• Diary of a Wimpy Kid 2: Rodrick Rules (March 25): Although the first adaptation of the popular middle-school graphic novel series garnered mixed reviews, Roger Ebert rated the film three-and-a-half out of four stars. The sequel is based on the second book in the series and revolves around main character Greg Heffley and his torturous older brother, Rodrick. When Rodrick finds Heffley’s original diary (the recorded story of the first film), the conflict between the brothers is ratcheted up to the next level. The actor who plays Greg, Zachary Gordon, has appeared in television shows as varied as How I Met Your Mother, Ni Hao, Kai-lan, and Batman: The Brave and the Bold, all available from Direct TV Indiana dealers, along with all other Direct TV locations.
  • Scream 4 (April 15): Director Wes Craven and writer Kevin Williamson return to their popular horror series with the intent of starting up another trilogy. David Arquette, Courteney Cox, and Neve Campbell return from the first trilogy, this time joined by Emma Roberts, Hayden Panettiere, and Rory Culkin. The film will parody the endless commercialization of the horror industry.
  • Madea’s Big Happy Family (April 22): Tyler Perry’s franchise revolving around his main character Madea returns, after 2009′s I Can Do Bad All By Myself. In this installment, Madea attempts to help out her niece Shirley, who’s discovered that she’s ill. Shirley wants her adult children to return home, but the children have problems of their own. It’s up to Madea to make everything right.
  • Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (May 20): The new Pirates film kicks off the summer movie season, this time directed by Rob Marshall instead of Gore Verbinski. However, Johnny Depp, Geoffrey Rush, and Kevin McNally are among the returning stars. Blackbeard and a mysterious woman (played by Penelope Cruz) are in search of the Fountain of Youth, and Jack Sparrow falls right in their path.
  • The Hangover: Part II (May 26): All the main stars will be returning for this much-anticipated sequel, once again directed by Todd Phillips. This time, the gang travels to Bangkok in order to celebrate dentist Stu’s wedding. We can only imagine where things go from there.
  • Kung Fu Panda 2 (May 27): Now that main character Po is a kung fu master, he, Master Shifu, and the Furious Five have a new missiondefending kung fu from the villainous peacock Lord Shen, who aims to destroy the art forever. Luckily, a new group of masters (Skunkman, Thundering Rhino, Soothsayer, and Croc) are here to help.
  • X-Men: First Class (June 3): Matthew Vaughn’s first shot at the X-Men will serve as a prequel to the earlier trilogy. The rift between Professor Charles Xavier and Erik Lensherr (the villainous Magneto) is played out in the 1960s against the parallel storyline of Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X.
  • Cars 2 (June 24): Owen Wilson and Larry the Cable Guy return as Lightning McQueen and Mater in this Pixar sequel, which will feature the characters in an international spy adventure as they prepare to compete in the first World Grand Prix. This will be only the second Pixar film to have a sequel, after Toy Story.
  • Rise of the Apes (June 24): Rupert Wyatt’s Planet of the Apes installment is also a prequel, leading up the events of the earlier films. Most notably, you’ll witness the birth of Caesar, leader of the ape revolution in 1972′s Conquest of the Planet of the Apes. James Franco plays a scientist attempting to find a cure for Alzheimer’s.