June 25th, 2021

When talking hits and misses of Summer 2021, one of the biggest unknowns for me is Free Guy. The trailers look fun, Ryan Reynolds is fun, the near live-action Lego Movie feel to it is fun. So why do I have doubts? Quite simply, the landscape is so volatile right now it's difficult to put a finger on it. Lingering pandemic related aspects are still in play with some closed theaters, shifting dates and lack of momentum. A question worth posing too is around saturation: Can a new franchise launch in this climate? A Quiet Place Part II, even as fresh as it feels, launched off the heels of Part I's success. If one can land outside of the major, major tentpoles (Marvel, DC) I do feel that this is one that can bring in some fun and entertainment to a puzzling, bumpy summer movie season even with the August release date.
I will be the first one to say that I had superhero fatigue as End Game hit theaters a couple years ago and quite frankly still do to a degree. However, as the behemoth that is Marvel heads into a new phase I do initially like where it looks like it is heading with Shang-Chi and The Legend of the Ten Rings, as well as Eternals and Chloe Zhao leading the way.
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The superhero movies feel like the equivalent to the scene in Moneyball where Brad Pitt throws his hands up and say, "Adapt or die." I'm here to say I'm adapting, reinvested and looking forward to these sure-fire entries as The Next Big One.