Iron Man 3 is an enormous hit right now, nearing $1 billion at the worldwide box office and ruling the American charts for the second weekend in a row. The Great Gatsby opened just last week and managed to stun nearly everybody by making $51 million. Summer movies are there to entertain us, sure, but they're really all about the money, and even more than we want to know the true identity of Star Trek's villain or what's really going on in Edgar Wright's The World's End, we're really dying to know what the summer's biggest movie will be.
So why speculate about this idly when we can actually put our money where are mouths are? OK, no actual money has been wagered, but the bulk of the Cinema Blend movies staff has made their picks for what we think will be the summer's biggest movie. Whoever picked the biggest film by summer's end wins the bragging rights… and maybe something random from the piles of swag that litter our cramped home offices. Read below for our picks, let us know yours in the comments, and check back in at summer's end to find out who's the big winner.
by Eric Eisenberg
If it seems like the obvious pick, that’s because it really is. Iron Man 3 finally arrived in theaters Stateside two weekends ago and in the time since has not just pulled in $285 million domestically, it became the second biggest opening of all time (behind only The Avengers). The film has also been cleaning up in foreign markets, banking $664 million. It's already the 21st highest-grossing film of all time. After the incredible success of Joss Whedon’s film last year people have become invested in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and are excited to find out what happens between now and Avengers 2. No other film coming out this summer has as much momentum as Iron Man 3, which will lead it to being crowned box office king when the dust clears.
Man of Steel
by Sean O'Connell
Zack Snyder hit the nail on the head when he recently tried to explain the pressure of tackling a Superman movie to The L.A. Times’ Hero Complex. He talked about how his research showed the “S” Superman wears on his chest is the second-most recognized symbol on the planet … topped only by the Christian cross. That recognition – that deep-rooted faith true believers have in the Man of Steel – lead me to believe that flocks of converts will turn up to the Church of Snyder and power Man of Steel to the summer’s highest box office. If Snyder delivers (and the buzz we hear is deafening), then mainstream audiences unfamiliar with Star Trek or exhausted by Fast & Furious films could turn Steel into the must-see blockbuster of the season, resurrecting the caped hero’s reputation and giving D.C. Comics a victory in the ongoing war against their long-standing rival, Marvel, at the multiplexes.
Monsters University
by Katey Rich
Pixar movies that open any time of year are hits. But Pixar movies that open very specifically around the third weekend of June are very big hits, which is why the studio has had a lock on that period for years. Toy Story 3 was the highest grossing film of 2010. Cars 2, despite rough reviews, made nearly $200 million-- and that was a sequel nobody even wanted. This summer we've got Monsters University, a prequel to the beloved Monsters Inc. that follows the Toy Story 3 route perfectly-- bring back likable characters, give them a story worth following, and open in the summer to demolish the competition. As a G-rated film that literally everybody can see, Monsters University appeals to more audiences than even Iron Man 3, and ought to be able to bring in enough of them to totally rule the summer in the U.S.
White House Down
by Kristy Puchko
When it comes to global box office, I'm pretty sure a big flashy franchise will snag the top spot as summer's highest grossing movie. However, when we're talking specifically about which movie is going to make the most in the US of A this summer, it's got to be White House Down. Remember the first time action auteur Roland Emmerich laid waste to the White House with Independence Day? Of course you do. And that patriotic spectacle opened on July 4th weekend and pulled in $306 million domestic. White House Down has clear plans to dominate this Independence Day holiday with a big "America, Fuck Yeah!" thrill-ride of its own. Oh, and did I mention it's headed up by the biggest star of 2012/Sexiest Man Alive, Channing Tatum? This guy has the Midas touch no matter what genre he takes on, and now he's going full-on Die Hard-styled action hero. That's a license to print money, friends.
The Wolverine
by Mack Rawden
Remember X-Men Origins: Wolverine? Remember how completely underwhelmed pretty much everyone was by that movie? Well, it still made almost $375 million worldwide and almost $180 million in the United States. This time around, with Walk The Line director James Mangold at the helm, a screenplay co-written by Usual Suspects writer Christopher McQuarrie and the rights to the Frank Miller and Chris Claremont comic book version of Wolverine, this film actually looks like it might have something interesting and enjoyable to say. If so, God only knows how much money it could make. Big opening weekends are nice, but great word of mouth is even better. If The Wolverine can live up to its potential and coax the non-comic book fans into the theaters, it should be the single highest grossing domestic film of the summer.
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