The summer movie season arrives Friday with the release of "Thunderbolts*," the latest Marvel adventure and the kickoff of four months of fun in the moviegoing sun.

The first weekend in May acts as the launchpad for the summer movie season, even if summer itself doesn't roll around until June 20. The "Thunderbolts*" team isn't the only Marvel squad assembling in theaters this summer; the "Fantastic Four" will attempt to get off the ground as well, when they take their "First Steps" on July 25.

Elsewhere, there are plenty of sequels and familiar faces filling movie screens, and maybe even a few surprises as well.

Here's a list of the biggest movies heading your way between now and the end of August; release dates, as always, are subject to change.

1. 'Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning'

Tom Cruise. Insane stunts. Can't wait. (May 23, in theaters)

2. 'The Fantastic Four: First Steps'

Is the third time the charm for the beleaguered "Fantastic Four" franchise? They tried it in 2005 (with Chris Evans, Jessica Alba, Michael Chiklis and Ioan Gruffudd) and again in 2015 (with Miles Teller, Michael B. Jordan, Kate Mara and Jamie Bell), and now Marvel will once again attempt to launch this franchise with the foursome of Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn and Ebon Moss-Bachrach. They don't only want it to work, they need it to work, as the movie acts as the beginning of the latest phase of big-screen Marvel storytelling. (July 25, in theaters)

3. 'Superman'

Speaking of needing to work, DC really needs this latest punch-up of "Superman" to land, after grinding its extended universe of films to a halt and hard launching a new chapter with this James Gunn-directed take on the super-est of superheroes, with David Corenswet as the Man of Steel. Wait, David Corens-who?? A lot of people are hoping you're not asking that for long. (July 11, in theaters)

4. 'Thunderbolts*'

Yes, there's an asterisk in the title, yes, we're annoyed by it, and no, we don't know what it means. This Marvel title, about a rogue group of antiheroes (think "Suicide Squad," but don't) kicks off the summer moviegoing season on Friday, and Marvel is looking for a hit, no strings — or asterisks — attached. With Florence Pugh, Sebastian Stan, David Harbour and more. (May 2, in theaters)

5. 'F1'

Brad Pitt feels the need for speed, and with "Top Gun: Maverick's" John Kosinski helming this sports drama, we think he found the right vehicle for delivery. But is Formula One a big enough draw for U.S. audiences to care? (June 27, in theaters)

6. 'Jurassic World: Rebirth'

The twist in the latest "Jurassic Park" adventure, the seventh in the franchise, is that absolutely nothing goes wrong with the dinosaurs! They make great pets. Really, they do, come see for yourself! With Scarlett Johansson, Mahershala Ali and tons of cuddly dino pals. (July 2, in theaters)

7. 'Happy Gilmore 2'

Happy's back, 29 years after he first took the golf world by storm. Adam Sandler revisits perhaps his most beloved role, though it remains to be seen whether Subway is back as his main sponsor. (July 25 on Netflix)

8. '28 Years Later'

Director Danny Boyle and screenwriter Alex Garland reunite 23 years after they teamed on the original "28 Days Later" (and 18 years after "28 Weeks Later," the sequel they skipped), about a zombie outbreak that puts the "run" in run amok. Jodie Comer, Aaron-Taylor Johnson and Ralph Fiennes best be lacing up their sneakers. (June 20, in theaters)

9. 'Weapons'

Mystery surrounds the latest from "Barbarian" director Zach Cregger, about a group of kids that mysteriously goes missing, but the buzz is sky high. (Aug. 8, in theaters)

10. 'Eddington'

The feel-good "Beau is Afraid" team of Joaquin Phoenix and Ari Aster reunites for a Western drama set during the COVID-19 pandemic. What could possibly go wrong? (July 18, in theaters)

11. 'The Phoenician Scheme'

Wes Anderson's latest features Benicio del Toro, Tom Hanks, Bryan Cranston, Michael Cera, Scarlett Johansson, Bill Murray, Willem Dafoe and more, and centers on a caper which we're betting is as meticulously crafted as Anderson's production design. (May 30, in theaters)

12. 'M3GAN 2.0'

Director Gerard Johnstone found the right tone of comic satire for 2022's "M3GAN," his story about a creepy robotic doll, and Johnstone is back writing and directing the sequel, which hopefully has the same wily energy as its predecessor. (June 27, in theaters)

13. 'Ballerina'

The full title is "From the World of John Wick: Ballerina," and it's a "Wick" spinoff starring Ana de Armas as ballerina and assassin Eve Macarro. It takes place between the third and fourth "Wick" movies, and while the production was hit with delays and reshoots, fingers are crossed it can find some of "Wick's" spark. (June 6, in theaters)

14. 'Freakier Friday'

Outside of her cameo in 2024's "Mean Girls" remake, it's been more than a decade since Lindsay Lohan has been on the big screen. Here she's back with Jamie Lee Curtis in the sequel to 2003's body-swapping original, which should push some nostalgia buttons for millennials and the Gen Z set. (Aug. 8, in theaters)

15. 'Karate Kid: Legends'

