93 Best Assassin Movies Ranked by Tomatometer

From sneaking in the shadows undetected to all-out ballets of bullets and blood, the movies have long been drawn to the seductive cinematic flair of assassins and contract killers. It’s about getting down and dirty in an underworld of amorality, cruelty, and violence…yet upheld by its own sacrosanct code of ethics and principles. They probably gave John Wick a rulebook the size of a Chilton manual when he joined the club.

In our guide to the best assassin movies, we’ll witness its smoky origins in film noir, like This Gun for Hire or Murder by Contract, the latter of which Martin Scorsese cites as an early influence. The 1960s saw the assassin naturally go international with some stone-cold classics like Jean-Pierre Melville‘s Le Samourai and Seijun Suzuki‘s Branded to Kill. The paranoid cinema of the ’70s brought out the likes of The Day of the Jackal, while John Woo in the ’80s delivered the blistering The Killer, jumpstarting a Hong Kong tradition of action storytelling carried into today with the likes of director Johnnie To (Vengeance, Election).

Of course, ever since Quentin Tarantino wrought forth the modern hitman template Jules and Vince in Pulp Fiction, we’ve seen plenty more of banter-driven, pop culture-heavy films: Smokin’ Aces, The Boondock Saints, Lucky Number Slevin, and most recently Bullet Train. And, sure, you can make a killing doing the opposite: Keanu Reeves, Jean Reno, Angelina Jolie, and Matt Damon are earning their checks with less words per kill.

To rank the list, we listed Certified Fresh films first. Then we added Fresh movies, like the The Long Kiss Goodnight, Hanna, and the Jason Statham Cranks. After that, we included Rotten movies with positive Audience Scores. The Equalizer, Shooter, The Accountant, Colombiana: Critics weren’t necessarily in love with them but audiences were.

Read on for the best assassin movies ever ranked by Tomatometer! —Alex Vo

2018 saw plenty of fresh faces stealing scenes and even starring in some of the year’s biggest hits.

Whether it’s Zazie Beetz going toe-to-toe with Ryan Reynolds in Deadpool 2, Noah Centineo winning hearts with To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, or Brian Tyree Henry appearing in eight — yes, eight — projects this year alone, this list of breakout stars is filled with rising stars to watch. And that’s not even counting the cast of Crazy Rich Asians, which included newcomers Henry Golding and Awkwafina. Young stars Thomasin McKenzie, Geraline Viswanathan, and Isabela Moner also made their big screen debuts in dramas, comedies, and action films this year, proving their acting chops alongside their veteran co-stars.

Check out our list of this year’s 10 breakout stars below.

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Thomasin McKenzie — Leave No Trace (2018) 100%

(Photo by Scott Green/Bleecker Street Media)

In the criminally under-seen film Leave No Trace, McKenzie stars as Tom, the teenage daughter of a war veteran (Ben Foster). They live in an Oregon park quietly but illegally. Even though they’re suited for life off the grid, when they are discovered and forced into society against their will, the cracks in their plan (and themselves) begin to show. Director Debra Granik captures lush scenery that perfectly reflects the rich inner landscape of McKenzie’s Tom. Her quiet strength, mirrored by the mighty oaks she often stands next to, heightens every moment and leads to a heartbreaking climax.

Other roles: The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies (Astrid), Lucy Lewis Can’t Lose

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Awkwafina —  Ocean's 8 (2018) 69% , Crazy Rich Asians (2018) 91%

(Photo by Warner Bros. Pictures)

Hollywood finally caught up to Awkwafina (real name: Nora Lum), whose hip hop song “My Vag” lit up on YouTube in 2012. Her sense of humor electrified two films this year, the first of which was Ocean’s 8, where she starred as street hustler Constance, whose fast-talking and faster hands make her the perfect addition to Sandra Bullock and Cate Blanchett’s team. In Crazy Rich Asians, she plays Peik Lin, who keeps designer duds in her trunk just in case a fancy party invitation derails her plan to “hang out at FedEx or something.”

Other Roles: Storks (Quail), Tawk

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Zazie Beetz — Deadpool 2 (2018) 83%

(Photo by Joe Lederer/20th Century Fox)

The role of lucky risk-taker Domino was a juicy one that had comic book lovers praying filmmakers would attempt it for the sequel. When they cast Beetz, fans of Atlanta knew that she could hold her own against the sharp-as-a-tack Ryan Reynolds as Deadpool. Deftly handling stunts and wisecracks alongside him, Beetz left a memorable mark on superhero movies. Lucky for us, she has a three-picture deal with Fox, which makes the possibility of a spot in an X-Force or Deadpool 3 movie imminent.

Other Roles: Slice (Astrid), Geostorm (Dana)

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Lewis Pullman —  The Strangers: Prey at Night (2018) 40% ,  Bad Times at the El Royale (2018) 75%

(Photo by Kimberley French/20th Century Fox Film Corp.)

Everyone and everything at the El Royale motel has a secret. Pullman plays desk clerk Lewis with a vague shiver, like a Chihuahua in the mountains without a sweater. During the film, he endures abuse from the guests, both literally while getting dragged around, and figuratively with requests for rooms in the wrong wing. When his secret is revealed, the film and his place in it take a turn that culminates in a surprising, poignant end. His other role as the capable, spirited Luke in The Strangers: Prey at Night has less nuance but no less excitement — plus one of the more memorable sequences of the year set to “Total Eclipse of the Heart.”

Other Roles: Battle of the Sexes (Larry Riggs), Lean on Pete (Dallas)

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Noah Centineo —  To All the Boys I've Loved Before (2018) 96%

Netflix made huge strides in the romantic comedy game this year, with one of the most memorable entries being Lana Condor and Centineo’s To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before. The role of Peter could have easily been the “cute and charming guy that’s been there all along” of many films past, but the springy script and Centineo’s bright-eyed performance make it one of the most swoon-worthy and surprising of the genre. Plus, it’s all the more fun to watch his and Condor’s publicity tour for the movie, an adorable act that they should definitely take on the road.

Other Roles: Sierra Burgess is a Loser (Jamey), The Fosters (Jesus)

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Cynthia Erivo —  Widows (2018) 91% ,  Bad Times at the El Royale (2018) 75%

(Photo by Merrick Morton/20th Century Fox)

Erivo’s role in Widows as Belle, a scrappy, intelligent single mom, helped me research my way into knowing more about her accomplishments on Broadway (acknowledged by a 2016 Tony win). One of my few criticisms about the film was that it left me pining for more Erivo. I got my wish when Bad Times at the El Royale was released, and Erivo’s singing and double-crossing as Darlene was center stage and filled my tank, her sharp, complicated, grounded work in the film helping anchor a bonkers story. Hopefully my tank will remain full enough to coast into 2019, when she plays Harriet Tubman in Harriet.

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Henry Golding —  Crazy Rich Asians (2018) 91% ,  A Simple Favor (2018) 84%

(Photo by Sanja Bucko/Warner Bros.)

Golding plays either the husband or the husband-to-be in both films, but he’s so much more than just a handsome accessory on women’s arms. Coming from the world of TV, hosting everything from variety shows to documentaries, Golding knows how to connect with audiences and pull them right in to whatever he’s inviting them to watch. As Nick, the son of an insanely wealthy family in Crazy Rich Asians, he deftly navigates between the two women at odds in his life. In A Simple Favor, his intriguing, secretive Sean heavily contributes to a story shrouded in mystery.

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Geraldine Viswanathan — Blockers (2018) 84% ,  The Package (2018) 37%

Both of these films are part of the modern wave of coming of age films, and Viswanathan represents everything they’re doing right. In Blockers as Kayla, the daughter of John Cena, she has the cunning and sex drive to rival that of any of the famous male cinematic horn dogs to come before her. Her turn as Becky in The Package is in the same neighborhood — she’s crush-worthy, but more than just eye candy for the main character. She’s persistent, inventive, and hilarious. With actresses like her seeing this kind of success early on in these kind of genre-bending films, it bodes well for the future of Hollywood.

