16 Best Summer Movies of Every Year Since The Dark Knight

Top 16 Greatest Summer Blockbusters of Every Year Since The Dark Knight

Welcome to WatchMojo, and today were counting down our picks for the most effective, entertaining, and/or high-quality success stories. This includes big box-office winners released between May and August. This means that both Infinity War and Endgame wont be here.

2024: Deadpool & Wolverine

Its hard to top the star power of these two superheroes. With all of the good will from the first and second Deadpool, this third entry had big shoes to fill. Thankfully for everyone, Hugh Jackman said yes and put on the yellow costume. Ryan Reynolds and his co-star have perfect chemistry in this meta mashup. Theres also more than a few cameos worth nothing, with surprising twists and turns for diehard fans. Deadpool & Wolverine also features some slick action scenes with lots of violence and red suits. In what couldve been a disaster, Reynolds and company build everything on a firm foundation of dark comedy. It wasnt the only worthy sequel from 2024 either, with Inside Out 2 becoming another success.

2023: Barbenheimer

Summer 2023 was a huge one for movie fans of all kinds. On the same day in July, both Barbie and Oppenheimer released in a double feature for the ages. The comedic journey based on a Mattel doll earned over a billion dollars, showing that tons of people wanted to experience the fun adventure. Theres also the historical epic directed by Christopher Nolan that keeps you on edge for three hours. With all of the hype and memes, the two films helped each other score big at the box office. The projects mightve been vastly different, but they were both well-made, effective, and compelling ideas that drove people to the theater.

2022: Top Gun: Maverick

Whenever you need a film thats full of authentic action, you should look no further than Tom Cruise. He returned as Maverick to continue the personal and epic story. It couldve been a disaster, but serious care went into this heart-filled sequel. Theres also some incredible stunt flying in real jets. Filming the actors reactions, the aerobatic sequences fill this movie with popcorn thrills you cant fake. Its an exciting way to extend the series with even better stunts this time around. With uncertainty around the COVID-19 pandemic, some argued that Top Gun: Maverick helped save theaters after the pandemic.

2021: Black Widow

Despite the events of Endgame, Scarlett Johansson wasnt finished playing this character. Black Widow let the actress return as Natasha Romanoff. The movie is full of action-packed scenes, but also becomes about adoptive families and sisters. With Florence Pugh as Yelena Belova, Johansson has a great scene partner to work alongside. The awesome cast also includes the talents of Rachel Weisz and David Harbour. In a mix of a road movie and a spy thriller, the fast-paced story takes a look at an important chapter of the lead heros history. Its a film for Marvel fans that prefer grounded fights to the magical powers in other MCU entries.

2020: Various

In the summer of 2020, COVID-19 pandemic completely changed the moviegoing experience. Many theater chains closed locations and people largely avoided public places. The studios and distributors were forced to make changes, leading many movies such as F9 to be postponed. Some films later came out on streaming platforms, taking away other potential revenue for theaters. This opened the door for smaller projects like Unhinged to make a modest profit with little competition. By the time September rolled around, it took something like Tenet to help generate more box office. Even then, the results from that season werent anywhere near what people wanted.

2019: Once Upon a Timein Hollywood (2019)

Is it Quentin Tarantinos most star-studded and epic film? The movie explores the lives of various Hollywood types in the 1960s. Rick Dalton and his stunt man Cliff Booth navigate their careers, with the latter crossing paths with Manson family members. Its faithful to the period in terms of character details, costumes, and production design. Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt, and Margot Robbie are just three of the great performers on display. Tarantino fans, cinephiles, and even casual viewers can find something to enjoy here. It might not be the typical blockbuster, but it did rake in millions despite its lengthy runtime. This just means that audiences are willing to sit and wait for an awesome payoff.

2018: Mission: Impossible - Fallout

There arent many franchises that still work at number six. For some people, this entry in the Mission: Impossible series might be the best. Fallout follows Ethan Hunts quest to stop the bad guys from using nuclear weapons. The larger film finds Tom Cruise doing some of his most insane stunts, pushing his body to limits rarely seen on screen. He leaps buildings, rides motorcycles, and flies helicopters. The movie is a summer blockbuster that feels like a rollercoaster, with all the chases you could want. 2018 also brought breathtaking work for sequels to Deadpool and Incredibles. With Cruise leading the way, this one feels like a near-perfect package of engaging work that connected with audiences.

