Flash-forward: Most anticipated films of 2009

Comments 0

BY MATTHEW PRICE, GEORGE LANG AND BRANDY McDONNELL

Published: January 9, 2009

From Captain Kirk and Harry Potter to Wolverine and the Transformers, moviegoers will welcome several blockbuster franchises back to the multiplexes in 2009.

Featured Gallery

Hollywood came close to setting a second-straight box-office record in 2008, with the runaway success of "The Dark Knight” pushing domestic revenues to $9.63 billion for the year, just short of 2007’s record-breaking $9.68 billion.

Those big box-office bucks prompted the studios to delay some high-profile releases, including "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince” and the "Star Trek” reboot, to this year. The anticipation from antsy fans is sure to intensify now that the new dates for these films are finally in sight.

Here are 16 movies we can’t wait to see this year, along with their estimated (and subject-to-change) release dates:

1. "Star Trek” (May 8).

Thanks to a slamming trailer and a great casting retrofit, buzz over J.J. Abrams’ "Star Trek” is traveling light years beyond the series’ core following. Abrams, the plot-twisting wizard behind "Lost,” "Alias” and "Fringe,” supplies an all-new cast playing the classic characters from the 1966-69 series, including Chris Pine as James T. Kirk and Zachary Quinto ("Heroes”) as Spock. The look of "Star Trek” pays homage to the original, but by most accounts, Abrams has made a "Star Trek” film that will beam up Trekkies as well as Starfleet newbies.

2. "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince” (July 17).

The Boy Who Lived begins his sixth year at Hogwarts and discovers a volume that sheds light on the dark early life of Tom Riddle, the misfit who grew up to be Lord Voldemort. Director David Yates, who delivered the creative jolt behind 2007’s "Order of the Phoenix,” will finish out the films, and trailers featuring Hero Fiennes-Tiffin as Riddle reveal a series that is darkening, deepening and catching a case of the serious creeps in the final stretch.

3. "Watchmen” (March 6).

Based on one of the most popular graphic novels of all time, "Watchmen” is directed by Zack Snyder ("300”). When a former superhero is murdered, the investigation by the vigilante Rorschach (Jackie Earl Haley) uncovers a conspiracy against all the masked adventurers. A lawsuit threatens to derail "Watchmen,” and Alan Moore, the author of the original graphic novel, wants nothing to do with film adaptations. But despite the negatives, the buzz is strong on this film, snippets from which played to a packed room at Comic-Con.

4. "Avatar” (Dec. 18).

Writer and director James Cameron makes his long-awaited return with "Avatar,” starring Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver and Michelle Rodriguez. This 3-D futuristic science-fiction tale will use a mix of live-action, motion-capture and computer animation.

5. "Public Enemies” (July 1).

The name of the movie may be woefully nondescript, but check out the names of the talent involved in director Michael Mann’s ("Heat”) 1930s crime drama about federal efforts to take down gangsters such as John Dillinger. Christian Bale stars as FBI bureau chief Melvin Purvis, Johnny Depp as Dillinger and Billy Crudup as J. Edgar Hoover.

6. "Up” (May 29).

Can the brilliant minds at Pixar make it 10 critically acclaimed blockbusters in a row? Don’t bet against it. The animation powerhouse this year aims "Up” with a colorful tale of a septuagenarian (voiced by Edward Asner) who ties thousands of balloons to his house to make a long-awaited trek to see the jungles of South America. But after liftoff, he discovers a stowaway: an eager explorer 70 years his junior.

7. "X-Men Origins: Wolverine” (May 1).

Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine from the "X-Men” films gets a solo spin-off, directed by Gavin Hood ("Rendition”). This film will introduce some new players from the X-Men mythos, including Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds) and Gambit (Taylor Kitsch).

8. "Terminator Salvation” (May 22).

