10 films we can't wait to see this summer

Summer is upon us! Which means crushing heat, sloppy sweat, and stinging sunburns. Ugh. Who needs it? Play it smart and geeky! Beat the heat by ducking into the theater near you for free A/C and some of the summer's hottest movies. This season brings some delightful and demented treats in sci-fi, fantasy, and horror. And we've created a guide to help you make the most of your free time.

Scouring the summer release schedule, SYFY WIRE FANGRRLS has singled out a stellar selection of spectacle-packed studio tentpoles, star-stuffed indie stunners, and some festival favorites that are finally coming to theaters! Whether you're craving zombie carnage with a side of comedy, frolicking fantasy for the whole family, web-slinging superheroes, or some seriously soul-shaking scares, we've got you covered.

"Chardonaaaaaaay!"

The zombie comedy gets new life thanks to Jim Jarmusch and "the greatest cast ever disassembled!" Bill Murray, Adam Driver, Tilda Swinton, Chloë Sevigny, Steve Buscemi, RZA, Iggy Pop, Selena Gomez, Tom Waits, and Carol Kane star. And if that eccentric ensemble isn't enough to lure you in, how about the promise of George A. Romero-level gore, a sharp sense of humor, and Swinton wielding a samurai sword to slay the zombie hordes!

The Dead Don't Die opens June 14.

"I want you to meet Forky!"

Woody, Buzz, and the gang are back for one last romp. In this delightful new adventure, the ever-loyal sheriff tasks himself with caring for Bonnie's new favorite toy, an anxious craft project called Forky. This leads to a wild journey through a far-off playground, a creepy antique store, and dazzling carnival, where Woody meets new friends, new foes, and reconnects with his former flame, Bo Peep! All this and FANGRRLS favorite Keanu Reeves as Canadian action figure Duke Caboom! What more could we ask for?  

Toy Story 4 opens June 21.

"Goodnight, Andy!"

From lovable toys to killer ones! In 1988, a talking doll with an insatiable blood lust made playtime terrifying. Now, Chucky is being rebooted with a Black Mirror twist perfect for 2019. This time around, he's more than a pull-string doll with a knife. This Buddi has an accompanying app that gives him Siri-ous control over the house! Bonus: Legion's Aubrey Plaza stars as Andy's mom, while Mark Hamill brings fresh menace as the voice of Chucky.

Child's Play opens June 21.

"Love is a four-letter word. Two idiots. One broken heart."

Do you like your romance with bit of danger, a bit of comedy, and a touch of cannibalism? Good news! Israel's first-ever fantasy film is for you! Inspired by the bold women in his life, filmmaker Guilhad Emilio Schenke has crafted a terrific and twisted tale of an all-female cult of literal man-eaters. To rise up the ranks, you must bring men to dinner. (Get it?) But when lonely librarian Sophie begins to fall for a handsome stranger, she must choose between the only community she has and her last chance at true love. We've been raving about this one since its Fantastic Fest debut. And now is your chance to join the club!

Madam Yankelova's Fine Literature Club opens in LA June 21.

"I'm just a friendly neighborhood Spider-Man!"

In the wake of Avengers: Endgame, MCU fans starkly need a pick-me-up. Cue Peter Parker in a summer-set adventure with new sites, new thrills, and a smoking hot new mentor. Joining Tom Holland in the MCU heartthrob club is Jake Gyllenhaal as Mysterio, the caped crusader with a curious backstory, a love of LED accents, and a beard so thick and beautiful it could square off against Cap's in the battle for our affections! Samuel L. Jackson, Zendaya, Jon Favreau, Marisa Tomei, Tony Revolori, and Jacob Batalon return for a wild ride you won't want to miss.  

Spider-Man: Far From Home opens July 2.

"Is it scary?"

Last year, Ari Aster burst onto the horror scene with his spine-rattling and mind-bending debut Hereditary. This summer he's back with his hotly anticipated follow-up, which follows a gang of American tourists to a fabled festival in a remote Swedish village. But warm smiles and flower crowns soon give way to something dark and terrifying. Already the buzz is outstanding. Get Out/Us mastermind Jordan Peele says of Misommar, "That was some of the most atrociously disturbing imagery I’ve ever seen on film." So now that you know, do you dare go?

Midsommar opens July 3.

"Come on, you son of a bitch!"

Cool cool cool. So this one is basically our nightmare. A Category 5 hurricane floods your home. You scramble to rescue your loved ones from the raging waters that would callously swallow them whole. But this isn't the only ravenous threat you face, because there's also a huge, hungry alligator in the waters, and IN YOUR HOUSE. Alexandre Aja, the demented mind that brought us High Tension, The Hills Have Eyes (2003), and Piranha 3D, teams up with horror legend Sam Raimi (The Evil Dead Trilogy, Drag Me To Hell) for a creature feature that's sure to make your skin crawl!

Crawl opens July 12.

"You don't want trouble. But sometimes trouble wants you."

Writer/director Jennifer Kent terrified audiences and had critics raving over her instantly iconic directorial debut The Babadook. Now, she's back with a thriller so dark and disturbing in its depictions of violence that some viewers fled its festival screenings. But Kent isn't trying to shock audiences for thrills or fun. She's aiming instead for an unblinking authenticity. Set in 1825 Tasmania, this thriller delves into historical fiction to expose the brutalization that women and indigenous people suffered at the hands of conquering colonialists through the story of a young woman and an Aboriginal tracker on a quest of vengeance. This won't be an easy watch. But Kent's work exploring the trauma and rage of her heroine in The Babadook makes eager to see what she wants to show us next.

The Nightingale opens August 2.

"Whoooo took my toe?"  

This one is a dream come true for horror fans who grew up in the '80s. The titular controversial book series written by Alvin Schwartz and illustrated by Stephen Gammell terrorized us as kids and still haunts us as adults. Now, it's coming to life, thanks to Guillermo del Toro. The master of monsters is a producer and screenwriter on this much-anticipated adaptation. At the helm is André Øvredal, who directed the chilling The Autopsy of Jane Doe and the absolutely thrilling Trollhunter. We can't imagine a better pairing to bring scary stories like "The Red Spot," "Harold," and "The Pale Lady" into theaters. And we're ready to scream!

Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark opens August 9.

"Chance of a lifetime."

Nothing says "summer" quite like shark-centered horror! Johannes Roberts is back at the helm for this savage sequel to the bitingly frightening 47 Meters Down. But forget the shattered sisters from the first film. This time it's four friends going diving in the submerged ruins of an ancient civilization. But things sink from swimmingly to shark-infested, leaving these friends fighting for their survival. And we can't wait to dive right in.

47 Meters Down: Uncaged opens August 16.