2011 Comic Book Movies

A List of 2011 Comic Book Movies

The 2011 movie season is underway, which means comic book fans will have a number of films to choose from. From muscular superheroes wielding enchanted hammers to post-apocalyptic priests hunting down vampires, this list details all the 2011 comic book movies slated to debut this year.

And be sure to check back with Only Good Movies, as the coming months will see us talk more about comic book movies slated for 2012, such as The Avengers and the next film in the Batman franchise. It’s a great time to be a geek.

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The Green Hornet – Seth Rogen stars as Britt Reid, a worthless playboy who spends money just as fast as his newspaper-owning father (Tom Wilkinson) can make it. But when daddy turns up dead, Britt is suddenly forced to grow up. Of course, his idea of “growing up” is different from the average person, as he dons a mask and begins fighting crime alongside his father’s former mechanic (Jay Chou). Christoph Waltz parlays his 2010 Oscar win for Inglourious Basterds into a role as a Russian mobster looking to take over Los Angeles, and Cameron Diaz provides a little sex appeal as Reid’s secretary and love interest. If you’re searching for a comic book movie that plays things straight, then you’ll want to look elsewhere. But if you want plenty of laughs mixed in with your action, be sure to give The Green Hornet a try. Released on January 14th.

Priest – Set on an alternate Earth where humans and vampires have warred for centuries, this horror film is based on a popular comic book series from Korea. Paul Bettany stars as Priest, a holy warrior who breaks his vows in order to track down the undead who’ve kidnapped his niece (Lily Collins). He’s assisted in his quest by a wasteland sheriff (Cam Gigandet) and a former warrior priestess (Maggie Q). Co-stars include Christopher Plummer, Brad Dourif, Karl Urban, and Stephen Moyer. Directed by Scott Stewart, who also worked with Bettany on the supernatural actioner Legion.

Thor – One of the most talked about of all the 2011 comic book movies, Thor stars Chris Hemsworth as an Asgardian god who proves himself to be an arrogant pain in the ass. Because of this, he’s banished to Earth by his father, Odin (Anthony Hopkins), in an effort to teach him humility. But that’s when things get complicated, as half-brother Loki (Tom Hiddleston) decides to make a play for power and send an invasion force to Earth. Directed by Kenneth Branagh, the superior supporting cast includes Natalie Portman, Jaimie Alexander, Colm Feore, Stellan Skarsgard, Ray Stevenson, Idris Elba, Kat Dennings, Rene Russo, and cameos from Stan Lee and J. Michael Straczynski. Scheduled for a May 6th release date.

X-Men: First Class – A prequel to the other three X-Men movies, this film is set in the 1960s and focuses on the friendship and rivalry between Professor Charles Xavier (James McAvoy) and Magneto (Michael Fassbender). The origins of their competing groups are also shown, as Xavier forms the heroic X-Men and Magneto counters with the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants. Directed by Matthew Vaughn, the film co-stars Kevin Bacon, January Jones, Rose Byrne, Ray Wise, Jennifer Lawrence, Lucas Till, and Jason Flemyng. If they get their way, the filmmakers are hoping this will be the first in a new trilogy involving Earth’s most famous super-powered mutants. Releases on June 3rd.

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Green Lantern – Ryan Reynolds is Hal Jordan, a cocky test pilot who’s selected to be the newest member of the galactic peace-keeping force known as the Green Lantern Corps. But as Hal tries to master his powers and overcome his insecurities, a threat named Parallax threatens to disrupt the delicate balance of the universe. And don’t forget about Hector Hammond (Peter Sarsgaard), a brilliant scientist whose experiments drive him mad while granting him vast psionic powers and an oversized cranium. Also starring Mark Strong, Blake Lively, Angela Bassett, Tim Robbins, and Temuera Morrison. Expect plenty of CGI effects and lots of opportunities for Reynolds to show off his talent for playing cocky smartasses.

Transformers: Dark of the Moon – The third film in Michael Bay’s Transformers franchise finds the heroic Autobots and the villainous Decepticons in a race to reach a massive alien spacecraft that rests on the surface of the Moon. Shia LaBeouf returns in the role of Sam Witwicky, while Megan Fox is being replaced by Rosie Huntington-Whiteley as his love interest. Other returning actors include Josh Duhamel, Tyrese Gibson, and John Turturro, while John Malkovich shows up for the first time. If you’re a fan of explosions, jerky camerawork, and racially offensive robots, then be sure to get in line on July 1st.

Captain America: The First Avenger – Scheduled for release on July 22nd, the iconic and patriotic superhero from Marvel finally comes to the big screen (no, I’m not counting that crapfest starring J.D. Salinger’s son). Chris Evans will don the costume and also play Steve Rodgers, the man underneath. Set during World War II, the film will depict Cap’s creation through Project: Rebirth, his friendship with sidekick Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan), and his rivalry with one of Hitler’s most trusted men, The Red Skull (Hugo Weaving). Members of the supporting cast include Hayley Atwell, Toby Jones, Samuel L. Jackson, Stanley Tucci, and Tommy Lee Jones. With a reported budget of $140 million, this sure-fire blockbuster will be continued in 2012’s Avengers movie.

Cowboys and Aliens – Based on the 2006 graphic novel from Platinum Studios, Cowboys and Aliens stars Daniel Craig as Jake Lonergan, a man who wakes up in the Old West with no memory of his past and a mysterious device attached to his wrist. Wandering into the town of Absolution, he learns that he’s a wanted criminal with enemies around every corner, especially Colonel Woodrow Dolarhyde (Harrison Ford). Then alien spacecraft descend from the sky, and the former enemies must join forces, especially when it’s learned that the device on Jake’s wrist holds the key to defeating the invaders. Directed by Jon Favreau (Iron Man 1 and 2), the film also stars Olivia Wilde, Sam Rockwell, Paul Dano, Clancy Brown, Keith Carradine, Abigail Spencer, and Walton Goggins. This weird western releases on July 29th.

Conan the Barbarian – Scheduled for an August 19th release date, this latest tale of Conan the Cimmerian has nothing to do with the previous films starring Arnold Schwarzenegger. Details on the plot are still sketchy at this point, but you can expect Conan (Jason Momoa) to butt heads with a warlord played by Stephen Lang. Rachel Nichols will serve as Conan’s love interest, Ron Perlman plays his father, Rose McGowan is a witch, and MMA fighter Bob Sapp is the villain’s second-in-command. Marcus Nispel (Pathfinder, Friday the 13th) will direct, and he’s referred to the film as his dream project.

That concludes our look at the 2011 comic book movies you can look forward to. Once they’ve been released on DVD or Blu-ray, become a member of Netflix to enjoy them in the privacy of your own home. We do receive a small commission when you sign up, but it doesn’t add anything to your final price.

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