Summer 2022's biggest winners and losers, from Stranger Things and Maverick to Morbius and Lightyear

Tom Cruise and director Joseph Kosinski sure hit the jackpot with . It’s a perfect storm of star power, nostalgia, smart casting, great marketing, deft direction, exhilarating action, and perfect timing. Cruise, still boyish at 60, slipped right back into character as cocky, talented Top Gun pilot Maverick. Audiences, ready to return to theaters en masse for something other than a Marvel movie, came out in droves. And longtime fans and newbies alike got everything they wanted: a rah-rah story that echoed the original (and Star Wars!), paid off the Maverick-Iceman (Val Kilmer) relationship beautifully, gave Cruise a viable love interest in Jennifer Connelly, delivered a shirtless sporting match, and showcased talented newcomers (most notably Miles Teller).Add to that incredible dogfight sequences, a great score (by Harold Faltermeyer, Lady Gaga, and Hans Zimmer), strong songs old (“Danger Zone”) and new (Gaga’s “”), and stellar use of IMAX cameras, and you’ve got an international blockbuster that has grossed $1.4 billion—and counting. The crazy thing is that suitors were lining up to buy Maverick as a streaming title. Cruise himself—arguably the last Hollywood mega-star with nearly unlimited clout—convinced Paramount to wait out the pandemic and release the film theatrically. It was a win-win for theaters, Paramount, Cruise, and moviegoers. [Ian Spelling]

Some movies are so bad they’re inspiring. Something as bad as —a truly awful movie—may prompt you to marvel at how easy it is to make it in Hollywood if quality isn’t a consideration. What, you may ask, is stopping literally anyone from writing a better screenplay, directing better action, designing better CGI? Years from now, we may see a generation of auteurs inspired by the astonishingly low bar set by this Sony-Marvel grotesquerie.The other legacy of Morbius, and the reason it made this list after a comically dismal spring 2022 release is the film’s bizarre summer re-release. After initially hitting theaters April 1 (yet somehow not as an April Fools joke), the superhero vampire flick was gleefully panned by critics and fans. turned star Jared Leto into an internet joke, with his entirely made-up catchphrase “It’s Morbin’ time” dominating Twitter for months. Then Sony seemed to mistake ironic enthusiasm for the genuine article, approving a June , which bombed even harder. It’s all proof that and viral tweets (like , my favorite) can affect an increasingly curious chapter in cinema’s history. [Jack Smart]

The pressure on Netflix’s before its fourth season premiere was real. After a long three-year gap, would the beloved sci-fi drama still deliver the thrills, monsters, and fun group dynamics that made it such a hit? Luckily, the Duffer Brothers did not miss. Stranger Things retained its spot as one of the streamer’s best originals despite lengthy installments. Not only did it set a record with its seven billion minutes of viewership and introduce younger audiences to Kate Bush’s “Running Up The Hill,” but the writing and performances remained top-notch. Sadie Sink’s terrific journey as Max, the creepy villain Vecna, and uncovering the history of the Upside Down transformed season four into one of Stranger Things’ best yet. [Saloni Gajjar]

of an excellent summer, nay year, thanks to hits like and , and more recently , , , , and . But where there are highs, there must be some lows. And the streamer delivered a bummer of a psychological thriller with . Despite an ace cast led by Gugu Mbatha-Raw (with Reese Witherspoon as a producer), this drama is exceptionally dull. It promises torrid affairs, a sexy love triangle, and shocking secrets. It delivers bland writing and one-note performances. I’d even take a melodramatic twist or two, literally anything so it can reach the level of Apple TV+’s far better summer offerings. But so far, it’s only an unfortunate blight. [Saloni Gajjar]

When The A.V. Club started putting together our package, the only show we couldn’t find a trailer for, let alone a still of, was . Cut to today, after here and from many other outlets, and it seemed like everyone we knew—friends, aunts, bartenders, enemies, whoever—spent all summer asking, “Hey, have you seen this show?” The Bear is, indeed, very, very good, a refreshingly word-of-mouth success. There is so much to like about it. But let’s get specific. While this is the I’ve said as much, it’s worth repeating: The penultimate episode of ’s first season (“Review”) boasts the most impressive direction I’ve seen on TV this year, a oner—that is, a single shot that lasts the entire episode—that starts with comfortable morning chatter and builds to a deafening breaking point, all captured in the cramped confines of a Chicago Italian beef joint. Technically, it’s a marvel (props to director Christopher Storer), with the camera focusing on this character and that and careening around corners to follow the action, really making you feel like you’re in a chaotic kitchen. But the performances are what really sell it, from head chef Carmy (Jeremy Allen White) freaking out on polite pastry obsessive Marcus (Lionel Boyce) to ambitious sous chef Sydney (Ayo Edebiri) giving it to ballbuster Richy (Ebon Moss-Bachrach), a confrontation that ends with the dude declaring, in a gloriously, distinctly Chicago manner: “I got stabbed. Son of a fucking bitch.” [Tim Lowery]

