The Summer Blockbuster Season ends in August, but there's still four months of movie-going left for 2011. Here is our preview of the science fiction and fantasy films (as well as a few others that might appeal to genre fans) that will hit the theaters from September through December. The majority of the film info compiled here comes from the Rotten Tomatoes list of upcoming movies with some supplemental info from Wikipedia as well. Where available, we have included links to the official websites for the films below, otherwise we have the link to the movie's Rotten Tomatoes page.
Click Here for the Latest News from Around the Web at The Sci Fi Scroll
September Releases:
Hits Theaters: September 2nd
Category: Science Fiction, Horror
Director: Gonzalo Lopez-Gallego
Cast: Lloyd Owen, Warren Christie
Official Synopsis: Officially, Apollo 17, launched December 17th, 1972 was the last manned mission to the moon. But a year later, in December of 1973, two American astronauts were sent on a secret mission to the moon funded by the US Department of Defense. What you are about to see is the actual footage which the astronauts captured on that mission. While NASA denies its authenticity, others say it's the real reason we've never gone back to the moon.
Our Thoughts: This one has been bumped on the schedule several times now, but we’re looking forward to it finally hitting the theaters
Hits Theaters: September 9th
Category: Mystery & Suspense, Action & Adventure
Director: Steven Soderbergh
Cast: Marion Cotillard, Matt Damon, Jude Law, Gwyneth Paltrow
Synopsis: Contagion follows the rapid progress of a lethal airborne virus that kills within days. As the fast-moving epidemic grows, the worldwide medical community races to find a cure and control the panic that spreads faster than the virus itself. At the same time, ordinary people struggle to survive in a society coming apart.
Our Thoughts: Haven’t seen a good pandemic movie in a while (Carriers was really post-pandemic), so it should be worth a look.
Creature
Hits Theaters: September 9th
Category: Mystery & Suspense, Horror
Director: Fred Andrews , Fred M. Andrews
Cast: Sid Haig, Mehcad Brooks, Serinda Swan
Synopsis: Six friends take a road trip straight to hell when they travel to the Louisiana Bayou to investigate a disturbing local legend. Venture into the backwoods of Louisiana, and odds are it won't be long until you hear the story of Lockjaw. A half-human/half alligator abomination, Lockjaw was born of hate after inbred local Grimley saw his pregnant bride and sister devoured by an alligator, and slew the beast in a fit of rage. Upon consuming the ancient predator, Grimley was transformed into a hideous creature known as Lockjaw that's said to roam the swamps in search of human prey. When a group of curious thrill seekers go searching the marshlands for evidence of Lockjaw, they quickly learn that no one who sees him ever lives to tell the tale.
Our Thoughts: Me-Oh, My-oh! Gonna be great fun on the bayou!
Humans vs. Zombies (Limited Release)
Hits Theaters: September 23rd
Category: Zombie, Science Fiction & Fantasy, Horror
Director: Bryan T. Jaynes
Cast: Madison Burge, Christine Quinn, Chip Joslin, Melissa Carnell
Synopsis: Students on summer break are exposed to a deadly virus, a neuroinvasive organism that is spread rapidly through direct human contact. The Infected are enslaved by the invading "swarm" intelligence and driven by an insatiable appetite to consume human flesh. Returning home, the students spread the infection to their fellow classmates and other unsuspecting townspeople. One by one, more students fall victim to the plague, triggering an epidemic that spawns a horde of ravenous zombies. The zombie horde grows and spreads quickly. Amidst the chaos, a campus security guard, obsessed with conspiracy theories, leads a group of students to safety as they and a small band of uninfected townspeople set out to find other human survivors in an attempt to discover the source of the "zombie" virus and save the world.
Our Thoughts: Yet another twist on the zombie theme. But is it going for B-movie cheese or something more?
Hits Theaters: September 27th
Category: Horror, Comedy
Director: Eli Craig
Cast: Tyler Labine, Alan Tudyk, Katrina Bowden, Jesse Moss
Synopsis: Tucker & Dale vs Evil is a hilariously gory, good-spirited horror comedy, doing for killer rednecks what Shaun of the Dead did for zombies. Tucker and Dale are two best friends on vacation at their dilapidated mountain house, who are mistaken for murderous backwoods hillbillies by a group of obnoxious, preppy college kids. When one of the students gets separated from her friends, the boys try to lend a hand, but as the misunderstanding grows, so does the body count. Tucker & Dale vs Evil has been a hit on the festival circuit, debuting at Sundance, and winning the Midnight Audience Award at SXSW, the Jury Prize for First Feature at Fantasia, the Best Director award at Fantaspoa, and the Best Motion Picture Award at Sitges.
