"THE HUNGER GAMES" (Mar. 23)
Will it be the next "Twilight"? That's what Lionsgate is banking on with Gary Ross' big-screen version of Suzanne Collins’ dystopian teen novel. The story is set in a futuristic world where teen boys and girls fight to the death for food. Let the games begin.
"LINCOLN" (fourth quarter)
No vampires in this Abe film -- just an unknown actor named Daniel Day-Lewis, and some guy named Steven Spielberg behind the camera. Newly released photos show Day-Lewis looking like a dead ringer for the U.S.'s 16th president.
"THE AVENGERS" (May 4)
Iron Man, Captain America and Thor could clobber all other box-office contenders in 2012 -- if the superheroes' sum is greater than their parts. A lot is riding on this first Marvel movie that Disney is marketing and distributing.
"DARK SHADOWS" (May 11)
Tim Burton and goth go together like dark eyeliner and black fingernail polish. The cult-favorite soap opera comes to the big screen with some help from his friends Johnny Depp (as the vampiric main character, Barnabas Collins), Helena Bonham Carter, Michelle Pfeiffer, Christopher Lee and, for good measure, shock-rocker Alice Cooper.
"PROMETHEUS" (June 8)
In the 33 years since Ridley Scott directed "Alien," there have three sequels -- and too many rip-offs to count. Finally, appeasing sci-fi fans everywhere, he's returned to the sci-fi genre with a related film -- though not a direct sequel. "Prometheus" deals with the survival of mankind, and while it won't have any xenomorphs, it will star Charlize Theron and Michael Fassbender.
"ABRAHAM LINCOLN: VAMPIRE HUNTER" (June 22) and "WORLD WAR Z" (Dec. 21)
Eat your heart out (literally) "Vampire Diaries" and "Walking Dead." In the 3D-film version of Seth Grahame-Smith's mash-up novel, an axe-wielding Abe goes to war with vampires. Later in the year, the zombie-riffic book-turned-movie "World War Z" hits theaters, with Brad Pitt starring and Marc Forster directing.
"THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN" (July 3)
It's only been five years since Sam Raimi's trilogy ended, but Sony's $pidey Sense is tingling with this new go-'round. As the successor to Tobey Maguire, Andrew Garfield has some big boots to fill. But director Marc Webb at least has the right name for a reboot.
"THE DARK KNIGHT RISES" (July 20)
Is Batman going to die? Is Catwoman going to disappoint? Will audiences be able to understand a word Bane is saying? The final chapter in Christopher Nolan's trilogy will have answers to those questions -- and an exploding football field, as seen in a newly released trailer.
"SAVAGES" (Sept. 28)
Oliver Stone returns after a pair of box-office bombs -- 2008's "W." and last year's "Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps." This time he's got lots of firepower: a drug-centric crime-drama starring Taylor Kitsch, Blake Lively (pictured), John Travolta, Benicio del Toro, Uma Thurman and Salma Hayek.
"LES MISERABLES" (Dec. 7)
The mammoth Broadway hit finally makes it to the big screen. There've been 12 previous versions of the Victor Hugo novel, but this one has Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe, Anne Hathaway and Helena Bonham Carter warbling the popular score.
"THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY" (Dec. 14)
More than five years after pre-production initially began on Peter Jackson's "Lord of the Rings" prequel, Bilbo, Gandalf and Gollum are finally set to venture back into theaters. Fans already are atwitter following this week's release of the first "Hobbit" trailer.
"LIFE OF PI" (Dec. 21)
The 3D fantasy-adventure film stars an actor with no previous acting experience: Suraj Sharma. But the animal-centric book on which Ang Lee's movie is based has sold more than 7 million copies worldwide -- and won kudos from President Obama.
"DJANGO UNCHAINED" (Dec. 25)
Quentin Tarantino is back with his usual vengeance -- and a galaxy's worth of stars. Jamie Foxx plays the titular hero, a slave who is befriended by a dentist-turned-bounty hunter played by "Inglourious Basterds'" Christoph Waltz. Together, they battle an evil plantation owner played by Leonardo DiCaprio.
"THE GREAT GATSBY" (Dec. 25)
Leonardo DiCaprio's second Christmas Day gift. With a rich cast that also includes Tobey Maguire, Joel Edgerton and Carey Mulligan -- and Baz Luhrmann directing -- it could be classic.
In this slideshow, TheWrap has identified more than a dozen films that could be major hits in the coming 12 months.
Click through to see our full list of potential box-office winners.
-- By Kurt Orzeck
