Summer movies are back, and that means so are superheroes, hit men and cars that are both fast and furious.
Many of the would-be blockbusters coming in the next few months were delayed from 2020, so don't expect this year's summer movies to address recent events. But there are plenty of sequels, double doses of popular actors such as Ryan Reynolds and Samuel L. Jackson, a big musical and the return of familiar staples such as the annual late-June Pixar movie and Liam Neeson smashing the faces of bad guys.
Sprinkled throughout are a few titles for moviegoers who seek something more thought-provoking, including Sundance Film Festival prizewinner "CODA" and "Stillwater" (Oklahoma, not Minnesota, by the way), a thriller with Matt Damon. Dozens of titles are expected to roll out over the next few months on big and small screens. As the last year has taught us, things can change with little notice, but here are some of the highlights that, fingers crossed, are on the way to a theater near you.
Where to find your blockbuster: (T) Theaters, (A) Amazon, (A+) Apple Plus, (D+) Disney Plus, (H) Hulu, (HM) HBO Max, (N) Netflix, (OD) On-demand
May 28
"Cruella": The origins story of the "101 Dalmatians" villain is an Emmapalooza, featuring a pair of best actress Oscar winners: Stone as the title character and Thompson as a fashion maven who thwarts her every evil move. (T, D+)
"A Quiet Place Part II": Early audiences have raved about the scary sequel, in which a woman (Emily Blunt) and her kids try not to get consumed by vicious creatures that will strike if they make a sound. (T)
June 4
"The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It": Paranormal "investigators" Ed and Lorraine Warren (Patrick Wilson, Vera Farmiga) are back to take on another possessed kid. There probably will be a spooky doll involved. (T, HM)
"Spirit Untamed": The sequel to "Spirit: Stallion of Cimarron" explores the bond between a motherless girl and a wild horse she meets on the western frontier. (T)