2012 Summer Movie Preview

By Fandango Staff

What all is coming out this summer? Flip through our handy guide and see who is starring in what over the next few months.
Marvel's The Avengers

Release Date: 5/4/11
Genre: Action/Adventure
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Marvel's superhero mash-up hits the big screen and is poised to be one of the biggest (if not THE biggest) movie of the year. Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, Black Widow, Hawkeye and The Hulk team up to take on Loki and try to put an end to his nefarious schemes. Will they succeed? Find out and be sure to stop by our Avengers Guide to get an added superhero fix!
Dark Shadows

Release Date: 5/11/12
Genre: Comedy
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After breaking the heart of a mad witch, Barnabas Collins (Johnny Depp), an 18th century playboy, is turned into a vampire and entombed for 200 years. When he awakes its 1972, his once-grand estate has fallen and his family couldn’t be more dysfunctional.
The Dictator

Release Date: 5/16/12
Genre: Comedy, Satire
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Sacha Baron Cohen (Borat, Bruno) is back, this time as an oppressive, democracy-hating dictator, General Aladeen, from the Republic of Wadiya. When he visits New York City, the cultures really start to clash!
Battleship

Release Date: 5/18/12
Genre: Action/Adventure, Sci-Fi
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The adaptation of the classic Hasbro board game has already raked in over $100 million in foreign markets. Now the Taylor Kitsch-led, Peter Berg-directed film hits the States as an alien race invades and destroys Earth. Will Kitsch and his crew be able to save the day or should we be prepared to welcome our new alien overlords?
What to Expect When You're Expecting

Release Date: 5/18/12
Genre: Romance, Comedy
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Cameron Diaz, Chris Rock, Elizabeth Banks, Dennis Quaid, Jennifer Lopez and Rodrigo Santaro are just a few A-listers starring in What to Expect When You’re Expecting. The film follow five couples, four already with children and the life changing, cry-out-loud moments they experience with their kids.
Men in Black 3

Release Date: 5/25/12
Genre: Sci-Fi, Comedy
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Following a 10-year hiatus, the MIB's are back in their most expensive movie to date. The film follows Will Smith's Agent J as he travels back in time to the MIB's early years of the 1960s, to stop an alien from assassinating his friend Agent K and changing history. Will J succeed or will history as we know it be wiped clean like a Neuralyzer flash?
Moonrise Kingdom

Release Date: 5/25/12
Genre: Romance, Comedy
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When two children fall in love and run away, a peaceful community's authorities search the island trying to track them down. Director Wes Anderson's take on the child romance stars acting vets Billy Murray, Bruce Willis, Edward Norton, Tilda Swinton, and Frances McDormand in quirky roles.
Chernobyl Diaries

Release Date: 5/25/12
Genre: Horror
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The folks behind Paranormal Activity bring you this radioactive thriller about a travel group who ventures into the deserted town of Pripyat and find more than they bargained for. A blast or a meltdown? See it for yourself, and then let us know.
Snow White and the Huntsman

Release Date: 6/1/12
Genre: Fantasy, Action, Adventure
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In a dark twist of this classic fairytale, an evil queen (Charlize Theron) dispatches a huntsman (Chris Hemsworth) to kill Snow White (Kristen Stewart), but he becomes her protector and mentor instead.

Piranha 3DD

Release Date: 6/1/12
Genre: Horror
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Once again the deadly fish are taking a bite out of unsuspecting revelers when they infiltrate a popular water park. Let’s actually call this a horror comedy – who can take that title, throw in David Hasselhoff as a lifeguard and a bunch of bodacious babes, and take it seriously?

Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted

Release Date: 6/8/12
Genre: Animated, Comedy
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Alex the Lion and his friends are still trying to find their way back home to the New York zoo… inconspicuously, of course. With a villainous animal control worker on their tails, they'll need to get through Europe by joining a traveling circus and creating a convincing act of their own.

Prometheus

Release Date: 6/8/12
Genre: Sci-fi, Action
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Is it an Alien sequel, prequel, or neither? No matter—with Ridley Scott at the helm; Michael Fassbender, Charlize Theron and Noomi Rapace starring; and alien encounters that may reveal the origins of the human race, it’s sure to be a showstopper no matter what.

Safety Not Guaranteed

Release Date: 6/8/12
Genre: Comedy
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The funny and talented Aubrey Plaza stars as Darius, a dryly witty and cynical magazine intern who on an assignment encounters a guy looking for someone to time-travel with.

