Courtesy The Weinstein CompanyJosh Brolin stars in “Sin City: A Dame to Kill For.”

Summer movie season begins in earnest today with “The Amazing Spider-Man 2,” the only new major-studio movie opening in theaters. Savor this relatively quiet moment, because the coming weeks will be crowded with two, three, four and even five nationwide releases.

The summer’s overall lineup is more varied than you might expect. Superheroes abound, of course, but some come with a twist: Marvel’s “Guardians of the Galaxy” and Paramount’s “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” appear to be offering laughs as well as action. There also are musical movies (“Jersey Boys,” the James Brown biopic “Get on Up”), food movies (“Chef,” “The Hundred-Foot Journey”) and even a Western (“A Million Ways to Die in the West.” Action fare ranges from “The Expendables 3” to the Scarlett Johansson vehicle “Lucy.” And almost one year to the day after the premiere of his Oscar-winning “Blue Jasmine,” Woody Allen returns with a new film, “Magic in the Moonlight.”

If nothing in the next few months strikes your fancy, you may not be looking hard enough. Here are some of this summer’s biggest movies. (Release dates are subject to change.)

— Rafer Guzmán, Newsday

May

May 2

For a list of movies opening locally, see Page 28.

May 9

“Chef” — When chef Carl Casper (Jon Favreau) suddenly quits his job at a prominent Los Angeles restaurant after refusing to compromise his creative integrity for its controlling owner (Dustin Hoffman), he is left to figure out what’s next. Finding himself in Miami, he teams up with his ex-wife (Sofía Vergara), his friend (John Leguizamo) and his son to launch a food truck. Taking to the road, Chef Carl goes back to his roots to reignite his passion for the kitchen — and zest for life and love. (R)

“Legends of OZ: Dorothy’s Return” — After waking to post-tornado Kansas, Dorothy (Lea Michele) and Toto are whisked to Oz on a magical rainbow mover sent by their old friends the Scarecrow (Dan Aykroyd), the Lion (Jim Belushi) and the Tin Man (Kelsey Grammer). Time in OZ has passed much faster than back in Kansas, and Dorothy discovers that the Jester (Martin Short) — the devious brother of the Wicked Witch of the West — is taking Oz over one region at a time, holding their leaders captive and casting a pall of darkness over the beloved land. Even Glinda (Bernadette Peters) is unable to combat the Jester’s evil powers, making Dorothy their only hope. (PG)

“Moms’ Night Out” — All Allyson and her friends want is a peaceful, grown-up evening of dinner and conversation … a long-needed moms’ night out. But in order to enjoy high heels, adult conversation and food not served in a paper bag, they need their husbands to watch the kids for three hours—what could go wrong? “Moms’ Night Out” is an endearing true-to-life family comedy that celebrates the beautiful mess called parenting. (PG)

“Neighbors” — Seth Rogen, Zac Efron and Rose Byrne lead the cast of “Neighbors,” a comedy about a young couple suffering from arrested development who are forced to live next to a fraternity house after the birth of their newborn baby. The film is directed by Nicholas Stoller. (R)

May 16

“Godzilla” — The world’s most revered monster, Godzilla, returns to the big screen. From visionary new director Gareth Edwards comes a powerful story of human courage and reconciliation in the face of titanic forces of nature, when the awe-inspiring Godzilla rises to restore balance as humanity stands defenseless. Stars include Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Ken Watanabe, Juliette Binoche, Sally Hawkins, David Strathairn and Bryan Cranston. (PG-13)

“Million Dollar Arm” — In a last ditch effort to save his career as a sports agent, JB Bernstein (Jon Hamm) concocts a scheme to find baseball’s next great pitching ace. Hoping to find a young cricket pitcher he can turn into a Major League Baseball star, JB travels to India to produce a reality show competition called “Million Dollar Arm.” Also stars Alan Arkin, Lake Bell, Madhur Mittal and Suraj Sharma. (PG)

