There were few movies in 2011 that met critics’ and audiences’ expectations – the last Harry Potter film, X-Men: First Class, Super 8, the indies – The Fighter, The King’s Speech and Black Swan, and the comic surprise, Bridesmaids, made the list, but the big franchises bombed spectacularly.  Namely, the third Transformers and the fourth Pirates of the Caribbean movies.  So, here’s hoping that 2012 will be better not only for the blockbuster but for the little guy too!  These are the 10 most anticipated films of 2012 (in no particular order) but for a full list of all note-worthy films for the next year, check out the link at the end of the article.  Clicking on the pictures will take to the movie’s trailer, with the exceptions of Skyfall and Breaking Dawn Part 2.

1.  The Avengers

At first glance, The Avengers (out April 27), seem to have their problems sewn up. The bad guys: Loki. The good guys: Thor, Iron Man, The Hulk, Captain America, Hawkeye and Black Widow. No contest, right? Except that it isn’t going to be quite that easy. From the trailer and stills we’ve seen so far, Nick Fury and his band of merry superheroes have a hell of a lot to deal with, from extraterrestrial invaders to, um, each other. Can director and screenwriter, Joss Whedon, balance all these egos and craft one 90 minute package without any particular sub-group of Marvel fanboys flipping their collective lids? Can he do it with characters who have already carried their own films (Cap, Iron Man, Thor and The Hulk) competing with two that haven’t (Hawkeye and Black Widow)? If anyone can, it’s surely the man who so expertly created and juggled the group dynamics of Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Angel and Firefly. The only difference is that this time, instead of a small but fanatical group of TV fans, he has every movie fan in the world watching – but we have the strange feeling that that’s only going to spur him on to greater heights.

2.  The Dark Knight Rises

It’s July 20 that’s the date all movie fans have tattooed onto the underside of their eyelids. That’s when Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy concludes with The Dark Knight Rises, featuring Tom Hardy’s Bane, Anne Hathaway’s Catwoman, and of course returning stars Christian Bale, Gary Oldman et al. Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s listed as policeman John Blake, Marion Cottillard’s down as “Miranda Tate” – but as it’s a Chris Nolan film that could be a cunning bluff to hide a deeper secret or the whole truth of the matter, so speculate to your heart’s content. We know that Bane will offer the Dark Knight a new kind of physically threatening opponent; we know that it’s set about 8 years after the last, world-beating film. Beyond that? We’re all in the dark.

3.  Prometheus

June 1 is the time to get really excited as Ridley Scott heads back to the place where no one can hear you scream – and the genre he helped define – with Prometheus. Though originally intended as a direct prequel to Scott’s own ‘79 classic Alien, it’s since been revealed that events here won’t be too closely linked. While connected and involving some of the “same DNA”, this story will apparently offer a grand new mythology (well, Lost co-creator Damon Lindelof is writing), as a team of scientists and explorers become stranded on a distant world and discover answers to some of life’s ultimate mysteries. Making up the cast are Noomi Rapace, Logan Marshall-Green, Charlize Theron, Michael Fassbender and Idris Elba.

4.  Snow White and the Huntsman

June 1 brings Universal’s Snow White And The Huntsman boasting Kristen Stewart as a warrior princess Snow, Charlize Theron as the Evil Queen and Thor’s Chris Hemsworth as the hunky, brooding huntsman who helps the former fight the latter. And don’t forget the dwarves, played by Ian McShane, Ray Winstone, Tony Jones, Nick Frost, Bob Hoskins, Eddie Marsan and Johnny Harris. This one is going to be much more Lord Of The Rings meets Robin Hood than Tarsem Singh’s version, a complete change in tone, but from what we’ve seen nevertheless hits all the same “visually stunning” buttons.

5.  The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

The biggest fantasy gun of all doesn’t arrive until December 14. That’s the day we finally get to go and see Peter Jackson’s take on The Hobbit. The first of two movies, An Unexpected Journey sees Martin Freeman taking on the mantle of Bilbo Baggins as he joins a group of dwarves on a mission to recapture treasure from the terrible dragon Smaug. It’s Jackson’s return to Middle-earth, so there are few films more anticipated than this one (and 2013’s There And Back Again, of course). Some of the old guard – Elijah Wood, Cate Blanchett, Hugo Weaving, Ian Holm, Andy Serkis and Ian McKellen – are back to provide connective tissue, while more fresh faces (including Richard Armitage, Aidan Turner, James Nesbitt and more) are in place. We’ve only seen a few set pics and the odd behind-the-scenes video so far and we’re already uncontrollably excited.

