By Brian Truitt

10 must-see movies of summer 2021

ENTERTAINMENT

Army of the Dead

Where to watch: In theaters May 14, on Netflix May 21

After a zombie outbreak turns Las Vegas into a quarantine zone, a group of mercenaries ventures into what's left to steal $200 million from an abandoned casino. Unfortunately, the undead are smart, fast and very organized.

Spiral: From the Book of Saw

Where to watch: In theaters May 14

In the ninth film of the "Saw" franchise, detective Ezekiel Bank, his father and a rookie cop, investigate a series of grisly murders bearing the familiar symbol of the trap-making mastermind Jigsaw.

Cruella

Where to watch: In theaters and on Disney+ May 28

Dalmatian-hating Disney villainess Cruella De Vil gets a live-action prequel set in 1970s punk-rock London. Emma Stone plays Estrella, a fashionista who teams up with fellow mischief-makers to take down a baroness.

A Quiet Place Part II

Where to watch: In theaters May 28

The horror sequel picks up from the end of the original, as a mom and her two kids venture out into the world, try to keep silent and avoid being attacked by vicious monsters, and discover new human threats.

F9

Where to watch: In theaters June 25

In the ninth "Fast and Furious,” Dominic Toretto and his crew welcome an old friend – who everybody thought was dead – back into the family while dealing with dual threats: a returning hacker foe and Dom's killer younger brother.

Black Widow

Where to watch: In theaters and on Disney+ July 9

In her own solo superhero film, Marvel’s Black Widow finds herself facing consequences from her former spy life, reconnecting with her "sister" Yelena and tackling the mysterious villain Taskmaster.

Space Jam: A New Legacy

Where to watch:
In theaters and on HBO Max July 16

The new animated/live-action comedy finds LeBron James taken to a digital landscape by a rogue AI. To escape, James teams up with Bugs Bunny's Tune Squad to slam dunk some monstrously powered-up basketball stars.

The Suicide Squad

Where to watch:
In theaters and on HBO Max Aug. 6

Government honcho Amanda Waller sends a ragtag group of imprisoned supervillains – including Harley Quinn, Bloodsport and Peacemaker – on an insane mission that involves guerrilla fighters, jungle threats and one ginormous starfish.

Respect

Where to watch: In theaters on Aug. 13

The musical biopic chronicles the life of Aretha Franklin from her childhood singing in a Detroit Baptist church through the developing as an artist in the 1960s, navigating drama and rising to superstardom.

Candyman

Where to watch: In theaters Aug. 27

The Jordan Peele-produced horror revamp follows a Chicago artist so intrigued by the haunting myth of a hook-handed killer it becomes a fountain of needed inspiration, even as it does a number on his sanity.

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