New Mission Impossible, F1, and Karate Kid: Hottest Summer Movie Releases

There’s no better place to escape the unbearable summer temperatures than in air-conditioned, state-of-the-art Doha movie theaters. Equipped with high-definition visuals, cinemas in Qatar provide a luxurious entertainment experience, especially if you pay a little extra for comfy seats. 

Here are all the movies you can watch in English this summer, from the films currently available in theaters to upcoming July releases. 

Final Destination: Bloodlines

Genre: Horror 

Release date: May 15

After 14 years, Final Destination got its sixth part. Bloodlines is actually a prequel to the franchise, and ties all of the pieces together, providing more context to the well-known Final Destination storylines. All this with, of course, the usual backdrop of trying to cheat faith.

Directed by Zach Lipovsky and Adam B. Stein, this movie features Kaitlyn Santa Juana, Teo Briones, and Rya Kihlstedt.

• IMDB score: 7.0/10

• Rotten Tomatoes: 92% Tomatometer, 87% Popcornmeter 

Mission: Impossible — Final Reckoning

Genre: Action, Thriller

Release date: May 23

Beloved Ethan Hunt is on his 8th (and possibly last) life-threatening quest. Tom Cruise does his own stunts at the age of 63, directed by Christopher McQuarrie.

• IMDB score: 7.4/10

• Rotten Tomatoes: 80% Tomatometer, 89% Popcornmeter 

Lilo & Stitch

Genre: Action, Thriller

Release date: May 23

A popular cartoon received its live-action version. Set in Hawaii, the story follows an unlikely friendship between a girl and, well, Stitch. Dean Fleischer Camp is directing this movie, and Maia Kealoha stars as Lilo, while Chris Sanders lends his voice to Stitch.

• IMDB score: 7.0/10

• Rotten Tomatoes: 71% Tomatometer, 93% Popcornmeter 

Karate Kid: Legends

Genre: Action, Drama

Release date: May 29

Jackie Chan reprises his famous role in the new Karate Kid installment, directed by Jonathan Entwistle. The story follows a kung fu prodigy played by Ben Wang and his move to New York City. This installment is connected to not just the Karate Kid movies but also the TV show Kobra Kai, so you probably need to watch it before going to the theater. 

• IMDB score: 6.6/10

• Rotten Tomatoes: 58% Tomatometer, 92% Popcornmeter 

How to Train Your Dragon

Genre: Adventure, Action, Drama, Comedy

Release date: June 12

A live-action remake of the popular animated movie about a friendship between a Viking (played by Mason Thames) and a dragon. The film was directed by Dean DeBlois.

• IMDB score: 8.1/10

• Rotten Tomatoes: 78% Tomatometer, 98% Popcornmeter 

M3gan 2.0

Genre: Horror

Release date: June 26

Notorious AI creation, M3gan, is on another revenge mission orchestrated by her creator, Gemma. Gerard Johnstone directed part two as well, and the cast includes Jemaine Clement, Allison Williams, and Jenna Davis.

F1: The Movie

Genre: Action, Drama, Sport

Release date: June 26

The movie follows a fictional story of a Formula One champion coming out of retirement to mentor a young driver. The film’s cast includes Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, and Javier Bardem, and is directed by Joseph Kosinski.

Jurassic World: Rebirth

Genre: Adventure, Action, Sci-Fi

Release date: July 3

This installment of Jurassic World happens five years after the events of Dominion and features a brand new cast. The stars of the movie are Scarlett Johansson, Rupert Friend, and Jonathan Bailey, and the director is Gareth Edwards. 

Superman

Genre: Action, Superhero, Sci-Fi

Release date: July 3

Another year, another Superman remake. Follow Superman as he comes to terms with his fate, this time starring David Corenswet under James Gunn’s direction. 

Rob1n

Genre: Horror

Release date: July 17

According to the director Lawrence Fowler, Rob1n drew inspiration for the movie M3gan, and is about a robotic doll that wreaks havoc on anybody who dares to harm its owner. The leads of this movie are Leona Clarke, Victor Mellors, and Michaela Longden.

Smurfs

Genre: Animated, Adventure

Release date: July 17

Smurfs are on another quest against Razamel and Gargamel, this time to save Papa Smurf. Directed by Chris Miller, you’ll hear so many familiar voices in this animated movie, including Kurt Russell, Natasha Lyonne, Sandra Oh, Jimmy Kimmel, and even Rihanna. 

The Fantastic Four: First Steps

Genre: Sci-Fi, Superhero

Release date: July 24

This remake of the well-known Marvel superhero group shows us how the Fantastic Four came to be. It’s directed by a famous face in the Marvel universe — Matt Shakman, and stars Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, and Joseph Quinn.

The Bad Guys 2

Genre: Animated, Adventure

Release date: July 31

Following their image rehabilitation in the first installment, the Bad Guys gang is forced to choose between their new and old ways. Sam Rockwell, Marc Maron, and Craig Robinson are voicing the main characters, under the direction of Pierre Perifel and JP Sans.

Theatres in Qatar generally belong to large cinema chains that have multiple locations throughout the region. The most popular ones are:

• Novo Cinemas: It has different locations around Doha, such as the Pearl, Msheireb, and Oasis, and has frequent promotions

• Vox Cinemas: It’s located in Festival City. You can follow the latest promotions on their Instagram page

• Cineco: Cineco has locations in the Al Waab Street as well as in the Gulf and City Center malls, and often has special offers

Ticket prices range between QAR 35 to QAR 100, depending on the type of movie (2D or 3D) and the view from the seats. Popcorn is priced around QAR 20, and nachos are about QAR 35.