Summer 2013 will bring wide range of blockbusters

Alongside such favorite traditions like ice cream on a warm summer night or tanning at the beach, few things say “summer” more than watching a high-octane, spectacle-filled blockbuster. Summertime is prime money-minting season for Hollywood, with studios lining up left and right to unleash mountains of explosions, heaps of CGI eye candy and numerous headlining stars. Will the summer 2013 movie season surpass the highs seen last year, with two gigantic critical and commercial successes in “The Avengers” (2012) and “The Dark Knight Rises” (2012)? That remains to be seen, but with a potential blockbuster lined up for release nearly every weekend, this summer will definitely see its fair share of both winners and losers. The following are just a few of the blockbusters that hope to sizzle on the silver screen this summer.

“Iron Man 3” — Now Playing

Hot off the heels of the massive success of last year’s “The Avengers” — which grossed over $1.5 billion worldwide — Tony Stark has returned in this summer’s first box office smash, “Iron Man 3.” Led by another fantastic performance from Robert Downey Jr. as the titular character, the third film in the “Iron Man” franchise successfully washes away the bad taste left by 2010’s second installment and has done incredible business at the box office so far, scoring the second highest opening weekend of all time. This outing finds Stark facing off against shadowy terrorist The Mandarin (a scene-stealing Ben Kingsley) while also being pushed to his breaking point thanks to the aftermath of events in “The Avengers.” Smart, fast-paced, witty, action-filled and entertaining, “Iron Man 3” is everything the ideal summer blockbuster should be.

“The Great Gatsby” — Now Playing

Literary adaptations have been a Hollywood mainstay for decades, but few in recent memory have garnered as much buzz and hype as Baz Luhrmann’s “The Great Gatsby.” Based on the classic F. Scott Fitzgerald novel, the film boasts a star-studded cast that includes Leonardo DiCaprio as the mysterious Gatsby and Carey Mulligan as Daisy Buchanan. And while the story of “Gatsby” might not include explosions and effects that are the currency of many other blockbusters, Luhrmann has decided to match the spectacle of those other films by creating a lavish visual world for his characters. New York City is presented as an over-the-top paradise bursting with bright tones and imagery, and opulent parties thrown at Gatsby’s Long Island mansion are rendered with a sense-assaulting barrage of spectacle, sound and color. Unfortunately, the heart of “Gatsby” can’t match its striking visuals, and viewers might get the sense that many scenes are simply being ticked off a to-do list for the plot rather than being truly embraced. “The Great Gatsby” certainly has its moments, but ultimately ends up like so many summer blockbusters -- visually arresting, but sometimes hollow on the inside.

“Star Trek Into Darkness” -- May 17th

Before director J. J. Abrams heads off to that galaxy far, far away to make the next “Star Wars” film, he returns with the sequel to his well-received “Star Trek” reboot in 2009, which is shaping up to be one of the most anticipated films of the summer. Abrams has kept many of the sequel’s plot details a mystery, but trailers show that a reckoning is in store for the crew of the Enterprise, led by Captain James Kirk (Chris Pine). “Star Trek Into Darkness” looks to be taking a much darker tone than its predecessor, with Kirk going into all-out war against Benedict Cumberbatch’s mysterious antagonist -- heavily rumored to be legendary “Star Trek” villain Khan -- and risking the lives of the entire Enterprise crew.

“The Hangover Part III” -- May 23rd

One of the most surprising hits in recent years, “The Hangover” took audiences by storm in 2009 with a creative premise, hilarious script and great dynamics between actors Zach Galifianakis, Ed Helms and Bradley Cooper. The “Wolfpack” returned for 2011’s “The Hangover Part II,” a disappointing sequel due to its pretty much being a carbon copy of the first film. Now the gang has come back for one final film in the trilogy, which promises to break free from the formula of the first two films by dealing with the aftermath of Alan (Galifianakis) losing his father and having the group get involved with gangster Mr. Chow (Ken Jeong). While the film is pretty much guaranteed to be a huge box office success, it will also hopefully be a creative success if the filmmakers bring something new to the table and don’t simply rehash the events of the previous films.

“Man of Steel” -- June 14th

While his rival DC star Batman has been taking the spotlight for the past few years thanks to Christopher Nolan’s fantastic “Dark Knight” trilogy, Superman is looking to break through this summer with a reboot attempt of the franchise. Produced by Nolan and directed by Zach Snyder, this summer’s “Man of Steel” is angling to reintroduce Superman to audiences after 2006’s lukewarm reaction to “Superman Returns.” While the titular hero will be played by Henry Cavill, Superman is surrounded by a star-studded cast including Michael Shannon, Amy Adams, Kevin Costner, Diane Lane and Russell Crowe. The film’s previews have presented a sense of gravitas that bodes well for a serious take on the character, although some of Snyder’s past films (“300” (2006) and “Watchmen” (2009)) give some doubts as to whether he can do Superman justice.