Other Roles: Nippers of Dead Bird Bay, EMO the Musical (Jamali)

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Isabela Moner — Sicario: Day of the Soldado (2018) 62% ,  Instant Family (2018) 82%

(Photo by Richard Foreman Jr./Columbia Pictures)

When your primary activity is wandering around a desert as a hostage or getting adopted by strangers, it could be easy to be a passenger in someone else’s journey. But when you’re as charismatic and interesting as Isabela Moner, you don’t need to worry. Both Isabel in Soldado and Lizzy in Instant Family are headstrong girls who stand 20 feet tall and hold their own against all the veterans alongside them. When you add in perfect amounts of vulnerability and toughness, you’ve got an actress worthy of Dora the Explorer, which is a movie I’m actually excited for now.

Other Roles: The Nut Job 2: Nutty by Nature (Heather), Transformers: The Last Knight (Izabella)

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Brian Tyree Henry —  Widows (2018) 91% ,  If Beale Street Could Talk (2018) 95% , Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018) 97%

(Photo by FX)

Henry is in eight projects this year alone; it’s impossible to ignore him at this point. While it’s hard to imagine him having a better year in terms of volume, if his current incredible work is any indication, he’s only going to get better and better as time goes on. Don’t sleep on this man. From his role as a corrupt politician in Widows to an ex-con in Beale Street, Henry can do anything believably, which means lots more opportunities to shatter audience’s expectations and bring new things to whatever form he chooses to participate in.

Other Roles: Atlanta (Alfred), White Boy Rick (Detective Jackson), Hotel Artemis (Honolulu), Family (Pete), Irreplaceable You (Benji), Vice Principals (Tavis Brown), Crown Heights (Clayton “Massup” Benton)

Summer Movie Scorecard 2018

The Summer Movie Scorecard ranks all the major releases throughout May, June, July, and August (and that one week in April) by Tomatometer. To qualify, a movie needs to be released in 600+ theaters and/or accrue 80 Tomatometer reviews. See the best, and worst, movies had to offer this charmed Summer season of 2018! —Alex Vo

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King of the Crop:  Ant-Man & the Wasp Has Healthy Marvel Bump

(Photo by Marvel Studios)

It is true that Ant-Man and the Wasp is in the bottom five openers for the MCU (16th out of 20) but you know what else is? Ant-Man, which opened to $57.2 million in July 2015. (At that point Marvel’s $100 million openings consisted of both Avengers films and the Iron Man sequels.) Consider the leaps that each of the Marvel films made from original-to-sequel. Iron Man and Thor had similar bumps in opening weekends with 29.9% and 30.4%, respectively. Captain America’s Winter Soldier had a 46% jump over The First Avenger and the second Guardians of the Galaxy had a massive 55.3% boost, aided by moving Vol. 2 out from the original’s August frame to being Summer 2017’s opening film. Wasp falls right in the middle of these with a healthy 32.8% growth over original Ant-Man.

Commuted skeptics can certainly look at Wasp‘s robust $11.2 million on Thursday night (more than Wonder Woman, Winter Soldier and Doctor Strange), and then notice that it had the lowest opening of any Friday opener that made eight digits in night-before previews. Wasp is establishing a path to be somewhere around $140 million through next weekend and should have no problem crossing the $200 million threshold. (Only two films – out of 95 – have failed to reach that number after an $75+ million opening: X-Men Origins: Wolverine and Fifty Shades of Grey.) That will make Ant-Man and the Wasp the 16th MCU film to reach the $200m milestone, while passing Solo to become the 6th highest-grossing film of 2018.

Meanwhile, Incredibles 2 has just crossed the $500 million mark with the 7th largest gross for a film after 24 days. It is just $12 million behind the pace of Marvel’s The Avengers and is targeting the $600 million mark. That means Disney would then hold six of the nine films to reach that milestone ever, and the third to do so just in 2018, after Infinity War and Black Panther. And in other blockbuster news, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom has crossed the billion dollar mark worldwide, while on target to reach $400 million domestically.

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Fresh Surprise: Mr. Rogers Doc Enters Elite Company of Documentaries

(Photo by Focus Features)

This is the fifth weekend this summer that a documentary has made it into the top ten grossers. Magnolia’s RBG spent two non-consecutive weeks there and now the 99%-Tomatometer doc about Fred Rogers, Won’t You Be My Neighbor? is doing it for the third straight week. And it’s only getting stronger, as Focus recognizes people are showing up and adding theaters every week, including another 239 this weekend. That’s a total of 893 theaters for a $2.6 million in 9th place. Neighbor is now the 24th highest-grossing documentary ever.

Documentaries spending multiple weeks in the top ten are rare feats. Those that matched Neighbors‘ three weeks are One Direction: This Is Us, Dinesh D’Souza’s 2016: Obama’s America, and Michael Moore’s Sicko. Four-weekers include Disneynature’s Earth and Chimpanzee, Michael Jackson’s This Is It, and Justin Bieber: Never Say Never. All-time top-grossing doc Fahrenheit 9/11 spent six weeks, while second all-time grosser March of the Penguins is champ with a nine week residency in the top.

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(Less-Than) Rotten Returns: First Purge More Like Fourth Purge, But Fifth Purge Still Likely

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Beyond the Top Ten: Sorry To Bother You Off To Great Start

Boots Riley’s Sorry To Bother You exploded with an estimated $717,302 this weekend for the largest per-theater-average on the chart at $44,831. All eyes will be on the film when it goes wide next week; Annapurna hopes to have one of the biggest hits out of all the Sundance acquisitions this year. Sorry’s total was just slightly higher than Neon’s documentary, Three Identical Strangers which made $717,008 and crossed the million dollar mark while upping theater count to 51. Roadside, hoping to ride the summer doc wave, just missed the Top Ten with Whitney, which made $1.25 million on 452 screens. Bleecker Street added 28 theaters for Debra Granik’s Leave No Trace and averaged $11,500 per screen. It’s total stands at $800,422

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This Time Last Year: Marvel Ruled (Surprise) And The Big Sick Expanded

(Photo by Marvel Studios)

Spider-Man: Homecoming was the sole opener of the weekend and started with $117 million for a $26,915 per-theater-average. A24’s A Ghost Story nearly matched that with $26,008, albeit on just four screens. But Lionsgate’s expansion of The Big Sick muscled up a $10,971 average in 326 theaters. The top ten in 2017 took in $198.3 million (with an average 66.9% on the Tomatometer) while this weekend’s haul was an estimated $177.3 million (with a 71.8% average.)

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On the Vine: Rock, Sandler & Eighth Grade Hope To Be Top Of Their Classes

With Skyscraper hoping to lure away the older boys and Hotel Transylvania 3 going for families, it will be a real test for the word-of-mouth on Ant-Man and the Wasp. Signs point to the animated film winning the battle of the newbies and it will require a strong 2nd-weekend hold for Marvel to retain the top spot. Also starting its run in limited release will be Bo Burnham’s Eighth Grade. A24 has already had a very nice summer with Hereditary’s grosses and they are hoping to turn this into another indie hit of the season.

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The Full Top 10: July 6-July 8

1. Ant-Man and the Wasp – $76.0 million ($76.0 million total)
2. Incredibles 2 – $29.0 million ($504.3 million total)
3. Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom – $28.5 million ($333.3 million total)
4. The First Purge – $17.1 million ($31.0 million total)
5. Sicario: Day of the Soldado – $7.3 million ($35.3 million total)
6. Uncle Drew – $6.6 million ($29.9 million total)
7. Ocean’s 8 – $5.2 million ($126.7 million total)
8. Tag – $3.1 million ($48.3 million total)
9. Won’t You Be My Neighbor? – $2.5 million ($12.3 million total)
10. Deadpool 2 – $1.6 million ($314.5 million total)
    

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Erik Childress can be heard each week evaluating box office on WGN Radio with Nick Digilio as well as on Business First AM with Angela Miles and his Movie Madness Podcast.

[box office figures via Box Office Mojo]

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King of the Crop: Soldado Wins the Battle of the Newcomers

(Photo by © Sony)

Among newbies this week, Sicario: Day of the Soldado came out on top, landing in an expected third place. After $2 million in Thursday night previews, Sony was conservatively estimating Soldado’s overall weekend at $12 million, the same as what the original earned in its week-three expansion into 2,620 theaters back in 2015, when it was a Lionsgate release. The sequel actually brought in $19 million this weekend; the film has a 62% Tomatometer score, down significantly from the first film’s 93%, which went on to receive three Oscar nominations. Of the 12 films since 2000 to open in June between $17.5 and $20 million, only two (Land of the Lost and Year One) have failed to reach $50 million in total, and half stretched to over $60 million, though only two of them (Swordfish, Get Him to the Greek) were rated R. Day of the Soldado was the fifth best-reviewed film of this set, behind Chicken Run, Cinderella Man, Surf’s Up, and Get Him to the Greek.