Though he cut his teeth (and rotted ours) with bright and happy Sugar Ray videos in the ’90s, director McG ("Charlie’s Angels”) gets deep into the grisly battle between humans and the Skynet machines in this new Arnold Schwarzenegger-less sequel. The new installment could bring along "The Dark Knight” followers, since Christian Bale is playing John Connor and the script’s final draft came from that film’s co-writer, Jonathan Nolan.

9. "Where the Wild Things Are” (Oct. 16).

Writer-director Spike Jonze ("Being John Malkovich”) has been working on his adaptation of Maurice Sendak’s classic — and notably thin — children’s story since 2006. It was originally scheduled for fall 2008 release, and rumors of turmoil on the set and with the studio swirled when it was delayed. But new photos and the latest buzz are promising, and with talents such as Forest Whitaker, Catherine O’Hara and James Gandolfini involved, hopes are high that the film will evoke some of the book’s mystery and wonder.

10. "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen” (June 26).

The sequel to 2007’s "Transformers” again stars Shia LeBeouf (Sam Witwicky) and Megan Fox (Mikaela Banes). The Transformers are the good Autobots and the evil Decepticons, both alien robots who can change form and mimic Earth vehicles. The Decepticons need to capture Sam after he finds out a secret about the origin of the Transformers.

11. "G.I. Joe: Rise of Cobra” (Aug. 7).

Along with the "Transformers” sequel, "Rise of Cobra” is the second film based on action figures from toymaker Hasbro set for 2009 release. "G.I. Joe” is a special military force that combats Cobra, a terrorist organization. Dennis Quaid stars as General Hawk and Ray Park is the silent ninja Snake Eyes. Joseph Gordon-Levitt (Cobra Commander), Christopher Eccleston (Destro) and Sienna Miller (The Baroness) headline the bad guys.

12. "The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus” (sometime in 2009).

A new film from writer-director Terry Gilliam ("Brazil”) always sparks curiosity, but none more so than this fantastical morality tale starring the late Heath Ledger in his final role. Johnny Depp, Jude Law and Colin Farrell famously stepped in to finish Ledger’s scenes as the mysterious Tony, who encounters Dr. Parnassus (Christopher Plummer), a magical theater troupe leader who has made a pact with the devil (Tom Waits).

13. "Inglourious Basterds” (August).

Quentin Tarantino returns with his much-delayed "World War II spaghetti Western” — what, you were expecting a Kate Hudson/Matthew McConaughey romantic comedy? "Inglourious” focuses on a group of Jewish-American soldiers (led by Brad Pitt, Eli Roth and B.J. Novak) dispatched to brutally kill Nazis, striking fear in the black heart of the Third Reich.

14. "Sherlock Holmes” (Nov. 20).

He proved he could become "Iron Man,” now Robert Downey Jr. takes on the role of literature’s most famous detective. Guy Ritchie, whose 2008 crime flick "RocknRolla” flopped, directs Holmes’ latest film outing, also featuring Rachel McAdams, Eddie Marsan and Jude Law as Dr. Watson.

15. "The Road” (sometime in 2009).

This adaptation of Cormac McCarthy’s Pulitzer Prize-winning apocalyptic novel stars Viggo Mortensen and Kodi Smit-McPhee as a father and son walking through a destroyed and dangerous America. Directed by John Hillcoat ("The Proposition”), "The Road” features set design by the same team that made "Children of Men” so chillingly realistic.

16. "New Moon” (Nov. 20).

After Summit Entertainment scored a late ’08 blockbuster with "Twilight,” the first movie based on Stephenie Meyer’s popular four-book series, the fledgling company fast-tracked the first sequel. Chris Weitz ("The Golden Compass”) takes the helm for "New Moon,” in which Bella Swan (Kristen Stewart) is heartbroken when her vampire boyfriend, Edward (Robert Pattinson), leaves her. She takes solace in her friendship with Jacob Black (Taylor Lautner in "Twilight,” though casting for this role hasn’t been confirmed), who turns out to be a werewolf.