Summer films 2012
Release date: May 4
Marvel heroes Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.), Thor (Chris Hemsworth), Captain America (Chris Evans), Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) the Incredible Hulk (Mark Ruffalo) and Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) are brought together by S.H.I.E.L.D. director Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) to save the world from the evil Loki (Tom Hiddleston).
Release date: May 11
Based on the 1960s TV soap opera, Tim Burton's horror-comedy stars Johnny Depp as Barnabas Collins and Jonny Lee Miller as Roger Collins."
Release date: May 16
Comedian Sacha Baron Cohen ("Borat") returns in "The Dictator," fresh from having dumped the supposed ashes of North Korean Kim Jong-il all over the freshly-pressed tuxedo of a very surprised Ryan Seacrest at the Academy Awards last February.
Release date: May 18
An event they don't train you for in boot camp - combating an alien threat - in the action film "Battleship," based (very loosely) on the classic Hasbro board game.
Release date: May 25
Will Smith and Josh Brolin in "Men in Black 3," the latest in the sci-fi comedy series, in which Smith's special agent travels back in time to meet the younger version of partner Tommy Lee Jones (played by Brolin).
Limited release: May 25
The latest whimsical comedy from director Wes Anderson ("Rushmore," "Fantastic Mr. Fox") opens this year's Cannes Film Festival. It stars Anderson regular Bill Murray and Anderson newbie Frances McDormand.
Release date: June 1
Chris Hemsworth as The Huntsman and Kristen Stewart as Snow White in "Snow White and the Huntsman."
Release date: June 8
According to 20th Century Fox publicity, the new science fiction thriller "Prometheus," directed by Ridley Scott ("Alien"), is NOT a prequel to the 1979 sci-fi classic. The trailer suggests otherwise.
Release date: June 15
Tom Cruise stars as rocker Stacee Jaxx in the musical "Rock of Ages," adapted from the Broadway play about a Los Angeles nightclub. Also starring are Bryan Cranston, Malin Akerman, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Julianne Hough, Alec Baldwin, Paul Giamatti, Russell Brand, Will Forte, and Mary J. Blige.
Release date: June 22
Princess Merida (voiced by Kelly Macdonald) in the Disney/Pixar animated fable.
Release date: June 22
The "true" story of our nation's 16th president - his axe wasn't just used for splitting logs.
Release date: June 22
Woody Allen's follow-up to "Midnight in Paris" stars Penelope Cruz (right), Alessandro Tiberi (left) and Roberto Della Casa (center), along with Alec Baldwin, Roberto Begnini, Ellen Page, Jesse Eisenberg, Greta Gerwig, Judy Davis, and Allen himself.
Release date: July 3
Andrew Garfield ("The Social Network") stars in this re-boot of the Spider-Man franchise.
Release date: July 5
Katy Perry performs in the 3-D documentary/concert film.
Release date: July 20
What IMAX was invented for: Tom Hardy and Christian Bale in "The Dark Knight Rises," in director Christopher Nolan's wrap-up of his Batman trilogy.
Release date: August 17
Jordin Sparks and Whitney Houston in "Sparkle," a musical drama about a girl group based on the 1976 film. This was Houston's last film performance.