Our Thoughts: Tyler Labine (Reaper) and Alan Tudyk (Firefly, Dollhouse) together? Gotta be worth checking out!
Click Here for the Latest News from Around the Web at The Sci Fi Scroll
October Releases:
Hits Theaters: October 1st
Category: Zombie, Action & Adventure, Horror
Director: Michael Bartlett , Kevin Gates
Cast: Alix Wilton Regan, Philip Brodie, Josh Myers, Vicky Aracio
Synopsis: Three months have passed since a viral outbreak wiped out 99.9% of the world's population, turning its victims into flesh-eating living dead. In the UK, a surviving band of soldiers and civilians have taken refuge at the rural military barracks. Life in this new world is tough and brutal, but hope appears when a high level communication is received from a military base on the coast, telling of sanctuary elsewhere in Europe... But just as salvation appears to be in reach, the base suffers an overwhelming defeat at the hands of the living dead!
Our Thoughts: Never caught the first one, but the sequel surely sounds interesting.
The Dead (Limited Release)
Hits Theaters: October 1st
Category: Zombie, Horror
Director: Howard J. Ford , Jonathan Ford
Cast: Rob Freeman, Glenn Salvage, Dan Morgan, Benjamin C. Akpa
Synopsis: An american soldier teams up with an african soldier to try to make it to safety during the ransacking of Africa by the zombie plague.
Our Thoughts: Two zombie flicks in one weekend (though both with limited release)? We're dying for them to make it to theaters near us!
Real Steel
Hits Theaters: October 7th
Category: Action & Adventure, Science Fiction & Fantasy
Director: Shawn Levy
Cast: Hugh Jackman, Anthony Mackie, Evangeline Lilly, Dakota Goyo
Synopsis: A gritty, white-knuckle, action ride set in the near-future where the sport of boxing has gone high-tech, "Real Steel" stars Hugh Jackman as Charlie Kenton, a washed-up fighter who lost his chance at a title when 2000-pound, 8-foot-tall steel robots took over the ring. Now nothing but a small-time promoter, Charlie earns just enough money piecing together low-end bots from scrap metal to get from one underground boxing venue to the next. When Charlie hits rock bottom, he reluctantly teams up with his estranged son Max (Dakota Goyo) to build and train a championship contender. As the stakes in the brutal, no-holds-barred arena are raised, Charlie and Max, against all odds, get one last shot at a comeback.
Our Thoughts: Hugh Jackman and Robots, sounds like a rip-snorting good time!
Hits Theaters: October 14th
Category: Horror, Science Fiction & Fantasy
Director: Matthijs van Heijningen Jr.
Written By: Ronald Moore
Cast: Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Joel Edgerton, Ulrich Thomsen, Eric Christian Olsen
Synopsis: Paleontologist Kate Lloyd (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) has traveled to the desolate region for the expedition of her lifetime. Joining a Norwegian scientific team that has stumbled across an extraterrestrial ship buried in the ice, she discovers an organism that seems to have died in the crash eons ago. But it is about to wake up. When a simple experiment frees the alien from its frozen prison, Kate must join the crew's pilot, Carter (Joel Edgerton), to keep it from killing them off one at a time. And in this vast, intense land, a parasite that can mimic anything it touches will pit human against human as it tries to survive and flourish. The Thing serves as a prelude to John Carpenter's classic 1982 film of the same name.
Our Thoughts: Is there any way to top John Carpenter’s classic (which already topped the 50’s classic it was based on)?
The Three Musketeers
Hits Theaters: October 21st
Category: Action & Adventure
Director: Paul W.S. Anderson
Cast: Logan Lerman, Ray Stevenson, Luke Evans, Matthew MacFadyen
Synopsis: The hot-headed young D'Artagnan (Logan Lerman) joins forces with three rogue Musketeers (Matthew MacFadyen, Luke Evans and Ray Stevenson) in this reboot of Alexandre Dumas' story. They must stop the evil Richlieu (Christoph Waltz) and face off with Buckingham (Orlando Bloom) and the treacherous Milady (Milla Jovovich). The action adventure is given a state of the art update in 3-D
Our Thoughts: Yeah, it’s not sci fi and maybe not even fantasy, but we know you still want to see it.
