The time has come. Yes, believe it or not, the “summer of sequels” has arrived. The time for the premiere of the movies you’ve been waiting (in some cases) years to see. Here’s a map to help you find your way through the web (blatant Spider-Man reference) of summer blockbusters.
Spider-Man 3
Premieres May 4, 2007
I remember coming out of the theater after the first Spider-Man movie and wishing that I could shoot web out of my wrist. I remember thinking it would be a much more convenient way to get around. Despite the fact that Batman, Superman and X-Men have enthralled audiences since Spidey last made his return, fans seem to have remained faithful. When the Spider-Man 3 trailer made its debut in theaters, the sudden rapt attention and excited whispers seemed to predict huge box office numbers.
Shrek the Third
Premieres May 18, 2007
Lately, it seems that everything Justin Timberlake touches turns to gold (or platinum). He might just be the key ingredient in a potentially tapped movie series. Though the Shrek series can always be counted on for a laugh, especially when talking about cultural fixations of today’s world, a third one might not work. However, the fact that Justin Timberlake stars as King Arthur in the movie with his now ex-girlfriend Cameron Diaz as her recurring character, Princess Fiona, will be sure to draw viewers, though many will probably be female tweens.
Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End
Premieres May 25, 2007
The first captivated, the second disappointed, and the third? I guess we’ll see. Johnny Depp’s appeal as a Keith Richards-esque, eyeliner-wearing, inebriated pirate will only go so far. Hopefully the conclusion to this series will give audiences a sense of closure and they will leave the theater wishing they had a sword and a bottle of rum.
Ocean’s Thirteen
Premieres June 8, 2007
Ocean’s Twelve further proves there is a curse surrounding the second movie in a series in three. However, the third movie, like the third installment of Pirates, remains up in the air. How they were able to get all original eleven back to do another movie, I’ll probably never know. Even more intriguing, the fact that they were able to get Al Pacino to play a role in the newest installment.
Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer
Premieres June 11, 2007
Okay, critics hated the first chapter of this movie, but the audience drank it up — me included. I wish I hadn’t waited until the DVD came out to see it. The appeal of the Fantastic Four sequel is undeniable, though the critics are squirming in their seats as we speak. Every once and a while, America needs a loud, undemanding popcorn movie to help them escape from reality. Fantastic Four does this for people. Who says you can’t go to space and come back with super powers?
Evan Almighty
Premieres June 22, 2007
Bruce Almighty? Hilarious. The sequel would have definitely flopped — if it wasn’t for Steve Carell. The premise is actually fairly decent: God calls on Evan, Bruce’s former rival, to build an ark and become the modern-day Noah. Though Carell’s humor is a bit more subtle than Jim Carrey’s, Evan Almighty will probably do just fine on the silver screen.
Live Free or Die Hard
Premieres June 29, 2007
So, apparently aging action stars are in vogue this year. Harrison Ford and Sylvester Stallone, and now Bruce Willis join the ranks of ripened action stars. However, Willis still has a certain je ne sais quoi (or mojo if you will) that legitimizes his claim to the role of John McClane. This movie series exists to kick ass, and will mesmerize another generation of teenage boys (and girls too: I liked watching McClane walk across glass barefoot just as much as any guy). Not to mention… Justin Long makes an appearance.
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Premieres July 13, 2007
This is a big summer for Harry Potter this year. Actually, make that a momentous summer. The seventh and final Harry Potter book surfaces just after this movie makes its premiere. The HP hype will probably bring in droves of Gryffindor-uniform-clad groupies to the theaters. Though, I have often heard people say they least liked the fifth book, Order of the Phoenix, so I guess we’ll see how the movie does in comparison.
The Bourne Ultimatum
Premieres August 3, 2007
Similar to the Bond series, the Bourne series will never get old. In fact, I bet that the Bond writers took a couple pointers from the past two Bourne movies when they created their latest hit, Casino Royale. Just goes to show how hard the Bourne Ultimatum will rock audiences. Bourne is one of the few series to evade the dreaded second-movie curse and will surely hypnotize viewers just as much, or more, with the third.
Rush Hour 3
Premieres August 10, 2007
I’m actually really not sure why they are making this sequel. Then again, I wasn’t really sure why they made Speed 2 or The Whole Ten Yards either. I barely made it through Rush Hour 2. The funniest part of that movie was definitely the blooper reel at the end. If you see Rush Hour 3, you will most likely regret the fact you will never get those two hours of your life back. “Do you hear the words that are comin’ out of my mouth?”
Most of you probably won’t spend almost $100 to see all ten of these movies, but hopefully I’ve made it a little easier for you to decide which ones you will come in out of the heat to see. You know what really sucks? I’ll be in another country for the entire summer and won’t get to see most of them till I get back. Don’t ruin them for me or I’ll write an entire article concerning the subtle nuances of Jackie Chan’s performance in his latest masterpiece, Rush Hour 3. Just kidding, I would never do that to you.
There are a lot more movies coming out this summer, I could only list a few. Leave a comment and let us know which ones you will be camping out for this summer.