Summer movies typically feature some well-trod ground now with the current blockbuster fascination for superheroes and an endless array of sequel permutations and reboots galore.
That's no different this go 'round, although it's difficult to see which one might be the whizbang boss at the box office for the upcoming months of summertime frolic and fun. None of the popcorn fodder on the horizon looks like the surefire top hit, but there are several worthy contenders.
From the Guardians to aliens and pirates to Wonder Woman herself, characters we know and love will burst forth from the movie screens. Summertime is also a good bet for a few creepy thrillers and horror flicks. And at least a couple serious flicks offer brainier fare.
Here's a look at some of the top contenders for our summertime, complete with one-sentence synopses:
"Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2"-(May: Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, Vin Diesel, Bradley Cooper) A mesmerizing visual spectacle with goofy humor and truly unique cast of heroes, including the lovable Groot.
"Alien: Covenant"-(May: Michael Fassbender, Katherine Waterston, Billy Crudup) Atmospheric, creepy space horror is what we've come to expect from the Alien series, and it's what Ridley Scott delivers here in a sequel to "Prometheus."
"Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales"-(May: Johnny Depp, Javier Bardem, Brenton Thwaites) Look for Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightley to reprise their roles in the further adventures of Captain Jack Sparrow and crew, along with the wonderful Bardem as a pirate hunter.
"Wonder Woman"-(June: Gal Gadot, Chris Pine, Robin Wright) In this hotly anticipated origin story for Wonder Woman and a part of the DC Extended Universe, the super-heroine tackles the dangers of World War I.
"Churchill"-(June: Brian Cox, Miranda Richardson, John Slattery) Preeminent British statesman Winston Churchill guides his nation through the treacherous waters of World War II, preparing for D-Day.
"The Mummy"-(June: Tom Cruise, Sofia Boutella, Annabelle Wallis, Russell Crowe) What appears to be a freaky, creepy adventure flick with Cruise up against a mummy monster, a princess with startling powers who's freed from her crypt.
"Megan Leavey"-(June: Kate Mara, Edie Falco, Common) A young Marine stationed in Iraq, Corporal Megan Leavey, develops an enduring bond with Rex, her combat dog.
"Cars 3"-(June: Owen Wilson, Armie Hammer, Cristela Alonzo) Disney and Pixar bring the third installment of this series, this time with Lightning McQueen fighting for his race car future and a new director, Brian Fee, at the directorial helm.
"All Eyez on Me"-(June: Demetrius Shipp Jr., Danai Gurira, Kat Graham) Late hip hop genius Tupac Shakur gets the biopic treatment in a flick named after the last album he released while alive.
"Transformers: The Last Knight"-(June: Mark Wahlberg, Stanley Tucci, Anthony Hopkins) Big-budget blockbuster behemoth wonderboy Michael Bay dutifully trots out the next installment of the Transformers series.
"Baby Driver"-(June: Ansel Elgort, Kevin Spacey, Jon Hamm, Jamie Foxx) This South by Southwest-premiered action comedy chronicles one final getaway job a young driver aims to do before he leaves the crime biz.
"Amityville: The Awakening"-(June: Bella Thorne, Cameron Monaghan, Jennifer Jason Leigh) The horror franchise is revived by Blumhouse Productions in this tale of a family-coming-together gone wrong in their mega-creepy new home.
"Spider-Man: Homecoming"-(July: Tom Holland, Michael Keaton, Zendaya, Donald Glover) Another Spider-Man reboot, this time with Peter Parker managing his superhero abilities as an otherwise everyday high school kid.
"War for the Planet of the Apes"-(July: Andy Serkis, Woody Harrelson, Steve Zahn) It's Caesar and his apes versus the humans in this third installment of the classic sci-fi reboot.
"Dunkirk"-(July: Tom Hardy, Mark Rylance, Kenneth Branagh) Christopher Nolan directs what appears to be a tense, thrilling historical drama about the evacuation of thousands of Allied soldiers from the Dunkirk beaches.
"Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets"- (July: Dane DeHaan, Cara Delevingne, Clive Owen, Rihanna) The stylish director Luc Besson has an ability to conjure weird, wonderful sci-fi worlds, and that seems to be the case here.
"Atomic Blonde"-(July: Charlize Theron, James McAvoy, John Goodman) Theron's M16 spy unleashes her tough-as-nails powers in this Cold War era thriller based on the graphic novel "The Coldest City."
"The Dark Tower"-(August: Idris Elba, Matthew McConaughey, Tom Taylor) Stephen King fans eagerly anticipate this adaptation of King's beloved book series with gunslinger Roland Deschain.
"Detroit"-(August: John Boyega, Will Poulter, Jacob Latimore, Hannah Murray) One of our best directors, Kathryn Bigelow ("Zero Dark Thirty"), explores events related to Detroit race riots in 1967.