Last year I previewed the big-budget summer movies, giving you a look at ten interesting films that were on the docket for the summer of 2006. This year I'm back with an even longer list (bloated like these films' budgets) of 15 movies you may want to escape to -- or possibly run screaming from.

Of these fifteen movies, Spiderman 3 and ten others are sequels, which in itself indicates something about the state of the industry (And I didn't even include Rush Hour 3 in this list, because, honestly, who wants to see that?). Two of the remaining four movies, Transformers and The Simpsons, are based on animated television shows, leaving only two original ideas in the whole lot -- Knocked Up and Ratatouille. Please, don't shoot the messenger.

Anyway, here is the list, chronologically, of the movies that Hollywood's brain-trust believes you will shell out your cash to see in the air-conditioned darkness of your local movie-house, along with my opinion of how they'll fare. The first on the list, Spider-Man 3, is already out in Asia, but will not be released here until May. All release dates below are for the U.S.

5/04 - Spider-Man 3, Sony Corp's (NYSE: SNE) Sony Pictures
Being the first blockbuster of the summer almost guarantees a successful open, and the popularity of the franchise seals that guarantee. One problem, however, is that "success" measured by any normal means won't be enough, as this movie had an estimated budget of $258M.

5/11 - 28 Weeks Later, News Corp's (NYSE: NWS) 20th Century Fox
The highlight of the horror/zombie genre for the summer, this follows the surprise success of Danny Boyle's 28 Days Later, which reinvented the zombie film with faster zombies and smarter characters.

5/18 - Shrek the Third, Viacom's (NYSE: VIA) Paramount Pictures
One of the only cartoon franchises that has held its own against Pixar (Ice Age being the other), the draw of this fairytale romp is that while kids love the story, there are enough winks at the adult audience to make parents happy to take them.

5/25 - Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End, Walt Disney (NYSE: DIS)
Money in the bank for Disney, and since it was shot simultaneous with the second Pirates installment, it wasn't even as expensive to make as this summer's other budget hog, Spider-Man 3.

Sony Corp. (NYSE: SNE) debuted Spiderman III, part of the remarkably successful series about the comic book character, in Japan yesterday. The movie will not show up in the U.S. or Europe for several weeks.

Sony is making the move for two reasons. One is that sales of movie tickets in the U.S. are flat. Studios are making more and more money overseas. In addition, Sony has bet a great deal on Blu-Ray, its pony in the high-definition DVD horse race. It is hoping that a big film launch in its native market will help sales of the new player.

It would make sense for Sony to consider opening a film in the country where it is headquartered, but if the novel move works, it would not be surprising to see Time Warner's (NYSE: TWX) Warner Bros. or News Corp (NYSE: NWS) Fox studio look at opening films overseas.

Opening films in foreign countries when the characters originate overseas may have some audience appeal. It would not be terribly odd if a James Bond film appeared first in the UK.

The Sony move sends another message from the film industry. It may not be important where a film opens. With entertainment companies considering offering movies on DVDs, TVs and devices like the iPod at about the same time as they open in theaters, the idea of a debut is becoming less important. Due to piracy, films are often out on file sharing services and DVDs before they are even released officially.

If this trend of making money in digital and overseas sales rather than in movie theaters in the U.S. continues, the next film debut may be on the iPod.

Douglas A. McIntyre is a partner at 24/7 Wall St.