Live-action movies seem to have been getting the most attention this summer with "The Great Gatsby," "Man of Steel" and the upcoming movie "The Wolverine." But how will the slew of animated movies fair this summer? Here is how we have ranked the most popular upcoming animated movies based on predictions from best to worst:

1. "Monsters University"

While all of the advertising leading up to the film's release next weekend has arguably been a bit obsessive and overdone, "Monsters University" is likely to be the most successful animated movie of the summer. Ten years after the release of "Monsters Inc.," this prequel plays to the college generation who saw the original movie when they were kids. The movie traces how Mike and Sulley first met during their college days. It looks like it'll be really funny while having references that connect with viewers of all ages. It is likely to do well during its first weekend at the box office given many fans' anticipation, which for some people, has lasted an entire decade. Mike and Sulley surely will not disappoint.

2. "Despicable Me 2"

Given the extreme success of the first "Despicable Me," the sequel is sure to do well. Based on the trailer, it follows the adventures of Gru and his Minions, along with a slew of new characters added to the bunch. Some of the sneak-peeks and mini-trailers began up to a year ago, so there has certainly been a lot of build-up to the movie's release. It also comes out on July 3 - in time for the holiday weekend - so it is sure to bring in plenty of families. While the storyline doesn't appear to be very complex, the movie's humor is the key ingredient in making it a successful summer hit. Besides...those Minions are adorable.

3. "Turbo"

At first glance it might not seem like a movie about snails could grab the world's attention, but with DreamWorks behind it, it's likely to be pretty good. With Ryan Renolds behind the voice of the lead, the movie tells the story of an underdog snail who suddenly gets the power of super-speed. If you watch the trailer, it seems like the movie is DreamWorks' response to and parody of Pixar's "Cars." Also, the storyline appears pretty basic, but then again...when was the last time you saw a movie about snails? "Turbo" is likely to be somewhere in the middle of the list of animated hits and misses.

4. "The Smurfs 2"

While this movie will continue to drag out a popular franchise, "The Smurfs 2" will need a lot more publicity if it hopes to compete with the other animated films. It is one of the later releases in the bunch, so hopefully that will work in its favor as the excitement surrounding the other films dies down. The first "Smurfs" movie may have looked like a flop when it was released in 2011, but it actually gained wild success and reached the half-billion-dollar mark at the box office, so it's no surprise that a sequel was produced. If nothing else, the appearance of Neil Patrick Harris is likely to draw in a lot of viewers. While this one remains close to the bottom, who knows - the box office numbers might surprise us once again.

5. "Planes"

Unfortunately, there isn't much hope for "Planes," a movie which takes place in the same world as the "Cars" franchise did. ("Cars" is arguably Pixar's biggest flop). While it was originally supposed to be a straight-to-DVD movie (the first warning sign), Disney announced its theatrical release back in December. As the last of the major animated movies for the summer, "Planes" is the story of a typical underdog competing in a major race. Pixar surprisingly doesn't have its stamp on the movie, although one of the producers behind it is John Lasseter. Given that "Monsters University" is predicted to be a major hit, it is doubtful that "Planes" will have a similar success, even if Disney is behind both.

Which animated movies are you excited to see this summer?

Reach Staff Reporter Mara Hyman here.