After six months of waiting, July – arguably the biggest month for blockbuster movies in 2012 – has finally arrived. This month, one comic book saga will get a fresh start with The Amazing Spider-Man and one critically-acclaimed comic book trilogy will reach its dramatic end with The Dark Knight Rises. Add to those films a new Oliver Stone thriller, a creepy drama starring Sigourney Weaver and a fresh comedy with Ben Stiller and this could be a huge month at the box office.
Of course, the month’s biggest winners will likely be Spider-Man and The Dark Knight Rises. And with their release dates quickly approaching, major questions still surround them. Will Andrew Garfield serve as a solid substitute to Tobey Maguire as Peter Parker? Can The Dark Knight Rises live up to its predecessors in the series? Will these movies redefine the comic book genre and live up to the standard The Dark Knight set in 2008?
We’ll find out the answers soon enough. But in the meantime, here are the six July movies we at Screen Rant are looking forward to seeing.
It’s only been half a decade since the Tobey Maguire Spider-Man trilogy ended, so it seems a bit early to restart the onscreen saga. But if someone can serve as the new face of Spider-Man, it’s Andrew Garfield. Not only is Garfield a bona fide fan of the comics- see Comic-Con 2011- but he’s also a young talented actor who seems poised for super-stardom.
Although the buzz about The Amazing Spider-Man has been eclipsed by the momentum of The Avengers and anticipation for The Dark Knight Rises, there are still many reasons to be excited for it. With Garfield co-starring with Emma Stone, this could be the beginning of a new beloved franchise that lasts for years to come.
We’ll find out for sure on July 3rd, but in the meantime, you can check out some of the previously released clips from the film.
Taylor Kitsch has had a rough year at the movies in 2012. His two biggest projects (John Carter and Battleship) faltered at the box office and the Friday Night Lights actor is still trying to establish himself as a successful movie star. That could change with his supporting role in the new Oliver Stone drama, Savages.
The drug drama finds Kitsch and Aaron Johnson (Kick-Ass in Kick-Ass) working to save their kidnapped girlfriend – whom they both share in a three-way open relationship. With an all-star cast and a strong trailer, this could serve as strong alternate viewing for those not interested in the Spider-Man reboot .
We’ll just have to wait to see if Savages can change Kitsch’s luck at the box office.
Psychics take center stage in the new supernatural drama Red Lights. The film focuses on a group of investigators who study paranormal activity. Their studies lead them to one renowned psychic, whose uncanny abilities and stardom raise serious questions.
The story might sound simple, but the cast is first-rate. Sigourney Weaver and Cillian Murphy star as two of the suspicious investigators, while two-time Oscar winner Robert De Niro plays the man who may or may not have the whole world fooled. Writer/director Rodrigo Cortes found success with 2010’s drama Buried and this movie could prove his staying power as a director. If he pulls it off…
Watch the trailer to see for yourself if Red Lights is something for you.
Oh yes. This is the movie I’ve been looking forward to all year. Before The Avengers even came out, I published a piece about why I was more excited for The Dark Knight Rises than The Avengers and my excitement has only grown since. But now, the movie is almost here. Christopher Nolan concludes his Batman trilogy with this highly-anticipated blockbuster that finds Batman facing off against the psychotic Bane (Tom Hardy).
Nolan has already proclaimed that this is his last Batman film and it could truly be a game-changer in the field of comic book movies. The Dark Knight redefined what the genre could accomplish, so expectations are running high for this final chapter that reunites star Christian Bale with Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman and Gary Oldman.
Will it live up to the buzz or leave fans disappointed? We’ll find out for sure on July 20th when The Dark Knight Rises finally arrives.
Although it hasn’t been released yet, The Watch has already proven to be controversial. Its original title – Neighborhood Watch – was changed in the aftermath of the Trayvon Martin shooting. Now with its new title, the movie marketers can finally focus on the comedy’s true agenda: to make people laugh. The film itself focuses on a group of neighbors who are investigateing a possible alien invasion.
Director Akiva Schaffer has some experience with comedy, considering that he directed several episodes of Saturday Night Live and the 2007 comedy, Hot Rod. But the real comedic veterans are in the cast as the movie stars Ben Stiller, Jonah Hill and Vince Vaughn.
In a month full of serious movies, The Watch could prove to be the perfect reprieve for viewers looking for a good time at the theater. And Jonah Hill – who just struck comedic gold with the surprise hit 21 Jump Street – could prove his staying power as a comic actor as well.
Director William Friedkin has brought us several cinematic classic including The Exorcist and The French Connection. In Killer Joe, he has another intriguing story on his hands. Matthew McConaughey stars as the title character, a contract killer whose latest job finds him working to kill Emile Hirsch’s mom.
Although McConaughey is known by many for his romantic comedies, he seems to be changing that perception quite quickly. With a stellar turn in Bernie and a strong performance in Magic Mike, he’s quickly established himself in a series of different genres. Killer Joe might provide him the perfect opportunity for him to further change his image and establish himself as an extremely versatile actor.
With a new Batman movie and a new Spider-Man movie coming out in July, this month could be one to remember for years to come. But there are a few other movies that could be worth seeing.
Here again is our list of the six movies that we are most looking forward to in the month…
- July 3rd: The Amazing Spider-Man
- July 6th: Savages
- July 13th: Red Lights
- July 20th: The Dark Knight Rises
- July 27th: The Watch
- July 27th: Killer Joe
Follow me on Twitter @johnhanlon.