May 23

“Blended” — “Blended” marks the third comedy collaboration between stars Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore. After a disastrous blind date, single parents Lauren (Barrymore) and Jim (Sandler) agree on only one thing: They never want to see each other again. But when they each sign up separately for a fabulous family vacation with their kids, they are all stuck sharing a suite at a luxurious African safari resort for a week. (PG-13)

“X-Men: Days of Future Past” — The ultimate X-Men ensemble fights a war for the survival of the species across two time periods in “X-Men: Days of Future Past.” The beloved characters from the original “X-Men” film trilogy join forces with their younger selves from “X-Men: First Class,” in an epic battle that must change the past — to save our future. (not yet rated)

May 30

“Maleficent” — “Maleficent” explores the untold story of Disney’s most iconic villain from the 1959 classic “Sleeping Beauty” and the elements of her betrayal that ultimately turn her pure heart to stone. The film stars Angelina Jolie as Maleficent. (PG)

“A Million Ways to Die in the West” — Seth MacFarlane directs, produces, co-writes and plays the role of the cowardly sheep farmer Albert in “A Million Ways to Die in the West.” After Albert backs out of a gunfight, his fickle girlfriend leaves him for another man. When a mysterious and beautiful woman rides into town, she helps him find his courage and they begin to fall in love. But when her husband, a notorious outlaw, arrives seeking revenge, the farmer must put his newfound courage to the test. (R)

June

June 6

“Edge of Tomorrow” — Tom Cruise and Emily Blunt star in the sci-fi thriller “Edge of Tomorrow,” under the direction of Doug Liman. The epic action unfolds in a near future in which an alien race has hit the Earth in an unrelenting assault. Major William Cage (Cruise) is an officer who has never seen a day of combat when he is dropped into what amounts to a suicide mission. Killed within minutes, Cage now finds himself inexplicably thrown into a time loop — forcing him to live out the same brutal combat over and over, fighting and dying again … and again. (PG-13)

“The Fault In Our Stars” — Hazel (Shailene Woodley) and Gus (Ansel Elgort) are two teenagers who share an acerbic wit, a disdain for the conventional and a love that sweeps them on a journey. Their relationship is all the more miraculous given that Hazel’s other constant companion is an oxygen tank, Gus jokes about his prosthetic leg, and they met and fell in love at a cancer support group. (PG-13)

June 13

“22 Jump Street” — After making their way through high school (twice), big changes are in store for officers Schmidt (Jonah Hill) and Jenko (Channing Tatum) when they go deep undercover at a local college. But when Jenko meets a kindred spirit on the football team, and Schmidt infiltrates the bohemian art major scene, they begin to question their partnership. Now they don’t have to just crack the case — they have to figure out if they can have a mature relationship. If these two overgrown adolescents can grow from freshmen into real men, college might be the best thing that ever happened to them. (not yet rated)

“How to Train Your Dragon 2” — It’s been five years since Hiccup (voiced by Jay Baruchel) and Toothless successfully united dragons and vikings on the island of Berk. While Astrid (America Ferrera), Snotlout (Jonah Hill) and the rest of the gang are challenging each other to dragon races, the now inseparable pair journey through the skies, charting unmapped territories and exploring new worlds. When one of their adventures leads to the discovery of a secret ice cave that is home to hundreds of new wild dragons and the mysterious Dragon Rider, the two friends find themselves at the center of a battle to protect the peace. (PG)

June 20

“Jersey Boys” — From director Clint Eastwood comes the big-screen version of the Tony Award-winning musical “Jersey Boys.” The film tells the story of four young men from the wrong side of the tracks in New Jersey who came together to form the iconic 1960s rock group The Four Seasons. The story of their trials and triumphs are accompanied by the songs that influenced a generation, including “Sherry,” “Big Girls Don’t Cry” and “Walk Like a Man.” (R)

“Think Like a Man Too” — In the highly anticipated sequel, which was inspired by Steve Harvey’s best-selling book “Act Like a Lady, Think Like A Man,” all the couples are back for a wedding in Las Vegas. But plans for a romantic weekend go awry when their various misadventures get them into some compromising situations that threaten to derail the big event. (PG-13)

