Ever have one of those dreams where you're totally macking on this hot mutant, only then it turns out she's dead, mainly because you killed her with your huge metal claws, and then you wake up and it's all some sort of uncomfortable metaphor?

Man, we hate it when that happens. Except when it happens in the new YouTube trailer for "The Wolverine." Then it's totally awesome.

Yes, folks, the July 26 release of the somewhat anticipated new Hugh Jackman superhero epic "The Wolverine" is fast approaching, but 20th Century Fox isn't taking anything for granted. That's why they've put out a new trailer that takes all the teasers we've seen to date and combines them into one uber-clip that finally makes the movie actually look pretty cool.

Which it should. After all, this latest installment in the ongoing "X-Men" franchise takes place after the events of the much maligned 2006 trilogy-capper "X-Men: The Last Stand," meaning Wolverine is in full angst mode after killing Jean Grey. And how does one deal with such things? Why, by heading to Japan to face off against hot ninja women, creepy old yakuza scientists and giant killer samurai robots.

So check it out. Because it may be a nightmare for Logan, but it's a dream come true for fanboys everywhere. At last.

That's because our good, clever buddies at FilmDrunk took the new "The Wolverine" trailer and replaced every "SHAWINNNGGG" (copyright "Wayne's World," 1992) sound that is made every time Wolverine's claws come out... with the sound of a slide whistle. And to be completely honest, we can't say it's any better or worse than before, it's just more noticeable. And hilarious.

There are pros and cons to the idea of the sound in the actual movie. For one pro, you have to think Wolverine would get even more enraged (in a good way — like a "Now you're really dead!" way) if he had to hear that noise every time he did it. A solid con, however, would be that we as audience members would have to listen to that sound 20-25+ times every Wolverine movie.

Either way, it's something to consider for the next go-around.

But blockbusters aren't the only kind of movies at the multiplex this summer; they share space alongside quieter, more critically acclaimed fare. And let's face it — inside every loud, attention-grabbing, big-budget action flick or raucous all-star comedy, there's a sensitive, modest indie just waiting to get out. Right?

With that in mind, we've once again reinvented 10 summer blockbusters as smaller, less explosion-heavy films. After all, it's not such a huge leap to see "Fast & Furious 6" as a twee road trip movie about a non-traditional family or "Man of Steel" as the ultimate tale of an outsider wandering the Earth in search of identity and purpose.

Marvel

When the first trailers for "Iron Man 3" hit the interwebs a few months ago, one thing jumped out at fans right away: The debut of Iron Patriot, which is basically a suit of Iron Man armor painted to look like the American flag. Seriously, just when you thought Iron Man couldn't get any cooler, this thing comes along, smashing evil ideologies with the fist of superhero righteousness. U-S-A! U-S-A!

But that kind of got us thinking: Why do we need an Iron Patriot? Isn't Iron Man himself patriotic enough?

With that in mind, we decided to take a look at some of cinema's biggest superheros and rank them from least patriotic to most patriotic — because while truth and justice are nice, you can't have the whole package without The American Way.

8. Thor

So, here's something you should know about Thor: He's not actually human. And technically he's not from our planet at all, hailing instead from the mythical realm of Australia Asgard (sorry, Chris Hemsworth). Now, Thor is quite devoted to his home of Asgard, so in that sense he is patriotic to a degree. But when it comes to the nations of Earth, frankly, we're not sure he even knows his Asgard from his elbow. After all, the dude is an immortal god and has lived long enough to see every country in history rise and fall. Yeah, his sometimes-girlfriend Jane Foster is American, as are most of his buddies in the Avengers. But when Flag Day rolls around, well, we have a feeling Thor will be sitting that one out.

7. Kick-Ass

We know what you're thinking: What could be more quintessentially American than dressing up in a goofy costume and making a fool of yourself on YouTube, as Aaron Johnson did in "Kick-Ass"? But while there's no doubt that Kick-Ass is a red-blooded American boy through and through, there's little sign that he's overtly patriotic. Yes, in the upcoming sequel "Kick-Ass 2" he does hang out with a guy named Colonel Stars and Stripes. But we're not sure Kick-Ass has really spent any time thinking about patriotism one way or another. For now, he's just too busy being a regular kid — who happens to fight crime in his long johns. Maybe once he gets to college and starts taking Civics 101 he'll change his tune.

6. Batman

The thing about Batman is that he's so darn focused on his beloved Gotham City that he doesn't really have much time left to worry about the rest of America. And for good reason. Seriously, have you seen Gotham? That place is a mess! But beyond that, Batman has got to be kind of ticked off at the rest of the country for just letting Gotham get taken over by terrorists in last year's "The Dark Knight Rises." Plus, as we saw in "Batman Begins," Batman ditched the U.S.A. to get all of his training overseas. What, our home grown shadowy killers aren't good enough for you, Bruce? For Batman, the message seems to be clear: America is cool as long as it doesn't get in his way.

5. Wolverine

The man we now know as Wolverine began life as something even stranger and more bizarre than a mutant: he was born a Canadian. And on the surface of things, he doesn't necessarily seem like the most patriotic guy around as he spends his time wandering around in an emo stupor, drinking, smoking and threatening truck drivers with his built-in Swiss army knives. But as we saw in the flashbacks in "X-Men Origins: Wolverine," Logan actually served his country in multiple wars before later becoming a government agent ... which just goes to show that somewhere underneath all that body hair, his heart still pumps out pure maple syrup.

4. Iron Man

When it comes to capitalism, no superhero embodies its ideals like Tony Stark. And we've seen how patriotic Tony can be when it comes to his work as an arms manufacturer. After all, when we first met him in the first scenes of "Iron Man," he was preparing to sell his latest inventions to the U.S. military. Of course, since then he's decided to go on this whole "philanthropist" jag, which has put him at odds with the American government more than once ... so there are some limits. But then again, we're sure Iron Man would tell you that being faithful to our nation's ideals is more important than being faithful to its government. Tony Stark is as American as apple pie, as long as he gets to decide which slice to eat.

3. Green Lantern

All-American test pilot Hal Jordan gets slapped with that "all-American" label for a good reason, and it's not because he was played by Canadian Ryan Reynolds in the 2011 big-screen misfire. With his wholesome brand of go-get-em courage and his devotion to the girl next door (in this case, Blake Lively, who is also his boss), Hal Jordan is a living embodiment of old-fashioned American ideals. Want proof? After being tasked with defending a large section of the galaxy, what does he do? Patrol space? No, he heads right back to America's heartland, presumably to take in a ball game. Sorry, galaxy, but for Hal Jordan, the U.S. of A. comes first.

2. Superman

Like Thor and Wolverine, Superman wasn't born in America. In fact, he wasn't even born on Earth. And yet over the past 75 years, perhaps no character in pop culture has been more closely associated with America than Superman. Based on the "Man of Steel" trailers we've seen, the reasons why are at the heart of Zack Snyder's upcoming reboot: Adopted by a good-hearted midwestern family, Clark Kent learns the importance of truth, justice and the American way, a way of life he strives to protect as only Superman can. Superman's origin has been described as the ultimate immigrant story, and who are we to argue with that?

1. Captain America

Of course, there's no real question which superhero is the most patriotic. The guy's name is Captain America, after all, and he has a friggin' American Flag painted on his chest. And his shield. And probably tattooed on his butt. In fact, he's so associated with the United States that Marvel Studios was concerned that international audiences wouldn't even go to see "Captain America: The First Avenger" when it came out two years ago, which is one reason why it got that clumsy "First Avenger" subtitle in the first place. Luckily for everyone, even international audiences love them some Cap, guaranteeing that a sequel (next year's "Captain America: The Winter Soldier") would be made. All we can say is: Captain America, f**k yeah!

Marvel Films

It's summer, summer, summertime, time to sit back and unwind, as The Fresh Prince once rhymed. Iron Man, Wolverine, Superman and Hit-Girl are suiting up and the AC is pumping as studios trot out their big guns, eager to put butts in the seats with big stars, bigger explosions and lots of numbers after titles.

That's right, nearly a third of our list is sequels, there's even more that didn't make it, and that doesn't even count the reboots and potential franchise-starters in store as we dive headfirst into our glistening pool of summer movie bliss.

30. 'The Internship'

Release Date: June 7
Starring: Vince Vaughn, Owen Wilson
The Scoop: Since 2005 we've been champing at the bit for "Wedding Crashers" duo Vaughn and Wilson to re-team, and now nearly a decade later they're back in … a 90-minute ad for Google? Well, the premise has them pegged as two older salesmen trying to prove their relevance in the digital age by BS-ing their way into a competitive internship at the web browser, where the Gen-Xers butt heads with Gen-Y.

29. 'The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones'

Release Date: Aug. 23
Starring: Lily Collins, Jamie Campbell Bower
The Scoop: Everyone's looking for next "Twilight," and this right here could be it. Collins stars as Clary Fray, an innocent young girl who gets swept up in a whole new world of magic and mysticism. Clary learns she is a half-human/half-angel hybrid known as a Shadowhunter and must do battle with all sorts of baddies, including Jonathan Rhys Meyers as the evil Valentine, who holds a major key to her past.

28. 'White House Down'

Release Date: June 28
Starring: Channing Tatum, Jamie Foxx, Maggie Gyllenhaal
The Scoop: Now that "Olympus Has Fallen" has fallen, it paves the way for director Roland Emmerich ("Independence Day") to do what he does best; namely, destroying the White House. This time around, instead of doing it with one shot of a laser beam, he's taking it apart brick by brick as terrorists invade 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. and Tatum's Capitol security guy is the only one who can get President Sawyer (Foxx) out of deep s**t.

27. 'Fast & Furious 6'

Release Date: May 24
Starring: Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Michelle Rodriguez, Dwayne Johnson
The Scoop: They're back in the cars. This time it's personal? You bet. Dom (Diesel) learns that his perished lady love Letty (Rodriguez) is back from the dead (not in a zombie way) and working with a ruthless gang leader played by Luke Evans. Thusly, The Rock recruits the crew to take the bad guy down with the carrot of a full-pardon dangled as incentive.

26. 'Epic'

Release Date: May 24
Starring: Amanda Seyfried, Beyoncé Knowles, Josh Hutcherson, Colin Farrell
The Scoop: This is large-scale animated adventure from the creators of "Ice Age" offers a massive look at a micro world, where a young teen girl named Mary (Seyfried) gets downsized "Honey I Shrunk the Kids"-style and corralled into a huge battle between the good Leaf Men and evil Boggans. The film nearly jumped ship to Pixar before Fox changed their mind and decided to make it after all, so if this doesn't live up to its name there's gonna be a lot of explaining to do.

