Grab some popcorn and enjoy summer’s explosive sequels

If any summer could be called the summer of sequels, 2007 would be it. All of these silver… If any summer could be called the summer of sequels, 2007 would be it. All of these silver screen continuations have caused a lot of hype and anticipation from audiences around the country.

Swinging into theaters around the world on May 4 was “Spider-Man 3.” Just like the previous “Spidey” films, this third movie made some big box-office bucks. With $59.8 million, “Spider-Man 3” broke the box-office record for the biggest opening day ever and ranks number one on the biggest-weekends-at-the-box-office list with $151.1 million. To this day, “Spiderman 3” has brought in about $334.3 million, putting it at No. 15 on the all-time U.S. top 20 list. Maybe its success has something to do with evil emo Spidey’s presence in the film.

“Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End,” the third and final installment of the “Pirates” films, has got audiences all pumped up for a swashbuckling return. Captain Jack Sparrow made his last appearance in this early summer release (May 25), placing “Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End” at No. 5 for all-time highest openings with $42.9 million. The film continues to rank among the top 10 at the box office this summer, and it made the number nine spot on the all-time worldwide top 20 list with $911.5 million grossed so far.

“Shrek the Third” is yet another film surrounded by mega-hype this summer. The big green ogre, who made a comeback on May 18 with pals Donkey and Puss ‘n’ Boots, still has that animated onscreen charm, attracting audiences of all ages. This time, Shrek tackles fatherhood, an idea that feels too sentimental in comparison to the first two “Shrek” films. On opening day, “Shrek the Third” brought in $38.4 million, earning the No. 9 spot for the biggest opening day.

On June 8, Danny Ocean and his gang returned to the big screen doing what they do best – pulling off casino heists with ease. “Ocean’s 13” is filled with complex plans and clever twists, not to mention some great laughs. Although the film brought in less money on opening day than both of the previous “Ocean’s” films (only $12.4 million), it still earns its place among the other great box-office blockbusters this summer.

“Live Free or Die Hard” hit theaters on June 27 with a surprising bang. It looks as though the lame previews didn’t turn audiences away but instead did the complete opposite. “Live Free or Die Hard” made the No. 2 slot at the box office on opening weekend (“Ratatouille” was No. 1) and brought in $47.2 million.

On July 3, “Transformers” hit theaters after loads of publicity sent fans of the old TV series reeling in anticipation. In this film, the continuing war between the two different robot-alien races, the Autobots and the Decipticons, puts the Earth’s fate in danger, and our only hope lies with young Sam Witwicky (Shia Lebeouf). Lebeouf has definitely made a name for himself with this movie, as “Transformers” broke the record for the highest grossing Tuesday opening, bringing in a whopping $27.45 million.

The most talked about movie of the summer has definitely been “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix,” which opened on July 11 (the first Wednesday release of any of the “Harry Potter” films). With a scarier, darker twist, all the magic of the prior “Harry Potter” films is back in the fifth installment. “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix” is guaranteed to be one of this summer’s biggest blockbusters as it has already raked in more than $44 million.

If there aren’t already enough must-sees on this list, here are a few more you can look forward to seeing this summer. First, there’s “The Simpsons” movie, set to hit theaters on July 27. If the movie is as big of a hit as the television show, it’ll be an instant summer blockbuster. On August 3, you have “The Bourne Ultimatum,” the third film of the “Bourne” series, which stars Matt Damon as the identity-confused, thrill-seeking Jason Bourne.

Then come Chris Tucker and Jackie Chan in “Rush Hour 3,” which opens Aug. 10. Hopefully, this duo will bring back the action-packed comedy fans saw in the first two films. For the horror-flick fans this summer, a remake of “Halloween” tears into theaters Aug. 13.

If you don’t want to feel left out when classes resume in the fall, make sure you check out these films, because you can guarantee that everyone will be talking about them.