It’s pitch-perfect for Hollywood. An ancient Mayan prophecy suggests that December 21, 2012, is doomsday. Our media and movie cultures are filled with apocalyptic scenarios,” said Barry Vacker, an associate professor of media studies and production at Temple. “Amid the parade of catastrophes, humans still hope for some possibility of doing it all over again and correcting their mistakes. We yearn for a new beginning and a better tomorrow, even if the immediate future seems depressing to so many people.”