Paranormal Activity 3
Hits Theaters: October 21st
Category: Mystery & Suspense, Horror
Director: Henry Joost , Ariel Schulman
Cast: Katie Featherston
Synopsis: The Paranormal Activity franchise continues with this third outing from Paramount Pictures. Oren Peli and Jason Blum return to produce the highly secretive feature, with Catfish's directing duo of Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman taking on the helming duties.
Our Thoughts: Will we be getting a new one of these each year? How far can they drag it out?
Hits Theaters: October 28th
Category: Science Fiction
Director: Andrew Niccol
Cast: Justin Timberlake, Amanda Seyfried, Olivia Wilde, Cillian Murphy
Synopsis: When Will Salas is falsely accused of murder, he must figure out a way to bring down a system where time is money - literally - enabling the wealthy to live forever while the poor, like Will, have to beg, borrow, and steal enough minutes to make it through another day.
Our Thoughts: Could be another rare hard sci fi film in the vein of Niccol's classic Gattaca.
Johnny English Reborn
Hits Theaters: October 28th
Category: Comedy, Mystery & Suspense
Director: Oliver Parker
Cast: Rowan Atkinson, Gillian Anderson, Dominic West, Rosamund Pike
Synopsis: In the years since MI7's top spy vanished off the grid, Johnny English (Rowan Atkinson) has been honing his unique skills in a remote region of Asia. But when his agency superiors learn of an attempt against the Chinese premier's life, they must hunt down the highly unorthodox agent. Now that the world needs him once again, Johnny English is back in action. With one shot at redemption, he must employ the latest in hi-tech gadgets to unravel a web of conspiracy that runs throughout the KGB, CIA and even MI-7. With mere days until a heads of state conference, one man must use every trick in his playbook to protect us all. For Johnny English, disaster may be an option, but failure never is.
Our Thoughts: Dana Scully teams up with Mr. Bean? Seems like a real stretch.
Invasion of the Not Quite Dead (Limited Release)
Hits Theaters: October 31st
Category: Zombie, Horror
Director: Tony Lane
Cast: Zack Galligan, Frank Jakeman, Terry Stone
Synopsis: In 1978 the Welsh Mountains are infected by an alien bacteria. 28 years later a small community must face the threat of an alien invasion of the NOT QUITE dead variety in this spoof of Zom B-MOVIES.
Our Thoughts: We’re betting this one won’t be as much fun as Zombieland, but still possibly worth a look.
Click Here for the Latest News from Around the Web at The Sci Fi Scroll
November Releases:
Hits Theaters: November 2nd
Category: Action & Adventure, Animation, Comedy
Director: Chris Miller
Cast: Antonio Banderas, Salma Hayek, Zach Galifianakis, Amy Sedaris
Synopsis: Shrek's swashbuckling feline gets a solo outing in this DreamWorks Animation production, once again starring the voice talents of Antonio Banderas as Puss in Boots, with Salma Hayek and Zach Galifianakis co-starring.
Our Thoughts: Yeah, they’re trying to squeeze every cent out of the Shrek franchise, but at least they picked one of the better characters to do it with (we won’t stick the fork in the series until the Gingy movie comes out).
Hits Theaters: November 11th
Category: Fantasy, Action & Adventure
Director: Tarsem Singh
Cast: Henry Cavill, Mickey Rourke, Stephen Dorff, Freida Pinto
Synopsis: The brutal and bloodthirsty King Hyperion (Mickey Rourke) and his murderous Heraklion army are rampaging across Greece in search of the long lost Bow of Epirus. With the invincible Bow, the king will be able to overthrow the Gods of Olympus and become the undisputed master of his world. With ruthless efficiency, Hyperion and his legions destroy everything in their wake, and it seems nothing will stop the evil king's mission. As village after village is obliterated, a stonemason named Theseus (Henry Cavill) vows to avenge the death of his mother in one of Hyperion's raids. When Theseus meets the Sybelline Oracle, Phaedra (Freida Pinto), her disturbing visions of the young man's future convince her that he is the key to stopping the destruction. With her help, Theseus assembles a small band of followers and embraces his destiny in a final desperate battle for the future of humanity.
