The superhero phenomenon looks like it will continue to dominate our cinema screens in 2014 with four blockbuster releases. There was once a time when caped crusaders were hard to come by at your local cinemas following the critically panned Superman sequels and George Clooney’s Batman outing. But this all changed at the turn of the millennium with Sam Rami’s Spiderman impressing fans and critics alike, as did Hugh Jackman donning the claws and mutton chops as Wolverine in the X-Men Movies. This trend has continued for over a decade with The Dark Knight, The Dark Knight Rises, Iron Man 3 and The Avengers setting the box office alight by all grossing over a billion dollars. So let’s look ahead to what this year’s slate of comic book movies has in store. With a Spiderman sequel, two star studded casts uniting and a talking racoon, its set to be another bumper year for our commercial, crime fighting juggernauts.
Captain America: The Winter Soldier
Release Date – 24/03/2014
Following fellow Avengers team mates, Thor and Iron Man, Americas red white and blue hero is set to return in this sequel to both Captain America: The First Avenger and The Avengers where he faces a familiar face, turned foe from his past. Set two years after Caps last on screen outing, he must reteam with Scarlet Johansson’s Black Widow and new side kick, Falcon played by Anthony Mackie in order to stop a conspiracy that threatens the whole world. Also returning is Samuel L. Jackson as fan favourite, Nick Fury, and veteran actor Robert Redford joins the cast as S.H.I.E.L.D head honcho, Alexander Pierce. Judging by the trailer, expect plenty of adventure and action in this adaption of the much loved comic book of the same name. Marvels movie domination look set to continue in this sure fire hit.
The Amazing Spiderman 2
Release Date – 18/04/2014
Andrew Garfield’s back in a sequel to 2012s The Amazing Spiderman. With the retelling of the origin story done, it’s time for the action to begin as he faces a triple threat of villains. The story picks up with Peter Parker juggling life as a superhero, a teenage high school student, and also dealing with his complicated relationship with Gwen Stacy (Emma Stone). Continuing the plot from the first film looking into the mysterious disappearance of his father, Peter works with childhood friend Harry Osborn making his franchise debut played by Dane DeHaan to uncover the truth but discovers a whole new threat in villains Electro (Jamie Foxx) and Rhino (Paul Giamatti) both of whom have connections to OsCorp. The Spiderman universe is going from strength to strength with spin off films for Venom and The Sinister Six recently announced making this second instalment a must see.
X-Men: Days of Future Past
Release Date – 22/05/2104
As if the title wasn’t confusing enough, this film serves as a follow up to X-Men: The Last Stand, X-Men First Class and The Wolverine! The film also has one of the greatest casts ever assembled including Patrick Stewart, Ian Mckellen and Halle Berry from the original trilogy, James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender and Jennifer Lawrence from the 2011 prequel and of course Hugh Jackman returning as Wolverine. Set in two very different eras, the 70s and a dystopian future ruled by giant mutant hating robots known as the Sentinels, Days of Future Past will follow Wolverine as he is sent back in time in order to prevent a bleak future for mutant kind. With original series director Bryan Singer is back at the helm and this said to be Fox’s biggest movie since Avatar, Days of Future Past is looking like a serious box office heavyweight and blockbuster spectacle.
Guardians of the Galaxy
Release Date – 1/08/2014
Guardians of the Galaxy is 2014s only comic book film that isn’t a sequel but it still takes place within Marvels gigantic cinematic universe with this film exploring the universes cosmic side. The guardians of the galaxy is a little known team of marvel superheroes originally all ex-cons which consists of Peter Quill aka Starlord played by Chris Pratt, Gamora daughter of Thanos, teased at the end credits scene of The Avengers played by sci-fi regular Zoe Saldana, WWE star Dave Bautista plays the vengeful Drax the Destroyer and the weapon wielding Rocket Racoon is voiced by Bradley Cooper with Vin Diesel rounding out the cast as Groot who’s only words ever said are ‘I am Groot’. Other actors in the impressive cast include former Doctor Who companion Karen Gillian, John C Rielly and Glenn Close. This is definitely marvels’ biggest risk but if this becomes a critical and commercial success there are no limits as to which the studio can achieve.