State of the summer movie season

Though theatrical moviegoing is unlikely to ever reach the box office heights that occurred before the streaming era, American audiences at least embraced a wide range of titles this summer.

Some of them weren’t even sequels!

Box office juggernauts(?)

Familiar superheroes and dinosaurs anchored the slate, as did another live-action remake of a classic Disney cartoon. “Lilo & Stitch,” originally set for a streaming-only release on Disney Plus, wound up being the season’s only billion-dollar earner at the global box office. Never bet against the power of nostalgia.

The summer’s most entertaining blockbuster, James Gunn’s “Superman” restart, became a deservedly huge hit in the U.S., successfully launching a new era for the DC Universe. However, “Superman’s” global box office didn’t match the heights that other superhero titles have done in the past. The same was true for Marvel’s two entries this summer, “Thunderbolts*” and “Fantastic Four: First Steps.” Both films also opened big in the U.S. before suffering steep declines, a worrisome pattern for Marvel throughout the post-COVID era. Both films were solid, if somewhat forgettable entries in the far-too-large MCU.

Even the dinosaurs in “Jurassic World: Rebirth” couldn’t reach the billion-dollar club this season. Perhaps years of middling sequels is finally catching up with the once ironclad franchise (it still made plenty of cash).

Give us more theatrical comedies!

Between the masterful cringe-comedy of “Friendship,” the slapstick ridiculousness of “The Naked Gun” and the wholesome shenanigans in “Freakier Friday,” it felt refreshing to laugh in a movie theater again. While none of these films made huge money, their inexpensive budgets and modest box office prove they deserve to retain at least some real estate at local multiplexes. I’d also bet money that Netflix’s aggressively mediocre “Happy Gilmore 2” would have played better in a theater.

The old reliable — horror!

After a stunning revival of “Final Destination” in May, the horror genre kept delivering hits. As someone who tends to be picky about horror, even I found enough to enjoy, including the emotional and thrilling “28 Years Later” and the twisty, moody delights of “Weapons,” the breakout movie of August (if you haven’t seen it yet AND haven’t had the plot spoiled, go see it!).

K-Pop shines above the slop

Streaming services seem to roll out a new, disposable action movie every week nowadays. Usually, a lack of theatrical release signifies a problem. Case in point: “Fountain of Youth,” “The Pickup,” “Heads of State.” As much as I didn’t like the new “Mission: Impossible” movie, at least Tom Cruise understands the importance of big screen spectacle.

Thankfully, one streaming title was so thrilling and fun that it became a pop culture phenomenon anyway. “K-Pop Demon Hunters” not only captivated audiences from all age brackets, but its fantastic songs ended up anchoring the soundtrack of the summer.

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Tyler Wilson can be reached at [email protected].

    This image released by A24 shows Tim Robinson, left, and Paul Rudd in a scene from "Friendship."

    This image released by Sony Pictures shows Aaron Taylor-Johnson, left, and Alfie Williams in a scene from "28 Days Later."