What’s hotter than a scorching summer afternoon in the Lone Star State? The answer just might be
San Antonio-raised
star Pedro Pascal’s career. This summer, Pascal can be seen in three distinct movies with theatrical releases.
From a charming romantic comedy to a contemporary Western to a superhero flick, it could very well be a Pascal blockbuster summer showcase starting this month.
While we have no problem giving Pascal his flowers, there are also other movies hitting the big screen this summer with Texas ties. Here’s a look at 10 of them, including Pascal’s trio of films, that will premiere in June, July and August.
How to Train Your Dragon
Dallas native Mason Thames (
The Black Phone
) stars in the lead role of the live-action remake of DreamWorks Animation’s
How to Train Your Dragon
. The fantasy-adventure follows Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III (Thames), the awkward son of a Viking who befriends a dragon he names Toothless. If Disney’s allowed to remake all its classic animated films, DreamWorks should get at least one. But we’re boycotting if the studio tries it with
The Boss Baby
. Debuts at theaters on June 13.
Materialists
Pascal’s first movie of the summer features him falling in love with Austin-born actress Dakota Johnson (
Madame Web
).
The
Last of Us
star plays Harry Castillo, a rich bachelor who sweeps a New York City matchmaker off her feet. In his way, however, is a handsome ex-boyfriend who still has feelings for her.
Materialists
is directed by Oscar-nominated screenwriter Celine Song (
Past Lives
). Debuts at theaters on June 13.
M3GAN 2.0
Artificial intelligence gets chaotic when the title sentient doll is reconfigured and brought back to life after her tech is used to create a destructive military robot. Back to voice M3GAN once again is Plano-born actress Jenna Davis (
Lisa Frankenstein
) who
told
back in 2023 that she wanted to make her character “a robot with personality” and “give her sass and flair.” In the sequel, she’ll likely have a lot more. Debuts at theaters on June 27.
Jurassic World Rebirth
Actress Luna Blaise (
Fresh Off the Boat
) doesn’t have direct Texas ties, but her mother, Angelyna Martinez-Boyd, does. Martinez-Boyd is an actress and singer originally from San Antonio, so hopefully we’ll learn soon just how close Blaise is to the Alamo City. In the seventh (!) installment of the
Jurassic Park
franchise, Blaise plays Teresa Delgado, the eldest daughter of a family who has been shipwrecked on an island with a bunch of cranky dinosaurs, including a mutant T-rex. Debuts at theaters on July 2.
Eddington
Want to go back for some seconds of Pedro Pascal this summer? Head to the theater for the contemporary Western directed by Ari Aster (
Hereditary
). Set in the fictional town of Eddington, New Mexico, during the 2020 pandemic, the film tells the story of a mayor (Pascal) butting heads with a sheriff (Joaquin Phoenix) after the lawman refuses to comply with his mask mandate. It might not be the kind of horror film Aster is known for, but this will probably turn into another kind of nightmare. Debuts at theaters on July 18.
I Know What You Did Last Summer
Taking a page from the 2022 sequel
Scream
, Waco-born actress Jennifer Love Hewitt returns for the sequel
I Know What You Did Last Summer
, which is the same title of the movie she starred in back in 1997. Nearly 30 years later, Hewitt’s final girl character, Julie James, returns to the screen to witness a hook-wielding psycho goring new victims. Houston-born actor Nicholas Alexander Chavez also stars in an undisclosed role. He played murderer Lyle Menendez in the Netflix crime series,
Monsters
.
Debuts at theaters on July 18.
The Fantastic Four: First Steps
If you’re ready for an official overdose of Pedro Pascal this summer, check out the one movie that could end up being a blockbuster for him. The Marvel flick places him into the iconic role of Reed Richards, AKA Mister Fantastic, a scientist who can stretch his body into limitless shapes. This is the second cinematic reboot of this superhero team. The first two movies weren’t well received by critics. Third times a charm? With Pascal in the lead, chances are better than not. Debuts at theaters on July 25.
The Naked Gun
While the role that Houston-born actress and social media personality Liza Koshy (
Transformers: Rise of the Beasts
) plays in the sequel is still under wraps, it’s probably safe to say that she’ll lean into the comedy that made the original 1988 movie a classic. Koshy’s co-stars include Liam Neeson (
Retribution
) and Pamela Anderson (
The Last Showgirl
). Debuts at theaters on August 1.
Freakier Friday
Dallas-born character actor Stephen Tobolowsky (
Groundhog Day
) reprises his role as Mr. Elton Bates from the original 2003
Freaky Friday
movie. Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan are also returning. In the original, Mr. Bates is an English teacher who treats his student Anna (Lohan) badly because her mother Tess (Curtis) turned him down when they were in high school. Debuts at theaters on August 8.
Honey Don’t
The detective comedy film directed by Ethan Coen (
Drive-Away Dolls
) features two Texas-born actors in small roles: Levelland-born actress Kinna McInroe (
Office Space
) and Houston-born actor Don Swayze (
On Swift Horses
), brother of late actor Patrick Swayze. You’ll probably remember McInroe for her small albeit annoying role as Nina in the 1999 comedy movie
Office Space
(“Corporate accounts payable, Nina speaking. Just a moment.”).
Debuts at theaters on August 22.
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