Summer is a time for relaxation, recuperation, and revival, a time to go to the beach, have fun with friends, visit family, read, watch TV all day, whatever you desire.
Summer is ideal in those aspects, but it is also a prime time to go to the movies.
Here’s what’s coming out this year.
Last summer brought “Star Trek,” “Watchmen,” “The Hangover,” “The Fast and the Furious,” “G.I. Joe,” “Public Enemies,” “Angels and Demons” and “Up.”
This year is no let down, as the summer is packed with sequels, remakes, and a few fresh ideas.
Sequels seem to be a main thing this summer.
Iron Man, Shrek and Company, and Carrie and the girls all return in May. “Iron Man 2” (May 7), directed by Jon Favreau (“Iron Man,” “Elf”) returns to the adventures of cyborg industrialist Tony Stark and stars Robert Downey Jr. and Gwyneth Paltrow, with Scarlett Johansson as Black Widow and Mickey Rourke as Whiplash. Don Cheadle will replace Terrence Howard as Rhodes. In addition, fans can expect to see Nick Fury, as portrayed by Samuel L. Jackson.
“Shrek” gets existentialist with the fourth “Shrek” movie, “Shrek: Forever and After” (May 21), which brings back the regular cast of Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Antonio Banderas, and Cameron Diaz, and introduces “Spongebob” and “Dexter’s Laboratory” writer Walt Dohrn as the havoc-wreaking Rumpelstiltskin.
The commercial success of the TV show-turned-movie “Sex and the City 2” (May 27) has paved the way for Samantha, Miranda, Charlotte, and Carrie to return to the big screen. Jessica Parker, Kim Cattrall, Kristen Davis, Cynthia Nixon, and Chris Noth reprise their roles, and rumored cameos include Bette Midler and Penelope Cruz.
After 11 years, there will finally be a third installment in the “Toy Story” saga. In “Toy Story 3”, (June 18), Andy is finally off to college, and the toys, including Woody (Tom Hanks), Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen), and Jessie (Joan Cusack) are up to their old adventures. New cast members include Timothy Dalton, Bonnie Hunt, Whoopi Goldberg, and Michael Keaton.
“Eclipse,” the next movie in the Stephenie Meyer’s cult saga, will be released to anxious fans on June 30, with Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, and Taylor Lautner reprising their roles in the human-vampire-werewolf love triangle.
“Little Fockers” (July 30) the second sequel to “Meet the Parents,” returns the full original cast as well. Little Jack is six years old now, but baby hijinks continue with Pam (Teri Polo) and Greg’s (Ben Stiller) five-year-old twins. Robert de Niro, Blythe Danner, Dustin Hoffman, and Barbra Streisand reprise their roles as new grandparents. New cast members include Harvery Keitel, Jessica Alba, Raven-Symone, and Laura Dern. The film is written by “I Love You, Man” writer-director John Hamburg and directed by Paul Weitz, brother of Chris Weitz (director of “The Golden Compass” and “New Moon”) and co-director of “American Pie” and “About A Boy.”
Sequels round out the summer, with “Step Up 3-D” (August 6), starring Alyson Stoner (“Cheaper by the Dozen,” “Step Up”) and Harry Shum Jr. (“Glee,” “Greek,” “Step Up 2:The Streets”) and “Nanny McPhee and the Big Bang” (August 20), starring Emma Thompson and Ewan McGregor.
Of course there are also the remakes. The heroic story of Robin Hood (May 14) is rebooted by epic director Ridley Scott (“Alien,” “Gladiator,” “Kingdom of Heaven”) and writer Brian Helgeland (“A Knight’s Tale,” “L.A. Confidential,” “Man on Fire”). Russell Crowe and Cate Blanchett star as the legendary title character and Maid Marion, respectively. The film also stars William Hurt, Danny Huston (“Clash of the Titans”), and Mark Strong (“Sherlock Holmes”).
Also, Jackie Chan and Jaden Smith (“The Pursuit of Happyness”) resurrect the classic “The Karate Kid” (June 11), and “The A-Team,” inspired by the 80s TV show of the same title, stars Liam Neeson, Bradley Cooper, Sharlto Copley (star of “District 9”) and Patrick Wilson (“Little Children,” “Watchmen”). For fans of the Nickelodeon anime “Avatar: The Last Airbender” comes the live-action movie “The Last Airbender” (July 2), directed by M. Night Shyamalan. “The Last Airbender” introduces Noah Ringer as Aang and Nicola Peltz (“Deck the Halls”) as Katara.
There are a few movies that aren’t sequels or do-overs. Amanda Seyfried (“Mean Girls,” “Mamma Mia!,” “Dear John”) travels to Verona in the romance “Letters to Juliet” (May 14). Other movies to look forward to are the peculiar “Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Undead” (May 21), which adds vampires to this adaptation of the absurdist play, the comedies “Killers” (June 4) and “Grown Ups” (June 25), the fantasy “Sorcerer’s Apprentice” (July 16) and the romantic comedy “Eat, Pray, Love” (August 13).
Summers are typically when Hollywood rolls out the big movies. With the epic, comic, and fabulous coming to theatres, this summer is no exception.