Hollywood’s annual shucking of superheroes, Pixar and Pixar-wannabes, boy wizards and sequels to the aforementioned are a necessary fixture of the yearly slate. The money they take in is a positive sign of life in a movie business that’s been on the proverbial landslide for the last few years.
While the 2011 lineup appears to be sequel and reboot heaven, there’s plenty more to make it an appealing grab-bag of options. Here’s a discerning look inside the versatile roster. (Release dates subject to change.)
Fast Five (April 29)
Vin Diesel and Paul Walker are back for
one last rodeo as they try to get a big enough payday to retire their
lead feet. In their way is a drug lord and a determined Fed played by
Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson.
Thor (May 6)
In order for The Avengers to happen next year, Marvel has to dole out a few more super flicks. Next up is Thor,
Kenneth Branagh’s telling of the the Earth-born, hammer-wielding god
who is banished from his home planet of Asgard by his father Odin
(Anthony Hopkins) in hopes he’ll learn a bit of humility.
The Beaver (May 6)
Jodie Foster directs Mel Gibson in this
dramedy about a broken man (Gibson) who uses a puppet beaver to
communicate and, hopefully, bring him out of depression. Angst runs
high when his wife (Foster) and children grow tired of the gimmick.
Bridesmaids (May 13)
Kristen Wiig co-writes and stars in this
R-rated comedy about a down-on-her-luck single woman (Wiig) losing her
only single friend to the chains of marriage. It’s up to her to throw
the best party possible. But when she doesn’t have the know-how or the
money to pull it off, things go hilariously sour.
Everything Must Go (May 13)
Will Ferrell plays a recovering
alcoholic who relapses and loses his wife in the process. She’s also
locked him out of the house and put all of his possessions on the front
lawn. He reacts by starting a yard sale in an attempt to wipe the slate
clean.
Hesher (May 13)
Who better to cheer you up in wake of
your mother’s death than a head-banging, malnourished, chain-smoking
pyromaniac? This seems to be the remedy TJ (Devin Brochu) and his
father (Rainn Wilson) realize they need when Hesher (Joseph
Gordon-Levitt) shows up as an uninvited tenant.
Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (May 20)
At World’s End closed with Capt.
Jack Sparrow sailing away with a map to the fountain of youth. On Stranger Tides sees
that adventure through with new obstacles for Sparrow (Johnny Depp) to
overcome — including Blackbeard (Ian McShane) and his daughter Angelica
(Penelope Cruz), who has a rocky history with Sparrow.
The Hangover Part II (May 26)
Same party, different location. For Part II,
the trio is lost in Bangkok looking for Stu’s (Ed Helms) soon-to-be
brother-in-law who disappeared after the bachelor party. Bradley Cooper
and Zach Galifianakis return, along with Ken Jeong who reprises his
role as quirky criminal boss, Mr. Chow. Oh, and there’s a monkey, too.
Kung Fu Panda 2 (May 26)
No surprise that the unexpected success of Kung Fu Panda
would don a sequel. Po’s newest threat, other than large flights of
stairs, is an evil peacock who plans on erasing kung fu from existence.
The Tree of Life ( May 27)
Details on Terrence Malick’s first film
in six years are scarce. What is known about the auteur’s latest opus
is that it chronicles a boy’s upbringing to his adult life and how he
deals with the different ways his parents raise him. Sean Penn plays
the adult version, while Brad Pitt plays his stringent father.
X-Men: First Class (June 3)
Like Wolverine, First Class is a quasi-prequel to the X-Men
trilogy. The film explores the once budding relationship between
Professor X (James McAvoy) and Magneto (Michael Fassbender) and how it
all went to pieces.
Super 8 (June 10)
J.J. Abrams’ homage to super-8
moviemaking and Steven Spielberg (whose also a producer on the film) is
about a group of kids who witness a train crash that’s carrying
mysterious cargo from Area 51. Soon after, their small town in Ohio
becomes a war zone as the creature(s) who escaped from the train wreak
havoc on the inhabitants.
Green Lantern (June 17)
Ryan Reynolds dons the green garb in the first of what is sure to be a couple of Green Lantern flicks. Action-movie maestro Martin Campbell (Casino Royale)
directs the origin story that finds Hal Jordan/Green Lantern dealing
with his newfound powers and telekinetic baddie Hector Hammond, who
threatens the balance and peace of the universe.
Cars 2 (June 24)
The first Pixar film to get the sequel treatment, Cars 2 follows
Lightning McQueen, with Mater in tow, as McQueen races in the World
Grand Prix. But when Mater is mistaken for an American spy, he has to
help his friend and a few British agents complete a mission.
Transformers 3: Dark of the Moon (July 1)
Megan Fox is out, but explosion expert
Michael Bay is back for the third installment of his popular take on
the famed alien robots who protect earth from the Decepticons. This
time around, Sam Witwicky (Shia Lebeouf) has to stop the Decepticons
from laying waste to Chicago — where Witwicky’s girlfriend is trapped.
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (July 15)
The final battle between Potter and
Voldemort is here. Harry and gang travel back to Hogwarts to stop
Voldemort’s death grip on their beloved school. The last installment is
rumored to be the darkest, most relentlessly action packed yet.
Captain America: The First Avenger (July 22)
It’s weird the first avenger is one of
the last to get his own movie. Chris Evans, who’s taking some flack for
playing two super heroes (he played The Human Torch in Fantastic Four),
plays the World War II-era hero who has to stop Red Skull — A Nazi
soldier personally trained by Hitler — from taking over the world.
Cowboys & Aliens (July 29)
Jon Favreau (Iron Man) directs
this high-concept mash-up that combines four of the biggest idols in
pop culture history — cowboys, aliens, Indiana Jones and James Bond.
Gunslinger Jake Lonergan (Daniel Craig) joins forces with nemesis Col.
Woodrow Dolarhyde (Harrison Ford) to defend their town of Absolution
from alien takeover.
Rise of the Planet of the Apes (August 5)
In the reboot of the sci-fi saga, James
Franco plays a scientist who loses control of a genetically enhanced
chimp who starts a rebellion against humans.
The Help (Aug. 12)
Probably the only other book-to-movie-adaptation besides Harry Potter to be so closely critiqued by its fans is The Help,
the silver-screen treatment of Katheryn Stockett’s beloved best-selling
novel. The story is set in 1962 and revolves around a college student
(Emma Stone) and her secretive, controversial friendship with two
African-American maids in a prejudice-minded Mississippi.
