I think it’s official -the world isn’t ending. But considering that everyone thought it was going to, a lot of new stuff featuring the apocalypse has come out. Considering we’re going to be around for a few years, we might actually get to see some of this stuff in theaters. I certainly would have been upset if I missed the chance to watch some of these on the big screen. So it’s a good thing the zombie apocalypse has been postponed. For at least a few years. But these films seem to be looking ahead to that possible future where human beings are nearly extinct.

Some people think that the amount of reboots and sequels coming out will eventually end life as we know it, but the new Mad Max: Fury Road actually looks like it could be a good one. The first official picture of Simon Pegg in The World’s End, which features a group of friends as they complete a pub crawl. Last but not least is This Is the End. If you’re a fan of Pineapple Express, you might want to check out the latest James Franco/Seth Rogen buddy comedy. It features the two playing themselves (or incredibly funny versions of themselves) as they face the end of the world. Read on below to see all three before the meteor takes us all out.

Mad Max: Fury Road

While the role may have made Mel Gibson famous, and spawned one of the best sequels ever in Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome, Mad Max hasn’t seen the big screen since 1985. Now the fourth installment of the franchise has finished filming, with original director George Miller behind the lens. Considering Mel Gibson went crazy a few years back, Tom Hardy is taking over the role of Max Rockatansky – a post apocalyptic warrior who fights in the wasteland that used to be Earth. While there have been photos of sets and weapons, we had yet to see what Hardy looked like as the title character. That is, until he gave everyone on set a signed photo of himself to commemorate the end of shooting. Here is that picture:

When you compare it to the Mad Max of Mel Gibson’s hey day, Hardy looks a lot more grim and grimy than the leather clad road warrior. But that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Tom Hardy has certainly proven that he can carry a movie (check out The Dark Knight Rises, Warrior, and Inception). So I doubt he’ll have any trouble taking over the role. Especially when his co-stars include Charlize Theron (Snow White and the Huntsman, Prometheus, Monster) and Nicholas Hoult (X-Men: First Class, Warm Bodies, Jack the Giant Slayer).  We’ll probably have to wait a while to see actual footage, the movie isn’t slated for release until 2014, but my hope is that Fury Road lives up to the legend.

The World’s End

Remember how awesomely funny Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz are? Well, it’s mainly due to the comedic team of Edgar Wright, Nick Frost, and Simon Pegg. Director Edgar Wright is known for his world on Scott Pilgrim vs. The World, Grindhouse, and the fact that he’s going to make the Ant-Man movie. Simon Pegg has also starred in such franchises as Star Trek, Paul, and Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol. Nick Frost has also appeared in Snow White and the Huntsman and The Adventures of Tintin. Together they have made some incredible comedies, and The World’s End looks like it will join the list. Not only is it starring Pegg and Frost, and directed by Wright, it also features Martin Freeman (The Hobbit, Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy), Eddie Marsan (Sherlock Holmes, Snow White and the Huntsman), and Paddy Considine (The Bourne Ultimatum). All these funny men are featured in the first official image of the movie:

As you can see there’s not much we can tell from this one photo other than seeing all these great guys looking a little shocked at something. Simon Pegg also seems to be growing his hair out a bit, or perhaps he’s trying for an unkempt look to make his image a little edgier. I’m sure that the plan is to be as funny as possible, even while the world might be ending. At least these guys will be going out in style – pub crawling their way to glory. If that’s man kind’s last hope, I think we’re in good hands. The film is set to premiere October 25th, 2013.

This Is The End

Seth Rogen and company wanted to give fans (and doomed peoples of Earth) a little bit more than just a pretty picture. In fact, we get a whole introduction from Rogen and James Franco even before the official trailer for This Is The End. And boy, does it look like one funny concept. In it Rogen, Franco, Danny McBride, Jay Baruchel, Jonah Hill, and Craig Robinson all play themselves – or at least extreme versions of themselves that share the same name. The big surprise is seeing Harry Potter’s Hermione Granger aka Emma Watson in the cast list, and she makes a brief appearance in the trailer. Don’t believe me? Watch the red band trailer for yourself (Be warned that there is strong language, blood, and a giant sex toy featured in the clip):

I don’t know about you, but that’s a movie that I want to see before the world ends. I’ve never seen a movie where everyone involved plays themselves. It will be cool to see how that works out, and to see how many jokes are made about The Green Hornet. Seth Rogen actually has stepped into the director’s chair for this one, with some help from Evan Goldberg (who happened to write both Pineapple Express and The Green Hornet). Considering all the other comedians that are featured in the film, which includes Jason Segel, Paul Rudd, Michael Cera, Mindy Kaling, Kevin Hart, and Aziz Ansari, we humans are in for a treat. And by the way, Rihanna will also be making an appearance. We can only hope this acting job does better than Battleship. The film, formerly called The End of the World, will be premiering next summer – June 14th, 2013. Let’s hope we make it until then.

How do you feel about Tom Hardy in Mad Max: Fury Road? Are you excited to see The World’s End? Will you be putting This is the End on your calendar? And most importantly, how did you survive the apocalypse?