Collegiate Times

For decades, going to the movie theater has been a tried and true American summer tradition, making it an ideal season for the release of big-budget blockbuster films. Holiday weekends are abundant; kids are out of school and production companies ensure that their marketing machines are running at full blast to get people into the theaters.

With the third installments of the “Shrek,” “Spider-man,” and “Pirates,” franchises already behind us, it may sound ridiculous to say the best has yet to come — but it’s true. July and August will host four other massively hyped films that are sure to keep box office sales soaring throughout the rest of the summer.

Historically, one of the most sought after release dates of the summer has been the 4th of July weekend. Opening a big-budget film on this weekend, when properly marketed, almost always ensures a profitable — if not record-breaking — return. This year the coveted release date belongs to “Transformers.”

Aside from the title, only three factors need be mentioned to emphasize how spectacular this film is expected to be. It is directed by Michael Bay, produced by Steven Spielberg, and has a budget rumored to be in the $200 million range.

To put into perspective the level of anticipation surrounding the movie, consider that the MTV Movie Awards created a new category (“Best Summer Film You Haven’t Seen Yet”) so that they could be the first to present an award to the producers.

The extended trailer for the film, which debuted before “Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End,” left audiences across the country salivating in their stadium seats. The marketing team has utilized cross-promotion at levels never before seen, ensuring that people cannot turn a corner without being bombarded by advertisements for the film.  “Transformers” is the most highly anticipated film to come out since “The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King,” and is poised to use its favorable release date to aim for unprecedented American box office records.

Despite its weight, “Transformers” isn’t the only movie to get excited about.
Several new installments to already successful franchises will also debut in July and August in the shadow of “Transformers.” On June 27 America can look forward to the return of timeless bad boy and terrorist magnet John McClane in “Live Free or Die Hard.” It is the fourth film in the “Die Hard” series and looks to perform just as well in the box office as the three previous chapters.

Aside from driving taxi cabs into helicopters and destroying the better part of a New York City on-ramp, the film may also finally answer the question audiences have been asking since “Die Hard With a Vengeance” came out: How did Officer John McClane come to be so darn unlucky? Bruce Willis, in an interview with ESPN, went so far as to say that he believes this film is as good, if not better, than the original. Yippee-ki-yay indeed.

The closest any blockbuster summer film was willing to come to the “Transformers” release date was a full eight days after, and even then only by the sure-fire money maker “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix,” which comes out July 11. Only a film with a massive established fan base, such as “Harry Potter,” could hope to make money premiering in such close proximity to “Transformers,” especially considering the two target very similar national demographics.  The film also premiers strategically close to the release of the seventh (and final) book in the series, which is sure to boost ticket sales.

The franchise, which has grown increasingly darker and more adult since the first film was released in 2001, is rumored to take a major turn in “Order of the Phoenix” as a war brews between opposing wizard factions. First time “Harry Potter” director David Yates directed “Order of the Phoenix” as well as the next film: “Harry Potter and The Half-Blood Prince.” Fans of the franchise will not have to wait long for “Half-Blood Prince,” which is slated for release in 2008. Filming for the two overlapped largely due to concerns over the appearance of the rapidly aging cast.

Last, but certainly not least, is the final chapter in the Jason Bourne saga, “The Bourne Ultimatum,” which will be released on Aug. 3. It has been three years since the enormously popular “Bourne Supremacy” came out and fans world-wide anxiously await the return of their favorite morally-conflicted super-spy. The franchise, which was intended since conception to be a trilogy, looks to answer lingering questions and tie up loose plot lines in this final installment.

Love it or hate it, summer is the time for mega-budget films to compete for the billions of dollars Americans will spend at the movies during the season. It is the season for shameless cross-promotion, big name sequels, and — if we are lucky — some of the best films of the year.

So forget what you’ve seen thus far, the best has yet to come.