Well ahead of Soldado this weekend were the big winners of the past two weeks. Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom came in at the top with $60 million, and is up to $264 million domestically – the 17th highest figure ever for a film on its 10th day. With the upcoming holiday it will probably find itself circling a three-week total somewhere in the range of Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest ($321 million) and The Hunger Games: Catching Fire ($336 million). Incredibles 2 is doing even bigger business. Its $439 million three-week total is now the seventh-best ever. Next weekend, expect it to pass Finding Dory to become Pixar’s highest-grossing domestic title to date, and continue on a path to becoming – at least – the ninth highest-grossing film of all time.

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Fresh Surprise: Uncle Drew Provides Laughs and Solid Returns for Lionsgate

(Photo by © Lionsgate)

Lionsgate, former home of Sicario, may have been feeling a slight bit of remorse for not re-upping on a sequel few believed was necessary and some saw as a box office risk. But for roughly half the cost of Soldado (which had a $35 million budget), the studio got Uncle Drew – and the move might have been a slam dunk. The basketball comedy, featuring the likes of Get Out’s Lil Rel Howery, Tiffany Haddish, and a cadre of NBA stars, opened to $15.5 million and has a current Tomatometer score of 66%. It is not the studio’s best June opening – it ranks behind All Eyez On Me ($26.4 million), Tyler Perry’s Madea’s Witness Protection ($25.3 million), and Fahrenheit 9/11 ($23.9 million), all of which had wildly varying final gross multiples from their first weekends. But if Uncle Drew can match the 2.58 multiple of Madea – and given that score and expected strong word of mouth, it might — it could just about get to $40 million domestic.

Meanwhile, India’s Sanju broke into the top 10 with $2.5 million and the Mr. Rogers documentary, Won’t You Be My Neighbor?, spent its second weekend there. It is the fourth weekend this summer to have a documentary break into the top end of the charts. Ruth Bader Ginsburg doc, RBG, spent two non-consecutive weekends on the chart, May 11-13 and Memorial Day Weekend, May 25-28. It has grossed $11.5 million to date. Won’t You Be My Neighbor? is up to nearly $7.5 million.

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Beyond the Top 10: Three Identical Strangers another doc to watch; Leave No Trace one of year’s best

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This Time Last Year: Despicable Me and Baby Driver Outplay the House

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On the Vine: Ant-Man and the Wasp MCU’s first post-Infinity War test

Next week, the 20th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Ant-Man and the Wasp, is going to lead the box office, likely besting the first film’s $57 million start in July 2015. Despite a half-billion total worldwide, Ant-Man still ranks 17th out of the current 19 MCU films domestically and 16th worldwide. Ant-Man and the Wasp’s family-friendly tone should boost it on the overall chart. It currently has a Tomatometer rating of 88%. Less family-friendly is Universal’s The First Purge, the fourth in the series that has seen its grosses go up with each successive film. Will there still be an appetite given the timely un-civility in the real world? With just a $13 million budget, even a passing interest is going to turn a profit. On the indie front, Sundance hit Sorry To Bother You, which stars Tessa Thompson and LaKeith Stanfield and has a Tomatometer score of 95%, is one to watch for overperformance.

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The Full Top 10: June 29-July 1

1. Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom – $60.0 million ($264.7 million total)
2. Incredibles 2 – $45.5 million ($439.7 million total)
3. Sicario: Day of the Soldado – $19.0 million ($19.0 million total)
4. Uncle Drew – $15.5 million ($15.5 million total)
5. Ocean’s 8 – $8.0 million ($114.7 million total)
6. Tag – $5.6 million ($40.8 million total)
7. Deadpool 2 – $3.4 million ($310.3 million total)
8. Sanju – $2.5 million ($2.5 million total)
9. Solo: A Star Wars Story – $2.293 million ($207.2 million total)
10. Won’t You Be My Neighbor? – $2.290 million ($7.4 million total)

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Erik Childress can be heard each week evaluating box office on WGN Radio with Nick Digilio as well as on Business First AM with Angela Miles and his Movie Madness Podcast.

[box office figures via Box Office Mojo]

This weekend at the movies, we’ve got federal agents in peril (Sicario: Day of the Soldado, starring Benicio Del Toro and Josh Brolin) and NBA stars in prosthetics (Uncle Drew, starring Kyrie Irving and Shaquille O’Neal). What are the critics saying?

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What’s New on TV

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Also Opening This Week In Limited Release

• Leave No Trace (2018) 100% , Debra Granik‘s drama about a single father (Ben Foster) living off the grid with his teenage daughter in the forests of Oregon, is Certified Fresh at 100%.
• The Cakemaker (2017) 97% , a drama about a German baker who insinuates himself into the life of his recently deceased Israeli lover’s widow, is at 100%.
• Custody (2017) 96% , a French drama about an estranged married couple providing wildly different accounts of the past in a bitter child custody battle, is Certified Fresh at 93%.
• This Is Congo (2017) 95% , a documentary that charts the experiences of those living in the war-torn titular nation, is at 93%.
• Three Identical Strangers (2018) 96% , a documentary about identical triplets who are reunited after being separated at birth, is at 90%.
• Winter Brothers (2017) 91% , a Danish drama about two brothers who find themselves at odds with their local mining community and with each other, is at 86%.
• Ideal Home (2018) 68% , starring Steve Coogan and Paul Rudd in a comedy about a gay couple whose lives are upended by the sudden appearance of a grandson one of them never knew he had, is at 86%.
• Dark River (2017) 81% , starring Ruth Wilson in a drama about a woman who returns home to claim her family farm from her estranged brother, is Certified Fresh at 78%.
• Love, Cecil (2017) 83% , a documentary about celebrity photographer and costume designer Cecil Beaton, is at 78%.
• Woman Walks Ahead (2017) 59% , starring Jessica Chastain as Catherine Weldon, the New York artist who moved to North Dakota and formed a friendship with Sitting Bull, is at 55%.

With this weekend’s Sicario: Day of the Soldado, Benicio Del Toro returns to the role of CIA spook Alejandro Gillick for another round of grim and gritty action south of the border — and adds another entry to a filmography that’s gone in any number of exciting directions since he notched his first big-screen credit as Duke, the Dog-Faced Boy in Big Top Pee-wee 30 years ago. There’s clearly no time like the present to take a fond look back at some of his Oscar-winning thespian’s brightest critical highlights, and you know what that means: it’s time for Total Recall!

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1. Sicario (2015) 91%

(Photo by Richard Foreman Jr./Lionsgate)

Some pretty powerful films have been made about the international drug trade — look no further than Traffic, right next door to this entry, for proof — and at this point, if you’re going to throw your cinematic hat in the ring, you’d better be prepared to add a singular statement to the genre. Director Denis Villeneuve managed to pull it off with 2015’s Sicario, starring Emily Blunt as an FBI agent who teams up with a pair of CIA operatives (Josh Brolin and Benicio Del Toro) to bring down a Mexican cartel. In terms of plot outline, it’s boilerplate stuff — but in Villeneuve and screenwriter Taylor Sheridan’s hands, and through the stellar efforts of the well-chosen cast, the end results are elevated considerably. “Far from being just another crime story,” wrote the St. Louis Post-Dispatch’s Calvin Wilson, “Sicario is cinema at its most ambitious.”

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2. Traffic (2000) 93%

(Photo by USA Films courtesy Everett Collection)

One of the more darkly ambitious films to make its way through the studio system over the 20 years, Steven Soderbergh’s Traffic looks at the human cost of the drug trade by following seemingly unconnected stories that slowly converge. In Mexico, a police officer (Benicio Del Toro, who won an Oscar for his work) becomes the unwitting employee of a drug lord; in San Diego, a major dealer (Miguel Ferrer) is targeted by a pair of DEA agents (Don Cheadle and Luis Guzman); and in the Midwest, a crusading judge (Michael Douglas) finds his black-and-white views on drugs challenged when his teenage daughter (Erika Christensen) develops a cocaine addiction. In condensing the six-part BBC series Traffik, Soderbergh had to trim some of the original’s heft, but Traffic was still a four-time Academy Award winner (including Best Director) as well as one of the best-reviewed films of the year, thanks to critics like Andrew Sarris of the New York Observer, who proclaimed, “The promise of Sex, Lies, and Videotape has been fulfilled.”

