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Old Friends In New Summer Movies

Summer may be eight weeks away, but Hollywood's busiest season kicks off next week. More than 120 films will be released between now and Labor Day.

On The Early Show Monday, entertainment contributor and People magazine senior editor Jess Cagle gives a hot preview

From Tom Hanks to Tom Cruise and Brad to Denzel, Hollywood's hottest leading men all have films coming out this season, but the most anticipated man of summer is that webbed superhero Spider-Man.

Cruise will play a contract killer in "Collaterial," and Oscar winner Halle Berry goes the comic-book route in "Catwoman."

Here is comprehensive roundup:

  • "Spider-Man 2": Tobey Maguire is back to spin webs and make money in "Spider-Man 2." It's the first sequel to 2002's $400-million blockbuster
  • "The Terminal": Tom Hanks teams up with Steven Spielberg for their third collaboration, which also stars Catherine Zeta-Jones.
  • "Troy": Brad Pitt has his first starring role in almost three years in "Troy." He stars as Achilles, one of the greatest warriors of all time.
  • "I, Robot": It wouldn't be summer at the multiplex without Will Smith. He stars in this sci-fi mystery.
  • "The Bourne Supremacy": Matt Damon returns in this sequel to "The Bourne Identity," the most rented film of 2003.
  • "The Chronicles Of Riddick": Vin Diesel stars in this sequel to "Pitch Black," which was a cult hit in 2000. "Chronicles" also stars Dame Judi Dench.
  • "Anchorman": Will Ferrell follows up last year's surprise smash, "Elf."
  • "The Clearing": Robert Redford stars as a kidnapped millionaire in this revenge thriller, which also stars Willem Dafoe and Helen Mirren.
  • "The Manchurian Candidate": Denzel Washington stars in a remake of this 1962 classic.
  • "The Stepford Wives": Nicole Kidman leads an all-star cast (Bette Midler, Glenn Close, Faith Hill and Matthew Broderick) in yet another remake.
  • "Shall We Dance": Jennifer Lopez teams up with Richard Gere in a remake of a 1986 Japanese film.
  • "Raising Helen:" Kate Hudson plays a career woman who becomes an instant mommy when she inherits three children.
  • "NY Minute": Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen star in this comedy, which they also produced.
  • "White Chicks": Shawn and Marlon Wayans get in touch with their feminine sides as FBI agents who go undercover as white women.
  • "Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban": If you've got kids in the house, they probably know that the third installment of the Harry Potter series hits theaters on June 4.
  • "Shrek 2": Mike Meyers, Eddie Murphy and Cameron Diaz return as the voices of Shrek, Donkey and Fiona in this sequel to 2001's animated blockbuster.
  • "The Village": This is the latest supernatural thriller from M. Night Shyamalan, the writer and director of "The Sixth Sense" and "Signs."
  • "The Day After Tomorrow": Dennis Quaid and Jake Gyllenhall star in this disaster films about global warming and (you guessed it) the end of the world.
  • "King Arthur": Producer Jerry Bruckheimer takes on the classic legend.
  • "De-Lovely": This is a musical biography of songwriter Cole Porter, played by Kevin Kline.
  • "The Notebook": James Garner stars as a man who reads aloud to an ailing Gena Rowlands about young lovers torn apart by World War II in this movie, based on the 1996 best-selling novel.
With so much to look forward to, it's a good thing it all gets started Friday, May 5, with the opening of "Van Helsing," starring Hugh Jackman as the legendary vampire hunter.
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