2012 - THE Year in Big Films

In Hollywood, very little is for certain. Actors, directors, and whole productions can fall by the wayside in an instant, leaving film fans disappointed and broken-hearted (I still can’t believe AT THE MOUNTAINS OF MADNESS will never be). However, if things go as planned, 2012 could be the biggest year in box-office history. 2010 was a bit of an off-year for blockbuster films. Sure, there was INCEPTION, HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS and the underwhelming IRON MAN 2, but the level of frenzied fan excitement was decidedly low.

2011 is a marked improvement, featuring the second half of DEATHLY HALLOWS, GREEN LANTERN, CAPTAIN AMERICA, THOR, X-MEN: FIRST CLASS among others, but it might just serve as a build-up to the biggest buffet in fanboy films ever assembled.

The year will open with THE AVENGERS on May 4th, which will build off three years of Marvel films and fan anticipation. June’s lineup includes Ridley Scott’s PROMETHEUS (formerly Alien Prequel) and the untitled STAR TREK SEQUEL. There has actually been some concern pertaining to the latter because the project doesn’t even have a finalized screenplay, but Abrams and company say that the 2012 release date is still their goal. July is even stronger with offerings like THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN and THE DARK KNIGHT RISES. Even December, which can be hit-and-miss as far as its blockbuster offerings are concerned, is slated to feature THE HOBBIT and SUPERMAN: THE MAN OF STEEL.

The daily news briefs include tidbits of information about next year’s most anticipated films - where they’re shooting, who’s playing what role, what important plot points might entail. But the men in charge of the decisions, from Zach Snyder to Christopher Nolan to Joss Whedon, are all holding out on the goods, building excitement and anticipation for the news that will inevitably come. Over the course of the next year, we are all going to learn things that will further shape our expectations of these films. One thing is already for certain though – come July, San Diego’s Comic Con is going to be a very interesting place.