25. 'The Bling Ring'

Release Date: June 14
Starring: Emma Watson
The Scoop: Mischief managed indeed. "Harry Potter" star Watson is a girl gone wild as she and a gaggle of loosey-goosey teens decide to form a gang and rob their favorite celebrities, including Paris Hilton, who plays herself. Based on real girls who really robbed Hilton and other really shallow peeps, this will undoubtedly be another snapshot of wealthy excess from "Lost in Translation" Academy Award-winner Sofia Coppola.

24. '2 Guns'

Release Date: Aug. 2
Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Denzel Washington, Paula Patton
The Scoop: Wahlberg. Washington. Where do we sign up? The testosterone-infused pair play a couple undercovers unwittingly investigating each other, who discover they're actually being framed by the CIA in some elaborate scam. If we know our action movies, it's gonna take several wild shootouts and maybe a car chase or two to set things right.

23. 'We're the Millers'

Release Date: Aug. 9
Starring: Jennifer Aniston, Jason Sudeikis, Emma Roberts, Ed Helms
The Scoop: Sudeiekis and Aniston try to recapture some of that "Horrible Bosses" energy with this madcap comedy about a pot dealer who fabricates a family made up of a stripper, a homeless teen and a geeky British kid in order to bring a ton (actually two tons) of weed over the border. This is director Rawson Marshall Thurber's first comedy since 2004's hilarious "Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story," and might we say it's about high time he did another one.

22. 'Before Midnight'

Release Date: May 24
Starring: Ethan Hawke, Julie Delpy
The Scoop: Richard Linklater's other two "Before" movies chronicled cute couple Jesse and Celine as they met cute in Vienna and continued to talk cute nine years later. After another nine-year increment, they're still together and, yes, still cute. Now they have twin girls of their own, with Jesse still experiencing success as a writer while Celine contemplates a change. If early word is any indication, expect another unanimously-praised gab fest from modern masters of the art form.

21. 'After Earth'

Release Date: May 31
Starring: Will Smith, Jaden Smith
The Scoop: Okay, so the last time M. Night Shyamalan delved into fantasy territory we got "The Last Crapbender," but "After Earth" has one key element that enterprise didn't have: Will Smith. The Fresh Prince (when can we start calling him The Fresh King?) is the real mastermind behind this sci-fi adventure, co-writing and producing it and starring alongside real-life progeny Jaden as a father-son team who get stranded on a post-apocalyptic Earth covered head-to-toe with monsters.

20. 'Despicable Me 2'

Release Date: July 3
Starring: Steve Carell, Kristen Wiig, Al Pacino
The Scoop: You wanted more adorable yellow Minions. You got 'em. It's Carell vs. Pacino as the former supervillain takes on a new nemesis in the form of Eduardo so he can say good night to the bad guy. The first "Despicable Me" was a delightful surprise, so let's hope they can deliver another one now that there are actual expectations ... not to mention lots of other animated competition.

19. 'R.I.P.D.'

Release Date: July 19
Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Jeff Bridges, Mary-Louise Parker, Kevin Bacon
The Scoop: Let the "Men in Black" comparisons begin! The trailer essentially plays out like "MiB" with ghosts, but Jeff Bridges' rootin' tootin' sheriff of the hereafter, Roy Pulsipher, is breakin' in his new partner Nick (Ryan Reynolds) in a most unexpected way: inhabiting the bodies of a hot chick and an old Chinese guy, respectively. Nice touch, boys.

18. 'The Hangover Part III'

Release Date: May 24
Starring: Bradley Cooper, Zach Galifianakis, Ed Helms, Melissa McCarthy
The Scoop: The wolf pack is back again, and if you thought "Part II" was a carbon copy of the first one then let it be known that in "Part III" things are coming full circle. Yes, the gang is back in Vegas for a plot that involves a hunt for Ken Jeong's Leslie Chow in exchange for Justin Bartha's Doug, who's being held hostage this time around.

17. 'The Way, Way Back'

Release Date: July 5
Starring: AnnaSophia Robb, Steve Carell, Toni Collette, Sam Rockwell
The Scoop: Nat Faxon and Jim Rash deservedly earned an Oscar (and made fun of Angelina Jolie's dress) for "The Descendents," thus earning their right to make a movie of their own. First love is just one of the items on the menu as 14-year-old Duncan (Liam James) spends summer vacation with his mom and winds up being mentored by a wacky water park manager played by Rockwell.

16. 'Elysium'

Release Date: Aug. 9
Starring: Matt Damon, Jodie Foster, Sharlto Copley, Alice Braga
The Scoop: Neill Blomkamp made his mark with the visionary sci-fi Apartheid parable "District 9" and looks to be making another statement about extreme social stratification with his sophomore effort. Damon plays a soldier who uses a special weaponized suit to attempt access to the title space station where the wealthy receive medical attention and luxury. Sounds like an exclusive spa worth fighting for.

15. 'The Lone Ranger'

Release Date: July 3
Starring: Johnny Depp, Armie Hammer
The Scoop: Whoa, kemosabe, this crazy-ass-looking western could either be fun on the bun … or "Wild Wild West Redux." Even though it's called "The Lone Ranger," this is most definitely Tonto's movie, with Johnny Depp trying to capture some of that Captain Jack lightning in a bottle again with help from original "Pirates" director Gore Verbinski and producer Jerry Bruckheimer. They ride for justice ... and a bigger payday for the sequel.

14. 'The Spectacular Now'

Release Date: Aug. 2
Starring: Shailene Woodley, Miles Teller, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Kyle Chandler
The Scoop: The always-charming Teller ("Project X") plays a high school senior who lives for the moment, but after the budding alcoholic gets dumped by his girlfriend he meets Aimee (Woodley), a nerdy nice girl who dreams about the future. Word out of Sundance has this pegged as a charming, John Hughes-esque tale of teen angst that could very well become the sleeper hit of the summer.

13. 'Now You See Me'

Release Date: May 31
Starring: Jesse Eisenberg, Morgan Freeman, Mark Ruffalo, Michael Caine
The Scoop: "The Prestige" couldn't do it, "The Illusionist" didn't cut it, and Penn & Teller definitely don't got it, so is this going to be the first movie to make magic actually seem cool and sexy? Eisenberg uses his brainy powers to magically steal money and give it out to his audience, unless Ruffalo can stop him (without Hulking out).

12. 'The Purge'

Release Date: May 31
Starring: Lena Headey, Ethan Hawke
The Scoop: After the stunning success of "Sinister," Hawke is on a horror jag, this time pairing with "Game of Thrones" beauty Headey as heads of a family that must protect themselves during a night when anyone can commit a crime consequence-free. That's a scary-ass premise, especially when dudes in creepy masks start banging down your door.

11. 'The World's End'

Release Date: Aug. 23
Starring: Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Rosamund Pike, Martin Freeman
The Scoop: Edgar Wright concludes his loose "Blood and Ice Cream" trilogy that began with "Shaun of the Dead" and continued with "Hot Fuzz." Pegg and Frost are childhood friends who reunite with a few other lads to recreate an epic pub crawl but get caught up in that whole apocalypse deal. Actually, we're not sure if that apocalypse is natural, biblical, robotic or alien as extreme secrecy shrouds the project, but considering this team has never let us down we don't know why they'd start now.

10. 'World War Z'

Release Date: June 21
Starring: Brad Pitt
The Scoop: It's the first epic zombie movie, and we do mean EPIC. You could have made twenty low-budget zombie movies for what this one cost, but for that price tag you get a shaggy-haired Brad Pitt as a UN guy globetrotting to find a cure for the zombie hordes that are toppling whole societies as they form into massive swarms we call "zombie globs." Gross. Based on the popular novel by Max Brooks, who's Mel's son ... but don't expect the zombies to suddenly burst into "Springtime For Hitler."

9. 'The Wolverine'

Release Date: July 26
Starring: Hugh Jackman, Famke Janssen, Will Yun Lee
The Scoop: After several false starts, including original director Darren Aronofsky dropping out, this stand-alone adventure finds Jackman's Logan arriving in Japan where an old friend offers to give him the gift of mortality. That's just in time for him to take on the entire Yakuza in a battle over the love of Mariko (Tao Okamoto), where he just may find his mutant healing powers handy. This adaptation of the classic Chris Claremont/Frank Miller story from the '80s has the distinct advantage of not possibly being any worse than the last Wolverine outing.

8. 'Kick-Ass 2'

Release Date: Aug. 16
Starring: Chloë Grace Moretz, Jim Carrey, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Christopher Mintz-Plasse
The Scoop: The first "Kick-Ass" gave new meaning to the term "child endangerment," as every bad guy in that movie got endangered by Moretz's pint-sized assassin Hit-Girl. Now she and Dave (Taylor-Johnson) will join forces with underground crimefighters led by reformed mobster Colonel Stars and Stripes (Carrey) to battle an army of supervillains led by McLovin himself.

7. 'The Great Gatsby'

Release Date: May 10
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Carey Mulligan, Joel Edgerton, Tobey Maguire
The Scoop: F. Scott Fitzgerald's time-honored literary masterpiece gets an MTV-friendly makeover as "Moulin Rouge!" helmer Baz Luhrmann goes hog-wild with his usual lavish sets and anachronistic soundtrack, courtesy of Jay-Z. This jazz age chronicle of new money clashing with old in the roaring '20s has DiCaprio's Gatsby trying to reignite the love he and Daisy Buchanan (Mulligan) once had, with a little help from Maguire's Nick Carraway.

6. 'Monsters University'

Release Date: June 21
Starring: John Goodman, Billy Crystal, Helen Mirren, Steve Buscemi
The Scoop: Pixar has made more than their fair share of sequels, with "Finding Dory" on the way, but this represents their first attempt at a prequel. This is perhaps Goodman and Crystal's only chance to play younger, thinner versions of themselves as Sulley and Mike embark on an intense curriculum as they frat, prank and scare their way through college. Big kegger at Monster House!

5. 'This Is the End'

Release Date: June 12
Starring: James Franco, Jonah Hill, Seth Rogen, Jay Baruchel, Danny McBride, Craig Robinson
The Scoop: It's the Apatow gang's "Avengers"-style team-up movie, as Franco, Rogen, et al. play themselves trapped in a Hollywood mansion as the Biblical apocalypse ravages the world. They're forced to fight over the last Milky Way bar, drink their own urine and survive some serious calamities, including having their supplies stolen by Emma Watson.

