The summer movie season is officially upon us, and it begins with another unanimous No. 1 pick as the Most Anticipated Movie of May (it’s probably not a spoiler to say it’s a Marvel movie). Including that film, the top five for this month features a trio of big-budget blockbusters and a pair of smaller-budgeted films that might surprise some folks. Read on for the most anticipated movies opening in May 2023!
#1 on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube
Release Date: May 5
Whether or not general audiences are starting to feel a bit of superhero fatigue, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 has a few things in its favor. First, it’s understood to be the swan song not only of Marvel’s lovable, spacefaring misfits, but also of the film’s fan-favorite director, James Gunn, who has already danced his way over to DC to lead their film projects for the next decade. On top of that, the film promises an emotional storyline centered on Rocket’s past, and reviews for the film have been decent, if not mind-blowing. All in all, fans can expect to get what they came for, and in this day and age, that counts for a lot.
Fast X (2023)
#2 on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube; #3 on Twitter
Release Date: May 19
No. 2 on the list may not have as much goodwill going for it, but it is one of the most profitable franchises ever with fans all over the world, so it’s no surprise to see it in the runner-up spot. Louis Leterrier takes the helm for the latest Fast and Furious adventure, which sees Jason Momoa playing a villain with ties to Fast Five and an entire Hollywood Walk of Fame’s worth of stars in supporting roles.
The Little Mermaid (2023)
#3 on Instagram and YouTube, #4 on Facebook, #5 on Twitter
Release Date: May 26
Disney’s latest live-action remake of one of its beloved animated classics casts pop star Halle Bailey in the role of Ariel and Melissa McCarthy as the sea witch Ursula with Rob Marshall at the helm. The Mouse House’s recent similar efforts have been met with mixed results, so The Little Mermaid hopes to exceed expectations, but it’s clear fans are on board and eager to see the new film.
The Machine (2023)
#3 on Facebook, #4 on Instagram and YouTube (tied)
Release Date: May 26
Bert Kreischer’s legendary story about a class trip to Europe that resulted in an extended adventure with the Russian mob is now being adapted into a movie. Well, sort of. This film actually follows up on that story 20 years later, as Kreischer’s past shenanigans catch up to him in the present day and put him and his father (played by Mark Hamill) in big trouble. Considering the viral nature of the story, it’s not too surprising so many folks are looking forward to this film.
Hypnotic (2023)
#4 on Twitter and YouTube (tied), #5 on Instagram
Release Date: May 12 (Limited)
For a film starring Ben Affleck and directed by Robert Rodriguez that’s due out in less than two weeks, we’ve heard surprisingly little about Hypnotic. We know it’s a sci-fi mystery about a man who gets wrapped up in a government conspiracy as he searches for his missing daughter, but there hasn’t been a whole lot of marketing for it, which could be a cause for concern. Nevertheless, it performed well enough in our social media polls to rank fifth for the month.
Thumbnail by ©Marvel Studios
