Summer Blockbusters (July/August 2026)
Ends on
For our July/August summer issue, we're looking for smart, thoughtful, engaging essays on “the summer blockbuster film.” Got a killer angle on a summer classic like Jurassic Park or Jaws? Want to interrogate the aesthetics of Michael Bay and Christopher Nolan, or Schwarzenegger and Stallone? Feel like the filmography of James Cameron demands reevaluation in the age of AI? We want your essays and your pitches.
Moreover, we’re also hoping for creative and left-field approaches to the subject. We’re not just looking for essays on Indiana Jones and the Incredible Hulk, but genre-busting surprise summer hits—films like Ghost (the highest grossing film of 1990!), Fatal Attraction (the second-highest grossing film of 1987!), and The Sixth Sense (the second-highest grossing film of 1999!). We’d even love to hear from you on failed attempts at the blockbuster, like Showgirls, Batman & Robin, and The Last Action Hero.
A few guardrails: For the purposes of the issue, we are considering the summer film season to be any film released between May 1st and September 30th of its release year (sorry, no March or April babies like The Matrix or Sinners). And unless you’ve actually seen the film, no 2026 releases, please.
---
Additional Details & Submission Information:
We are currently able to pay $50 upon publication for any essays accepted via Submittable for this issue. Please be aware that all acceptances are based on the presumption of the writer's good-faith engagement with our collaborative editorial process; a refusal to participate in this process may result in rescinded acceptance. In order to be considered for the issue we will need to receive a complete first draft of your essay via Submittable by June 28, 2026.
Please be advised that given the high volume of interest for what’s typically 8 - 10 publication slots per issue, and to help level the playing field between emerging and established voices, we rely partially on Submittable to find a handful of essays for each issue, and do ask for full first drafts for consideration.
We completely understand that for many writers, working on spec is too much of an expenditure of time and energy for an uncertain result. For that reason, we’re happy to accept pitches via email (editors AT brightwalldarkroom.com). Please include a rundown of your idea, a projected word count (we typically publish work between 2,000 and 3,000 words), a sense of what makes it a great fit for BW/DR (usually some distinctive form or offbeat focus that would set it apart from outlets more focused on news & reviews), and links to any pieces you've published at outlets with editorial oversight.
On pitches, we will offer a solid yes or no following the close of the submission window; please keep in mind that a rejection may represent a range of reasons unrelated to the quality of your work—given our roster of regular contributors and our desire to save a few slots each month for Submittable discoveries, pitching is, for better or worse, a fairly competitive prospect!
To increase your chances, it would definitely help to familiarize yourself in advance with the types of essays we tend to publish, as well as checking our archives to make sure we haven't covered the film you want to write about within the last twelve months.
And last but certainly not least: for more detailed information about our general submission process, guidelines, and editorial preferences, please check out The Bright Wall/Dark Room Guide to Pitching & Submitting.