Summer movie list boasts mountain of sequels and reboots

As Spider-Man swings into theaters this weekend, the webbed crusader is achieving a rare feat. “The Amazing Spider-Man 2” is not only a sequel but also a big-budget reboot sequel. It’s the fifth radioactive arachnid movie in 12 years to be exact. It’s also a revealing look into the rest of the summer’s releases.

There are more sequels here than there are “Rockys” and “Rambos” combined. If you believe there’s never too much of a good thing, then allow us to guide you through the familiar and a few surprising offerings that will hit theaters during the next couple of months. All the heavy hitters are here, from raccoon superheroes and transforming heavy machinery to agile turtles and apes that have a hard time letting go of a grudge.

No matter your movie preference, they’ll all be here before you know it, welcoming you to the theaters once again.

Although Marc Webb’s reboot of the Spider-Man franchise didn’t hit the box-office heights of its Sam Raimi-directed predecessors, the franchise is still one of Sony’s most potent performers. With “The Amazing Spider-Man 2,” Andrew Garfield returns as Peter Parker, aka Spider-Man, in the sequel, where he’ll face off against Electro, played by Jamie Foxx.

The documentary “Finding Vivian Maier” skips from New York to France to Chicago to chronicle the life story of Vivian Maier, a nanny whose previously unknown cache of 100,000 photographs has earned her a posthumous reputation as one of America’s most celebrated street photographers. The film is playing through Sunday at the Oklahoma City Museum of Art.

The tragic story of New York City Ballet principal dancer Tanaquil Le Clercq is told in the documentary “Afternoon of a Faun,” playing Thursday through May 11 at the OKC Museum of Art. A muse to acclaimed choreographers George Balanchine and Jerome Robbins, Le Clercq was stricken with polio and paralyzed at age 27.

“This is not based on a true story; this is the true story” is the tagline for the new documentary “The Hornet’s Nest,” which follows Peabody- and Emmy-winning war correspondent Mike Boettcher, a Ponca City native, and his son Carlos Boettcher to the front lines in Afghanistan to provide an unprecedented look at the longest war in U.S. history.

In the comedy “Neighbors,” Seth Rogen and Rose Byrne play new parents forced to live next door to a fraternity house, where Zac Efron is leading the wild frat boys.

Sarah Drew, Sean Astin, Patricia Heaton and Trace Adkins headline the diverse cast of the family comedy “Mom’s Night Out,” about the chaos that ensues when a high-strung mom (Drew) and her gal pals go out and leave their kids with their husbands for an evening.

The latest project from writer-director Jim Jarmusch (“Broken Flowers”), the vampire romantic drama “Only Lovers Left Alive” stars Tom Hiddleston and Tilda Swinton as an immortal couple whose latest reunion is disrupted by the arrival of her dangerously impulsive sister (Mia Wasikowska). John Hurt, Jeffrey Wright and Anton Yelchin co-star in the film, which was nominated for the Palme d’Or at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival.

Lea Michele, Martin Short, Jim Belushi, Dan Aykroyd, Patrick Stewart and Bernadette Peters send their voices down the Yellow Brick Road for “Legends of Oz: Dorothy’s Return,” a 3-D animated musical based on the adventure books by Roger Stanton Baum, the great-grandson of L. Frank Baum.

“Now: In the Wings on a World Stage” follows the whirlwind 10-month tour of “Richard III” starring Kevin Spacey, directed by Sam Mendes and featuring the first transatlantic theater company of 20 British and American actors. The documentary, which traces the celebrated stage production as it travels to nine cities, plays one night only at the OKC Museum of Art.

After Roland Emmerich’s gigantic 1998 reptilian misstep, at least Gareth Edwards’ new “Godzilla” looks like the real deal instead of a juiced-up Tyrannosaurus rex. Edwards is coming off 2010’s low-budget, high-yield “Monsters,” and “Godzilla” is his shot at megafunded tentpole entertainment. The biggest question going into this version, which stars Bryan Cranston, Elizabeth Olsen and Aaron Taylor-Johnson, is whether “Godzilla” comes too soon after Guillermo Del Toro’s kinda-sorta 2013 version, “Pacific Rim.”

