SUPER SUMMER
Alien : Covenant
I
t ’ s May , and once again we anxiously await this year ’ s selection of summer superheroes , aliens , pirates and robots ( or reboots and sequels , if you prefer ) heading into cinemas . It ’ s not that there aren ’ t any small , original , or independent films premiering over the summer , it ’ s just that this is when the studios hit us with their big guns as they try to get the most bang for their buck . July is still traditionally the biggest box office month of the year , but with some strong films debuting in May , we start the summer strong . Some of the most anticipated sequels and a reboot comedy are sure to pump up the numbers and draw viewers into theaters by Memorial Day .
By Lori Vernon
Guardians of The Galaxy Vol . 2
Director : James Gunn May 5 • Rated PG-13
Marvel ’ s biggest hit to date debuts its follow-up sequel , set to the all-new sonic backdrop of Awesome Mix Vol . 2 , sure to be just as much of a hit as the original . Guardians of the Galaxy Vol . 2 continues the cosmic adventures of a band of misfits who protect the galaxy as they begin to unravel the mystery of Peter Quill ’ s ( A . K . A . Star-Lord ) parentage . Quill ( Chris Pratt ) and his friends – including Baby Groot ( Vin Diesel ), Gamora ( Zoe Saldana ), Rocket ( Bradley Cooper ), and Drax ( Dave Bautista ) – face allnew threats including Ayesha and the Ravagers as their team grows and Peter learns about his father , Ego the Living Planet ( Kurt Russell ) and his true heritage . Also starring Michael Rooker , Karen Gillan , Sylvester Stallone , Pom Klementieff , and Elizabeth Debicki . Blink and you might miss the cameos ( or voices of ) by Rob Zombie , Miley Cyrus , David Hasselhoff , Stan Lee and Jeff Goldblum .
King Arthur : Legend Of The Sword
Director : Guy Ritchie May 10 • Rated PG-13
Guy Ritchie ’ s take on the age-old tale begins when young Arthur ’ s ( Charlie Hunnam ) father is murdered and Vortigern ( Jude Law ), Arthur ’ s uncle , seizes the crown . Robbed of his birthright and with no idea who he truly is , Arthur grows up the hard way , ruling the back alleys of Londinium with his mates . But once he pulls the sword from the stone , his life is turned upside down and he is forced to deal with the power of the sword . He falls in with the Resistance and the lady Guinevere ( Àstrid Bergès-Frisbey ) where he must face his demons , acknowledge his true legacy and unite the people to fight Vortigern . Also starring Djimon Hounsou , Eric Bana , Annabelle Wallis and Katie McGrath .
Alien : Covenant
Director : Ridley Scott May 19 • Rated R
With the tagline “ The Path to Paradise Begins in Hell ” you know you ’ re in for a wild ride as Ridley Scot returns to the darker , more terrifying universe he created in Alien . Alien : Covenant , the second chapter in a prequel trilogy that began with 2012 ’ s Prometheus – connects directly to Scott ’ s 1979 seminal work of science fiction . Set 10 years after Prometheus , we find the crew of the Colony ship Covenant on their
way to the far side of the galaxy when they discover an uncharted planet . Inhabited only by a “ synthetic ” named David ( Michael Fassbinder ), sole survivor of the doomed Prometheus expedition , what they first think is a paradise turns out to be a dark , dangerous world where they must fight the deadly alien life force that is out to destroy them . Starring Katherine Waterston , Billy Crudup , Danny McBride , Demián Bichir , and Carmen Ejogo .
Baywatch
Director : Seth Gordon May 25 • Rated R
This hilariously campy looking reboot of the TV phenomenon from our youth finds a new hotshot lifeguard Matt Brody ( Zac Efron ) butting heads with the infamous , badass , and universally loved Mitch Buchannon ( Dwayne “ The Rock ” Johnson ), head lifeguard of BAY- WATCH in Miami . Although the bay seems like any other beach , mysterious activity arises at a local beach club , leading Mitch to believe his beloved Bay is in danger , and his team must come together to save it . Also featuring Mark Swift , Kelly Rorbach , Alexandra Daddario , Ilfenesh Hadera , Priyanka Chopra – and yes , there will be a cameo from original cast members Pam Anderson and the Hoff himself , David Hasselhoff !
Pirates of the Caribbean : Dead Men Tell No Tales
Director : Joachim Rønning / Espen Sandberg May 26 • Rated PG-13
The title of this latest film , the 5th and most likely last in the original series , alludes to a well-known quote from the popular ride at Disney ’ s theme parks . According to Disney ’ s official plot summary , down-on-his-luck
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14 illinoisentertainer . com may 2017