The summer after Barbenheimer and the strikes, Hollywood charts a new course

LOS ANGELES (AP) — “ Barbenheimer ” is a hard act to follow.

The summer of 2023 brought a new enthusiasm for moviegoing, with the fortuitous counterprogramming of “Barbie” and “ Oppenheimer,” and surprise hits like “ Sound of Freedom,” helping the season’s box office crack $4 billion for the first time since 2019. But before the industry could take a victory lap, there was another crisis looming with the dual Hollywood strikes, which shuttered most productions for months.

In the fallout, theaters lost big titles like “Mission: Impossible 8” and “Captain America: Brave New World” to 2025. But they gained a gem in Jeff Nichols’ “The Bikeriders” (June 21), about a 1960s Midwestern motorcycle club, as studios moved films around on the summer chessboard. “Deadpool & Wolverine,” once set to kick off the summer season on May 3 like many Marvel movies before it, is now opening July 26, patiently waiting to dominate the summer charts.

The kickoff weekend instead belongs to an original film about a different kind of superhero: The stunt performer. “ The Fall Guy,” starring Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt, is an earnest crowd-pleaser that could jumpstart a season that feels like a throwback, with full-throttle spectacle (“Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga,” “Twisters”), comedies (“Babes”), IMAX wonder (“The Blue Angels”) and even a Kevin Costner Western.

Producer Jerry Bruckheimer has seen the highs and lows of summer movies over the decades. This season, he has three very different offerings on the calendar, two are fourth installments in popular franchises — “Beverly Hills Cop” (July 3, Netflix) and “Bad Boys” (June 7, theaters) — and one was planned for streaming but tested so well that it’s getting a theatrical rollout (“Young Woman and the Sea,” May 31).

“People just want to be entertained,” Bruckheimer said. “It really comes down to us to make the right movies that they want to go see.”

“The Bikeriders” could be one of those. It already has stellar reviews from last fall's Telluride Film Festival hailing star turns for Austin Butler and Jodie Comer and was originally planned for December but pushed when it became clear that the strikes weren’t going to resolve in time for a press tour.

“It was kind of like walking on frozen glass for three months,” Nichols said. “I was touring around doing press and trying to build this energy on my own. Let me tell you, it’s not the same as Austin Butler.”

Later in June, after a splashy Cannes debut, Kevin Costner will begin rolling out his two-part Western epic “Horizon: An American Saga,” set during the Civil War. And as always there are a slew of Sundance breakouts peppered throughout the summer, from “I Saw the TV Glow” and “Didi” to “ Thelma ” and “Good One.”

Family films also go into hyperdrive in the summer, capitalizing on long days out of school. This year has plenty, like “The Garfield Movie” and “Despicable Me 4.” But perhaps none has more anticipation behind it than “Inside Out 2” (June 14, theaters), which meets up with Riley as she enters her teenage years as a new group of emotions crash Joy’s party, including Anxiety, Envy, Ennui and Embarrassment.

“That age gives us everything we need and love for a Pixar film,” director Kelsey Mann said.

John Krasinski is also delving into the inner world of children with his ambitious live-action hybrid “IF” (May 17, theaters) about the imaginary friends that get left behind and two humans (Ryan Reynolds and Cailey Fleming) who can still see them.

Audiences seeking the adrenaline rush of horrors and thrillers have an array of options, including “MaXXXine,” the conclusion to Ti West’s accidental Mia Goth trilogy (“X” and “ Pearl ”) that debuts around the fourth of July.

Goth’s aspiring actress has made her way to Hollywood where a killer is stalking Hollywood starlets around the time of the home video boom of the 1980s. “We recreated the sleazy side of Hollywood in a hopefully charming way,” West said. “It’s definitely a pretty wild night at the movies.”

On June 26, audiences can also delve into the beginnings of “A Quiet Place” with a prequel set on “Day One” starring Luptia Nyong’o and “Stranger Things’” Joseph Quinn. Later, Fede Álvarez brings his horror acumen to “Alien: Romulus” (Aug. 16), set between the first two.

