Beyond Barbenheimer: 8 movies to watch in theaters this year
“Barbie” and “Oppenheimer,” aka Barbenheimer, may have already earned their place as the most anticipated movies of the summer, but there are some other films coming out this summer that may be worth watching.
Escaping to the movie theater might be the perfect way to beat record high temperatures.
The rest of the summer into early winter is stacked with some anticipated releases — from family-friendly flicks like “Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie” to inspirational sports films like “Next Goal Wins,” there’s something for everyone.
Here’s a look at some movies releasing in theaters in 2023 after Barbenheimer.
‘The Hill’
Between “Field of Dreams” and “Rudy,” inspirational sports films have shaped up to be a popular genre. “The Hill” seems to be the latest feature in that tack. The official trailer was released about a month ago. The film’s centered around Rickey Hill, son of a Baptist preacher, who has a disability.
His disability leaves family and those around him questioning whether or not he can continue to play baseball. His dad says Hill has a higher calling than baseball and encourages him to pursue that instead.
Clips in the trailer portray this film as an inspiring story of how Hill overcomes adversity, sees miracles occur and develops his relationship with his dad.
It stars Dennis Quaid and Colin Ford, according to Deadline. “The Hill” is scheduled for an Aug. 25 release date. It’s “rated PG for thematic content, language, and smoking throughout,” per IMDb.
‘Haunted Mansion’
It’s a modern twist on an old classic. The 2003 “Haunted Mansion” starring Eddie Murphy, Marsha Thomason and Jennifer Tilly has been reimagined.
The version releasing on July 28 follows a single mother (Rosario Dawson) who hires various people to expel ghosts from her home.
The movie has an all-star cast including Tiffany Haddish, Owen Wilson, Jamie Lee Curtis and Danny DeVito. The trailer shows intense moments where characters encounter the supernatural peppered with clever quips throughout.
The film has a PG-13 rating for “some thematic elements and scary action,” per IMDb.
‘Theater Camp’
If you want to relive that one summer where you went to a sleep-away theater camp, then this might be the movie for you. Will Ferrell was one of the producers and Ben Platt is one of the show’s writers.
It was released in theaters on July 14. Deseret News reporter Gitanjali Poonia watched the film when it premiered at Sundance. She said the film received a standing ovation at the film festival and described it was a “rib tickler.”
As Poonia noted, the film takes its inspiration from mockumentaries, per the Deseret News. So it’s fair to expect the film to be rather campy.
It has a PG-13 rating for “some strong language and suggestive/drug references,” per IMDb.
‘Next Goal Wins’
If you’re missing “Ted Lasso,” “Next Goal Wins” might be the movie to watch this fall.
Soccer coach Thomas Rongen is shown down on his luck after he was fired from his job. He goes to American Samoa to coach the team that lost 31-0 in a FIFA match.
The trailer makes it seem like the movie will be an inspirational film about an underdog team learning to come together and beat the odds.
It’s rated PG-13 for “some strong language and crude material,” per IMDb.
‘Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes’
The prequel to the “Hunger Games” trilogy is expected to be released this fall.
The trailer shows Coriolanus Snow, President Snow from the original trilogy (Tom Blyth), becoming a mentor for the 10th Hunger Games. He meets the creator of the games, Casca Highbottom. Snow is told, “There has been a chance this year, your role is to turn these children into spectacles, not survivors.”
Lucy Gray Baird (Rachel Zegler) is chosen as the tribute for District 12 and Snow is her mentor. As the games are depicted in a montage, a voice says, “See how quickly civilization disappears?” Snow is shown becoming a Peacekeeper, and his relationship with Baird is heavily featured.
The trailer also shows Lucky Flickerman as the host for the show — a last name familiar to fans of later movies because of the character Caesar Flickerman.
The film will be released on Nov. 17.
‘Wonka’
Before Willy Wonka became the mysterious, storied chocolatier, he traveled for seven years to find the best formula to make chocolate.
That’s what the trailer for Wonka shows, anyways.
Starring Timothée Chalamet as Wonka, the film is Wonka’s origin story, complete with experimentation on how to make chocolate and battle with the Chocolate Cartel, a group with the town’s monopoly on chocolate, to make his own chocolate factory.
It’ll be released on Dec. 15.
‘The Color Purple’
Directed by Blitz Bazawule and produced by Oprah Winfrey, Steven Spielberg, Scott Sanders and Quincy Jones, “The Color Purple” is “a bold new take” on Alice Walker’s novel and Marsha Norman’s musical by the same name.
Walker’s novel is about Celie’s experiences with abuse, trauma, bigotry and racism as she grows up in the South. She’s abused by her father and then later her husband. Celie’s relationship with her sister and friend Shug are central to the story.
Staring Halle Bailey, Taraji Henson, H.E.R. and Fantasia Barrino, the film’s trailer shows moments of abuse and trauma that Celie experiences.
It’ll be released on Dec. 25.
