Entertainment

15 Summer Blockbusters You Can See With Your Kids, Ranked

EntertainmentPublished May 24, 2017
By Jacqueline Burt Cote
wonder womanWarner Bros. Pictures/YouTube

There's no time like summertime to kick back at your local cineplex with a bucket of overpriced popcorn and lose yourself (and your kids) in one of the season's many eagerly awaited blockbusters. Whether you're into animation and action or just looking for a few laughs, there are definitely plenty of options. But which big budget flicks are worth waiting in line for this year? 

We looked at the most buzzworthy family-friendly movies heading to theaters and ranked them from "Meh, maybe we'll wait to stream this one" to "Can we order our tickets now??" Check out our list (with picks for every age and interest!).

1/15

#15: 'King Arthur: Legend of the Sword'

Director Guy Ritchie's take on the classic tale, King Arthur: Legend of the Sword (starring Charllie Hunnam and Jude Law) might be interesting to teens -- or not, as it's being called the "new worst film of 2017" (so there's a reason why it's at the bottom of our list!). (In theaters now.)

2/15

#14: 'The Nut Job 2: Nutty by Nature'

To be honest, the first Nut Job wasn't a huge hit -- so maybe don't get your hopes up too high for The Nut Job 2: Nutty by Nature, which follows Surly the squrrel and friends as they try to find a new park to live in. On the other hand, it does have a good cast (Will Arnett, Katherine Heigl, Maya Rudolph), so there might be some pleasant surprises. (In theaters August 11.)

3/15

#13: 'The Mummy'

Hey, look at that: The Mummy is back, this time with Tom Cruise as a former special forces officer and Russell Crowe as a Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde sort of character. Oh, and this time the evil mummy is female! (Progress?) Potentially too scary for younger kids, this is a better bet for teens (and parents who have a nostalgic fondness for Cruise). (In theaters June 9.)

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4/15

#12: 'Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie'

If your kids get a kick out of Dav Pilkey's incredibly popular book series, they'll definitely want to check out Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie. Featuring the voices of Kevin Hart, Thomas Middleditch, and Ed Helms, this one should get lots of laughs (and maybe a few eye-rolls from mom and dad). (In theaters June 2.)

5/15

#11: 'The Emoji Movie'

It was probably only a matter of time until emojis got their own movie -- and guess what? It's called The Emoji Movie! The good news is, the cast is packed with hilarious people: T.J. Miller (Silicon Valley), Ilana Glazer (Broad City), James Corden, Maya Rudolph, Rob Riggle, and even Patrick Stewart! (In theaters July 28.)

6/15

#10: 'Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets'

Directed by Luc Besson (The Fifth Element), Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets stars Cara Delevingne and Dane DeHaan as intergalactic special operatives on a mission to save humanity. (It's a classic teen love story, too.) (In theaters July 21.)

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7/15

#9: 'Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Long Haul'

The fourth installment in the series of movies based on Jeff Kinney's best-selling books, Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Long Haul stars Alicia Silverstone and Tom Everett Scott as the parents of the main character (played by Jason Drucker). Expect plenty of mildly naughty jokes and hijinks galore! (In theaters now.)

8/15

#8: 'Cars 3'

It's basically a scientific fact: Kids love cars, especially cars that talk. That's why we're getting a third installment in the Cars series, once again starring Owen Wilson and Larry the Cable Guy. Probably not too many surprises here, but worth the price of admssion! (In theaters June 16.)

9/15

#7: 'War for the Planet of the Apes'

Fans of the first two films in this trilogy won't want to miss the third (and last) installment. War for the Planet of the Apes features Woody Harrelson and some intense, very CGI-heavy battle scenes (which is why it's probably better for teens than younger kids). (In theaters July 14.)

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10/15

#6: 'Despicable Me 3'

The whole family loved the first two, so this one should be a no-brainer. Despicable Me 3 brings back all the good stuff: Steve Carell as the not-so-villainous villain Gru, Kristen Wiig as his girlfriend, Lucy, and ... Minions!!! Added bonus: South Park's Trey Parker joins the cast as yet another bad guy. (In theaters June 30.)

11/15

#5: 'Transformers: The Last Knight'

The fifth in Michael Bay's blockbuster series, Transformers: The Last Knight will be a hit with kids no matter what: Optimus Prime! Outer space! Big battle scenes! Mark Wahlberg and Anthony Hopkins! (Okay, maybe those last two are more interesting for you, but still.) (In theaters June 21.)

12/15

#4: 'Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales'

If you liked the first four movies in this franchise (and millions of people did), you'll most likely be a fan of Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales, too. Plenty of swashbuckling action sequences and familiar faces (Johnny Depp, Orlando Bloom, Geoffrey Rush), plus a couple of new ones including Javier Bardem as an evil captain and Sir Paul McCartney himself making a cameo appearance (!!). (In theaters May 26.)

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13/15

#3: 'Spider-Man: Homecoming'

Another Spider-Man movie? Sure, why not! Spider-Man: Homecoming stars Tom Holland as a young Peter Parker, trying to balance his life as a high school student with being the newest recruit for Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.). With Michael Keaton as the evil Vulture and Marisa Tomei as Aunt May -- wait, is she really old enough?! (In theaters July 7.)

14/15

#2: 'Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 2'

It's not even technically summer yet, and already we're pretty sure Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 2 is going to be one of the season's highest grossing films -- it made more than $145 million in its first weekend, after all. At least the success is well-deserved, with the first film's cast back and better than ever (Chris Pratt! Bradley Cooper! Vin Diesel!), and a story that's both action-packed and surprisingly emotional. (In theaters now.)

15/15

#1: 'Wonder Woman: Rise of the Warrior'

The day we've dreamed of since we were kids is upon us at last: Wonder Woman is finally getting her very own movie! Starring Gal Godot as everybody's favorite fearless heroine, the long-awaited, highly anticipated film looks promising indeed (did we mention her love interest is played by Chris Pine?). (In theaters June 2.)

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