M. Night Shyamalan is back as well with a thriller set at a pop concert (“Trap,” Aug. 9) and his daughter, Ishana Night Shyamalan, makes her directorial debut with the spooky, Ireland-set “The Watchers” (June 14) with Dakota Fanning.

“It’s very suspenseful and unexpected,” Ishana said. “And it’s very much built for the experience of being in a theater.”

The streamers have movie stars and spectacle, too, with the festival favorite “Hit Man,” the Anne Hathaway romance “The Idea of You,” Jerry Seinfeld’s starry pop-tart movie “Unfrosted” and a Mark Wahlberg/Halle Berry action comedy “The Union.”

There are even franchises, like “Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F,” in which Eddie Murphy’s Axel Foley reunites with his estranged daughter (Taylour Paige). It also sees the return of Judge Reinhold, John Ashton, Paul Reiser and Bronson Pinchot and adds Kevin Bacon and Joseph Gordon-Levitt.

“We raised our hand to make sure we got the franchise right and kept the integrity and fun of the original,” Bruckheimer said.

This image released by Universal Pictures shows Sasha Lane, left, and Glen Powell in a scene from "Twisters." (Melinda Sue Gordon/Universal Pictures via AP)

This image released by Universal Pictures shows a scene from "Twisters." (Universal Pictures via AP)

This image released by Disney/Pixar shows, from left, Sadness, voiced by Phyllis Smith, from left, Joy, voiced by Amy Poehler, Disgust, voiced by Liza Lapira, Fear, voiced by Tony Hale and Anger, voiced by Lewis Black in a scene from "Inside Out 2." (Disney/Pixar via AP)

This image released by Netflix shows Eddie Murphy in "Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F." (Netflix via AP)

This image released by Warner Bros. Pictures shows Kevin Costner in a scene from "Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 1." (Warner Bros. Pictures via AP)

This image released by Illumination Entertainment and Universal Studios shows The Minions in a scene from "Despicable Me 4." (Illumination Entertainment and Universal Studios via AP)

This image released by Paramount Pictures shows Joseph Quinn, left, and Lupita Nyong'o in a scene from "A Quiet Place: Day One." (Paramount Pictures via AP)

This image released by Angel Studios shows Nika King in a scene from "Possum Trot." (Angel Studios via AP)

This image released by Lionsgate shows, clockwise from bottom left, Kevin Hart, Cate Blanchett, Ariana Greenblatt, Florian Munteanu and Jamie Lee Curtis in a scene from "Borderlands." (Lionsgate via AP)

This image released by Bleecker Street shows Casey Affleck, left, and Laurence Fishburne in a scene from "Slingshot." (Bleecker Street via AP)

This image released by Angel Studios shows Demetrius Grosse in a scene from "Possum Trot." (Angel Studios via AP)

This image released by Lionsgate shows Bill Skarsgard, left, and FKA twigs in a scene from "The Crow." (Larry Horricks/Lionsgate via AP)

This image released by Bleecker Street shows Robert De Niro, from left, Bobby Cannavale and William A. Fitzgerald in a scene from "Ezra." (John Baer/Bleecker Street via AP)

This image released by Angel Studios shows Terry Chen, left, and Greg Kinnear in a scene from "Sight." (Angel Studios via AP)

This image released by Disney shows Daisy Ridley as Trudy Ederle in a scene from "Young Woman and the Sea." (Vladisav Lepoev/Disney via AP)

This image released by Paramount Pictures shows Cailey Fleming, left, with Blue, voiced by Steve Carell, in a scene from "IF." (Paramount Pictures via AP)

This image released by MUBI shows a scene from "Gasoline Rainbow." (MUBI via AP)

This image released by Sony Pictures shows Larsen Thompson in a scene from "Tarot" (Slobodan Pikula/Columbia-Sony Pictures via AP)

This image released by 20th Century Studios shows Freya Allan in a scene from "Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes." (20th Century Studios via AP)

This image released by Netflix shows Glen Powell in a scene from "Hit Man." (Netflix via AP)

