Universal Pictures has set release dates for some of its major upcoming films.  The studio has announced dates for Larry Crowne, Safe House, Contraband, The Bourne Legacy, Ouija, 47 Ronin, Snow White and the Huntsman, and The Dark Tower.  Hit the jump for the release dates for all of these films, other films that may share that weekend, and a brief refresher on each project.

LARRY CROWNE: July 1, 2011

Refresher: Larry Crowne is Tom Hanks' first directorial feature since That Thing You Do.  He also stars in the film alongside Julia Roberts, Bryan Cranston, Taraji P. Henson, and Nia Vardalos (who co-wrote the script with Hanks).  Not much is known about the film beyond its logline: "Larry Crowne is a man forced to reinvent himself and find a new career as he navigates the second act of his life."

All of these films except for Larry Crowne have staked out a weekend that currently has no other film set for release.  Larry will be sharing the July 4th holiday with Optimus Prime since Transformers: Dark of the Moon is also slated for July 1, 2011.

SAFE HOUSE: February 10, 2012

Refresher: Directed by Daniel Espinosa (Snabba Cash), the film stars Ryan Reynolds as a CIA agent who must transport a dangerous criminal (played by Denzel Washington) to safety after both are attacked at a safe house.  The film is described as cross between Three Days of the Condor and Collateral.

CONTRABAND: March 16, 2012

Refresher: The film is a remake of the Icelandic hit film Reykjavik-Rotterdam.  It will star Mark Wahlberg and possibly Kate Beckinsale.  The movie is being directed by Baltasar Kormakur (Inhale) who starred in the original film.  The plot centers on a former smuggler trying to go straight as a night guard. When his wife’s brother (who got him the job) botches a smuggling run, his life threatened and the protagonist is dragged in for one more job.

THE BOURNE LEGACY: August 3, 2012

Refresher: Tony Gilroy, who wrote the previous three Bourne films, will direct the fourth entry into the series.  Despite the title, Jason Bourne won't be in the movie.

OUIJA: November 9, 2012

Based off the Hasbro board game, the film is being written by Lost and TRON: Legacy screenwriters Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz and is being fashioned as a big-budget action adventure.  Sylvain White (The Losers), Pierre Morel (Taken), and Scott Charles Stewart (Legion) are on the short list to direct.

47 RONIN: November 21, 2012

The film is a tale of 18th samurai who head out to avenge the death of their master.  This is a true story and the most famous tale the samurai code of honor, bushido.  47 Ronin is set to be helmed by commercial director Carl Rinsch and will star Keanu Reeves.

SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMAN: December 21, 2012

The film is a re-imagining of the Snow White tale written by Evan Daugherty and directed by Rupert Sanders.  In this version, the Evil Queen dispatches the Huntsman to kill Snow White but instead he mentors the young girl and teaches her how to fend for herself.  Tom Hardy and Charlize Theron are rumored to star.

THE DARK TOWER: May 17, 2013

Based off the best-selling novels by Stephen King, the big screen adaptation will be written by Akiva Goldsman and directed by Ron Howard.  It will be the first film in a trilogy and will also be augmented by a TV series.  Here's a plot summary [via Wikipedia] of King's self-described magnum opus:

In the story, Roland Deschain is the last living member of a knightly order known as gunslingers and the last of the line of "Arthur Eld", his world's analogue of King Arthur. Politically organized along the lines of a feudal society, it shares technological and social characteristics with the American Old West but is also magical. Many of the magical aspects have vanished from Mid-World, but traces remain as do relics from a technologically advanced society. Roland's quest is to find the Dark Tower, a fabled building said to be the nexus of all universes. Roland's world is said to have "moved on", and it appears to be coming apart at the seams. Mighty nations have been torn apart by war, entire cities and regions vanish without a trace and time does not flow in an orderly fashion. Even the sun sometimes rises in the north and sets in the east. As the series opens, Roland's motives, goals and age are unclear, though later installments shed light on these mysteries.

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