This Netflix show seemed to have a lot going for it: a star-crossed sapphic love story between a vampire slayer and a vampire; a Black female lead and a diverse supporting cast; bestselling author V.E. Schwab (who wrote the short story that inspired the series) on board as an executive producer. may not have been a smash hit, but it got decent ratings, hitting No. 3 in the Top 10 in its first week of release and clearing 100 million hours of viewing in its first month. Shows have gotten renewals with worse numbers. And yet Netflix canceled First Kill after one season. So what went wrong? Setting aside any external agenda on the part of Netflix (which, admittedly, could have been a factor given their recent track record), there were quality issues that couldn’t be overlooked. First Kill was bogged down by lackluster directing, bloodless (pardon the pun) performances, a clunky script full of baffling choices, and a budget too low to afford passable visual effects to distract from these flaws. It’s a shame that a series with so much potential failed to live up to it. Fans of queer genre shows deserve—and should demand—better. [Cindy White]

Although it was first released in March, RRR became a word-of-mouth film sensation over the course of the summer—and justifiably so. Directed by S.S. Rajamouli, the Telugu-language film packs more into its three-hour run time than almost any other American title released this year. There are multiple wild-animal attacks, dance-offs, brutal public floggings, battles with armies of British oppressors, and a flaming motorcycle. There’s also one of the most tender and compelling male friendships shown on screen in a long time, brought to life by actors N.T. Rama Rao Jr. and Ram Charan. The film has continued to play across the country in rolling waves of screenings, highlighting RRR’s unexpected appeal. The crowd-pleaser is also a bellwether for a growing wave of Telugu-language films that are set to follow in coming months. [Todd Gilchrist]

Look, we’re there to watch dinos, we’re ready to suspend disbelief. But Director Colin Trevorrow’s , which served as the conclusion to the Jurassic World trilogy as well as a reunion for original Jurassic Park cast members, simply strung together absurd action set pieces and used the thinnest imaginable character development to fill in any cracks. The dialog was barely there; I’m pretty sure top-billed Chris Pratt only has three lines in the movie, and spent the rest of the time doing his “hold your palm in front of an angry dinosaur” thing. Sam Neill, Laura Dern, and Jeff Goldblum deserved better. [Jack Smart]

Nathan Fielder’s previous show, , was a clear success, what with its four-season run on Comedy Central and all. Yet something about it—its tone, its comedy, its host—felt, for lack of a better word, mine. So how then would he follow up that increasingly ambitious project, one that William Hughes recently did a ? With an even more ambitious one. —the most elevator pitchy description is that it follows people rehearsing for life’s big moments—is a lot, and you’d be excused for wondering aloud, a few times an episode, “Wait, HBO just lets him do this?”Beyond the scale and insane level of detail and meta-ness, though, is a howlingly funny show with some real depth, even if said depth is predicated on such a ridiculous premise. Take the (the show was just picked up for a second season), in which Nathan celebrates his “son’s” birthday party, in which extras (who by contract can’t make a peep) mingle in Nathan’s “House” by making totally silent small talk. I couldn’t stop laughing at this absurdity. But then, later on, when one of those “sons,” the adorable Remy, gets too attached and starts calling Nathan “Daddy” off-set, I couldn’t help but tear up. I’m not exactly sure how Fielder pulled that off, in one episode, no less—but it’s pretty damn astounding that he did. [Tim Lowery] 

 didn’t suffer from a sophomore slump, but the Hulu comedy did add several unnecessary big names to its roster this season without delivering a sufficient payoff. OMITB succeeds because of its ensemble, led by Martin Short, Steve Martin, and Selena Gomez. From iconic actors like Jayne Houdyshell, Jackie Hoffman, and Amy Ryan to breakouts like Adina Verson and Michael Cyril Creighton, the show’s cast packs a punch. Season two saw the addition of Cara Delevingne, Michael Rapaport, and Amy Schumer for various reasons, but their arcs didn’t add much value to the otherwise crafty whodunit. Instead, they took time away from more critical narratives, especially in the finale. But hey, things are already looking up for next season, thanks to Paul Rudd. [Saloni Gajjar]

There’s absolutely no way that should be as good as it is, but five films deep into the Despicable Me franchise, it’s the prequel/sequel we never knew we needed. Steve Carell is back as as a pre-teen version of Gru plotting world domination … from his basement. The Minions remain adorable, even if parents still can’t help but think they look like their meds. The animation, via the Illumination team, is bright, colorful, and inventive. The story is high-energy, fast-paced silliness aimed squarely at entertaining young kids. For the adults accompanying those kids to the theater or watching at home, there’s no beating the voice cast, which features Julie Andrews’ return as Gru’s mom, Marlena, as well as baddies crew The Vicious Six, voiced by Taraji P. Henson, Jean-Claude Van Damme, Lucy Lawless, Dolph Lundgren, Danny Trejo, and Alan Arkin. Also generating laughs are newcomers Michelle Yeoh and Russell Brand, and returnees Steve Coogan and Will Arnett. Despite opening nearly two years later than intended due to the pandemic, The Rise Of Gru has grossed almost $850 million worldwide, a mighty impressive feat. Plus, anyone who’s seen it will never, ever stop humming the Minions’ ear-worm version of Simon and Garfunkel’s song “Cecilia.” [Ian Spelling]

Just as everything went right for Top Gun: Maverick, everything went wrong for . The fifth film in the Toy Story film franchise pushed all the wrong buttons, resulting in so-so reviews, fan disappointment, and a worldwide box office gross of just north of its reportedly $200 million budget. Where to start? How about the decision to make a Toy Story movie without Tom Hanks or Tim Allen? Or to replace Allen with Chris Evans? Only, that’s not quite what happened, and that threw some people for a major loop. Lightyear is about Buzz Lightyear, the intrepid Space Ranger who served as the inspiration for Andy’s favorite sci-fi movie, which begat the toy line that resulted in a toy, voiced by Allen.Even with the winsome and game Evans, that concept is way too meta for kids. And many adults—including kids who grew up on the Toy Story movies and are now parents themselves—didn’t buy into the nostalgia factor the way they had with Toy Story 4. Also, Buzz and Woody are great … and greater together. Buzz without Woody or their circle of friends just isn’t the same. Lightyear reached neither infinity nor beyond. [Ian Spelling]

It’s easy to tap as this summer’s big TV winner, but Rhea Seehorn deserves a special mention because of her series-best performance in the show’s final season. . The last few episodes see Kim Wexler’s calculating side come to life. Seehorn aced Kim’s propulsive arc as it evolves from a mean scam to a heartbreaking death to being forced to kill a gang leader to leaving law behind for … Florida. It was an agonizing road for her (and for us!) and the constant worry about whether will Kim survive never faded. That’s how integral she was to the show and to Jimmy’s story right till the bitter, prison-set, black-and-white end. Kim Wexler cements herself as an instantly iconic character in what is arguably one of the best dramas of all time. [Saloni Gajjar]

Time travel is cool, I guess, but what no one involved in showrunner Steven Moffat’s version of The Time Traveler’s Wife seems to get (although, to be fair, the 2009 film adaptation didn’t either) is that Audrey Niffenegger’s novel isn’t about time travel at all. It’s about what it’s like to love someone with a chronic disability that makes it impossible to live a normal life, and the complications that creates for both partners in the relationship over time.But that’s not even the worst of this show’s litany of sins against quality television. We also have the intrinsic and creepy optics of a man paying regular visits to a young girl through her childhood and adolescence until she’s old enough to date him, two bland leads (Rose Leslie and Theo James) who couldn’t have less chemistry if they tried, distractingly bad wigs and makeup, and an uneven tone that never makes it clear what kind of show we’re watching. Mercifully, HBO did not pick it up for a second season. [Cindy White]

If you were anywhere near social media during the weekend that Dan Trachtenberg’s Prey debuted on Hulu, you could not miss the deluge of compliments the film received—“they should have released it in theaters,” or “the best Predator movie since the original,” and inevitably, “the best Predator movie ever made.” Prey’s thoughtful depiction of Comanche culture, along with a series of inventive, bloody battles offered a welcome injection of new energy into a franchise whose mythology has heretofore only been feebly explored.Even bigger winners than the film itself were its main star, actress Amber Midthunder, and her four-legged companion Coco. They not only fought off their extraterrestrial foe with convincing resourcefulness, but earned accolades from original Predator stars, including Jesse Ventura, who suggested Midthunder “definitely ain’t got time to bleed,” and Bill Duke, who echoed the prequel’s dialogue, saying “I see you.” Bolstered by a dialogue track dubbed in Comanche, the film was a great example of genre storytelling representation, channeled through the performance of its charismatic lead actress and her canine co-star. [Todd Gilchrist]

