With less than two weeks left in 2011, it’s time to set our sights on movies that will be opening in 2012. Since the coming year is releasing a ton of big budget movies that will dominate media coverage, we thought we’d take a moment to highlight some of the lesser known fare that will be gracing the screens over the  next twelve months. We’ve got some new posters that will be a first look at these projects for some of you and a gentle reminder for others. First up is the superhero “found footage” thriller Chronicle by director Josh Trank (The Kill Point). Trank’s cinematic directorial debut features three teenagers who become imbued with superpowers and how those abilities darken their lives. Next, from David Cronenberg (A Dangerous Method) comes Cosmopolis, starring Robert Pattinson (Twilight). The adaptation of the Don DeLillo’s novel by the same name follows a young billionaire (Pattinson) as his limo traverses Manhattan in search of a haircut (not making this up). Finally, the animated Rise of the Guardians, which has the most charming poster in my opinion, is based off of the “Guardians of Childhood” book series by William Joyce and features childhood legends teaming up to take on the Boogeyman. Hit the jump to check out the posters.First up is this rebelliously toned poster from Chronicle, featuring star Dane DeHaan (True Blood) (via IMPAwards):chronicle-posterI like the tone of this poster, much like I enjoyed the tone of the trailer for Chronicle.  It gives me hope that this won’t be just another bland “found footage” movie and we’ll get to see a little darkness come along with the new-found powers. Why is DeHaan so pissed off? Because fuck clouds, that’s why!You can catch up on Chronicle news here. The movie, opening February 3rd, 2012 also stars Michael B. Jordan (Parenthood) and Alex Russell (Almost Kings).Next up is Cronenberg’s Cosmopolis, showcasing the grandeur that is Manhattan (via Kino Gallery):cosmopolis-posterPersonally, I think they’re missing out on the appeal that is Pattinson’s face. He is arguably more recognizable than the New York skyline at this point, so why not cash in on it? The poster is a little bland for my taste and offers a tagline that is pointless unless you already know the context. Also, the blue tint, though probably meant to convey the limits of the Earth’s atmosphere before reaching the airless void of space, makes it look like Manhattan is about to be lit up by the aliens from Independence Day. [Update: Some folks in the comments section are saying this poster is fan-made.  That could be the case, but I don't know since Kino is a Russian website and I don't speak Russian. Second Update: Some commenters are saying this is the "real" poster [via Bleeding Cool].  It's actually a promo banner designed to sell potential buyers.  Don't expect to see this at your local art house theater.cosmopolis-movie-poster-banner-01Check out more of our Cosmopolis coverage here. The movie, also starring Paul Giamatti (Sideways) and Jay Baruchel (She’s Out of My League) opens at an undetermined time next year.Finally we have a holiday-related poster from Rise of the Guardians, although the Peter Ramsey (Monsters vs Aliens: Mutant Pumpkins from Outer Space) and William Joyce-directed picture doesn’t hit theaters until next year (via Hitfix): Call me simple, but this is my favorite poster of the three. It has the usual DreamWorks Animation flare to it (which is not always a hit), but conveys the tone of the film nicely. Santa with tatts? Have fun explaining that to the kids this Christmas (as if he didn't scare them enough already). You can get caught up on the film here. Here’s the synopsis for Rise of the Guardians:

When Pitch (Law), an evil spirit akin to the Boogeyman, lays down the gauntlet to take over the world, the immortal Guardians must join forces for the first time to protect the hopes, beliefs and imagination of children all over the world.

Rise of the Guardians stars Hugh Jackman (X-Men), Jude Law (Sherlock Holmes), Chris Pine (Star Trek), Alec Baldwin (30 Rock) and Isla Fisher (Wedding Crashers) as the voices of various legendary characters. The film opens November 21st of next year (and has nothing to do with similarly-titled book/movie Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole).