2008 brought us an amazing amount of superhero films, including one of the best reviewed films of the genre - The Dark Knight. 2009 doesn't in any way compare to what 2008 served up superhero-wise, but it does have its fair share of action-heavy films, summer popcorn movies, and a couple of highly anticipated comic book-inspired films.
Here's a preview of the action movies hitting theaters in 2009, listed in release date order.
Here's a preview of the action movies hitting theaters in 2009, listed in release date order.
'Watchmen'
© Warner Bros Pictures
Starring: Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Malin Akerman, and Patrick Wilson
The Scoop: The idea of making a Watchmen movie has been kicked around for years, but it took Zack Snyder - fresh off the success of 300 - to convince Warner Bros Watchmen was actually doable. Snyder and Warner Bros have been building the buzz up on Watchmen since unveiling footage at the 2008 San Diego Comic Con and that, plus an already intense Watchmen fanbase, has helped make Watchmen one of the most anticipated movies of the year. For those not into Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons' graphic novel, Watchmen takes place in an alternate reality in which costumed superheroes once fought crime but are now banned from performing the task.
Hitting Theaters: March 6, 2009
The Scoop: The idea of making a Watchmen movie has been kicked around for years, but it took Zack Snyder - fresh off the success of 300 - to convince Warner Bros Watchmen was actually doable. Snyder and Warner Bros have been building the buzz up on Watchmen since unveiling footage at the 2008 San Diego Comic Con and that, plus an already intense Watchmen fanbase, has helped make Watchmen one of the most anticipated movies of the year. For those not into Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons' graphic novel, Watchmen takes place in an alternate reality in which costumed superheroes once fought crime but are now banned from performing the task.
Hitting Theaters: March 6, 2009
'Race to Witch Mountain'
© Walt Disney Pictures
Starring: Dwayne Johnson, AnnaSophia Robb, and Alexander Ludwig
The Scoop: This doesn't look like your mother's Witch Mountain movie. No, the trailers for this family-friendly film don't in any way resemble the 1975 Escape from Witch Mountain, the inspiration for this tale which once again finds Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson playing to kid audiences. Johnson stars as a Las Vegas taxi driver who picks up two youngsters with scary powers. His passengers are trying to get to Witch Mountain in order to save the world and being the dependable good guy in family films that he is, Johnson helps them out.
Hitting Theaters: March 13, 2009
The Scoop: This doesn't look like your mother's Witch Mountain movie. No, the trailers for this family-friendly film don't in any way resemble the 1975 Escape from Witch Mountain, the inspiration for this tale which once again finds Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson playing to kid audiences. Johnson stars as a Las Vegas taxi driver who picks up two youngsters with scary powers. His passengers are trying to get to Witch Mountain in order to save the world and being the dependable good guy in family films that he is, Johnson helps them out.
Hitting Theaters: March 13, 2009
'Fast and Furious'
© Universal Pictures
Starring: Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Michelle Rodriguez, and Jordana Brewster
The Scoop: Okay, so Vin Diesel and Paul Walker haven't exactly set the box office on fire with their post Fast and the Furious projects. That may be one of the main reasons they both agreed to get back together on another Fast and the Furious movie. This fourth film of the franchise finds Diesel and Walker forced to reteam to take down a shared enemy.
Hitting Theaters: April 3, 2009
The Scoop: Okay, so Vin Diesel and Paul Walker haven't exactly set the box office on fire with their post Fast and the Furious projects. That may be one of the main reasons they both agreed to get back together on another Fast and the Furious movie. This fourth film of the franchise finds Diesel and Walker forced to reteam to take down a shared enemy.
Hitting Theaters: April 3, 2009
'Dragonball: Evolution'
© 20th Century Fox
Starring: Justin Chatwin, Emmy Rossum and Jamie Chung
The Scoop: I have to admit I'm not into Dragonball so I'm going to take everyone's word for it that this is actually an action-heavy movie people care about. Really? Okay... The story follows Goku as he attempts to collect seven Dragon Balls to keep the world safe.
Hitting Theaters: April 10, 2009
The Scoop: I have to admit I'm not into Dragonball so I'm going to take everyone's word for it that this is actually an action-heavy movie people care about. Really? Okay... The story follows Goku as he attempts to collect seven Dragon Balls to keep the world safe.
Hitting Theaters: April 10, 2009
'Fighting'
© Rogue Pictures
Starring: Channing Tatum and Terrence Howard
The Scoop: Channing Tatum's the star of two very different action movies in 2009. He heads up a team of fighting men and women in G.I. Joe, and in Fighting Tatum turns to streetfighting in order to make a living. Tatum plays a small-town guy who becomes a big deal in NYC by using his brawn rather than his brain to get by.
Hitting Theaters: April 24, 2009
The Scoop: Channing Tatum's the star of two very different action movies in 2009. He heads up a team of fighting men and women in G.I. Joe, and in Fighting Tatum turns to streetfighting in order to make a living. Tatum plays a small-town guy who becomes a big deal in NYC by using his brawn rather than his brain to get by.
