Mission: Impossible III
May 5
Agent Ethan Hunt is back for another one of his impossible missions. Six years after the second instalment, Tom Cruise returns in the lead of this movie with a very secretive plot. Explosive action sequences are to be expected. Given the box-office scores of the first two movies of the multi-billion dollar franchise, this one is bound to be one of the biggest hits this coming summer. But taking Cruise seriously after movies such as last year’s War of the Worlds might be in itself an impossible mission for the summer.
Poseidon
May 12
In this remake of the classic disaster movie, Josh Lucas and Kurt Russell are ringing in the New Year aboard the Poseidon, a luxurious cruise ship. When a giant wave turns the ship upside down, the captives must find a way to escape before the ship hits the bottom of the ocean and becomes their watery grave. In a plot reminiscent of the Titanic sans the cheesy love story, this action flick should have you holding on to your breath until the very end.
Da Vinci Code
May 19
Real controversy or publicity stunt? The author of the book behind this summer’s most anticipated movie faced charges of plagiarism earlier this year, but this should not affect the release of The Da Vinci Code, starring Tom Hanks and Audrey Tautou. A religious symbol expert and a cryptographer uncover a trail of clues hidden in the work of Leonardo Da Vinci. They engage in a race against the clock that could very well put them on the list of a murderer that finds his inspiration in those works. The book sold more than 30 million copies in 40 languages. Odds are pointing towards box-office smash as well.
X-Men: The Last Stand
May 26
Marvel Comics’ superheroes are back in this third instalment of the most successful franchise of its kind since Batman. The X-Men must choose from embracing their powers that make them unique, though alienated from the society, or use a new cure that will have them forego their powers and become humans. The clan of heroes, divided by their opposing viewpoints, must defeat the greater evil that has surfaced in the form of one of their former allies, who is now possessed by dark forces. If this third chapter in the X-Men legacy is as promising as the first two were, it should satisfy the craving it has created.
The Omen
June 6
In this remake of the 1976 horror cult flick, a young couple finds out that their son might be the incarnation of the devil. Upon realizing that he actually is evil, they must uncover a painful secret surrounding the birth of the child. The original caused quite a stir upon its release, and generated three sequels. With Liev Schreiber and Julia Stiles reprising Greogry Peck and Lee Remick’s roles, this new version should introduce a new generation to The Omen’s legacy.
Cars
June 9
The studio that brought us Finding Nemo and The Incredibles is back with Cars, a new computer animated movie. An unexpected detour will teach a rookie race car valuable life lessons as he befriends the inhabitants of the town of Radiator Springs. With top-notch animation and the voices of Owen Wilson and Paul Newman, Cars will most definitely race its way to the hearts of younger and older audiences alike.
Superman Returns
June 30
The man of steel is back in his fifth movie. After going back to planet Krypton in search of estranged siblings, Superman returns to Earth only to find out that our world no longer needs his heroic services. Making matters even worse, Lois Lane has moved on and put behind her the life she had with Clark Kent. As one of his arch-nemesis resurfaces, the hero finds a way to prove his love to Lois, but also prove that the world can always use another hero. Confident in the potential of this movie, Warner Brothers is already working on a sequel.
Pirates of the Caribbean 2:
Dead Man’s Chest
July 7
Johnny Depp, Orlando Bloom and Kiera Knightley all reprise their roles in this sequel to 2003’s hit. Captain Jack Sparrow finds himself once again mingling with the supernatural as it turns out he owes a blood debt to the captain of a ghost ship. Rumour has it that the filming of this movie was made difficult by the egos of the three stars that have apparently blown to whole new proportions since the first instalment. The closing chapter of this trilogy is set for release next year.
Snakes on a Plane
August 18
A witness under protective custody is the target of a rather elaborate murder attempt when an assassin unleashes a crate full of deadly snakes aboard the plane he has boarded. With Samuel L. Jackson in the lead, and shot on Canadian grounds, this should be a crossover between Anacondas and Air Force One, with one of the most simplistic titles in movie history. Although it seemed like a good idea to combine two of the most wide-spread fears (read: serpents and flying) in one movie, the previews have us expecting cartoonish special effects that could make for a disappointing flick.