That's My Boy

Release Date: 6/15/12
Genre: Comedy
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If you love Adam Sandler comedies, here’s yet another one to love, this time co-starring fellow SNL alum Andy Samberg. Sandler plays Samberg’s absentee father who tries to reconnect with him right before his son’s wedding. Let the hilarity ensue.

Rock of Ages

Release Date: 6/15/12
Genre: Comedy, Musical
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Diego Boneta makes his big film debut in Adam Shankman's movie adaptation of the hit Broadway musical Rock of Ages co-starring alongside Tom Cruise, Paul Giamatti and Alec Baldwin. The musical drama follows Boneta and Julianne Hough as they fall in love during the rock music scene of 1987.

Brave

Release Date: 6/22/12
Genre: Animated, Action, Adventure
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Wanting to carve her own destiny in life, impetuous princess Merida defies an age-old sacred custom of the land. When a witch grants her ill-fated wish, she must use her archery skills to undo a curse and discover what it means to be truly brave.

Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter

Release Date: 6/22/11
Genre: Action, Fantasy
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Based on the popular novel by Seth Grahame-Smith, this absurdist tale has our 16th president wielding an axe and doing spinning kicks in his quest to avenge his mother’s death at the hands of …vampires.

Seeking a Friend for the End of the World

Release Date: 6/22/12
Genre: Comedy, Romance
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If it’s the end of the world and you’re Steve Carell and the friend you seek--and find--is Keira Knightley, we’d say that’s not a bad way to spend your last few days on Earth….

Magic Mike

Release Date: 6/29/12
Genre: Comedy, Romance
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Channing Tatum is not afraid to bare it all. Before he starred in films, he was a stripper, charming the ladies, partying and making some quick cash. Now, Hollywood is making his rico suave days into a feature film. Directed by Steven Soderbergh, Tatum is a male stripper who takes a newcomer (Alex Pettyfer) under his wing and shows him the art of making money.

People Like Us

Release Date: 6/29/12
Genre: Comedy, Drama
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When his father passes away, a young man (Chris Pine) discovers he has a sister (Elizabeth Banks) he never knew. His quest to fulfill his father's last wishes forces him to examine his is perceptions about family and his own choices he's made in life.

Ted

Release Date: 6/29/12
Genre: Comedy
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Mark Wahlberg again shows his funny side in this debut from Family Guy creator Seth McFarlane, as a guy who dreamed of having a live teddy bear companion as a boy. Miraculously, he gets his wish—but as a grown-up, Ted turns out to be a big pain in the you-know-what.

Tyler Perry's Madea's Witness Protection

Release Date: 6/29/12
Genre: Comedy
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Tyler Perry is back in drag, this time, pretty in pink as the tough-love matriarch who takes in a dysfunctional family as part of a witness protection program. Eugene Levy co-stars as the unassuming CFO who's set up as the fall guy when a mob-sponsored Ponzi scheme unravels.

The Amazing Spider-Man

Release Date: 7/3/12
Genre: Action/Adventure
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The story of Peter Parker gets rebooted by the appropriately named director Marc Webb. Andrew Garfield dons the Spidey suit and takes on Rhys Ifans' The Lizard. Emma Stone co-stars as Gwen Stacy.

Ice Age: Continental Drift

Release Date: 7/3/12
Genre: Comedy, Animated
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Believe it or not, this is the fourth Ice Age movie and yes, Scrat is still chasing after his beloved acorn. However, this time, his pursuit has world-changing consequences for Manny, Diego and Sid as they encounter sea creatures and battle pirates while exploring a new world.

Savages

Release Date: 7/6/12
Genre: Drama, Suspence
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Benecio Del Toro, Demian Bichir and Salma Hayek will costar alongside Blake Lively, Uma Thurman and John Travolta in Oliver Stone’s Savages later this summer. The film centers on two pot growers who go to war with the Mexican drug cartel to rescue their shared girlfriend.

Trishna

Director Michael Winterbottom (The Trip, A Mighty Heart) helms this adaptation of Thomas Hardy's classic novel Tess of the D'Urbervilles starring Rise of the Planet of the Apes and Slumdog Millionaire star Freida Pinto. A classic Prince and the Pauper story gets a Bollywood twist in this critically acclaimed film festival favorite.

Neighborhood Watch

Release Date: 7/27/12
Genre: Comedy, Sci-Fi
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Ben Stiller, Vince Vaughn, Jonah Hill – these are just a few of the group of guys who try to protect their neighborhood from a visiting alien invasion in this sci-fi/comedy.

