Big Shiny Robot: Summer Geek Guide 

• Lucasfilm
• Amandla Stenberg in Star Wars: The Acolyte

Summer is the time of year I like to hibernate the most. Thanks to climate change, it's usually too hot to go outside for long without suffocating in the heat. Thanks to the Utah Legislature's failure to properly regulate businesses, we're also suffocating from the poor air quality. So, we add to the problem by cranking the AC to survive indoors and that gives us a lot of time to do fun, nerdy things, like watch TV shows, read books, and watch movies. Or we can chill in the glorious AC of a movie theater—my preferred way to watch motion pictures.

Here's my look at the stuff I'm most excited about this summer:

Star Wars: The Acolyte - The brand-new television show in the Star Wars universe is created by Leslye Headland, and takes place more than a hundred years before the events of The Phantom Menace. It looks to be a mystical martial-arts take on the Star Wars universe, with a murder mystery beating at its heart. It also happens at the end of the High Republic era, which is some of the best storytelling Star Wars has been doing. (June 4, Disney+)

Deadpool and Wolverine - Like everyone else, I thought 2017's Logan was a perfect and fitting end for Hugh Jackman's portrayal of Wolverine. But if there is one person who could have brought him back into the character in a way that made sense, it was Ryan Reynolds and his fourth-wall breaking take on Deadpool. Deadpool & Wolverine sets them loose in the multiverse on July 26 in theaters.

Alien: Romulus - Set between the events of Alien (1979) and Aliens (1986), Alien: Romulus is the seventh film in the Alien franchise (we don't count anything with Predator, or directed by Paul W.S. Anderson) and looks to be a return to form for the franchise that Ridley Scott has taken back into the realm of philosophical sci-fi. It hits theaters Aug. 16.

Gail Simone's Uncanny X-Men - Gail Simone is one of the best writers working in comics. She's funny, she's a terrific storyteller, and her sense of pacing is unreal. Throwing her into the world of the X-Men with a relaunch of their flagship title is a recipe for excitement, especially since the majority of her team features everyone's favorites from the '90s animated series currently undergoing a renaissance thanks to a new season that debuted on Disney+. Simone and artist David Marquez relaunch Uncanny X-Men in August.

Batman: Resurrection - We always needed more stories in the Tim Burton Batman universe, and author John Jackson Miller is giving us exactly that. Set between the events of Batman (1989) and Batman Returns (1992), this all-new tale of the Caped Crusader also offers a look at some of the characters who disappeared between the two films. I know it comes out on the border of fall in October, but I'm too excited about it not to list it.

Star Wars: Outlaws - Star Wars has been hitting home runs lately with their video game offerings, and Outlaws looks to be like the latest grand slam. An open world action-adventure game puts you right in the middle of the underworld action in a galaxy far, far away, in just about any way you can think of to explore the story. The trailers make it look amazing, and it's going to be a must play sort of game in the canon. It hits consoles and PCs on Aug. 30.

BattleTech: Mercenaries - You'd be crazy if you thought I wouldn't put board games on this list, and BattleTech: Mercenaries is one I've had a chance to play. Focusing on mercenaries in the world of BattleTech and MechWarrior, this tabletop miniatures game has all the strategy of the classic game with some of the best looking paintable minis on the market. It's supposed to hit stores sometime this summer; you won't regret snagging it.

A classic to get into if you're not already: Root - I know not everyone wants to wait for summer to start having fun now, and that's why I wanted to put Root on the list. This might be one of the best boardgames I've ever played. In this game that features assymetric play, each player controls a different faction of woodland creatures as they try to dominate the forest. If you're skeptical about the board game, download the tablet app. It's seriously incredible and it's been haunting my dreams for months. I just want to play more. It's available now at your local game store or from Leder Games.

If this doesn't all keep you busy this summer, then I have to wonder if there might be something wrong with you.