It's hard to believe, but summer is knocking on the door and with the May 3 release of Iron Man 3, we can call it the official beginning of the summer movie season. The Movie Fanatic Round Table gathered some of our esteemed colleagues in the film journalism world and inquired as to their opinions on who they think will take the title of biggest movie of summer 2013.
Eric Eisenberg, CinemaBlend.com
I’d be very surprised if Iron Man 3 isn’t the biggest box office hit of the summer. Thanks to The Avengers, people are more invested in the Marvel Cinematic Universe than ever, and Iron Man has always been the most popular character from the franchise anyway, with both previous solo films far outpacing every other hero in the studio’s canon. People are going to want to be ready when Avengers 2 rolls around in 2015 instead of catching up after the fact like many did with last year’s blockbuster, and that all begins the first week of May.
Joel D. Amos, Managing Editor, MovieFanatic.com
I have a theory. After seeing Jurassic Park 3D recently and recalling how that movie took the summer of 1993 by storm, I'm reminded by what I've seen so far of another mind-blowing epic that is arriving on screens this summer: Pacific Rim. Like the Steven Spielberg classic, it comes from a visionary at the top of his game: Guillermo del Toro. And like Jurassic Park, it is utilizing technology that is at the cusp of what's available. And also like that 1993 summer movie champ, it appeals to children of all ages... from eight to 80!
If that doesn't sound like a recipe for blockbuster success, I don't know what does. Plus it is set apart as original in a summer sea of sequels! Simply looking at the Pacific Rim trailer and it's easy to see the potential for this flick. Toss in the fact that with increased ticket prices via 3D and IMAX... and del Toro may find himself in late August wearing the crown of summer movie king.
Don Kaye, Lead Writer, MSN Parallel Universe
After careful consideration, I believe that the first movie out of the chute this summer is going to end up its biggest, and that's Iron Man 3. That's because it's a proven brand and there's so much good will toward the Marvel Universe right now with the public coming off The Avengers, which everyone and their grandmother loved to death.
While there will be some close contenders among other franchises (Fast and Furious 6, The Hangover III) and other superhero competition (Man of Steel, The Wolverine), I think Tony Stark is going to be pretty much invincible this summer -- unless some Marvel fatigue sets in, which I don't think is likely at this point.
Ned Ehbar, World Metro News
While Star Trek: Into Darkness clearly is going to take home all of the money, the movie I'm most excited about -- and have been for some time, even before this week's trailer release -- is Elysium. I don't know that it will be the box office champ necessarily, but it's the movie this summer I most want to see -- and will probably want to see again and again.
James Oester, JoBlo.com
This summer looks to have a few gems coming up, of course it is going to be a swarm of sequels including Iron Man 3, The Hangover Part III, Fast and Furious 6, The Wolverine and Star Trek: Into Darkness. However, the film which is sparking my interest is the Neil Blomkamp futuristic Elysium with Matt Damon and Jodie Foster. The director looks to bring much of the intensity he gave to District 9, but on a bigger level while still telling his own unique vision. And that trailer is quite intriguing.
It also seems that audiences are hoping for a rebirth of an old superhero with Man of Steel. While Superman has been portrayed a few times on film, there is certainly a lot of hype going in with this one. The Man of Steel trailer looks incredible, but I've yet to be truly impressed by Henry Cavill. I'm personally looking forward to Russell Crowe and Michael Shannon when it comes to this star-studded cast. And for old school fans, I can't wait to see Diane Lane again. Let's just hope that Zack Snyder rejuvenates this Man of Steel!
As far as horror is concerned, I'm happy to see two flicks that look like a scary good time, both The Purge and You’re Next look like satisfying genre entries. I'm especially excited for the latter, thanks to a great cast and a killer You're Next trailer.
Gerrad Hall, thesevensees.com
In trying to narrow down my answer, I realized it's not just one movie that will be the big winner, but the entire month of May! Iron Man 3, Star Trek Into Darkness, Epic, Fast & Furious 6, and The Hangover Part III all opening within four weeks of each other? Why leave your favorite theater? Pick a seat and settle in like a bear going into hibernation.
But if I have to predict one winner, and this is no easy task, I'm inclined to pick the Star Trek sequel, but then I look at the box office success of the first two Iron Man movies and am swayed to go with the third movie in that franchise. It's the first summer movie out of the gate, the Iron Man 3 trailer is a marvel of action, suspense and pure adrenaline, the stakes are raised like never before, and RoDoJr, as I like to call him, was born to play Tony Stark.
Courtney Howard, veryaware.com
If I'm to speculate, I think there are three films that stand to take home major cashola this summer and -- spoiler alert -- my guesses are all sequels. Marvel knows what they're doing in terms of marketing (domestically and overseas) and making quality films fans enjoy seeing multiple times.
Since they essentially won last summer with The Avengers, I think Iron Man 3's grosses could blow up just as big. Also Fast & Furious 6 may pose some serious competition as the last film in the series did extremely well at the box office. And this current incarnation tops the last because it has a tank and airplane on fire ejaculating a car. C'mon!
On the art house scene, I really think Before Midnight could stand to have a huge box office gross. Characters Celine and Jesse have stood the test of time -- this being the third film in director Richard Linklater's series -- and are much beloved by audiences. I think this will prove to have major legs, strong word of mouth and may even give the superheroes and gearheads a run for their money.