Countdown to this year’s biggest summer blockbusters

Ah, summer. A magical time chock full of freedom, outdoor concerts, mosquitoes, unpaid internships and sunburn.

And along with all these wonderful things come — dun dun dun — summer movies!

There’s nothing quite like that onslaught of sequels, superheroes, Shrek films and sisterhoods of traveling pants. So what’s on the budget for this year’s balmy weather blockbusters? Let’s take a look.

 

Thor (May 6): 

You’re probably thinking that there’s no way in hell you’re stomaching yet another summer superhero film, but this one might be worth the bucks. The Kenneth Branagh-directed addition to Marvel’s movie collection, starring newcomer Chris Hemsworth, has been getting some serious buzz over the past few months.

There’s little doubt that we could all do without overblown special effects and superhuman powers at this point, but it looks like Thor might offer some much needed heart to the genre.

 

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (May 20):

It seemed that 2007’s At World’s End was an apt — if awful — conclusion to Disney’s popular Pirates franchise, but alas, it was not to be.

There is hope, however. The newest addition to Jack Sparrow’s repertoire will see some fresh direction from Rob Marshall and stars Penelope Cruz and Ian McShane, so there’s a possibility that the series will be saved. And don’t worry; Johnny Depp’s gold teeth and kohl-lined eyes are back for the ride.

 

The Hangover Part II (May 26):

We all remember 2009’s first installment of wolf pack generated shenanigans, and while there has been some debate over whether or not the original Hangover was overrated, there’s no question that it was still pretty funny.

So will the sequel, which finds our old buddies Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms and Zach Galifianikis waking up in a Thai hotel room after a wild night, succeed in making us laugh? The premise seems a little stale at this point, but hey, anything’s possible.

 

Green Lantern (June 17):

The script is pretty standard superhero movie fare, but with Ryan Reynolds’s comedic timing and Casino Royale’s Martin Campbell at the directorial helm, we could have a pretty solid series on our hands.Blake Lively is in it, though. Just a warning. Things might get messy.

 

Transformers: Dark of the Moon (July 1):

Michael Bay’s back. Megan Fox isn’t. Save your money and stay away.

 

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part II (July 15):

Buy your tickets now, folks, because the final Harry Potter film is almost here, marking the end of the franchise’s cinematic adventure.

After battling dragons, dementors and Death Eaters galore, Harry and friends face Voldemort for the final time. Who will be the last man standing? We can only guess. Or we could just read the book.

 

Cowboys and Aliens (July 29):

There are plenty of summer movies about aliens and there used to be lots of movies about cowboys, but this summer, Iron Man director Jon Favreau brings us a marriage of the two.

Not only will this film feature both cowboys and aliens, but it also stars Harrison Ford and Daniel Craig. Indiana Jones and James Bond in the same movie? Pinch us, we must be dreaming. It’s totally unclear from the trailer what this movie is even about, but it will probably be awesome. Or at least, it will probably be an awesome way to soak up some air-conditioning in 90 degree heat.

 

30 Minutes or Less (August 12):

Jesse Eisenberg, Danny McBride, Aziz Ansari and Nick Swardson star in this comedy about two small-town crooks that coerce a pizza delivery boy into robbing a bank in under half an hour.

The trailer looks funny, the cast seems solid and the screenplay was written by Hopkins alum Michael Diliberti, so this might be a fun flick to ring in the end of summer.