Summer family movies bring popcorn and smiles.
The doors to summer open up each May and so does the summer box office.
A little bit of escapism, humor and life lessons at the movies still carry a lot of value to families running at a 21st-century pace. A break from summer heat never comes too soon. And the experience of sitting in a darkened room together watching a movie on a big screen remains a unique and simple pleasure.
It’s hard to say the summer movies of 2025 are not affected by a film industry still trying to catch up from COVID and two lengthy labor strikes. Multiple re-releases, remakes and sequels make up most of what you’ll see, and the number of releases won’t quite get you to Labor Day, but summer time can still be the best time to bring the family together and hang out with popcorn and smiles.
May
May 2
“A Tooth Fairy Tale”
An animated film about a teenage tooth fairy fighting to save his magical world from a spider army, enlisting the help of troll and goblin scientist, features the voices of Vivica Fox, Jon Lovitz and Fran Drescher. But if you can’t quite get to the theater in time, the film arrives on streaming May 20.
May 9
“The Lightning Code”
An animated film about a teenage inventor discovering the secret to limitless energy, pitting him against an evil corporation who will do anything to steal it from him. The inventor must choose his friends or the fight.
May 11
“Wolf Children”
The re-release of this critically acclaimed 2013 hit animated film from Japan about a mother’s love to save her children, tells the story of a college student who falls for a wolf man and the family life they build with their two half-human, half-wolf kids. When the father is killed, the woman moves to a house in the countryside where her kids can find their own path as either human or wolf.
May 17
“Kiki’s Delivery Service”
Originally released in 1998, one of the many acclaimed films from premier Japanese animation director Hayao Miyazaki tells the story of a young witch trying to find her way in the world. A 13-year-old girl moves to a seaside town with her talking cat to train for being a witch. The girl soon starts a successful courier service with broomstick, but eventually must overcome self-doubt to regain her powers. The film features the voice talents of Kirsten Dunst, Janeane Garofalo and the late actors Debbie Reynolds and Phil Hartman.
May 18
“The Wiz”
This musical retelling of “The Wizard of Oz” premiered in 1978 to mixed reviews but has gained in stature over time with fans. Starring Diana Ross as Harlem schoolteacher Dorothy, who is swept away to the urban fantasy land of Oz. Richard Pryor plays a wizard who might get her back to Manhattan, but to find him, she’ll need the help of the cowardly lion, the scarecrow, played by Michael Jackson, and the tin man, played by Nipsey Russell.
May 23
“Lilo & Stitch”
This live-action (with CG imagery) remake of the Disney animated hit retells the story of a runaway alien helping a Hawaiian girl repair her broken family. The film stars Zach Galifianakis, Courtney Vance and Tia Carrere.
May 30
“Karate Kid: Legends”
After wrapping up the “Karate Kid” TV show, “Cobra Kai” on Netflix, the popular franchise has moved back to the big screen with “Karate Kid: Legends,” which combines the Ralph Macchio-era films with the Jackie Chan-era films for a new run. A kung fu prodigy moves to New York to attend a distinguished school. There he makes a new friendship with a classmate and her father, but draws the negative attention from a local karate champ. The prodigy trains to enter the ultimate karate competition with the help and wisdom of his kung fu teacher, Jackie Chan, and the karate kid, Ralph Macchio, merging their teachings for an epic martial arts showdown.
June
June 13
“How to Train Your Dragon”
Following the original hit 2010 animated film, this live-action retelling bring’s Universal’s young viking story back in vivid detail.
Way back in the age of the Vikings, on the island of Berk, an inventive boy tries to solve the long-running battles between Vikings and dragons when he befriends a Night Fury dragon. With his friends by his side, he fights a world divided by fear and misunderstanding, and builds a better future while becoming a leader and hero. Gerard Butler reprises the role he played in the animated version, while joined by new cast members Nick Frost and Nico Parker.
June 20
“Elio”
Pixar’s followup to the 2024 hit “Inside Out 2,” is a story about 11-year-old Elio’s adventure when he is beamed into space by aliens and mistaken for an ambassador of Earth. The animated film features the voice acting of recent Oscar winner Zoe Saldana.
July
July 18
“Smurfs”
In this latest animated “Smurfs” film, Papa Smurf is kidnapped by wizards and three young smurfs go out into the real world to rescue him. Along the way, they discover things about themselves, too. Featuring the voices of John Goodman, Rihanna, Kurt Russell, James Corden and Nick Offerman.
July 25
“Fantastic Four: First Steps”
After three previously failed attempts by Fox to turn the comic superhero team The Fantastic Four into movie stars, Marvel is finally getting the chance to put their own creation into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. With the studio’s recent struggles, it’s bringing their most old-school, family-friendly heroes out there to help reinvigorate their movie universe. In a very retro-futuristic 1960s world, Marvel’s so-called “First Family” of Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic (Pedro Pascal), Sue Storm/Invisible Woman (Vanessa Kirby), Johnny Storm/Human Torch (Joseph Quinn) and Ben Grimm/The Thing (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) are re-introduced to figure out their place as heroes as well as family members, while they battle the planet-devouring baddie called Galactus (Ralph Ineson) and his herald, the Silver Surfer (Julia Garner).
August
Aug. 1
“Bad Guys 2”
In the sequel to DreamWorks Animation’s 2022 hit “Bad Guys,” based on The New York Times best-selling book series, the animal anti-heroes are back with some company. The former outlaws are working to be good, but get caught up in an international heist plotted out by an unsuspected group: The Bad Girls. The film features the voices of Oscar winner Sam Rockwell as well as Craig Robinson, Awkwafina, Zazie Beetz, Marc Maron, Natasha Lyonne and Alex Borstein.
Aug. 6
“Sketch”
A single dad — played by former “Veep” star Tony Hale — is still struggling with the loss of his wife and tries to manage being a parent when his daughter’s dark, comedic drawings start coming to life and causing chaos in their town.
Aug. 8
“Freakier Friday”
The summer family movie season closes with the sequel to 2003’s hit “Freaky Friday” and brings back stars Lindsay Lohan and Oscar winner Jamie Lee Curtis to discover things are getting freaky again as two families merge.
By Shawn Price
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