Next year will be a big one for comic book fans, so I thought that since many of my readers may be enjoying some well-earned time off, it would be a good idea to summarize them in one place.
X-Men Days of Future Past
The most ambitious and expensive of all X-Men movies, Days of Future Past reunites Bryan Singer with the merry mutants for a new interpretation of a classic story that garnered praise for the Uncanny X-Men back in the day. Set in a dark future in which Wolverine is sent back in time to his former self (replacing Kitty Pryde who performed this trick in the comic), the film picks up from First Class as mutant hysteria reaches a fever pitch. Wolverine must prevent history from taking a path that will lead to utter destruction, but needs both Professor X and Magneto to work together.
Starring: Hugh Jackman, James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence, Halle Berry, Ellen Page, Peter Dinklage, Ian McKellen, Patrick Stewart
Release date: May 23, 2014
The Amazing Spider-Man 2
Continuing the adventures of Spider-Man (this time played by Andrew Garfield in a rebooted version of the web-spinning superhero), the sequel ups the ante with one half of the Sinister Six. As he struggles to protect the city and people that he loves from danger, Spider-Man will face an unparalleled threat when a trio of villains decides to end him. This story will pick up some threads from the first film involving the role of Norman Osborn's industrial empire and its deadly experiments that led to the mutation of Peter Parker. In the sequel, we will see more dangerous freakish supervillains duke it out in NYC, Marvel Comics-style.
Starring: Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, Jamie Foxx, Dane DeHaan, Campbell Scott, Paul Giamatti
Release date: May 2, 2014
Captain America The Winter Soldier
Plucked from the pages of Marvel Comics, the second Captain America film will partly adapt the Winter Soldier, a story that rocked the foundation of the monthly comic book. It will also add depth to the cinematic Marvel Universe by introducing a new hero, the Falcon. A story about fear, war, distrust and paranoia, The Winter Soldier could be an incredibly impressive comic book movie.
Starring: Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Sebastian Stan, Anthony Mackie, Cobie Smulders, Frank Grillo, Emily VanCamp, , Hayley Atwell, Robert Redford, Samuel L. Jackson
Release date: April 4, 2014
Guardians of the Galaxy is also coming to the big screen next August (but only low-res trailers are available at this time, so I will avoid posting this on) and promises to be a unique blend of science fiction and superheroics. Based loosely on the comic book series by Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning, the film will feature a world-weary human soldier, a giant Tree God, a gun-happy raccoon, a green-skinned killing machine and more teaming up against impossible odds. Done correctly, this will be the runaway hit of them all as it hits so many demographics at once.
Starring: Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, Lee Pace, Michael Rooker, Karen Gillan, Djimon Hounsou, Benicio del Toro, John C. Reilly, Glenn Close, Bradley Cooper, Vin Diesel
Release date: August 1, 2014
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