Ask moviegoers which films
they most anticipate this summer, and the titles you’re most likely to hear have numerals
in them: “Mission: Impossible III,” “X-Men
3,” “Pirates of the Caribbean 2.”
The studios understand too
well the intense cravings consumers harbor for follow-ups.
Flip forward to this issue’s
June preview and find among its offerings “The Fast
and the Furious: Tokyo Drift,” “Garfield’s
A Tale of Two Kitties” and “Superman Returns.”
What follows are the twos,
threes, fours and mores headed our way post-“Pirates.”
Leashed to the last day of summer is “Jackass 2.” Johnny
Knoxville (“The Ringer”), Bam Margera (MTV’s “Viva
La Bam”), Steve-O (MTV’s “Wildboyz”)
and Chris Pontius (“Charlie’s Angels: Full
Throttle”) reunite to ingest, inflict, insert and
inspire all new manner of self-humiliation, injury and
insult in this follow-up to the wildly popular 2002 stunt
comedy. Paramount dares you to see it Sept. 22.
“Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning” relates
the horrifying origins of the infamous Leatherface and
his equally bloodthirsty family, who again find victims
among a group of unsuspecting teen travelers. Returnees
from 2003’s “Massacre” include Heather
Kafka (“Where The Heart Is”), R. Lee Ermey
(“Man of the House”), Andrew Bryniarski (“Scooby-Doo”),
Marietta Marich (“Rushmore”), Kathy Lamkin
(“Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang”) and Terrence Evans
(“What’s Love Got To Do With It?”). Newcomers
to the series include director Jonathan Liebesman (“Darkness
Falls”), screenwriter Sheldon Turner (“The
Longest Yard”), and actors Jordana Brewster (“Annapolis”),
Diora Baird (“The Wedding Crashers”), Matthew
Bomer (“Flightplan”), Taylor Handley (“Jack
Frost”), Lew Temple (“Domino”), Lee Tergesen
(“The Forgotten”) and Tim De Zarn (“Spider-Man”).
New Line lets it rip Oct. 6.
It’s a sequel. It’s a remake. It’s both! “The
Grudge 2” stars Amber Tamblyn (“Sisterhood
of the Traveling Pants”) as the younger sister of
Sarah Michelle Gellar’s character in this English-language
remake of the Japanese sequel to the Japanese original
(“Ju-on”), on which the 2004 horror hit English-language
remake was based (phew!) about a curse that brings terror
and death to all who encounter it. Director Takashi Shimizu
(“Marebito”), writer Stephen Susco and Gellar
(in a brief reprise of her starring role) return from the
first installment. Jennifer Beals (“Catch That Kid”),
Arielle Kebbel (“Be Cool”) and Teresa Palmer
also star. Sony won’t hold it against you if you
screen it Oct. 20.
If you saw the first two, Lionsgate
is hoping you “Saw
III.” Returnees from parts one and two are expected
to include screenwriter Leigh Whannel and actors Shawnee
Smith (“Breakfast of Champions”) and Tobin
Bell (“Malice”). Returnees from part two are
expected to include director Darren Lynn Bousman. At press
time, it was still set to cut into the release calendar
at Oct. 27.
“The Santa Clause 3” was last covered in February’s Next! and Buena Vista unpacks that sleigh Nov. 3.
James Bond opus “Casino Royale,” like “The
Grudge 2,” is technically both sequel and remake.
Unlike “Grudge 2,” it was covered in last month’s
Next! remake extravaganza. Sony bets you’ll see it
Nov. 17.
“40-Year-Old Virgin” headliner Steve Carell
stars in the sequel to the Jim Carrey-starrer “Bruce
Almighty.” “Evan Almighty” will feature
Carell in the anchorman role he played in the original,
except now God is talking to him (instead of the Carrey
character) and demanding the building of an ark in preparation
for an apocalyptic flood. Besides Carell, “Bruce” alumni
returning for the sequel include director Tom Shadyac (“Patch
Adams,” “Dragonfly”), screenwriter Steve
Oedekerk (“Kung Pow: Enter The Fist”) and actors
Morgan Freeman (“Lucky Number Slevin”), Shashawnee
Hall (“Cursed”) and Tom Beyer (“The Toy”).
Newcomers to the franchise include screenwriters Josh Stolberg
(“Kids in America”) and Robert Florsheim,,
as well as actors Lauren Graham (“The Pacifier”),
John Goodman (“Marilyn Hotchkiss’s Ballroom
Dancing and Charm School”), Wanda Sykes (“Monster-in-Law”),
Jonah Hill (“Grandma’s Boy”) and Jimmy
Bennett (“Firewall,” “Poseidon”).
Universal has decreed Dec. 22 for the release.
The “Rocky” franchise returns after a 16-year
layoff with its sixth installment, “Rocky Balboa.” In
it, a broke, fiftysomething Italian Stallion fights a succession
of low-ranked boxers to raise money for a youth center – until
he unexpectedly finds himself with a shot at the reigning
world heavyweight champion. Sylvester Stallone, who wrote
the previous five installments and directed chapters “II,” “III” and “IV,” helms
from his own screenplay. Actors returning from the previous
five installments include Stallone (“Spy Kids 3-D:
Game Over”), Burt Young (“Transamerica”)
and Tony Burton (“Knockout”). Newcomers to
the franchise include Milo Ventimiglia (“Dirty Deeds”)
as Rocky Balboa, Jr., as well as Henry G. Sanders (“Play
It To The Bone”), Bert Randolph Sugar (“Play
It To The Bone”), Marc Ratner (“Play It To
The Bone”), Geraldine Hughes (“Duplex”),
Lahmard J. Tate (“Barbershop”), A.J. Benza
(“P.S. Your Cat is Dead”) and Antonio Tarver
(TV’s “The Contender”). Sony takes the
gloves off Feb. 9.
