Just like winter itself, the doldrums of early-year movie releases are starting to fade away, and we are in that perfect sweet spot: the not-so-hotly-anticipated films studios buried in January and February are behind us, and the spring and summer would-be blockbusters are beginning to roll out. (Yes, there are a fair number of sequels below, but it’s not the junk sequels no one asked for.) BY BLUE SULLIVAN

CHALLENGERS

APRIL 24 (RATED R)

Director Luca Guadagnino (Call Me By Your Name, Suspiria) is back to provide us all with more gorgeously photographed eroticism (with a soupcon of lurid excess) involving the world’s most beautiful humans. The plot follows three professional tennis players who are either currently or formerly in relationships with one another, leading to sparks and drama f lying, and all that jazz. Based on the trailer, a ménage à trois factors prominently. Zendaya, Mike Faist, and Josh O’ Connor star as the three young lovers.

FURIOSA: A MAD MAX SAGA

MAY 24 (NOT YET RATED)

Now here’s a sequel (well, prequel) worth the hype. Director George Miller has never made a flop, and Fury Road was widely praised as one of the greatest action films of all time (it won six Academy Awards). This time round, he’s assembled Anya Taylor-Joy (as young Furiosa) as the heroine and Chris Hemsworth as post-apocalyptic enemies. Expect the same mind-blowing, exceedingly well-choreographed (and seemingly death-defying) stunts the series is lauded for.

GONE WITH THE WIND REISSUE

APRIL 7 (NOT RATED)

An interesting nugget: first released in 1939, this four hour movie still holds the re cord for the most tickets ever sold: more than 202 million and counting. So, if you’re the kind of cinephile who loves getting lost in an old film, this extraordinary epic is getting re-released in honor of its 85th anniversary. Watch the sheltered and manipulative Scarlett O’Hara go toe-to-toe with the rakish Rhett Butler all over again in one of the most iconic pseudo-love stories of all time.

BOY KILLS WORLD

APRIL 26 (RATED R)

Fun fact: did you know that the actor who played Pennywise in 2017’s It and the 2019 sequel (who is perhaps the most terrifying modern-day horror villain) is actually model-gorgeous? Swedish actor Bill Skarsgard has since starred in several fascinating films since hanging up his red balloon, including bad guy Marquis in John Wick 4. In Boy Kills World, he’s playing a deaf, deranged hero seeking vigilante justice for his murdered family. Yes, you’ve seen this plot before, but based on early accounts (and the trailer), you’ve never seen it this ferociously bloody and wildly tilted.

GHOSTBUSTERS: FROZEN EMPIRE

MARCH 29 (RATED )

The 2021 semi-reboot of Ghostbusters (Ghostbusters: Afterlife) retconned a bunch of teenaged characters into the universe of professional apparition disposal & truly personified the words “eh, it was fine.” This latest offering is considerably more promising, as it’s freed of all the “origin story” and has added nearly all of the beloved original Ghostbusters (Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd & Ernie Hudson) from the revered 80s classic. Bill Murray is notoriously choosy for his projects, so his presence here is a great sign.

THE FALL GUY

MAY 3 (RATED PG-13)

Ryan Gosling continues his commitment to retro coiffure (messy bleached bangs figure prominently) and not taking himself too seriously in this adaptation of a then-beloved but-now-largely-forgotten ‘80s action series. The logline describes a stunt man (named Colt Seavers, very ‘80s) investigating the disappearance of a famous actor and uncovering a “sinister plot.” David Leitch of John Wick and Deadpool fame directs.

GODZILLA X KONG: THE NEW EMPIRE

APRIL 12 (RATED PG-13)

Though the titles of these films seem to get longer (and more self-parodic) with every new sequel, the superior casting, filmmaking, and universe-building has made this one of the most reliable modern action franchises. Some folks deemed the last one a bit verbose, but director Adam Wingard (You’re Next) is perfect for this type of over-the-top, suspend-your disbelief fantasy fun. Oh, and the two big guys in the title team up this time!