Summer movie season has finally arrived, as Top Gun: Maverick hits the big screen and other big-budget movies are set to attract huge crowds at theaters all over the world. With huge action movies, premiere animated fare, original movies from highly acclaimed filmmakers, and of course superhero movies, summer is often the best time to break out the popcorn and escape from the blazing heat while watching a movie.
Steven Spielberg defined the landscape for the summer blockbuster over and over again during the early parts of his career, first with Jaws and then again and again with movies like Raiders of the Lost Ark and Jurassic Park. The summer blockbuster has continued to evolve since, with great directors, huge movie stars, and other talented artists continuing to redefine what a popcorn movie can be in the modern age.
Incredibles 2 (2018) - 3.5/5
Brad Bird is one of the most visually inventive directors working in Hollywood at the moment despite his rather limited filmography, making films like The Iron Giant and The Incredibles during his career. Incredibles 2 was similarly well received and is the best-animated summer blockbuster since 2010, according to Letterboxd users.
It is no surprise that his sequel was so well received, as both Bird and Pixar have a history of making loved sequels that honor their original film. Incredibles 2 became the highest-grossing Pixar movie in history and deserves its spot as one of the great summer blockbusters of the 2010s.
The Conjuring (2013) - 3.6/5
The Conjuring is one of the few original summer blockbusters to become a smash hit at the box office in the 2010s and is one of just three original films to crack this list. James Wan's surprise hit made more than $300 million at the box office on just a $2o million budget.
The modern horror classic is one of the few horror movies to be successful with critics, audiences, and at the box office, and has quickly solidified its place among the greatest horror movies ever. Summer 2022 will bring anticipated horror blockbusters like Nope and Bodies Bodies Bodies that should keep movie fans scared at the movies for the next few months,
Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation (2015) - 3.6/5
The Mission: Impossible franchise has consistently brought great summer blockbusters for the past two decades, with all of the films in the franchise being incredibly innovating and exciting. Rogue Nation, the fifth installment in the franchise, was the first to be directed by frequent Tom Cruise collaborator Christopher McQuarrie, though it is not the only installment to crack this list.
Although the first four entries in the franchise set a high bar, Rogue Nation continued to push the envelope when it comes to the jaw-dropping set pieces that the franchise is known for. The airplane and opera house scenes are amongst the best in the franchise, and McQuarrie brought the film back to its more Hitchcockian roots from the original Mission: Impossible film.
Captain America: Civil War (2016) - 3.6/5
Captain America: Civil War is the 13th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and the second to be directed by the directing team of the Russo brothers. The film was the first in Phase Three and pitted Captain America against Iron Man while introducing Tom Holland's version of Spider-Man into the MCU.
The film was the highest-grossing movie of 2016 and continued the streak of the Russo brothers' Marvel entries being the most critically acclaimed in the MCU. The Captain America project has continued throughout the extended universe through the 2021 TV show Falcon and the Winter Soldier, and there is a fourth Captain America film set to be released sometime in the future.
The Avengers (2012) - 3.7/5
The Avengers was a cultural phenomenon and became a huge turning point for modern summer blockbusters. After the success of Iron Man in 2008, the announcement for a sequel was quickly made - and The Avengers would prove to be incredibly successful while breaking box office records and setting the tone for billion-dollar Marvel films.
The film has quickly been canonized as a classic amongst popcorn films, making Empire Magazine's list of the 100 greatest films of all time and securing a number of prestigious awards including an Oscar for best visual effects. The movie set the tone for the superhero-focused summer blockbuster season that has dominated theaters ever since its release.
Once Upon A Time In Hollywood (2019) - 3.8/5
Quentin Tarantino has become a box office draw just on his name alone, after a long career of making fan-favorite classics that also became box office hits like Pulp Fiction, Kill Bill, and, Inglorious Bastards. During the summer of 2019 he had another hit with his latest movie, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.
It was a smash hit that permeated the culture thanks to three star performances from Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt, and Margot Robbie. According to Tarantino, the celebrity director will be making just one more movie in his career, and his name alone will likely make it another summer blockbuster hit.
Guardians of the Galaxy (2014) - 3.8/5
The Guardians of the Galaxy franchise was one of the pillars of Marvel's original Disney run, thanks to the star power behind its famous cast and the action-comedy blend from its writer and director James Gunn. Guardians was Gunn's first superhero movie, and he has since carved out his niche in the genre.
The success of the film was also due to its electric soundtrack, which featured a track list of huge hit pop songs from the 1980s. The album was certified platinum thanks to huge hits songs from artists like David Bowie and Joan Jett. A third movie in the franchise is set to be released in May of next year.
Mission: Impossible - Fallout (2019) - 3.9/5
The sixth installment in the Mission: Impossible franchise is thought of by many fans to be the best entry, and its high ranking amongst Letterboxd users reflects that standing. The film brought back the cast from Rogue Nation as well as director Christopher McQuarrie for what is an adrenaline-pumping action masterpiece.
Tom Cruise dialed up his stunts even higher for Fallout, and the extreme actor continued to perform all of his own without a stunt double. Fallout contained a few of the most legendary stunts in action movie history, including a scene where Cruise flew a helicopter while simultaneously operating IMAX cameras.
Mad Max: Fury Road (2015) - 4.1/5
The fourth movie in Australian filmmaker George Miller's iconic series was released decades after the initial trilogy, with Tom Hardy replacing Mel Gibson as the titular hero. Hardy starred alongside Charlize Theron in what has become one of the greatest action epics in movie history.
Miller blended practical and computer-generated effects with perfection for his apocalyptic movie, during an editing process with his wife Margaret Sixel that took almost two years. The film took home six Academy Awards on ten nominations and has quickly become canonized as a classic piece of American cinema.
Inception (2010) - 4.2/5
Christopher Nolan has become the modern king of the summer blockbuster, often releasing his movies in late July when they are set to dominate the August box office. Inception came off the heels of his biggest hit The Dark Knight and is by far the biggest original blockbuster of the 2010s.
Nolan took inspiration from sets designed by Stanley Kubrick in 2001: A Space Odyssey in creating some of the most jaw-dropping action sequences in recent memory. Nolan is set to release his next film in the summer of 2023, and it is sure to be yet another hit for the modern master.