What The Biggest Summer Movies Of 2026 Could Mean For Hollywood
1A
NPR
4.3 • 4.5K Ratings
🗓️ 28 May 2026
⏱️ 27 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Already in 2026, the film industry is experiencing its strongest theatrical rebound since the pandemic, after years of bad news. That’s thanks to films like The Devil Wears Prada 2 and the Michael Jackson biopic Michael.
We hear from movie critics what films they’ll be watching, in the theater and at the box office.
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Memorial Day weekend marks the unofficial start of the summer movie season. |
| 0:12.0 | And as the temperatures heat up, the box office is already off to a blazing start. |
| 0:16.7 | This year, the film industry is experiencing its strongest theatrical rebound since the pandemic. |
| 0:22.0 | And this summer is expected to bring even more audiences to theaters to see highly anticipated sequels like Toy Story 5 and star-studded epics like The Odyssey. |
| 0:31.5 | I'm Jen White. You're listening to the 1A podcast. With all the new releases, what films should you have on your radar this summer? |
| 0:38.6 | We'll get some guidance from our guests and hear from you after this short break. Stay with us. |
| 0:48.2 | Welcome back to the 1A podcast. We're talking about this summer's blockbusters and what movies |
| 0:52.9 | you should have on your radar. |
| 0:54.7 | Joining us from Los Angeles is Jacqueline Coley. She's the awards editor for Rotten Tomatoes and host of the award tour podcast. |
| 1:01.9 | Jacqueline, it's great to have you back. So glad to be back. |
| 1:04.8 | And also with us, pop culture writer and film and TV critic, Jen Cheney. Jen, welcome back to the show. |
| 1:32.6 | Thank you so much for having me. The official start of the summer season might still be a few weeks away, but if you're just by the box office we're off to a pretty good start. In mid-May, U.S. ticket sales in one weekend topped of $161 million. It's nearly 88% more than the same weekend last year. And leading the pack was the Devil Wears Prada 2, the highly anticipated follow-up to the 2006 original film. |
| 1:33.7 | Right behind it, Mortal Kombat 2, which draws on the iconic video game, and Michael, about |
| 1:38.9 | the early life and career of Michael Jackson. |
| 1:41.4 | As of Sunday, Michael's grossed $78 million worldwide, and the Devil Wears |
| 1:46.9 | Product, she was pulled in $608 million. I'm curious to hear both of your descriptions of the |
| 1:53.3 | state of cinema right now. Do you think the industry is fully recovered from the pandemic, |
| 1:58.4 | Jacqueline? I mean, I think so. |
| 2:01.1 | But we also have to remember with the addition of COVID, there was also the strike action |
| 2:05.6 | that happened last year. |
| 2:06.8 | And so I would say that I don't, I think a lot of people that are paid a lot more than me |
| 2:12.3 | are going to be able to determine whether or not we are officially back. |
... |
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