The Screen Scribe

Ah, the summer blockbuster season. That time of year when studios hurl their most expensive, most explosive, most test-screened-to-death offerings at our faces and wallets in the hopes of birthing the Next Big Franchise (or at least staving off shareholder revolt until Q4). And 2025’s line-up? It’s a strange brew. Not bad. Not great. Just… strangely familiar.

Because if there’s a running theme this year, it’s resurrection. Superman’s being reborn (again). The Fantastic Four are back (again). Dinosaurs are loose (again-again). And someone thought it was time to turn the John Wick franchise into a shared universe full of emotionally tormented ballerinas with guns. That one’s new, at least, and I won’t lie I am genuinely excited for it.

But I digress. Let’s dig into this summer’s biggest cinematic plays, the competition, the stakes, and who’s most likely to soar, stumble, or quietly slink into streaming purgatory.

Superman

Here’s the big one. The relaunch. The mission-critical cornerstone of the new DCU. James Gunn’s Superman isn’t just a film, it’s an apology letter for a decade of Zack Snyder discourse, if of course you’re on the side of the fence that did not appreciate Snyders vision. Early trailers promise colour, hope, and a Clark Kent who actually smiles. And honestly? That’s not nothing. While Snyders Superman debated whether the Man of Steel was “too powerful to be relatable,” Gunn seems to be going back to basics.

It’s risky, of course. Casting a largely unknown actor as Supes (David Corenswet) means all eyes will be on charisma levels. The costume’s divisive. Like, extremely divisive. The tone feels deliberately old-school, and there’s always the danger that Gunn’s signature irreverence, so perfect for Guardians, might trip over the reverence required for the Man of Steel.

But if Superman sticks the landing, it could be a crucial reset button for DC. A chance to finally move past the endless cinematic reboots and create something unified that isn’t powered entirely by Batman’s brooding.

Prediction: If it’s even decent, it’ll make a mint. If it’s great, Gunn becomes the Feige of the 2030s.

Fantastic Four

Let’s be honest: if Fantastic Four doesn’t work, Marvel’s in trouble. Not apocalyptic trouble, but definitely “rethink your five-year plan” trouble.

Kevin Feige’s once-infallible empire has been wobbling ever since Endgame, and Fantastic Four is being positioned as a big swing to win back both fans and critics. It’s got a strong cast, a director (WandaVision‘s Matt Shakman) with a handle on weird family dynamics, and the benefit of public goodwill, everyone wants this to work, if only because the bar has been set so low by previous versions. The big question is tone. Will Marvel lean into the sci-fi weirdness? The 1960s retro charm? Or will we get another glib, quippy team-up that forgets to be about anything beyond teasing future spin-offs?

The F4 aren’t just another group of superheroes—they’re Marvel’s first family, and they deserve a film that remembers that. If it lands, it could reinvigorate the MCU. If it doesn’t, well… there’s always X-Men.

Prediction: Strong opening weekend, cautiously optimistic critics, lots of “finally!” takes, followed by the usual Twitter meltdowns two weeks later.

Jurassic World: Rebirth

You’ve got to admire the honesty in the title. Rebirth. Not “Evolution,” not “Extinction,”. Just a clean, corporate-scented reset.

Rebirth marks a new chapter, reportedly without the baggage of the Pratt-era trilogy, and aims to start fresh. Again. But here’s the problem: dinosaurs aren’t new. Not anymore. And unless the script is packing a genuinely fresh perspective (no, weaponized raptors aren’t new), then it risks feeling like another go-around on the same prehistoric merry-go-round.

Still, dinosaurs remain a crowd-pleaser. Kids love them. Adults tolerate them. And if Universal can capture even half of the Spielbergian awe that powered the original, this could claw its way to success. But that’s a big if. Because it’s not 1993 anymore. And audiences want more than just a T-Rex stomping through misty trees while John Williams violins do the heavy lifting.

Prediction: Big global box office, soft critic scores, massive merch sales. A “safe” hit.

Ballerina

Now here’s the wild card.

Ballerina, a spin-off from the John Wick universe starring Ana de Armas, has the potential to be this summer’s sleeper hit, or its biggest missed opportunity. Set between Wick 3 and 4, it follows a revenge tale told with ballet precision, tactical murder, and (if the marketing is to be believed) emotional depth.

The franchise DNA is there—gun-fu, shadowy underworlds, neon lighting—but it remains to be seen if the Wick formula works without, well, Wick. Keanu may cameo, but de Armas has to carry the weight. Thankfully, she’s more than capable. Her brief action turns in No Time to Die and The Gray Man proved she’s got the chops.

But Ballerina walks a fine line. Lean too hard into the spin-off structure, and it becomes glorified lore-padding. Lean too little, and it might as well be another generic assassin flick.

Prediction: Modest box office, cult following, lots of discourse about whether it “honours the Wick legacy.”

Final Scorecard

So who “wins” the summer?

From a brand perspective, Superman is the biggest gamble—and the biggest potential reward. If Gunn gets it right, he reboots not just a hero but a whole cinematic identity. If he stumbles? The DCU slips further into multiversal obscurity.

Fantastic Four is the MCU’s attempt to win back old fans, but it’s on thinner ice than Marvel will admit. Rebirth is playing it safe with dinosaurs, and Ballerina is betting on slick style and breakout potential.

But here’s the thing: audiences are changing. Bombast doesn’t cut it anymore. We’ve seen the explosions, heard the Easter eggs, sat through the setups. What we want now? Characters we care about. Stories with stakes. And maybe, just maybe, a blockbuster that doesn’t treat its runtime like an endurance test.

If any of these can deliver that? They’ll walk away the real winner.