The summer movie season has arrived, with Tom Cruise racing across virtually every multiplex screen in the country in what may or may not be the final “Mission: Impossible” movie. And there’s much more to come this season, with a nervous film industry hoping for some blockbusters to offset low box office returns earlier this year. Here’s a sample of what might be pushing popcorn sales this summer; note that all release dates are subject to change.

‘Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning’

Come on — do we really think it’s final? Tom Cruise seems to like riding motorcycles off cliffs! Anyway, this popular franchise with its excessive punctuation comes to a halt, supposedly, with its eighth installment. Cruise returns as superspy Ethan Hunt, along with Simon Pegg, Ving Rhames, Vanessa Kirby and half of Hollywood; filming locations included the U.K., Malta, South Africa, Norway and Italy. (Opens in theaters May 23.)

‘Karate Kid: Legends’

This franchise about a young kung fu prodigy has been around for more than 40 years and several generations. Mixing it up this time: Ben Wang as the kid, with Ralph Macchio (the kid from the 1984 original) and action-movie legend Jackie Chan as his mentors. (May 30)

‘The Phoenician Scheme’

The Wes Anderson juggernaut of whimsy moves on, with a story involving a wealthy Hungarian businessman (Benicio Del Toro), a pipe-smoking nun (Mia Threapleton), some very precisely filmed espionage, and the usual Anderson A-list cast (just a few names: Tom Hanks, Jeffrey Wright, Scarlett Johansson, Benedict Cumberbatch and Bill Murray — the latter, apparently, playing God). (May 30)

‘Materialists’

Celine Song’s achingly lovely drama “Past Lives” was probably my favorite film of 2023; now she’s back with another love triangle, but this time more comedic. Dakota Johnson plays a Manhattan matchmaker torn between a perfect client (Pedro Pascal) and her imperfect ex (Chris Evans). Here’s hoping this might be that elusive gem: a delightful summer rom-com. (June 13)

‘Elio’

The latest Pixar offering takes us into outer space, where an 11-year-old boy has been accidentally beamed — and where he must make friends with various life-forms, which sounds like a good opportunity for Pixar-style charm. Three directors are credited, among them Domee Shi, who made the enchanting “Turning Red” a few years back. (June 20)

‘Brokeback Mountain’

In honor of Pride Month and the film’s 20th anniversary, Ang Lee’s moving drama about two cowboys (Jake Gyllenhaal, Heath Ledger) who unexpectedly fall in love in 1960s Montana returns to theaters. Based on a short story by Annie Proulx, the film won three Academy Awards, including best director and best adapted screenplay — and its gorgeous cinematography will look beautiful again on the big screen. (June 20-25, see focusfeatures.com/brokeback_mountain for details)

‘F1’

I am mildly bummed because I initially thought this title meant a “Fast and Furious” origin story, but no such luck. Anyway, it still sounds like potentially good popcorn-movie fun: Brad Pitt plays an aging race car driver who’s persuaded to return to Formula One racing, teamed with a young hotshot (Damson Idris). Joseph Kosinski, who knows the summer-movie formula (he directed “Top Gun: Maverick”), directs. (June 27)

‘M3GAN 2.0’

Well, the 2022 original made more than $180 million worldwide on a budget of $12 million, so you knew that creepy talking AI doll would be back, right? In this sequel, M3GAN is resurrected to fight a look-alike android made from her creator Gemma’s original design. Shenanigans ensue! (June 27)

‘Jurassic World Rebirth’

“I can guarantee your safety,” says Scarlett Johansson breezily in this film’s trailer. “More or less.” Ha! Can there possibly be anyone left on the planet who doesn’t know that messing around with dinosaurs is super dangerous? Apparently not! Anyway, Johansson stars with Rupert Friend, Jonathan Bailey, Mahershala Ali and a lot of dinos; Gareth Edwards (“Rogue One: A Star Wars Story”) directs. (July 2)

‘Superman’

If you’ve lost track of all the various filmic stoppings and startings of the DC superhero, just note that this James Gunn-directed version, according to Variety, is “a brighter, more optimistic do-over after DC went down a darker, dour path with the (Zack) Snyder-verse.” OK then! David Corenswet plays Clark Kent, aka the Man of Steel; Rachel Brosnahan is Lois Lane and Nicholas Hoult is Lex Luthor. (July 11)

‘Eddington’

The latest from writer/director Ari Aster (“Hereditary,” “Midsommar”) is a contemporary Western taking place during the early days of the COVID pandemic, in which a small town’s sheriff (Joaquin Phoenix) and its mayor (Pedro Pascal) face off. Emma Stone and Austin Butler co-star. (July 18)

‘The Fantastic Four: First Steps’

It isn’t summer without a Marvel movie (actually two; “Thunderbolts*” is still in theaters), and here we have the 37th film in the MCU: a long-in-the-works reboot of the Stan Lee/Jack Kirby comic, starring Pedro Pascal (who clearly wins the Summer Movie Superhero award this year, with three movies), Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn and Ebon Moss-Bachrach. (July 25)

‘The Naked Gun’

I did not have “Liam Neeson being goofy” on my summer movies bingo card this year, but life is full of unexpected detours. Anyway, if you remember the enjoyably silly “Naked Gun” movies from the ‘80s and ‘90s, this is a reboot, with Neeson playing the son of famed Police Squad veteran screw-up Frank Drebin (played in the original films by Leslie Nielsen). (Aug. 1)

‘Freakier Friday’

Twenty-two years after the Lindsay Lohan/Jamie Lee Curtis version (and 49 years after the Disney original, with Jodie Foster and Barbara Harris) comes a sequel, with Anna (Lohan) and Tess (Curtis) swapping bodies with a younger generation. Also returning from the previous film are Chad Michael Murray, Mark Harmon and Rosalind Chao. (Aug. 8)

‘The Thursday Murder Club’

British comedian and television host Richard Osman struck gold with his series of novels about a quartet of mystery-solving senior citizens. Now the first novel’s a movie, starring the powerhouse team of Pierce Brosnan, Helen Mirren, Ben Kingsley and Celia Imrie, and directed by Chris Columbus. (Streaming on Netflix beginning Aug. 28)

‘The Roses’

And yet another remake, or rather a reimagining, this time of the 1989 Michael Douglas/Kathleen Turner dark comedy “The War of the Roses.” This time, it’s Benedict Cumberbatch and Olivia Colman as a soon-to-be-divorced couple warring over who gets to keep their posh house. Jay Roach (of the “Austin Powers” movies) directs. (Aug. 29)