The summer blockbuster has been absent from cinema screens for the past couple of years, as the pandemic put paid to sitting in the dark, eating popcorn and cheering along with fellow film fans.
But with Fast & Furious 9 and A Quiet Place II emerging as big box-office hits of 2021, the summer blockbuster has returned with a vengeance.
The concept of the Hollywood summer blockbuster emerged in the 1970s. Up until then, the summer – from the end of May to September 6, Labour Day weekend in the US – was considered a “dead zone” for movies, with winter the most popular time for studios to release their new offerings.
Then along came a film which changed everything. Steven Spielberg’s Jaws was released in June 1975, heralding the start of the modern-day summer blockbuster. The trend for huge film releases across June, July and August continued, with Rocky (1976), Flashdance (1983) and Titanic (1997) some of the most notable summer smash hits.
It wasn’t until the monster-hit Spider-Man was released on the first weekend in May 2002 that a new benchmark was established, extending the summer blockbuster window and making May the favoured release month for the likes of The Avengers (2012) and Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End (2007).
Here are 10 of the biggest summer blockbusters from the past 50 years to revisit or watch for the first time this summer …
1. ‘Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope’
Released: May, 1977
Worldwide box office gross: $775 million
A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away ... Cinemagoers were first treated to George Lucas’s epic space vision back in 1977, when Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia and Han Solo were introduced to the public, going on to cement their eternal places in pop culture.
Fun fact: The film was originally called Adventures of Luke Starkiller as Taken from the Journal of the Whills, Saga I: The Star Wars.
2. ‘Grease’
Released: June, 1978
Worldwide box office gross: $387 million
The most successful movie musical of all time made household names of John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John, who played Danny and Sandy. The song Sandy sings, Hopelessly Devoted to You, won the Best Original Song Oscar the following year, and although Newton-John and Travolta met to discuss returning for Grease 2, the studio didn’t pursue the pair after the initial meeting.
Fun fact: Although the cast were playing teenagers, Stockard Channing who played Rizzo, was actually 33 at the time of filming.
3. ‘The Fugitive’
Released: August, 1993
Worldwide box office gross: $368 million
Harrison Ford starred as Dr Richard Kimble, a man accused of murdering his wife. When he escapes and goes on the run after his prison transportation crashes, Deputy US Marshal Samuel Gerard (Tommy Lee Jones) is dispatched to find him. As well as the one-armed man’s involvement, Jones’s “Every farmhouse, henhouse, outhouse and doghouse” speech has become a pop culture fixture.
Fun fact: The big crash scene between the prison bus and the train was meant to be filmed with miniatures, but the director discovered it was cheaper to use the full-size versions, with the locomotive costing just $20,000.
4. ‘Independence Day’
Released: June, 1996
Worldwide box office gross: $817 million
While there are still some corners of the internet debating how Will Smith’s Captain Steven Hiller and Jeff Goldblum’s David Levinson knew where to plug their virus-delivering laptop into the mothership, there’s no denying the success of the film, which was rebooted in 2016 with Liam Hemsworth. The destruction of the White House by alien forces remains an enduring cinematic image.
Fun fact: The US military withdrew its support for the film and use of army bases as locations when they realised that the secret military base Area 51 was a major part of the film.
5. ‘Men in Black’
Released: July, 1997
Worldwide box office gross: $589 million
Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones teamed up to become “the first, last and only line of defence against the worst scum of the universe”, and created a franchise that spawned a further three films. Smith plays J, a police officer recruited by Jones’s K to serve as a celestial immigration officer and hunt down an intergalactic terrorist. Plus, there’s the awesome soundtrack courtesy of Smith.
Fun fact: Clint Eastwood was the producers’ first choice to play Agent K, but he turned the role down.
6. ‘Coming To America’
Released: June, 1998
Worldwide box office gross: $288 million
The movie that gave the world Soul Glo, was one of star Eddie Murphy’s biggest hits. Murphy starred as Prince Akeem, who, facing an arranged marriage, leaves his fictional African country of Zamunda to find a bride in the US. Accompanied by his sidekick, Semmi (Arsenio Hall), the film is credited for having paved the eventual way for the hit, Black Panther.
Fun fact: The fictional country of Zamunda came from stand-up comedian and actor Richard Pryor, who spoke about a fictional tribe of the same name in a sketch.
