The Summer movie season is now underway! Iron Man got things off to a very strong start by being arguably the best superhero adaptation since Spider-man 2. 

The successful release of Iron Man is reminiscent of grand reception that the first Spider-man film got back in May of 2002 - one of those rare instances in summer movie-going where everyone (film critics, fanboys and the general public) seems pleased with the final product.     

The same cannot be said for Speed Racer, which is a much harder sell than something like Iron Man. This opening weekend’s box office returns suggest that Speed Racer may have to wait until its DVD release in order to find an audience.

That is a real shame, because it’s probably the most visually unique blockbuster we’ll be getting this summer (at least until Guillermo Del Toro’s Hellboy II opens in July).  More importantly, it’s lots of fun to watch. I urge anybody reading this to pay no attention to the bad reviews and even worse box office. Do yourself a favor and catch and catch Speed Racer in Imax while you still have the chance.

Indiana Jones and The Castle of the Crystal Skull has been suffering from some bad buzz as of late. Word of mouth emanating from early screenings has been somewhat less than encouraging, but I’m not worried. 

Every Summer movie season has at least one highly-anticipated blockbuster that ends up paying the price for overblown expectations. I’m sure Indiana Jones 4 will be just fine, as long as we all keep our expectations in check.

We have a couple of updates from our first Preview Approved column in February. Righteous Kill starring Robert DeNiro, Al Pacino and 50 Cent was originally slated to come out in April, but was moved to a September release. LL Cool J’s appearance in The Deal will be delayed further, as its overseas debut will be in August now. Still no word on a U.S. release date.

All that said, it’s been an interesting ride so far this year, and there’s still more to come. We still have a few more superhero films coming our way before August - The Hulk on June 13, Wanted on June 27, Hancock on July 2, Hellboy II: The Golden Army on July 11 and The Dark Knight on July 18.

Here are three movies we'd like to highlight this time around:

Wanted

Based on the comic book series by award winning comic writer Mark Millar, Wanted tells the story of office drone Wesley Gibson (James McAvoy). Gibson’s mundane existence takes a turn toward the fantastic when he is recruited into an organization of super assassins and is given the chance to avenge the murder of his father, who was also an assassin. 

The mysterious organization is led by a man named Sloan (Morgan Freeman), who was Gibson’s father’s partner. Under the tutelage of Sloan second-in-command Fox (Angelina Jolie), Gibson becomes an efficient killer.

Keep an eye out for everyone’s favorite bohemian Common in his role as the Gunsmith, a character who trains others in the use of firearms. Judging by his filmography, Common seems to like to flex his creative muscles by playing characters who are the polar opposite of his rap image. This is different from most rapper-turned-actors, who usually take the safe route by choosing roles which fall in line with whatever image they’ve already established within Hip-Hop.

Look for Wanted in theaters everywhere on June 27.

Hancock

It just wouldn’t feel like Summer movie season without an Independence Day weekend offering from the last real movie star alive, Will Smith. Hancock looks to continue that tradition while simultaneously cashing in on the superhero craze.

Hancock is not merely a cash-in, though, as it offers a comedic twist on the genre. Will Smith plays John Hancock, a drunken vagrant who just happens to possess powers. However, his feats of superhuman ability have not exactly endeared him to the public. His alcoholism causes him to have a certain disregard for public safety and property. 

Jason Bateman plays a publicist who attempts to help Hancock clean up his act and become a true hero. Hancock repays him by carrying on a love affair with his wife played by Charlize Theron.

The concept sounds promising, and the trailers so far have been entertaining, though I have heard rumblings that test screenings haven’t been going so well. The latest trailer made an uneasy transition from comedy to serious drama, leaving one a little uncertain about what to expect from the film. This might be indicative of the problems that test audiences are having with it. The fact that it had to be trimmed twice to avoid an R-rating suggests that it may not be as family-friendly as the marketing wants us to believe.

Regardless of quality, I expect Hancock to do relatively well at the box office once it opens on July 2. Will Smith is a pretty sure bet as far blockbusters go as he is probably the most likable and charismatic actor working today.

The Dark Knight

One of the most anticipated films of the Summer, I fear this one will be a bittersweet affair as we gear up for the July 18 release date. On the one hand, I expect this to be the movie that we have all been waiting for - the one that will make all aspects of Batman fandom happy.

No easy feat, considering that no film in the series as of yet has been able to achieve that level of universal acceptance from batfans, not even Batman Begins. Each one has its champions and its detractors, which is probably fitting, seeing as how Batman comics have offered many different versions and interpretations of the character over the years.  I’m really hoping that The Dark Knight breaks this trend by giving us the ultimate Batman film.

On the other hand one cannot ignore the melancholy vibes hanging over the proceedings, as the sting and shock of Heath Ledger’s death is still with us. I fear that if his turn as comics’ greatest villain is as great as expected (and by all accounts it will be), it will make the film that much harder to enjoy on the level intended.

Perhaps it would help to see the film as a monument to an enormous talent - one of the finest actors of our generation, giving us the definitive interpretation of The Joker (all due respect to Jack Nicholson)

Christian Bale stars as Batman, and Morgan Freeman reprises his role as Lucius Fox from Batman Begins. There will also be an appearance by Debo himself, Tiny Lister.

The Dark Knight movie trailer



Just for good measure, here is the trailer for The Incredible Hulk. As AllHipHop.com confirmed last month, Robert Downey Jr. will make a cameo as Tony Stark in the movie!