7. X-Men: Days Of Future Past (Estimated Gross: $600m)
Bryan Singer returns to the X-Men franchise for the first time since 2003's X2 for what could well be the most ambitious superhero movie ever made. Rumored to be the second most expensive production in 20th Century Fox history (behind Avatar), Days of Future Past adapts one of the most popular comic-book arcs in history, and in the process unites the X-Men casts of both generations for what is one of the year's most highly-anticipated movies. You could sell this movie on the strength of the cast alone; James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, Hugh Jackman, Jennifer Lawrence, Ellen Page, Peter Dinklage, Halle Berry and many, many more. The atmospheric teaser trailer gave a glimpse of the movie's epic scope, while further trailers will no doubt emphasize the large-scale action and high-stakes drama. It also helps that the X-Men franchise is one of the most consistent in blockbuster cinema; since the original was released in 2000 every entry in the series has grossed at least $350m worldwide. Appealing to both old and new fans of the franchise, expect Days of Future Past to become the biggest X-Men movie yet. Although no X-Men movie has ever taken $500m worldwide, and First Class and The Wolverine consecutively posted the lowest domestic grosses for the franchise, the movie will do most of its business overseas. Despite a poor domestic showing, The Wolverine became the second highest-grossing X-Men movie ever, with almost 70% of its takings coming from the international market. With an established franchise, a hugely popular protagonist (Jackman's Wolverine) and a story that unites all of the major players from the 14 year series, Days of Future Past should easily be able to set a record gross for the franchise.
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