4. 'Star Trek Into Darkness'

Release Date: May 17
Starring: Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Zoe Saldana, Benedict Cumberbatch
The Scoop: Captain's Log, Stardate AWESOME. Kirk, Spock, McCoy and all the rest are back for another go-round in the lens flare-riddled universe of J.J. Abrams' "Star Trek." Unlike most previous "Trek"s, this one seems to emphasize Earth-bound action as John Harrison (Cumberbatch) enacts a catastrophic revenge scheme on the federation. Abrams swears up-and-down Harrison isn't Kahn, but do you honestly trust this guy? | Watch the trailer

3. 'Man of Steel'

Release Date: June 14
Starring: Henry Cavill, Amy Adams, Michael Shannon, Russell Crowe
The Scoop: Ever since Richard Donner's 1978 take on the Last Son of Krypton we've been consistently let down by Superman on the big screen, but director Zack Snyder and producer Christopher Nolan are looking to end the big blue boy scout's losing streak with an epic modern re-imagining. Cavill's Clark Kent goes on a long, bearded spiritual journey before taking up the cape, with an intrepid/sexy Daily Planet reporter and an evil Kryptonian general both hot on his heels.

2. 'Pacific Rim'

Release Date: July 12
Starring: Charlie Hunnam, Idris Elba, Charlie Day
The Scoop: Guillermo del Toro is gonna layeth the smacketh DOWN this summer. It's mechas vs. kaijus, or robots vs. monsters for the layman, all on a scale never before dreamed of by fans of Japanese "Godzilla" movies. Early word says this could be the next "Star Wars," or simply the $150-million-dollar version of a deranged little boy playing with his toys in the bathtub. Either way, we're there.

1. 'Iron Man 3'

Release Date: May 3
Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Guy Pearce, Gwyneth Paltrow, Don Cheadle
The Scoop: Okay, maybe we've seen this movie already and maybe we haven't, but just maybe it will rock your rocket boots off. It seems this time around Tony Stark has to go mano-a-mano with his most fearsome foe yet, the Mandarin (Ben Kingsley), all while trying to figure out where he stands in the eternal triangle between himself, Pepper Potts (Paltrow) and those many lovely suits of armor of his.

The Runners-Up:

MAY
Michael Shannon plays real-life contract killer/mass murderer/family man Richard Kuklinski in "The Iceman" (May 3); Craig Robinson gets a rare starring role as a dude trying to impress his fiancé's family in "Peeples" (May 10); Greta Gerwig does the Noah Baumbach two-step as an enthusiastic hipster in "Frances Ha" (May 17); and three quirky boys run away and build their own lair in the woods in "The Kings of Summer" (May 31).

JUNE
Joss Whedon does the Bard proud with his modern-dress Shakespeare adaptation "Much Ado About Nothing" (June 7); Sandra Bulloch and Melissa McCarthy play good cop/psycho cop in "The Heat" (June 28); Pedro Almadovar sets his latest farce aboard a doomed airplane in "I'm So Excited" (June 28); and Saoirse Ronan and Gemma Arterton make a "Twilight" for smart people in vampire flick "Byzantium" (June 28).

JULY
Adam Sandler and his buddies use the term "grown up" loosely in  "Grown Ups 2" (July 12); Bruce Willis and his geriatric pals lock and load for "Red 2" (July 19); real-life paranormal investigators The Warrens are called in to reckon with "The Conjuring" (July 19); Ryan Gosling bangs guys up in Bangkok's underworld in "Only God Forgives" (July 19); and Woody Allen brings us more neurotic delights with "Blue Jasmine" (July 26).

AUGUST
More Spartans means more greased-up abs in "300: Rise of an Empire" (Aug. 2); "Disney's Planes" (Aug. 9) cashes in on whatever dollars they left on the table after "Cars"; the fantasy gravy train keeps rolling on as we set sail for "Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters" (Aug. 9) and Aubrey Plaza has a lot of sex on the agenda in "The To Do List" (Aug 16). Finally, it's not looking good for you (if you're the killers) in the late-summer horror revenge-fest "You're Next" (Aug. 23).

Yesterday, with much fanfare, we proudly presented the first teaser clip for the upcoming superhero blockbuster "The Wolverine." And it was pretty much the most exciting 20 seconds of your entire life, right? Well, if you thought that was cool, then buckle up, because now thanks to YouTube, we've got the entire full-length international trailer for you.

And if you thought the first "Wolverine" tease was grim n' gritty, wait until you get a load of this new angst.

Of course, hardcore Wolverine fans have been wondering just what angle star Hugh Jackman and director James Mangold were going to take on their loose adaptation of the classic 1982 Chris Claremont-Frank Miller comic that sent Logan to Japan to fight ninjas. And now we know the answer: Turns out Wolverine is seeking a way to become mortal and remove the "curse" of immortality forever.

Which... well, that's one direction they could go with it, sure. Frankly, we kind of prefer our Wolverine to be a butt-kicking badass not a mopey emotional wreck; that's why we were disappointed in the first one.

Still, this trailer does have some pretty sweet action going for it, including motorcycles riding on rooftops, a creepy woman ripping her own face off and, of course, those wonderful ninjas. So here's hoping this film ends up being as cool as its hardcore fanbase wants it to be. Otherwise, well, let's just say that Wolverine isn't the only one ready to fly into a berserker rage.

Wolverine is the best there is at what he does, but what he does isn't very nice. Unless, of course, you're talking about standing around and looking really buff and enigmatic and broodingly hot. Then in that case, what Wolverine does is actually kind of nice after all.

At least, that was our feeling after getting a peek at the brand new still photo of Hugh Jackman's tortured superhero in "The Wolverine."

Courtesy of Total Film, here comes your newest screensaver: Wolverine looking wicked grim while standing somewhere in Japan.

Of course, we're not quite sure why he's so grumpy. After all, Japan is a very nice place to visit. Though it's true that most tourists don't end up falling in love with the boss of a giant Japanese crime cartel, who then sends ninjas and superpowered assassins to kill everybody.

But hey, whatever. When you're a mutant killer, that comes with the territory. Here's a look at what's in store for fans when "The Wolverine" hits theaters on July 26.

Marvel

"Texas Chainsaw 3D" is 2013's inaugural sequel in a year chock full of them (29 in all). With this much franchise volume in one year, it's good to keep some perspective in terms of which series we're primed for ... and which ones shouldn't have had a first movie to begin with.

From the bad to the rad, here's our rundown of all the follow-ups fans have been clamoring for — or haven't, as the case may be. Prioritize your sequel viewing, people.

29. 'The Smurfs 2' (July 31)

Sony

The first "Smurfs" was a true-blue atrocity, taking Peyo's beloved children's characters and having them skateboard and rap their way through FAO Schwartz. Expect even more lowest common denominator-ing and product placement as Neil Patrick Harris and our heroes smurf around Paris searching for a kidnapped Smurfette ... and their agent so they can fire him.

28. 'The Haunting in Connecticut 2: Ghosts of Georgia'

Gold Circle Films

We nearly forgot about this horror sequel, especially since it has NOTHING TO DO with the original "Haunting in Connecticut." It also has perhaps the most moronic title since "Larry the Cable Guy: Health Inspector." Since it involves a little girl who senses the spirits of murdered slaves, why not call it a sequel to "Django Unchained" while we're at it? Abigail Spencer and Chad Michael Murray will trudge their way through this potentially direct-to-DVD cheapie.

27. 'The Last Exorcism Part II' (March 1)

CBS Films

Hey, wait a minute ... wasn't it supposed to be the LAST exorcism? This found footage horror franchise might last forever if the possession business is truly booming. Ashley Bell is back for more demonic devilry as the unfortunate Nell Sweetzer, who after giving birth to a satanic baby in the previous film is trying to make a fresh start of her life in a new town. Riiiiight ... that'll happen.

26. 'Grown Ups 2' (July 12)

Sony

Yet another excuse for Adam Sandler and his buddies to hang out together on the studio's dime, this one finds the Sand Man along with Chris Rock, David Spade, Rob Schneider and Kevin James facing off against some rowdy frat boys. As if we didn't already know these guys were entering their twilight years of being funny, "Twilight" star Taylor Lautner also appears as the leader of the frat.

25. 'Scary Movie 5' (April 12)

The Weinstein Company

Talk about resurrecting the dead. We felt confident that the stale comedic antics of this parody series had been laid to rest in 2006, but the new one offers oh-so timely parodies of "Black Swan," "Child's Play," "127 Hours," "Final Destination," "The Hunger Games" and the inevitable "Paranormal Activity." Director Malcolm D. Lee (Spike's cousin) is a competent dude but probably won't bring anything new to the table besides that Charlie Sheen/Lindsay Lohan scene.

24. 'Texas Chainsaw 3D' (Jan. 4)

Lionsgate

This is the seventh film in a franchise that has only served to water down the potency of Tobe Hooper's 1974 splatterpiece, but how could producers resist the temptation to have Leatherface and Co. take a stab at the third dimension? Word is that despite this being a 20-years-later direct follow-up to the original, it doesn't add any new dimension to the characters, offering only standard slaughterhouse thrills. Expect this movie to bore ... a hole in your skull.

23. 'Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters' (Aug. 16)

Warner Bros.

Straight from the "Sequels Nobody Wanted" file comes Logan Lerman returning as the demigod son of Poseidon as he continues his battle with dyslexia. Also, mythological creatures. 2010's "The Lightning Thief" barely made enough money to take the bus back home, but Rick Riordan's YA books are popular enough that Fox thinks it can defibrillate this wannabe "Harry Potter" back to life.

22. 'Fast Six' (May 24)

Universal

How many high-speed heists can these guys really pull off? Having officially outpaced "Smokey and the Bandit" by three sequels, Vin Diesel busts out the wifebeater, Paul Walker brings the bland and Michelle Rodriguez comes back from the dead as the vehicular mayhem likely causes another pile-up at the box office. Hiring on badass "Haywire" star Gina Carano to be part of Dwayne Johnson's team might be the only saving grace of an increasingly ludicrous series (which also features Chris "Ludacris" Bridges).

21. 'The Best Man 2' (Nov. 15)

Universal

The second sequel of the year from Malcolm D. Lee, only this time he's following up on his own handywork on 1999's well-received debut "The Best Man." While it has yet to begin shooting, the plan is to follow the original characters played by the ensemble known as the "Black Pack": Sanaa Lathan, Nia Long, Regina Hall, Monica Calhoun, Taye Diggs, Terrance Howard and Morris Chestnut.

20. '300: Rise of an Empire' (Aug. 2)

Warner Bros.

THIS IS A CASH GRAB ... uh, we mean ... SPARTA! How do you do another film when literally everyone in Zack Snyder's original "300" got skewered by Persians? Expect plenty more beefcake shish kebab as the film covers not one but THREE historic Greek battles (Artemesium, Marathon and Salamis) as well as the origin of androgynous "God King" Xerxes ... as if we care.

19. 'Cloudy 2: Revenge of the Leftovers' (Sept. 27)

Sony

Taking place directly after the first film, this sequel to "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs" brings Flint Lockwood (Bill Hader) and his pals back to their hometown to battle with mutant food beasts created by his machine. Those creatures include hungry tacodiles, shrimpanzees and apple pie-thons ... let the pun fun begin!

