28 Summer Blockbusters You Can Watch at Home

Deadpool 2 arrived in theaters this May and became the first bonafide hit of the summer movie season. It was quickly followed by Solo, the latest in the Star Wars franchise, and the story of a young Han Solo.

While the summer of 2018 is sure to have many hits yet to come, if you’re the impatient type, here is a list of 28 summer blockbusters that you can watch right now in the comfort of your home:

Independence Day – Rent or buy from $2.99 and up.  

Will Smith, Jeff Goldblum, an alien invasion, and the best fake president’s speech in cinematic history. What more could you possibly ask for?

Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl – Rent or buy from $2.99 and up.  

It’s hard to believe that this 2003 film earned Johnny Depp an Oscar nomination. But what is not hard to believe is that this film (based on a Disney park ride!) also launched a very successful franchise.

The Dark Knight – Cinemax

This 2003 reboot of the Batman franchise starring Christian Bale and Heath Ledger was a major hit in the year it was released.

Knocked Up – TBS

Starring Seth Rogen and Katherine Heigl, Knocked Up is the story of what happens when you and your one night stand decide to become parents.

Aliens – HBO

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XKSQmYUaIyE

Starring Sigourney Weaver and Bill Paxton, Aliens (the sequel to Alien) was released in the summer of 1986.

Gladiator – Starz

Gladiator is the tale of Maximus (played by Russell Crowe), a gladiator in Roman times with a grudge against Commodus (played by Joaquin Phoenix), the son of Marcus Aurelius.

Star Trek: Into Darkness – DirecTV Now/FX/Fox

Director J.J. Abrams returns to direct the sequel of the 2009 reboot. This installment features fan-favorite Benedict Cumberbatch as a political terrorist named John Harrison.

Speed – Cinemax

Speed, also known as the little movie that made Sandra Bullock famous, is the story of a bus and bomb and just the right amount of romance. As far as summer blockbusters go, what more do you need to know?

National Lampoon’s Vacation – Rent or buy from $2.99 and up.

One of the only road films on the list, National Lampoon’s Vacation, stars Chevy Chase and Beverly D’Angelo as the Clark and Ellen Griswold, who just want to take their kids on a nice, family vacation.

Die Hard – HBO

The first of five Die Hard films, this 1988 action film stars Bruce Willis in a star-making role as an off-duty NYPD officer who gets wrapped up in a hostage situation on Christmas Eve.

Jurassic Park – Rent or buy from $2.99 and up.

This 1993 dino blockbuster starring Sam Neill, Jeff Goldblum, and Laura Dern, is based on the 1990 book of the same name by Michael Crichton.

Jaws – Rent or buy from $2.99 and up.

Another creature-feature by Steven Spielberg, Jaws tells the tale of a killer shark with a taste for human blood and the team of men determined to put an end to the animal’s reign of terror.  

Men in Black – Netflix

Will Smith makes his second appearance on this list as Agent J, a brand new member of the Men in Black team, a secret unit dispatched to police the rising alien population of earth.

Bridesmaids – Rent or buy from $2.99 and up.  

Directed by Paul Feig, this 2011 comedy follows Annie (played by Kristin Wiig) who is asked to be a bridesmaid for her best friend Lillian (played by Maya Rudolph) and the hilarious series of scrapes that she gets into on her way to the wedding.

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban – HBO

The third installment in the Harry Potter series is probably my personal favorite. Whether it’s the drama with Buckbeak, Hermione finally sticking it to Draco, or the revelation that Sirius Black was an ally to Harry’s parents, this one has something exciting right around every corner.

Terminator 2: Judgement Day – Rent or buy from $2.99 and up.  

The second part in the Terminator franchise brings back Arnold Schwarzenegger, this time as a cyborg sent to protect John Connor who is now a teenager, played by an appropriately-broody Edward Furlong.

Inglourious Basterds – Rent or buy from $2.99 and up.

A World War II fairytale of sorts, Inglourious Basterds is Quentin Tarantino’s fictional story of a troupe of American soldiers sent to assassinate as many Nazis as they can, including their leader Adolf Hitler.

Risky Business – Rent or buy from $2.99 and up.

This 1983 coming-of-age hit, starring Tom Cruise and Rebecca De Mornay, famously contains the iconic scene of a young Cruise, dancing in a pink dress shirt, his briefs and socks, to the tune of Bob Seger’s Old Time Rock and Roll.

Spider-Man – DirecTV Now/Fox/FX

It’s hard to believe that there have been two Spider-man actors since Tobey Maguire first brought Peter Parker to life in 2002.

Unforgiven – Cinemax

Some call Unforgiven, starring Clint Eastwood, Morgan Freeman, Gene Hackman and Richard Harris, one of the greatest westerns in cinematic history.

Apollo 13 – Showtime/Amazon Prime

Houston, we have a problem. Just about everybody, even those who haven’t seen the movie, has repeated this line. The film is about the famed crew of Apollo 13, who miraculously returned safely to Earth after multiple system failures.

Twister – DirecTV Now

This 1996 disaster film stars Helen Hunt and Bill Paxton as storm chasers in Oklahoma who have a run-in with the storm system of a lifetime.

The Fugitive – Cinemax

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-el_0ufaPH0

Tommy Lee Jones is on a mission to find a fugitive by the name of Dr. Richard Kimble, a man who has been accused of murdering his wife and manages to escape custody during a harrowing bus crash.

The Truman Show – Netflix/Epix

Before we had Facebook and Instagram, we had The Truman Show, a movie about a man whose life is documented and broadcast to the world (unbeknownst to him) from the moment he is born. What once was a foreign concept, is now part of our everyday lives.

The Mummy – Cinemax

When an ancient spirit is awakened by a scavenger, it sets off a series of events that could destroy everything in its path.

The Fast and the Furious – HBO

If you had told me in 2001 that The Fast and the Furious would launch one of the biggest film franchises that the world has ever seen, I would have called you a “silly goose” and continued munching on my popcorn while I ogled Paul Walker. How wrong I would have been.

The Notebook  – Rent or buy from $2.99 and up.

Based on the novel by Nicholas Sparks, The Notebook tells the love story of Allie and Noah, played by Rachel McAdams and Ryan Gosling.

Raiders of the Lost Ark – Amazon Prime/Epix

The first in the Indiana Jones franchise, Raiders of the Lost Ark stars a swaggering Harrison Ford, fresh off of his success as Han Solo in the Star Wars films.