Everything old is new again this summer, as many familiar characters and beloved titles — some more than 50 years old — return to the big screen.
That means superheroes, of course, and so summer officially begins with the second “Avengers” film on May 1 and continues with “Ant-Man” and “Fantastic Four.” But we’ll also see sequels to Seth MacFarlane’s “Ted,” the a cappella rom-com “Pitch Perfect” and the Channing Tatum vehicle “Magic Mike.” Steven Spielberg’s “Jurassic Park” will get a new sequel; his “Poltergeist” will get an update. George Miller, the action-pulp auteur behind the “Mad Max” franchise, delivers a new one starring Tom Hardy in the title role.
Another clear pattern is emerging: In the wake of hits like “Bridesmaids” and “The Heat,” we’ll see a wave of female-fronted comedies this summer. Reese Withspoon plays a cop in “Hot Pursuit,” Melissa McCarthy joins the CIA with “Spy” and Amy Schumer takes the spotlight in “Trainwreck.” A smaller but buzzed-about release, “Welcome To Me” (in theaters May 1), stars Kristen Wiig as an oddball who launches her own TV show.
Here are this summer’s biggest movies, plus a few limited releases that may break through the noise.
