- 5 months ago
From superhero showdowns to time-twisting thrillers, join us as we count down the most impactful summer blockbusters since 2008! We're showcasing the films that dominated theaters during the May-August movie season each year. From magical wizards to impossible missions, these films defined their respective summers with box office success and cultural impact.
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00:00Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the most effective, entertaining
00:10and or high-quality success stories.
00:13This includes big box office winners released between May and August.
00:17This means that both Infinity War and Endgame won't be in this list.
00:23It's hard to top the star power of these two superheroes.
00:38With all of the goodwill from the first and second Deadpool, this third entry had big shoes
00:43to fill.
00:44Thankfully for everyone, Hugh Jackman said yes and put on the yellow costume.
00:48Ryan Reynolds and his co-star have perfect chemistry in this meta mashup.
00:51There's also more than a few cameos worth nothing, with surprising twists and turns
00:55for die-hard fans.
01:05Deadpool and Wolverine also feature some slick action scenes with lots of violence and red
01:10suits.
01:11In what could have been a disaster, Reynolds and company build everything on a firm foundation
01:15of dark comedy.
01:16It wasn't the only worthy sequel from 2024 either, with Inside Out 2 becoming another
01:21success.
01:22Summer 2023 was a huge one for movie fans of all kinds.
01:32On the same day in July, both Barbie and Oppenheimer released in a double feature for the ages.
01:37The comedic journey, based on a Mattel doll, earned over a billion dollars, showing that
01:41tons of people wanted to experience the fun adventure.
01:50There's also the historical epic directed by Christopher Nolan that keeps you on edge
01:54for three hours.
01:55With all of the hype and memes, the two films helped each other score big at the box office.
02:00The projects might have been vastly different, but they were both well-made, effective and
02:04compelling ideas that drove people to the theatre.
02:09Whenever you need a film that's full of authentic action, you should look no further than Tom Cruise.
02:22He returned as Maverick to continue the personal and epic story.
02:26It could have been a disaster, but Serious Care went into this heart-filled sequel.
02:30There's also some incredible stunt flying in real jets.
02:41Filming the actors' reactions, the aerobatic sequences fill this movie with popcorn thrills
02:46you cannot fake.
02:47It's an exciting way to extend the series with even better stunts this time around.
02:51With uncertainty around the COVID-19 pandemic, some argue that Top Gun Maverick helped save
02:55theatres after the pandemic.
03:06Despite the events of Endgame, Scarlett Johansson wasn't finished playing this character.
03:11Black Widow let the actress return as Natasha Romanoff.
03:13The movie is full of action-packed scenes, but also becomes about adoptive families and
03:17sisters.
03:25With Florence Pugh as Yelena Velova, Johansson has a great scene partner to work alongside.
03:30The awesome cast also includes the talents of Rachel Weisz and David Harbour.
03:34In a mix of a road movie and a spy thriller, the fast-paced story takes a look at an important
03:39chapter of the lead hero's history.
03:41It's a film for Marvel fans that prefer grounded fights to the magical powers in other MCU entries.
04:01In the summer of 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic completely changed the movie-going experience.
04:06Many theatre chains closed locations, and people largely avoided public places.
04:10Other studios and distributors were forced to make changes, leading many movies, such
04:14as F9, to be postponed.
04:21Some films later came out on streaming platforms, taking away other potential revenue for theatres.
04:26This opened the door for smaller projects like Unhinged to make a modest profit, with
04:31little competition.
04:32By the time September rolled around, it took something like Tenet to help generate more box
04:36office.
04:37Again, the results from that season weren't anywhere near what people wanted.
04:47Is this Quentin Tarantino's most star-studded and epic film?
04:55The movie explores the lives of various Hollywood types in the 1960s.
04:59Rick Dalton and his stuntman Cliff Booth navigate their careers, with the latter crossing paths
05:03with Manson family members.
05:04It is faithful to the period in terms of character details, costumes and production design.
05:09Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt and Margot Robbie are just three of the great performers on
05:13display.
05:22Tarantino fans, cinephiles and even casual viewers can find something to enjoy here.
05:26It might not be the typical blockbuster, but it did rake in millions despite its lengthy
05:31runtime.
05:32This just means that audiences are willing to sit and wait for an awesome payoff.
05:36There aren't many franchises that still work at number six.
05:52For some people, this entry in the Mission Impossible series might just be the best.
05:57Fallout follows Ethan Hunt's quest to stop the bad guys from using nuclear weapons.
06:01The larger film finds Tom Cruise doing some of his most insane stunts, pushing his body
06:05to limits rarely seen on screen.
06:07He leaps buildings, rides motorcycles and flies helicopters.
06:16The movie is a summer blockbuster that feels like a rollercoaster, with all the chases you
06:20could want.
06:212018 also brought breathtaking sequels to Deadpool and The Incredibles.
06:25With Cruise leading the way, this one feels like a near-perfect package of engaging work
06:29that connected with audiences.
06:46It seems obvious now that Christopher Nolan would make a World War II film.
06:49In his 2017 release, Dunkirk, he won critics and audiences over with his depiction of the
06:55Dunkirk evacuation.
06:56It's a tensely plotted film, with no time to waste.
06:59As the director bounces around to various perspectives, you experience the land, sea and air battles
07:04for yourself.
07:11Nolan's camera places viewers in the midst of danger and excitement.
07:15The movie blends history and entertainment on a massive scale.
07:18You're in the hands of a master, being swept away to a French beach in 1940.
07:21A similar kind of magic powered the superhero juggernauts of Wonder Woman and Spider-Man
07:26that year.
07:27At its core, this movie is one of the more interesting Marvel stories.
07:41What if two of the best heroes decided to duke it out?
07:44You could look at this as philosophical, or just use it as an excuse to watch them fight
07:48each other.
07:49In this film, audiences get to see what happens when Tony Stark and Steve Rogers have a big
07:54dispute.
08:00This puts them on opposite sides, and brings out all sorts of heroes like Bucky Barnes,
08:04T'Challa and Peter Parker.
08:06It's another huge step for the MCU, setting the stage for future Avengers in Stormont.
08:10Even if you're not well versed in the storytelling, this movie has tons of moments to keep you
08:24entertained.
08:30Not every Jurassic Park sequel worked, but they did make lots of money.
08:34Jurassic World made a successful attempt at rebooting the property.
08:37Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard lead a cast that encounters an old location with new
08:42surprises.
08:43The creatures are ferocious, the action is effective, and the whole thing feels like
08:46an enthralling take on the original series.
08:51There's also the change in how the dinosaurs interact, with raptors coming in handy for
09:00a fight scene.
09:01The franchise expanded even more here, as another trilogy filled the 2010s.
09:05It wasn't the only series that got a remix in 2015 either, with Mad Max receiving a beloved
09:10instalment.
09:13With sequels and prequels, this entry in the X-Men film finds itself as something of a crossover.
09:31It's a time travelling fantasy blending the early movies with a newer cast.
09:35Can they all come together to prevent the destruction of the future?
09:38This central question traces the heroes across multiple timelines, finding them confronting
09:42history itself to complete their mission.
09:51The result includes all the characters you've come to love in a fight to save the universe.
09:55You also have the thrilling inclusion of newcomers like Quicksilver.
09:58With all of that drama, and star power, it's easy to see why this entry connected at the
10:03box office with both fans and critics alike.
10:21Horror movies might seem like a dime a dozen, but The Conjuring ended up captivating audiences
10:25in 2013.
10:26It features the story of a family tormented in their house.
10:30You've seen some of this before, but this time around, there are compelling performances
10:33and some real-life inspiration.
10:45The film is partly based on the experiences of paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren.
10:51This connection to reality gives you one more reason to worry when you leave the theatre.
10:55With audiences eager to be scared, excited viewers helped to make this movie a hit.
10:59It then kick-started a franchise that kept the scares coming for several years.
11:06Back in 2012, this seemed like an unprecedented team-up of Marvel heroes.
11:19The gamble paid off, and set a course for even more success to follow.
11:23When the trickster Loki gets hold of powerful technology, a whole host of super-individuals
11:28track him down in order to save the world.
11:30Iron Man, Thor, and many more characters flood the screen, with their larger-than-life personalities.
11:43There's intrigue, comedy, and more than a few fights to round things off.
11:47It probably shouldn't have been a disaster, but the filmmakers and actors come together
11:50for some top-notch escapism.
11:52The same could be said for Christopher Nolan's last entry in the Dark Knight Trilogy later
11:55that summer.
12:11In the last chapter of the Harry Potter series, the audience finally gets what they've been
12:15waiting for the entire time.
12:17The Wizarding World comes to grips with Voldemort and fights him in an epic battle.
12:21Despite the fallen heroes, the survivors come together to cast out the villain and his many
12:25underlings.
12:29It all comes down to a duel between Potter and the main antagonist.
12:33The film does an expert job at making you anxious, even if you've read the book.
12:37By the same token, the awesome climax is only outdone by the moving finale.
12:402011 marked ten years since Philosopher's Stone, and the end to an entertainment phenomenon.
12:46With this trippy premise, Christopher Nolan created an original blockbuster idea.
13:07Leonardo DiCaprio disappears into dreams to steal secrets and plant ideas.
13:12He's surrounded by a superb ensemble, with everyone adding to this globe-trotting thriller.
13:17The plot takes them into the high-stakes world of cerebral heists.
13:28Nolan creates a complex story, but he also delivers with some amazing set pieces.
13:32The unexpected visuals and mind-bending surprises keep you on your toes the whole time.
13:37Inception later became a reference point all its own, with the word entering the popular
13:42lexicon.
13:43In the same year, audiences also fell in love with the third entry in the Toy Story franchise.
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14:09By the time the series got to its sixth entry, Harry Potter had become much darker overall.
14:25This film highlights the merits of that decision.
14:28Gone are the days of happy-go-lucky kids, with the franchise putting the fight between good
14:32and evil on full display.
14:38The hero and his friends come to understand that they'll need to fight for survival.
14:42With tragedy around every corner, Half-Blood Prince gives fans the terrifying moments they've
14:47been waiting for.
14:48As the threat of Lord Voldemort looms, Potter finds his future partner and learns a valuable
14:53lesson from Dumbledore.
14:54The magical chapter sets up the two-part finale, and wins big at the box office.
15:02So which summer blockbuster do you want to see in 2025?
15:05Let us know in the comments below.
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