2024 just finished a throwback summer

For well over a decade, the summer movie season has been mostly held up by several film series.

It had a start in the 2000s with the rise of comic book movies, but really took off in the 2010s as the MCU became fully established. It hit overdrive in the last 10 years. Since 2014, there have been 41 movies released in the following movie series:

• The Marvel Cinematic Universe
• Other Marvel Films (Amazing Spider-Man/Fantastic Four/X-Men)
• Transformers
• Expendables
• The Jurassic Series
• Mission: Impossible
• The DC Extended Universe
• Pirates of the Caribbean
• Star Wars
• Fast and Furious

That was an average of about four movies from one or more of these series per summer, meaning one movie for May, June, July and August. It became such a phenomenon that studios were trying to manufacture major franchises.

The prime example was Universal digging up their monsters for a Dark Universe. It failed to launch, though, with the release of 2017’s awful “Mummy” movie.

This year? There’s one. One movie from these franchises. Coming in the form of “Deadpool and Wolverine,” it’s the lowest amount since 2020 when “The New Mutants” hit theaters during a short theater reopening while there was a slowdown in the pandemic.

Instead, the 2024 summer season has felt like one from years ago, decades in fact. Now, before going any further, I want to make it clear that I’ve enjoyed a good amount of those other films mentioned. However, it’s been somewhat refreshing to have a change of pace.

Look at some of the major studio releases we’ve had this summer. An action comedy in “The Fall Guy,” an inspiring sports biopic with “Young Woman and the Sea,” a feature crime drama in “The Bikeriders,” a period piece romcom with “Fly me to the Moon” and an artistic thriller with “Longlegs.”

I’ve liked some of these movies more than others, but thought they were all at least above average. More importantly, it’s a collection of original stories and concepts driven by star power and entertainment value. It’s exactly what the summer movie season was built on in the 80s, 90s and early 2000s.

It’s true in the movies themselves, too. “The Fall Guy” and “Fly me to the Moon” are flicks that have an old school feel to them, they boast a sort of charm that feels nostalgic. It’s created a unique atmosphere at theaters in this day and age.

It has to be noted that not all the films this summer have been completely original movies. There have been franchises featured, with several new entries. There’s been a fourth film in the modern “Planet of the Apes” series, a “Mad Max” prequel, a fourth “Bad Boys,” an “Inside Out” sequel, a sequel to the horror series “X” and a follow-up to 1996’s “Twisters.”

But even then, the types of continuations lately have a bit more going on than just being another film in the studio machine. The latest “Planet of the Apes” was an exciting new chapter for a franchise already known for being deeper than your average blockbuster. The new “Bad Boys” is more of a legacy sequel, and “Inside Out 2” is an insightful animated feature.

Then you have “Twisters,” a sequel really in name only that stands on its own with charming leads and set pieces that keep you on the edge of your seat. Then there was “Furiosa” and “MaXXXine,” a pair of films made by directors who have a strong, distinct style and are precise with the craft.

Speaking of the auteur front, in between the blockbusters, there have been wonderful director-driven pictures such as “Kinds of Kindness,” “Tuesday” and “Longlegs” that have given audiences a great amount of variety at showhouses. I wasn’t even a fan of “Tuesday,” and I’m happy it was made available to audiences during this time of year.

Even before the summer movie season started, April was a good indicator of what we were going to get. Let’s go back to that list of long running film franchises mentioned earlier. It would have been even larger had April been included.

Usually, the first weekend of May is when the initial big blockbuster hits theaters. However, some years it happens in April. Two examples include 2014’s “Captain America: The Winter Soldier” and 2015’s “Furious 7.”

This April had something different. Theaters saw the release of the heavy, topical drama “Civil War” and the passionate romantic drama “Challengers.” Both films could easily be put out closer to award season, but they found a release closer to summer. It should be noted that I wasn’t even the biggest champion for either film.

I gave “Challengers” a 2.75/5 and “Civil War” a 3.25 out of 5. But I did appreciate both films offering something a bit more challenging, unique and original than what has been a norm for most recent years.

It’s been an enjoyable change of pace, and shows that summers can be built on more than just the ever-running franchises. At least, in theory.

Audiences questioned about Hollywood often say they want more original movies and cinematic experiences that feel fresh or put a different spin on the familiar. Unfortunately, that hasn’t quite translated to great box office success. “The Fall Guy,” despite having good feedback, had a disappointing opening, and it hasn’t been alone.

My hope, though, is word of mouth about having some new stories and good pictures on screens spreads and builds confidence in audiences that Hollywood might be turning a corner to a new era. An era that can welcome plenty of films based on comic books or parts of long-running series, but also movies that serve as a reminder as to what the summer movie season was all about.