Superhero Movies
1) “Iron Man 3”
Scheduled to be released on May 3, 2013 the third edition to the Iron Man series is expected to be darker than those in the past. This will be the first Iron Man movie not directed by Jon Faureau, but instead by Shane Black. It seems that Tony Stark (Iron Man) will be encountering his most intimidating enemy yet: “The Mandarin” (Ben Kingsley). In addition to this challenge, he may also be losing his standby girl Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow). These possibilities leaves one begging the question: what will become of Iron Man? Viewers will just have to wait to find out.
2) “Man of Steel”
“Man of Steel” will be released on July 14, 2013. The comic that the movie is based off of was originally created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. The cast is full of familiar faces, including Amy Adams (Lois Lane), Russell Crowe (Jor-El), and Diane Lane (Martha Kent). Henry Cavill, a surprisingly less familiar face, will be playing Clark Kent—otherwise known as Superman. The movie is directed by Zack Snyder, who’s most recent movie “Sucker Punch” did not fare so well.
3) “Kickass 2”
Expected to be released on June 23, 2013, Kickass 2 will continue the adventure of average citizens who decide to take the problems of the world on their shoulders and become “superheroes.” With new writers (Mark Miller, John Romita Jr., and Jeff Wadlow) and a new director (Jeff Wadlow), no one really knows what to expect of the newest edition to the Kickass series. Critics and moviegoers alike hope that it will be just as good as the first one.
Literature Based Movies
1) “The Hunger Games: Catching Fire”
The Hunger Games series quickly became popular amongst readers and viewers last year, and with the release of “Catching Fire” scheduled for November 22, 2013, momentum does not seem to be fading. Katniss Everdeen will be thrown into another series of challenges when she is entered into the Quarter Quell. The second edition to the series will be directed by popular music video director Francis Lawrence instead of the previous movie’s director, Gary Ross.
2) “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug”
After the successful release of “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” in 2012, the next film in the series to be released on December 13, 2013 is expected to be just as popular. The series is based off of the books that accumulated many fans, and the large fan base certainly increases the chances of success for these movies. “The Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug” will be directed by Peter Jackson, just as the first film had been. It will continue the adventures of Bilbo and Gandolf as they try to reclaim their gold from Smaug.
3) “The Great Gatsby”
The Great Gatsby finally being turned into a modern day movie grants not only the wishes of many high school students trying to avoid homework, but also those of the long-time fans of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s classic novel. High expectations are always held when a well-known and beloved novel is turned into a movie, and “Gatsby” is no different. The release date, scheduled to be May 10, 2013, will be a big day for classics lovers, high school students, and everyone in between.The film is directed by Baz Luhrmann, the mastermind behind the 1996 version of Romeo and Juliet as well as other modern versions of old classics. Jay Gatsby will be played by Leonardo DiCaprio, the actor who played Romeo in Luhrmann’s version of Romeo and Juliet. Hopefully the combination of Luhrmann and DiCaprio will bring about an amazing movie to pair with an amazing book.
Comedy Sequels
1) “Anchorman: The Legend Continues”
Starting December 20, 2013 Ron Burgundy will be in movie theaters once again. “The Legend Continues” will show viewers more of the adventures of Burgundy and his competitors. Will Ferrell, Christina Applegate, David Koechner, and Paul Rudd will all be returning, and there is also a rumor about a possible appearance of Kristen Wiig. It will be directed by Adam McKay, the director of the first Anchorman and many other films staring Will Ferrell (i.e. “Step Brothers” and “The Other Guys”).
2) “The Hangover Part III”
After the let-down of “The Hangover Part II,” fans are hoping that Part III—expected to be released on May 24, 2013—will be an improvement. Director Todd Phillips who directed the previous two Hangover movies is bringing back the entire original cast. As of now, it is tough to guess what they may do to make this third addition different from the others in the series. Despite a sequel’s tendency to fall short of expectations, many moviegoers are expecting a rebound from “The Hangover Part II,” as they hope the new film will be just as much of a hit as the original “Hangover.”
3) “Grown Ups 2”
Dennis Dugan directs the second “Grown Ups,” a film with a projected release date of July 12, 2013. Once again, the film features Adam Sandler and all of his humorous antics. With most of the old cast back and a surprising addition of Taylor Lautner and Andy Samberg, the second movie is expected to be as good as the first. The second “Grown Ups” will take us to the suburbs where the kids will be doing more teaching then their parents.
