It’s time to talk 2014 blockbusters

I know I spend a lot of time discussing my love for indie movies and documentaries here, but I do love a great blockbuster. Let’s face it: The first part of a year is not exactly prime blockbuster movie time. It’s usually a movie wasteland, a place where crappy films die agonizingly slow deaths as all of us pinch our pennies and plan which films we’ll spend them on once the weather (finally) turns warmer.

But that doesn’t mean that we have absolutely nothing to look forward to between now and May – hardly. There are several notable films opening in coming weeks and months that could very well become blockbusters. I’ve selected several worth mentioning here, in the hopes that maybe at least one (or more) of them will prove worth rushing to the theater to see. Are they all popcorn-worthy? It’s too soon to tell; reviews aren’t out yet. But they’re worth at least mentioning here, and I’d be thrilled if even three or four of these got great enough reviews to get me to my Cineplex.

Need for Speed

Okay, Fast & Furious fans, I know many of you are really looking forward to the latest action flick Need for Speed, starring none other than Aaron Pual as Tobey Marshall, a wrongly imprisoned street racer. Yep, Jessie Pinkman racing cars? I’m down with that. And I bet a lot of other people are too. Between racing drama fans who flock to see the Fast & Furious films and those who’ll turn out to see Need for Speed because this is their favorite EA video game ever, I predict that when this one hits theaters later this week, Need for Speed ticket sales will be outstanding.

Divergent

 When plans for a Divergent film were first announced, I think many of us let out a collective “groan.” No more YA adaptations, Hollywood! Not until you get it right! Look at the Hunger Games franchise, follow its example, Hollywood execs, and then, only then, can we all exhale.

I still don’t know if this film is going to become a mega-blockbuster (a la the aforementioned Hunger Games), but there is a notable early ticket buying frenzy happening – one larger than that seen when the first Twilight film was released. That tells me that this movie will have one whopper of an opening weekend (Divergent starts March 21).

Muppets Most Wanted

How can I mention potential spring blockbuster movies and not include a Muppets movie? Exactly. I can’t. Muppets Most Wanted, the follow up to 2011 The Muppets, hits theaters on March 21. The trailers have been so hilarious, I almost wish we could get more of them – but I think they’re about over, now that MMW is about to come out.

I mean come on, this is the best:

Muppets Most Wanted TV SPOT - Let It Go Review (2014) - Kermit, Ricky Gervais Muppet Movie HD

Adele Dazeem loves this! Google the name if you’re not sure why that’s so hilarious. Trust me, it is.

Captain America: The Winter Soldier

If I had to pick just one of these movies I’m discussing as a sure-fire blockbuster hit, I’d say it’s Captain America: The Winter Solder, without question. This is going to be Marvel’s next blockbuster, and a huge one at that. It’s just one of a string of Marvel films all building to next year’s Avengers: Age of Ultron. Audiences (myself included) will flock to theaters to see this one when it’s released on April 4.

Transcendence

Sci-fi fans, take heart: You’ve got a potentially big film to look forward to next month. Transcendence stars Johnny Depp as artificial intelligence researcher Dr. Will Caster. When Caster downloads his mind into a computer, bizarre things begin happening. And yes, that’s probably way oversimplified, but it’s all I really understand at the moment. Transcendence is on my must-see list, mainly because it marks the long-anticipated directorial debut of Wally Pfister – one of my favorite people in film. Pfister finally went out on his own, after years of working with the (always brilliant) Chris Nolan. Nolan and his wife are executive producers of Transcendence. Expect awesomeness when this movie opens on April 18.

And finally, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention a couple of other potential blockbusters coming out before the summer releases: the Darren Aronofsky-directed Noah (March 28) and Rio 2, the follow up to the wildly successful animated hit Rio (April 11).

Okay, that’s a wrap: Do any of these intrigue you? Which movies do you think are the most likely ones to become bona-fide blockbusters?

Photos courtesy of Digital Spy and Hypable