The Hobbit: The Desolation Of Smaug (3D) DATE December 13 DIRECTOR Peter Jackson CAST Martin Freeman, Ian McKellen, Richard Armitage, Christopher Lee, Sylvester McCoy, James Nesbitt, Benedict Cumberbatch, Aidan Turner, Lee Pace, Stephen Fry, Evangeline Lily, Ian Holm SEE ALSO If you're a big Tolkien fan, try reading some of his sources, like the 13th century Prose Edda and Poetic Edda. If you're really keen, read them in the original Norse. SYNOPSIS Bilbo (Freeman), Thorin (Armitage) and their band of dwarves continue into Mirkwood on their way to the Lonely Mountain and Smaug. Meanwhile, Gandalf (McKellen) investigates the Necromancer's stronghold of Dol Guldur. WHAT TO EXPECT After An Unexpected Journey, this will be more of the same - though in a less unexpected fashion. So as Bilbo continues to creep towards badassdom, Thorin continues to confront his demons and we're treated to enemies in the form of giant spiders and less-than-hospitable elves as the small band continue towards their destination. Hopefully by next year there will be less of a 48fps backlash and people can just focus on the story too.
Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters DATE February 22 DIRECTOR Tommy Wirkola CAST Jeremy Renner, Gemma Arterton, Famke Janssen, Peter Stormare, Thomas Mann, Zoe Bell FUN FACT This was originally due for release in March 2012. SYNOPSIS Hansel (Renner) and Gretel (Arterton) survived the attempts of a witch to cook them alive as children, and have grown up to become witch hunters and experts in the supernatural. When Muriel (Janssen), an evil sorceress, starts plans to sacrifice a huge number of children during an upcoming ceremony, the pair widen their hunting interests to include sorceresses and get after her. WHAT TO EXPECT Lengthy delays to a film's release date aren't usually good news, but neither should we write this off and assume it's bad. We're promised a comedy-horror with loads of gore and violence rather than the usual fairytale tone. If that's what this delivers, the only people complaining will be the witches. • Watch the trailer below
Percy Jackson: Sea Of Monsters DATE August 14 DIRECTOR Thor Freudenthal CAST Logan Lerman, Anthony Head, Alexandra Daddario, Brandon T. Jackson, Jake Abel, Stanley Tucci, Nathan Fillion, Mark Hamil, Missy Pyle BASED ON The second book in the Percy Jackson & The Olympians series by Rick Riordan. SYNOPSIS Percy Jackson (Lerman) is a demi-god, son of Poseidon, and spends his summers learning how to be a hero at Camp Half-Blood. But the camp is under attack from monsters, and Percy and his friends Annabel (Daddario) and Grover (Jackson) set off on a mission to find the Golden Fleece and save it. WHAT TO EXPECT This is a lower-budget and partially recast sequel to the 2010 original, but what the new cast loses in star power (Brosnan, say) it picks up in character talent (Head, Fillion, Tucci). It may not win vast numbers of new fans for the franchise, but those who already enjoy Riordan's adventure books should find lots to enjoy here.
I, Frankenstein DATE September 18 DIRECTOR Stuart Beattie CAST Aaron Eckhart, Bill Nighy, Aden Young, Jai Courtney, Miranda Otto, Yvonne Strahovski BASED ON The graphic novel by Kevin Grevioux, who also wrote the Underworld screenplay with Len Wiseman. SYNOPSIS Frankensteinstein's creation, who calls himself Adam Frankenstein (Eckhart) has survived into the modern day and travels to a city where he becomes embroiled in a war between two clans of immortals. WHAT TO EXPECT Beattie's only previous film as director is Tomorrow When The War Began, which was a hit in Australia but didn't really break out worldwide. He has a lot of experience as a screenwriter, however, and films like 30 Days Of Night should have given him a solid grounding for this. Also, Eckart as stein's monster? It feels counter-intuitive, but it just might work.
