Blockbuster summer: Fan favorites like ‘Ghostbusters,’ ‘Star Trek’ and ‘Tarzan’ crash the superhero party

Summer isn't always about lazy days relaxing on a hammock with a pitcher of lemonade. Sometimes, especially when talking movies, it's about explosions and fistfights and ax-wielding creatures and spaceship battles and apocalyptic visions of the future and monkeys and chariot races.

Monkeys and chariot races may not spark the imagination or stir the adrenaline the way the other subjects do, but they are a part of some of 2016's summer blockbusters. As per usual nowadays, we start with superheroes.

'Captain America: Civil War' | May 6

Chris Evans returns as Steve Rogers and faces off against Robert Downey Jr.'s Iron Man as the Avengers split into feuding factions. With Scarlett Johansson. Written by Christopher Markus & Stephen McFeely. Directed by Anthony & Joe Russo. Imax 3D. Marvel Studios

'Alice Through the Looking Glass' | May 27

Alice time-travels to save the Mad Hatter. With Johnny Depp, Anne Hathaway, Mia Wasikowska. Written by Linda Woolverton, based on characters created by Lewis Carroll. Directed by James Bobin. Imax 3D. Walt Disney Studios

'X-Men: Apocalypse' | May 27

The original mutant awakens after thousands of years and he is not happy, triggering a battle for a new world order. With James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence. Written by Simon Kinberg; story by Bryan Singer & Kinberg & Michael Dougherty & Dan Harris. Directed by Singer. 20th Century Fox

'Teenage Mutant Turtles: Out of the Shadows' | June 3

The return of the pizza-eating, martials-arts-infused, adolescent reptiles. With Megan Fox, Will Arnett, Laura Linney. Written by Josh Appelbaum & André Nemec, based on characters created by Peter Laird and Kevin Eastman. Directed by Dave Green. Paramount Pictures

'Warcraft' | June 10

Two opposing warriors are on a fateful course that will decide the future of their civilizations. With Travis Fimmel, Paula Patton, Ben Foster. Written by Charles Leavitt and Duncan Jones, based on the video game. Directed by Jones. Imax 3D. Universal Pictures

'Central Intelligence' | June 17

A former geek returns to a high school reunion as a studly CIA agent and recruits his nemesis for a "mission." With Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart, Amy Ryan. Written by Ike Barinholtz & David Stassen and Rawson Marshall Thurber. Directed by Thurber. Warner Bros.

'Independence Day: Resurgence' | June 24

Twenty years later, the aliens return with new and improved technology. With Liam Hemsworth, Jeff Goldblum, Bill Pullman. Written by Nicolas Wright & James A. Woods and Dean Devlin & Roland Emmerich and James Vanderbilt; story by Devlin & Emmerich and Wright & Woods. Directed by Emmerich. Imax 3D. 20th Century Fox

'The Legend of Tarzan' | July 1

After years of being civilized, the ape-man returns to the Congo and is entangled in a conspiracy. With Alexander Skarsgård, Samuel L. Jackson, Margot Robbie. Written by Adam Cozad and Craig Brewer, based on the Tarzan stories created by Edgar Rice Burroughs. Directed by David Yates. Imax 3D. Warner Bros.

'Ghostbusters' | July 15

Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Kate McKinnon and Leslie Jones are the new generation of paranormal investigators out to save the world from supernatural baddies. Written by Paul Feig & Katie Dippold, based on the 1984 film written by Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis. Directed by Feig. Imax 3D. Columbia Pictures

'Star Trek Beyond' | July 22

The crew of the Enterprise travels to deepest space and is challenged by an inscrutable new foe. With Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Zoe Saldana and Idris Elba. Written by Simon Pegg & Doug Jung and Roberto Orci & John D. Payne & Patrick McKay. Directed by Justin Lin. Imax 3D. Paramount Pictures
 

'Jason Bourne' | July 29

Matt Damon steps back into the role of the rogue CIA agent for this fifth installment. With Julia Stiles, Alicia Vikander. Written by Paul Greengrass, Christopher Rouse, inspired by the "Bourne" series created by Robert Ludlum. Directed by Greengrass. Universal Pictures

'Suicide Squad' | Aug. 5

The best of the worst in villainy are recruited by the government to take on an unstoppable enemy. With Will Smith, Jared Leto, Margot Robbie. Written and directed by David Ayer, based on the characters from DC Comics. Imax 3D. Warner Bros.

'Ben-Hur' | Aug. 19

Forced into slavery, a prince fights his way back, seeking revenge. With Jack Huston, Toby Kebbell, Rodrigo Santoro. Written by Keith R. Clarke & John Ridley, based on the novel by Lew Wallace. Directed by Timor Bekmambetov. Paramount Pictures

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