18. 'Insidious Chapter 2' (Aug. 30)

FilmDistrict

The team of writer Leigh Whannell and director James Wan continue with their ongoing mission to scare the bejeepers out of us ... and Patrick Wilson. Wilson (who also stars in Wan's "The Conjuring" this year) and Rose Byrne are back as the unfortunate Lambert family still coping with declining property value after the whole haunting thing from the last movie. It's a buyers market, guys.

17. 'Paranormal Activity 5' (Oct. 25)

Paramount

This thing just keeps going, doesn't it? All we know about this fivequel is that A) Katie Featherstone is back, B) she's still possessed by that demon, and C) it's gonna make enough money to send 1000 kids to college. That demon has taken up residence in Katie's soul for so long now we can officially label it a squatter.

16. 'The Hangover Part III' (May 24)

Warner Bros.

The first film was a gas, the second was a pill and by the end of this one you might wish all four of these guys had died of alcohol poisoning. The Wolf Pack of Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, Zach Galifianakis and the ever-useless Justin Bartha return to the site of their initial debauchery, Las Vegas, as well as the party capital of Mexico, Tijuana. This time out they have to rescue Galifianakis from a mental hospital ... and somehow find a way to get drunk in the process. The increasingly mean-spirited Todd Phillips is behind the camera for the third and (hopefully) final time.

15. 'A Good Day to Die Hard' (Feb. 14)

Fox

Yippee ki-yay Valentine's Day. Bruce Willis returns as "the 007 of Plainfield, New Jersey," John McClane, and not even God knows what he's doing. The wisecrackin' cop comes to Moscow for the borscht but stays for the explosive terrorism as he teams up with John Jr. (Aussie hunk Jai Courtney) to battle bad guys and make with the quips. In a year when Willis is appearing in three major sequels, the fact that we're looking forward to "Die Hard 5" the least is a bad sign, but we can thank a generic trailer and a piss-poor previous installment for that.

14. 'The Wolverine' (July 26)

Fox

We were just a teensy bit more excited for this flick when Darren Aronofsky was at the helm, but word from the set has this sixth film in the "X-Men" saga pegged as a potential mutant masterpiece. Based on Chris Claremont and Frank Miller's classic 1982 mini-series that put the surly Logan (Hugh Jackman) in a samurai showdown with the Japanese Yakuza over honor ... and the boss's daughter. Yowza. Hopefully the Kurosawa-inspired action will slice away traumatic memories of the first "Wolverine" solo adventure.

13. 'RED 2' (Aug. 2)

Summit

Having enjoyed the first one immensely, we're pretty sure "RED" stands for "Retired and Extremely Delightful." Bruce Willis and his cadre of former CIA black ops fogies are bound for a European adventure, and time around the bad guy is Hannibal Lecter incarnate, Anthony Hopkins ... but anyone who saw the original knows it's all about the Helen Mirren with a gun factor. John Malkovich and Mary-Louise Parker also return, with Catherine Zeta-Jones bringing her menopausal class to the proceedings.

12. 'G.I. Joe: Retaliation' (March 29)

Paramount

Yo Joe! Don't tell anyone, but "The Rise of Cobra" was one of our favorite blockbusters of the last few years, if only because it unashamedly flaunted how stupid it was. The hairbrained antics of the Joes march on as Cobra takes over the White House and kills all but a handful of the elite super soldiers. To retaliate, Roadblock (Dwayne Johnson) and Lady Jaye (Adrianne Palicki) recruit the toy soldier that started it all: General Joseph Colton (Bruce Willis). This one was delayed for eight months so Paramount could add 3-D and up the Channing Tatum quotient after America suddenly realized they liked Tatum after all.

11. 'Riddick' (Sept. 6)

Universal

It's rather rare that a movie that ultimately bombed (the rather cool "The Chronicles of Riddick") would get a shot at box office redemption, but Vin Diesel leveraged all his "Fast and Furious" muscle to usher in the return of the ferocious Furian. Diesel worked for scale so he and director David Twohy could drop Riddick in the middle of another hellhole planet where he'll encounter rival mercs after his head ... as well as creatures that will make the nasties from "Pitch Black" look like a litter of puppies.

10. 'Despicable Me 2' (July 3)

Universal

Steve Carell reprises his voice role as Gru, the evil mastermind with a heart of gold, but more importantly those adorable little falsetto Minions provide more mischievous comic relief. New to the fold in the recording booth are Steve Coogan and Al "HOO-HAH!" Pacino as Gru's nemesis.

9. 'Sin City: A Dame to Kill For' (Oct. 4)

Dimension

After eight long years, Robert Rodriguez has finally re-teamed with comic creator Frank Miller for more rain-soaked neo noir. Like the original film, the sequel will be split into several short stories that are loosely tied together with recurring characters and settings; Jessica Alba will again seduce us with her pole dancing as the delicious Nancy, while Mickey Rourke piles on the makeup once more to reprise the brutal powerhouse that is Marv.

8. 'The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug' (Dec. 13)

Warner Bros.

Even as it rakes in more gold than Erebor, "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey" left much to be desired in terms of story momentum, so let's hope Peter Jackson can tighten the running time and go easy on the bloated FX scenes. Yeah, right. The best we can hope for is the fabulous Martin Freeman having a little more to do this time, and that greedy fire-breather Smaug turns out to be the best cinematic dragon in movie history. We remain cautiously optimistic that Jackson can deliver on both fronts.

7. 'The Hunger Games: Catching Fire' (Nov. 22)

Lionsgate

Francis Lawrence (no relation to star Jennifer) of "I Am Legend" fame takes over the directorial reigns from Gary Ross and hopefully will tone down all the distracting shaky-cam business from the first film. This second installment finds Katniss Everdeen plunged back into the battle arena for the Quarter Quell, in which previous Hunger Games winners are forced to combat each other while a rebellion against the evil Capitol brews.

6. 'Thor: The Dark World' (Nov. 8)

Marvel

By the power of Grayskull! (Whoops, wrong thing.) Marvel's mightiest Norseman had a trippy, cosmic first outing, and we dug it, but "Game of Thrones" director Alan Taylor has promised to bring a more grounded feel to the world of Asgard and the other Nine Realms. Chris Hemsworth and Tom Hiddleston continue to hammer out their brotherly feud as Thor and Loki, while Natalie Portman's Jane Foster is back for more smoochin' with her boyfriend who also happens to be a mythical god. Former "Doctor Who" Christopher Eccleston will cause Thor headaches as Malekith the Accursed, ruler of the Dark Elves of Svartalfheim.

5. 'Monsters University' (June 21)

Pixar

Yes, the mighty braintrust at Pixar has been slacking lately in the originality department, but that's no reason why we shouldn't celebrate the return of Sulley and Mike from 2001's utterly brilliant "Monsters Inc." For Pixar's first prequel, we learn how the monstrous pair (voiced by John Goodman and Billy Crystal) went from frat brothers to rivals to best buds as college freshmen. We also appreciate perhaps the only instance where John Goodman can play a younger, thinner version of a character he previously played.

4. 'Star Trek Into Darkness' (May 17)

Paramount

In 2009 J.J. Abrams boldly went where no filmmaker has gone before: Making a "Star Trek" movie even jocks and women could like. As much as Abrams won fans (both old and new) over, though, this sequel really needs to cement the new Kirk/Spock relationship between Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto, as well as up the sci-fi ante. Hopefully Benedict Cumberbatch's John Harrison will provide "Wrath of Khan"-style villainy, and Simon Pegg's Scotty will get more screen time. Also, is it too much to ask for a Tribble or two?

3. 'Kick-Ass 2' (June 28)

Lionsgate

Matthew Vaughn's "Kick-Ass" stands as possibly the funniest and most irreverent deconstruction of superhero mythology yet, and Christopher Mintz-Plasse taking up the mantle of supervillain at the end had us primed for a follow-up. Here we are three years later, with Hit-Girl (Chloe Moretz) turning into a Hit-Woman, and Aaron Johnson's dweeby Kick-Ass joining an amateur hour justice league led by none other than Jim Carrey as mobster-turned-born-again-Christian Colonel Stars and Stripes.

2. 'Iron Man 3' (May 3)

Marvel

Ol' Shellhead returns to the screen a mere year after rocking New York in "The Avengers," only this time he can't call on Norse gods or green rage monsters to save his ass. Marvel is in the fortunate position that nearly ANYTHING would be better than the mess that was "Iron Man 2," though reteaming Robert Downey Jr. with his "Kiss Kiss Bang Bang" collaborator Shane Black all but guarantees a rejuvenated franchise. Ben Kingsley's über bad guy The Mandarin will lend terrorist chic to the proceedings ... and give Tom Hardy's Bane a run for his money in the funny voice department.

1. 'Anchorman: The Legend Continues' (Dec. 20)

Paramount

Great Odin's Raven! The smell of Sex Panther by Odeon could only mean that the Channel 4 news team is back in action, and it's gonna be out of sight. Sequelizing the most quoted movie of the 2000s is no easy feat, but director Adam McKay and producer Judd Apatow have blown the conch shell and assembled everyone who made the first one so legendary, including Will Ferrell, Paul Rudd, David Koechner and Steve Carell as the weatherman with a 48 IQ. No plot details to speak of, but McKay has teased Bowling for Dollars and a custody battle. Does that mean Burgundy Jr.?

Warner Bros.

Man, 2012 was a pretty darn good year for films, right? "The Avengers," "Lincoln," "The Hunger Games," "Silver Linings Playbook," seriously, we could go on and on, as this past year has been one of the best in recent memory.

And that has us even more amped up to see what Hollywood does for an encore. Sure, 2013 has some pretty big shoes to fill, but there are always news movies to see, new adventures to experience, new stars to meet and new pop culture obsessions waiting to be born.

So with that in mind, we've put together our list of the top 50 Movies We’re All About in 2013. Because last year is just so last year.

50. 'The Lone Ranger'

Release Date: July 3
Starring: Johnny Depp, Armie Hammer, Tom Wilkinson
The Scoop: Sure, on the face of it, this one looks a little iffy; after all, the Lone Ranger may have been wildly popular in the 30's and 40's thanks to his radio and TV shows, but last we checked, that was a long time ago. Still, masked heroes do appear to be the in thing these days and if there's one thing we've learned over the past decade, it's that Johnny Depp can always be trusted to turn in a performance that is at least interesting. Plus, he's reuniting with "Pirates of the Caribbean" director Gore Verbinski and has "The Social Network's" Armie Hammer on board as well. We're curious to see if they can make the Lone Ranger relevant for the 21st century. 