Thanks to new CEO David Zaslav’s recent efforts to save money at Warner Bros., many of the studio’s film projects are in disarray. But few are as jumbled as the DCEU. Despite the recent announcement of a , Zaslav’s merciless cuts, his decisions to shelve Batgirl, and to cancel longtime Batman luminary Bruce Timm’s Caped Crusader (at least on HBO Max, the streaming service he seems hell-bent on dismantling), have left fans wondering what’s next. The Flash remains on schedule for release in June 2023, but that troubled film—delinquent star Ezra Miller is finally seeking what appears to be much-needed treatment—does little to inspire confidence in the DCEU’s future.Without seeing Batgirl it’s hard to know if dropping the film is a win or a loss for viewers. But it’s certainly a bad thing for the individuals involved, such as star Leslie Grace and its co-directors Bilall Fallah and Adil El Arbi. Taking a slightly riskier DC-related title off of the studio’s schedule while it continues to juggle release dates for and suggests there’s no one piloting the DCEU. You have to wonder who will answer the call the next time Warner Bros. sends up a Bat-signal. [Todd Gilchrist]

With an overload of superhero content and audiences experiencing “Marvel and DC fatigue,” it can be hard to stand out. But the small screen still managed to serve up several examples of refreshing and innovative superhero storytelling this summer, including new seasons of Prime Video’s , Netflix’s , HBO Max’s and the debut of Disney+’s , which introduced the first Pakistani American superhero. In their own unique ways, each show presents a cultural reset in how we’ve viewed the genre. The Boys is a biting takedown of superheroes, Harley Quinn celebrates its central queer romance, and The Umbrella Academy is wacky, familial fun. It’s a good step away from the usual big screen fare without compromising on originality and quality. TV superheroes for the win! [Saloni Gajjar]

It feels like only yesterday that we called for Desus Nice and the Kid Mero to —and then, boom, the comedy duo , ending their excellent , podcast, and partnership in general. Which is an absolute bummer. The late-night show was my favorite going, an end-of-a-rough-day staple that always promised, at the absolute minimum, two incredibly sharp dudes sounding off on some incredibly dumb videos and trends. I was lucky enough to talk with the pair a few times over the years, most recently for a cover story about their Viceland show, and in person, whether being interviewed or just busting on each other at a rooftop party, they couldn’t turn that singular comedic chemistry off. [Tim Lowery]

Baz Luhrmann’s makes for a tricky addition to a list of summer’s winners and losers. Commercially, it’s a winner as the second highest-grossing music biopic worldwide (after Bohemian Rhapsody). Critically, it’s a mixed bag, with many praising the way this version of Elvis Presley looks and sounds, while others felt Luhrmann’s lurid maximalism needed to be reined in. And in terms of Tom Hanks’ bizarrely repugnant Colonel Tom Parker, we have a definite loser.What everyone seems to agree on about Elvis, however, is the powerhouse that is Austin Butler. With spot-on physicality, his own powerful vocals, and positively electrifying music numbers, Butler brings the King into the 21st century while staking his own claim for stardom. As bold in his acting choices as Luhrmann, yet with the measured calibration of a far more experienced leading man, Butler has all but guaranteed his spot on Oscar voters’ shortlists. [Jack Smart]

The summer of 2022 marked an especially low bar for original films at Netflix which, amid corporate and a decline in subscribers, spent the season releasing a string of critical flops. The moment Dakota Johnson opened her mouth in the trailer for , the Internet derided a Jane Austen adaptation that seemed to forgo Austen-esque dialogue. Many tuned into for its high-profile ensemble, but the film now boasts one of the widest-ever gaps between and . Few bought into what the silly star vehicles and were selling, and the less said about —a, let me get this straight, military propaganda rom-com—the better. [Jack Smart]

She’s one of one, she’s number one, she’s the only one. There’s no bigger winner this summer than Beyoncé, who exceeded astronomically high expectations for Renaissance, her seventh solo album, and caused yet another seismic pop culture shift through sheer artistry. It’s a no-skip masterpiece, steeped in soulful traditions of house music and ballroom culture that perfectly captures a zeitgeist in which everyone works so damn hard, wants to quit their job, is desperate for the dance floor, and needs to fall in love. Her summer renaissance was our own, and even without images or clips to go with it (thus far, anyway), Bey delivered a musical vision board to keep us inspired through 2022 and beyond. [Jack Smart]