, Everything.
Baywatch (Release Date: May 24)
The very idea of a Baywatch movie might seem like a ludicrous notion. However, so did 21 Jump Street and The Lego Movie when they arrived on the scene. Yet, both of those earlier films found a way to reinvigorate and subvert expectations about what a film based on those age-old properties could be. With Dwayne Johnson and Zac Efron headlining, we think that Baywatch could follow suit.
An R-rated comedic take on the cult classic 1990s show, director Seth Gordon's (Horrible Bosses) film already has a lot going for it in the comic timing of its stars. In addition, the marketing material for Baywatch to date has brilliantly poked fun at its source material and stayed true to its essence. With any luck, that balance could make Baywatch one of the summer's biggest hit comedies.
Check out the latest trailer for Baywatch.
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales (Release Date: May 26)
Even though Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides was no one's favorite entry in the franchise, its $1 billion worldwide box office gross and the enduring appeal of Johnny Depp's Captain Jack Sparrow basically guaranteed that the Mouse House was far from done with high-seas adventure set within that world.
Henceforth, six years later, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales sails its way into theaters. With Javier Bardem as the villainous Captain Salazar and Orlando Bloom reprising his role as Will Turner, this new film - from directors Joachim Rønning and Espen Sandberg (Kon-Tiki) - might be able to recapture the series' magic and provide closer ties to what made fans fall for it in the first place.
Check out the latest trailer for Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales.
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Summer tends to be a crowded time at the cinema, and we're betting that this month's crop of releases will only keep that trend going strong. While it remains to be seen if Alien: Covenant and Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales can rebound from the lackluster fan reception to their predecessors, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 will likely be another slam-dunk for Marvel, especially considering the film has already started raking in money overseas. Regardless, May looks to be s strong start for the season at the movies, offering plenty of spectacle, laughs, and thrills for moviegoers of every variety.
Once again, here are the 10 films to check out in May:
May 5: Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, 3 Generations, The Lovers
May 12: King Arthur: Legend of the Sword, Snatched, The Wall
May 19: Alien: Covenant, Everything, Everything
May 24: Baywatch
May 26: Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales