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3. Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017) 91%

(Photo by Jonathan Olley/Walt Disney Studios)

Decades after Randall from Clerks argued that the Star Wars Empire couldn’t have solidified its rule without the work of countless grunts, wage slaves, and dispassionate bureaucrats who were only trying to make a living, the saga got around to echoing that point explicitly — and doing so with an assist from DJ (Benicio Del Toro), the determinedly morally ambiguous hacker who fills in Finn and Rose on the existence of a galactic arms trade fueling both sides of the war between the First Order and the Resistance. Proving he doesn’t see much of a difference between either ideology, DJ ends up stabbing his new friends in the back for a quick buck, paving the way for an epic set piece while adding another layer to a story once told as a simple battle between good and evil. “Nothing in The Last Jedi is allowed to be mundane,” wrote NPR’s Bob Mondello. “Including the places the filmmakers take the story.”

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4. Guardians of the Galaxy (2014) 91%

Over the course of his career, Benicio del Toro has yoinked the spotlight from numerous above-the-title stars in all sorts of ways, from the flashy to the subtle — and although his tenure as the Collector in the Marvel Cinematic Universe hasn’t allowed him to (ahem) collect much screentime with appearances in Thor: The Dark World, Avengers: Infinity War, and, most prominently, Guardians of the Galaxy, it’s definitely one of his more memorably outlandish roles. As his name suggests, he’s known for gathering stuff, including a number of priceless and powerful artifacts — including an Infinity Stone, which puts him in the path of the homicidal Thanos on the Mad Titan’s quest to restore order to the universe by wiping out half of all life. His brief (and apparently illusory) appearance in 2018’s Infinity War might have briefly convinced audiences he was done for, but if it seems unlikely we’ll see the Collector again, Del Toro can at least point to his pivotal role in GotG as a high note. “If you’re old enough to remember when sci-fi and comic books were fun,” wrote Joe Williams of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, “Guardians of the Galaxy will be your new favorite movie. If you’re not, it will set a standard for everything you see.”

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5. The Usual Suspects (1995) 87%

(Photo by Gramercy courtesy Everett Collection)

The greatest trick the Devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn’t exist, but the greatest one Kevin Spacey might have pulled was scoring the role of Roger “Verbal” Kint, the palsied small-time hood whose post-heist interrogation frames the twisty goings-on of Bryan Singer’s neo-noir ‘90s classic The Usual Suspects. It turned into an Academy Award-winning breakout vehicle for the actor, but he certainly didn’t do it alone: Suspects is a quintessentially ’90s ensemble piece, spinning a number of narrative plates with the aid of an outstanding cast that included Pete Postlethwaite, Gabriel Byrne, Kevin Pollak, and — as the virtually incomprehensible crook Fred Fenster — Benicio Del Toro, who stole every scene he was in even though no one ever had any idea what he was saying. A master class in character actor chemistry, Suspects provided audiences with 106 minutes of water-cooler entertainment in the bargain — and earned some of the best reviews of the year. “For many true movie fiends, noir is the key American movie type, and the most fun when it’s done right,” observed Newsweek’s Jack Kroll. “The Usual Suspects is done right.”

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6. Fearless (1993) 86%

(Photo by Warner Bros. courtesy Everett Collection)

Cheating death sounds like an incredible gift — but what do you do after you’ve accepted you’re about to die and walked away from the experience? As Peter Weir’s Fearless powerfully argues, that second lease on life can sometimes be harder to come to grips with than we might imagine — especially if you’re like protagonist Max Klein (Jeff Bridges), who survives a plane crash that ends up killing almost everyone on board and embarks on a quest that includes reaching out to a fellow passenger (Rosie Perez) who’s coping with survivor’s guilt without assistance from her boyfriend (Benicio Del Toro). The type of thought-provoking adult drama that seems all but extinct in the modern studio system, Fearless didn’t make much of a dent at the box office after its 1993 release, but many critics rightly applauded it as a refreshing change of pace. Calling it “the rare commercial movie that raises more questions than it answers,” Newsweek’s David Ansen wrote, “You leave it in an altered state yourself — moved, not quite satisfied, but certain you’ve seen something out of the ordinary.”

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7. 21 Grams (2003) 80%

(Photo by Focus Features courtesy Everett Collection)

The second installment in writer-director Alejandro González Iñárritu’s “Trilogy of Death,” 21 Grams wrings some outstanding performances (not to mention plenty of tears) out of an outstanding cast in service of a gripping — albeit harrowing — tale. Using a handful of seemingly disparate plot threads, Iñárritu plunged viewers into the darkness pooling out of a tragedy unintentionally wrought by an ex-con (Benicio Del Toro) whose irrevocable mistake has a profound impact on a dying math professor (Sean Penn) and a woman with a complicated past (Naomi Watts) — all of whom are drawn irrevocably together by the final act. Watts and Del Toro both earned Oscar nominations for their work, and neither could be accused of holding anything back; as Moira MacDonald wrote for the Seattle Times, “Watching it is a wrenching experience; the usual layers of distance between actors and audience are stripped away, and we not only watch their anguish, but become part of it.”

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8. Swimming With Sharks (1994) 76%

(Photo by Lionsgate)

One of two critically acclaimed releases that saw Benicio Del Toro sharing screentime with Kevin Spacey in 1995, Swimming with Sharks revolves around Spacey’s Buddy Ackerman, a bottomlessly selfish studio executive haranguing the naive film-school graduate (Frank Whaley) who unwittingly agrees to enter a waking nightmare when he signs on to become Ackerman’s new assistant. Del Toro, playing Whalley’s predecessor, isn’t seen for long — Sharks is dominated by Spacey’s volcanic performance — but he was already well on his way to “that guy” status, and this is another early example of why. Little-seen during its initial release, writer-director George Huang’s black comedy was a hit with critics like MaryAnn Johanson of Flick Filosopher, who deemed it “As fine a ‘revenge on the boss from hell’ movie as the wickedly vindictive 9 to 5 (and as outrageous a satire on Hollywood as The Player).”

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9. The Funeral (1996) 79%

(Photo by October Films courtesy Everett Collection)

With Abel Ferrara behind the camera, an ensemble cast led by Christopher Walken and Chris Penn, and a storyline revolving around occasionally grisly gang violence, The Funeral should rank among the quintessential indie dramas of the ’90s. It’s mostly escaped the spotlight since its release, but even in the context of Ferrara’s typically hard-hitting work, it’s dark stuff — the story of a pair of gangsters who set out to avenge their brother’s (Vincent Gallo) murder by retaliating against the competing mobster (Benicio Del Toro) they suspect of the crime. Naturally, not all is as it seems; the brothers’ quest takes some unexpected turns, and what might have been a simple shoot-’em-up has more on its mind. While audiences didn’t turn out, critics were suitably impressed; as Desson Thomson wrote for the Washington Post, “You’re engaged on a moral level rarely found in movies about violence.”

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10. The Pledge (2001) 78%

(Photo by Warner Bros. courtesy Everett Collection)

Few who watched Sean Penn’s timeless turn as the affably bewildered stoner Jeff Spicoli in Fast Times at Ridgemont High could have guessed he’d grow up to favor dark dramas — or that when he eventually started directing features of his own, they’d include the sort of harrowing descent into the darkest depths of human nature plumbed by 2001’s The Pledge. The story begins with an alcoholic police detective (Jack Nicholson) whose retirement party is interrupted by the news of a young girl’s murder; pledged to solve the case by the victim’s mother, he doggedly persists in hunting down the killer even after it’s officially closed by the confession — and subsequent suicide — of a local man with a learning disability. Del Toro’s relatively brief (and somewhat controversial) appearance as the suspect is just one of several disquieting things about the film, which was destined for the commercial margins even as it drew applause from critics like Sean Burns of the Philadelphia Weekly, who wrote, “Steeped in an almost unbearable sadness, dense with moral ambiguity, it stubbornly withholds comfort at every startling turn.”

(Photo by Richard Foreman Jr./Columbia)

Denis Villeneuve’s drug war drama Sicario didn’t make a ton of money when it opened in the fall of 2015, but the serious action movie was a huge hit with critics, garnering a Certified Fresh 93% on the Tomatometer and a bunch of accolades, including three Oscar nominations.

The sequel now arrives with a lot of anticipation from fans of the original, despite its change in director and cinematographer and loss of Emily Blunt’s main character. Does the follow-up live up to its predecessor? Not quite — it’s currently at 70%, with just 27 reviews counted — but many critics are recommending it.

Here’s a breakdown of the first reviews of Sicario: Day of the Soldado and why, for some, it’s a worthy continuation of the series:

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First of all, you don’t need to have seen the original

It needs to be said that Sicario: Day of the Soldado is a great movie that doesn’t even feel like a sequel.
– Conner Schwerdtfeger, CinemaBlend

Feels less like a sequel and more like a stand-alone film that you never signed up for.
– Danielle Solzman, Solzy at the Movies

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But how does it compare to the first?

[It’s] a sequel that’s every bit its predecessor’s match.
– Jacob Stolworthy, The Independent

Sicario: Day of the Soldado is a different, leaner animal than the first film.
– David Crow, Den of Geek

Day of the Soldado strips away the meaning and the hypnotic visual style from the original, and reveals that there’s not much more underneath.
– William Bibbiani, The Wrap

It’s almost like screenwriter Taylor Sheridan misunderstood the appeal of the first movie (which he also wrote).”
– Matt Goldberg, Collider

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And how does it compare to other films?

Day of the Soldado is our generation’s Rambo: First Blood, Part 2, a half-mad sequel transforming a traumatized political parable into a fantasy of all-American murder gods.
– Darren Franich, Entertainment Weekly

A truly twisted update of that most cynical of John Ford movies, The Searchers.
– Peter DeBruge, Variety

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How is Stefano Sollima as director?

(Photo by Richard Foreman, Jr./Columbia)

[Sollima’s] execution is nearly flawless.
– Mara Reinstein, Us Weekly

Sollima demonstrates a flair for gut-punch action.
– Tim Grierson, Screen International

He inherits the reins of this series with confidence, mounting action scenes involving car chases, shootouts, and helicopter showdowns that feel startlingly real.
– Todd Gilchrist, MovieFone

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How is the script?

Taylor Sheridan reconfirms he is one of the best screenwriters working today.
– David Crow, Den of Geek

He doesn’t necessarily have a compelling story, though.
– Matt Singer, ScreenCrush

The new film desperately needs a character like Emily Blunt’s Kate Mercer, someone with a firm point of view to help navigate the chaos created by Matt and Alejandro.
– Matt Goldberg, Collider

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Is the plot timely?

Eerily topical.
– Jimi Famurewa, Empire

A political thriller about illegal immigration and the kidnapping of a Mexican child by American agents sounds more topical than it actually is.
– William Bibbiani, The Wrap

Considering recent events…this movie hits a dissonant chord.
– Dwight Brown, National Newspaper Publishers Association

While the separation of kids from their parents may have sparked an international human rights debate, this is not the film to settle it.
– Peter DeBruge, Variety

Recent developments in the real world make Sicario: Day of the Soldado feel instantly dated.
– Witney Seibold, IGN Movies

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How is the action?

Sicario 2: Soldado begins with one of the year’s most scintillating, pin-you-to-your-seat opening sequences and only cranks things up from there.
– Jimi Famurewa, Empire

So much of the action feels real and avoids a lot of stylistic trickery — or at least makes the trickery subtle enough to ignore.
– Todd Gilchrist, MovieFone

[The action doesn’t] come close to matching Denis Villeneuve’s; there’s really only one set-piece, a convoy on a dirt road, that approaches anything in the original Sicario.
– Matt Singer, ScreenCrush

The bloody violence has no sting or resonance — it is well executed, but in a mechanical, superficially rousing manner.
– Tim Grierson, Screen International

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How are the two returning leads?

(Photo by Richard Foreman, Jr./Columbia)

Both Brolin and especially Del Toro register more strongly in their roles here than they did in the original… Together, they carry the film prodigiously.
– Todd McCarthy, Hollywood Reporter

Both actors explore their newfound space in exciting ways and find new dimensions to their characters.
– Conner Schwerdtfeger, CinemaBlend

Brolin may coast capably on autopilot but, in Gillick, del Toro has found the role of his career.
– Jacob Stolworthy, The Independent

Brolin is again having a ball.
– Jacob Knight, Birth.Movies.Death.

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How is new addition Isabela Moner?

Moner is revelatory.
– Todd Gilchrist, MovieFone

She gets a spiky introduction, but her character’s reduced to a symbol of Alejandro’s moral code, a Plot Thing That Must Be Rescued.
– Darren Franich, Entertainment Weekly

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Is this a worthy sequel?

[Sicario’s] successor digs in its dramatic claws from the outset and keeps the tension high and dramatic twists coming.
– Todd McCarthy, Hollywood Reporter

Sicario 2 is junk, but it’s stylish junk.
– Darren Franich, Entertainment Weekly

If you want to see Del Toro and Brolin inflict carnage again, without the pesky straight-laced Emily Blunt character in the way, then Sicario: Day of the Soldado is probably your kind of movie.
– Kyle Anderson, Nerdist

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Should we look forward to another Sicario movie?

The film ends in a way that totally sets up a third film, which I’d happily watch.
– Mike Ryan, Uproxx

The way things are left here, there is certainly potential for much more from the intrinsic material and surviving characters if Sheridan cares to pursue it.
– Todd McCarthy, Hollywood Reporter

A wallop of a closing scene…sets up a third installment in the Sicario saga. Buckle up and let’s go.
– Mara Reinstein, Us Weekly

Bring on the third film, where those left standing just kill everything in their paths.
– Jacob Knight, Birth.Movies.Death.

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Sicario: Day of the Soldado opens everywhere on Friday, June 29. Read all the reviews for it here.

We’re officially in the thick of the summer movie season, and we’ve already seen a few giant hits at the cineplex this year, including one early blockbuster that will likely end up the summer’s biggest winner. But June brings with it a few more notable titles for audiences of differing tastes, from a long-awaited sequel to a beloved animated film (Incredibles 2) to another critically acclaimed horror film from A24 (Hereditary) to the latest chapter in one of the most popular movie franchises in history (Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom). So what are our fans looking forward to the most? We looked at Want-to-See votes on RT and polled our social media channels to find out what the most anticipated June movies were, and the results were, shall we say, not all that surprising.

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1. Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (2018) 47%

(Photo by Universal Pictures)

16,239 Want-to-See Votes
#1 pick by our Instagram fans, #2 pick by our Twitter fans, #3 pick by our Facebook fans
Opens Friday, June 22

2015’s Jurassic World benefited from over a decade and a half of fan anticipation, and it went on to become the fifth highest-grossing domestic release of all time. Accordingly, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom was voted into the top 3 Most Anticipated movies on all of RT’s social platforms, and it currently has more than triple the number of Want-to-See votes of the next highest movie. J.A. Bayona is on board as director this time around, and all three of his previous films (The Orphanage, The Impossible, and A Monster Calls) have been Certified Fresh, which is a promising sign. Plus, the new entry not only includes returning stars Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard, but fan favorite Jeff Goldblum is coming back to tell us all how life, uh, finds a way.

Watch Trailer

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2. Incredibles 2 (2018) 93%

(Photo by Walt Disney Studios)

4,818 Want-to-See Votes
#1 pick by our Twitter and Facebook fans, #2 pick by our Instagram fans
Opens Friday, June 15

Speaking of long-awaited sequels, Pixar’s heroic Parr family anchored one of the studio’s most beloved films, 2004’s The Incredibles, which lovingly skewered the superhero genre while delivering a fun, spandex-centric story of its own. Almost 15 years later, we’re finally getting a follow-up, which continues right where the first movie left off and delves into Elastigirl’s (Holly Hunter) crimefighting career as Mr. Incredible (Craig T. Nelson) attempts to keep the family in order at home. Brad Bird is back to direct (and voice the anti-cape costume designer Edna Mode), while the supporting voice cast is rounded out by Samuel L. Jackson, Catherine Keener, and both Bob Odenkirk and Jonathan Banks from Better Call Saul.

Watch Trailer

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3.  Hereditary (2018) 90%

(Photo by A24)

1,276 Want-to-See Votes
#2 pick by our Facebook fans, #4 pick by our Instagram fans
Opens Friday, June 8

If you’re looking for a good scare this month, your best bet is going to be this intense horror flick from A24. This debut feature from director Ari Aster centers on a woman (Toni Collette) and her family, who begin to experience disturbing phenomena after her mother — an odd, private, reclusive woman — passes away. It’s a master class in building tension, and it’s already registered a 98% on the Tomatometer based on rave reviews following its Sundance premiere. Collette in particular has been earning heaps of praise for her performance, so this one may even find itself vying for an award or two at the end of the year.

Watch Trailer

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4. Ocean's 8 (2018) 69%

(Photo by Barry Wetcher/Warner Bros.)

1,218 Want-to-See Votes
#3 pick by our Twitter fans, #5 pick by our Instagram fans
Opens Friday, June 8

Of course, maybe you’re not particularly fond of scary movies, and you’d rather be swept up in a crime caper. Spinning off of Steven Soderbergh’s Ocean’s franchise, writer-director Gary Ross assembles a team of women to pull off a similarly daring and quip-filled heist at the Met Gala. Ross (Pleasantville, The Hunger Games) has a pretty solid record as director, and his star-studded cast includes Cate Blanchett, Mindy Kaling, Sarah Paulson, Anne Hathaway, Helena Bonham Carter, and, as Danny Ocean’s sister Debbie, Sandra Bullock, so this should be fun chance to see a lot of talented actresses play off each other.

Watch Trailer

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5. Sicario: Day of the Soldado (2018) 62%

(Photo by Richard Foreman, Jr./Sony Pictures)

694 Want-to-See Votes
#3 pick by our Instagram fans, #4 pick by our Twitter and Facebook fans
Opens Friday, June 29

Admittedly, it’s going to be difficult to top 2015’s Sicario, a gritty thriller that benefited from the immense talents of star Emily Blunt and director Denis Villeneuve. That said, Sicario: Day of the Soldado brings back Josh Brolin, Benicio Del Toro, and writer Taylor Sheridan to follow up with federal agent Matt Graver’s efforts to battle drug cartel activity along the US’s southern border. New director Stefano Sollima got his start as a war zone camera operator, and he’s helmed crime thrillers on film and TV, so he also seems well-suited for the job. But judging from the trailers, Soldado looks to be more focused on the action than the drama, so be prepared for some intense shootouts.

Watch Trailer

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Honorable Mention

Won't You Be My Neighbor? (2018) 97%

(Photo by Jim Judkis/Focus Features)

389 Want-to-See Votes
#5 pick by our Facebook fans
Opens Friday, June 8 (Limited)

Eking its way into the fifth spot in our Facebook poll, this documentary about Fred Rogers, host of the influential children’s show Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood and famously super-nice guy, is certainly a nostalgia play to some extent. But even if it is, the fact that the trailer alone has reduced people to tears should be a testament to what the man meant to generations of kids, and its current 97% Tomatometer score indicates that it’s not a mere puff piece. Won’t You Be My Neighbor? is only opening in limited release, so it may be difficult to catch it in theaters, but if you grew up a fan, this is likely essential viewing.

Watch Trailer

We think we know which stars are going to totally own the summer at the movies — Brolin, Bullock, Pratt and other leads with multiple projects and hotly anticipated comebacks. But what about the emerging stars who will be stealing those big guys’ scenes all through the sweltering season — and drawing the attention of directors and casting agents looking for the next big thing? We’ve seen some of summer’s biggest releases and buzziest indie flicks, and have been doing some homework on the movies yet to screen, and we think we have a solid idea of some of the names you may not know now, but definitely will come fall. From a Queens rapper on a big-screen roll, to a teenager who set Sundance on fire, to an Indonesian martial arts sensation, these are your summer 2018 breakout stars.

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Awkwafina 

(Photo by JA/Everett Collection)

The Queens-born rapper’s hilariously crude song “My Vag” has racked up more than 2 million views on YouTube since its release in 2013, and we think that figure might double come summer’s end. When people see Awkwafina, born Nora Lum, in supporting roles in Ocean’s 8 and then in rom-com Crazy Rich Asians, they’re going to want to know more. If you’re going down the rabbit hole, you’ll also discover she was one of the sorority sisters from hell who helped push Neighbors 2 into Fresh territory on the Tomatometer.

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Zazie Beetz

(Photo by © 20th Century Fox Film Corp. All rights reserved.)

Those who watch the Certified Fresh, Emmy-winning Atlanta on FX will know Zazie Beetz as Van, former girlfriend to Donald Glover’s Earn. They will also know she has a knack for scene-stealing. She plays the very lucky Domino in this summer’s R-rated hit, Deadpool 2, and proves that she can steal those scenes no matter how big the screen. We’re already lining up for X-Force (date, unfortunately, unknown).

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Justice Smith

(Photo by © Netflix)

Critics were lukewarm on Baz Luhrmann’s Netflix series, The Get Down, which told the story of the early days of hip hop — the first season sits at 75% on the Tomatometer. And audiences ultimately didn’t come to the party, leading Netflix to bring down the ax. But one thing everyone agreed on: Justice Smith, in the lead role of Ezekial, was a star. This summer, he will outrun dinos — and volcanoes — as Franklin, in Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom. He’s also been cast in next year’s Detective Pikachu, alongside Ryan Reynolds.

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Isabela Moner

(Photo by Jason Smith / Everett Collection)

It’s back to the border for the second Sicario movie, Sicario: Day of the Soldado, this time sans director Denis Villeneuve and original star Emily Blunt. But it’s what’s been added to the mix that should make fans of the first movie excited. Isabela Moner, who many might recognize from her Nickelodeon series 100 Things to Do Before High School, is said to more than hold her own against returning stars Josh Brolin and Benicio del Toro.

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John David Washington

Ballers’ John David Washington proves the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree — in this case, the tree is Denzel. But the junior Washington isn’t riding anyone’s coattails, this summer giving a breakthrough performance in Spike Lee’s BlackKklansman, which took out the Grand Prix at Cannes in May. The movie is sitting on 95% on the Tomatometer so far, and critics are singling out Washington for a bravura performance.

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LilRel Howery 

(Photo by Quantrell D.Colbert; Courtesy of Lionsgate)

OK, it might seem ridiculous to say that LilRel is about to break out when he pretty much stole the show in last year’s Get Out as a TSA officer with some serious detective skills, and has a long list of TV credits to his name. But Uncle Drew, a feature-length take on the character played by Kyrie Irving in the popular Pepsi commercials, gives Howery his first big-screen leading role and we’re expecting it won’t be his last. He also has a TV show, Rel, in pre-production at 20th Century Fox, due in the fall.

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Alex Wolff and Milly Shapiro

(Photo by © A24)

Believe the hype: Hereditary is scary as hell. Ari Aster’s super-personal horror film debuted at Sundance to raves, sits at 100% on the Tomatometer, and has been drawing comparisons to The Exorcist and Rosemary’s Baby. Toni Collette is remarkable as grieving mom Annie, but pay close attention to Alex Wolff (brother of Nat, and IRL Dwayne Johnson in Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle) and Milly Shapiro as her kids — they more than hold their own. Shapiro’s off-kilter Charlie is terrifying – you’ll never hear a cluck the same way — while Wolff, challenged with an incredible arc, delivers a performance for the ages.

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Elsie Fisher 

(Photo by Linda Kallerus / © A24)

Bo Burnham’s Eighth Grade was this year’s big Sundance breakout, with critics falling hard for its charms and for the young actor at the center of it — it’s currently at 100% on the Tomatometer with 34 reviews. Elsie Fisher plays Kayla in the film, and her performance as the YouTuber going through her last week of middle school has been hailed as a breakout in line with Abigail Breslin’s in Little Miss Sunshine. Expect superlatives to be thrown her way, along with some awards talk.

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Iko Uwais

(Photo by JA/Everett Collection)

The Indonesian star of The Raid and The Raid 2 is already a favorite among the martial arts and action fans who (rightly) revere that series. He has been practicing silat, a form of martial arts native to the Malay peninsula, since he was a kid, and will be showing off his skills in his first big breakout U.S. role, co-starring with Mark Wahlberg and Rhonda Rousey in Mile 22. It’s the first in a string of stateside movies Uwais is set to star in. Fun fact: He doesn’t have a Rotten movie to his name.

