Ten Most Anticipated Sequels of 2013

There are numerous films slated to come out in 2013, so I thought I would divide my list into two factions: Sequels, and Originals. These are the ten most promising sequels of 2013 in no particular order.

10. Iron Man 3. It's no secret that the Iron Man series found the perfectly flawed Tony Stark in Robert Downey Jr. What is a bit more surprising, and could determine the future of the franchise is that Jon Favreau did not direct the third installment. Shane Black, longtime Hollywood scribe of action dramas, and second time director (the more than forgettable Kiss Kiss Bang Bang) is the unknown variable that will propel the second act of the Avengers saga toward financial fortune or ruin. Let's be honest, it might be too dark and change our perception of Stark, but it will be one of the summer's most successful. May 3rd.

9. Sin City 2: A Dame to Kill for. I thought the first Sin City was compelling and original. A dark graphic novel brought to life that opened up a new genre for guys like Zack Snyder. I'm expecting that with Frank Miller and Robert Rodriguez on board, and Mickey Rourke reprising his role of Marv, it will be a visionary piece of entertainment. October 4th.

8. The Hangover 3. Todd Phillips brings the gang back together, this time centering around Zach Galifianakis' Alan. Melissa McCarthy and John Goodman join the cast (father and sister perhaps?) along with all the stalwarts, including Mike Tyson. It will be funny, but if it's another recycled plot, I will be frustrated. Bring some original material with familiar characters to the table please. May 24th.

7. Star Trek 2: Into Darkness. This is probably my most anticipated film of the year. The original cast returns, and the new villain is the tremendously talented Benedict Cumberbatch (also voices Smaug...). If the first 9 minutes are any indicator of what's to come, it will be amazing. JJ Abrams is king. May 17th.

6. Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues. One of Will Ferrell's gems, Adam McKay is a more experienced director, and Paul Rudd and Steve Carell are bonafide comic A-listers. With Kristin Wiig added to the cast, it will be hilarious. December 20th.

5. Thor 2: The Dark World. One of the more pleasant surprises of 2011's superhero bombardment was Chris Hemsworth as Thor. Alan Taylor takes over for Kenneth Branaugh, and although he doesn't have much feature film directing experience, his work on Sopranos, Boardwalk Empire, Rome, Game of Thrones, and other shows lead me to believe that he's got the craft down. Expect this one to follow Iron Man 3's lead and move toward a darker imagining of the Marvel universe. Will be fun to see. November 8th.

4. GI Joe 2: Retaliation. I have a soft spot for GI Joe. Along with Transformers, it was one of my favorite toys of the 80's, and I watched the cartoon and read the comics. 4 years after the original, I like to think that the rewrites and delays are more a result of Channing Tatum's rise to stardom than any potential issues with the film. Rumor is that he was killed off in the opening sequence, and after Magic Mike, 21 Jump Street, and The Vow, not to mention People's Sexiest Man Alive, the producers wrote him back into the script. Good call. Jon Chu steps in as director, but with his frenetic dance film background, this should be a good fit. March 29th.

3. The Wolverine. Also delayed, and shrouded in secrecy, Hugh Jackman returns to the titular role as the fan favorite of the X-Men world, if not the whole Marvel universe. Critically acclaimed director James Mangold tries his hand in the action genre, in a script by Christopher McQuarrie (The Usual Suspects, and making a bit of a Hollywood comeback with Jack Reacher, Top Gun 2, All You Need is Kill, and MI:5). Taking place in Japan with a heavy martial arts theme, this will be a much better film than the last Wolverine - 2009's X-Men Origins: Wolverine, which was supposed to spawn a bevy of origins stories. I think they've been shelved for the most part. Good call. Marvel has decades of material to pump out films, and audiences won't grow tired as long as stories are fresh and visual effects stay on the cutting edge. Please don't over-saturate. July 26th.

2. The Hobbit 2: The Desolation of Smaug. What is there to say? Part two of the Hobbit trilogy is already in the can, and will be released a year after the first film. Brilliantly slated for December 13th, don't be surprised if it finds the box office success of its predecessor.

1. The Hunger Games 2: Catching Fire. Everyone's favorite arrow-slinging heroine is back in the second film of the trilogy. Director Gary Ross was replaced by Francis Lawrence (I am Legend, Constantine) due to some conflict over release timelines. Ross didn't think a fall 2013 release date gave him enough time to make the film he wanted. We'll never know if he was right. The second book isn't as good as the first, but that won't stop the fanboys and girls from lining up for tickets. Jennifer Lawrence (no relation) may be riding the tails of a Best Actress Oscar win, which will help the film all around. Expect a bit of a disappointment, but some fun teen action. November 22nd.

Stay tuned for the ten most anticipated non-sequels of 2013!