Summer Cinema in 2013

This summer, the box office will once again be dominated by superheroes – and Jay Gatsby, a cocktail-swilling chap from the twenties. Plus some epic sci-fi, a touch of romance, some good old-fashioned comedy, and a healthy dose of action have also been thrown into the mix. Roll on summer…

On the superhero front, we’re going to be pretty spoilt for choice. Iron Man 3 has already hit screens in the UK, and so far it seems that Tony Stark’s (Robert Downey Jr.) quest for revenge against the Mandarin (Ben Kingsley) is making for some pretty entertaining viewing. The much anticipated Man of Steel, a Zack Snyder directed Superman reboot starring British actor Henry Cavill, will be released in June, and has a lot to live up to. A proposed sequel to 2006’s Superman Returns never really managed to claw its way out of development, and a reboot is certainly the fashionable way to go – but, it remains to be seen if Man of Steel will be the Superman film we’ve all been hoping for. Still, there’s always Kick-Ass 2, the sequel to the much lauded 2010 teen superhero comedy, to look forward to in July; Jeff Wadlow takes over from Matthew Vaughn to direct the second film, while stars Chloe Moretz and Aaron Taylor-Johnson return to their starring roles.

The Great Gatsby, directed by Baz Luhrmann and starring Tobey Maguire, Carey Mulligan and Leonardo DiCaprio, is predicted to be a very hot contender at the box office upon its release in May. F. Scott Fitzgerald’s acclaimed novel has been translated to the screen multiple times (including a 1974 version scripted by Francis Ford Coppola and starring Mia Farrow and Robert Redford) but it seemed it was due for a another star-studded update. Critically, this new adaptation could go either way; Luhrmann’s lavishly idiosyncratic directing style isn’t to everyone’s taste. It could mesh well with the story of Gatsby, or leave lovers of the novel cold. Even so, we’re pretty sure they’ll all be shelling out for a ticket this summer.

Fans of science fiction will be gearing up for the May release of Star Trek: Into Darkness, JJ Abrams’ follow up to his slick and enjoyable 2009 reboot Star Trek – Abrams, you may have heard (unless you’ve been living under a rock at the bottom of a mine on the Moon), will also soon be directing Star Wars VII). Stars such as Chris Pine, Zoe Saldana, Zachary Quinto and Simon Pegg will be returning to their roles, while Benedict Cumberbatch joins the cast as the villain, rumoured to be Khan (KHHAAAANN!).

If it’s comedy you’re after, you’re also in for a treat; The Hangover Part III, the ‘epic conclusion’ to the trilogy, will be hitting our screens this May, and is expected to be huge box office draw. Once again, the film is directed by Todd Phillips and stars Bradley Cooper and company.

Also getting film fans hot under the collar this summer will be The Lone Ranger, an all guns blazing Western starring Armie Hammer and Johnny Depp, Before Midnight, the third instalment of Richard Linklater’s romantic drama series starring Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy, and World War Z, which boasts the winning combination of Brad Pitt and zombies.

For the kids, the biggest draw is sure to be Monsters University, which tells the story of Mike (Billy Crystal) and Sully (John Goodman) during their time at university when, surprise surprise, they took an instant dislike to each other. The film tells the no doubt heart-warming story of how they became the best of friends.

From all of us at Roobla, we hope you enjoy your summer cinema in 2013! We know we will.