6.  Skyfall

Of all the heavy-duty action movies – outside the comic book capers, at least – undoubtedly the most anticipated of 2012 is Bond 23, a.k.a. Skyfall, out October 26. Still shooting into early next year, Sam Mendes’s take on the longest running film franchise around will see Daniel Craig paired up with more classically-trained actors than you can shake a poison-dart-firing pen at. And alongside Judi Dench, Javier Bardem, Ralph Fiennes and Helen McCory there are two absurdly attractive new bond girls, Bérénice Marlohe and Naomie Harris. Confirmed details on the plot are practically non-existent, with Bond HQ only releasing snippets of info via clapperboard polaroids on Twitter and Facebook. What is certain is what’ll be stamped on Bond’s passport: shooting is set to take place in India, China, Scotland and London. Perhaps disappointingly for those who hoped Quantum Of Solace would lead to more about the mysterious Quantum organisation, this is an all new storyline, and despite Mendes’ reputation as a more “thinky” director, should be just as action-packed as Casino Royale. Oh, and Q’s back, with relative youngster Ben Whishaw (31) playing the much-loved gadget-master role so iconically portrayed by Desmond Llewelyn.

**As of today, the trailer has not yet been released.

7.  The Woman In Black

Next up on February 10, Hammer Studios continues their Dracula-esque resurrection with supernatural thriller The Woman In Black. Of course, fans will be thrilled to see the former heavyweight horror stable back where it belongs (i.e., chilling our blood with an effectively eerie trailer), but the film remains particularly notable for your average cinemagoer to see how Daniel Radcliffe gets on in his first major post-Potter lead. Directed by Eden Lake’s James Watkins and written by the increasingly sought-after Jane Goldman, the plot sees Daniel, as a young London lawyer who is forced to leave his young son and travel to a gloomy, remote village in order to deal with the affairs of a recently-deceased widow who goes all spectral. All the early word is that this is deeply and genuinely unnerving. Where’s Dumbledore when you need him?

8.  The Hunger Games

Out on March 23, The Hunger Games stars Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss, a girl forced to enter the titular gladiatorial contest to save her little sister. But she is one of 24 teens who will enter the Games arena – and only one can leave. It’s a post-apocalyptic story with more than a few hints of Battle Royale and Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome, but it should turn out more than that. The book on which it’s based, by Suzanne Collins, is well-nigh unputdownable, so don’t be put off by any ad campaigns trying to paint this as the next Twilight: it’s a lot tougher than that. With a heck of a supporting cast around her and one of the toughest young actresses out there in the lead, this could well be the coolest teen movie ever.

9.  Twilight: Breaking Dawn Part 2

On November 16, it’s the one that you’ve all been waiting for / dreading (delete as appropriate) – The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2. So, OMG, Bella and Edward are married, and they have a baby called Renesmee, and Jacob has imprinted on her and will one day marry her – which is kinda yucky when you think about it – but the bad vampires of the Volturi are totally lurking and have set their nefarious sights on the Cullen clan, with this weirdo vampire baby looking like she might be the flashpoint for some sort of vampire war. Yikes. But don’t worry: they’re sure to squeeze in some brooding time there somewhere even as war approaches. With Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner and the rest all present and correct, the crowds will flock even if they just sit there adjusting their hair for two and a half hours, so expect it to be massive.

**As of today, the trailer has not yet been released.

10.  Brave

Pixar fans disappointed by Cars 2 will likely be excited by Brave on August 17, promising mythological highland adventures, funny gags and, most strikingly for the studio, a female lead. Kelly MacDonald is gutsy heroine Merida, who goes against tradition and threatens her family’s future. We’ve seen chunks of this one and can testify that even in unfinished form it’s loaded with wonderful moments and dripping with Pixar awesomeness. And given that the cast includes Robbie Coltrane, Emma Thompson, Billy Connolly, Julie Walters and Craig Ferguson (who between this and How To Train Your Dragon is clearly legally required for any ‘toon with Scottish characters), you know the voice talent is from the top drawer. Plus it looks astonishingly beautiful, which should surprise precisely none of you. 

Source: Empire Magazine article – The Big 2012 Movie Preview

Video source: YouTube

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