Top 10 movies of the summer

BY ASHTYN HANSARD / Executive Producer

With school done and kids having a few months to relax and hang out with friends, the summer offers many activities for friends and families. One of these activities is visiting a movie theater. Many new and exciting movies have been released this summer, gathering new fans and entertaining millions. Listed here, in no particular order, are the most popular movies of  the summer of 2024.

"Inside Out 2" released in theaters everywhere on June 14, 2024. In this movie, the audience gets to experience Riley as a teenager dealing with new emotions that have appeared as she’s gotten older. The movie is currently the highest-grossing film of 2024, beating other popular contenders such as "Deadpool and Wolverine," "Challengers," and "Dune: Part Two." With its recent success, "Inside Out 2" has also become Pixar’s highest-grossing movie ever, currently sitting at approximately $1.46 billion globally.

"Deadpool and Wolverine" was recently released in theaters on July 26, 2024. Although it was released quite late into the summer, the movie has already shown outstanding results, making it the second-highest-grossing movie of 2024 right behind "Inside Out 2." The movie has also currently become the highest-grossing R-rated movie of all time. Ryan Reynolds’ witty sense of humor and fourth-wall breaking combined with Hugh Jackman’s reprise of his character Wolverine made "Deadpool and Wolverine" a highly anticipated film that did not leave fans disappointed.

"Despicable Me 4" was released on July 3, 2024. In the movie, families are able to see Gru balance being a father to a new child while also having to stop a new villain that has entered town. The latest installment of the "Despicable Me" series profited over $800 million globally, making "Despicable Me 4" currently the third-highest grossing movie of 2024.

"Twisters" captured the hearts over many movie fans during its release on July 19, 2024. The movie follows tornado chasers as they chase an EF1 tornado through Oklahoma. This standalone sequel gained much attention, partially because of the casting of Glenn Powell as one of the leading men. Powell’s rise to fame has also been credited to other movies, such as "Top Gun: Maverick" and "Anyone But You."

"Fall Guy" was released on May 3, 2024. In "Fall Guy," the audience follows stuntman Colt Seavers, played by Ryan Gosling, as he embarks on a journey to find the male lead of the movie he’s filming in. Although the movie isn’t one of the highest-grossing, "Fall Guy" still received much praise, scoring an 82% on Rotten Tomatoes and an 86% audience score.

"A Quiet Place: Day 1" released in theaters on June 28, 2024. The prequel and spin-off to the "A Quiet Place" series follows different characters as the aliens attack earth. Some famous celebrities, such as Joseph Quinn and Lupita Nyong, star in the movie, displaying their true acting abilities as there is minimal dialogue within the series.

"Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes," a sequel in the "Planet of the Apes" series, was released in theaters on May 10, 2024. The movie follows civilization after years of Caesar reigning as an emperor. The movie profited over double its budget, bringing in almost $400 million globally. Although it’s not the most profitable movie of the series, "Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes" scored an 80% on Rotten Tomatoes. 

"Challengers" was released to theaters everywhere on April 26, 2024, making it one of the earlier movies of the summer. "Challengers" grabbed the audience’s attention before the movie was officially released. Part of this reaction was due to the casting of Zendaya as one of the main characters. The audience is able to follow Art and Patrick, played by Mike Faist and Josh O’Connor respectively, as they advance in their tennis skills while also testing their friendship  as Tashi, played by Zendaya, starts to come between them.

"It Ends With Us" was released recently on August 9, 2024. This movie follows the original storyline of the book "It Ends With Us" by Colleen Hoover. The movie already had a large fan base before it was ever released in theaters due to the book’s popularity on TikTok, bringing in a large audience on opening night. Despite the controversy surrounding Hoover and the movie, it is still being considered a success. 

"Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga" was released on May 24, 2024. This recent installment of the "Mad Max Saga" follows Furiosa, played by Anya-Taylor Joy, as she gets roped into a battle she never asked for and has to help end it before a war begins. The movie remains as one of the lesser profitable movies on the list, making over $172 million globally. Despite the low profit, "Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga" scored rather high on Rotten Tomatoes with a 90% score and an audience score of 89%.