This year promises to be a good one if you’re thinking of spending lots of time in front of the big screen, especially if you are, like us, a bit of a comic book geek. Here are five of 2012’s must-see movies.
The Dark Knight Rises
The work director Christopher Nolan (Inception, Memento) has done with the Batman franchise should be considered critical viewing for all directors who are thinking about tackling a comic book franchise. In short, it is the gold standard against which all others must be measured. The Dark Knight Rises marks the end of his trilogy, and sees Batman (Christian Bale) up against the colossal Bane (Tom Hardy, Inception), which in the comics managed to brake Batman’s back. There’s also been much talk about the delightful Anne Hathaway purring her way on screen as the all-too-sexy Catwoman. What’s not to look forward to?
The Amazing Spider-Man
Reported spats between both director of the previous Spider-Man movies, Sam Riami, and Spider-Man himself, Toby Maguire, with Sony Pictures about the direction of the series, scrapped all plans for a Spider-Man 4 sequel. Instead we’ll now see a complete reboot in The Amazing Spider-Man.
We can’t say that we’re overly excited to see Peter Parker (played by relative unknown Andrew Garfield, Mark Zuckerberg’s partner in The Social Network) back at school going from hero to zero again, but the movie also promises to focus on the unknown story behind the disappearance of Parker’s mom and dad. Also watch out for Rhys Ifans (best known as the dotty Spike in Notting Hill) taking on the role of villain The Lizard. 
The Hobbit: An unexpected journey
Ah, the return of the familiar. Director Peter Jackson revisits Middle-Earth, this time with the story of Hobbit Bilbo Baggins’ epic quest to slay a dragon. Events take place before those of The Lord of the Rings, and sees our hesitant hero Bilbo (played by one of our favourite British actors Martin Freeman from The Office) join at least eight familiar faces, including Ian McKellen (Gandalf) and Orlando Bloom (Legolas). Although part one can’t come soon enough, we can’t help but wonder what magic Spanish director Guillermo del Toro (Pan’s Labyrinth), who was appointed as director but left due to delays, could have done with Tolkien’s realm.
Prometheus
One of our most anticipated releases since we heard it was in development, Prometheus will finally hit our screens this year. While the movie is not connected to the Alien series, despite originally being developed as a prequel, director Ridley Scott (Blade Runner, Alien) has hinted that it shares Aliens’ DNA, meaning we expect it to be as scary, if not more so, and immaculately filmed. Prometheus’s story is alluring enough – it is based on a crew that goes in search of mankind’s origins, but finds something far more menacing. The movie stars Noomi Rapace (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo), picking up the Ellen Ripley warrior mantle, Michael Fassbender (who did an excellent job as a younger Magneto in X-Men: First Class) and local favourite Charlize Theron. The trailer for the movie looks highly promising, and this is one movie that cannot come quickly enough.
The Avengers
Another immensely promising movie, The Avengers, is set to unite several superheroes, including Thor (Chris Hemsworth), Iron Man (Robert Downey Jnr), Hulk (Mark Ruffalo) and Captain America (Chris Pines) – under the S.H.I.E.L.D mantle, headed by Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson). Rounding off an already star studded cast is Scarlett Johansson, playing Black Widow, and Tom Hiddleston, who managed to steal almost every scene in Thor as Loki, and you have more than enough reason to believe Downey Jnr’s brash assertion that this would be the best superhero movie, ever. Best of all though, The Avengers is helmed by Joss Whedon (Angel, Firefly), fine directing and at least some sexual innuendo is practically a given. [MJ + RN]