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THE LIST: Summer’s Biggest Gambles

It has been my experience that summer movies are usually ‘safe’ movies.

Now what I mean by ‘safe’ are projects that are bound to make some respectable box-office if for no other reason than folks need an air-conditioned place to hang out for a few hours.

Summer movies are about big comedy, loud explosions, action packed set pieces, and usually a superhero or two, and this summer is no exception.

But there are still a few wildcard releases that aren’t guaranteed to bring in audience goodwill or big box-office receipts, and those movies are the inspiration for today’s installment of The List.


1. This Is The End



This end of the world comedy has been brewing for a while now, starting as a short film released back in 2007. And while my personal expectations are high, the fact remains that the the success of this movie rests solely on the conceit that it will be funny to watch these folks play themselves. And I can’t be the only one who thinks that the charm of James Franco has begun to wear a little thin. But Mr. Franco’s overexposure aside, this movie has plenty of comedy backup from Craig Robinson, Danny McBride, Seth Rogen, and even a club-wielding Emma Watson, but that still doesn’t mean that This Is The End is a sure thing.

2. The Wolverine



After the utterly disappointing Wolverine Origins — if only there was an amnesia bullet that could make me forget that movie. The next film in the franchise has a lot of goodwill to earn among fans, and the first trailer seems promising. But if James Mangold can’t deliver the film that fans have been waiting for, it could very well be the final adamantium claw in the heart of this solo franchise.

3. World War Z



Bringing Max Brooks’ best seller to the big screen wasn’t the smoothest journey. The project was announced back in 2006, and in the past seven years there has been a never-ending stream of headlines about re-shoots and production shut-downs and even some chatter about scrapping the whole project. But the film survived, and even though zombies are all the rage in pop culture right now, the flick doesn’t look anything like the much-loved book, and that could be a problem.

4. The Great Gatsby



There is a fine line between extravagance and over-indulgence, and Australian director Baz Luhrmann tends to blow right through that line and into full blown overboard every chance he gets. In the latest adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s classic story of privilege, Luhrmann has applied his usual opulent touch to the surroundings with Leonardo DiCaprio returning to the fold. What makes this flick a gamble is that not only is it not your usual summer flick which is risky enough, but once you consider the box-office performance of Luhrmann’s last big screen epic, for his sake, hopefully the thrill of the roaring 20’s in 3D will be enough to pack the theatre.

5. The Lone Ranger



Jerry Bruckheimer is undoubtedly one of the kings of bid dumb movies, and judging by the trailer for The Lone Ranger that reputation isn’t going to change anytime soon. Granted there is some box-office insurance when you hire Johnny Depp (seriously, does anyone not like Mr. Depp?). But even though this film will no doubt rack up a respectable profit, I can’t help but wonder if Tonto and his silver bullet toting kemosabe can disprove the accusations of racism that have plagued the production since the production began.

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