According to The Hollywood Reporter, major fireworks are looming over next year's Fourth of July weekend if Paramount Pictures and 20th Century Fox both stick to their plans to launch major sci-fi films on one of the most lucrative moviegoing weekends of the year.

Fox was first to plant its banner on the holiday: Late last year, it announced that its adaptation of Marvel Comics' Fantastic Four -- starring Michael Chiklis and directed by Tim Story -- would open Friday, July 1st, the beginning of the four-day holiday weekend next year as the Fourth falls on a Monday.

But Paramount Pictures is now moving onto the same territory with plans to open its War of the Worlds -- a Paramount/DreamWorks co-production based on the H.G. Wells novel, directed by Steven Spielberg and starring Tom Cruise -- on Wednesday, June 29th, two days before "Four's" scheduled opening.

Fantastic Four was released July 8th, 2005 and stars Ioan Gruffudd, Jessica Alba, Chris Evans, Michael Chiklis, Julian McMahon, Hamish Linklater, Kerry Washington, Laurie Holden. The film is directed by Tim Story.

War of the Worlds was released June 29th, 2005 and stars Tom Cruise, Dakota Fanning, Miranda Otto, Justin Chatwin, Tim Robbins, Rick Gonzalez, Yul Vazquez, Lenny Venito. The film is directed by Steven Spielberg.