Paul and Amy look back at the wild summer of 2026, a blockbuster season that brought audiences back to theaters and delivered one of the most lucrative summers in over a decade. From The Invite and Jackass Forever to The Odyssey, Minions and Monsters, and Toy Story 5, they dig into a surprisingly diverse group of hits and ask whether the era of chasing movie trends is finally giving way to something simpler: good storytelling. Along the way, they explore the return of the mid-budget movie, the Obsession and Backrooms mania sweeping through pop culture, and the season’s biggest flops.

You can join the Unspooled conversation on Paul’s Discord at&nbsp;<a href="https://discord.gg/ZwtygZGTa6">https://discord.gg/ZwtygZGTa6</a>

Follow Paul and Amy on Letterboxd for more of their movie hot takes!&nbsp;<a href="https://letterboxd.com/paulscheer/">https://letterboxd.com/paulscheer/</a>&nbsp;<a href="https://letterboxd.com/theamynicholson/">https://letterboxd.com/theamynicholson/</a>

Paul’s book Joyful Recollections of Trauma is out now! Find it at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.harpercollins.com/products/joyful-recollections-of-trauma-paul-scheer">https://www.harpercollins.com/products/joyful-recollections-of-trauma-paul-scheer</a>

Check out more of Paul's writing on his Substack&nbsp;<a href="https://substack.com/@paulscheer">https://substack.com/@paulscheer</a>

Episodic Art by Kim Troxall:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.unspooledart.com/">https://www.unspooledart.com/</a>

Learn more about the show at&nbsp;<a href="http://unspooledpod.com/">Unspooledpod.com</a>, follow us on Twitter @unspooled and on Instagram @unspooledpod, and don’t forget to rate, review & subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or where you listen to podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit <a href="https://megaphone.fm/adchoices">megaphone.fm/adchoices</a>

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