Seventh Son DATE October 18 DIRECTOR Sergey Bodrov CAST Jeff Bridges, Ben Barnes, Julianne Moore, Alicia Vikander, Antje Traue, Djimon Hounsou, Kit Harrington BASED ON The Spook's Apprentice and follow-up books, by Joseph Delaney SYNOPSIS Tom Ward (Barnes) is the seventh son of a seventh son, apprenticed to Master Gregory (Bridges), and learning how to be a Spook like him, fighting dark forces and generally being a Dude. Master Gregory's old nemesis, Mother Malkin (Moore) has escaped her prison, and Gregory only has until the next full moon to train Tom up to fight her and save the world. WHAT TO EXPECT Bodrov made the impressive Mongol a couple of years ago, so we know he can handle big scale action and old-worlde settings. What we've seen of this one in production looks like a very old-school fantasy, all medieval trappings and sinister dungeons, and it feels like a long time since we've had one of those. Lovers of the book should be aware that this bears almost no resemblance to that plot, beyond the bare premise, but Bridges looks to be an authentically grumpy Master Gregory.
The Lone Ranger DATE August 9 DIRECTOR Gore Verbinski CAST Armie Hammer, Johnny Depp, William Fichtner, Tom Wilkinson, Barry Pepper, Helena Bonham-Carter, Mason Cook, Ruth Wilson, James Badge Dale BASED ON The radio show character created in 1933 by either George W. Trendle and Frank Striker (it's disputed a little). SYNOPSIS John Reid (Hammer) is left for dead when his fellow Texas Rangers are attacked, but his life is saved by Tonto (Depp). The pair team up to take on a corrupt railroad company and save some people. To be honest, it's all under wraps right now so we're a little unsure ourselves. WHAT TO EXPECT The trailer emphasises the action and makes this look as dark and serious as possible - perhaps to distance it from, say, Wild Wild West. Expect a few more zany trailers as we get closer to release, since we're fairly sure that Depp's take on Tonto is a little more off-kilter than the one we're used to. • Watch the trailer below
Jack The Giant Slayer (3D) DATE March 22 DIRECTOR Bryan Singer CAST Nicholas Hoult, Stanley Tucci, Eleanor Tomlinson, Ian McShane, Ewan McGregor, Eddie Marsan, Ewen Bremmer, Bill Nighy, Warwick Davis SEE ALSO There's a 1962 film called Jack The Giant Killer, the original title of this one, but it has no real connection with this plot. SYNOPSIS Jack (Hoult) goes along with a group of knights to rescue a princess (Tomlinson) who's been transported to a giant's kingdom in the sky by a magic beanstalk. But the two kingdoms are set for a collision thanks to the plotting of Lord Roderick (Tucci) with the giant king (Nighy). WHAT TO EXPECT The trick for this one will be hitting just the right tone, balancing derring-do, fairytale magic, grown-up humour and a spot of genuine emotion. Shot in 3D and in some stunning locations, at the very least it should look pretty. • Watch the trailer below
Oz The Great and Powerful 3D DATE March 8 DIRECTOR Sam Raimi CAST James Franco, Rachel Weisz, Michelle Williams, Mila Kunis, Zach Braff, Bruce Campbell, Ted Raimi, Abigail Spencer BASED ON L. Frank Baum's Oz books. Still, this is an original prequel, and can't use elements introduced by the 1939 film. So no ruby slippers, for example. SYNOPSIS Oscar Diggs (Franco) is a small-time circus magician of dubious ethics who is swept away to the magical land of Oz. He thinks he has it made - but the three witches Evanora (Weisz), Theodora (Kunis) and Glinda (Williams) are standing in his way and looking good doing it. WHAT TO EXPECT It looks utterly stunning, and we're excited to see what Raimi will do with a full-on fantasy world. Really, our main concern is that it might reignite the ancient war between blondes and brunettes by pitting Kunis and Weisz against Williams. • Watch the trailer below
Quick Poll Which of these films are you looking forward to most?
