Films

    After the sucess stories of last year, there appears to be no end to the appetite for comic book blockbusters* about masked superheroes.

    Superman returns in “Man of Steel” which stars Henry Cavill, while Aaron Taylor-Johnson will invest his money in “Kick-Ass 2.”

    This year will also see the emergence of Pixor’s “Monsters University.” There will also be a sequel to Pixor’s “Cars.”

    In the live-action realm, there will be the “The Hangover,” a second “Sin City.”

    The end of the year also brings another “Hobbit” and “Hunger Games” film series, as well as a return for Tom Clancy’s CIA analyst “Jack Ryan.”

    Before then we’ll see James Franco play the young Wizard in “Oz in Sam Raimi’s Oz: The Great and Powerful,” and Johnny Depp play Tonto.

    Steve Coogan, meanwhile, will bring his most famous comic creation to the big screen at last in “Alan Partridge: The Movie.”

    Tom Cruise and Will Smith will bring us futuristic action in “Oblivion” and “After Earth” respectively, while Brad Pitt faces a zombie outbreak in “World War Z.”

    But maybe the most enticing prospects of 2013 will come from idiosyncratic* filmmakers.

    Terrence Malick’s “To the Wonder,” Gus Van Sant’s “Promised Land” and Baz Luhrmann’s “The Great Gatsby” are among the big names with new work to share.

    TV drama

    “Doctor Who” may be over 900 years old, but the program itself will turn 50 in 2013.

    The second series of “Sherlock” ended with Benedict Cumberbatch’s detective appearing to fall to his death. Since then the Internet has been piled with theories as to how he survived. The solution, expected to be unveiled at the start of the third series late in 2013, might well provoke just as much discussion.

    ITV will be hoping to have a hit of “Downton Abbey”-sized proportions with “Mr. Selfridge,” a 10-part drama about the man who revolutionized shopping in the early 20th century.

    Its impressive pedigree* includes a script by celebrated dramatist Andrew Davies, and multi-Emmy winning actor Jeremy Piven as Harry Selfridge.

    As for funs of American TV drama, “Homeland” season 3, “How I Met Your Mother” season 8, and new program “Hannibal” will bring viewers thrills and enjoyment.

    Music

    If you look at this year’s “best album” lists, the most noticeable thing is the lack of consensus*.

    There were dozens of competitors, but no album unified critics and audiences in the same way Adele’s “21”had a year earlier. Will 2013 be any different?

    Beyonce gets the ball rolling with a halftime performance at the Super Bowl in February. It looks like she’ll have an album ready by then.

    Lady Gaga returns in the spring with her fourth album, “ArtPop.”

    It is likely to include “Princess Die,” a piano ballad* written about Princess Diana, and other role models who died young, including Whitney Houston and Amy Winehouse.

    Other big-hitters returning in 2013 include Vampire Weekend, Metallica, Katy Perry, Nick Cave, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Katy B, Foals, The National and Eminem.

    Last year’s biggest boy band, One Direction, embarks on a world tour in February, while prog rock* legend Yes will be performing three of their classic albums.

    But the year’s hottest ticket is undoubtedly Kraftwerk’s concert series at the Tate Modern. The eight dates have already sold out.

    If all goes to plan, it looks like new mother Adele might deliver the follow-up to her first two albums, “19” and “21,” in time for Christmas. Presumably, this one will be called “24.”

    (SD-Agencies)