Our Thoughts: Maybe they can do a better job of bringing the Greek Gods to the big screen that last year’s Clash of the Titans remake?
11-11-11
Hits Theaters: November 11th
Category: Horror
Director: Darren Lynn Bousman
Cast: Timothy Gibbs, Michael Landes, Denis Rafter
Synopsis: Director Darren Lynn Bousman explores the so-called "11:11" phenomenon with this enigmatic thriller concerning a best-selling author who stumbles upon a life-changing secret. His wife and young son taken from him in a tragic accident, Joseph begins attending therapy sessions as his estranged father, Richard, a small-town priest, wrestles with a terminal illness. Upon returning home to bid his father farewell, Joseph also reconnects with his wheelchair-bound brother, Samuel, also a man of the cloth. Now, the longer Joseph remains in town, the more frequently the numbers "11:11" begin appearing to him in a vivid series of hallucinations and nightmares. Meanwhile, the congregation of a nearby church begins to experience an onslaught of inexplicable supernatural events. As November of 2011 draws near, it becomes obvious to Joseph that something truly profound is set to occur. But what incredible cosmic secrets will that mysterious date reveal?
Our Thoughts: Well, at least it’s coming out on the right day.
Melancholia (Limited Release)
Hits Theaters: November 11th
Category: Art House, Science Fiction
Director: Lars von Trier
Cast: Kirsten Dunst, Alexander Skarsgård, Kiefer Sutherland, Charlotte Gainsbourg
Synopsis: Justine (Kirsten Dunst) and Michael (Alexander Skarsgård) are celebrating their marriage at a sumptuous party in the home of her sister (Charlotte Gainsbourg) and brother-in-law (Kiefer Sutherland). Meanwhile, the planet, Melancholia, is heading towards Earth... MELANCHOLIA is a psychological disaster movie from director Lars von Trier.
Our Thoughts: Kirsten Dunst (Spider-Man), Alexander Skarsgård (True Blood), and Kiefer Sutherland (24) all together? This indie film may be worth seeking out.
Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1
Hits Theaters: November 18th
Category: Horror, Mystery & Suspence
Director: Bill Condon
Cast: Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner, Ashley Greene
Synopsis: The epic love story between Bella Swan and Edward Cullen continues in part one of the final installment of Stephenie Meyer's best-selling series.
Our Thoughts: What’s left to say (or even make snarky remarks) about this tween vampire series?
Hits Theaters: November 23rd
Category: Comedy, Kids & Family
Director: James Bobin
Cast: Jason Segel, Amy Adams, Chris Cooper, Rashida Jones
Synopsis: On vacation in Los Angeles, Walter, the world's biggest Muppet fan, and his friends Gary (Jason Segel) and Mary (Amy Adams) from Smalltown, USA, discover the nefarious plan of oilman Tex Richman (Chris Cooper) to raze the Muppet Theater and drill for the oil recently discovered beneath the Muppets' former stomping grounds. To stage The Greatest Muppet Telethon Ever and raise the $10 million needed to save the theater, Walter, Mary and Gary help Kermit reunite the Muppets, who have all gone their separate ways: Fozzie now performs with a Reno casino tribute band called the Moopets, Miss Piggy is a plus-size fashion editor at Vogue Paris, Animal is in a Santa Barbara clinic for anger management, and Gonzo is a high-powered plumbing magnate.
Our Thoughts: Come on, it’s the Muppets. You know you want to see it.
Hugo
Hits Theaters: November 23rd
Category: Kids & Family, Science Fiction & Fantasy
Director: Martin Scorsese
Cast: Ben Kingsley, Sacha Baron Cohen, Asa Butterfield, Jude Law
Synopsis: A young orphan living in a Paris train station uncovers a mystery that jeopardizes his secretive way of life in this Martin Scorsese-directed adaptation of Brian Selznick's stunning children's book. The Aviator's John Logan provides the screenplay for the GK Films production, which stars Ben Kingsley, Sacha Baron Cohen, Jude Law, and Christopher Lee.
Our Thoughts: This one definitely has some pedigree to it, so it might be worth a look.