49. 'The Internship'

Release Date: June 7
Starring: Owen Wilson, Vince Vaughn, Will Ferrell
The Scoop: If you want to know why we're excited about this one, take a second look at that cast list. Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn have individually made some decent films since 2005's "Wedding Crashers," but neither has ever fully lived up the the high bar that film set in kicking off the R-rated comedy boom. With "The Internship," though, not only are they reuniting for a story about a couple of 40-somethings who become interns at a youth-oriented internet startup, they are also promoting Will Ferrell — who had an epic cameo in "Wedding Crashers" — to full-fledged co-star.    

48. 'Malavita'

Release Date: October 18
Starring: Robert De Niro, Tommy Lee Jones, Michelle Pfeiffer
The Scoop: Robert De Niro has a knack for self-parody, regularly spoofing his own reputation for doing mob flicks (see: "Analyze This"). So "Malavita" should be right up his alley, as he plays the head of a mob family who are relocated to France as part of the witness protection program. Once there, though, they learn that old habits die hard, as De Niro is soon up to his old tricks in his new town. French director Luc Besson is on hand to make sure the setting is accurate, while Tommy Lee Jones and Michelle Pfeiffer help round out an excellent cast. Fresh off "Silver Linings," this De Niro guy may have some promise as an actor after all. 

47. 'Paranoia'

Release Date: October 4
Starring: Liam Hemsworth, Gary Oldman, Harrison Ford
The Scoop: Liam Hemsworth has had some minor roles in some major films ("The Hunger Games," "The Expendables 2"), but with "Paranoia" he steps into lead role shoes, appearing alongside heavyweights Gary Oldman and Harrison Ford as a young and ambitious businessman who gets himself caught between caught between a rock and a hard place when he's asked by one to spy on the other. Corporate intrigue is interesting, but seeing Hemsworth go head-to-head with two of the top actors in Hollywood is even more interesting. We're eager to see if Hemsworth can make the leap to prime time player with this one.

46. 'Rush'

Release Date: September 20
Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Daniel Bruhl, Olivia Wilde
The Scoop: Between "Thor," "The Avengers" and "Snow White and the Huntsman," most movie fans think or Chris Hemsworth as an action movie star. Which he totally is. But in "Rush," he takes on action of a different sort, trading his hammer for a steering wheel in this drama about the dangerous life of Formula One racing. Based on a true story, 'Rush" stars Daniel Bruhl as Niki Lauda, who in 1976 was nearly killed in a terrible accident, only to return to the track mere weeks later in an attempt to best his arch-rival (that's Hemsworth). Sometimes you don't need a costume to be heroic.

45. 'Prisoners'

Release Date: September 20
Starring: Hugh Jackman, Jake Gyllenhaal, Paul Dano
The Scoop: Hugh Jackman has set himself up for quite a year, first with the superhero blockbuster "The Wolverine" (more on that later down our list) and then this collaboration with director Denis Villeneuve, who previously wowed critics with his Oscar-nominated film "Incendies." Here Jackman plays a working class Boston dad whose daughter is kidnapped; when the authorities can't find her, Jackman takes on the task herself, targeting the man who he believes abducted her. But does he have the right guy? If you were wondering what "Taken" might have looked like if it had been done as a serious indie drama instead of a bullet-slinging action fest, "Prisoners' will provide the answer.

44. 'Oblivion'

Release Date: April 19
Starring: Tom Cruise, Morgan Freeman, Andrea Riseborough
The Scoop: 2013 is shaping up to be a really boffo year for movies about people living on a future, ruined Earth (see: "After Earth" and "Elysium," both of which are also on our list). This edition features Tom Cruise as a guy who returns to the abandoned Earth to repair some clean-up droids — you know, like WALL-E — only to discover that Earth isn't quite as abandoned as he thought. Morgan Freeman plays the leader of a band of survivors who harbor a terrible secret that could threaten society itself. Our guess? Scientology.

43. 'Movie 43'

Release Date: January 25
Starring: Emma Stone, Stephen Merchant, Richard Gere, a billion other people
The Scoop: So what would happen if you got just about everybody in Hollywood to appear in the same film together, lampooning themselves, each other and the movie business in general? "Movie 43," it seems. Consisting of a dozen interconnected segments co-directed by the likes of Elizabeth Banks, Bob Odenkirk and Brett Ratner, "Movie 43" features everyone from Gerard Butler, Anna Faris and Hugh Jackman to Naomi Watts, Liev Schreiber and Christopher Mintz-Plasse. We're already laughing just thinking about the possibilities.  

42. '42'

Release Date: April 12
Starring: Chadwick Boseman, Harrison Ford, Christopher Meloni
The Scoop: Yes, our pick for number 42 on our list is the movie "42." What else would you expect from the answer to the ultimate question? This one has more than just an inside nerd joke going for it, though; it also stars Chadwick Boseman as one of baseball's greatest legends, Jackie Robinson, in a story about how he broke the sport's color barrier and became a national icon and force for societal change as a result. Harrison Ford co-stars as Branch Rickey, the Brooklyn Dodgers manager who signed Robinson after years of looking for the right man to cross — and erase — one of racism's most prominent lines.

41. 'Epic'

Release Date: May 24
Starring: Amanda Seyfried, Josh Hutcherson, Beyonce Knowles
The Scoop: Director Chris Wedge, who helmed the first "Ice Age" film, returns once again to the world of animation for this big budget effort about a girl named Mary who is thrust into a magical world. Amanda Seyfried provides the voice of Mary, while Josh Hutcherson, Beyonce Knowles, Colin Farrel and Christoph Waltz add their talents as well. So will this one truly be "Epic?" Here's hoping.   

40. 'Stoker'

Release Date: February 28
Starring: Mia Wasikowska, Nicole Kidman, Matthew Goode
The Scoop: At first glance the title may suggest that t his is yet another version of the Dracula story, but in fact it's a film about something far more sinister and dangerous than a vampire: Family. Mia Wasikowska plays a gal whose father dies. One unexpected consequence is the reappearance of her estranged uncle, played by Matthew Goode, who begins inserting himself into their family life. The result is a creepy psychological thriller that will have you squirming in your seat — and has us squirming in anticipation of its February release.

39. 'Frozen'

Release Date: November 27
Starring: Kristen Bell, Josh Gad, India Menzel
The Scoop: Disney has been on a bit of a roll recently with their animated classics (see: "Wreck-It Ralph" and "Tangled") and that streak looks to continue with next Thanksgiving's "Frozen.' Based loosely on the timeless Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale "The Snow Queen," "Frozen" features voicework by Kristen Bell as Anna, a girl who is cursed by her sinister sister, The Snow Queen. Teaming up with an adventurous mountain man named Kristoff (Jonathan Groff), Anna sets out on a quest to save herself and, most likely, the world. So that's where global warming came from!

38. 'The World's End'

Release Date: October 25
Starring: Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Martin Freeman
The Scoop: Apocalyptic epics are all the rage these days, so who better to take the stuffing out of the genre than the comedic dream team of Simon Pegg and Nick Frost? Joined by Bilbo Baggins himself, Martin Freeman, "The World's End" tells the tale of a gorup of blokes who set out on their annual bar crawl only to discover that they also hold the fate of humanity in their hands. Man, we hate it when that happens. 

37. 'Jack Ryan'

Release Date: December 25
Starring: Chris Pine, Kevin Costner, Keira Knightley
The Scoop: Some of Hollywood's best and brightest have taken on the role of Tom Clancy's CIA operative Jack Ryan in the past — Alec Baldwin, Ben Affleck and Harrison Ford twice — and now "Star Trek's" Chris Pine steps into the role in this latest attempt to revamp the franchise. This time around, the producers are going the "Casino Royale" route, with an origin story showing how Ryan made the transition from desk jockey analyst to top flight field agent. Keira Knightley is also on board as the future Mrs. Ryan, so that should be nice.

36. 'The Place Beyond the Pines'

Release Date: March 20
Starring: Ryan Gosling, Bradley Cooper, Eva Mendes
The Scoop: You may recall back in 2011 when Ryan Gosling blew away critics and fans alike with his portrayal of the car-driving badass in "Drive." Well, now he's at it again, only this time he's riding a motorcylce. In fact, he's playing a motorcylce stuntman who, while trying to provide for his family, makes some iffy life choices and ends on on the wrong side of the law. And since that law is embodied in the person of Bradley Cooper, who is coming off his own headline grabbing performance in 'Silver Linings Playbook," it's safe to say that this is one on-screen showdown you won't want to miss. Finally we will learn what happens when Sexiest Men Alive do battle.   

35. 'Monuments Men'

Release Date: December 20
Starring: Daniel Craig, Matt Damon, Cate Blanchett
The Scoop: George Clooney has directed some pretty impressive films in his career ("Good Night & Good Luck," "The Ides of March"), but "Monuments Men" may be his most interesting and ambitious project yet. Daniel Craig and Matt Damon star in the true (ish) story of a hand-picked group of specialists during World War II who were tasked with a secret and vital mission: Saving the world's art treasures from the Nazis. You'll note that this is being released just before Christmas, meaning Clooney and company are probably already starting to clear space on their mantles for all the awards they are expecting to win. 

34. 'Pain & Gain'

Release Date: April 26
Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, Rebel Wilson
The Scoop: Michael Bay is mainly known for his giant explosions, but this time around he's hoping to be known for his giant muscles. That's because Mark Wahlberg and Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson co-star as iron pumping muscleheads who concoct a crazy scheme to take over the mid-90's Miami underworld. They run into just one major, unexpected problem, though: They actually succeed. And that's when things really hit the fan. Rebel Wilson co-stars in her latest step towards complete world domination. The only muscle she needs is the one between her ears.

33. 'Saving Mr. Banks'

Release Date: December 20
Starring: Emma Thompson, Tom Hanks, Colin Farrell
The Scoop: Now, who doesn't just absolutely love "Mary Poppins"? That's a rhetorical question, of course, since everyone alive quite rightly adores the 1964 Disney classic starring Dick Van Dyke and Julie Andrews. In fact, there's only one thing most movie fans love more and that's Tom Hanks, which is why "Saving Mr. Banks" is such a treat. Hanks, you see, plays Walt Disney himself in this true story of how Uncle Walt tussled with "Mary Poppins" author P.L. Travers (the always amazing Emma Thompson) over the rights to the movie version. We won't even need a spoonful of sugar with this one, it sounds like a treat enough already.

32. 'The Incredible Burt Wonderstone'

Release Date: March 15
Starring: Steve Carell, Jim Carrey, Olivia Wilde, Steve Buscemi
The Scoop: The comedy dream team of Steve Carell and Jim Carrey go head-to-head in this new farce about a Las Vegas magician (Carell) whose career goes on the skids when a hot new act (Carrey) muscles in on his turf. Add in a supporting role from Steve Buscemi in an absolutely amazing wig and you have the makings of one of this year's potential sleeper hits. Oh, and Olivia Wilde is in it. The real magic trick here would be finding a way to keep us out of the theater on March 15.

31. 'Elysium'

Release Date: August 9
Starring: Matt Damon, Jodie Foster, Sharlto Copley
The Scoop: Man, the Earth is just a real epic level s#!thole in movies these days, huh? Unlike some of 2013's other sci-fi and apocalyptic epics, though, "Elysium" also carries more than a whiff of well-timed political and social commentary. Matt Damon stars as a guy living in a future where the ultra-rich live on an opulent space station that floats serenely above the wildly overpopulated and polluted Earth. When he undertakes a secret mission, though, the fates of both the 99% and the fatcats above could be impacted forever. This looks to be what sci-fi should be: Fun and exciting, but also smart and provocative.

30. 'Sin City: A Dame to Kill For'

Release Date: October 4
Starring: Clive Owen, Jessica Alba, Mickey Rourke
The Scoop: By the time "Sin City: A Dame to Kill For" comes out it will have been eight long years since the original "Sin City" became a surprise hit back in 2005. And in the meantime, co-director Frank Miller, who wrote and drew the comics that "Sin City" is based on, nearly sank his movie career entirely with the epic dud "The Spirit." But we have a feeling all that will be wiped away once viewers get a look at "Sin City's" trademark visuals. As a bonus, this one is a prequel of sorts, meaning all the fan favorites from the original are back, even the dead ones. They might as well start on "Sin City 3" right now and spare us the long wait this time. 

29. 'The Wolverine'

Release Date: July 26
Starring: Hugh Jackman, Will Yun Lee, Tao Okamoto
The Scoop: Hugh Jackman is pretty damn amazing, isn't he? Right now he's getting hyped for Best Actor for his role in the musical period piece "Les Misérables." And yet he still has the range to slip back into character as the mutant superhero (or is that anti-hero?) Wolverine in this latest 'X-Men" spinoff. Sure, 2009's "X-Men Origins: Wolverine" was kind of a downbeat stinkeroo, but this one looks like it will bring back the magic thanks to the fact that it is adapting the most popular and influential Wolverine comic of all time, Frank Miller's classic story of Logan studying the ways of the samurai in Japan. Jackman as a samurai? Really, there's nothing this guy can't do.

28. 'Admission'

Release Date: March 8
Starring: Tina Fey, Paul Rudd, Nat Wolff
The Scoop: We love Tina Fey. And we love Paul Rudd and we... sometimes get paid to watch romantic comedies. But we really, really want to love those too, which is why we're so excited for "Admission," which stars both Fey and Rudd as probably the most adorkable couple in the world. Or are they? See, "Admission" is about an admissions officer at a college whose buttoned down life is thrown for a loop when one of her applicants turns out to possibly be the son she gave up for adoption. So does she have room in her heart for him — and for Rudd's potential love interest guy? We have a feeling this is going to have a happy ending for everyone, including the audience.

27. 'Evil Dead'

Release Date: April 12
Starring: Jane Levy, Shiloh Fernandez, Jessica Lucas
The Scoop: It's safe to say that most fans are torn on the new "Evil Dead," feeling a mix of emotions somewhere between cautious optimism and unbridled disgust at the fact that someone has remade Sam Raimi's classic 1981 horror film "The Evil Dead." But relax, y'all, because Raimi himself hand picked director Fede Alvarez to update the franchise with a darker, scarier tone. So give it a chance. After all, remaking "Evil Dead" may be blasphemy, but isn't blasphemy what good horror films are all about?

26. 'Despicable Me 2'

Release Date: July 3
Starring: Steve Carell, Al Pacino, Kristen Wiig, Russell Brand
The Scoop: We don't have to explain why everyone should be excited for this one, right? Not only is 2010's "Despicable Me" one of the most fun animated hits in recent memory, those loveable little minions are about the closest thing we still have left to Twinkies. And as all the previews have shown, there will be plenty more minion action this time around, not to mention the return of Steve Carell as the voice of Gru, the supervillain with the heart of gold. The only thing despicable would be missing out on this film.

25. 'The To-Do List'

Release Date: August 16
Starring: Connie Britton, Aubrey Plaza, Rachel Bilson
The Scoop: The teenage sex comedy has been around about as long as both teenagers and sex, so the fact that there's a new one coming out in 2013 isn't a big surprise. What is a bit out of the ordinary for Hollywood is that "The To-Do List" is told from the perspective of a teenage girl rather than another horny dude. Of course, Aubrey Plaza, who plays a high school graduate looking to get more experience before heading to college, is actually 28. But hey, whatever. Welcome to the 21st century, teenage sex comedy.

24. 'The Hangover Part III'

Release Date: May 24
Starring: Bradley Cooper, Zach Galifianzakis, Ed Helms
The Scoop: Once upon a time this might have been at the top of our list, but then we went and actually saw "The Hangover Part II." Not that it wasn't funny, but you know, it wasn't as funny as the original. Well, this time the trio of Bradley Cooper, Zach Galifianzakis, Ed Helms aims to right the ship by returning to the good ol' U.S. of A. and focusing on Alan, the one man wild pack. Seems that Alan has finally started receiving the assistance he needs for his obvious mental issues, so naturally the guys try to break him out of the institution. That's just the kind of terrible decision making we know and love from these fools. Welcome back, guys!

Also check out: Prediction: The 50 Biggest Box Office Winners of 2013

23. 'Gangster Squad'

Release Date: January 11
Starring: Sean Penn, Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone, Josh Brolin
The Scoop: "Gangster Squad," as you may remember, was originally scheduled to hit theaters this past fall, but some last minute changes to the story ended up pushing the release to January 11. And frankly, that's great, because we can't think of a better way to wipe away those winter doldrums than by checking out a gritty period piece about cops trying to clean up the mean streets of '50s Los Angeles. Plus, Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone are back together, showing off the blazing chemistry that turned "Crazy, Stupid, Love." into one of the best films of 2011. Knock 'em dead, guys. 

22. 'Side Effects'

Release Date: February 8
Starring: Rooney Mara, Channing Tatum, Jude Law
The Scoop: In case you haven't heard the devastating news, Channing Tatum recently revealed that he is considering taking a break from acting in 2013. Luckily for us, though, he's already finished filming "Side Effects," meaning this new Stephen Soderbergh psychological thriller may be the last chance we have to see him for a while. Considering this one also features the always awesome Jude Law as a doctor who prescribes a dangerous new medication to 'The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo's" Rooney Mara, we have a feeling that if Channing does go on hiatus, at least he'll be going out on a high note.

21. '21 and Over'

Release Date: March 1
Starring: Miles Teller, Justin Chon, Skylar Astin
The Scoop: Miles Teller, Justin Chon and Skylar Astin (you may have noticed there names right up in the line above this one) play a group of young'uns who head out for a night on the town for one of those classic 21st birthday bashes. Naturally, everything goes completely wrong in embarrassing and hilarious ways. If this sounds basically like a version of "The Hangover" re-written for a younger crowd, well, it totally is, as this film was written by the same dudes who wrote "The Hangover." Chances are, therefore, that this will be awesome. Bottoms up!

20. 'The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug'

Release Date: December 13
Starring: Martin Freeman, Ian McKellen
The Scoop: Just about the only thing keeping us from putting this much higher on our list is the fact that we pretty much already know what we're going to see, what with having read the book and seen Peter Jackson's four other Tolkien adaptations. So the element of surprise is mostly missing. On the other hand, the elements of wonderful cinematography, excellent acting and heart-pounding adventure are all still present, as is the super scary bad guy Smaug the dragon, who is voiced by the wonderful Benedict Cumberbatch. This is the very definition of epic.  

19. 'Captain Phillips'

Release Date: October 11
Starring: Tom Hanks, Catherine Keener, Max Martini
The Scoop: No, "Captain Phillips" isn't about a superhero with an extremely banal code name. But it is about a real life hero. Tom Hanks stars as Captain Richard Phillips, who in 2009 was commanding the merchant vessel Maersk Alabama when it was hijacked by pirates. Phillips was taken prisoner and held for ransom for several days before being rescued by Navy SEALs in a daring attack. Oscar nominee Catherine Keener plays his wife, Andrea Phillips, while "United 93" and "The Bourne Ultimatum" director Paul Greengrass is behind the camera. Should be a real corker.

Also check out: Year in Preview: 2013's 3-D Movies

18. 'The Host'

Release Date: March 29
Starring: Saoirse Ronan, Diane Kruger, William Hurt
The Scoop: All the Twihards out there who have been dejectedly dismantling your shrines to Edward, take heart, because author Stephenie Meyer is back with her latest ode to young (and weird) love. Instead of vampires, though, this time around the good looking kids involved have to deal with alien invaders who take over people's bodies and erase their personalities. Oscar nominee Saoirse Ronan plays a gal who forms an unlikely alliance with her own alien parasite, leading to a new resistance effort by humanity's dregs as well as a truly complicated love triangle. Time for a new shrine.

17. 'Kick-Ass 2'

Release Date: June 28
Starring: Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Chloe Grace Moretz, Christopher Mintz-Plasse
The Scoop: A lot of people thought that 2010's "Kick-Ass" kicked ass, so it's only natural that those people are also expecting "Kick-Ass 2" to kick ass too. And frankly, we see no reason to doubt it, as all the key players — including Aaron Taylor-Johnson as Kick-Ass, Chloe Grace Moretz as Hit Girl and Christopher Mintz-Plasse as Red Mist — are back for another round of "realistic" superhero adventure. Just make sure you keep an eye on your backside, because someone's ass is going to be kicked and if you're not careful, it could be yours.

16. 'World War Z'

Release Date: June 21
Starring: Brad Pitt, Mireille Enos, David Morse
The Scoop: When you think "post-apocalyptic zombie epic," you probably don't think Brad Pitt. He's more of a Sexiest Man Alive, perfume commercial kind of guy, right? But he's also done some pretty awesome work before in apocalyptic sci-fi epics, earning a Best Supporting Actor Oscar nomination for his role in 1995's "12 Monkeys." So we know he can pull it off and since "World War Z" is loosely based on the wildly popular novel by Max Brooks, we also know there's a great story at the heart of all the zombie madness. Going to see this one is a no-brainer (get it? Zombie joke!).   

15. 'After Earth'

Release Date: June 7
Starring: Will Smith, Jaden Smith, Isabelle Fuhrman
The Scoop: The third in our triumvirate of sci-fi epics about a ruined future Earth (see: "Oblivion," "Elysium"), "After Earth" sets itself apart by teaming father-son duo Will and Jaden Smith as a father-son duo who crash land on an Earth that has returned to nature. Big, mutant, angry nature. And the surprise here is that the star and hero of the film isn't Will, it's Jaden; after Dad gets seriously injured in the crash, it's up to Junior to save both their bacons with a classic coming-of-age quest, only with more rayguns and mutated man-eating plants. So how well do father and son work together on film? Not for nothing, but this looks like it might be Will Smith's best film since the two last worked together on "The Pursuit of Happyness." More, please. 

