The Big Screen Version of BATTLESHIP Tries to Lure Audiences to Sea with Splashy New Photos

Before Battleship, the innocent board game-turned-popcorn flick, hits theaters in a few weeks, Universal Pictures has released a healthy stack of images from the movie to whet your appetites (speaking exclusively to those who are interested in this kind of fare).

If you're just hearing about the movie, here's a recap of the premise (taken from the press release):

Peter Berg (Hancock, The Kingdom, Friday Night Lights) directs and produces Battleship, an epic scale action-adventure that unfolds across the seas, in the skies and over land as our planet fights for survival against a superior force.

This will mark singer Rihanna's big screen debut as Petty Officer 2nd Class Cora Raikes, but something tells me this is only a bit part, and they're using her image to drive audiences. The novice will join veteran actor Liam Neeson, who'll play Admiral Shane, the head honcho to Lieutenant Alex Hopper (Taylor Kitsch) and Stone (Alexander Skarsgård).

Universal is keeping plot details under wraps, but expect a lot of explosions, gunfire, dramatic conflict and utter mayhem (along with an inevitable romantic subplot). Battleship, which also stars Brooklyn Decker and Tadanobu Asano (as Captain Yugi Nagata), sails into theaters May 18th.