The must-see movies of summer 2026—and a surprising frontrunner

<p><a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/movies/2026/04/28/movies-in-theaters-new-releases-summer-2026/89659180007/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Hollywood’s summer movie season is here</a> and it’s packed with big names, familiar franchises and high-stakes bets at the box office. From "Spider-Man" to "Star Wars," studios are once again leaning on proven hits to draw audiences in. But this year, one film could break through the noise: Christopher Nolan’s "The Odyssey." With a stacked cast and built-in name recognition, it’s emerging as a potential frontrunner in a season that feels more wide open than usual. In this episode of The Excerpt, USA TODAY Movie Critic Brian Truitt breaks down several of the must-see films of the summer.&nbsp;</p><p>Let us know what you think of this episode by sending an email to&nbsp;<a href="mailto:podcasts@usatoday.com" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">podcasts@usatoday.com</a>.&nbsp;</p><p>Episode transcript&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2026/05/05/franchises-arent-over-but-they-may-not-win-this-summer-the-excerpt/89942995007/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">available here</a>.&nbsp;</p><p>See Privacy Policy at <a href="https://art19.com/privacy" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://art19.com/privacy</a> and California Privacy Notice at <a href="https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info</a>.</p>