'The Croods: A New Age' to wrap up 2021 Free Friday Flicks

The 2021 Free Friday Flicks outdoor summer movie series comes to a close this Friday, June 25, with a showing of “The Croods: A New Age” at Veterans Park in Hoover.

The 1-hour and 35-minute animated comedy is a follow-up to 2013’s “The Croods” and follows the prehistoric family as they seek a place to settle down. They find what seems to be the perfect place until they discover it’s already occupied by a more evolved family called the Bettermans. Tensions boil between the two families, but a new menace threatens the future of both.

Actors providing voices include Nicolas Cage, Emma Stone and Ryan Reynolds. The movie is rated PG for peril, action and rude humor. See more about it at imdb.com.

The 30-foot-wide movie image is shown on a 38-foot-wide screen on the grassy area near the main pavilion at Veterans Park off Valleydale Road. The movie is scheduled to start at dusk. The sun sets at 8:01 p.m.

Keri Lane, the founder of the free movie series, encourages people to come early — around 6:30 p.m. — and have picnics in the park prior to the show. Milo’s Original Burger Bus and the ThirsTea Café are scheduled to be on site, but people are welcome to bring their own food. A playground is nearby.

Lane encourages people to bring blankets or lawn chairs to watch the movie. People will have an opportunity to have pictures taken with the GEICO gecko character, she said.

To get updates on movie cancellations due to bad weather, follow Backyard Movie Parties on Twitter at @BYMovieParties or go to Free Friday Flicks on Facebook.

The first movie shown in this year’s series was the 1961 version of “101 Dalmatians” on June 4, while “Trolls World Tour” was shown on June 11 and the new “Tom & Jerry” movie was shown on June 18.

If inclement weather prevents a showing of the movie Friday night, the rain date is July 9.