Based on a true story, the sports flick “Million Dollar Arm” stars “Mad Men’s” Jon Hamm as a desperate sports agent who takes the radical step of searching for the next superstar baseball pitcher among cricket players in India.

Oscar winner Philip Seymour Hoffman takes the lead in one of his final roles, the drama “God’s Pocket,” an adaptation of the Peter Dexter novel. He plays Mickey, who finds himself locked in a life-and-death struggle after his crazy stepson Leon (Caleb Landry Jones) is killed in a construction “accident.” Hardly anyone in the working-class neighborhood of God’s Pocket is sorry Leon is gone, except the boy’s mother (Christina Hendricks), who demands her husband uncover the truth about her son’s death. “God’s Pocket” plays May 16-18 at the OKC Museum of Art.

John Turturro wrote, directed and stars in the comedy “Fading Gigolo,” playing a man who ventures into the oldest profession to help the cash-strapped friend (Woody Allen) who becomes his manager. Sharon Stone, Sofia Vergara, Vanessa Paradis and Liev Schreiber co-star.

Jim Broadbent and Lindsay Duncan play a long-married British couple revisiting Paris for the first time since their honeymoon in an attempt to rekindle their relationship in “Le Week-End,” showing May 22-25 at the OKC Museum of Art.

Based on a 1981 storyline in “Uncanny X-Men,” “X-Men: Days of Future Past” will tie together the timeline of the original “X-Men” trilogy with the world of “X-Men: First Class.” Bryan Singer returns to direct as Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) travels back in time to stop a potential catastrophe. Singer told Entertainment Weekly that the film is neither a reboot nor a conventional sequel — “I call it an inbetweequel,” he said.

Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore reunite for their third comedy, “Blended,” following the success of “50 First Dates” and “The Wedding Singer.” This time, they play single parents who decide they never want to see each other again after an awful blind date. Naturally, they end up sharing a suite at an upscale resort when they separately luck into a chance to take their families on the same African safari.

The fictionalized period drama “Belle” is inspired by the true story of Dido Elizabeth Belle (Gugu Mbatha-Raw), the illegitimate mixed-race daughter of a Royal Navy admiral. Raised by her aristocratic great-uncle Lord Mansfield (Tom Wilkinson) and his wife (Emily Watson), she struggles to find her place in a changing English society.

“Ted’s” Seth MacFarlane is going West, directing, co-writing, producing and starring in the comedic Western “A Million Ways to Die in the West.” The funnyman plays a cowardly shepherd who loses his girl (Amanda Seyfried) when he backs out of a gunfight. But a lovely and mysterious newcomer (Charlize Theron) helps him regain his courage. Neil Patrick Harris, Sarah Silverman, Liam Neeson and Oklahoma-bred actors Wes Studi and Rex Linn co-star.

Angelina Jolie brings the iconic villainess of the 1959 animated classic “Sleeping Beauty” to live-action life with the origin story “Maleficent,” which traces the poisoned roots of the vengeful witch’s rivalry with King Stefan (“District 9’s” Sharlto Copley), the father of Princess Aurora (Elle Fanning).

The documentary “Elaine Stritch: Shoot Me” showcases the then-87-year-old (now 89) Broadway legend in rare archival footage, candid reflections about her life and interviews with Tina Fey, Nathan Lane, John Turturro and more. The film screens May 30 to June 1 at the OKC Museum of Art.

The title, “Edge of Tomorrow,” reminds you of a forgotten ’50s soap opera; the tagline, “Live. Die. Repeat.” sounds like the instructions on a shampoo bottle; and the plot of this sci-fi epic from director Doug Liman REALLY sounds familiar. In the near future, Lt. Col. Bill Cage (Tom Cruise) is sent into battle with an unstoppable alien force and is killed over and over again in a brutal time loop, each time returning to life with increased skill and knowledge that brings him closer to defeating the enemy. Didn’t Jake Gyllenhaal find himself in a similar situation on a train that kept exploding in Duncan Jones’ “Source Code” (2011)? Talk about dizzying deja vu! Also stars Emily Blunt. Based on the Hiroshi Sakurazaka novel “All You Need Is Kill.”

