It’s time for that annual list of this year’s highly anticipated Hollywood films. Here’s 2013 for ya.
JANUARY:
* The Last Stand – Arnold Schwarzenegger’s first starring vehicle in ten years. Not expecting great things.
* Broken City – Allen Hughes directs this political thriller starring Mark Wahlberg and Russell Crowe.
FEBRUARY:
* Warm Bodies – Director Jonathan Levine last made 50/50, so this romantic zombie movie has to be checked out.
* Identity Thief – Melissa McCarthy has two major comedies out this year, which could propel her into greater things. The first one also stars Jason Bateman.
* A Good Day to Die Hard – The fifth movie in the franchise. None of the predecessors have disappointed so far.
MARCH:
* Oz: The Great and Powerful – Sam Raimi’s prequel to The Wizard of Oz (1939) has a few trailers promising exciting stuff.
APRIL:
* The Heat – The Bridesmaids director strikes with another comedy, starring Sandra Bullock and Melissa McCarthy. Looks like another Stakeout, and could be a major hit.
* 42 – Brian Helgeland directs this drama about Jackie Robinson. Co-starring Harrison Ford.
* To the Wonder – Terrence Malick’s latest, with Ben Affleck leading the cast.
* Oblivion – Science fiction with Tom Cruise and Morgan Freeman.
MAY:
* Iron Man 3 – Shane Black directs this first follow-up to The Avengers.
* The Great Gatsby – Baz Luhrmann’s take on the iconic novel.
* Star Trek: Into Darkness – The second film in J.J. Abrams’s new vision of the old franchise.
* The Hangover Part III – A chance for this gang to redeem themselves.
JUNE:
* Much Ado About Nothing – Joss Whedon does Shakespeare.
* Man of Steel – Superman, as envisioned by Zack Snyder.
* Monsters University – Pixar’s big summer movie is a sequel to Monsters, Inc. (2001).
* World War Z – Zombies, Brad Pitt… and Marc Forster in the directing chair. Looks like a challenging combo.
JULY:
* The Lone Ranger – Johnny Depp and Gore Verbinski reunite from the Pirates of the Caribbean movies for an American Western classic.
* Pacific Rim – Guillermo del Toro directing something that looks like a huge Michael Bay adventure.
* The Wolverine – Hugh Jackman returns in his most famous role, this time directed by James Mangold.
AUGUST:
* Elysium – District 9 director Neill Blomkamp returns with a sci-fi thriller starring Matt Damon and Jodie Foster.
SEPTEMBER:
* Rush – Ron Howard’s biopic of legendary Formula 1 driver Niki Lauda and the crash that almost killed him. Starring Daniel Brühl.
* The Tomb – Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger break out of a prison; directed by Mikael Håfström.
OCTOBER:
* Sin City: A Dame to Kill For – Robert Rodriguez and Frank Miller’s follow-up to their 2005 movie.
* Oldboy – Spike Lee’s remake of the South Korean classic.
* Captain Phillips – Paul Greengrass’s latest is a story about Somali pirates hijacking an American cargo ship, helmed by Tom Hanks.
* Carrie – The remake of the 1976 horror classic is directed by Kimberly Peirce of Boys Don’t Cry fame.
* Malavita – Luc Besson’s gangster movie features Robert De Niro, Michelle Pfeiffer and Tommy Lee Jones in the cast.
NOVEMBER:
* Thor: The Dark World – The sequel reunites Chris Hemsworth with Natalie Portman and Anthony Hopkins. Dark Elves are also involved.
* The Hunger Games: Catching Fire – Jennifer Lawrence returns as Katniss Everdeen.
DECEMBER:
* The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug – OK, so the first chapter was disappointing. Perhaps Peter Jackson will get it right this time?
* Anchorman: The Legend Continues – Fans are in for a letdown. The original wasn’t that great to begin with, and now they’re expecting the sequel to be a masterpiece. Oy vey.
* The Monuments Men – George Clooney directs this story about museum curators and art historians trying to rescue vital pieces of art before Hitler gets his hands on them. Starring Clooney, Cate Blanchett, Matt Damon and Daniel Craig.
* Saving Mr. Banks – Tom Hanks as Walt Disney. Need I say more? OK, the movie also stars Emma Thompson, Colin Farrell and Paul Giamatti.
* Last Vegas – Robert De Niro, Michael Douglas, Kevin Kline and Morgan Freeman partying in Vegas.
* Jack Ryan – Kenneth Branagh directs this action triller, a reboot of the Jack Ryan franchise starring Chris Pine, Kevin Costner, Branagh and Keira Knightley.