The summer of 2013 is scheduled to bring us (you guessed it) 13 sequels for our viewing pleasure or displeasure. This group of pictures kick off my 2013 Summer Movie Preview, which officially kicks off in just over two weeks with the release of what could be the biggest sequel of the season.
I have broken down the 13 films in five different categories, so let’s begin, shall we?
The May Heavy Hitters
Iron Man 3 (May 3) is the first 2013 Summer Movie and it has a legitimate shot of being the season’s highest grossing title. Its two predecessors both grossed just over $300 million domestically. It’s also important to keep in mind that we saw Tony Stark in last year’s largest blockbuster, The Avengers, which earned an astonishing $623 million. Iron Man 3 gives us a new director for the franchise, Shane Black, who takes over the franchise from Jon Favreau. We also have a new villain, the Mandarin played by Gandhi himself, Ben Kingsley. Iron Man 3 could and likely will outgross installments #1 and #2.
Two weeks after Iron Man returns, Captain Kirk and Spock are back on May 17th for Star Trek Into Darkness. In the summer of 2009, the restart of the franchise earned deserved critical acclaim and earned a terrific $257 million domestically. The sequel could blast past that number. It’s worth noting that director J.J. Abrams will follow-up this picture up with a small indie movie currently referred to as Star Wars: Episode VII.
Only a week after Kirk and Spock return, we’ve got two high-profile sequels being released on the same day. May 24th brings the third installment of The Hangover franchise with Bradley Cooper, Zack Galifianakis, and Ed Helms back for more debauchery. The 2009 original made $277 million and the 2011 follow-up cashed in with $254 million. I would predict the third reaches past $200 million as well, but probably less than part 2.
The Hangover Part III opens against the sixth (yes, sixth!) entry of the Fast and the Furious franchise. The whole crew is back from Vin Diesel to Paul Walker to The Rock to Ludacris and so on. Fast and Furious 6 will attempt to match the numbers of predecessor Fast Five, which was the series highest grosser at $209 million.
It is very likely that the May sequels will represent four of the five highest earning sequels of this summer. All four could be in the Top Ten earners of the season. Moving on…
The Kiddie Sequels
Summer 2013 brings us plenty of family-friendly sequels. The highest profile (and what is pretty much assured a Top 5 grossing spot) is Monsters University, Pixar’s follow-up to 2001’s Monsters Inc. The original took in $255 million twelve years ago and, once again, the sequel has a great shot at surpassing that number. It opens June 21st.
Almost certain to be another major hit is the sequel to Despicable Me, with Steve Carell back. The original grossed an impressive $251 million in the summer of 2010 and this looks earn similar numbers. I confess I’ve never seen the first, even though a coworker of mine keeps insisting over and over again that I watch it. It’s out July 3rd.
The Smurfs 2, out July 31, looks to match the numbers of the 2011 original which grossed $142 million. I would venture to say that if you liked the first, you’ll probably like the second. Neil Patrick Harris returns to headline the cast. Also in it: Smurfs.
Last and most likely least (at least financially) is Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters (August 7), the one totally live-action offering. It’s the sequel to 2010’s Percy Jackson&The Olympians: The Lightning Thief, which earned a solid but unspectacular $88 million. I’m not so sure the follow-up matches that number.
Eh
This category represents three titles that I’m simply not too excited about. I’m also predicting this trio is likely to earn less than the originals.
We begin with Grown Ups 2, reuniting Adam Sandler, Kevin James, Chris Rock, David Spade, and Rob Schneider. The 2010 original amassed $162 million. Sandler’s been on a bit of a cold streak lately, with disappointments like Jack and Jill and last summer’s That’s My Boy. That may explain why this is coming out and while it’s virtually assured to cross the century mark, it might not be much over that. It’s out July 12th.
Red 2 reunites Bruce Willis, John Malkovich, and Helen Mirren and adds Anthony Hopkins and Catherine Zeta-Jones. The original action comedy made a surprising $90 million in 2010, but don’t be surprised to see this underperform. Red 2 is out July 19th.
300: Rise of an Empire (August 2) follows-up on the unexpected 2007 smash hit. There’s no original director Zack Snyder (he’ll have Man of Steel instead) or original star Gerard Butler to be found here. 300 made $210 million. This one likely won’t. NO OFFICIAL TRAILER YET.
The One That Might Get A Best Picture Nomination
That honor belongs to Before Midnight, the continuation of the romantic dramas starring Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy. 1995’s Before Sunrise and 2004’s Before Sunset each made only $5 million, but were critical darlings. This one could inch a bit higher and rapturous reviews could make it an Oscar contender. Out May 24th.
The One That Could Kick Ass
What else? Kick-Ass 2 is the sequel to the 2010 original, which earned only $48 million domestic upon release. Since then, it’s developed a cult following. The superhero spoof was a tremendous amount of fun and I’m greatly anticipating this one. Kick-Ass 2 is out August 16th and has an excellent shot at outgrossing its predecessor.
And there you have it – 13 summer sequels for 2013. In case you’re wondering, the 2014 Summer sequels are already piling up, with new entries in the Spider-Man, Planet of the Apes, X-Men, Jurassic Park, and Transformers franchises.
Stay tuned for my next 2013 Summer Movie Preview post where I’ll cover Superman and Wolverine’s return to the multiplex.
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