7. ‘The Matrix Reloaded’
Released: May, 2003
Worldwide box office gross: $739 million
In the sequel to 1999 hit The Matrix, Neo (Keanu Reeves), Trinity (Carrie-Anne Moss) and Morpheus (Laurence Fishburne) reunited to save humanity from extinction at the hands of the Machine Army. Reeves, who earned around $250 million from the franchise thanks to a profit-sharing deal, handed over a huge chunk of his earnings to the special effects and costume design crews.
Fun fact: The third instalment in the franchise, The Matrix Revolutions, was released just six months after Reloaded, in November 2003.
8. ‘Transformers’
Released: June, 2007
Worldwide box office gross: $709 million
Renowned action director Michael Bay helmed the Shia LeBeouf and Megan Fox-starring hit about the Autobots and Decepticons. So far, there have been seven films in the franchise, which started life as a line of Japanese toys.
Fun fact: Peter Cullen, the voice of Optimus Prime, also voices Eeyore the donkey in the Winnie the Pooh TV shows and films.
9. ‘The Dark Knight’
Released: July, 2008
Worldwide box office gross: $999 million
The most critically acclaimed Batman film to star Christian Bale in the titular role was a global success. The Christopher Nolan-directed film received eight Oscar nominations and Heath Ledger, who died in January 2008, a few months before the film’s release, posthumously won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.
Fun fact: In the scene in which the articulated lorry is flipped over, a stuntman named Jim Wilkey was actually driving the truck when it was filmed.
10. ‘Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation’
Released: July, 2015
Worldwide box office gross: $682 million
Tom Cruise’s fifth outing as superspy Ethan Hunt had him come up against the shadowy Syndicate. When his mission to track down the group while leading a team of rogue agents fails, Hunt ends up living as a fugitive in Paris. Eventually, he works his way back into the Impossible Missions Force's good books with a little help from Simon Pegg’s Benji, Jeremy Renner’s Brandt, and Rebecca Ferguson’s Ilsa Faust.
Fun fact: Tom Cruise performed the famous aircraft stunt himself, suspended outside the aircraft 5,000 feet in the air.
Gothia Cup 2025
4,872 matches
1,942 teams
116 pitches
76 nations
26 UAE teams
15 Lebanese teams
2 Kuwaiti teams
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1971: The Year The Music Changed Everything
Director: Asif Kapadia
4/5
Moon Music
Artist: Coldplay
Label: Parlophone/Atlantic
Number of tracks: 10
Rating: 3/5
Tonight's Chat on The National
Tonight's Chat is a series of online conversations on The National. The series features a diverse range of celebrities, politicians and business leaders from around the Arab world.
Tonight’s Chat host Ricardo Karam is a renowned author and broadcaster who has previously interviewed Bill Gates, Carlos Ghosn, Andre Agassi and the late Zaha Hadid, among others.
Intellectually curious and thought-provoking, Tonight’s Chat moves the conversation forward.
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NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
WOMAN AND CHILD
Director: Saeed Roustaee
Starring: Parinaz Izadyar, Payman Maadi
Rating: 4/5
Credit Score explained
What is a credit score?
In the UAE your credit score is a number generated by the Al Etihad Credit Bureau (AECB), which represents your credit worthiness – in other words, your risk of defaulting on any debt repayments. In this country, the number is between 300 and 900. A low score indicates a higher risk of default, while a high score indicates you are a lower risk.
Why is it important?
Financial institutions will use it to decide whether or not you are a credit risk. Those with better scores may also receive preferential interest rates or terms on products such as loans, credit cards and mortgages.
How is it calculated?
The AECB collects information on your payment behaviour from banks as well as utilitiy and telecoms providers.
How can I improve my score?
By paying your bills on time and not missing any repayments, particularly your loan, credit card and mortgage payments. It is also wise to limit the number of credit card and loan applications you make and to reduce your outstanding balances.
How do I know if my score is low or high?
By checking it. Visit one of AECB’s Customer Happiness Centres with an original and valid Emirates ID, passport copy and valid email address. Liv. customers can also access the score directly from the banking app.
How much does it cost?
A credit report costs Dh100 while a report with the score included costs Dh150. Those only wanting the credit score pay Dh60. VAT is payable on top.
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Coming soon
Torno Subito by Massimo Bottura
When the W Dubai – The Palm hotel opens at the end of this year, one of the highlights will be Massimo Bottura’s new restaurant, Torno Subito, which promises “to take guests on a journey back to 1960s Italy”. It is the three Michelinstarred chef’s first venture in Dubai and should be every bit as ambitious as you would expect from the man whose restaurant in Italy, Osteria Francescana, was crowned number one in this year’s list of the World’s 50 Best Restaurants.
