Pacific Rim – July 12, 2013
What’s it about? When legions of monstrous creatures, known as Kaiju, started rising from the sea, a war began that would take millions of lives and consume humanity’s resources for years on end. To combat the giant Kaiju, a special type of weapon was devised: massive robots, called Jaegers, which are controlled simultaneously by two pilots whose minds are locked in a neural bridge. But even the Jaegers are proving nearly defenseless in the face of the relentless Kaiju. On the verge of defeat, the forces defending mankind have no choice but to turn to two unlikely heroes—a washed up former pilot and an untested trainee who are teamed to drive a legendary but seemingly obsolete Jaeger from the past. Together, they stand as mankind’s last hope against the mounting apocalypse.
Why we’re excited? It’s the first Guillermo del Toro movie since 2008’s Hellboy II and it has giant robots and monsters!
R.I.P.D. – July 19, 2013
Who’s in it? Ryan Reynolds and Jeff Bridges star with Kevin Bacon, Stephanie Szostak, Mary-Louise Parker, Marisa Miller, Mike O’Malley, James Hong and Robert Knepper. Matt Manfredi and Phil Hay wrote the script and Robert Schwentke directs.
What’s it about? Based on the Dark Horse mini-series, “R.I.P.D.” (short for “Rest In Peace Department”) is Peter Lenkov’s comedic amalgam of the police and zombie genres featuring two dead police officers whose job it is to help the dead “rest in peace.”
Why we’re excited? R.I.P.D. is the kind of movie where the characters and the people playing them just make sense and in this case Ryan Reynolds and Jeff Bridges are a prime example of that.
(Photo Credit: WENN.com)
The Wolverine – July 26, 2013
Who’s in it? Hugh Jackman reprises his role as Weapon X with Will Yun Lee, Svetlana Khodchenkova, Hiroyuki Sanada, Hal Yamanouchi, Tao Okamoto, Rila Fukushima and Brian Tee. Christopher McQuarrie and Mark Bomback wrote the script and James Mangold directs.
What’s it about? Based on the celebrated comic book arc, The Wolverine finds Logan, the eternal warrior and outsider, in Japan. There, samurai steel will clash with adamantium claw as Logan confronts a mysterious figure from his past in an epic battle that will leave him forever changed.
Why we’re excited? Another solo Wolverine movie is an exciting prospect enough, but the fact that this one takes place after X-Men: The Last Stand just makes it all the more intriguing.
300: Rise of an Empire – August 2, 2013
What’s it about? The movie, a follow-up to Zack Snyder’s “300” (in turn based on Frank Miller’s 1998 comic book miniseries), is expected to tell, in part, the story of Greek General Themistocles, who lead Athens against Persian invaders in a battle that played out simultaneously with the Battle of Thermopylae (depicted in the first film). The film will be released in 2D, 3D, and IMAX.
Why we’re excited? Since the first 300 hit theaters, there have been many imitators that have followed and there’s nothing like the original. What we want to see in this prequel/sequel is how much of the first they integrate and expand on, because if done well, it could be fantastic.
RED 2 – August 2, 2013
Who’s in it? Bruce Willis, John Malkovich, Mary-Louise Parker, and Helen Mirren return for the sequel and are joined by Catherine Zeta-Jones, Byung-Hun Lee, Karl Urban, Neal McDonough and David Thewlis. Erich Hoeber and Jon Hoeber wrote the screenplay with Dean Parisot directing. The film is a sequel to RED, which was based on the Warren Ellis and Cully Hammer comic.
What’s it about? RED 2 brings back the team of retired CIA operatives as they use their old-school style to take on a new set of enemies all across Europe.
Why we’re excited? The first RED was a surprisingly great action film and the sequel is shaping up to outdo the first!