“The Fault in Our Stars” is a romantic drama from director Josh Boone (“Stuck in Love”) centering on Hazel (Shailene Woodley) and Gus (Ansel Elgort), two unconventional teenagers who share an acerbic wit and a love that blossoms when they meet in a cancer support group. The fact that she’s constantly tied to an oxygen tank and he is slowed by a prosthetic leg seems of no consequence to either of them.

Comic actress Jenny Slate — best known for her TV roles as Mona-Lisa on “Parks and Recreation,” Sarah on “House of Lies” and the voice of Tammy on “Bob’s Burgers” — takes the central role in co-writer/director Gillian Robespierre’s romantic comedy “Obvious Child” as Brooklyn comedian Donna Stern, who gets dumped by her boyfriend, fired and pregnant on the “best/worst” St. Valentine’s Day of her life.

In director Fred Schepisi’s romantic dramedy “Words and Pictures,” an art instructor (Juliette Binoche) and an English teacher (Clive Owen) at an upscale prep school form a spirited romance and a rivalry that ends up as a competition in which students decide whether words or pictures are more important.

Dynamic “21 Jump Street” directing duo Phil Lord and Chris Miller return to guide officers Schmidt (Jonah Hill) and Jenko (Channing Tatum) in their transition from high school to college in “22 Jump Street,” as the officers go deep undercover and their partnership — not to mention their maturity — is tested when Jenko goes jock and Schmidt joins the bohemian art scene. Can these two overgrown adolescents finally graduate to manhood?

June 19

In co-writer/director Emmanuelle Berco’s French comedy-drama “On My Way,” a woman (Catherine Deneuve) faced with a failed relationship and a struggling restaurant decides to take a road trip with her grandson.

Clint Eastwood helms the long-anticipated screen adaptation of the Marshall Brickman-Rick Elice Broadway musical hit, “Jersey Boys,” based on the story of four young guys from the wrong side of the New Jersey tracks who became the smash hitmaking ’60s vocal group the Four Seasons. Cast includes the director’s daughter Francesca Eastwood, Christopher Walken, John Lloyd Young (as Frankie Valli), Erich Bergen (as Bob Gaudio), Mike Doyle (as Bob Crewe), Michael Lomenda (as Nick Massi), and Freya Tengley (as Francine Valli).

As depicted in past sci-fi thrillers, the Australian outback of the near future is a savage place to be in “The Rover,” where we find Eric (Guy Pearce), a loner with nothing left to lose in life but his car. When that’s stolen, he sets out to track down the deadly gang of criminals responsible for his loss, and is forced to enlist the help of Reynolds (Robert Pattinson), the weak member of the gang left behind in the bloody aftermath of the wild bunch’s most recent crime. David Michod directs from his original script.

Well, don’t count on the fourth time being the charm with “Transformers: Age of Extinction,” unless you’re an avid fan of this sci-fi franchise, in which case we offer a heartfelt “no offense intended.” Michael Bay helms from another script by Erhen Kruger, wherein an auto mechanic and his daughter make a discovery that brings down upon them the Autobots and Decepticons, and the usual gaggle of paranoid government officials. Mark Wahlberg, Nicola Peltz and Jack Reynor star.

In “Deliver Us From Evil,” Eric Bana plays troubled New York police officer Ralph Sarchie, who begins investigating a series of disturbing and inexplicable crimes. He joins forces with a renegade priest (Edgar Ramirez), schooled in the rituals of exorcism, to combat the frightening, demonic possessions that are terrorizing their city. Based upon a nonfiction book that details Sarchie’s actual spine-tingling cases.

First-time director Dave Green and a young cast explore a cool sci-fi concept in “Earth to Echo,” in which a group of friends investigate bizarre texts they receive after a construction project breaks ground in their neighborhood.