2017: Dunkirk

It seems obvious now that Christopher Nolan would make a WWII film. In his 2017 release Dunkirk, he won critics and audiences over with his depiction of the Dunkirk evacuation. Its a tensely-plotted film with no time to waste. As the director bounces around to various perspectives, you experience the land, sea, and air battles for yourself. Nolans camera places viewers in the midst of danger and excitement. The movie blends history and entertainment on a massive scale. Youre in the hands of a master, being swept away to a French beach in 1940. A similar kind of magic powered the superhero juggernauts of Wonder Woman and Spider-Man that year.

2016: Captain America: Civil War

At its core, this movie is one of the more interesting Marvel stories. What if two of the best heroes decided to duke it out? You could look at this as philosophical, or just use it as an excuse to watch them fight each other. In this film, audiences get to see what happens when Tony Stark and Steve Rogers have a big dispute. This puts them on opposite sides and brings out all sorts of heroes like Bucky Barnes, TChalla, and Peter Parker. Its another huge step for the MCU, setting the stage for future Avengers installments. Even if youre not well-versed in the storytelling, this movie has tons of moments to keep you entertained.

2015: Jurassic World

Not every Jurassic Park sequel worked, but they did make lots of money. Jurassic World made a successful attempt at rebooting the property. Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard lead a cast that encounters an old location with new surprises. The creatures are ferocious, the action is effective, and the whole thing feels like an enthralling take on the original series. Theres also the change in how the dinosaurs interact, with raptors coming in handy for a fight scene. The franchise expanded even more here as another trilogy filled the 2010s. It wasnt the only series that got a remix in 2015 either, with Mad Max receiving a beloved installment.

2014: X-Men: Days of Future Past

With sequels and prequels, this entry in the X-Men film finds itself as something of a crossover. Its a time-traveling fantasy blending the early movies with a newer cast. Can they all come together to prevent the destruction of the future? This central question traces the heroes across multiple timelines, finding them confronting history itself to complete their mission. The result includes all the characters youve come to love in a fight to save the universe. You also have the thrilling inclusion of newcomers like Quicksilver. With all of that drama and star power, its easy to see why this entry connected at the box office with both fans and critics alike.

2013: The Conjuring

Horror movies might seem like a dime a dozen, but The Conjuring ended up captivating audiences in 2013. It features the story of a family tormented in their own house. Youve seen some of this before, but this time around there are compelling performances and some real-life inspiration. The film is partly based on the experiences of paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren. This connection to reality gives you one more reason to worry when you leave the theater. With audiences eager to be scared, excited viewers helped to make this movie a hit. It then kickstarted a franchise that kept the scares coming for several years.

2012: The Avengers

Back in 2012, this seemed like an unprecedented team up of Marvel heroes. The gamble paid off and set a course for even more success to follow. When the trickster Loki gets hold of powerful technology, a whole host of super individuals track him down in order to save the world. Iron Man, Thor, and many more characters flood the screen with their larger-than-life personalities. Theres intrigue, comedy, and more than a few fights to round things out. It probably shouldve been a disaster, but the filmmakers and actors come together for some top notch escapism. The same could be said for Christopher Nolans last entry in The Dark Knight trilogy later that summer.

2011: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2

In the last chapter of the Harry Potter series, the audience finally gets what theyve been waiting for the entire time. The wizarding world comes to grips with Voldemort and fights him in an epic battle. Despite the fallen heroes, the survivors come together to cast out the villain and his many underlings. It all comes down to a duel between Potter and the main antagonist. The film does an expert job at making you anxious even if youve read the book. By the same token, the awesome climax is only outdone by the moving finale. 2011 marked ten years since Philosophers Stone and the end to an entertainment phenomenon.

2010: Inception

With this trippy premise, Christopher Nolan created an original blockbuster idea. Leonardo DiCaprio disappears into dreams to steal secrets and plant ideas. Hes surrounded by a superb ensemble, with everyone adding to this globe-trotting thriller. The plot takes them into the high-stakes world of cerebral heists. Nolan creates a complex story, but he also delivers with some amazing set pieces. The unexpected visuals and mind-bending surprises keep you on your toes the whole time. Inception later became a reference point all its own, with the word entering the popular lexicon. That same year, audiences also fell in love with the third entry in the Toy Story franchise.

2009: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

By the time the series got to its sixth entry, Harry Potter had become much darker overall. This film highlights the merits of that decision. Gone are the days of happy-go-lucky kids, with the franchise putting the fight between good and evil on full display. The hero and his friends come to understand that theyll need to fight for survival. With tragedy around every corner, Half-Blood Prince gives fans the terrifying moments theyve been waiting for. As the threat of Lord Voldemort looms, Potter finds his future partner and learns a valuable lesson from Dumbledore. Another magical chapter sets up the two-part finale and wins big at the box office.

Which summer blockbuster do you want to see in 2025? Let us know in the comments below.