If it seems like it's a tad early to prepare for the summer movie season, you're right. But Hollywood has been pushing up the best-before date of its blockbuster slate for years now, hoping that even the tiniest hint of heat will propel audiences into the multiplex for a sequel or three. Take last week's release of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, or Disney's pricey reboot of The Jungle Book, which opens in just two weeks – both would have once waited until at least May to begin their box-office conquests. To help you navigate the overwhelming lineup, The Globe presents its guide to five months' worth of sequels, reboots, would-be franchises and even a few original concepts. (All release dates subject to change.)
SEQUELS THAT EVERYONE EXPECTED
Captain America: Civil War (May 6): The third entry in the Captain America series is also the 13th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, which began with 2008's Iron Man (and, if you really want to get technical about it, it's the first part of MCU's "Phase Three," of which the final phase is likely world domination). Although directors Joe and Anthony Russo proved their Marvel bona fides with The Winter Soldier, this new film might test the strength of comics fans weary of Dawn of Justice's hero-vs-hero dust-ups, as it pits Steve Rogers against Tony Stark in a battle royale. Oh, and Spider-Man, liberated from his studio shackles at Sony, shows up, too.
X-Men: Apocalypse (May 27): After retroactively altering the continuity of the X-Men franchise with Days of Future Past, director Bryan Singer returns to the mutant universe with this tale of big blue baddie Apocalypse, the team's arch nemesis (aside from Magneto, and General Stryker, and a thousand others). Think of Avengers foe Thanos crossed with the forthcoming Justice League villain Darkseid and add a dash of wait-who-are-we-talking-about-again? and you'll get the idea. Trailer
Star Trek Beyond (July 22): First, thank goodness there's a sequel that's not using a colon in its title. Second, thank goodness that director Justin Lin is taking over the franchise from J.J. Abrams, who's busy with another galaxy far, far away. As the mastermind behind the Fast and Furious series (don't laugh), Lin has proved he can juggle lovable characters with impressive set pieces.
Jason Bourne (July 29): As no one seemed very interested in a Jeremy Renner-led Bourne series, Matt Damon has been coaxed back into the role of the world's most successful amnesiac. Paul Greengrass, who directed the stellar The Bourne Ultimatum, also returns, as does co-star Julia Stiles, because…well, why not?
The Conjuring 2 (June 10): The relatively cheap first film made an astounding $320-million worldwide, so it was only a matter of time before producers rounded up Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga for a second round of haunted house shenanigans.
SEQUELS THAT YOUR CHILDREN EXPECTED
Alice Through the Looking Glass (May 27): Original director Tim Burton has taken his curlicue tea set and gone home, but James Bobin (The Muppets) has opted to fall down the rabbit hole for this return to Wonderland. But don't fret, Burton fans: Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, Mia Wasikowska and Sacha Baron Cohen are all here, so it's almost like the filmmaker never left.
Finding Dory (June 17): Thirteen years is a long time to wait for a sequel – especially if it's a sequel to a children's film, whose first fans are now college-aged – but never doubt the brains behind Pixar, which is delivering this follow-up to 2003's Finding Nemo.
Ice Age: Collision Course (July 22): Somehow, while no one was paying attention, Ice Age survived the elements to make it to a fifth entry. Congratulations to all, especially that hyperactive, acorn-clutching squirrel Scrat, an apt metaphor for how Hollywood refuses to let a good thing go.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows (June 3): The anchovy industry's biggest enemies are back for another round of ninja-tinged nostalgia, with non-turtle co-stars Megan Fox, Will Arnett and Stephen Amell surely earning some goodwill from their financial advisers.
SEQUELS THAT NO ONE EXPECTED
Barbershop: The Next Cut (April 15): Another sequel that took its time, this Malcolm D. Lee comedy picks up where Barbershop 2: Back in Business left off way back in 2004. Ice Cube, a pro at stretching out comedies from his days with the Are We There Yet? brand, returns to the shop along with newcomers Anthony Anderson, Common and Nicki Minaj.
The Huntsman: Winter's War (April 22): Was anyone left with many questions after the conclusion of 2012's Snow White and the Huntsman? Well, the prequel poses one at least one: What happened to the first half of the original film's title characters? Cedric Nicolas-Troyan's new fairy-tale prequel ditches Kristen Stewart to focus on Chris Hemsworth's leading man, while adding two Frozen-esque snow-queen sisters to the mix.
Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising (May 20): Seth Rogen's 2014 comedy was like all Rogen joints – amiable, packed with an all-star comedy cast, a little shaggy in its editing, but overall a fine way to waste 90 minutes. It's unclear if Neighbors' yuppies vs. Greeks plotline needed to be resurrected here, but at the very least it allows the consistently great Rose Byrne to use her natural Australian accent.
Now You See Me 2 (June 10): A good magician never reveals his tricks – but there's no maxim about whether or not a box-office success should reveal its franchise ambitions. So, we've been gifted with a second look at a team of illusionists who pull off heists in their spare time. Jesse Eisenberg, Mark Ruffalo, Woody Harrelson and Dave Franco return, while Lizzy Caplan takes over the token female role from Isla Fisher.
Independence Day: Resurgence (June 24): Remember 1996? It was such an innocent time: A Clinton was in the White House, O.J. Simpson dominated the headlines, and Will Smith and Jeff Goldblum were busy battling aliens in Independence Day. Anyway, now there's Independence Day: Resurgence, which drops Smith and adds Liam Hemsworth to its cast of never-say-die Americans (well, Earthlings, but c'mon).
The Purge: Election Year (July 1): When the first Purge debuted in 2013, few could have predicted the inexpensive horror flick would survive to a third entry. But these are desperate times for the genre, and it doesn't hurt that the series' neat conceit – in a bid to flush out the lower class, the U.S. government suspends all law enforcement for one day a year – flirts so closely with the current toxic political conversation.
Mechanic: Resurrection (Aug. 26): You just can't keep a good Jason Statham film down. Or, in this case, a half-decent Jason Statham film.
MOVIES THAT HOPE TO EARN THEIR OWN SEQUEL ONE DAY
The Jungle Book (April 15): There have been nine film and television adaptations of Rudyard Kipling's classic book – not counting next year's version directed by Andy Serkis – but Disney is betting its Jon Favreau-helmed reboot will be the one that stands the test of time. Featuring the voices of Idris Elba, Scarlett Johansson and Bill Murray, the new film was shot entirely on sound stages – everything in this jungle, including the animals, trees and rain drops, is computer-generated. Only young Mowgli (newcomer Neel Sethi) is real.
The Angry Birds Movie (May 20): What was once an app is now a wannabe franchise, featuring the voices of Jason Sudeikis, Danny McBride and Maya Rudolph. But will it be able to compete with its iOS counterpart for the attention of child audiences?
Warcraft (June 10): Speaking of video games, director Duncan Jones's fantasy aims to divide the attention of millions of World of Warcraft players. For those not familiar with the series, imagine a mixture of Lord of the Rings, Avatar and Braveheart.
Central Intelligence (June 17): The towering Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson elevates any material he's handed, so here's hoping he gets some mileage out of the odd-couple cop genre with this comedy, which pairs him with the teensy-tiny Kevin Hart.
The Legend of Tarzan (July 1): A different sort of jungle book gets another go by one-time Harry Potter director David Yates. While the Lord of the Apes isn't exactly a new breed of hero, the film will give the world's most attractive on-screen couple – Alexander Skarsgard and Margot Robbie – a huge platform to make everyone else feel ashamed of their bodies.
The Secret Life of Pets (July 8): Any Louis C.K. work is good work, so it'll be interesting to see how the caustic comedian fares in the world of children's animation as he voices a dog who gets lost in the Big Apple. Hannibal Buress, Jenny Slate and Kevin Hart (again!) fill out the cast of quippy animals.
Ghostbusters (July 15): The most controversial movie to be seen by absolutely no one, Paul Feig's comedy has already angered so-called men's rights activists and stymied anyone who feels their childhood is being violated by the mere existence of a remake. Here's hoping those cranks can be muted by the time July 15 rolls around, and we get a chance to see exactly what the uniquely talented Fieg and his fiercely funny cast (Kristen Wiig, Melissa McCarthy, Kate McKinnon and Leslie Jones) have in store.
Suicide Squad (Aug. 5): After the doom and gloom of Batman v Superman, Warner Bros. is hoping for a more Guardians of the Galaxy-like reception for this action-comedy, the latest entry in its line of DC Comics adaptations. Starring Will Smith, Jared Leto and Margot Robbie (again!) as a rogues gallery of super-villains, the movie aims to inject a little fun into its superhero stable.