Melissa McCarthy is on a comedy roll, and her next starring part, in “Tammy,” is being directed by her real-life husband, Ben Falcone. She plays a woman who loses her fast-food job and learns that her husband is a cheat. So she hits the road with her profane, hard-drinking grandma (surprisingly played by Susan Sarandon).

War is coming between man and ape in “Dawn of the Planet of the Apes,” the sequel to 2011’s “Rise of the Planet of the Apes.” A band of genetically enhanced apes led by Caesar (Andy Serkis) clashes with a band of human survivors eight years after the release of the virus that struck humanity.

Veteran Rob Reiner directs old pros Michael Douglas and Diane Keaton in “And So It Goes ...,” a grown-up romantic comedy about a self-centered real estate agent who seeks the help of a sympathetic neighbor when he’s left in charge of the granddaughter he never knew he had after his estranged son drops the young girl off at his doorstep.

Stand-up comedian and actor Gabriel Iglesias headlines “The Fluffy Movie,” a concert-film rendition of his high-octane show featuring a mixture of storytelling, parodies, characters and sound effects that brings all of his personal experiences to life.

Mila Kunis stars as Jupiter Jones, a Russian immigrant janitor who discovers that she could be the future ruler of the universe, in Andy and Lana Wachowski’s “Jupiter Ascending.” Channing Tatum stars as the pointy-eared intergalactic mercenary who discovers Jupiter in the Wachowskis’ follow-up to 2012’s “Cloud Atlas.”

When world-famous air racer Dusty learns that his engine is damaged and he may never race again, he must shift gears and is launched into the world of aerial firefighting. “Planes: Fire & Rescue” is a Walt Disney animated production that follows 2013’s “Planes,” which was an aerial spin-off of Pixar’s popular “Cars” adventures.

In the wake of 2013’s creepy, futuristic “The Purge,” more draconian bloodletting is in store in “The Purge: Anarchy,” in which a young couple struggle to survive on the streets after their car breaks down right as the annual purge commences. Writer-director James DeMonaco is again the brains behind the mayhem.

“I Origins” follows a molecular biologist whose study of the human eye points to evidence with far-reaching implications about our scientific and spiritual beliefs. It’s the second film from writer-director Mike Cahill, who helmed the 2011 celestial speculation “Another Earth.”

The latest film from writer-director John Carney (“Once”), “Begin Again” is a soulful comedy about what happens when free spirits meet and make beautiful music together. Keira Knightley and rocker Adam Levine play college sweethearts and songwriting partners who move to Manhattan when he lands a deal with a major label.

Big-bang director Brett Ratner (“X Men: Last Stand”) presides over Dwayne Johnson, John Hurt and Joseph Fiennes in “Hercules,” in which the Greek demigod has his life as a sword-for-hire tested when the King of Thrace and his daughter seek his aid in defeating a tyrannical warlord.

Jason Segel and Cameron Diaz hook up, literally, in director Jake Kasden’s “Sex Tape,” about a married couple waking up to learn that the intimate video they made the evening before has gone missing, leading to a frantic search for its whereabouts.

“Step Up: All In” presents the next chapter of the international dance phenomenon Step Up, featuring all-stars from previous installments coming together in neon-lit Las Vegas, battling for a victory that could determine the future of their dreams and their careers.

James Gunn directs the space-faring Marvel Comics adaptation “Guardians of the Galaxy.” Peter Quill (Chris Pratt) steals a powerful orb from the villainous Ronan the Accuser (Chickasha-born actor Lee Pace). Quill allies himself with others who oppose Ronan, including Gamera (Zoe Saldana), Rocket Raccoon (voice of Bradley Cooper), Drax the Destroyer (Dave Bautista) and the treelike alien Groot (voice and motion capture by Vin Diesel), to keep the orb away from Ronan and guard the galaxy from its power.

“Get on Up” is a biopic about the Godfather of Soul, James Brown, that stars Chadwick Boseman.

Brendan Gleeson stars as a priest who is told he is going to die in the blackly comedic drama “Calvary,” written and directed by John Michael McDonagh.