“Third Person” — “Third Person” tells three stories of love, passion, trust and betrayal, in a multi-strand story line reminiscent of Paul Haggis’s earlier Oscar-winning film “Crash.” The tales play out in New York, Paris and Rome: three couples who appear to have nothing related but share deep commonalities: lovers and estranged spouses, children lost and found. The film stars Liam Neeson, Mila Kunis, Adrien Brody, James Franco, Olivia Wilde and Maria Bello. (R)

June 27

“Transformers: Age of Extinction” — The Transformers return to the big screen. This time, Mark Wahlberg takes the lead as Cade Yeager. In the fourth installment, an automobile mechanic and his daughter make a discovery that brings down the Autobots and Decepticons — and a paranoid government official — on them. (not yet rated)

July

July 2

“Deliver Us from Evil” — In “Deliver Us From Evil,” New York police officer Ralph Sarchie (Eric Bana), struggling with his own personal issues, begins investigating a series of disturbing and inexplicable crimes. He joins forces with an unconventional priest (Édgar Ramírez) to combat the frightening and demonic possessions that are terrorizing their city. Inspired by the book, which details Sarchie’s bone-chilling real-life cases. (not yet rated)

“Earth to Echo” — Tuck, Munch and Alex are a closely bonded trio of inseparable friends, but their time together is coming to an end. Their neighborhood is being destroyed by a highway construction project that is forcing their families to move away. But just two days before they must part ways, the boys find a cryptic signal has infected their phones. Convinced something bigger is going on and looking for one final adventure together, they set off to trace the messages to their source and discover something beyond their wildest imaginations. (PG)

“Tammy” — Melissa McCarthy and Susan Sarandon star in the new comedy “Tammy,” marking Ben Falcone’s directorial debut. Tammy (McCarthy) is having a bad day. She’s totaled her clunker car, gotten fired from her thankless job at a greasy burger joint, and instead of finding comfort at home, finds her husband getting comfortable with the neighbor. It’s time to take her boom box and book it. The bad news is she’s broke and without wheels. The worse news is her grandma, Pearl (Sarandon), is her only option — with a car, cash, and an itch to see Niagara Falls. Not exactly the escape Tammy had in mind. But on the road, with grandma riding shot gun, it may be just what Tammy needs. (R)

July 11

“Dawn of the Planet of the Apes” — A growing nation of genetically evolved apes led by Caesar (Andy Serkis) is threatened by a band of human survivors of the devastating virus unleashed a decade earlier. They reach a fragile peace, but it proves short-lived, as both sides are brought to the brink of a war that will determine who will emerge as Earth’s dominant species. The film stars Gary Oldman as Dreyfus, Keri Russell as Cornelia and Judy Greer as Cornelia. (not yet rated)

July 18

“Jupiter Ascending” — Channing Tatum and Mila Kunis star in “Jupiter Ascending,” an original science fiction action adventure from filmmakers Lana and Andy Wachowski. Jupiter Jones (Kunis) was born under a night sky, with signs predicting that she was destined for great things. Now grown, Jupiter dreams of the stars but wakes up to the cold reality of a job cleaning other people’s houses and an endless run of bad breaks. Only when Caine (Tatum), a genetically engineered ex-military hunter, arrives on Earth to track her down does Jupiter begin to glimpse the fate that has been waiting for her all along. (not yet rated)

“Planes: Fire & Rescue” — “Planes: Fire & Rescue” is a new comedy-adventure about second changes, featuring a dynamic crew of elite firefighting aircraft devoted to protecting historic Piston Peak National Park from raging wildfire. When world famous air racer Dusty (voiced by Dane Cook) 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. (not yet rated)

“The Purge: Anarchy” — The New Founders of America invite you to celebrate your annual right to Purge. “The Purge: Anarchy,” the sequel to summer 2013’s sleeper hit, sees the return of writer/director/producer James DeMonaco to craft the next terrifying chapter of dutiful citizens preparing for their country’s yearly 12 hours of anarchy. (not yet rated)

