We're already a month into the summer movie season, with several high-profile Hollywood sequels hitting cinemas – including The Devil Wears Prada 2 and Mortal Kombat II – and major releases like Michael Jackson biopic Michael, The Super Mario Galaxy Movie and Star Wars: The Mandalorian And Grogu.
At the same time, Malaysian films are proving they can hold their own against the Hollywood heavyweights.
Tarung: Unforgiven, starring Bront Palarae, Zul Ariffin, Aedy Ashraf, Mierul Aiman and Amir Ahnaf, topped GSC’s weekly chart for two consecutive weeks after premiering on May 7.
The action drama collected RM20.3mil at the box office as of May 26.
Two more local titles are also expected to make an impact among moviegoers – horror flick Polong, which has generated buzz since the release of its trailer, and another Zul Ariffin action vehicle, The Furious: Pertaruhan Maruah.
Both films opened at cinemas on May 28.
But things could change at the Malaysian box office as there are still plenty of highly anticipated Hollywood movies arriving over the next two months.
Here’s a look at what else is headed to cinemas near you. (Releases are subject to change.)
Masters Of The Universe
(June 4)
For those who grew up watching the 1980s cartoon series He-Man And The Masters Of The Universe, this live-action adaptation could be a nostalgic trip down memory lane.
For everyone else, it promises an entertaining fantasy adventure about a young man discovering his destiny as the most powerful man in the universe.
Nicholas Galitzine stars as Prince Adam, while Jared Leto plays the villainous Skeletor.
The cast also includes Idris Elba as Man-At-Arms and Camila Mendes as Teela.
Power Ballad
(June 4)
Paul Rudd and Nick Jonas star in this film about a washed-up wedding singer named Rick who strikes up an unlikely friendship with fading boy band star Danny.
Things soon spiral when Danny steals one of Rick’s songs – only for it to become a massive hit.
Disclosure Day
(June 11)
Director Steven Spielberg returns with another alien-themed story, backed by an all-star cast that includes Emily Blunt, Colman Domingo, Josh O’Connor, Colin Firth, Wyatt Russell and Eve Hewson.
Written by David Koepp, the film revolves around a secret that could change everything.
Even the plot is top secret, with Spielberg saying the film is “an experience”.
“And all you need to get from the beginning to the end is a seat belt.”
Articles have described the movie as a spiritual successor to Spielberg’s 1977 sci-fi classic Close Encounters Of The Third Kind.
Toy Story 5
(June 18)
Are children still playing with traditional toys like Woody and Buzz, or are gadgets quickly replacing them? That question lies at the heart of the latest sequel in Pixar’s beloved franchise from director Andrew Stanton.
This time, the gang faces a new villain – a high-tech toy called LilyPad.
Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Keanu Reeves, Craig Robinson and Greta Lee are among the voice cast with Taylor Swift contributing an original number to the soundtrack.
Scary Movie
(June 18)
The spoof franchise returns with original cast members Anna Faris, Regina Hall, Marlon Wayans and Shawn Wayans.
With the new film, the Wayans brothers are once again “slashing through reboots, remakes, requels, prequels, sequels, spin-offs, elevated horror, origin stories, anything with the word legacy in it, and every ‘final chapter’ that absolutely isn’t final”.
Supergirl
(June 25)
House Of The Dragon star Milly Alcock takes on the titular role in this reboot of the DC Universe film. Directed by Craig Gillespie (I, Tonya, Cruella), the movie follows Superman’s cousin – Kara Zor-El – as she travels across the galaxy with her cute dog, Krypto.
During one of her journeys, she joins Ruthye Marye Knoll, played by Eve Ridley, on a revenge mission.
The cast also includes Matthias Schoenaerts as the villain Krem of the Yellow Hills, and Jason Momoa – formerly Aquaman in the old DCEU – as the bounty hunter Lobo.
Minions & Monsters
(July 1)
There is simply no stopping the Minions as the yellow troublemakers head to 1920s Hollywood for another chaotic adventure.
Set in the Despicable Me universe, the film follows the Minions as they attempt to track down monsters for a movie they want to make – naturally leaving a trail of havoc behind them.
Zoey Deutch, Christoph Waltz, Jeff Bridges, Allison Janney and Jesse Eisenberg lend their voices, while director Pierre Coffin once again voices all the Minions.
Moana
(July 9)
Ready for Disney’s live-action take on the beloved 2016 animated hit Moana?
Dwayne Johnson returns as the demigod Maui – this time in the flesh after originally voicing the character in the animated film.
Catherine Lagaʻaia (The Lost Flowers Of Alice Hart) stars as Moana, the young heroine who sets sail on a daring ocean adventure.
Lin-Manuel Miranda, who wrote memorable songs from the original film including How Far I’ll Go and You’re Welcome, is also reportedly contributing to this adaptation.
Evil Dead Burn
(July 9)
Franchise creator Sam Raimi serves as producer on the sixth instalment in the horror series centred on unleashed demonic forces.
The story follows a recent widow visiting her in-laws, only for the reunion to descend into terror as family members are transformed into Deadites after the discovery of the infamous Book of the Dead.
The cast includes Souheila Yacoub, Tandi Wright and Hunter Doohan.
The Odyssey
(July 16)
Christopher Nolan tackles Homer’s ancient Greek epic with an all-star cast that includes Matt Damon, Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway, Robert Pattinson, Lupita Nyong’o, Zendaya and Charlize Theron.
In true Nolan fashion, the entire film was shot using Imax cameras, making this one spectacle best experienced on the biggest screen possible.
Damon stars as Odysseus, the legendary warrior embarking on a long and dangerous journey home following the Trojan War.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day
(July 30)
Four years after the events of Spider-Man: No Way Home, Peter Parker (Tom Holland) is now an adult balancing life in New York while continuing to fight crime as Spider-Man.
There is just one problem – nobody remembers who he is.
The film co-stars Zendaya, Sadie Sink and Jacob Batalon.
The 38th movie in the MCU also features Jon Bernthal as The Punisher and Mark Ruffalo as The Hulk.
The End Of Oak Street
(Aug 13)
After starring in the highly anticipated comedy The Devil Wears Prada 2 and the drama The Odyssey, Anne Hathaway switches gears once again in this sci-fi thriller produced by JJ Abrams of Lost fame.
Following a cataclysmic event, a family discovers their neighbourhood has been transported into a strange new universe.
It Follows director David Robert Mitchell helms the film, which has been described as being in the vein of The Monsters Are Due On Maple Street from the classic TV series The Twilight Zone.
Insidious: Out Of The Further
(Aug 20)
The Insidious horror franchise, launched by James Wan in 2010, is far from over.
This latest instalment serves as a sequel to 2023’s Insidious: The Red Door and marks the sixth film in the series.
Amelia Eve (The Haunting Of Bly Manor) stars as a young mother who discovers she can enter the spirit realm known as The Further. But her ability comes with a dangerous twist – she can also bring the demons of The Further back into the real world.
Mutiny
(Aug 20)
Let’s be honest: nobody buys a ticket to a Jason Statham movie for the plot. They come to see him punch, kick and throw bad guys around, and this film looks set to deliver plenty of that.
For those curious about the story, Statham plays Cole Reed, an ex-cop seeking revenge for his boss’s murder. His quest leads him to uncover a human trafficking operation aboard a cargo ship.