The sixth "Karate Kid" movie comes 15 years after Jaden Smith and Jackie Chan rebooted the franchise in 2010, but most importantly, after the phenomenon of "Cobra Kai" reignited the series for home audiences. "Legends" teams Ralph Macchio and Jackie Chan to train a new karate kid, played by Ben Wang. (May 30, in theaters)

16. 'How to Train Your Dragon'

This live-action remake — well, live-action up to a point, since we're dealing with dragons here — offers a new take on 2010's animated original, and is helmed by Dean DeBlois, who directed the original. (June 13, in theaters)

17. 'Friendship'

Tim Robinson (Netflix's "I Think You Should Leave") attacks movie theaters with his brand of off-kilter humor with a film that has had film festival audiences doubling over with laughter. Robinson stars as a man who strikes up a friendship with his neighbor (Paul Rudd) and from there, things get awkward. (May 23, in theaters)

18. 'Elio'

Pixar's latest features the voices of Zoe Saldaña and Brad Garrett and stars Yonas Kibreab as the voice of Elio Solis, an 11-year-old boy who is beamed up to an interplanetary organization and is misidentified by aliens as the ambassador to Earth. (June 20, in theaters)

19. 'Together'

Alison Brie and Dave Franco star in this twisted body horror experiment from Michael Shanks, which was a hit at this year's Sundance Film Festival. (July 30, in theaters)

20. 'Lilo & Stitch'

This live-action remake — well, live-action up to a point, since we're dealing with aliens here — offers a new take on 2002's animated original, and is helmed by Dean Fleischer Camp, taking over for Dean DeBlois, who co-directed the original. (May 23, in theaters)

21. 'The Life of Chuck'

Writer-director Mike Flanagan, who loves himself a Stephen King story (he made "Gerald's Game" and "Doctor Sleep"), adapts this 2020 King novella about an ordinary man, Charles 'Chuck' Krantz (Tom Hiddleston), and his experiences with love and loss. This crowd-pleaser won the People's Choice Award at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival, usually a good sign of a crowd-pleaser. (June 13, in theaters)

22. 'I Know What You Did Last Summer'

It's been 28 summers, so just returning to the original title is probably better than calling it "I Know What You Did Last Last Last Last Last Last Last Last Last Last Last Last Last Last Last Last Last Last Last Last Last Last Last Last Last Last Last Last Summer." Jennifer Love Hewitt and Freddie Prinze Jr. are back, so is a new cast, and so is the hook-wielding killer. (July 18, in theaters)

23. 'Final Destination: Bloodlines'

The sixth "Final Destination" film, and first since 2011, brings back more elaborate deaths and one of the final performances of horror icon Tony Todd, who died in 2024. (May 16, in theaters)

24. 'Materialists'

Celine Song ("Past Lives") returns with this romantic comedy starring Chris Evans, Pedro Pascal and Dakota Johnson about a matchmaker caught in a love triangle. (June 13, in theaters)

25. 'The Naked Gun'

Liam Neeson leads the reboot of the spoof, helmed by the Lonely Island's Akiva Schaffer and co-starring, among others, Paul Walter Hauser, Pamela Anderson and WWE Superstar Cody Rhodes. (Aug. 1, in theaters)

Also...

Blake Lively and Anna Kendrick are back with "Another Simple Favor" (May 1, on Amazon Prime Video)... Nicolas Cage catches some waves in "The Surfer" (May 2, in theaters)... look out horror fans, there's a "Clown in a Cornfield" (May 9, in theaters)... Vince Vaughn opens a restauraunt with a group of "Nonnas" (May 9, on Netflix)... Kerry Washington leads a "Shadow Force" in the latest from director Joe Carnahan (May 9, in theaters)... Josh Hartnett has to choose "Fight or Flight" (May 9, in theaters)... Abel "The Weeknd" Tesfaye brings his latest album to life in "Hurry Up Tomorrow" (May 16, in theaters) ...

Julianne Moore and Sydney Sweeney are mother and daughter in the thriller "Echo Valley" (June 13 on AppleTV+) ... Charlize Theron leads "The Old Guard 2," the sequel to the 2020 action hit (July 2 on Netflix) ... Rihanna leads the voice cast of the latest animated "Smurfs" movie (July 18, in theaters) ... Sam Rockwell, Marc Maron and more lend their voices "The Bad Guys 2," the sequel to 2022's animated hit (Aug. 1, in theaters) ... Bob Odenkirk gets shredded again for "Nobody 2" (Aug. 15, in theaters) ... Margaret Qualley stars in director Ethan Coen's crime caper "Honey Don't!" alongside Aubrey Plaza and Chris Evans (Aug. 22, in theaters) ... Sydney Sweeney and Paul Walter Hauser are small-towners who team up to gain possession of a precious artifact in the modern-day Western "Americana" (Aug. 22, in theaters) ...

Sydney Sweeney, once again, stars alongside Ana de Armas and Jude Law in Ron Howard's thriller "Eden" (Aug. 22, in theaters) ... Austin Butler is a former baseball player caught in a crime scheme in director Darren Aronofsky's "Caught Stealing" (Aug. 29, in theaters) ... "The Roses" (Olivia Colman and Benedict Cumberbatch) are at war in the latest from director Jay Roach (Aug. 29, in theaters).

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