Piranha 3DD
Hits Theaters: November 23rd
Category: Horror
Director: John Gulager
Cast: Danielle Panabaker, Christopher Lloyd, Katrina Bowden, Ving Rhames
Synopsis: There's something in the water . . . again. And this time no one is safe from the flesh eating fish as they sink their razor sharp teeth into the visitors of the best summer attraction, The Big Wet Water Park.
Our Thoughts: Does the double “D” in the title indicate that we will see extra-large breasted, bikini-clad women running screaming from the carnivorous fish?
Arthur Christmas
Hits Theaters: November 23rd
Category: Animation, Kids & Family, Comedy
Director: Sarah Smith , Barry Cook
Cast: James McAvoy, Hugh Laurie, Jim Broadbent, Bill Nighy
Synopsis: Take a trip to the North Pole and discover exactly how Santa Claus makes Christmas magic happen every year in this imaginative comedy for the entire family. Produced by Aardman Features in association with Sony Pictures Animation, this fun-filled holiday film introduces viewers to Santa's mischievous son Arthur, who races to complete an important mission in time to ensure that this year's Christmas celebrations will go off without a hitch.
Our Thoughts: Yet another holiday motion-capture animated film? How many of those have made money so far?
Click Here for the Latest News from Around the Web at The Sci Fi Scroll
December Releases:
Hits Theaters: December 16th
Category: Mystery & Suspense, Action & Adventure
Director: Guy Ritchie
Cast: Robert Downey Jr., Jude Law, Rachel McAdams, Noomi Rapace
Synopsis: Sherlock Holmes (Robert Downey Jr.) has always been the smartest man in the room...until now. There is a new criminal mastermind at large-Professor Moriarty (Jared Harris)-and not only is he Holmes' intellectual equal, but his capacity for evil, coupled with a complete lack of conscience, may actually give him an advantage over the renowned detective. When the Crown Prince of Austria is found dead, the evidence, as construed by Inspector Lestrade (Eddie Marsan), points to suicide. But Sherlock Holmes deduces that the prince has been the victim of murder-a murder that is only one piece of a larger and much more portentous puzzle, designed by one Professor Moriarty.
Our Thoughts: Holmes and Watson return to action, and we mean action, in the sequel to the 2009 hit.
Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol
Hits Theaters: December 21st
Category: Mystery & Suspense, Action & Adventure
Director: Brad Bird
Cast: Tom Cruise, Jeremy Renner, Simon Pegg, Ving Rhames
Synopsis: This is not just another mission. The IMF is shut down when it's implicated in a global terrorist bombing plot. Ghost Protocol is initiated and Ethan Hunt and his rogue new team must go undercover to clear their organization's name. No help, no contact, off the grid. You have never seen a mission grittier and more intense than this. Written By: J.J. Abrams, Josh Applebaum
Our Thoughts: Another action franchise sequel for the holidays.
Hits Theaters: December 23rd
Category: Action & Adventure, Animation, Kids & Family
Director: Steven Spielberg
Cast: Jamie Bell, Daniel Craig, Andy Serkis, Simon Pegg
Synopsis: Paramount Pictures and Columbia Pictures Present a 3D Motion Capture Film The Adventures of Tintin directed by Steven Spielberg from a screenplay by Steven Moffat and Edgar Wright & Joe Cornish. Starring Jamie Bell as Tintin, the intrepid young reporter whose relentless pursuit of a good story thrusts him into a world of high adventure, and Daniel Craig as the nefarious Red Rackham.
Our Thoughts: Steven Spielberg tries to break the motion-capture curse in his big screen adaptation of the internationally renowned comic book character who is still not well-known in the States.
The Darkest Hour
Hits Theaters: December 25th
Category: Science Fiction, Horror
Director: Chris Gorak
Cast: Emile Hirsch, Olivia Thirlby, Max Minghella, Rachael Taylor
Synopsis: The Darkest Hour follows five young people who find themselves stranded in Moscow, fighting to survive in the wake of a devastating alien attack. The 3D action-thriller highlights the classic beauty of Moscow alongside mind-blowing special effects from the minds of visionary filmmaker Timur Bekmambetov (Wanted, Night Watch) and director Chris Gorak.
Our Thoughts: Looks like it could be interesting if it does not tread the same territory as Skyline and Battle: LA.
