Summer movie preview 2024: Sequels, some superheroes and more sequels are upon us

It may feel like not long ago, but a year has passed since the summer of “Barbenheimer,” and Hollywood is hoping for another season of enthusiastic audiences and perhaps an unlikely but viral cinematic pairing. (“#Garfiosa,” anyone?)

It may feel like not long ago, but a year has passed since the summer of “Barbenheimer,” and Hollywood is hoping for another season of enthusiastic audiences and perhaps an unlikely but viral cinematic pairing. (“#Garfiosa,” anyone?) Some things about this summer’s slate of movies feel similar – namely, a lot of sequels on offer – while other elements feel a bit different, like the lingering hangover from last year’s twin strikes that brought movie production to a months-long standstill. Nevertheless, there are more than a few characters sure to distract from that with their showy antics, some masked and mouthy (here’s looking at you, Deadpool) and others aiming to turn our emotions “Inside Out” all over again. Behold a list of the most buzzy movies being released theatrically between Memorial and Labor Day Weekends, 2024. For ease of reference, any sequel, prequel or reboot is marked with an asterisk: George Miller’s fifth foray into the gnarly post-apocalyptic world of Mad Max, “Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga” explores the origins of the titular character originated by Charlize Theron in 2015’s Oscar-winning epic “Mad Max: Fury Road.” Here, Furiosa is played to the mettle by Anya Taylor-Joy, with villainous antics (and a prosthetic nose) supplied by Chris Hemsworth. Chris Pratt gets to add another voice credit to his list of animated roles after last year’s hit “Mario Bros. Movie” with “Garfield,” following the famously lethargic ginger cat hailing from the comic strips of yore. Joining Pratt as the titular cat in this family-friendly romp are Samuel L. Jackson, Ving Rhames, Nicholas Hoult, “Ted Lasso’s” Hannah Waddingham and Brett Goldstein, along with “Saturday Night Live” stars Cecily Strong and Bowen Yang.