The heat is definitely on and with it comes the desire to take things a bit easier... like watching a good movie.

KRS Film Distributors have secured a line-up of 40 productions for the summer films releases schedule, including 16 blockbusters, the majority in 3D.

Films to be launched between July and September range from adventure fantasy, drama, thrillers, animated comedies, action sci-fi and a musical documentary.

The blockbusters being released this summer include Pacific Rim (3D), The Smurfs 2 (3D), The Lone Ranger, Monsters University, Romeo and Juliet, Behind the Candelabra, The Heat, The Internship, 2 Guns, Only God Forgives, The Wolverine (3D), Justin and the Knights of Valour (3D), Planes (3D) and We’re the Millers.

The new releases come hot on the heels of a 28-week period that saw KRS releasing 83 films (compared with 91 last year).

KRS managing director Charles Pace explained that an increase in the number of DCI-compliant digital converted screens, now totalling 19, led to more films being released and exhibited by cinemas in the format.

In the first six months of this year, 67 films were digital releases (versus 43 for the whole of last year) and 20 in 3D format.

In the first five months 11 films played for eight weeks or more, with the longest performers being Silver Linings Playbook (17 weeks), Les Miserables (14 weeks) and Life of Pi (13 weeks).