This summer saw the end of an era at Marvel Studios, the completion of phase three of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. “Avengers: Endgame” and “Spider-Man: Far From Home” dominated the box office for most of the summer and created quite the buzz between the two films. With this in mind, this summer also saw other platforms thrive as well, between other films at the summer box office, streaming platforms asserting themselves as viable platforms and live streaming which all managed to make the summer worthwhile.

This summer was packed full of films and blockbusters. “Endgame” set the bar high, but that does not mean it was a boring summer. Many films managed to carve themselves a spot in this busy summer, but the horror genre keeps proving time and time again that audiences like to be scared outside the month of October. Films such as “Midsommar,” “Crawl” and “Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark,” all made a lasting impression with audiences and critics. Even if a horror film did not review well, many still made money at the box office. “Annabelle Comes Home” made the most out of any horror film with $72.6 million during the summer season. More horror films such as “It: Chapter Two” will hit theaters September 6th, beginning the fall season for films.

Although horror films are popular, there were a few gems that audiences will remember for a long time and possibly win some Oscars. Films like “Yesterday,” “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” and “The Farewell” left audiences feeling a mixed bag of emotions of happiness, sadness and more overwhelming feelings. These films may have not brought home big bags of cash at the box office, however, they made critics rave about their stories and actors, including another huge performance from Margot Robbie (“Mary Queen of Scots”) as Sharon Tate. As well as smaller films like “The Farewell” blowing everyone away with a tragic story and handling the inevitable part of life in a more familial sense. Different kinds of emotions have been seen not just on the big screen but on the small screen as well.

This summer also saw a tremendous growth in streaming services and the shows they provided on a daily basis. Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon all had a productive summer with new seasons and series premieres that kept people wanting more. Shows like “Stranger Things,” “The Boys,” “The Handmaid’s Tale” and many more all made big impacts over the summer. With more streaming platforms coming along, including Disney+ in November, establishing a fan base has never been more important.

One of the newer shows that managed to engage audiences was Amazon’s “The Boys.” This superhero based show goes into the darkness, corruption and pure evils of a superhero corporation and goes over more human issues of discrimination, sexual harassment and the moral question of right and wrong. Many reviews pointed out a lot of current issues with the United States through the use of symbolism through the character Homelander (Anthony Starr, “American Gothic”), hooking many viewers. Karl Urban (“Thor: Ragnarok”) plays Billy Butcher in a performance that leaves audiences wanting more. 

Even though “Endgame” and Disney had a stellar summer, there are many other films and TV shows that deserved their time in the spotlight. Many films did well after the premiere of Marvel’s “Avengers Endgame” and “Spider-Man: Far From Home” as well as Disney’s “Aladdin” (2019) and “The Lion King” (2019) but this did not bleed any wallets dry. Many people still went out to other summer films and blockbusters. 

Horror films continued to perform well outside of the fall season as well as some potential award-winning films having premiered during the hottest time of the year. Streaming services continue their rise as a staple of entertainment with many entertaining shows across many platforms. Many shows created a buzz during a time of year most people do not even turn on their TVs and unlike cable, can be taken anywhere consumers go. This summer was a huge success for more than just one company, and hopefully it follows into next summer.

Image from Amazon prime Video via YouTube