After months of watching the same things on repeat, there’s finally a light at the end of the tunnel… or the end of the movie theatre aisle. (Don’t trip over the armrests while trying to find a seat!) As summer approaches, the movie industry is working hard to make up for the lack of content in 2020. Movie theaters across the country are slowly beginning to reopen. So, which one should you plan to see first? With help from Collider, The Ledger has an overview of all things film arriving in theaters over the course of this year.

Marvel’s Got You Covered

On May 3, Marvel Studios released a YouTube video titled “Marvel Studios Celebrates the Movies” which finally gave release dates for all of their Phase Four projects. Up first is Black Widow, releasing in theaters and on Disney+ on July 9. Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings follows on September 3. The calendar year ends with Eternals in theaters on November 5, and Spiderman: No Way Home on December 17. 

2022 and 2023 are also set to be full of content for fans that have been patiently waiting since Avengers: Endgame (2019) to see their favorite characters on the big screen again.

Sequels, Remakes, and More Sequels!

While original ideas are exciting, the movie industry has decided to take a trip down memory lane with their upcoming releases. May 28 brings moviegoers back to A Quiet Place in Part II. June brings the ninth installment of the Fast and Furious series with F9 on the 25th. July takes on the task of bringing the Space Jam characters back to life after 25 years in Space Jam: A New Legacy. 

Another 20th century movie getting a modern update is Dune, arriving in theaters on October 1. Timothée Chalamet and Zendaya star in the remake of the 1984 film which was based on the novel written by Frank Herbert in 1965. The following month also goes back to the 80s with Ghostbusters: Afterlife starring Bill Murray, Paul Rudd, Finn Wolfhard, and McKenna Grace. It’s set to release on November 11. Sequels go out with a bang as the year closes with The Matrix 4 on December 17.

Broadway on the Big Screen

After over a year without Broadway, musicals have turned to a different kind of theater to tell their stories. The most awaited movie musical releases are likely to take the summer and holiday season by storm. In the Heights, written by Lin Manuel Miranda, is opening June 11. Fellow Hamilton star Anthony Ramos shares the spotlight with Leslie Grace in a musical tale about Washington Heights. December 10 brings North Jersey native Rachel Zegler to the big screen as the iconic Maria in Stephen Spielberg’s adaptation of West Side Story. The original film premiered in 1961. To top it off, Universal just released the first trailer for the movie adaptation of Dear Evan Hansen starring Ben Platt, in theaters on September 24. 

Fun for the Whole Family

Looking for something to do with the kids now that guidelines are changing? Go to the movies! Disney takes the reins with Cruella, the story of the iconic villain in 101 Dalmatians starring Emma Stone, hitting theaters on May 28. Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway continues the storyline of the 2018 film on July 2. Disney’s Jungle Cruise drifts onto the screen on July 30. Paw Patrol: The Movie is the showstopper to end the summer arriving on August 20. September 17 brings The Boss Baby: Back in Business, a sequel to the 2017 film. The Addams Family 2 fits right into the Halloween spirit on October 8. The following month is slated to premiere Clifford the Big Red Dog on November 5 and Disney’s Encanto on November 24. The holidays bring two presents in one day with Sing 2 and Hotel Transylvania 4 on December 22. 

Drama and Horror Galore

To round out the genre options, there are many dramatic and suspenseful movies arriving within the year. On June 4, another installment of The Conjuring series: The Devil Made Me Do It. M. Night Shyamalan’s psychological thriller Old opens on July 23. Jennifer Hudson stars as Aretha Franklin in the biopic Respect on August 13. The Candyman series continues after 22 years on August 27. Nia DeCosta directs, Jordan Peele writes, and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II stars. Jessica Chastain and Andrew Garfield take on depicting the lives of Tammy Faye and Jim Bakker in The Eyes of Tammy Faye on September 24. Last Night in Soho takes audiences to London on October 22 in a thriller starring Anya-Taylor Joy and Thomasin Harcourt McKenzie. On November 24, Lady Gaga will grace the screen as Patrizia Reggiani in the crime biopic House of Gucci. The year ends with a prequel to Kingsman: Secret Service (2014) called The King’s Man.

Whatever type of film captures your attention, the movies will have it for you. Use this guide as an incentive to pay a visit to your local theater and help keep the industry alive! It will be a rewarding piece of normalcy as the world transitions into a post-COVID world. Don’t forget the snacks!