Voice Of Post

Summer movie preview Stop me if you've heard this one before: A Norse god, a pirate and a Smurf go into a local theater.In what's become a summer tradition, movies released between now and the beginning of September are predominantly sequels or based on comic books or other popular characters. We look at the films – big and small – that will attempt box office gold this summer.
‘Something Borrowed'
Release date: Released May 6

Director: Luke Greenfield

Cast: Kate Hudson,Ginnifer Goodwin , John Krasinski

The 411: A talented attorney goes from helping her friend prepare for her wedding day to sleeping with the groom.

‘Thor'
Release date: Released May 6

Director: Kenneth Branagh

Cast: Chris Hemsworth, Anthony Hopkins, Natalie Portman

The 411: Thor's kicked out of Asgard and must live with humans. It's here that the Norse god finds the humanity to be a hero.
‘Jumping the Broom'
Release date: Released May 6

Director: Salim Akil

Cast: Angela Bassett, Paula Patton , Laz Alonso

The 411: Worlds collide when two families get together in Martha's Vineyard for a wedding.

‘Priest'
Release date: Friday, May 13

Director: Scott Stewart

Cast: Paul Bettany, Karl Urban, Lily Collins, Maggie Q

The 411: A legendary warrior priest must save his niece after she's abducted by vampires.
‘Bridesmaids'
Release date: Friday, May 13

Director: Paul Feig

Cast: Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph , Rose Byrne , Ellie Kemper , Jon Hamm

The 411: A woman agrees to be her best friend's maid of honor and the trip down the aisle becomes an expensive and strange adventure.
‘Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides'
Release date: Friday, May 20

Director: Rob Marshall

Cast: Johnny Depp, Penélope Cruz ,, Ian McShane

The 411: Captain Jack Sparrow is forced on a journey to find the fabled fountain of youth.
‘Kung Fu Panda 2'
Release date: Thursday, May 26

Director: Jennifer Yuh Nelson

Cast: Jack Black , Angelina Jolie , Dustin Hoffman , Jackie Chan

The 411: Po's dream job is disrupted by an enemy who wants to destroy kung fu.
‘The Hangover Part II'
Release date: Thursday, May 26

Director: Todd Phillips

Cast: Bradley Cooper , Ed Helms ,Zach Galifianakis , Ken Jeong

The 411: Four friends travel to Thailand for a wedding. Despite advance planning, things go wrong.
‘X-Men First Class'
Release date: Friday, June 3

Director: Matthew Vaughn

Cast: James McAvoy , Michael Fassbender, Rose Byrne, Kevin Bacon

The 411: A look at how the "X-Men" saga started.
‘Super 8'
Release date: Friday, June 10

Director: J.J. Abrams

Cast: Gabriel Basso, Kyle Chandler, Joel Courtney, Ron Eldard

The 411: A group of young filmmakers captures a strange supernatural event in their small town.
‘Green Lantern'
Release date: Friday, June 17

Director: Martin Campbell

Cast: Ryan Reynolds ,Blake Lively, Peter Sarsgaard , Mark Strong

The 411: The latest comic book-based story features a hero with a super ring.
‘Mr. Popper's Penguins'
Release date: Friday, June 17

Director: Mark Waters

Cast: Jim Carrey , Carla Gugino , Angela Lansbury

The 411: A driven businessman inherits six penguins.
‘Cars 2'
Release date: Friday, June 24

Director: John Lasseter

Cast: Owen Wilson, Larry the Cable Guy, Michael Caine

The 411: Race car Lightning McQueen and Mater head overseas to compete in the World Grand Prix to determine the world's fastest car.
‘Monte Carlo'
Release date: Friday, July 1

Director: Tom Bezucha

Cast: Selena Gomez  Leighton Meester  Katie Cassidy  Cory Monteith

The 411: Three graduates discover the true magic of friendship.
‘Larry Crowne'
Release date: Friday, July 1

Director: Tom Hanks

Cast: Tom Hanks, Julia Roberts , Bryan Cranston

The 411: A man heads back to college after his job is eliminated.

‘Transformers: Dark of the Moon'
Release date: Friday, July 1

Director: Michael Bay

Cast: Shia LaBeouf , Rosie Huntington-Whiteley , Tyrese Gibson

The 411: The Autobots race the Decepticons to the moon to find a spacecraft.
‘Zookeeper'
Release date: Friday, July 8

Director: Frank Coraci

Cast: Kevin James , Rosario Dawson

The 411: Zoo animals break their code of silence to help their zookeeper get the attention of a woman.
‘Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2'
Release date: Friday, July 15

Director: David Yates

Cast: Daniel Radcliffe , Rupert Grint ,Emma Watson

The 411: The battle between good and evil forces spins the Wizarding world into full-scale war.
‘Winnie the Pooh'
Release date: Friday. July 15

Directors: Stephen Anderson, Don Hall

Cast: John Cleese , Jim Cummings

The 411: Owl sends the Hundred Acre Wood gang on a quest to save Christopher Robin.
‘Friends with Benefits'
Release date: Friday, July 22

Director: Will Gluck (read his bio & see photos)

Cast: Justin Timberlake , Mila Kunis , Patricia Clarkson , Jenna Elfman

The 411: A couple decides to see what happens if they leave emotion out of a relationship.
‘Captain America: The First Avenger'
Release date: Friday, July 22

Director: Joe Johnston

Cast: Chris Evans, Tommy Lee Jones , Stanley Tucci

The 411: Steve Rogers is an ordinary soldier who's turned into a super soldier.
‘The Smurfs'
Release date: Friday, July 29

Director: Raja Gosnell

Cast: Hank Azaria , Katy Perry ,Jonathan Winters

The 411: Gargamel chases the Smurfs into the real world.
‘Cowboys and Aliens'
Release date: Friday, July 29

Director: Jon Favreau

Cast: Daniel Craig, Harrison Ford ,Olivia Wilde

The 411: A desolate city in the New Mexico territory is attacked by marauders from the sky.

‘The Change-Up'
Release date: Friday, Aug. 5

Director: David Dobkin

Cast: Ryan Reynolds, Jason Bateman , Leslie Mann

The 411: Two best friends switch bodies and lives.
‘Fright Night'
Release date: Friday, Aug. 19

Director: Craig Gillespie

Cast: Anton Yelchin , Colin Farrell , Christopher Mintz-Plasse

The 411: A high school student believes his new neighbor is a vampire.
‘Conan the Barbarian'
Release date: Friday, Aug. 19

Director: Marcus Nispel

Cast: Jason Momoa , Ron Perlman, Rose McGowan

The 411: Conan goes on a quest to avenge the murder of his father.