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Summer's true heavy hitters, Transformers: Dark of the Moon and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2, arrive in July. They were the frontrunners from the outset, and, since no May or June release has yet to hit $250 million, they have retained that status. The five top-grossing months ever are the last five Julys, and July 2010 holds the record with $1.32 billion. With Harry Potter, Transformers, the big screen debut of Captain America and a handful of other broadly appealing movies, July 2011 has an excellent shot at breaking that record.Michael BayTom HanksJulia RobertsKevin JamesJason BatemanJason SudeikisCharlie DayKevin SpaceyColin FarrellJennifer AnistonJamie FoxxJustin TimberlakeMila KunisJon FavreauDaniel CraigHarrison FordSteve Carell

This weekend, Cars 2 zips into 4,115 locations, topping Toy Story 3's 4,028 as the broadest Pixar launch yet, though its estimated screen count is in the same 7,000 range. Cars 2's 2,508 3D location count (including 120 IMAX venues) is only slightly higher than Toy Story 3's 2,463. Also opening nationwide, Bad Teacher shows up on around 3,800 screens at 3,049 locations.

With five major releases on the schedule, it initially looked like the Summer 2011 box office would be bustling with comic book adaptations. With Thor, X-Men: First Class and now Green Lantern tallying decent but ultimately unremarkable numbers, that expectation was a bit off. While comic book movies continue to pack a potent punch for genre fare, it's becoming more difficult to generate a transcendent hit like Batman Begins or Iron Man, much less a box office sensation like The Dark Knight or Spider-Man. Jon FavreauDaniel CraigHarrison Ford

For the second weekend in a row, Kung Fu Panda 2 dominated the foreign market with over $50 million. Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides continued its march to $1 billion, while The Hangover Part II reached an important milestone. Domestic champ Green Lantern also opened in a handful of territories, though its initial results weren't that encouraging. James CameronJ.J. AbramsSteven Spielberg

This weekend, Green Lantern's light was more red than green, but the comic book adaptation still drew $53.2 million on approximately 7,200 screens at 3,816 locations. Jim CarreyWoody Allen

Friday wasn't the brightest day for Green Lantern, but the comic book adaptation still drew an estimated $21.6 million on approximately 7,200 screens at 3,816 locations. Jim CarreyWoody Allen

6/17 Update: Green Lantern pulled in $3.35 million in its midnight launch at 1,810 locations. That was slightly less than X-Men: First Class's $3.37 million midnight start and a bit more than Thor's $3.25 million, and each of those were also at around 1,800 locations.

In January, Box Office Mojo broke the news that 2011 was packing a record number of sequels, and, in the spirit of Hollywood, here's a sequel to that sequel story. This is how the industry's sequel strategy has fared so far:

Helping to soften the impact of a disappointing domestic performance, Kung Fu Panda 2 expanded in to more major markets and took first place at the foreign box office this weekend. Reigning champion Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides eased in to second place, but it already ranks as one of the highest-grossing movies ever overseas. The weekend's domestic winner Super 8 opened to a decent number in a handful of foreign markets.James Cameron

This weekend, Super 8 arrived with neither a whimper nor a bang. After months of hype, the trumped-up J.J. Abrams-Steven Spielberg production was rather uneventful. Woody Allen

On Friday, Super 8 arrived with neither a whimper nor a bang. After months of hype, the trumped-up J.J. Abrams-Steven Spielberg production was rather uneventful. Woody Allen

6/10 Update: Super 8's Twitter-sponsored sneaks at 324 locations yielded approximately $1 million on Thursday. Paramount Pictures said that over 100,000 people participated, and the studio is hoping that they spread positive word-of-mouth. Additionally, Super 8's midnight launch rang in at an estimated $500,000 at 1,524 locations. J.J. AbramsSteven SpielbergM. Night Shyamalan

Two high-profile action sequels with awkward subtitles are on a collision course this holiday season: both Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol and Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows are scheduled for Dec. 16 (opposite Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked, which shouldn't conflict with either one). Mission's studio Paramount Pictures and Sherlock's Warner Bros. reiterated to Box Office Mojo that they're each sticking with Dec. 16. Tom CruiseJeremy Renner

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides reigned over the foreign box office for the third weekend in a row and extended its lead as the biggest movie of 2011 so far. Close behind for the weekend was The Hangover Part II, which added some key markets, and X-Men: First Class, debuting in most of the world.

Wolverine's absence was felt as X-Men: First Class's attendance hit a franchise low in its debut. The Hangover Part II crashed after a wild opening, while Kung Fu Panda 2 didn't save face.

After the box office hit record levels in April, the good times continued to roll in May. At $1.04 billion, it was the highest-grossing May ever, jumping over 14 percent from May 2010 and marking only the second $1 billion May ever after May 2009.

On Friday, Wolverine's absence was felt as X-Men: First Class's attendance hit a franchise low in its debut. The Hangover Part II crashed after a wild opening, while Kung Fu Panda 2 didn't save face.

6/3 Update: In its midnight launch, X-Men: First Class pulled in $3.37 million at 1,783 locations. That edged out Thor's $3.25 million midnight opening at 1,800 locations, but it trailed X-Men Origins: Wolverine's $5 million midnight start at 2,000 locations. So far this year, The Hangover Part II is the top midnight draw at $10.4 million, followed by Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides' $4.7 million and Fast Five's $3.8 million.

After the box office generated a bit of momentum in April and May, there's some serious pressure on the June releases to continue the upward swing. Though that might be tough: last June generated a huge $1.054 billion with 10 nationwide releases, while this June only has seven (the June gross record is $1.087 billion, set in June 2009). Four out of those seven movies have blockbuster aspirations, though there are major question marks surrounding each one. Still, with holdover grosses from Kung Fu Panda 2 and The Hangover Part II, along with inevitably solid performances from X-Men: First Class, Super 8, Green Lantern and Cars 2, June 2011 should at least come close to the billion dollar mark. J.J. AbramsChristopher NolanGeoffrey RushJim CarreyCameron DiazJustin TimberlakeJason Segel

As The Hangover Part II cleaned up domestically, big weekend numbers were posted overseas by Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, Hangover Part II and Kung Fu Panda 2.