Hitting Theaters: April 24, 2009
'X-Men Origins: Wolverine'
© 20th Century Fox
Starring: Hugh Jackman, Ryan Reynolds and Liev Schreiber
The Scoop: Hugh Jackman's back in claws, long hair, and full mutant regalia as Wolverine in this prequel to the events of X-Men. Gavin Hood of Rendition fame and screenwriter David Benioff (The Kite Runner) bring this superhero story to life, which makes for an impressive behind-the-scenes team. And Jackman can always be counted on to be entertaining - whether he's surrounded by characters with superpowers or not - so this Wolverine could really take a bite out of the box office.
Hitting Theaters: May 1, 2009
The Scoop: Hugh Jackman's back in claws, long hair, and full mutant regalia as Wolverine in this prequel to the events of X-Men. Gavin Hood of Rendition fame and screenwriter David Benioff (The Kite Runner) bring this superhero story to life, which makes for an impressive behind-the-scenes team. And Jackman can always be counted on to be entertaining - whether he's surrounded by characters with superpowers or not - so this Wolverine could really take a bite out of the box office.
Hitting Theaters: May 1, 2009
'Star Trek'
© Paramount Pictures
Starring: Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, and Anton Yelchin
The Scoop: JJ Abrams helms this latest Star Trek movie which looks at all of the familiar characters we know and love (if you're into the franchise) way back when they were just beginning to venture out where no man (or woman) had gone before. Chris Pine plays the young Captain Kirk and the old Captain Kirk, William Shatner, is not happy he wasn't offered a cameo. Heroes' Zachary Quinto dons pointed ears to take on the part of Spock, and Leonard Nimoy supports the casting choice and even appears in the film.
Hitting Theaters: May 8, 2009
The Scoop: JJ Abrams helms this latest Star Trek movie which looks at all of the familiar characters we know and love (if you're into the franchise) way back when they were just beginning to venture out where no man (or woman) had gone before. Chris Pine plays the young Captain Kirk and the old Captain Kirk, William Shatner, is not happy he wasn't offered a cameo. Heroes' Zachary Quinto dons pointed ears to take on the part of Spock, and Leonard Nimoy supports the casting choice and even appears in the film.
Hitting Theaters: May 8, 2009
'Angels and Demons'
© Columbia Pictures
Starring: Tom Hanks and Ewan McGregor
The Scoop: Tom Hanks is back as Harvard religious expert Robert Langdon and Ron Howard is once again in the director's seat for another film based on Dan Brown's Langdon books. Minus the unusual hairdo he sported in The Da Vinci Code, this time Hanks as Langdon tangles with one of the oldest and most powerful underground organizations, the Illuminati.
Hitting Theaters: May 15, 2009
The Scoop: Tom Hanks is back as Harvard religious expert Robert Langdon and Ron Howard is once again in the director's seat for another film based on Dan Brown's Langdon books. Minus the unusual hairdo he sported in The Da Vinci Code, this time Hanks as Langdon tangles with one of the oldest and most powerful underground organizations, the Illuminati.
Hitting Theaters: May 15, 2009
'Terminator Salvation'
© Warner Bros Pictures
Starring: Christian Bale, Sam Worthington, and Moon Bloodgood
The Scoop: Christian Bale (The Dark Knight) takes on the lead role in another film franchise, playing John Connor in the fourth Terminator movie, Terminator Salvation. Director McG was a fan of the first two Terminator films and Terminator Salvation has the gritty, dangerous tone of those James Cameron films. This addition to the franchise takes place in 2018 after the apocalypse, with John Connor's vision of the world altered by the appearance of a mysterious stranger who might be from the past - or the future.
Hitting Theaters: May 21, 2009
The Scoop: Christian Bale (The Dark Knight) takes on the lead role in another film franchise, playing John Connor in the fourth Terminator movie, Terminator Salvation. Director McG was a fan of the first two Terminator films and Terminator Salvation has the gritty, dangerous tone of those James Cameron films. This addition to the franchise takes place in 2018 after the apocalypse, with John Connor's vision of the world altered by the appearance of a mysterious stranger who might be from the past - or the future.
Hitting Theaters: May 21, 2009
'The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3'
© Columbia Pictures
Starring: John Travolta and Denzel Washington
The Scoop: Director Tony Scott reunites with his Deja Vu and Man on Fire star, Oscar winner Denzel Washington, for a remake of the 1974 action film The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3. Washington stars as a NY subway dispatcher who has his knowledge of the subway system put to the test when a criminal mastermind (Travolta) takes over a subway train and threatens to kill its passengers.
Hitting Theaters: June 12, 2009
The Scoop: Director Tony Scott reunites with his Deja Vu and Man on Fire star, Oscar winner Denzel Washington, for a remake of the 1974 action film The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3. Washington stars as a NY subway dispatcher who has his knowledge of the subway system put to the test when a criminal mastermind (Travolta) takes over a subway train and threatens to kill its passengers.
Hitting Theaters: June 12, 2009
