cinema films

17 of the best films to catch at the cinema this summer

Our top picks of the films to see on the big screen

TV & Film Writer
Updated: August 13, 2021

After over a year of watching movies from our sofas, we think we speak for everyone when we say we're seriously excited that we'll soon be able to return to the cinema.

MORE: The first trailer for West Side Story is here - and it looks amazing

As it stands, cinemas in England, Scotland and Wales will finally open their doors on Monday 17 May, with Northern Ireland following suit the following week on Monday 24 May. But what films will they be showing - and which ones are worth watching?

From rom-coms and period dramas to musicals and superhero flicks, keep reading for all the unmissable films you can catch on the big screen this summer...

Cruella

Emma Stone leads an all-star cast in Disney's new live-action prequel to 101 Dalmatians, all about the iconic Cruella de Vil. The film will explore the early years of the character's life in London before she became the puppy-stealing villain we know her as today. In cinemas from 28 May.

WATCH: Cruella tells the Disney villain's origin story

MORE: Cruella: is Disney's newest remake worth the watch?

The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It

The latest film in James Wan’s Conjuring franchise sees paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren, played by Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga, take on one of their most terrifying cases yet as the exorcism of an 11-year-old boy leads to devastating consequences. In cinemas from 28 May.

Will you be watching the latest Conjuring film?

A Quiet Place: Part II

Horror fans have been desperately awaiting the sequel to The Office star John Krasinski's critically acclaimed A Quiet Place for over a year. Picking up where the first film left off, the Abbott family must now face the terrors of the outside world as they continue their fight for survival in silence. In cinemas from 4 June.

Horror fans will love A Quiet Place Part II 

Nobody

Better Call Saul’s Bob Odenkirk leads this John Wick-style thriller about a retired assassin who, after subduing his lethal skills during a home invasion, goes down a frantic, rage-filled path of revenge. In cinemas from 9 June.

Will you watch Nobody?

The Father

Anthony Hopkins won a Best Actor Oscar this year for his lead role in this devastatingly empathetic portrayal of a father battling dementia. Olivia Coleman, Mark Gatiss, Olivia Williams and Rufus Sewell make up the supporting cast and are just as incredible. In cinemas from 11 June.

Anthony Hopkins won an Oscar for his performance in The Father

In the Heights

Before he became an overnight sensation thanks to Hamilton, Lin-Manuel Miranda wowed Broadway audiences with this feel-good, West Side Story-esque musical which now makes it way to the silver screen. Set over the course of three days, it follows characters in New York City's Latino neighbourhood of Washington Heights. In cinemas from 18 June.

In the Heights is based off a Broadway play of the same name

F9

The latest instalment in the Fast and Furious saga is just as fun, fantastical and watchable as its predecessors. This time around, Vin Diesel’s Dom Toretto is forced to leave the quiet life he’s been living with Letty (Michelle Rodriguez) and his young son to help the crew stop a world-shattering plot led by the most skilled assassin and high-performance driver they’ve ever encountered - who also just so happens to be his estranged brother. In cinemas from 24 June.

Will you be watching the latest instalment in the Fast and Furious saga?

Another Round

Talk of a US remake is already underway for this deftly made Danish comedy-drama which took home the going for Best International Film at this year’s Oscars ceremony. Starring Casino Royale and Hannibal actor Mads Mikkelsen, Another Round follows four high school teachers as they embark on an audacious experiment with alcohol. In cinemas from 2 July.

Will you be watching Oscar-winning Danish film Another Round?

Black Widow

The Marvel Cinematic Universe returns to the big screen with this Scarlett Johansson led spy-thriller. Also starring Florence Pugh and Stranger Things' David Harbour, Black Widow explores Natasha Romanoff's life long before she became an Avenger. In cinemas from 9 July.

Blockbuster Black Widow will be released in July

Old

Supernatural horror maestro M. Night Shyamalan is back with another twist-filled thriller. In Old, a family on a tropical holiday discover that the secluded beach where they are relaxing for a few hours is somehow causing them to age rapidly - reducing their entire lives into just a single day. In cinemas from 23 July.

Horror fans will love Old

Jungle Cruise

Emily Blunt and Dwayne Johnson join forces for a fun, family-friendly voyage in Jungle Cruise. Together, they search for an ancient tree that holds unparalleled healing abilities - a discovery that will change the future of medicine. In cinemas from 30 July.

Will you be watching Jungle Cruise?

The Last Letter From Your Lover

Adapted from JoJo Moyes' best-selling novel of the same name, The Last Letter From Your Lover is sure to be summer 2021's big romantic drama. Set between the French Riviera and London during the 1960s and present-day, the film stars Shailene Woodley, Felicity Jones, Callum Turner and Joe Alwyn. In cinemas from 6 August.

The Last Letter From Your Lover will be this summer's big romantic drama

The Courier

Benedict Cumberbatch stars in this espionage thriller based on the true story of a British businessman who was unwittingly recruited into one of the greatest international conflicts in history. In cinemas from 13 August.

The Courier looks gripping

Censor

Set in Britain in 1985, Censor tells the story of a woman who discovers an eerie horror movie that is seemingly linked to her sister’s mysterious disappearance. Come for the horror, stay for the glorious eighties aesthetics. In cinemas from 20 August.

Will you be watching Censor?

The Duke

Jim Broadbent, Helen Mirren and Downton Abbey star Matthew Goode are all set to star in this new British comedy-drama based on a true story of a retired bus driver who stole a masterpiece from the National Gallery to ransom it for charity. In cinemas from 3 September.

The Duke looks like a classic already!

Respect

In this highly anticipated biopic, Jennifer Hudson transforms her into the ‘Queen of Soul’ Aretha Franklin. The film, which began production almost two years ago with the late singer’s consent, charts her career from a child singing in her father’s church’s choir to her international superstardom. In cinemas from 10 September.

Jennifer Hudson plays Aretha Franklin in Respect

No Time to Die

The long-awaited last outing for Daniel Craig as the 007 spy, James Bond finds himself hot on the trail of a mysterious villain, who's armed with a dangerous new technology after he's recruited to rescue a kidnapped scientist. In cinemas from 30 September.

Daniel Craig's last James Bond film will be released in September

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