(Photo by Elizabeth Goodenough, © Warner Bros. Studios, © Walt Disney Pictures, © A24)

It’s a huge summer for movies. And, yes, that could be said of every summer, but there’s something about 2018. Don’t believe us? Check out the box office receipts. Or check out our summer movie calendar: It’s stuffed full of superheroes and dinosaurs and super spies and master thieves and even the occasional person falling head over heels in love. And it’s stuffed full of big stars — and stars who are about to make it big. This year, we decided to look at the slate of summer movies coming our way and, based on what we’ve already seen (yes, they still let RT into the occasional preview!), and what we’re reading in the movie-season tealeaves (including early Tomatometer scores and reviews), predict which actors are going to own the summer. Some are the headliners of some of the year’s biggest films — while others are headlining a bunch of the year’s biggest films (we’re looking at you, Josh Brolin). Still others are delivering performances in genre flicks that are already drawing awards buzz, and others are about to parlay TV success into a big-screen breakthrough (Constance Wu, step right up). We think you’ll be talking about all of them by the time the season’s over.

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Josh Brolin

(Photo by © 20th Century Fox)

Winter, spring, Brolin, or fall, all you got to do is call. Thought the season was called “summer”? Maybe once upon a time it was. But we’ve decided to totally rebrand the sweaty months of this year after Josh Brolin, who has starring roles in some of the season’s biggest films. He’s racked up Certified Fresh scores playing Thanos in Avengers: Infinity War and Cable in Deadpool 2, and returns in June for Sicario: Day of the Soldado. Think you’re safe at home? Think again. This summer, you can also see him in Netflix’s The Legacy of a Whitetail Deer Hunter, the latest comedy from Danny McBride and Jody Hill. Brolin will be back next summer as the rubber-chinned Mad Titan — you know, if you’re craving more of that ashtray-filling bastard. That’s a bunch of tough fellas, so if you’re looking for a softer side to Brolin, you will have to wait for George and Tammy, in pre-production, where he plays George Jones to Jessica Chastain’s Tammy Wynette.

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Sandra Bullock

(Photo by Barry Wetcher / © Warner Bros.)

It’s been a while. Sandra Bullock’s last live-action movie, 2015’s Our Brand Is Crisis, might have been a let-down — just 34% on the Tomatometer — but that has not dampened our excitement to have her back on the big screen in Ocean’s 8, the all-female newest installment in the Ocean’s heist series. Bullock chooses her roles sparingly, but when she does show up on screen, it’s usually always an event (hello, Gravity). The Oscar winner leads the Ocean’s 8 ensemble cast, which includes Cate Blanchett, Helena Bonham Carter, Rihanna, and more, but it’s Bullock who we think the crowds are going to go wild for. Bonus: She may just rule the winter, too. Bullock stars with Rosa Salazar and Sarah Paulson this December in the sci-fi thriller, Bird Box.

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Donald Glover

(Photo by Jonathan Olley /© Lucasfilm/ © Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)

Donald Glover’s Lando Calrissian dominated social chatter around Solo: A Star Wars Story long before the film’s release. Glover-loving Twitter folks have been asking, “Why wasn’t it Lando who got an origin story?” ever since Disney dropped its first Solo trailer earlier in the year and the world got its first eyeful of that coat. Rotten Tomatoes has seen the upcoming movie, which is currently sitting at 71% on the Tomatometer, and can confirm: Glover is as good as you imagined he’d be as the slick Lando Calrissian. And, yes, the coat is on point. As are the cloaks. Glover is also the Emmy-winning creator and star of Atlanta, which was No. 2 on our Winter TV Scorecard with a 99% Tomatometer score, and which many of us will be rewatching when it’s too damn hot outside. And this month he broke the internet — the kids are still saying that, right? — with his music video for “This Is America.” Next year he will literally rule the summer, starring as Simba in Jon Favreau’s live-action The Lion King, scheduled for July.

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Toni Collette

(Photo by James Atoa/Everett Collection)

You know how some actresses just keep plugging away doing such excellent work you kind of take them for granted? Australian actress Toni Collette is that actress. Since breaking out in Aussie classic Muriel’s Wedding — which we just named one of the most essential movies of the ’90s — Collette has been slaying it in movies like Little Miss Sunshine, In Her Shoes, and About A Boy and on TV shows like United States of Tara, for which she won an Emmy. She’s also been building a résumé as quite the scream queen, having starred in The Sixth Sense, Fright Night, Krampus, and now, in this June’s Hereditary, the fiendishly scary new family-in-peril flick being released by A24. The movie is sitting at 100% on the Tomatometer with 29 reviews, and critics are singling out Collette for a “staggering performance.” Could this be the second year in a row that an acting Oscar nominee came from a horror movie?

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Benedict Cumberbatch

(Photo by Elizabeth Goodenough/Everett Collection)

Few people agree on who stole the show in Avengers: Infinity War, but few would argue with the fact that Benedict Cumberbatch’s Doctor Strange totally held his own with Robert Downey Jr.’s Tony Stark in the humans-lost-in-space plotline. He had charisma, wit, and felt even more relaxed in the role than he did in 2016’s Doctor Strange. And he probably holds the key to restoring the… OK, we won’t go there with the spoilers. On the small-screen, the British actor landed a one-two punch with April PBS film The Child in Time (80% with 15 reviews) and his now–Certified Fresh miniseries Patrick Melrose on Showtime, a passion project based on the novels of Edward St. Aubyn, about the damaged son of an extremely privileged British family. The prolific actor returns later in the year as the voice of Shere Khan in the Andy Serkis–directed Mowgli, and as the title character of Illumination’s animated take on a Christmas classic, The Grinch. And there’s always hope for a new season of Sherlock, starring Cumberbatch in the role our readers love the most.

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Mister Rogers

(Photo by © Focus Features/courtesy Everett Collection)

Yes, Fred Rogers: Summer blockbuster season’s biggest star. The documentary, Won’t You Be My Neighbor?, which takes an intimate look at the beloved children’s entertainer, may not make that MCU-level cash, but it’s already connecting big-time. Critics have so far given the film a 96% on the Tomatometer, and the internet exploded on the day the first trailer dropped, with fans across the country drying their eyes as they shared stories of how much they loved Rogers. The Rogers love-fest will continue next year, when Tom Hanks plays Rogers in the film, You Are My Friend. We’re investing in red cardigans, stat.

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Constance Wu

(Photo by Sanja Bucko / © Warner Bros.)

For four years, Constance Wu has been quietly stealing Wednesday nights on ABC as the hilarious matriarch of the Huang family, Jessica, on Fresh Off the Boat — just renewed for season 5. This summer, she headlines one of the most anticipated romantic comedies of the last few years, starring as one half of the couple at the center of Crazy Rich Asians, based on the hugely popular novel by Kevin Kwan. In the film, Wu’s Rachel Chu travels to Singapore for a wedding and to meet her boyfriend’s parents, and hilarity — and fireworks-punctuated romance — ensues. No word yet on whether the film does the novel justice, but we’re excited to see Wu in her first big-screen leading role and equally excited that we get to see her take this big step in the first American film with an all-Asian lead cast in 25 years.

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Denzel Washington

(Photo by Glen Wilson; ©2017 CTMG, Inc.)

Denzel Washington has never done a sequel. Ever. So we sat up and paid attention when it was announced he would return for Equalizer 2, from his frequent collaborator, director Antoine Fuqua. The first flick is just Fresh at 60%, but for fans of the actor, it will always be Certified Fresh in their hearts (no surprises that it has an Audience Score of 76%). The movie also made a healthy $102 million at the box office, so you can expect decent returns. Denzel in controlled and terrifying revenge mode might be our favorite Denzel. On a sidenote, Denzel’s son, John David Washington, is likely to be a breakout star this summer with a starring role in Spike Lee’s BlackKlansman, which just bowed in Cannes to raves and sits at 97% on the Tomatometer.

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Tessa Thompson

(Photo by Annapurna Pictures)

Disappointed that Tessa Thompson’s Valkyrie did not show up in Infinity War? Dry your eyes: The actress can be seen virtually everywhere else. She’s back on HBO in Westworld and does a cameo in season 2 of Netflix series Dear White People (a nod to her leading role in the original 2014 film) — both Certified Fresh. And you can see her online in the “emotion film” accompaniment to Janelle Monáe’s latest album, Dirty Computer. And, if you wanna go there, you can see her on the excellent Twitter handle @tessaasgoats. Thompson will also be back in theaters this July in the big-screen mindf—k that is Sorry to Bother You (currently 92% on the Tomatometer), about a telemarketer who discovers a unique key to doing well at the job. Thompson plays Detroit, a whirlwind of an activist with pink hair and huge laser-cut earrings whose style we expect to be widely imitated when the film opens, and is being singled out by critics for her performance in the movie opposite Atlanta‘s LaKeith Stanfield. Later in the year she will land another 2018 K.O., returning in Creed 2.

