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"The Avengers," "The Amazing Spider-Man" and "Men in Black 3" are all roaring into theaters, as well as a little indie film from Christopher Nolan
Break out the popcorn.
Summer blockbuster season is just around the corner, bringing with it a cornucopia of tights-wearing heroes, alien invasions and raunchy comedies.
From massive superhero films like "The Avengers" to outer space scare-fests like "Prometheus" to genre mashups like "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter," here are the 10 most anticipated films of the summer.
ABRAHAM LINCOLN: VAMPIRE HUNTER: When not banging out the Gettysburg Address, "Honest Abe" hunted down the undead. So claims this adaptation of Seth Grahame-Smith's best-selling novel. Timur Bekmambetov, who brought great panache to 2008's "Wanted," slides into the director's chair and new-comer Benjamin Walker plays the 16th president. (June 22)
BRAVE: Pixar brings out its own animated answer to Katniss Everdeen, Princess Merida. The royal upstart has to break out the bow and arrow to lift a curse in one of the first films from the animation house to focus on a female protagonist. (June 22)
THE DARK KNIGHT RISES: Christopher Nolan wraps up his Batman trilogy. In this installment, the caped crusader must do battle with Bane (Tom Hardy) and Catwoman (Anne Hathaway), not to mention the shadow of Heath Ledger's Oscar-winning performance as the Joker. (July 20)
MEN IN BLACK 3: Will Smith is back after a four-year absence from the big screen in the franchise that solidified his status as the biggest movie star in the galaxy. Sony hopes that a time-travel plot that sends Smith's Agent J back to the 1960s to interact with the likes of Andy Warhol will be a hit with a new generation of moviegoers. (May 25)
PROMETHEUS: Ridley Scott returns to the "Alien" universe to prove irrefutably that in space no one can hear you scream. If it works, it could reinvigorate a franchise that sputtered out with 2004's "AVP: Alien vs. Predator." (June 8)
DARK SHADOWS: Johnny Depp and Tim Burton team up for an eighth time for a jokey adaptation of the television soap opera. It's a tough sell, but with this kind of star-power, don't bet against it. (May 11)
SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMAN: Universal updates the classic fairy tale by transforming the fairest of them all into a warrior princess. Kristen Stewart's involvement can bring in the "Twilight" set and the epic look of the film should help it beat the $115 million worldwide gross of rival Snow White picture, "Mirror Mirror." (June 1)
TED: "Family Guy" creator Seth MacFarlane brings his outrageous humor to the big-screen playing a pot smoking teddy bear. If it works, the movie should be a breakout R-rated comedy in the tradition of "The Hangover." (July 13)
THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN: Peter Parker is back, but with a new director ("(500) Days of Summer" helmer Marc Webb) and cast (Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone). Reboots can be tricky, but this will be the first wall-crawler film in 3D and sports a formidable villain, The Lizard, guaranteed to keep Spidey senses tingling. (July 3)
THE AVENGERS: Iron Man, Captain America, Thor and a dazzling array of tights-wearing superheroes team up to save the world. Box office analysts say the super-group film could enjoy the biggest domestic opening weekend of all time. (May 2)
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Published Date:
Sun, 2012-04-22 18:20