14. 'Thor: The Dark World'

Release Date: November 8
Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Christopher Eccleston, Tom Hiddleston
The Scoop: Otherwise known as "Thor 2" for those of us who like our sequels to have an easy to follow numbering system, "Thor: The Dark World" goes boldly where no superhero film has ever gone before: The bad guy is an incredibly sinister demon elf (actually, amazingly enough the same could be said of "Hellboy 2," which, hurray comic book movies!). Malekith (that's the elf guy) is also played by the awesome Christopher Eccleston, meaning he should be a damn fine match for Chris Hemsworth's noble hero Thor. And don't worry, because Tom Hiddleston is in this movie as well. Crisis averted. 

13. 'Warm Bodies'

Release Date: February 1
Starring: Nicholas Hoult, Teresa Palmer, John Malkovich
The Scoop: Based on the popular novel by Isaac Marion, "Warm Bodies" take the zombie movie in a new, unexpected direction: Romance. Nicholas Hoult plays your typical mindless zombie. Or, he's typical and mindless right up intil he meets the still-living Teresa Palmer, whom he naturally falls in love with. Of course, their romance is strained by the fact that a) he's undead and b) he ate her boyfriend. But love conquers all, and in 2013, it's poised to conquer the box office as well. Because braaaaains are nice, but heart is even better.

12. 'Oz the Great and Powerful'

Release Date: March 8
Starring: James Franco, Michelle Williams, Rachel Weisz
The Scoop: The premise is as simple as it is bold: Tell the story of how the wonderful "Wizard of Oz became" the wonderful wizard in the first place. Considering how beloved "The Wizard of Oz" is, though, messing around with it is a tricky proposition at best. Luckily, Sam Raimi is behind the camera, lending his unique viewpoint and ability to blend quirkiness (see: "Evil Dead 2") with blockbuster excitement (see: "Spider-Man 2"). And with James Franco playing the wizard, fans will also get to see an Oscar nominated actor take on one of Hollywood's most iconic roles. We expect the results to be nothing short of magical. 

11. 'Monsters University'

Release Date: June 21
Starring: Billy Crystal, John Goodman, Steve Buscemi
The Scoop: Hard to believe, but it's now been 11 long years since Pixar's "Monster's Inc." first charmed audiences. If "Monsters Inc." had been a live action film, of course, the idea of doing a prequel more than a decade later would be nearly impossible thanks to aging stars. But thanks to the magic of animation, Sully (voiced by John Goodman) and Mike (Billy Crystal) are back as you've never seen them before in this tale that shows how the best buddies first met up in college and became, well, best buddies. We just hope we don't have to wait until 2024 for the next one.

10.'The Hunger Games: Catching Fire'

Release Date: November 22
Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth
The Scoop: Last March, "The Hunger Games" morphed from a hit series of novels by author Suzanne Collins into a national pop culture phenomenon. And much of that is thanks not just to the source material, but to the amazing way Oscar-nominated star Jennifer Lawrence brought complex and conflicted heroine Katniss Everdeen to life. Needless to say, we're excited to see not just what happens next in the movie version of the story, but more importantly what Lawrence and company bring to the second film. And with two more movies to follow, this is one fire that has no signs of going out any time soon.

9. 'This Is the End'

Release Date: June 14
Starring: Seth Rogen, Jay Baruchel, James Franco, Emma Watson, Jonah Hill, Danny McBride, Craig Robinson
The Scoop: If you're tired of comedies with the old cliched sitcom plotlines — they're mismatched roommates! they're in love with the same woman! and they also dress up as women! — then "This Is The End" is the perfect remedy. Seth Rogen, James Franco, Jay Baruchel, Jonah Hill, Danny McBride and Craig Robinson are just some of the stars who play versions of themselves in this madcap comedy about celebrities trying to survive the end of the world. Plus, it's got "Harry Potter's" Emma Watson in it as well. We can't wait to see her go toe to toe with those guys. "This Is The End," all right — the end of crappy comedy.   

8. 'Ender's Game'

Release Date: November 1
Starring: Asa Butterfield, Hailee Steinfeld, Abigail Breslin, Harrison Ford
The Scoop: One of the most popular and acclaimed science fiction novels of all time, Orson Scott Card's "Ender's Game" finally gets the big screen treatment it deserves in this adaptation by "Tsotsi" and "X-Men Origins: Wolverine" director Gavin Hood. Asa Butterfield, the breakout star of last year's critically beloved film "Hugo," is joined by Oscar nominees Abigail Breslin and Hailee Steinfeld in a story about children being trained as Earth's last line of defense against an imminent alien attack. And with Harrison Ford on board as the guy doing the training, well, let's just say we think Earth is in pretty good hands.

7. 'Oldboy'

Release Date: October 11
Starring: Josh Brolin, Elizabeth Olsen, Samuel L. Jackson
The Scoop: Usually we're not all that excited to see yet another remake; after all, if the film was good enough to deserve a remake, we're happy just watching the original, thanks very much. There's one major difference between this remake and most, though: It's being remade by one of the most dynamic, acclaimed and controversial directors of all time, Spike Lee. And the film he's remaking is the shockingly intense Korean horror thriller "Oldboy," which became an instant cult classic when it was released in 2003. With a cast that includes Josh Brolin and Elizabeth Olsen, we can't wait to see what Lee comes up with.

6. 'Now You See Me'

Release Date: June 7
Starring: Jesse Eisenberg, Mark Ruffalo, Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman, Woody Harrelson
The Scoop: Just check out the cast list up there: Eisenberg, Ruffalo, Caine, Freeman, Harrelson. Now imagine them all in a flick about a group of magicians who perform heists as part of their act and distribute the money to their audiences. And now imagine that the action is being staged by Louis Leterrier, the guy behind the "Transporter" franchise. Okay, you can give your imagination a rest, because all of that is true and you'll get to see the results in the theater this June. Frankly, we'd check out a film with any one of these dudes in it. But all of them together? Now that's the kind of trick we like.  

5. 'Anchorman: The Legend Continues'

Release Date: December 20
Starring: Will Ferrell, Paul Rudd, Steve Carell
The Scoop: Frankly, we were beginning to think they were never going to make a sequel to "Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgandy," which turned Will Ferrell into an A-list superstar back in 2004 (and gave Steve Carell his big screen big break as well). Finally, though, Ferrell and his Funny or Die partner Adam McKay have brought the whole gang back together for another send-up of the inherently ridiculous world of local newscasting. All we can say is, it's about damn time. 

4. 'Man of Steel'

Release Date: June 14
Starring: Henry Cavill, Russell Crowe, Amy Adams
The Scoop: First, the necessary warning: We were also really excited back in 2006 to see Bryan Singer's attempt to relaunch the Superman franchise with "Superman Returns." And that turned out to be a pretty big disappointment all around. So we've been burned before on this one. But everything we've seen from Zack Snyder (who knows a thing or two about comic book adaptations from "300" and "Watchmen") suggests that this modern take on the Superman mythos is the one we've all been waiting for. And having a leading man like Henry Cavill sure doesn't hurt either. Welcome back, Kal-El. We've missed you. 

3. 'Star Trek Into Darkness'

Release Date: May 17
Starring: Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Zoe Saldana
The Scoop: Talk about your teases: The sequel to 2009's mega-blockbuster "Star Trek" was originally scheduled to come out in 2012 before being shelved due to other obligations on the part of director/mastermind J.J. Abrams. Now he's ready to roll, though, and so are Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto as the original sci-fi bromantic duo of Captain Kirk and Spock. This time around they are going to battling the sinister Benedict Cumberbatch, and unlike his role as the dragon Smaug in "The Hobbit," there will be no crazy CGI animation necessary to turn him into a powerhouse threat. We're going to boldly predict that this one will be a winner. 

2. 'Iron Man 3'

Release Date: May 3
Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Guy Pearce, Gwyneth Paltrow, Ben Kingsley
The Scoop: How can Marvel possibly top "The Avengers," which was only the biggest and most popular film of 2012, earning over $1.5 billion worldwide to become the third highest grossing movie of all time? Why, by releasing "Iron Man 3," which brings back "Avengers" lead Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark, the billionaire philanthropist genius with a heart of gold (or cold fusion, anyway). This time around, Iron Man is menaced by his arch-enemy from the comics, the sinister Mandarin (played by Ben Kingsley with an amazing fake beard). Oh, and the story is rumored to get the ball rolling on "Avengers 2" to boot. Tony Stark may be a genius, but he's got nothing on the folks at Marvel.

1. 'Pacific Rim'

Release Date: July 12
Starring: Idris Elba, Charlie Hunnam, Rinko Kikuchi
The Scoop: Director Guillermo del Toro has made some pretty ambitious films in the past ("Hellboy 2" and "Pan's Labyrinth" come to mind) but even those films pale in comparison to the scale of "Pacific Rim." Then again, so does everything with the possible exception of "The Hobbit" trilogy, which del Toro left to begin working on "Pacific Rim." And boy, does it look like that decision is going to pay off for everyone, as the first trailer for "Pacific Rim" just about crashed the internet due to overwhelming fan response. After all, what could possibly be bigger and better than giant robots fighting enormous monsters? It's like the greatest anime story ever told, except it's live action and it's being told by a master filmmaker. And that's why there's no question that 'Pacific Rim" is the number one film we're f&%$ing psyched to see in 2013.

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Raise your adamantine claws if you're excited for "The Wolverine"!

Due out July 26, 2013, "The Wolverine" will follow Logan (Hugh Jackman reprising his roles from the prior "X-Men" films) to Japan, as he travels to Japan to learn about his mutant nature and pick up a few samurai skills along the way.

Today, the international site for "The Wolverine" debuted a new motion poster for the movie, and it's just the way we like our mutants: dark and broody. The poster features Jackman brooding out over Tokyo, katana in hand, and the digital rain is a-pourin'.

There's a storm coming, Mr. Jackman. Check out the motion poster above.

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Wolverine may be big in Japan, but we know a guy who's even bigger: Silver Samurai, Logan's chief mutant adversary in the classic 1982 Chris Clairmont/Frank Miller miniseries.

James Mangold's "The Wolverine" will pit studly actor Will Yun Lee ("Die Another Day") as Silver Samurai, real name Harada Kenichirō, against the formidable fighting (and singing?) prowess of Hugh Jackman's title Weapon X, Variety reports.

