Summer is right around the corner, and with it, those big, blockbuster movies that drag us out of the heat and into air-conditioned theaters to chug some soda, munch some popcorn, and take in a tentpole. The sci-fi movies coming out in summer 2019 star some big names and come from big studios. While the spring has offered up avant-garde, heady sci-fi like the Robert Pattinson space drama High Life, the genre's offerings for the coming season are all about size, scale, and impact.
But despite the fact that all of the following movies seem like huge, epic stories, it feels like there's a bit of a dearth of science-fiction movies heading to theaters this year in general. 2018 brought us some genre greats, such as Annihilation, A Quiet Place, Avengers: Infinity War, and Sorry to Bother You. The Avengers came through with Endgame, but let's hope that, by the end of the year, 2019 has lived up to the year before.
So let's see what's coming up next. The season starts out right after Memorial Day weekend, with big monsters battling it out. Continuing on through the summer there are more mutants than we can count, international aliens, superheroes, and a world without — gasp — the Beatles.
1
'Godzilla: King Of The Monsters'
This sequel to the 2014 iteration of Godzilla throws a bit of mythology into the monster movie genre. As Vera Farmiga's character Emma Russell explains in the trailer, Godzilla and his fellow monsters, Mothra, Radan, and King Ghidorah, are the original inhabitants of the Earth, the Titans of mythology. The movie, which looks pretty epic, also features an amazing cast, including Kyle Chandler, Millie Bobby Brown, Ken Watanabe, Charles Dance, Bradley Whitford, and Zhang Ziyi.
In theaters May 31.
2
'Dark Phoenix'
Game of Thrones star Sophie Turner takes the lead as Jean Grey in the latest movie in the X-Men franchise. This one follows the origin story of Dark Phoenix, an alternate identity that Jean embodies when her powers become overwhelming. The story looks like it's embracing an examination of female rage and the results of emotional suppression that make for a potentially high-key feminist superhero flick.
In theaters June 7.
3
Men In Black: International
Thor and Valkyrie (known in the real world as Chris Hemsworth and Tessa Thompson) team up again for this revisit to the world of the Men in Black. Thankfully, the studio and filmmakers listened to fans who called for female leads when this reboot was announced. Emma Thompson also appears, playing MIB leadership. And there will be plenty of wise-cracking aliens too.
In theaters June 14.
4
'Yesterday'
In this fantasy from Trainspotting director Danny Boyle and Love Actually scribe Richard Curtis, the world experiences an unexplained blackout. Afterwards, a musician (Himesh Patel) seems to be the only person on the planet who remembers the Beatles, and he gets rich and famous by passing their songs off as his own. It seems more like a dramedy than a sci-fi feature, but Yesterday hinges on some strange goings-on.
In theaters June 28.
5
'Spider-Man: Far From Home'
The second, post-Endgame trailer for Far From Home revealed that this new Spider-Man movie will deal with the sad aftermath of that major death. But there will be high school shenanigans too, plus Jake Gyllenhaal making his debut as maybe-villain Mysterio. Mysterio's Thor-like costume looks a little hokey, to be honest, so we'll have to see how this one plays out.
In theaters July 2.
6
'The New Mutants'
This trailer may feature young mutants still learning to use their powers, but Professor Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters this is not. Maisie Williams, Anya Taylor-Joy, and other stars in this horror-tinged Marvel movie that explores a darker side of mutants. But who know if this movie will actually hit theaters this summer. It's been delayed a number of times, and Disney's acquisition of 20th Century Fox might mean another.
In theaters Aug. 2.
Once you've recovered from Endgame, there'll be plenty of sci-fi summer flicks waiting for you, from the bittersweet to the truly epic.