This image released by 20th Century Studios shows a scene from "Alien: Romulus." (20th Century Studios via AP)

This image released by Illumination Entertainment and Universal Studios shows Gru, voiced by Steve Carell, in a scene from "Despicable Me 4." (Illumination Entertainment and Universal Studios via AP)

This image released by Warner Bros. Pictures shows a scene from "Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 1." (Warner Bros. Pictures via AP)

This image released by Sony Pictures shows Will Smith, left, and Martin Lawrence in a scene from Bad Boys: Ride or Die." (Frank Masi/Columbia-Sony Pictures via AP)

This image released by Focus Features shows Austin Butler in a scene from "The Bikeriders." (Focus Features via AP)

This image released by Disney/Pixar shows Joy, voiced by Amy Poehler, left, and Anxiety, voiced by Maya Hawke, in a scene from "Inside Out 2." (Disney/Pixar via AP)

This image released by 20th Century Studios/Marvel Studios shows Ryan Reynolds as Deadpool/Wade Wilson and Hugh Jackman as Wolverine/Logan in a scene from "Deadpool & Wolverine." (20th Century Studios/Marvel Studios via AP)

This image released by Warner Bros. Pictures shows a scene from "Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga." (Warner Bros. Pictures via AP)

BERLIN (AP) — No Xabi, no problem.

Even without coach Xabi Alonso on the touchline, Bayer Leverkusen remained unbeaten Sunday with a 5-1 Bundesliga win over Eintracht Frankfurt that stretched its record run without defeat to 48 games in all competitions.

Alonso was suspended for an accumulation of yellow cards, but he watched from the stands as his Bundesliga champions showed no tiredness from Thursday’s 2-0 win at Roma in the first leg of the Europa League semifinals.

“It was another perspective,” Alonso said after seeing Czech forward Adam Hložek set up three goals. “We played very seriously. Of course the result is super, but the performance was very professional.”

Alonso rotated the team with just Edmond Tapsoba, Robert Andrich and Granit Xhaka keeping their places from Rome. Brazilian winger Arthur made his first start after recovering from a serious thigh injury.

Xhaka fired the visitors in front in the 12th minute with a brilliant strike from distance.

Hugo Ekitiké equalized, but that was as good as it got for Frankfurt with Omar Marmoush blazing over when he only had Leverkusen ’keeper Lukáš Hrádecký to beat.

Patrik Schick powered a header past Kevin Trapp before the break and Exequiel Palacios made it 3-1 with a penalty after it.

Substitute Jeremie Frimpong capped a brilliant team move with the fourth goal in the 77th, and Victor Boniface completed the scoring with another penalty in the 89th. It was Leverkusen's 82nd goal in the Bundesliga this season, a new club record.

Leverkusen hasn’t lost a game in any competition this season. Its 48-game unbeaten start is a record across Europe’s “big five” leagues.

UNION IN TROUBLE

Union Berlin, which played Real Madrid in the Champions League this season, edged closer to relegation with a 4-3 loss at home to fellow struggler Bochum.

Bochum defender Maximilian Wittek scored twice in a game for the first time, before Keven Schlotterbeck made it 3-0 in the 37th.

Union coach Nenad Bjelica reacted with three changes at the break, sending on Yorbe Vertessen, Brenden Aaronson and Chris Bedia.

Vertessen pulled one back in the 59th, three minutes before Bedia got another, only for Union's defense to leave Philipp Hofmann free to head the visitors’ fourth.

Aaronson did brilliantly to set up Benedict Hollerbach for Union’s third in the 74th, but the equalizer never came.

Union, which was only promoted to the Bundesliga in 2019, played in the Champions League this season after an unlikely fourth-place finish last year. Summer transfers did not have the desired effect and the team let long-time favorite coach Urs Fischer go in November.

Before kickoff Sunday, Union president Dirk Zingler denied reports that the club was set to dismiss Fischer's replacement, Bjelica, at the end of the season.