Akira Back Dubai
Another exciting opening at the W Dubai – The Palm hotel is South Korean chef Akira Back’s new restaurant, which will continue to showcase some of the finest Asian food in the world. Back, whose Seoul restaurant, Dosa, won a Michelin star last year, describes his menu as, “an innovative Japanese cuisine prepared with a Korean accent”.
Dinner by Heston Blumenthal
The highly experimental chef, whose dishes are as much about spectacle as taste, opens his first restaurant in Dubai next year. Housed at The Royal Atlantis Resort & Residences, Dinner by Heston Blumenthal will feature contemporary twists on recipes that date back to the 1300s, including goats’ milk cheesecake. Always remember with a Blumenthal dish: nothing is quite as it seems.
The five pillars of Islam
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
T10 Cricket League
Sharjah Cricket Stadium
December 14- 17
6pm, Opening ceremony, followed by:
Bengal Tigers v Kerala Kings
Maratha Arabians v Pakhtoons
Tickets available online at q-tickets.com/t10
match info
Southampton 2 (Ings 32' & pen 89') Tottenham Hotspur 5 (Son 45', 47', 64', & 73', Kane 82')
Man of the match Son Heung-min (Tottenham)
The lowdown
Badla
Rating: 2.5/5
Produced by: Red Chillies, Azure Entertainment
Director: Sujoy Ghosh
Cast: Amitabh Bachchan, Taapsee Pannu, Amrita Singh, Tony Luke
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – FINAL RECKONING
Director: Christopher McQuarrie
Starring: Tom Cruise, Hayley Atwell, Simon Pegg
Rating: 4/5
Zayed Sustainability Prize
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
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'Spies in Disguise'
Director: Nick Bruno and Troy Quane
Stars: Will Smith, Tom Holland, Karen Gillan and Roshida Jones
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Essentials
The flights
Etihad (etihad.ae) and flydubai (flydubai.com) fly direct to Baku three times a week from Dh1,250 return, including taxes.
The stay
A seven-night “Fundamental Detox” programme at the Chenot Palace (chenotpalace.com/en) costs from €3,000 (Dh13,197) per person, including taxes, accommodation, 3 medical consultations, 2 nutritional consultations, a detox diet, a body composition analysis, a bio-energetic check-up, four Chenot bio-energetic treatments, six Chenot energetic massages, six hydro-aromatherapy treatments, six phyto-mud treatments, six hydro-jet treatments and access to the gym, indoor pool, sauna and steam room. Additional tests and treatments cost extra.
25-MAN SQUAD
Goalkeepers: Francis Uzoho, Ikechukwu Ezenwa, Daniel Akpeyi
Defenders: Olaoluwa Aina, Abdullahi Shehu, Chidozie Awaziem, William Ekong, Leon Balogun, Kenneth Omeruo, Jamilu Collins, Semi Ajayi
Midfielders: John Obi Mikel, Wilfred Ndidi, Oghenekaro Etebo, John Ogu
Forwards: Ahmed Musa, Victor Osimhen, Moses Simon, Henry Onyekuru, Odion Ighalo, Alexander Iwobi, Samuel Kalu, Paul Onuachu, Kelechi Iheanacho, Samuel Chukwueze
On Standby: Theophilus Afelokhai, Bryan Idowu, Ikouwem Utin, Mikel Agu, Junior Ajayi, Valentine Ozornwafor
How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE
When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cylinder turbo
Power: 240hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 390Nm at 3,000rpm
Transmission: eight-speed auto
Price: from Dh122,745
On sale: now
The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
MATCH INFO
Real Madrid 3 (Kroos 4', Ramos 30', Marcelo 37')
Eibar 1 (Bigas 60')
The Greatest Royal Rumble card as it stands
50-man Royal Rumble
Universal Championship Brock Lesnar (champion) v Roman Reigns in a steel cage match
Intercontinental Championship Seth Rollins (champion) v The Miz v Finn Balor v Samoa Joe
SmackDown Tag Team Championship The Bludgeon Brothers (champions) v The Usos
Casket match The Undertaker v Chris Jericho
John Cena v Triple H
Matches to be announced
WWE World Heavyweight Championship, Raw Tag Team Championship, United States Championship and the Cruiserweight Championship are all due to be defended