“Wish I Was Here” — Director Zach Braff’s follow-up to his indie breakout hit “Garden State” is a comedy telling the story of a thirty-something man who finds himself at major crossroads, which forces him to examine his life, his career, and his family. (not yet rated)

July 25

“Hercules” — Based on Radical Comics’ “Hercules” by Steve Moore, this ensemble-action film is a revisionist take on the classic myth, “Hercules.” The epic action film stars Dwayne Johnson as Hercules, Ian McShane, Rufus Sewell, Joseph Fiennes, Peter Mullan and John Hurt. (not yet rated)

“Magic In The Moonlight” — Woody Allen’s latest follows an English sleuth through the Côte d’Azur of the 1920s. With Colin Firth, Emma Stone, Hamish Linklater and Marcia Gay Harden. (PG-13)

“Sex Tape” — When Jay (Jason Segel) and Annie (Cameron Diaz) first got together, their romantic connection was intense – but ten years and two kids later, the flame of their love needs a spark. To kick things up a notch, they decide to make a video of themselves trying out every position in “The Joy of Sex” in one marathon three-hour session. It seems like a great idea – until they discover that their most private video is no longer private. With their reputations on the line, they know they’re just one click away from being laid bare to the world. (not yet rated)

“Step Up: All In” — The newest chapter in the smash hit “Step Up” franchise reunites an all-star cast in glittering Las Vegas. After struggling in Hollywood for over a year, Sean’s (Ryan Guzman) crew disbands and moves back to Miami without him. Refusing to give up the dream, Sean stays in LA. When he hears about an upcoming dance competition in Las Vegas that could be the opportunity of a lifetime, he teams up with dance phenoms Moose (Adam Sevani) and Andie (Briana Evigan) to assemble a new dance crew. (not yet rated)

August

Aug. 1

“Calvary” — Father James (Brendan Gleeson) is a good priest who is faced with sinister and troubling circumstances brought about by a mysterious member of his parish. Although he continues to comfort his own fragile daughter (Kelly Reilly) and reach out to help members of his church with their various scurrilous moral — and often comic — problems, he feels sinister and troubling forces closing in, and begins to wonder if he will have the courage to face his own personal Calvary. (not yet rated)

“Get on Up” — Tate Taylor directs Chadwick Boseman (“42”) as James Brown in “Get on Up.” Based on the incredible life story of the Godfather of Soul, the film will give a fearless look inside the music, moves and moods of Brown, taking audiences on the journey from his impoverished childhood to his evolution into one of the most influential figures of the 20th century. Boseman is joined in the drama by Viola Davis, Octavia Spencer, Nelsan Ellis, Lennie James, Tika Sumpter, Jill Scott and Dan Aykroyd. (not yet rated)

“Guardians of the Galaxy” — An action-packed, epic space adventure, Marvel’s “Guardians of the Galaxy” expands the Marvel Cinematic Universe into the cosmos, where brash adventurer Peter Quill (Chris Pratt) finds himself the object of an unrelenting bounty hunt after stealing a mysterious orb. Quill is forced into an uneasy truce with a quartet of disparate misfits. (not yet rated)

Aug. 8

“The Hundred-Foot Journey” — Hassan Kadam (Manish Dayal) is a culinary ingénue with the gastronomic equivalent of perfect pitch. Displaced from their native India, the Kadam family settles in a quint village in the south of France. Filled with charm, it is the ideal place to open an Indian restaurant, the Maison Mumbai. A nearby classical French restaurant led by Madame Mallory (Helen Mirren) gets wind of the restaurant and protests escalating to an all out war between the two establishments. (not yet rated)

