If you thought Hollywood strip-mined comic books for movie ideas in 2011, you ain't seen nuttin' yet.
Which is not to say that all you're going to see is superhero movies. Actually, so many genres, media and themes repeat this year that it makes me wonder if Hollywood screenwriters all get drunk in the same bar. I mean, do we really need two movies about riots on an orbiting space prison? Two movies based on board games? Three movies about Navy SEALs? Six sports movies? At least nine ghost/haunting stories? Don't get me started on con-men-who-learn-a-lesson tales, coming-of-age stories and quirky rom-coms.
But if you're a comics fan, there's a lot to love in 2012. Here's an overview of the upcoming genre films -- comics-based and otherwise:
"Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter": Why not? (It's based on the genre-mash-up novel by Seth Grahame-Smith, and not to be confused with "Lincoln," a movie based on Doris Kearns Goodwin's "Team of Rivals," coming in December.)
"Amazing Spider-Man": Yes, Sony is rebooting this franchise because it's greedy. But also because the rights will revert to Marvel if it doesn't. Regardless of the reason, this looks way awesome, not just with a high-school Peter Parker, but finally giving us a major Gwen Stacy turn.
"The Avengers": Black Widow! Captain America! Nick Fury! Hawkeye! Hulk! Iron Man! Thor! 'Nuff said!
"Bullet to the Head": This is based on Alexis Nolent's graphic novels, which bodes well; it stars Sylvester Stallone, which bodes the opposite.
"Chronicle": Three high school students get superpowers, and it goes real, real bad. How long before this is adapted to comics, you think?
"The Dark Knight Rises": I don't have to describe this one, do I? The trailer alone set a download record in December.
"Dark Shadows": I was never a big fan of the 1960s soap opera, but how can you go wrong with Johnny Depp as reluctant vampire Barnabus Collins?
"Dredd": Based on the UK comics, and produced by a UK company, which is likely to do it better than 1995's alarmingly awful "Judge Dredd."
"Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance": Yeah, Nic Cage is getting a little long in the tooth, and the first "Ghost Rider" movie was kinda by the numbers. But it looks like they're going for dark humor and spectacle this time, and a flaming biker skeleton gives you a lot to work with!
"G.I. Joe: Retaliation": No surprise, as "G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra" made $300 million worldwide.
"The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey": You know you're going.
"The Hunger Games": This story of teenagers forced to fight to the death in a dystopic future is adapted from the young-adult novel by Suzanne Collins, and has "franchise" written all over it.
"Iron Sky": You can't go wrong with space Nazis on the moon.
"John Carter": Someone's finally adapting the Edgar Rice Burroughs series that began with "A Princess of Mars," and it's about time!
"The Lorax": The words "animated Dr. Seuss tale" are enough for me.
"Men in Black III": Do Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones just need the money?
"Parker": Based on the 1960s gangster books by Donald Westlake (aka Richard Stark), which are being adapted into top-flight graphic novels by Darwyn Cooke.
"Prometheus": It looks like a prequel to "Alien," although everyone involved vehemently denies it.
"Raven": Edgar Allan Poe investigates a serial killer in the final days of his life. To quote the great philosopher, Butt-head: "Uh, what?" Too weird to pass up.
"Skyfall": Daniel Craig returns for his third James Bond outing.
"The Three Stooges": Probably the worst idea for a movie I've ever heard, but the trailer looks hilarious.
"World War Z": This movie is adapted from the Max Brooks novel, which shows real-world consequences of a zombie apocalypse, like "The Walking Dead." That puts me in a seat!
"Wrath of the Titans": As you might guess, it's a sequel to "Clash."
