With the upcoming release of “Iron Man 2” and the triumphant return of Tony Stark, a new season is marked–summer. Yes, I know that we’re still taking midterms and it is intermittently pouring rain outside, but summer movie season is starting, and that’s the summer that counts for Intermission. This summer is full of sequels, reboots and date movies, and we’ve put together a comprehensive list to make sure that you won’t miss a thing!

Coming in May…

Iron Man 2 (May 7)
After the major success of the first film, which launched the well-deserved comeback of Robert Downey, Jr., Tony Stark is back, defending his superhero machinery and keeping it out of the hands of the government. Assisting him in his militant quest is his trusty assistant Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow) and military strategist Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson). With the sequel comes a plethora of new characters, like Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), Whiplash (Mickey Rourke) and War Machine (Don Cheadle). Director Jon Favreau set the bar quite high with the first film, and “Iron Man 2” has a lot to live up to. Expect this to be one of the biggest films of the summer.

Robin Hood (May 14
Starring Russell Crowe and Cate Blanchett, this version of Sherwood Forest is going to be a lot more intense than the beloved foxes in the Disney adaptation. Directed by Ridley Scott, “Robin Hood” is expected to be a type of origin story, filling in the audience on how Robin Hood went from an archer in the court of King Richard to the infamous merry thief. After an incredible collaboration between Scott and Crowe in “Gladiator,” hopes are high for “Robin Hood.” The combination of great actors, a large budget and a timeless story seems to be a recipe for success.

Coming in June…

Splice (June 4)
Premiering at Sundance to a ton of buzz, “Splice” tells the story of genetic engineers combining animal DNA to create hybrids, and then taking the experiment one step further and fusing human DNA into new hybrids. Starring Adrien Brody, this film is expected to make a splash with audiences looking for a thriller. The CGI is rumored to be very impressive, and with an Oscar-touting cast, “Splice” has the potential to become a sleeper hit.

Toy Story 3 (June 18)
Anticipated for years, “Toy Story 3” will be released 15 years after the original “Toy Story” (how OLD do you feel?), with Andy donating his toys to a daycare center before he leaves for college. Not only will the audience be reunited with their favorite toys, but with the daycare plot line comes a bevy of new characters. After the toys realize that Andy is looking for them and wants them back, they embark on another sure-to-please quest. Like always, expect Pixar to provide plenty of laughs for children and adults–with both “Toy Story”s being among the most highly lauded Pixar films, expectations for the third are incredibly high, and we have no doubt “Toy Story 3” will delight audiences and critics everywhere.

Coming in July…

The Last Airbender
After a few truly terrible films, M. Night Shyamalan is back in action with “The Last Airbender,” a live action adaptation of the popular animated Nickelodeon series. The film tells the story of Aang, the 12-year-old boy forced to realize his destiny by learning to control all of the elements and maintaining peace between the tribes of the elements. With rumors floating around already about sequels, many expect this to be Shyamalan’s triumphant return to the big screen. Nonetheless, it is sure to be popular with younger audiences familiar with the hit television series.

Salt
Following up on her roles in “Wanted” and “Mr. and Mrs. Smith,” Angelina Jolie is back in action in a summer flick centered around a spy/gun-slinger/assassin/CIA operative. In this case, it’s the latter. “Salt” is the story of a CIA operative who is accused of being a Russian double agent and is thus forced to run for her life. Causing some fuss in Hollywood, Jolie managed to take the role away from Tom Cruise, who it was originally intended for. Looking much like her other films before this, “Salt” is chock-full of explosions and sex appeal. With supporting actors like Liev Schreiber and Chiwetel Ejiofor, “Salt” will be well-acted, and, at the very least, exciting.

Coming in August…

Eat, Pray, Love
Adapted from the book of the same name, “Eat, Pray, Love” stars Julia Roberts as Elizabeth Gilbert, a woman looking to find herself through traveling. Though she has a wonderful home, a great career and a seemingly perfect life, Gilbert feels something is missing. After a messy divorce, she decides to globetrot, and finds herself eating in Italy, praying in India and finding love in Bali. Coming as a welcome change to the action and comedy prevalent this summer, Julia Roberts will have the chance to prove why she is considered “America’s Sweetheart,” even years after “Pretty Woman.