Summer's coming, and that means the movies hitting the multiplexes will soon be described as "light" and "enjoyably cheesy." Still, while many summer films aren't of the highest quality, this season's crop promises some interesting material­­or at least potential blockbusters.

The Mummy Returns

Because the first one was oh-so-good. Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz head the returning cast in this sequel, which takes place ten years after the original (which was itself a remake). Stephen Sommers, who wrote and directed the original, is also back for this installment, which features the big-screen debut of pro wrestler The Rock as the "Scorpion King." Are you pumped? (May 4)

Moulin Rouge

Director Baz Luhrmann (Strictly Ballroom and Romeo + Juliet) delivers his first feature in five years with this post-modern musical. Starring Nicole Kidman (who suffered numerous injuries from intense dance numbers), Ewan McGregor and John Leguizamo (as Toulouse-Lautrec!), the film was originally scheduled to be released last Christmas but was delayed when filming wasn't finished. Let's hope it was worth the wait. Since Luhrmann's the director, it's guaranteed to be mystifying. (May 18)

Pearl Harbor

If you haven't seen a preview for this, you haven't been to the theater since the tree was still up. Heavily hyped with a mega-budget, action gods Michael Bay and Jerry Bruckheimer team up to bring this historical romance to the big screen. Ben Affleck stars as an Army flyer, caught in a love triangle with a Navy nurse (Kate Beckinsale) and his best friend (Josh Hartnett). Even though the action sequences portraying the Japanese attack on the harbor promise to be the highlight, the producers insist the romance will take center stage. (May 25)

Tomb Raider

Anjelina Jolie brings video-game heroine Lara Croft to life in a big-screen version, which also features Jolie's dad, Jon Voight, and Noah Taylor. Reportedly budgeted at $100 million, the film gives Croft a reunion with her dad (Voight) and impressive scenes at the Temple of Angkor Wat in Cambodia. Oh, and there's a little action and special effects involved, too. (June 15)

A.I.

Haley Joel Osment plays an adorable 11-year-old non-human who wants to become "real," so he sets off on a journey with another manufactured man (Jude Law) to a futuristic Earth where the main cities are below sea level. Directed by Steven Spielberg and developed by the late Stanley Kubrick, this is a guaranteed must-see, especially for sci-fi and Spielberg fanatics. (June 29)

Jurassic Park III

Sam Neill and Laura Dern return to the series (but Jeff Goldblum doesn't) in the latest installment, executive produced by Steven Spielberg and directed by Joe Johnston. This time around, Neill's plane, which also contains Tea Leoni and William H. Macy, crash-lands on a mysterious island where the huge reptiles roam. Hopefully it'll be a little more exciting than watching a trailer hang from a cliff (a la The Lost World). (July 18)

America's Sweethearts

Julia Roberts plays Kiki, sister of and assistant to a glamorous movie star (Catherine Zeta-Jones). Jones and her ex, played by John Cusack, must promote a movie they made together before they divorced. Billy Crystal wrote the script with Peter Tolan to this much-anticipated release. Joe Roth directs an impressive cast that also includes Crystal, Christopher Walken and Hank Azaria. This should prove to be a classy comedy in a summer full of blockbuster material. (July 20)

Planet of the Apes

Because everyone was just aching for a remake of the Charlton Heston classic, the gorillas are back! At least this time they're directed by Tim Burton, who will make these apes wonderfully horrific. This time around, Mark Wahlberg stars as the astronaut who lands in unfamiliar territory. Tim Roth and Michael Clarke Duncan ought to make interesting apes, but the real draw here is Helena Bonham Carter, who trades her corset for a monkey suit. (July 27)

American Pie 2

If you're looking for a not-so-classy comedy, this is for you. It'll be in theaters by the time you get back from band camp. Most of the cast from the original returns, including Jason Biggs, Mena Suvari, Chris Klein and Eddie Kaye Thomas. After their first year at college, the old gang of non-virgins heads up to Stifler's cottage on Lake Michigan, where you should expect some massive gross-outs to ensue. (August 10)