LOS ANGELES (AP) — This summer at the movies there will be aliens, evil and friendly, pirates, scantily-clad lifeguards, ladies letting loose, some classic superheroes in fresh suits, an evil mummy, two King Arthurs and a few very different war films.
Here’s a monthly rundown some of the summer’s highlights. Dates are subject to change.
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MAY
“Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2” (May 5) — Chris Pratt’s Star Lord and his band of misfits, including a too-cute Baby Groot, return for some more intergalactic adventures — and heartfelt family drama — set to another toe-tapping mixtape.
“Risk” (May 5) — Laura Poitras takes on WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange in a documentary that includes recent developments from U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions.
“The Dinner” (May 5) — Laura Linney, Richard Gere, Steve Coogan and Rebecca Hall gather for a tense meal to discuss what their sons have done in this thriller.
“Chuck” (May 5) — Liev Schreiber plays the real man who inspired “Rocky” in this boxing drama.
“King Arthur: Legend of the Sword” (May 12) — The classic Excalibur tale gets a kinetic reimagining from director Guy Ritchie, with Charlie Hunnam as Arthur.
“Snatched” (May 12) — A freewheeling daughter, Amy Schumer, and her uptight mother, Goldie Hawn, get kidnapped on vacation in this raucous comedy.
“The Wall” (May 12) — With an Iraqi sniper in shooting distance, two American soldiers try to survive. John Cena and Aaron Taylor-Johnson star in the Doug Liman pic.
“Paris Can Wait” (May 12) — A picturesque French travelogue starring Diane Lane and Alec Baldwin as a married couple on the rocks, from Eleanor Coppola.
“Alien: Covenant” (May 19) — Director Ridley Scott takes audiences on a new terrifying trip to space with Katherine Waterston and Michael Fassbender.
“Everything, Everything” (May 19) — A teen romance based on Nicola Yoon’s novel about a sick girl (Amandla Stenberg) unable to leave her home and her interested neighbor, Nick Robinson.
“Wakefield” (May 19) — An ordinary suburban man, Bryan Cranston, disappears suddenly, but continues observing the life and family he left. Based on an E.L. Doctorow short story.
“Baywatch” (May 25) — Dwayne Johnson, Zac Efron and Alexandra Daddario bare most in this raunchy big screen update of the cheesy ’90s television show.
“Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales” (May 26) —Johnny Depp returns as Captain Jack Sparrow, with newcomer Brenton Thwaites, for a fresh adventure in the long-running franchise.
“War Machine” (May 26) — Brad Pitt stars in this satire about a fictional four star general charged with ending the war in Afghanistan.
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JUNE
“Wonder Woman” (June 2) — After over 75 years of being one of the most popular superheroes, the Amazonian warrior finally gets a big screen origin story, set in World War I, with Gal Gadot.
“Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie” (June 2) — An animated one for the kiddies, based on the hugely popular book, with the voices of Kevin Hart and Ed Helms.
“The Mummy” (June 9) — Tom Cruise is helping to launch Universal’s monster movie universe with a reboot of the action/adventure classic.
“Beatriz at Dinner” (June 9) — Salma Hayek gives a buzzy performance in this comedy about a Mexican immigrant and a billionaire (John Lithgow) who meet at a dinner party.
“The Hero” (June 9) — Sam Elliott plays an aging Western actor rethinking his life choices.
“Megan Leavey” (June 9) — Based on the true story of a young marine and her combat dog, starring Kate Mara.
“My Cousin Rachel” (June 9) — A mystery based on the novel by Daphne du Maurier about a young man (Sam Claflin) who falls for his possibly murderous cousin (Rachel Weisz).
“All Eyez on Me” (June 16) — A dramatic biopic about the late rapper Tupac Shakur starring unknown Demetrius Shipp Jr.
“Cars 3” (June 16) — Lightning McQueen is back for a new installment in the popular Pixar franchise.
“Rough Night” (June 16) — Comedians Kate McKinnon, Jillian Bell and Ilana Glazer join Scarlett Johansson and Zoe Kravitz for a disastrous bachelorette party in Miami. Yes, there’s a dead stripper involved.
“The Book of Henry” (June 16) — Before he heads off to direct “Star Wars: Episode IX,” ”Jurassic World’s” Colin Trevorrow goes small again with this drama about a single mom (Naomi Watts) and her son (Jaeden Lieberher) who try to help their young neighbor.
“Transformers: The Last Knight” (June 23) — Anthony Hopkins joins Mark Wahlberg in the 5th Transformers, from Michael Bay, which looks at the role the autobots played in King Arthur’s time.