Step Up Revolution

Release Date: 7/27/12
Genre: Drama, Romance
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A young woman aspiring to be a professional dancer moves to Miami and meets and falls for Sean, the leader of a dance crew named The Mob. When a powerful businessman attempts to demolish the crew's historic neighborhood for development, they must find a way to save it through protest art.

The Bourne Legacy

Release Date: 8/3/12
Genre: Action, Adventure, Thriller
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The Bourne franchise continues with its fourth installment in the universe based on Robert Ludlum's series. Jeremy Renner takes the lead as a rogue CIA operative, Edward Norton and Rachel Weisz co-star with Joan Allen and Albert Finney reprising their roles from the previous films.

Total Recall

Release Date: 8/3/12
Genre: Sci-Fi, Action
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Len Wiseman (the Underworld franchise) reboots this '90s classic with Colin Farrell in the famous Arnold Schwarzenegger role. Cue the blue camera filter as Jessica Biel, Bill Nighy, Bryan Cranston and Kate Beckinsale are along for the ride in Hollywood's latest big-budget remake.

The Campaign

Release Date: 8/10/12
Genre: Comedy
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Will Ferrell and Zach Galafianakis play rival politicians – what’s not to love? Especially in an election year!

Hope Springs

Release Date: 8/10/12
Genre: Comedy, Romance
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Meryl Streep and Tommy Lee Jones play a middle-aged couple that decides to attend an intense counseling weekend to decide the fate of their marriage after thirty years of marriage. Steve Carell rounds up the cast.

The Odd Life of Timothy Green

Release Date: 8/15/12
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Fantasy
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Jennifer Garner and Joel Edgerton star as a happily married couple who wish for a child, and soon, a boy appears on their doorstep, bringing magic and enchantment into their lives.

The Expendables 2

Release Date: 8/17/12
Genre: Drama
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Sylvester Stallone returns with his lethal band of tough guys for another installment of The Expendables. This time Stallone's crew, which includes Jason Statham, Jet Li, Randy Couture and Terry Crews, seek vengeance for a murdered comrade. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Bruce Willis enjoy expanded roles while Chuck Norris, Jean-Claude Van Damme and Liam Hemsworth join the macho franchise.

ParaNorman

Release Date: 8/17/12
Genre: Animated, Action, Adventure, Comedy
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The makers of Coraline concoct a new scary movie for kids, this time about a misunderstood boy who can speak with the dead. With the help of his living and otherworldly friends, Norman must stop an evil witch's ghost from unleashing a centuries-old curse on his town.

Sparkle

Release Date: 8/17/12
Genre: Drama
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During the Motown era in an affluent neighborhood in Detroit, Sparkle (Jordin Sparks) struggles to become a star while overcoming family issues. The daughter of a single mother (Whitney Houston), she experiences firsthand the lows of fame in this remake of the 1976 musical drama.

Premium Rush

Release Date: 8/24/12
Genre: Action, Drama
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When a dubious package comes into contact with a bike messenger (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), a corrupt cop puts him through a life-or-death chase through Manhattan.

The Apparition

Release Date: 8/24/12
Genre: Horror, Thriller
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A young couple’s house seems strangely haunted, and it turns out an experiment at the nearby university unleashed something unexpected and unwelcome that won’t leave them alone. Starring Twilight’s Ashley Greene and Tom Felton (Harry Potter) as a parapsychologist.

Hit and Run

Release Date: 8/24/12
Genre: Action, Adventure, Comedy
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Real-life couple Kristen Bell and Dax Shepard star in a crime comedy inspired by their relationship. Dax plays a former getaway driver in a Witness Protection Program. When he risks everything to get his fiancé to her first day on the job in L.A., his shady past threatens to catch up with him as the feds and a gang he betrayed, led by Bradley Cooper, chase him down.

Lawless

Release Date: 8/29/12
Genre: Drama
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Shia LaBeouf and Tom Hardy star as the Bondurant brothers, leaders of a bootlegging gang in Depression-era Virginia. All is well until Guy Pearce's law enforcement team shows up and demands a cut of their profits. Where's Optimus Prime when you need him?

The Possession

Release Date: 8/31/12
Genre: Horror
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Sam Raimi produced this horror thriller once titled The Dibbuk Box, about a girl who becomes possessed by an entity that lives in an antique box she finds at a yard sale.