We are in a golden age for comic book movies as the success of films such as “The Dark Knight” and “The Avengers” have made movies adapted from comic books more popular than ever. With “Captain America: The Winter Soldier” having already hit theaters, and a bevy of other blockbusters on the way, 2014 is shaping up to be the biggest year yet for the genre.

Here are the biggest movies coming out this summer for all you comic aficionados…

The Amazing Spider-Man 2 – Release date: May 2

Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone are back as Peter Parker and Gwen Stacy, respectively, in the sequel to 2012’s “The Amazing Spider-man”, and they are joined by the likes of Jamie Foxx, Paul Giamatti, and Dane DeHaan. Peter is still trying to balance the responsibilities of being a superhero with those of his “normal” life, but he is about to be tested as never before by the nefarious OsCorp.

As the first film mentioned, the head and founder of OsCorp, Norman Osborne, is dying. Harry Osborn, Norman’s son, enters the picture, and the film will presumably reveal how he becomes the Green Goblin. As if one supervillain wasn’t enough. Spidey will also have to contend with Jamie Foxx’s Electro and Paul Giamatti’s Rhino. Judging from the trailers, The Amazing Spider-Man 2 will also shed some more light on what happened to Peter’s parents and the role OsCorp played in their deaths.

Godzilla – Release date: May 16

In case you are somehow unaware, Godzilla is a monstrous, dinosaur-like behemoth with a bit of a grudge against the good people of Japan for some reason. This one isn’t breaking new ground, but that does not mean it can’t be awesome, especially since the cast includes the excellent Ken Watanabe (“The Last Samurai,” “Letters from Iwo Jima) as well as Bryan Cranston and Elizabeth Olsen. Little about the story has been revealed, but Warner Bros. and Legendary Pictures claim this movie is a “powerful story of human courage and reconciliation in the face of titanic forces of nature, when the awe-inspiring Godzilla rises to restore balance as humanity stands defenseless.”

Plus, it figures to have giant monsters wreaking havoc and destruction, which is always fun.

X-men: Days of Future Past – Release date: May 23

This may be the most highly-anticipated film of the summer. Not only are the X-men one of the most popular and beloved group of characters around, the sheer amount of star-power in this movie is mind-boggling. Quick recap: the first three X-men movies are set in the present era and feature the likes of Sir Patrick Stewart, Sir Ian McKellen, Hugh Jackman, Halle Barry, Ellen Page, and Anna Paquin. “X-men: First Class” is set in the 1960s and starred James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, and Jennifer Lawrence.

Days of Future Past combines both of those stellar casts and is a sequel to not only both time lines, but Jackman’s “Wolverine” movies as well.

In order to save the world, the mutants of the present must join forces with their past selves. How that works has yet to be seen, but it will no doubt be awesome.

Guardians of the Galaxy – Release date: August 1

If it is even possible for any movie on this list to be a sleeper hit, then “Guardians of the Galaxy” would be the pick. The other franchises appearing here are well-known, and while the Marvel universe certainly has a broad appeal, the Guardians of the Galaxy lack the name-recognition of many of Marvel’s other heroes.

Starring Chris Pratt (of “Lego Movie” fame), Zoe Saldana, Vin Diesel, Bradley Cooper, John C. Reilly, and Benicio Del Toro, “Guardians of the Galaxy” tells the tale of a ragtag group of unlikely heroes. Peter Quill, aka Star-Lord, is on the run from an unsavory character named Ronan after stealing a mysterious orb, and he teams up with an alien assassin named Gamora, the warrior Drax the Destroyer, and a walking tree-like creature named Groot.

Oh, there is also a gun-wielding raccoon named Rocket.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles – Release date August 8

Unlike the other films on this list, the emotions associated with “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” are not jubilation or excitement. Instead, you are much more likely to encounter things like fear, trepidation, and anger.

Why?

Because Michael Bay is producing this reboot, and his track record has a few, um, red flags.

Bay’s films are known for extensive use of CGI, explosions, and action set pieces while taking some liberty with the story (cough*Pearl Harbor*cough). Many fans were incensed with what he did with the Transformers franchise, so TMNT fans are worried about what he will do with their beloved Heroes in a Half-shell, especially after it was initially announced that they were going to be aliens rather than mutated turtles. Bay has since backed off that stance, but the anxiety remains among the fanbase.

 

[featured image via IGN]