As temperatures begin to ramp up, what better way to enjoy the indoors than a great summer movie? Whether you like big budget blockbusters and action-packed thrillers, or slower suspense grabbers and dramatic dialogue, UAE cinema fans have a lot to look forward to this summer.
Plus, unless you’ve had your head permanently glued to the movie screens, then you’ll also know Disney+ is coming to the UAE as it launches right across the Middle East. It promises to bring even more choice for viewers, packed full of original content from movies to popular series.
In the meantime, check out these summer movies to enjoy in Abu Dhabi cinemas.
Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore
Eddie Redmayne is back as the lead character Newt Scamander, a special zoologist with a knack for communicating with weird and wonderful creatures. This thrill-a-minute movie, directed by David Yates, is the kind where the lights will come on at the end and you’ll realise you’ve not touched your big bag of popcorn. Well, maybe only eaten half a tub. Okay, it’s all gone but you get the drift – it’s edge of the seat stuff. Can Scamander stop the dark forces of Gellert Grindelwald? Potter down to your nearest movie theatre this summer. You don’t want to miss this one.
Scheduled release April 28. In cinemas.
Sonic The Hedgehog 2
This one is for all the family, as Paramount Pictures presents the follow-up frolics of our favourite blue hedgehog. Sonic, voiced by Ben Schwartz and fox sidekick Tails, acted by Colleen O’Shaughnessey, join forces to save the universe. James Marsden also returns as Sonic’s human pal Sheriff Tom Wachowski. The story follows Idris Elba’s character Knuckles, the red echidna who works with the evil Doctor Ivo ‘Eggman’ Robotnik, fantastically played by Jim Carrey, to find the Master Emerald. Can Sonic and friends prevent the baddies from wreaking havoc? Speed on down to the cinema to find out.
Scheduled release April 8. In cinemas.
The Northman
If you’ve lapped up series like Vikings and The Last Kingdom, then The Northman might be right up your street. Steered at the helm by director Robert Eggers, the premise is straight out of the Viking playbook – murdered father, son seeking revenge, swords, dramatic scenes – you know the score. Alexander Skarsgård is the warrior prince Amleth, while Nicole Kidman plays his mother Queen Gudrún. Ana Taylor-Joy, Claes Bang, Ethan Hawke and Willem Dafoe pad a stellar cast for this quest.
Scheduled release May 12. In cinemas.
DC League of Super-Pets
What do you get if you cross superhero movies with cartoon animals and a celebrity all-star cast? Well, the hope from producers is something that’s not only ticket-selling gold dust, but hilariously watchable. Comedian Kevin Hart joins forces with his regular buddy Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson, voicing the four-legged companions of Superman and Batman. All set for crime-busting capers aplenty? This light-hearted cartoon comedy is firmly one for all the family.
Scheduled for release July 28. In cinemas.
Senior Year
Rebel Wilson is a bit like Marmite, or perhaps that should be Vegemite given her Australian heritage – her films aren’t for everyone, but we’re definitely down for her hilarious antics and comedy capers. In her latest role, Wilson plays Stephanie Conway, a cheerleader who falls off a pyramid and, 20 years later, wakes up to find she is a 37-year-old woman. Having not completed her senior year (natch) she heads back to high school in a bid to become prom queen.
Scheduled global release May 13, UAE release date TBA. On Netflix.
Top Gun: Maverick
After 36 years, Tom Cruise is pulling on the flight jacket once again as the eponymous hero of Top Gun: Maverick. If you’ve seen the original, then no doubt you’ll be eagerly expecting an adrenaline-packed adventure, especially given the extended wait as COVID pushed back the production schedule. With Val Kilmer returning as Iceman and the new addition of Oscar winner Jennifer Connelly who plays Penny Benjamin (bonus points if you can remember the reference to her from the first film), then you shouldn’t be disappointed by this Joseph Kosinski picture. Maverick, having skirted the rules, and promotion, returns as a test pilot and flight instructor about to embark on a dangerous mission. The film also features Miles Teller in the part of Goose’s son, call-sign Rooster, ready to right the wrongs of the past. So, if that’s enough to get you feeling the need for speed, all you need to do is grab your favourite wingman, and go enjoy this long-awaited sequel.
Scheduled for release May 26. In cinemas.
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness
Marvel Studios is smashing out the summer hits, and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is no exception. Multi-award winner Benedict Cumberbatch takes centre stage through mind-bending and dangerous situations, as the Doc battles a mysterious new enemy. It’s directed by Sam Raimi, who brought the hugely popular Tobey Maguire-led Spiderman trilogy to the screens and spearheaded the first episode of this franchise in 2016. Quick recap as it has been a while – Strange is a neurosurgeon who gets into a car crash, develops powers and goes on to explore alternate dimensions. Expect much of the same, alongside the superb Chiwetel Ejiofor as the mentor-turned-adversary Karl Mordo, and Elizabeth Olsen reprises her role as Wanda Maximoff.
Scheduled release May 2022. In cinemas.
Downton Abbey: A New Era
The Emmy-award-winning series was first turned into a film back in 2019, and given it raked in nearly $200 million in worldwide box office takings alone, there was always likely to be a follow-up. This time, the Crawley clan head off to the south of France, to investigate the mysterious inheritance of a villa. Hugh Bonneville (Robert Crawley, Earl of Grantham), Michelle Dockery (Lady Mary Crawley), Elizabeth McGovern (Cora Crawley, Countess of Grantham) and Maggie Smith (Violet Crawley, Dowager Countess of Grantham) are all in the sequel movie, plus, there are some new characters played by Hugh Dancy and Laura Haddock.
Scheduled global release May 2022, UAE release date TBA. In cinemas.
Jurassic World: Dominion
The cast of Jurassic World: Dominion includes original Jurassic Park members Jeff Goldblum, Laura Dern and Sam Neill, plus heroes of the latest films Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard. It’s directed by Colin Trevorrow, who by all accounts made some incredible things happen during production, as the cast and crew had to film under isolation rules to abide with COVID-19 restrictions. The dinosaurs are bigger, scarier and toothier than ever before, with humans and dinosaurs now living side-by-side in the ‘real world’ after escaping the islands. This is one of the must-see blockbuster films of the year.
Scheduled for release June 2022. In cinemas.
Hustle
Adam Sandler is one of the most bankable stars in movie history, which is why Netflix brought out the cheque book in 2014 with a multi-film deal reported to be worth $250million – and since then he’s signed two more deals with the streaming service for similarly big paydays. In his latest jaunt directed by Jeremiah Zagar, Sandler brings out the big guns for this basketball comedy-drama, with Queen Latifah, Robert Duvall and Ben Foster. If you’re a fan of the NBA, then you’ll spot some of your favourite real-life stars in this movie too, which was co-produced by future Hall Of Famer LeBron James. Get set for a slam dunk.
Scheduled global release June 2022, UAE release date TBA. On Netflix.
Thor: Love and Thunder
Marvel fans unite. After overseeing Thor: Ragnarok, director Taika Waititi brings back the heroic escapades as the super popular Chris Hemsworth-led franchise returns. Tessa Thompson, Natalie Portman, Christian Bale and Chris Pratt all feature in this Avengers mega-movie. Adopting elements of the Mighty Thor comic book series, Portman’s character Jane Foster develops mysterious superhero powers of her own. It’s slated to be one of the biggest movies to see this summer.
Scheduled global release July 2022, UAE release date TBA. In cinemas.
