The summer movie season is here—and, before we dive into what’s in store for 2024, let’s turn the clock back 40 years to one of the best summers of all time: 1984. *Jumps in Time Machine*
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What’s up radical dudes and dudettes? It’s time for your summer movie preview and what a year it’s already been. Did you see this company called Apple releasing a home computer? We’re glad Michael Jackson is okay after the Pepsi commercial fire. And The Right Stuff was totally robbed of the Oscar for Best Picture.
Now though, it’s summer time. So in between trips to the beach, games of Pong, and watching the Olympics (in Los Angeles this year!) maybe you’ll want to see a movie. And we have some sick ones! Here are just a few that we’re most looking forward to.
The 1984 Summer Movie Preview
The Natural – Robert Redford is back as a baseball player with a magic bat. Or something like that. We can’t wait. (May 11)
Firestarter – America’s sweetheart, Drew Barrymore, is taking that E.T. heat and bringing the fire. Literally! Based on a Stephen King book. (May 11)
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom – The highly anticipated sequel to Raiders of the Lost Ark brings back Harrison Ford as Indiana Jones—and, if we’re reading this right, this one takes place first? That’s weird! (May 23)
Star Trek III: The Search for Spock – We’re still grieving the death of Spock in The Wrath of Khan two years ago, and despite him being dead, this movie says they’re gonna search for him. What does that mean? Didn’t we see the funeral? Maybe they’ll just turn the camera around because Leonard Nimoy himself is directing. (June 1)
Ghostbusters – The team behind Stripes is going from the military to ghosts. Ivan Reitman brings back some of his favorite Saturday Night Live cast members, Bill Murray and Dan Aykroyd, for an idea that will never in a million years work. Imagine still seeing these characters 40 years from now? Impossible. (June 8)
Gremlins – Fast Times at Ridgemont High star Phoebe Cates leads this new Steven Spielberg production about little green monsters. We’re very excited about this cute, fuzzy character too. (June 8)
The Karate Kid – Let’s get this straight. The skinny kid from The Outsiders and Arnold from Happy Days are making a karate movie? Oh, yeah, that’ll be great. (June 22)
Conan the Destroyer – The instant Conan the Barbarian ended, we wanted more, and now we’re getting it. Arnold Schwarzenegger is back and now he’s got Wilt Chamberland and Andre the Giant with him! (June 29)
The Last Starfighter – A teen who is good at a video game is recruited by aliens to fight in the actual war the game is about. Yeah. Right. Like video games will ever get that popular. (July 13)
The Muppets Take Manhattan – Yoda himself, and long-time Muppet man Frank Oz, takes the helm for what promises to be a wild adventure across New York City with all your favorites. (July 13)
The NeverEnding Story – As fantasy fans, we’re intrigued by the look of this one, and the fact it’s one of the most expensive movies ever made outside of the United States. Flying dogs and wild creatures? Sold. (July 20)
Revenge of the Nerds – The wholly unproblematic and always hilarious conceit of the times, Nerds vs. Jocks, comes to life with lots of pocket protectors, glasses, and inappropriate sexual situations. Should be funny. (July 20)
Purple Rain – Prince is dropping not just a new movie on us, he’s dropping a new album to go along with it. The event of the summer, mark our words. (July 27)
Cloak and Dagger – Another movie about a video game? This time it has some secret code in it and bad guys are after a young kid? When will Hollywood stop with the same ideas over and over! (August 10)
Red Dawn – Patrick Swayze, Charlie Sheen, and sure to be the real breakout C. Thomas Howell lead this all-star cast that sees American boys take on Russia. USA! USA! (August 10)
The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension – With a title like that, how can it not be good? This is one audiences will surely show up for! (August 15)
C.H.U.D. – Apparently it stands for “cannibalistic humanoid underground dwellers” to which we say “Two tickets to cannibalistic humanoid underground dwellers, please.” (August 31)
*Back in time machine*
Yeah, it was a pretty great summer. In addition to those movies, there was also Streets of Fire, Top Secret, Cannonball Run 2, and The Philadelphia Experiment, plus non-genre fare like Sixteen Candles, Once Upon a Time in America, Beat Street, The Pope of Greenwich Village, Rhinestone, and Bachelor Party. Will 2024 live up to that? No. No it will not.
Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.