Harada was first introduced in the pages of "Daredevil," and, besides having an obvious set of badass samurai armor made out of (Quick! Guess!) silver, he can charge his swords with electrical energy to cut through any known substance … except Adamantium, which Wolvie is soaked to the bone in. Tough break, Samurai.

This is not Yun Lee's first Marvel rodeo, having gone up against "Elektra" as superhuman ninja Kirigi (also created by Frank Miller) in that 2005 misfire. The Korean American actor will next be seen in the remakes of "Total Recall" and "Red Dawn."

Yesterday was a veritable bonanza for "The Wolverine" casting news, with ComingSoon reporting that characters Shingen (Hiroyuki Sanada), Yashida (Hal Yamanouchi), Tao Okamoto as love interest Mariko, and Rila Fukushima as female ninja Yukio had all been slotted in. Later, they also disclosed that Brian Tee would play corrupt minister of justice Mariko Yashida, Wolvie's chief competitor for the hand of the lovely Mariko.

Shooting on "The Wolverine" will commence starting August in Australia and Japan so audiences can get a slice next summer on July 26, 2013.

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In the comics the character of Wolverine has been known to, from time to time, go into what fans have come to know and love as his "berserker rage" combat mode where he'll just start slicing and dicing fools like there's no tomorrow.

Hugh Jackman's iteration of Wolverine has yet to take things to the edge and really go ballistic.

That all might change according to an interview with MTV where the star of this weekend's champ "Real Steel" says that, despite the many 12 and 13-year-old fans who look up to him, he might just shred that sense of decency for the upcoming solo film "The Wolverine."

"There is such great temptation to make an R-rated Wolverine. James Mangold and I talked about [an R-rated version] and we’re like 'Look, let’s not put it off the table.' There’s even talk about us doing two versions, as in finding a way to do both while you shoot it, which could be really cool. But you need to have a really good reason to exclude those fans."

Looks like the claws are out and we might see a meaner, nastier Logan, but just how might they implement both versions in theaters? Movies like "The Passion of the Christ" and "The King's Speech" have tried releasing PG-13 versions long after debuting with their language and violence intact, but could FOX successfully juggle releasing alternate versions simultaneously?

We suppose that's a matter for the courts to decide.

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Mutants: they're everywhere. At your school. In your apartment building. Standing right behind you. But there's no question what the mutant capitol of the world is: Hollywood, California.

And now yet another mutie has been revealed, as indieWire is reporting that Naturi Naughton has been cast as erstwhile X-Men member Dr. Cecilia Reyes in the upcoming X-spinoff "The Wolverine."

For those not familiar with Dr. Reyes, well, you're not crazy, because while the character has had a relatively high profile in the comics since first appearing back in 1997, she's not exactly up there with Storm or Cyclops in terms of name recognition. Neither, of course, is Naughton, though fans will likely recognize her from her role as Lil Kim in the 2009 biopic "Notorious."

Still, the real question being asked by most comic book fans is just what Dr. Reyes has to do with "The Wolverine." After all, the upcoming sequel to 2009's "X-Men Origins: Wolverine" is apparently based on Frank Miller's popular take on the character, which means it takes place in Japan and follows Wolverine (Hugh Jackman, naturally) as he attempts to avoid death by ninja while training in the way of the samurai.

None of which has even the remotest connection to Dr. Reyes, who in the comics reluctantly joined the X-Men after one of their battles revealed her as a mutant, costing Reyes her job as a physician. Note the lack of Japanese ninja assassins in that synopsis.

Still, we're sure they'll figure out some way to add her to the plot and at least this distracts fans from wondering who is going to play Mariko or Yukio. And hey, when you have metal claws constantly popping through you skin, having a doctor around is never a bad idea.

"The Wolverine" is schedule to hit theaters some time next year.

20th Century Fox

Well, hang on to your mutton chops, because according to The Playlist, mutant is back on the menu, as Hugh Jackman himself has confirmed that filming on "The Wolverine" will begin this October.

You just can't keep a good killer down.

Despite middling reviews and lackluster box office for "X-Men Origins: Wolverine," fans have been excited about "The Wolverine" ever since it was announced due to the fact that it is being adapted from the hugely influential 1982 "Wolverine" comic book mini-series by Frank Miller ("300," "Sin City").

But after the earthquake in Japan forced the studio to scrap plans to film on location (the story is about Wolverine fighting ninjas and training as a samurai -- no, seriously) and "Black Swan" director Darren Aronofsky dropped out, things were looking as grim off screen as the character's inner monologue is on screen.

Now, though, it's full speed ahead, with "3:10 to Yuma" director James Mangold aboard behind the lens. And Jackman says this could mean the film will be ready to debut in theaters sometime late next year.

"We shoot in October, so it will probably come out a year after that," Jackman said. "That’s usually around the timeline."

Of course, October is (along with February) also usually the traditional dumping ground for crappy films, as it is one of the slowest box office times of the year, with only Halloween-themed horror films getting much play. That suggests that the film might come out closer to Thanksgiving of 2012 to get in on the holiday rush.

That may seem like a long way off, but hey, look on the bright side. At least someone will be around who really knows how to carve a turkey.

20th Century Fox

If there's one thing we've learned from the "X-Men" films through the years, it's that Wolverine is one bad shutyourmouth. He's got unbreakable bones, deadly retractable claws, a mutant healing factor and a testy attitude that takes back talk from nobody. When it comes to scraps, there's pretty much nothing Wolverine can't do.

But can he walk the line?

Well, it looks like we're about to find out, because according to Deadline, "Walk the Line" director James Mangold has just been tapped to direct the latest "Wolverine" film. Man in black, meet the man in black spandex.

For those of you keeping track at home, Mangold marks the second director to take up the reins of "The Wolverine," next year's planned sequel to the tepidly received 2009 film "X-Men Origins: Wolverine." Originally, Oscar nominee Darren Aronofsky("Black Swan") was supposed to do the honors, but he recently dropped out for personal reasons.

That opens the door for Mangold, who was apparently hand picked by star Hugh Jackman on the strength of a resume that also includes critically acclaimed films like "Girl, Interrupted" and "3:10 to Yuma." Considering his experience with period pieces, it's an interesting choice, as so far the rumors surrounding "The Wolverine" suggest it will be based on Frank Miller's classic take on the character, which features Wolverine battling the Japanese Yakuza in the mean streets of Tokyo.

There's no doubt Wolverine is cool. But can mangold make him as cool as Johnny Cash? We'll find out soon enough: "The Wolverine" is currently slated to begin filming this fall.

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UPDATE: Negotiations with Hugh Jackman have ended and he will not be taking the lead in "Snow White and the Huntsman," The Wrap reports.

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Now that his homegrown tentpole "The Wolverine" has stalled with the departure of director Darren Aronofsky, studios are eyeing up Hugh Jackman for potential projects, one of which may be nearing closer to snagging the Australian star.

An offer has gone out to Jackman to join "Snow White and the Huntsman," Universal's foray into the exploding fairy tale genre, Deadline reports. 

The reimaginging of the classic story was set to star Viggo Mortensen as the titular hunter -- alongside Kristen Stewart as Snow White and Charlize Theron as The Evil Queen -- but for reasons that aren't quite clear (but could be as simple as scheduling), he had to back out. Jackman would be taking on Mortensen's role, a minor character in the original story whose significance in Snow White's journey is beefed up for the film.

Whether Jackman can join "Snow White and the Huntsman" may come down to the turnaround on "The Wolverine." The article goes on to mention that Jackman (a producer on the film) is sniffing out new talent to fill Aronofsky's open seat, including "Source Code" director Duncan Jones and David Slade, the man behind "The Twilight Saga: Eclipse." If the pieces of "Wolverine" come together quickly, the film may take priority for Jackman who has been very hands-on in its development.

With so many fairy tale movies coming out in the next few years (including a competing Snow White film starring Julia Roberts, Armie Hammer and Lily Collins), "Snow White and the Huntsman" could use Jackman for face value alone, but it may be worth the star's while -- when was the last time we saw Hugh in anything other than an X-Men movie?

20th Century Fox

Snikt! 20th Century Fox has put away the claws... for now.

Following the recent surprise news that Darren Aronofsky had dropped out of directing "The Wolverine" came a ton of speculation as to who Fox would hire to replace him. It seemed like it was in the studio's best interest to keep the project going at full-steam ahead (and, let's face it, Hugh Jackman isn't getting any younger).

However, according to Inside Movies, Fox is apparently in no hurry to replace Aronofsky, despite the studio's recent announcement that it planned to “regroup and move forward aggressively" with the project.

One speculated reason for the lack of urgency in getting the production off the ground is the recent tragic events in Japan, where much of the film will take place.

Take this all with a grain of salt (or a dash of adamantium, if you will), as this information comes from a "source close to the production," and you know how that sometimes goes. But don't be surprised if you hear that Hugh Jackman was weaned off his supposedly 6,000-calories-a-day diet.

Fox Searchlight

The whole idea was a mind-boggler for film and comic book fans alike: Darren Aronofsky, the Academy Award-nominated director of "Black Swan," teaming up with Hugh Jackman for the latest "Wolverine" movie? In a sea of derivative superhero movies, finally one that might really deliver something new and different. It seemed too good to be true.

And now it turns out that it actually was too good to be true.

Sheathe your claws, X-fans, because THR is reporting that Aronofsky has decided to drop out of "The Wolverine" over concerns regarding the film's rigorous shooting schedule, leaving the future of the production in doubt.

From the get go, the marriage between Aronofsky and "Wolverine" seemed a bit tenuous, based entirely on the director's desire to re-team with Jackman, who previously starred in Aronofsky's experimental sci-fi epic "The Fountain." As much as he loves working with Jackman, though, it appears Aronofsky loves his family more and would rather not spend an entire year away from them while filming "The Wolverine's" extensive samurai sequences on location in Japan.

"As I talked more about the film with my collaborators at Fox, it became clear that the production of "The Wolverine" would keep me out of the country for almost a year," Aronofsky said in statement.  "I was not comfortable being away from my family for that length of time. I am sad that I won't be able to see the project through, as it is a terrific script and I was very much looking forward to working with my friend, Hugh Jackman, again."

So where does the production go from here? Well, if you listen to Fox, there's only one way for them to go: straight up, baby. "Hugh Jackman and Fox both remain fully committed to making 'The Wolverine,'" the studio said in a statement. "We will regroup and move forward aggressively."

Despite this assurance, however, and a subsequent tweet from the studio that they would be moving "onward," "The Wolverine" hasn't actually been given the greenlight yet and the loss of a director of Aronofsky's clout certainly can't help the film's cause.

The X-Men have survived a lot of hardship over the years, but for now it looks like Aronofsky may have done what even Magneto could never do -- kill "The Wolverine." Here's hoping that mutant healing power manages to pull him through one last time.