Ben-Hur (Aug. 12): While director Timur Bekmambetov likely abandons the 1959 film's homoerotic subtext, he does make more room for Jesus, played by Rodrigo Santoro. Here's hoping the always-good Jack Huston (Boardwalk Empire) somehow lives up to Charlton Heston as the title chariot champion.
Pete's Dragon (Aug. 12): David Lowery's remake opts for CGI over the original film's charming hand-drawn dragon, and swaps Mickey Rooney and Red Buttons for Robert Redford and Bryce Dallas Howard. Fair trade. Trailer
MOVIES THAT HAVE NO SEQUELS IN MIND … AT THE MOMENT
Keanu (April 22): Dynamic comedy duo Jordan Peele and Keegan-Michael Key team up for their first big-screen collaboration, which finds the two satirizing Hollywood stereotypes of black culture as they search for the missing cat of the title (sorry, Matrix fans).
Natasha (May 6): Canadian novelist David Bezmozgis adapts his own excellent short story for this tale of forbidden romance in a Jewish enclave of north Toronto.
Free State of Jones (May 13): For this tale of a U.S. Civil War hero, Matthew McConaughey grew a beard so fearsome it would freak out even his True Detective character. There are likely other, more worthy things to discuss about director Gary Ross's drama, but … that beard! It's hard to stop thinking about.
Money Monster (May 13): George Clooney plays a Jim Cramer-like financial guru who gets hijacked on live television by an agitated investor (played by the perpetually ready-to-breakout Jack O'Connell). Jodie Foster directs, and ropes in a few more famous friends (Julia Roberts, Dominic West, Giancarlo Esposito) to round out the stellar cast.
High-Rise (May 20): Ben Wheatley's superbly twisted adaptation of J.G. Ballard's novel made its debut at this past fall's Toronto International Film Festival, and is finally getting a proper release next month. Tom Hiddleston, Elisabeth Moss and Jeremy Irons fill out the denizens of the titular structure, a dystopic environment that disquietly embodies the paranoia and class strife of Margaret Thatcher's England.
The Nice Guys (May 20): Writer-director Shane Black's last film was 2013's witty and underrated Iron Man 3, which means it's been three years too long since his witty banter and tough-guy heroes graced the screen. The filmmaker's usual tricks – oddball pairings, wiseass kids, surprisingly verbose henchmen – seem to be on full display in this action-comedy, starring Russell Crowe and Ryan Gosling.
Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping (June 3): The Lonely Island comedy group – Akiva Schaffer, Jorma Taccone and Andy Samberg – honed their viral-video skills on Saturday Night Live, and are now debuting their first feature, a look at a Justin Bieber-ish sensation (Samberg) whose life begins to spiral out of control. SNL vets Will Forte, Bill Hader, Sarah Silverman and Tim Meadows co-star.
The BFG (July 1): Before he reunites Harrison Ford with Indiana Jones's whip, Steven Spielberg takes a detour into the world of animation with this adaptation of Roald Dahl's big friendly giant.
The Infiltrator (July 15): Poor Bryan Cranston just can't break away from the drug world. Here, the Breaking Bad star plays a U.S. Customs official who finds himself in a scheme involving everyone's favourite Colombian kingpin, Pablo Escobar.
The Founder (Aug. 5): The Oscars may have snubbed Michael Keaton for his work on Birdman and Spotlight, but not even the coldest, cruellest of Academy hearts can turn down free smiles. Well, at least that's what Keaton must be banking on, as he continues his dramatic renaissance by playing the role of McDonald's founder Ray Kroc.
Sausage Party (Aug. 12): Seth Rogen (again!) has called this new animated venture his passion project – which is either the most honest or most disturbing admission in quite some time. Possibly both, as the R-rated, eight-years-in-the-making film follows the efforts of various anthropomorphized grocery-store items (hot dogs, corn, buns) to avoid death by consumption. Rogen's usual crew – Paul Rudd, James Franco, Jonah Hill, Danny McBride (again!) – lend their voices to what is likely the most vulgar cartoon since South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut.
War Dogs (Aug. 19): Writer-director Todd Phillips lends his Hangover expertise to this true-ish tale of two stoners who somehow land a $300-million contract from the Pentagon to provide arms for the Afghanistan military. Miles Teller and Jonah Hill (again!) co-star in likely the bro-iest movie of the summer, which is saying a lot.