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Whether or not you agree with the idea that we, as a society, have reached superhero saturation, there’s no denying that 2014 has been one of the busiest years for caped crusaders in history, between Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Guardians of the Galaxy, the upcoming Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and the steady stream of Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice set rumors. And if you were to take a casual glance at the films lined up for release over the next few months, it might seem as if there’s no relief in sight. Do we really need two more intergalactic, justice-seeking adventures a month until New Year? Well, we have some good news for you: those probably aren’t superhero movies. In fact, most of them probably aren’t – they just have titles that would make just as much sense with a mask and a pair of tights. Don’t believe us? Take a look at the rest of 2014 in movies:
Into the Storm
This Is Not: An X-Men: Origins movie starring Lupita Nyong’o, nor a spinoff movie about the Fantastic Four’s twins Johnny and Sue.
This Is: A found-footage disaster movie about a series of intense, deadly tornadoes that are tearing the country apart.
It Opens: August 8
November Man
This is Not: A film about a superhero with the ability to control weather conditions. Well, he can control the autumn. He’s the Thanksgiving superhero, is what we’re saying.
This Is: A thriller about an ex-CIA operative who is hunting down a woman who holds the keys to an international conspiracy, while trying to escape the people who want to kill him, starring Pierce Brosnan and Olga Kurylenko.
It Opens: August 27
The Green Inferno
This is Not: The story of a hero who has the ability to burst into flames and control fire (green fire, obviously) after a freak accident involving industrial waste.
This Is: A horror film that centers on a group of student activists who are fighting to save a tribe in the Amazon… only to discover that they’re a tribe of cannibals, written and directed by Eli Roth.
It Opens: September 5
20th Century Fox
Gone Girl
This Is Not: An action-comedy about a shy scientist who, after a failed experiment, develops the ability to turn herself invisible, and uses her powers to fight crime in a way that is not at all similar to the Invisible Woman.
This Is: A psychological thriller about a woman who disappears on her anniversary, and the husband who becomes the media’s prime suspect after the journals she was writing are discovered, starring Ben Affleck and Rosamund Pike.
It Opens: October 3
The Judge
This is Not: The long-awaited follow up to 2012’s Dredd about British sci-fi hero Judge Dredd.
This Is: A drama about a hot-shot lawyer who returns to his hometown after his mother’s death to discover that his estranged judge father is being investigated for manslaughter. It does, however, star a superhero: Robert Downey Jr.
It Opens: October 10
Nightcrawler
This Is Not: An X-Men: Origins movie starring Alan Cumming.
This Is: A thriller about an ambitious reporter who gets in over his head in the world of late-night ambulance chasing and freelance crime journalism, starring Jake Gyllenhaal.
It Opens: October 17
Birdman
This Is Not: The Falcon solo movie we didn’t know we always wanted, nor is it a movie about any other superheroes who happen to have avian-related superpowers, potentially starring Anthony Mackie.
This Is: A drama about a washed-up actor who is desperate to escape the shadow of his most famous character – Birdman – by mounting a Broadway show. However, between the fictional superhero of the title and the fact that it stars Batman (Michael Keaton), the Hulk (Edward Norton) and Gwen Stacy (Emma Stone), it might count as half a superhero movie.
It Opens: October 17
Fury
This Is Not: The highly anticipated, highly R-rated Nick Fury solo film.
This Is: A World War II drama about a group of tank drivers who must go behind enemy lines to hold back German forces during the last days of the war, starring Brad Pitt, Shia LaBeouf and Logan Lerman.
It Opens: November 14
