A peek at the hottest upcoming movies

Summer brings sunshine, pool openings, hanging out with friends and severe movie hype

 

By Molly Syme

April 25, 2008

 

May 2
Iron Man
Cast: Robert Downey Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow, Terrence Howard
Plot: After being held captive in the Middle East, millionaire Tony Stark builds an armor suit, one of the of the greatest weapons ever created. Now he must fight his nemesis to save the world.
Buzz: After 15 years in the making, with the plot being adjusting to the modern world, director Jon Favreau has gotten an A-list cast and has plans for a trilogy.
Box Office: Huge. Will probably make the most money for the month of May.

 

May 16
The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian
Cast: Georgie Henley, Skandar Keynes, William Moseley
Plot: Peter, Susan, Lucy and Edmun go back to Narnia, but more than 1,300 years have passed, and Narnia is no longer a prosperous kingdom. Narnia is now ruled by an evil king named Miraz, but the children, with Prince Caspian the rightful heir to the throne, will have to find the lion Aslan to dethrone Miraz and save Narnia.
Buzz: A lot because the whole cast is back, plus even better special effects.
Box office:  The first movie did surprisingly well. This one will most likely do better than the first one, because more people now know what the Chronicles of Narnia are.

 

May 23
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull 
Cast: Harrison Ford, Cate Blanchett, Shia LaBeouf
Plot: Indiana Jones (Ford) is back for the fourth installment of the franchise and embarks on dangerous adventure with his rumored son (LaBeouf).
Buzz: It has been generating a lot of buzz because of its cast and because the plot is being kept secret.
Box office: This will be the most successful of all four movies.

 

 

 

 

 

May 30
Sex and the City: The Movie
Cast: Sarah Jessica Parker, Kim Cattrall, Cynthia Nixon, Kristin Davis
Plot: The movie picks up four years after the show ended. The girls think their lives are finally going to have fairy-tale endings, but as Carrie plans her wedding with Mr. Big, trouble will arise that will change their lives forever.
Buzz: After the show ended, a movie was soon to be produced, but trouble with one star’s contract delayed production.
Box office: Not a blockbuster, mainly due to its R-rated, chick-flick plot, but it will do well.

 

June 13
The Incredible Hulk
Cast: Edward Norton, Liv Tyler, Tim Roth
Plot: Dr. Bruce Banner searches for a cure for his disease but has to escape from the military who start looking for him, and his new nemesis Abomination, whose powers matches the Hulk’s, will try to destroy the world.
Buzz: After the “Hulk” received bad reviews from moviegoers and critics alike, Marvel is trying to revive the series with a whole new cast, newer plot and even better special effects.
Box Office: This movie might fail because the first movie was not liked by movie-goers.

 

July 11
Hellboy II: The Golden Army
Cast: Ron Perlman, Doug Jones
Plot: When the mystical world is about to take over the Earth, the only people who will stop these mystical creatures are Hellboy and his army.
Buzz: After director Guillermo del Toro’s huge success with “Pan’s Labyrinth,” this movie promises no less with better effects and a better plot than the first “Hellboy.”
Box Office: The first movie did not do well, mainly because it was a spring release. This movie will be a summer blockbuster and will make more money than the first one.

 

July 18
The Dark Knight
Cast: Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Aaron Eckhart
Plot: Batman must face his biggest villain, the Joker, who terrorizes Gotham City.
Buzz: After “Batman Begins” was a critical and a popular success, this movie is expected to surpass the first in all aspects. This movie is also Heath Ledger’s last complete film.
Box Office: This movie will most likely break the current box-office record for its first weekend gross, because it has been generating so much interest because of its cast and of its amazing special effects.

 

August 1
The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor
Cast: Brendan Fraser, Jet Li, Maria Bello
Plot: The O’Connells are back. Now they meet the mummy of the first Han Emperor Qin Lin, who will destroy the world with his merciless army, unless this adventuresome family stops him.
Buzz: After seven years, the Mummy series returns with more action brought by the amazing Jet Li and new special effects, making the mummy look more realistic.
Box Office: This will probably be a failure because the second movie had harsh reviews, but was a box-office hit. Fans were not delighted, so they might not come back for a third time. That Rachel Wiesz dropped out means that the script is not that good either.

 

August 15
Tropic Thunder
Cast: Ben Stiller, Jack Black, Robert Downey Jr.
Plot: With a magical twist, a group of actors who were portraying soldiers in a war movie now have to fight in a real war based on their movie.
Buzz: This movie promises to be hilarious due to the duo of Ben Stiller and Jack Black, and you will find a Tom Cruise cameo. This movie also has unconventional casting because Robert Downey Jr. plays an African American soldier. This movie is a must see for comedy lovers.
Box Office: Despite Ben Stiller’s recent failures, this move will bring in the big bucks, putting stiller back at the top.