Johnny Depp’s swashbuckling Captain Jack Sparrow is back in the fourth installment of the blockbuster Disney franchise. This time around, Sparrow is on a quest to locate the legendary Fountain of Youth. On board for the adventure are Penelope Cruz (as Sparrow’s former love), Geoffrey Rush (Captain Barbossa), and Ian McShane (Captain Blackbeard). (Photo: Peter Mountain/Disney)
The Hangover Part II (May 26)
The lovable Vegas “wolfpack” (Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, Zach Galafianakis, Justin Bartha) reunite for another wedding trip--this time to Bangkok. Will trouble and drunken mayhem follow them to Southeast Asia? Do you have to ask? The movie opens Memorial Day weekend. (Photo: Warner Bros.)
The Tree of Life (May 27)
Acclaimed director Terence Malick has only made five films in his career. His latest, The Tree of Life (starring two of Hollywood’s biggest names, Brad Pitt and Sean Penn) has been in production for years and its release date has been delayed several times. Now set to open during the summer blockbuster season, this visually stunning family drama will be a sure contender for the Oscars. (Photo: Merie Wallace/Fox Searchlight Pictures)
X-Men: First Class (June 3)
Serving as a prequel to the franchise based on the Marvel Comics superheroes, X-Men: First Class focuses on Professor X’s and Magneto’s early friendship, and features an all-star cast that includes (from left) Caleb Landry Jones (Banshee), Michael Fassbender (Magneto), Jennifer Lawrence (Mystique), Rose Byrne (Dr. Moira MacTaggert), Nicholas Hoult (Beast), James McAvoy (Professor X) and Lucas Till (Havok). (Photo: Murray Close/20th Century Fox)
Super 8 (June 10)
In a sea of sequels and franchises, an original feature is sure to stand out during the summer movie season. And with its mysterious plot (a group of small-town kids film a catastrophic train crash), buzz-worthy trailer, and big names behind the camera (J.J. Abrams is director, Steven Spielberg is producer), Super 8 is one of the year’s most anticipated movies. (Photo: Paramount Pictures)
Green Lantern (June 17)
People Magazine’s Sexiest Man Alive Ryan Reynolds suits up as DC Comics’ Green Lantern to join the summer’s CGI effects-heavy superhero showdown. Martin Campbell (who reinvigorated James Bond with Casino Royale) directs, Blake Lively and Peter Sarsgaard co-star. (Photo: Warner Bros.)
Bad Teacher (June 24)
Cameron Diaz swears, smokes and drinks her way to our hearts as an unprofessional junior high teacher who’s more interested in finding her next sugar daddy than molding young minds. Justin Timberlake and Jason Segel also star in this R-rated comedy as her fellow teachers. (Photo: Gemma LaMana/Sony Pictures)
Cars 2 (June 25)
This sequel to the 2006 film goes international with Lightning McQueen (voiced by Owen Wilson) and tow truck Mater (Larry the Cable Guy) going overseas to compete in the World Grand Prix. There will be new car-acters joining them, including Holly Shiftwell (pictured, voiced by Emily Mortimer), and Finn McMissile (voiced by Michael Caine). (Photo: Disney/Pixar)
Larry Crowne (July 1)
Two of Hollywood’s biggest box-office draws, Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts, star in this comedy-drama about a middle-aged man who attempts to reinvent himself by going back to college, and unexpectedly falls in love with his college professor. (Photo: Bruce Talamon/Universal Pictures)
Transformers 3: Dark of the Moon (July 1)
Shia LaBeouf returns as Sam in the third installment of the blockbuster franchise, which director Michael Bay assures is better than 2009‘s Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (he admitted in a magazine interview that it “was crap.”). The new faces joining the actioner (Patrick Dempsey, John Malkovich, Frances McDormand) should keep fans hopeful. (Photo: Paramount Pictures)
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (July 15)
After a decade-long journey, the wizarding world of Harry Potter ends in an epic, gut-wrenching climax when Harry, Ron and Hermione face the evil Lord Voldemort for one final battle. What are you waiting for? Get your tickets now. (Photo: Warner Bros.)
Captain America: The First Avenger (July 22)
Chris Evans stars as Steve Rogers who volunteers for a secret mission that transforms him into a superhero in this this much talked-about action-adventure from Marvel Comics. Samuel L. Jackson, Hugo Weaving, Stanley Tucci, Tommy Lee Jones, Sebastian Stan, Hayley Atwell, Neal McDonough and Toby Jones co-star. (Photo: Paramount Pictures)
Friends With Benefits (July 22)
Mila Kunis joins Justin Timberlake in this rom-com about friends who decide to start a strictly physical relationship. Plot sounds familiar? Natalie Portman and Ashton Kutcher starred in the look-alike No Strings Attached. But if the trailer is any proof, Friends with Benefits, directed by Will Gluck (Easy A) and co-starring Emma Stone, Andy Samberg and Woody Harrelson, might just deliver more laughs. (Photo: Glen Wilson/Sony Pictures)
Cowboys and Aliens (July 29)
Director Jon Favreau (Iron Man) helmed this sci-fi Western mash-up, starring Daniel Craig as a loner who arrives with no memory of his past in the town of Absolution, policed by Harrison Ford. Spaceships in the Old West? Who says Hollywood has run out of original ideas? Olivia Wilde also co-stars. (Photo: Timothy White/Universal Pictures/Dreamworks)
Crazy Stupid Love (July 29)
Steve Carrell may have left The Office, but fans can still get a fix of his comedic chops as he pursues his film career. In Crazy Stupid Love, Carrell is a newly divorced man who re-enters the dating world with the help of smooth player Ryan Gosling. Julianne Moore, Marisa Tomei and Emma Stone co-star. (Photo: Ben Glass/Warner Bros.)
Conan the Barbarian (August 10)
Jason Momoa stars as a Cimmerian warrior on a quest to avenge his father’s murder, a role made famous by Arnold Schwarzenegger 29 years ago. We’ll have to wait and see if Momoa will live up to the iconic role, but Marcus Nispel’s reboot will have technology on its side, it will be shown in 3-D. (Photo: Simon Varsano/Lionsgate)