“The Beguiled” (June 23) — A wounded Union soldier is stranded at an all-girls school in the South in this remake of the 1971 Clint Eastwood-starrer from director Sofia Coppola. Nicole Kidman and Kirsten Dunst star.
“The Big Sick” (June 23) — “Silicon Valley” star Kumail Nanjiani uses his real life as the template for this sweet and smart comedy about how he met his wife.
“Baby Driver” (June 28) — Director Edgar Wright takes to the roads for an edgy thriller about big time crooks and their music-loving driver. With Ansel Elgort, Jamie Foxx and Jon Hamm.
“Okja” (June 28) — Tilda Swinton reteams with “Snowpiercer” director Bong Joon-ho for an action pic about young girl trying to protect her giant animal friend from a powerful corporation.
“Despicable Me 3” (June 30) — Steve Carell gets double voice duty as Gru and his twin brother Dru.
“The House” (June 30) — Amy Poehler and Will Ferrell try to recoup college funds by starting a gambling ring in their home.
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JULY
“Spider-Man: Homecoming” (July 7) — There’s a new web-slinger in town, Tom Holland, and he’s just trying to survive high school (and save the world).
“A Ghost Story” (July 7) — An unconventional grief tale from “Pete’s Dragon” director David Lowery, starring Rooney Mara and Casey Affleck.
“War for the Planet of the Apes” (July 14) — In this third installment, Caesar (Andy Serkis) takes a dark turn after the apes suffer massive losses.
“Dunkirk” (July 21) —Visionary director Christopher Nolan takes us to the beaches of France in 1940 to tell the story of the evacuation of nearly 400,000 Allied soldiers.
“Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets” (July 21) — “The Fifth Element” director Luc Besson adapts his favorite French comic book into an ambitious, eye-popping spectacle about two special operatives, Dan DeHaan and Cara Delevingne, maintaining order in space.
“Girls Trip” (July 21) —Regina Hall, Jada Pinkett Smith and Queen Latifah get rowdy in New Orleans.
“Landline” (July 21) — The follow-up to their charming indie “Obvious Child,” director Gillian Robespierre and star Jenny Slate take us back to ’90s New York as two sisters try to find out if their father is cheating.
“Atomic Blonde” (July 28) — Charlize Theron is a stone cold killer in this 80s-set spy pic.
“An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth to Power” (July 28) — Ten years after “An Inconvenient Truth” shed light on climate change, Al Gore returns with an update that’s equal parts horror and hope.
“Brigsby Bear” (July 28) — Before he returns as Luke Skywalker in “Star Wars: The Last Jedi,” Mark Hamill steals scenes with SNL’s Kyle Mooney in this indie about a man-child and his favorite television show.
“The Emoji Movie” (July 28) — (backslash)_(?)_/ .
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AUGUST
“Detroit” (Aug. 4) — Oscar winner Kathryn Bigelow reteams with “The Hurt Locker” and “Zero Dark Thirty” writer Mark Boal for this drama about the 1967 riots in Detroit starring “The Force Awakens'” John Boyega and Anthony Mackie.
“The Dark Tower” (Aug. 4) —This adaptation of Stephen King’s classic sci-fi Western features Idris Elba as Roland Deschain and Matthew McConaughey as Walter Padick.
“Ingrid Goes West” (Aug. 4) — A dark as night social media satire about an obsessive loner (Aubrey Plaza) who befriends an Instagram celebrity (Elizabeth Olsen).
“Wind River” (Aug. 4) — “Sicario” writer Taylor Sheridan makes his directorial debut with a wilderness-set thriller about a rookie FBI agent (Elizabeth Olsen) and a seasoned local (Jeremy Renner) investigating a murder.
“Annabelle: Creation” (Aug. 11) — The terrifying possessed doll just won’t go away.
“Trip to Spain” (Aug. 11) — Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon set off on another trip full of food and Michael Caine impressions.
“The Only Living Boy in New York” (Aug. 11) —His father’s mistress complicates life for an aimless college grad. With Jeff Bridges, Pierce Brosnan and Kate Beckinsale.
“The Hitman’s Bodyguard” (Aug. 18) — Ryan Reynolds has to protect Samuel L. Jackson in this action pic.
“Logan Lucky” (Aug. 18) — “Ocean’s Eleven” director Steven Soderbergh insisted he was retiring from film after “Behind the Candelabra,” but he’s already back with a heist comedy set around a NASCAR race with Channing Tatum and Adam Driver.