This week saw the release of Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3 and the start of what is shaping up to be an exciting Summer Blockbuster season. The film production hangovers caused by Covid appear to be completely in our rear view mirror and there is a plethora of big shiny films to look forward to.

Whilst I was enjoying the final chapter of James Gunn’s impressive MCU trilogy and the trailers that preceded it I began to think about how much homework is needed to really enjoy a summer film. Or alternatively how good a memory you need. Because a lot of these films are not just sequels, they are the next chapter in a huge series of movies.

Earlier this year I watched John Wick Chapter’s 1 to 3 in preparation for Chapter 4. Whilst last year I watched Scream 1 to 4 in preparation for 5 and just hoped my memory was good enough for this year’s 6th instalment!

Do any of this year’s summer blockbusters warrant a major rewatch binge? Lets take a look in reverse order of time commitment needed…

6. Indiana Jones And The Dial Of Destiny

• Raiders Of The Lost Ark (1981) 1hr 55m
• Indiana Jones And The Temple Of Doom (1984) 1hr 58m
• Indiana Jones And The Last Crusade (1989) 2hr 7m
• Indiana Jones And The Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull (2008) 2hr 2m
• 4 Films 8hr 2m

5. Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol.3

• Guardians Of The Galaxy (2014) 2hr 1m
• Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017) 2hr 16m
• Avengers: Infinity War (2018) 2hr 29m
• Avengers: Endgame (2019) 3hr 1m
• 4 Films 9hr 47m

Whilst you do not need to have seen the entire Infinity Stone Saga if you really want to be completely up to speed you do need to watch the Avengers double bill to understand the Gamora plotline in Vol. 3. I love this series but felt that I knew it well enough to not need to do any rewatches.

4. Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One

• Mission: Impossible (1996) 1hr 50m
• Mission: Impossible 2 (2000) 2hr 3m
• Mission: Impossible III (2006) 2hr 6m
• Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol (2011) 2hr 12m
• Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation (2015) 2hr 11m
• Mission: Impossible – Fallout (2018) 2hr 27m
• 6 Films 12hr 49m

Shaping up to be one of the greatest action franchises in film history and arguably the most consistent mega franchise on this list. I love these movies and am pretty keen on a rewatch of these films.

3. Transformers: Rise Of The Beasts

• Transformers (2007) 2hr 24m
• Transformers: Revenge Of The Fallen (2009) 2hr 29m
• Transformers: Dark Of The Moon (2011) 2hr 34m
• Transformers: Age Of Extinction (2014) 2hr 45m
• Transformers: The Last Knight (2017) 2hr 34m
• Bumblebee (2018) 1hr 54m
• 6 Films 14hr 40m

I wish I could love this series more, but aside from the original film and the spinoff Bumblebee they tend to fall into incoherent noise. I still fondly remember playing with these toys as a child though so I always hope the next one might just be the perfect one.

2. The Flash

• Batman (1989) 2hr 6m
• Batman Returns (1992) 2hr 6m
• Man Of Steel (2013) 2hr 23m
• Batman v Superman: Dawn Of Justice (2016) 2hr 31m
• Batman v Superman: Dawn Of Justice Ultimate Edition (2016) 3hr 2m
• Justice League (2017) 2hr
• Zack Snyder’s Justice League (2021) 4hr 2m
• 7 Films 18hr 10m

It is possible I may have missed some other films depending on whether any secrets have been kept hidden from us on this one. And of course you could skip the regular cuts of the final 2 on this list and just go for the longer superior versions. But for true completion you can watch the theatrical releases as well. Personally I might go back to Michael Keaton’s Batman films but otherwise think I know where I stand.

1. Fast X

• The Fast And The Furious (2001) 1hr 46m
• 2 Fast 2 Furious (2003) 1hr 47m
• The Fast And The Furious: Tokyo Drift (2006) 1hr 44m
• Fast & Furious (2009) 1hr 47m
• Fast Five (2011) 2hr 10m
• Fast & Furious 6 (2013) 2hr 10m
• Furious 7 (2015) 2hr 17m
• The Fate Of The Furious (2017) 2hr 16m
• Fast & Furious: Hobbs & Shaw (2019) 2hr 17m
• F9 (2021) 2hr 23m
• 10 Films 20hr 37m

Whilst the greatest thing about the Fast Franchise may well be its titles you can not deny their money making abilities. Whilst this is the 10th film in the main series it is the 11th film in total. My recollection is that only 5 and 7 would warrant a rewatch but maybe I should immerse myself in a world where physics do not exist?

So which franchise are you going to revisit?

For those looking for a summer movie that will take zero catching up keep your eyes open for:

• Asteroid City
• Barbie
• Elemental
• Oppenheimer