If this is what the summer lull at the movies looks like, then bring it on! In July, several exciting films with huge blockbuster potential are waiting for audiences. Christopher Nolan (55) sends Matt Damon (55) and numerous other stars on "Die Odyssee". The toys from "Toy Story" face what may be the biggest adversary in children's entertainment - modern technology. And Tom Holland (30) tries in "Spider-Man: Brand New Day" as the friendly and now once again secret neighborhood spider to keep the streets free from crime of all kinds.
"Die Odyssee", July 16
After the costly but victorious Trojan War, King Odysseus (Matt Damon) sets out on his journey home to Ithaca. But the wrath of the gods transforms the journey into a decades-long odyssey, during which Odysseus and his crew encounter all kinds of mythological figures, such as voracious cyclops and barely resistible sirens. But trouble is also brewing at home: A horde of suitors, including the unscrupulous Antinous (Robert Pattinson), besiege Odysseus' "widow" Penelope. They want to gain power over Ithaca through marriage.
Assessment:
The material from Homer's The Odyssey may be thousands of years old. For director Christopher Nolan, the source material for his now twelfth feature film nevertheless represents uncharted territory. He has never before devoted himself cinematically to the fantasy genre; he even managed to transport his Batman trilogy into a more realistic setting. That he is genre-fluid has been proven multiple times by the passionate filmmaker, though not always with the same quality. He overreached with his ambitious idea for the sci-fi thriller "Tenet", while with his biopic "Oppenheimer" about the eponymous "Father of the Atomic Bomb" he rightly crowned himself a double Oscar winner. Which category "Die Odyssee" falls into will be revealed starting July 16. But the extremely elaborately produced epic will definitely conjure outstanding images onto the screen.
"Toy Story 5", July 23
Have Woody, Buzz and company finally become obsolete? The toys must compete for their owner Bonnie's favor against modern competition: The eight-year-old girl has been given her first tablet called Lilypad and, to the horror of her previous playmates, becomes completely absorbed by the device. How are the analog heroes supposed to compete with the digital world?
Assessment:
The "Toy Story" series is truly a phenomenon. Every sequel to the groundbreaking 1995 original has managed to continue the story of the lovable duo Woody and Buzz in its own coherent way. And part five doesn't lack this ingenuity either. The fact that technology is now the biggest enemy for classic toys in competing for kids' favor is a logical development and should once again appeal to the parent generation as well. Anyone looking for a movie for the whole family in summer will definitely find it starting July 23.
"Spider-Man: Brand New Day", July 30
Four years after the events of "No Way Home", Peter has grown up and leads a lonely existence - the consequence of his voluntary decision to have himself erased from the memory of all loved ones. In a New York where both he himself and his name have long since become strangers, he continues to fight criminals and puts the protection of his city above everything else. However, the growing effort takes its toll: The constant strain triggers an unexpected physical transformation that becomes a danger to his own life - and at precisely the moment when one of his strongest adversaries yet appears on the scene.
Assessment:
"Spider-Man: No Way Home" spectacularly heralded the return of blockbuster cinema five years ago after the coronavirus pandemic. The mega-success was able to rake in almost two billion US dollars at the time. Given these numbers, there's probably no better barometer for where the superhero genre as a whole currently stands. Will "Brand New Day" be able to even come close to those numbers? Or is even the friendly neighborhood spider slowly running out of box office steam?
