Upcoming Movies in 2012 - Part 2 (Superhero Edition)

Upcoming Movies in 2012 - Part 2 
(Superhero Edition)

It took me a while to get into the mood to sit down and write this but here it is.  I was going to just make two parts but I figured I could split it up a little bit by categorizing the next few movies since they are all superhero films.

Again no particular order.

The Avengers - Release Date: May 4, 2012

I love the fact that this movie is being made, an ensemble cast for a superhero movie is just so good. I am a little disappointed that Ed Norton isn't coming back as Bruce Banner but we'll see how Mark Ruffalo does. A lot of the supporting cast from any of the Iron Man (2), Thor, and Captain America: The First Avenger films appear but we don't really see much from The Incredible Hulk side of things. Actually now that I look at it a little closer, I don't think there is anyone from that movie, since Ed Norton isn't in it. 

Of course we still have the main stars: Chris Hemsworth as Thor, Chris Evans as Captain America (it seems unfair cause he got to be the Human Torch too but I guess the latter doesn't really count), Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark, Mark Ruffalo as Bruce Banner, Jeremy Renner as Hawkeye, Scarlett Johansson as Natasha Romanoff (Black Widow), and Tom Hiddleston as Loki. There are a lot of other people involved but most of them were in the other films so I'm sure you can remember. Note: Cobie Smulders or Robin Scherbatsky from How I Met Your Mother has the role of Maria Hill.

From what I've seen in the trailers it looks like it'll be pretty awesome to the standards of the good Marvel films, disregarding some of the trash that's come before it like Daredevil, the 2003 Hulk film, Spiderman 3, I could go on but it would be depressing.  

Also, if there are any Marvel comics fans who remember the Marvel vs. DC series, I propose that would make a ridiculously epic film. If you don't know it, check it out.

The Dark Knight Rises - Release Date: July 20, 2012

Not really a lot is known about the plot of this film but it will feature the villain Bane played by Tom Hardy. Christian Bale returns as the Dark Knight along with Michael Caine as his faithful butler Alfred, Morgan Freeman as Lucius Fox, and Gary Oldman as Commissioner James Gordon. Joining the cast is Anne Hathaway as Catwoman, Marion Cotillard as Miranda Tate and Joseph Gordon-Levitt as John Blake.

Directed by Christopher Nolan who did the previous two Batman films seems to like working with a lot of the same actors with Cotillard, Gordon-Levitt, Hardy and Caine all appearing in his 2010 masterpiece Inception.

I have a few problems with this movie. I just have to say it'll probably still be pretty good but we all know how Marvel trilogies have fared so far. 

• Well firstly, I really don't like Anne Hathaway as Catwoman. I mean she is automatically better than Halle Berry in Catwoman (such a terrible idea) but I just can't see her being devious enough for the role. Now I say that Michelle Pfeiffer played the best Catwoman in Batman Returns (1992) but that can obviously be refuted. She was downright nuts and it was fantastic.
• Secondly, in the comics Bane has been portrayed as a massive man, in peak physical condition but also an intellectual genius. I agree that Hardy could pull off the intellectual component but at 5'10, and after gaining 30 lbs. to be 198 lbs., I really don't think he'll be as frightening as Bane really could be. Who knows though, they could pull a Hagrid and make him enormous on-screen.

Other than that the rest of the cast seems quite strong so maybe overall it'll be good enough for me to overlook a few things but truthfully I don't even think it's possible for it to be better than Heath Ledger's Joker filled The Dark Knight. 

The Amazing Spiderman - Release Date: July 3, 2012

I realize some people really liked Spiderman 3 but I think most of us can agree that it was a cinematic disaster. Too many villains in one film and the whole emo-Peter Parker thing was just weird.

This reboot of the series goes back to Peter's high school days and from what the trailer shows, is basically a complete rehash of the first Spiderman movie. The good thing is that they are replacing the two major pitfalls in terms of acting of the first three movies, Tobey Maguire and Kirsten Dunst. Andrew Garfield, coming off a strong performance in The Social Network, is taking over the role of Peter Parker, which personally I think is a good fit. Unfortunately, Mary Jane does not appear in this film at all, instead she is replaced by the blonde bombshell Gwen Stacy who was, arguably Peter's first 'serious' girlfriend (feel free to fight me on that one). Gwen Stacy is played by Emma Stone, who I could have actually seen as playing Mary Jane but I think she's pretty versatile. The rest of the cast is rounded out with Rhys Ifans as Dr. Curt Connors, Martin Sheen as Ben Parker, Sally Field as May Parker (aka Aunt May) and Denis Leary as George Stacy. The only problem I have with this cast is Sally Field. She is a great actress and is quite versatile but I really do not see her as Aunt May. Aunt May from the original three films, Rosemary Harris, should have just reprised her role. 

Note: If MJ were to appear in this film my pick for her role would be Mary Elizabeth Winstead. If you've got another choice I'd love to hear it.

This film is directed by Marc Webb who is best known for directing 500 Days of Summer (seems like an odd fit I know but look at The Avengers it's being directed by Joss Whedon director of Buffy and Firefly).

I believe this film has a lot of potential but there are a lot of obstacles to overcome for it to do well. 

• People have to get over Tobey Maguire not being Spiderman anymore.
• People have to get over the fact that Mary Jane isn't in the movie.
• The story has to add something that the first Spiderman movie didn't.
• I'm sure there are more but I can't think of any right now so.....list over.

So that wraps up the major superhero movies of 2012 (I think there's another Ghost Rider movie coming out but I doubt anyone will watch it). It'll be a busy summer, I know I'm excited for it.