Already much-covered in these pages, “Spider-Man
3” finds Peter Parker’s eye straying to a blonder
love interest with the casting of Bryce Dallas Howard (“Manderlay”)
as Gwen Stacy. James Cromwell (“The Longest Yard”)
takes on the role of her father, police captain George
Stacy. Theresa Russell (“Passionada”) has also
joined the cast as Flint “Sandman” Marko’s
wife. The Hollywood Reporter reports that long-confirmed
cast member Topher Grace (“In Good Company”)
plays Spidey’s evil doppelganger, Eddie “Venom” Brock.
Sony’s eye has strayed to a May 4, 2007, release.
“Shrek The Third,” last covered in last October’s Next! under the title “Shrek 3,” is due May
18, 2007, from DreamWorks.
Warner Bros.’ “Harry Potter and the Order
of the Phoenix,” covered in February’s Next!,
has added Imelda Staunton (“Nanny McPhee”)
as new “defense against the dark arts” teacher
Dolores Umbridge, Evanna Lynch as Luna Lovegood, Natalia
Tena (“Mrs. Henderson Presents”) as Nymphadora
Tonks, George Harris (“The Interpreter”) as
Kingsley Shacklebolt, Helen McCrory (“Casanova”)
as Bellatrix Lestrange, and Kathryn Hunter (“All
or Nothing”) as Mrs. Figg. This fifth installment
of the series hits theatres June 1, 2007.
“Fantastic Four 2” is the
follow-up to the 2005 hit adaptation of the classic Marvel
Comics. The director
and cast are all expected to return, but the only thing
Fox has committed to is a July 4, 2007, opening.
“The Simpsons Movie” is expected to see Erin
Brockovich come to Springfield after Homer accidentally
triggers a nuclear disaster – one that contaminates
the town’s water supply. Series vets lending their
talents to the movie include director David Silverman (“The
Road to El Dorado”), screenwriters Al Jean (TV’s “The
Critic”) and Mike Scully (TV’s “Everybody
Loves Raymond”), and actors Dan Castellaneta, Julie
Kavner, Nancy Cartwright, Yeardley Smith, Harry Shearer
and Hank Azaria. Albert Brooks, who has played five different
characters on five episodes of “The Simpsons,” returns
as well. The real Erin Brockovich plays herself. Fox has
a July 27, 2007 release date on its drawing board.
“The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian” is
the second in the series of seven C.S. Lewis books and
the first announced movie sequel. Set 400 years (in Narnia
time) after the events of the first installment, but only
a little over a year later in the human world, it sees
the children return to help Prince Caspian attain his rightful
throne against the machinations of his cunning uncle. Andrew
Adamson (the “Shrek” series) returns to direct
from a screenplay by Adamson and returning scripters Christopher
Markus & Steve McFeeley. Buena Vista has yet to reveal
a release date or who among the cast returns.
“Reno 911!: Miami” is a big-screen continuation of
the popular “Cops!”-style Comedy Central mock
reality show. In it, the Reno sheriff’s department
rushes into action when terrorists disrupt a national police
convention in Miami. Series creator Ben Garant makes his
feature directorial debut from a screenplay by series writers
Garant & Thomas Lennon (“Taxi,” “The
Pacifier,” “Herbie: Fully Loaded”) and
Kerri Kenney. Actors returning from the series include
Garant (“Herbie: Fully Loaded”), Lennon (“Herbie:
Fully Loaded”), Kenney (“Wet Hot American Summer”),
Neicy Nash (“The Bachelor”), Mary Birdsong
(“Snow Days”), Cedric Yarbrough (“The
40-Year-Old Virgin”), Carlos Alazraqui, Wendi McLendon-Covey
(“Bewitched”), Kathryn Fiore (“Mission:
Impossible III”), David Koechner (“Larry The
Cable Guy: Health Inspector”), Danny DeVito (“Be
Cool”), Nick Swarsdon (“The Benchwarmers”),
Jo Lo Truglio (“Hitch”), Brandon Molale (“Mission:
Impossible III”), Marisa Petroro (“Big Fat
Liar”), Ian Roberts (“Anchorman”), Michael
Patrick Jann (TV’s “The State”), David
Wain (“The Baxter”), Michael Showalter (“The
Baxter”), Ken Marino (“The Baxter”) and
Michael Ian Black (“The Baxter”). Newcomers
to the franchise include Paul Rudd (“The 40-Year-Old
Virgin”), Paul Reubens (“Blow”), Dwayne “The
Rock” Johnson (“Doom”), Mary Castro (“Domino”),
Kevin Allison (TV’s “Stella”) and Todd
Holoubek (TV’s “The State”). Paramount
has yet to lock up a release date.
Lather, 
