(This article first appeared in the May print edition published April 30)
April showers usually bring May flowers, but when it comes to the box office, none of the new releases truly made it rain for studios this past month. Grosses are down compared to 2023 and pre-COVID numbers, and despite A24 scoring two first-place weekends with Civil War, it wasn’t enough to get moviegoers out to the theater. With several action and horror releases missing the mark, May hopes to get audiences primed for the summer blockbuster season with a handful of potential hits. As always, be sure to check the listings for your local AMC Theaters and Showplace Cinemas location before you go to see the latest Hollywood offerings.
The Fall Guy (May 3) – Based on the popular TV series that ran from 1981-1986, director David Leitch (Bullet Train, Deadpool 2) gives the hit show a big-budget update. Staring Ryan Gosling as the title character, a veteran stunt man is hired by his ex-girlfriend movie director (Emily Blunt) to find a missing action superstar Max Ryder (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) before her latest blockbuster gets shut down. Co-starring Hannah Waddingham (Apple TV’s Ted Lasso), Winston Duke (Black Panther, Us), and Stephanie Hsu (Everything Everywhere All at Once), this movie (like Civil War) has a strong word-of-mouth after a successful South by Southwest Film Festival screening in this past March.
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes (May 10) – In this tenth entry into the Apes series, a young ape’s journey causes him to question his history while making choices to define the future for apes and humans. Taking place years after War for the Planet of the Apes (but following the storyline), director Wes Ball (The Maze Runner Trilogy) ushers in a new era of ape/human relations. Freya Allen (Netflix’s The Witcher) makes the leap onto the big screen, with veteran actors Kevin Durand (Abigail, X-Men Origins: Wolverine) and William H. Macy (Fargo, Magnolia) co-starring.
Back to Black (May 17) – In yet another music biopic to hit the screens this year, this feature chronicles the meteoric rise and catastrophic fall of singer/songwriter/cultural phenomenon Amy Winehouse. Displaying an uncanny likeness to Winehouse is actress Marisa Abela – fresh off her minor role in 2023’s Barbie – as the lead character. Jack O’Connell (Unbroken, Ferrari) plays the destructive muse Blake Fielder-Civil, and veteran British actors Lesley Manville (Netflix’s The Crown, Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris) and Eddie Marsan (The World’s End, Happy-Go-Lucky) costar as Amy’s parents. Sam Taylor- Johnson (Fifty Shades of Grey, Nowhere Boy) directs.
IF (May 17) – Taking a break from all things A Quiet Place, Writer/Director/Actor John Krasinski brings to the screen a story about a young girl (Cailey Fleming) who can see all the imaginary friends (what the title IF stands for) left behind by adults. Ryan Reynolds costars in this live-action/animation hybrid, with a stacked cast of voice talents that include Krasinski, Emily Blunt, Steve Carell, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Matt Damon, Awkwafina, and the late Louis Gossett, Jr.
The Garfield Movie (May 24) – It’s been almost 20 years since Garfield: The Movie was released, so now’s as good a time as any to go back to the well, this time employing go-to voice actor Chris Pratt (The Super Mario Bros. Movie, The Lego Movie) as the iconic pop culture-defining feline. Breaking from the live action/animation hybrid of the first two theatrical releases, this all-animated feature includes the voice talents of Samuel L. Jackson, Hannah Waddingham (who’s going to have a remarkably busy publicity month), Ving Rhames, and a slew of current and ex-Saturday Night Live cast members. Mark Dindal (Chicken Little, The Emperor’s New Groove) directs.
Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (May 24) – The origin story every Mad Max: Fury Road fan has been waiting for is finally here! Series creator George Miller brings to the screen the beginnings of renegade warrior Furiosa, played by Anya Taylor-Joy (The Menu, Netflix’s The Queen’s Gambit). Squaring off against Furiosa is Chris Hemsworth (Thor/The Avengers) as the villainous Dr. Dementus. This release may very well be the unofficial start of the summer blockbuster season, and one that’s worth watching in the biggest, loudest theater possible.
Henderson resident McManus Woodend is an Assistant Professor of Digital Media at the University of Southern Indiana and has worked in film, television and commercials for more than 20 years. To see some of his work, visit www.mcmanuswoodend.com.
