Summer movie season traditionally kicks off in early May, marking the release of the first potential blockbuster of the warm months. For 2022, the heyday of blockbusters seemed to have reemerged with "The Fall Guy," a critically acclaimed action-comedy anticipated to revive the industry after a pandemic-induced slumber.
Celebrating the cinematic tradition, we have ranked the best-of-the-best summer movie openers of the 21st century, paying homage to the gargantuan, crowd-pleasing spectacles that have defined summer seasons past.
Starting at number ten, "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3" (2023) marked a significant uptick for Marvel, breaking the studio's slump and ending the trilogy on a high note.
Coming in at number nine is the comedic god-out-of-water film "Thor," praised for its appealing playfulness and memorable villains when it launched.
Number eight belongs to "Fast Five," a franchise highlight that was so successful it has prompted a redefinition of when summer blockbuster season begins.
At seventh place, "Spider-Man" stands out as a significant milestone in modern superhero cinema, marked by the palpable chemistry of its stars and a compelling origin storyline.
Number six is the sequel "X2," which matured the narrative and character depth of the mutant saga and proved that bigger budgets and larger scale storytelling could actually yield better results.
Ironically at fifth, "Iron Man 3," a Christmas film, signified a shift in the franchise with Tony Stark's character showing a more haunted side of the superhero billionaire.
The fourth spot goes to "Mission: Impossible III," a sleek, James Bond-esque installment that brought a fresh touch to the franchise.
Landing at number three is "Iron Man," which propelled Marvel into industry dominance while laying down the blueprint for the studio's future releases.
In second place, Ridley Scott's epic and Oscar-winning blockbuster "Gladiator" displayed a rare balance of riveting spectacle and compelling character drama.
Finally, at the very top is the original superhero team-up film, "The Avengers," which redefined the scale of comic book adaptations and brought all our favorite Marvel heroes together for an unforgettable adventure.