“Bjelica has our full support,” Zingler said. “The season we've played hasn't been a good one. That has nothing to do with Bjelica, but with the first half of the season. We didn't play well then. As a club, we didn't deliver.”

Bochum (33 points) moved three points ahead of Union, which was just a point ahead of Mainz (29) in the relegation playoff spot. Mainz drew at Heidenheim 1-1 in the late game.

Union visits second-from-bottom Cologne (24) next weekend in what will be a must-win game for the home team to avoid being relegated alongside last-place Darmstadt.

Two rounds remain.

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Leverkusen's head coach Xabi Alonso smiles during an interview ahead of the German Bundesliga Soccer match between Eintracht Frankfurt and Bayer Leverkusen in Frankfurt, Germany, Sunday, May 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Michael Probst)

Leverkusen's head coach Xabi Alonso is seen during an interview ahead of the German Bundesliga Soccer match between Eintracht Frankfurt and Bayer Leverkusen in Frankfurt, Germany, Sunday, May 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Michael Probst)

Frankfurt's Robin Koch, Leverkusen's Patrik Schick and Frankfurt's goalkeeper Kevin Trapp, from left, challenge for the ball during the German Bundesliga Soccer match between Eintracht Frankfurt and Bayer Leverkusen in Frankfurt, Germany, Sunday, May 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Michael Probst)

Leverkusen's Robert Andrich gestures during the German Bundesliga Soccer match between Eintracht Frankfurt and Bayer Leverkusen in Frankfurt, Germany, Sunday, May 5, 2024. Left Leverkusen's Granit Xhaka who scored the first goal. (AP Photo/Michael Probst)

Frankfurt's goalkeeper Kevin Trapp reacts during the German Bundesliga Soccer match between Eintracht Frankfurt and Bayer Leverkusen in Frankfurt, Germany, Sunday, May 5, 2024. Left Leverkusen's Granit Xhaka who scored the first goal. (AP Photo/Michael Probst)

Frankfurt's Niels Nkounkou, left, and Leverkusen's Nathan Tella challenge for the ball during the German Bundesliga Soccer match between Eintracht Frankfurt and Bayer Leverkusen in Frankfurt, Germany, Sunday, May 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Michael Probst)

Leverkusen's Patrik Schick, right, celebrates his side's second goal during the German Bundesliga Soccer match between Eintracht Frankfurt and Bayer Leverkusen in Frankfurt, Germany, Sunday, May 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Michael Probst)

Leverkusen's Granit Xhaka celebrates his side's opening goal during the German Bundesliga Soccer match between Eintracht Frankfurt and Bayer Leverkusen in Frankfurt, Germany, Sunday, May 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Michael Probst)

Frankfurt's Niels Nkounkou, left, and Leverkusen's Nathan Tella challenge for the ball during the German Bundesliga Soccer match between Eintracht Frankfurt and Bayer Leverkusen in Frankfurt, Germany, Sunday, May 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Michael Probst)

Leverkusen's Patrik Schick, right, celebrates his side's second goal during the German Bundesliga Soccer match between Eintracht Frankfurt and Bayer Leverkusen in Frankfurt, Germany, Sunday, May 5, 2024. Left Leverkusen's Granit Xhaka who scored the first goal. (AP Photo/Michael Probst)

Leverkusen players celebrate their side's third goal during the German Bundesliga Soccer match between Eintracht Frankfurt and Bayer Leverkusen in Frankfurt, Germany, Sunday, May 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Michael Probst)

Philipp Hofmann, centre, of VfL Bochum celebrates with teammates after scoring their side's fourth goal of the game during the Bundesliga soccer match between 1. FC Union Berlin and VfL Bochum, at the An der Alten Forsterei stadium in Berlin, Germany, Sunday May 5, 2024. (Andreas Gora/dpa via AP)

Philipp Hofmann of VfL Bochum celebrates after scoring their side's fourth goal of the game during the Bundesliga soccer match between 1. FC Union Berlin and VfL Bochum, at the An der Alten Forsterei stadium in Berlin, Germany, Sunday May 5, 2024. (Andreas Gora/dpa via AP)