Hollywood suits have being perfecting that formula since Quint got gobbled by Jaws and started the summer blockbuster imperative. No other season makes as much money at box offices, thanks to vacationing students and the proper mix of creative factors (although the "creative" part is open to debate).

In preparing 2009's summer movie preview - appearing online and in print next week - I'm pulling an Albert Einstein (or maybe Albert Brooks, who's real surname is Einstein) and devising formulas for the perfect summer movie. It isn't as simple as E=MC2, I assure you.

I'm also hoping to peek over your shoulders for some help.

The idea springs from watching the preview trailer for Land of the Lost (opening June 5), a big-budget update of the cheesy 1970s Saturday morning TV show. It occurred to me that Land of the Lost can't possibly fail due to four factors:

1. It has dinosaurs.

2. It's a family-friendly comedy, unrated so far but destined for PG or PG-13.

3. It stars a proven summertime box office draw (Will Ferrell).

4. It's based on a pop culture touchstone, helping public awareness.

Then I started thinking about what Land of the Lost doesn't have, that would hinder its ticket sales:

1. Sequel status.

2. Any serious social, political or cultural importance.

3. An absence of dinosaurs.

Of course, those factors and others change depending upon the movie. I need your help identifying reasons for summertime hits, and how those reasons fit (or don't) into the summer's biggest movies.

So, put on your thinking caps and consider Wolverine, Star Trek, Terminator Salvation, Up, Angels & Demons, Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian (yes, a title that's too long can hurt), Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, Public Enemies, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince or any other movie hitting theaters between now and Labor Day.

Which ones have what it takes -- whatever that is -- to lead the chase for summertime profits?

No. 2 pencils and keyboards ready? Begin.