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Chris Pratt

(Photo by Elizabeth Goodenough/Everett Collection)

Whether or not you agree that Star-Lord is responsible for the death of half the universe — or restoring perfect balance, depending on your POV — you have to admit it was a blast watching him doing it. Chris Pratt, as Peter Quill, was one of the highlights in Infinity War, particularly when facing off (and voicing off) with the God of Thunder. The actor is back in June as another quip-happy hero in Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, seeking out his lovable raptor buddy Blue (not so lovable any more) and running away from exploding volcanoes and such. For sheer being-at-the-center-of-really-really-big-franchises, it’s hard not to give Pratt a laurel for his summer-ownership skills. And speaking of mega franchises, he will reprise his role as blocky everyman Emmet Brickowski in The Lego Movie Sequel next February.

We’re just going to go ahead and call it: This is the summer of Josh Brolin. The actor is everywhere at your multiplex — and on your streaming service. First up, after a few pretty lackluster attempts at comic-book roles (remember Jonah Hex and Men In Black III), he’s hit gold playing the Mad Titan Thanos in Avengers: Infinity War, and he chases that by playing Cable in Deadpool 2. And there is more to come. Each character he embodies this season is completely different — universe-halver, time-traveler, cartel-chaser, deer-snuffer. To celebrate that diversity, we’re asking: Which Josh Brolin, circa summer 2018, are you?

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Summer is finally here! Or the summer movie season is, anyway. Though Avengers: Infinity War kicked things off a little early — and set a box office record in the process — by opening last week, there are still plenty of big titles coming out this summer. With that in mind, we decided to ask our fans on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter which movies they were looking forward to the most, and the results were… not entirely surprising. Read on for the 5 most anticipated summer movies of 2018, plus a couple of honorable mentions.

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1. Deadpool 2 (2018) 83%

(Photo by 20th Century Fox Film Corporation)

#1 Pick by our Twitter and Instagram fans
#3 Pick by our Facebook fans
Opens Friday, May 18

The Merc with a Magnificent Marketing Team (seriously, check out this just-released Céline Dion video) is easily the most anticipated movie of the summer, which shouldn’t be much of a shock to anyone. Ryan Reynolds returns to play Wade Wilson, who takes it upon himself to protect a gifted young mutant from Josh Brolin‘s second Marvel character of the year. We know that Deadpool and Cable eventually team up, and that we’ll see the first appearance of X-Force, but considering the official synopsis for the film is a mish-mash of nonsense, how the story actually gets there is anybody’s guess. All the better, since surprises are so rare in mainstream movies these days.

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2.  Incredibles 2 (2018) 93%

(Photo by )

#2 Pick by our Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook fans
Opens Friday, June 15

Pixar has a rock-solid track record to begin with, but The Incredibles is one of the most beloved films the studio has ever produced, so it’s a little surprising it took them 14 years to do a sequel. Incredibles 2 picks up literally where the first movie left off, with the Parr family facing off against the Underminer. From there, though, the film focuses on Elastigirl’s (Holly Hunter) crimefighting career and Mr. Incredible’s (Craig T. Nelson) domestic struggles before the family must unite to take on a new villain. Writer-director Brad Bird has an impeccable Pixar track record, and there’s no reason to think he won’t score big with this one too.

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3. Ant-Man and The Wasp (2018) 87%

(Photo by Marvel Studios)

#1 Pick by our Facebook fans
#3 Pick by our Twitter fans
#4 Pick by our Instagram fans
Opens Friday, July 6

Marvel‘s first post-Infinity War entry actually takes place right after the events of 2016’s Captain America: Civil War, as Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) teams up with Hope van Dyne (Evangeline Lilly) to face off against a mysterious new enemy called Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen).  Director Peyton Reed helped put Ant-Man on the map with the first film, one of several risky moves Marvel made that paid off spectacularly, and he’s back to helm the sequel. Ant-Man and the Wasp looks to be a lighthearted breath of fresh air after the somber Infinity War, and several of our social media fans said they were looking forward to the film even more after seeing the Avengers showdown with Thanos. Bring on the giant Pez dispensers!

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4. Mission: Impossible - Fallout (2018) 98%

(Photo by Skydance Films)

#4 Pick by our Twitter and Facebook fans
Released Friday, July 27

After the top three, voting results on the remaining slots were fairly close, and the latest Mission: Impossible eked its way into spot number four as the fourth most anticipated film for our Twitter and Facebook fans. Tom Cruise, Rebecca Ferguson, Simon Pegg, and Ving Rhames return to their roles from previous installments, while Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation writer-director Christopher McQuarrie jumps into the director’s chair for his second straight IMF mission. Be on the lookout for Cruise performing stunts no sane actor would and co-star Henry Cavill‘s conspicuous mustache.

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5. Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (2018) 47%

(Photo by )

#5 Pick by our Facebook and Instagram fans
Opens Friday, June 22

Coming in at the fifth spot on both Facebook and Instagram is the follow-up to the monster 2015 hit Jurassic World, which opened to the fourth biggest weekend ever and went on to become the fourth highest-grossing film of all time. Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom isn’t likely to do quite as well, but there’s still a significant contingent of moviegoers who delight in dino-themed chaos. Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard reprise their roles from the previous film, as animal expert Owen and former park head honcho Claire return to Isla Nublar to rescue its wild inhabitants from an imminent volcano eruption, only to discover the business partner Claire trusted may have ulterior motives. Like The Lost World, Fallen Kingdom shifts from a jungle setting to an urban one, so let’s hope we don’t see any rolling gas station signs.

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HONORABLE MENTIONS

Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018) 69%

(Photo by Walt Disney Studios)

#3 Pick by our Instagram fans
Opens Friday, May 25

The response to Disney’s second standalone Star Wars movie has been quite the roller coaster ride. From the moment Phil Lord and Chris Miller were announced as directors to the moment Ron Howard took over, from the moment Alden Ehrenreich was announced as Han Solo to the moment Donald Glover was announced as Lando Calrissian, from the first teaser trailer to the significantly more interesting full trailer, fans have been excited, bewildered, disappointed, and excited all over again. But Solo certainly deserves an honorable mention, considering it bested Ant-Man and the Wasp, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, and Mission: Impossible – Fallout in our Instagram poll. At the end of the day, the recent Star Wars entries have fared rather well on the Tomatometer, so it’s probably safe to assume they know what they’re doing, and this should turn out just fine.

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Sicario: Day of the Soldado (2018) 62%

(Photo by Richard Foreman, Jr./Sony Pictures)

#5 Pick by our Twitter fans
Opens Friday, June 29

It isn’t a giant, effects-driven spectacle like nearly every other entry on this list, but thanks to a riveting first installment anchored by director extraordinaire Denis Villeneuve and a powerful performance from lead Emily Blunt, Sicario: Day of the Soldado managed to sneak into the top five in our Twitter poll. Though neither Villeneuve nor Blunt return for the sequel, co-stars Josh Brolin and Benicio Del Toro do, as well as writer Taylor Sheridan, who has a serious knack for crime thrillers. If you’re looking for explosions grounded more in reality, relatively speaking, then you’re probably one of the people looking forward to seeing this gritty action flick.

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Is it arguable that the summer movie season this year really begins with the April 27 release of Avengers: Infinity War? Yes, maybe so, but we’ve gotta draw the line somewhere, and that line is May 1. Plus, there are still plenty of thrills, chills, laughs, cries, and WTFs to be had from all of the other summer movies 2018 has to offer, whether you’re looking for some mindless escapism or thought-provoking drama. Check below for the full calendar of the biggest movies of summer 2018 (Solo: A Star Wars Story, Deadpool 2, Incredibles 2), as well as a few smaller releases (Won’t You Be My Neighbor?, Sorry to Bother You) you will want to keep an eye out for.

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Last week, you discovered under-the-radar movies Rotten Tomatoes staff enjoyed. Today, we select movies we’re looking forward to in 2018! Next week, find out which of these movies we’re looking forward to being remade in 2038.