From superheroes to super spies, from battles with Greek gods to teens risking their lives to save their families, 2012 could legitimately be called the 'Year of Action Movies'. Check out this list of action films hitting theaters throughout 2012 to see what's in store for fans of the genre.
1. '21 Jump Street'
© Columbia Pictures
Starring: Channing Tatum, Jonah Hill, and Brie Larson
The Plot: Schmidt and Jenko sign up for the special Jump Street unit, taking advantage of how young they look to go undercover at a high school. Their task: to investigate a violent and dangerous drug ring. However, it doesn't take them long to figure high school's changed in the few years since they graduated. They have to face all the stress and anxiety of being teenagers once again as they re-enter the dreaded world of high school cliques. (Based on the TV series with Johnny Depp)
Release Date: March 16, 2012
The Plot: Schmidt and Jenko sign up for the special Jump Street unit, taking advantage of how young they look to go undercover at a high school. Their task: to investigate a violent and dangerous drug ring. However, it doesn't take them long to figure high school's changed in the few years since they graduated. They have to face all the stress and anxiety of being teenagers once again as they re-enter the dreaded world of high school cliques. (Based on the TV series with Johnny Depp)
Release Date: March 16, 2012
2. '47 Ronin'
Keanu Reeves Photo by Larry Busacca/Getty Images
Starring: Keanu Reeves, Hiroyuki Sanada, Kou Shibasaki, Tadanobu Asano and Rinko Kikuchi
The Plot: Keanu Reeves stars as Kai, an outsider who - along with the leader of the 47 Ronin - attempts to take down an evil overload who killed their leader. They embark on a quest to restore honor to their homeland and their fellow warriors.
Release Date: November 21, 2012
The Plot: Keanu Reeves stars as Kai, an outsider who - along with the leader of the 47 Ronin - attempts to take down an evil overload who killed their leader. They embark on a quest to restore honor to their homeland and their fellow warriors.
Release Date: November 21, 2012
3. 'Act of Valor'
© 2011 Relativity Media, LLC
Starring: Roselyn Sanchez, Emilio Rivera, Timothy Gibbs, Nestor Serrano, and Alex Veadov
The Plot: Real Navy SEALS are featured in this dramatic film about a squad tasked with trying to free a kidnapped CIA agent and take down a terrorist cell.
Release Date: February 24, 2012
The Plot: Real Navy SEALS are featured in this dramatic film about a squad tasked with trying to free a kidnapped CIA agent and take down a terrorist cell.
Release Date: February 24, 2012
4. 'The Amazing Spider-Man'
© Columbia Pictures
Starring: Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, and Rhys Ifans
The Plot: Once again the Spider-Man franchise is taking audiences back to the origin of the comic book series, this time with life-long Spider-Man fan Andrew Garfield donning the webslinger's costume.
Release Date: July 3, 2012
The Plot: Once again the Spider-Man franchise is taking audiences back to the origin of the comic book series, this time with life-long Spider-Man fan Andrew Garfield donning the webslinger's costume.
Release Date: July 3, 2012
5. 'The Avengers'
© Marvel Studios
Starring: Robert Downey Jr, Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Jeremy Renner, and Scarlett Johansson
The Plot: Superheroes team up to save the world from disaster in The Avengers from director Joss Whedon.
Release Date: May 4, 2012
The Plot: Superheroes team up to save the world from disaster in The Avengers from director Joss Whedon.
Release Date: May 4, 2012
6. 'Battleship'
© Universal Pictures
Starring: Alexander Skarsgard, Taylor Kitsch, and Rihanna
The Plot: Very loosely based on the 'Battleship' board game, this sci-fi action film finds the US Navy having to do battle with alien invaders. I said "loosely," didn't I?
Release Date: May 18, 2012
The Plot: Very loosely based on the 'Battleship' board game, this sci-fi action film finds the US Navy having to do battle with alien invaders. I said "loosely," didn't I?
Release Date: May 18, 2012
7. 'The Bourne Legacy'
Photo of Jeremy Renner by Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images
Starring: Jeremy Renner, Rachel Weisz, Edward Norton, Albert Finney, and Oscar Isaac
The Plot: Bourne screenwriter Tony Gilroy moves into the director's chair with The Bourne Legacy minus Matt Damon and starring Jeremy Renner. Renner isn't Bourne but instead plays another character whose "life-or-death stakes have been triggered by the events of the first three films."
Release Date: August 3, 2012
The Plot: Bourne screenwriter Tony Gilroy moves into the director's chair with The Bourne Legacy minus Matt Damon and starring Jeremy Renner. Renner isn't Bourne but instead plays another character whose "life-or-death stakes have been triggered by the events of the first three films."
Release Date: August 3, 2012
8. 'Bullet to the Head'
© Warner Bros Pictures
Starring: Sylvester Stallone and Sung Kang
The Plot: Based on a graphic novel, Bullet to the Head is the story of a New Orleans hitman (Sylvester Stallone) and a New York City cop who form an alliance to bring down the killers of their respective partners.
Release Date: April 13, 2012
The Plot: Based on a graphic novel, Bullet to the Head is the story of a New Orleans hitman (Sylvester Stallone) and a New York City cop who form an alliance to bring down the killers of their respective partners.
Release Date: April 13, 2012
9. 'The Cold Light of Day'
Photo of Henry Cavill by Alfredo E Rodriguez/Getty Images
Starring: Henry Cavill, Bruce Willis, and Sigourney Weaver
The Plot: Henry Cavill (the new Superman) plays an American whose family is kidnapped while on vacation in Spain. While trying to rescue them, he uncovers a conspiracy.
Release Date: April 6, 2012
The Plot: Henry Cavill (the new Superman) plays an American whose family is kidnapped while on vacation in Spain. While trying to rescue them, he uncovers a conspiracy.
Release Date: April 6, 2012
10. 'The Dark Knight Rises'
© Warner Bros Pictures
Starring: Christian Bale, Tom Hardy, Gary Oldman, Anne Hathaway, and Michael Caine
The Plot: We'll be saying good-bye to Christopher Nolan as the director and Christian Bale as Batman with this third film of their collaborative series. Anne Hathaway joins the franchise as Catwoman and Tom Hardy is Bane.
Release Date: July 20, 2012
The Plot: We'll be saying good-bye to Christopher Nolan as the director and Christian Bale as Batman with this third film of their collaborative series. Anne Hathaway joins the franchise as Catwoman and Tom Hardy is Bane.
Release Date: July 20, 2012