A popular property from the 1980s and ’90s, “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles,” gets rebooted in a new film, produced by Michael Bay. There has been lots of drama online about changes that may be coming for the characters. Megan Fox (“Transformers”) is signed on to play Turtle confidant April O’Neil. William Fichtner (“The Lone Ranger”) is the Turtles’ enemy, Shredder.

“Into the Storm” features a fictional town being ravaged by tornadoes; the film follows professional and amateur storm chasers as well as townspeople seeking shelter. The found-footage style film stars Richard Armitage.

“The Hundred-Foot Journey” is directed by Lasse Hallstrom. The story, based on the novel by Richard C. Morais, looks at an Indian family that brings Indian cuisine to a French town, angering a local chef. Helen Mirren stars.

Luc Besson (“The Fifth Element”) directs Scarlett Johansson (“Marvel’s The Avengers”) as a merciless warrior in the action-thriller “Lucy.”

“Let’s Be Cops” features “New Girl” co-star Jake Johnson and frequent guest star Damon Wayans Jr. in a comedy where the pair dress as police officers for a costume party. Emboldened by their uniforms, they are soon pulled into a series of events involving local mobsters and corrupt detectives.

Bad guy arms trader Conrad Stonebanks (Mel Gibson) wants to put an end to the Expendables, the mercenary team which he help found, in “The Expendables 3.” Barney (Sylvester Stallone) must recruit new members to save his team. Also, probably, stuff explodes.

Jonas (Brenton Thwaites) lives in an apparently idyllic world. But Jonas begins to learn of its dark secrets from the Giver (Jeff Bridges). A star-studded cast including Katie Holmes and Meryl Streep also star as director Phillip Noyce (“Patriot Games”) brings the adaptation of Lois Lowry’s 1994 Newbury-winning novel “The Giver” to the screen.

The psychological thriller “As Above, So Below” features mysterious catacombs beneath Paris.

Med school dropout Wallace (Daniel Radcliffe) strikes up a friendship with animator Chantry (Zoe Kazan) in the romantic comedy “What If.” Despite the pair’s chemistry, an obstacle looms in the form of Chantry’s live-in boyfriend (Rafe Spall).

“Life After Beth” is a zombie romantic comedy (zom rom com?) starring Dane DeHaan as Zach and Aubrey Plaza as his girlfriend Beth, who comes back to life but doesn’t realize she is dead.

Afshin Ghaffarian (Reece Ritchie) defies Iran’s dancing ban to start a dance company in “Desert Dancer.” The film is based on a true story set during the 2009 “Green Wave” election protests.

“Sin City: A Dame to Kill For,” the sequel to 2005’s “Sin City,” will mix the storyline from the “A Dame to Kill For” graphic novel by Frank Miller with other “Sin City” tales, some original to the film. Eva Green is the titular dame to kill for; Josh Brolin takes over for Clive Owen as Dwight. Rosario Dawson, Jessica Alba, Mickey Rourke and Bruce Willis return; Joseph Gordon-Levitt joins the cast as Johnny, a cocky gambler.

“If I Stay,” based on the best-selling novel, follows Mia Hall (Chloe Grace Moretz) as her life takes a supernatural twist as she tries to decide between pursuing music at Juilliard or falling in love.

The life of football coach Bob Ladouceur (Jim Caviezel) is chronicled in “When the Game Stands Tall.” The film follows a high school football team whose 151-game winning streak is broken.

Ex-CIA operative Pierce Brosnan walks away from explosions in “November Man” and gets brought back in for one more mission involving CIA officials and a high-ranking Russian politician.

Dust off your “Karate Kid” headband for “Underdog Kids,” which follows inner-city kids as they punch and kick their way into a match against the Beverly Hills Championship karate team.

The producers of “Paranormal Activity” and “Insidious” continue their phantasm fascination with “Jessabelle,” a horror story following its wheelchair-bound title character (Sarah Snook) as she battles spooky VHS tapes and haunted bathtubs.

“The Loft” set box office records in Belgium, but now the saucy thriller is getting an American reboot starring Oklahoman James Marsden and four other cheating husbands who use a loft to commit extramarital affairs. All goes swimmingly until a young woman is found dead in the loft and everyone becomes suspect.