“Into the Storm” — In the span of a single day, the town of Silverton is ravaged by an unprecedented onslaught of tornadoes. The entire town is at the mercy of the erratic and deadly cyclones, even as storm trackers predict the worst is yet to come. Told through the eyes and lenses of professional storm chasers, thrill-seeking amateurs, and courageous townspeople, “Into the Storm” throws you directly into the eye of the storm to experience Mother Nature at her most extreme. (PG-13)

“Lucy” — Writer/director Luc Besson has created some of the toughest, most memorable female action heroes in cinematic history. Now, Besson directs Scarlett Johansson in “Lucy,” an action-thriller that tracks a woman accidentally caught in a dark deal who turns the tables on her captors and transforms into a merciless warrior evolved beyond human logic. (not yet rated)

“Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” — The “Heroes in a Half Shell” are back in this film reboot. From their home in the storm sewers of Manhattan, four Ninjitsu-trained turtles, Leonardo, Raphael, Michelangelo and Donatello and their sensei, Master Splinter, battle evil. Megan Fox stars as April O’Neil. (not yet rated)

Aug. 13

“Let’s Be Cops” — It’s the ultimate buddy cop movie except for one thing: they’re not cops. When two struggling pals (Jake Johnson and Damon Wayans Jr.) dress as police officers for a costume party, they become neighborhood sensations. But when these newly-minted “heroes” get tangled in a real life web of mobsters and dirty detectives, they must put their fake badges on the line. (R)

Aug. 15

“As Above, So Below” — Miles of twisting catacombs lie beneath the streets of Paris, the eternal home to countless souls. When a team of explorers ventures into the uncharted maze of bones, they uncover the secret of what this city of the dead was meant to contain. A journey into madness and terror, “As Above, So Below” reaches deep into the human psyche to reveal the personal demons that come back to haunt us all. (not yet rated)

“The Expendables 3” — In “The Expendables 3,” Barney (Sylvestor Stallone), Christmas (Jason Statham) and the rest of the team come face-to-face with Conrad Stonebanks (Mel Gibson), who years ago co-founded The latest mission becomes a clash of classic old-school style versus high-tech expertise in the Expendables’ most personal battle yet. (not yet rated)

“The Giver” — In a perfect world where there is no conflict, racism or sickness, every member of society has a specific role, and 16-year-old Jonas is selected to be the Receiver of Memories. As Jonas uncovers the truth behind his world’s past, he discovers that many years earlier his forefathers gave up humanity in order to have a stable society. Based on the best-selling novel by Lois Lowry, the film stars Jeff Bridges and Meryl Streep. (not yet rated)

Aug. 22

“Sin City: A Dame to Kill For” — Co-directors Robert Rodriguez and Frank Miller reunite to bring Miller’s visually stunning “Sin City” graphic novels back to the big screen in “Sin City: A Dame to Kill For.” Weaving together two of Miller’s classic stories with new tales, the town’s most hard boiled citizens cross paths with some of its more notorious inhabitants. (not yet rated)

“When the Game Stands Tall” — Inspired by a true story, “When the Game Stands Tall” tells the remarkable journey of legendary football coach Bob Ladouceur (Jim Caviezel), who took the De La Salle High School Spartans from obscurity to a 151-game winning streak that shattered all records for any American sport. (not yet rated)

Aug. 29

“Jessabelle” — From the mastermind producer of “Paranormal Activity” and “Insidious” comes the ghostly tale of Jessabelle. Returning to her childhood home in Louisiana to recuperate from a horrific car accident, Jessabelle (Sarah Snook) comes face to face with a long-tormented spirit that has been seeking her return — and has no intention of letting her escape. (PG-13)

“The Loft” — Karl Urban and James Marsden star in the tense psychological thriller “The Loft,” the story of five married guys who conspire to secretly share a penthouse loft in the city—a place where they can carry out hidden affairs and indulge in their deepest fantasies. But the fantasy becomes a nightmare when they discover the dead body of an unknown woman in the loft, and they realize one of the group must be involved. Paranoia seizes them as everyone begins to suspect one another. (R)

— Synopses from films’ official websites; compiled by Jenny Wasson, The Bulletin