With Hollywood releasing around 500 films in 2008, it's no wonder tried-and-tested formulas are given another guernsey. With the average person watching only seven films a month (a figure including films viewed on telly or DVD), how do you know which ones to pick? We've compiled a list of the hottest films set for release in 2008.
Top of this year’s list of guaranteed blockbusters are Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (May) and The Dark Night (July). Heath Ledger’s untimely exit from this world will only serve to boost The Dark Night's takings at the box office – its release is months away but Ledger’s Joker is appearing on the covers of magazines everywhere. The film also stars Christian Bale and Gary Oldman as Batman and the Lieutenant Jim Gordon (respectively), who join together to battle the Joker's evil forces. Indiana Jones's storyline is being kept under tight wraps, but writer George Lucas has said it’s very close to the original Raiders of the Lost Ark that has kept fans excited. Also exciting is the massive star-studded cast, which includes original members Harrison Ford and Karen Allen.Later on in the year, November to be precise, the 22nd James Bond film will be released under the working title of Quantum of Solace. Daniel Craig reprises his role as 007, and the film also marks the first ever sequel to another Bond film ( Casino Royale).The Incredible Hulk gets a rework with Edward Norton writing the screenplay and putting his own spin on the character. It’s meant to run on from Ang Lee’s The Hulk (starring Eric Bana), but is not an official sequel. Liv Tyler co-stars.The makers behind The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe have promised to up the ante with the second instalment of The Chronicles of Narnia. Prince Caspian (May) is set to have more action and Liam Neeson continues as the voice of Aslan. Meanwhile, Harry Potter learns more about Lord Voldemort’s dark past in the sixth instalment of the series - Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince. You'll have to wait until November to find out what happens.Over the The X-Files conspiracies and alien stories? Never fear, the new X-Files is set to include none of the above and is a stand alone film that could be about any number of the themes covered in the original TV series. The storyline is being kept a closely guarded secret, so all we know is that Gillian Anderson and David Duchovny return as Mulder and Scully.Telly remakes seem to be a popular theme for 2008. Probably the most anticipated for this year will be the Sex and the City (May) movie, which is set to tie up some of the loose ends left by the series back in 2004 – but who really knows? The makers have remained tight-lipped about the story leaving it a complete and utter mystery to everyone outside of the set.Steve Carell seems to be an obvious choice to play the shoe-phone yielding Maxwell Smart in the remake of Get Smart, set for release in June. It should be interesting to see some of the gadgets reproduced in the more highly advanced technological state of 2008. The Smurfs also get their cinema debut from the producer of Charlotte’s Web and George of the Jungle, and is the first of an expected trilogy.Marvel comics get a good look in too with X-Men Origins: Wolverine, and Iron Man, starring Gwyneth Paltrow alongside Robert Downey Jr as the weapons designer who designs a suit of power armour to get himself out of a sticky situation.Although Where the Wild Things Are ’s release has been set back to 2009, the cinematic reproduction of classic children’s fiction is highlighted by Dr Seuss’s Horton Hears A Who (March). The main character is voiced by Jim Carrey, and the film co-stars Seth Rogan and Steve Carell, both of whom have been very busy, indeed.Following the success of Knocked Up last year, there are a few comedies penned by the prolific Judd Apatow to look out for, including Pineapple Express and Forgetting Sarah Marshall. Kevin Smith was given the green light by the production company as soon as he told them his new film script's title: Zack and Miri Make a Porno. The film is to be released during the latter half of the year.From the makers of TV series Curb Your Enthusiasm comes How to Lose Friends and Alienate People, which stars Simon Pegg – a British comedian whose notoriety has risen immensely after writing and starring in Hot Fuzz and Shaun of the Dead. He’ll also star in Run Fatboy Run, alongside Irish comedian Dylan Moran. Pegg is also set to play “beam me up” Scotty in J.J. Abrams’s Star Trek, which is one of the big releases set for Boxing Day.Fans of Borat will be pleased to know that Sascha Baron Cohen is putting the finishing touches on a sequel. Due out later in the year it's called – take a deep breath - Brüno: Delicious Journeys Through America for the Purpose of Making Heterosexual Males Visibly Uncomfortable in the Presence of a Gay Foreigner in a Mesh T-Shirt. You'll be laughing before you even get to the cinema.Other films to watch out for are Baz Luhrmann’s Australia (November), set in the Northern Territory prior to World War II. Two juicy period dramas will feature Scarlett Johansson – Mary Queen of Scots and The Other Boleyn Girl (out this month – also starring Natalie Portman and Eric Bana). There’s also Wanted, an espionage flick starring Angelina Jolie and James McAvoy, Hellboy II: The Golden Army, and Christina Ricci and Matthew Fox get animated for Speed Racer (May).So, set aside some time and a few extra bucks for what is promising to be a massive year in cinemas, whether you're into some bellylaughs, a bit of action or seeing your favourite stories on the big screen.
