The minions of 'Despicable Me' get their own movie, 'Fifty Shades of Grey' is going to kick off the new film series, and gothic romance 'Crimson Peak' presents a rare genre.
- Dec 29, 2014
AceShowbiz - To compare these following titles with the sequels mentioned in the first part would be unfair, though some of them are not necessarily fresh ideas, and that's why they belong in a separate list. To name some of them, there are "Terminator Genisys" which will "reset" the series created by James Cameron and Gale Anne Hurd, Minions which take the center stage in their own movie following their appearance in "Despicable Me", and a new take on the classic tale by J. M. Barrie, "Pan".
A big-screen adaptation of E. L. James' erotic novel "Fifty Shades of Grey" was bound to be happening and inevitably generated a lot of buzz in the making, while Marvel's Ant-Man will finally get his own share of fame to meet fans' demand. Also making the list are "Inside Out (2015)" based on an original idea by Pete Docter which could be the beginning of another big franchise for Pixar, and Guillermo del Toro's "gothic romance" "Crimson Peak" which has a shot at becoming a hit.
Jupiter Ascending
"Jupiter Ascending" was supposed to arrive earlier. The sci-fi fantasy has gone through a polishing process that pushes its release date from July 2014 to February 2015. The Wachoswki siblings used over 2,000 special effects shots for the film and rely heavily on practical stunts instead of CGI despite limited time. Understandably, this would be the film that would make or break the Wachoswkis after two streaks of box office failure ("Speed Racer" and "Cloud Atlas"). This project is looking bright with Channing Tatum on the lead, supported by Mila Kunis and Sean Bean among others. It centers on Kunis' Jupiter Jones who was born with signs predicting that she was destined for great things. Tatum's Caine, a genetically engineered ex-military hunter, arrives on Earth to track her down and return her fate as next in line of Galaxy's royalty.
Fifty Shades of Grey
Soon after the adult book series went booming, fans were begging for a feature film version. Universal, together with Focus Features, snapped the film rights and put it on priority list, nabbing Charlie Hunnam and Sam Taylor-Wood as the lead actor and director respectively. Hunnam unfortunately fell out of his commitment but it only fueled the uproar surrounding the film. Jamie Dornan stepped in the role of Christian Grey, a young successful executive who has a secret fetish. The book was deemed a poor prose by critics but the sexual encounters became the highlights. It would be a curiosity to see how that translates into the big screen in R-rated.
Inside Out
"Inside Out (2015)" is the much-needed hit by Pixar. It has been a tradition for the studio to release an animated movie that potentially spawns a huge franchise. This year's project is backed up by Pete Docter, the man behind Pixar's "Toy Story" installments and the 2009 juggernaut "Up". It takes viewers inside the mind of an 11-year-old named Riley. Like all of us, Riley is guided by her emotions - Joy (Amy Poehler), Fear (Bill Hader), Anger (Lewis Black), Disgust (Mindy Kaling) and Sadness (Phyllis Smith). The emotions live in Headquarters, the control center inside Riley's mind, where they help advise her through everyday life. As Riley and her emotions struggle to adjust to a new life in San Francisco, turmoil ensues in Headquarters.
Terminator Genisys
The idea of "Terminator" franchise being relived was somehow bleak but this is Arnold Schwarzenegger returning to the iconic role for the first time since leaving the political world. He's backed up by up and rising actors such as Emilia Clarke, Jai Courtney and Jason Clarke in the pivotal roles. In this story, Sarah Connor was orphaned by a Terminator at age 9. She was raised by Schwarzenegger's Terminator, an older T-800 she calls 'Pops' who is programmed to guard rather than to kill. "But Sarah fundamentally rejects that destiny. She says, 'That's not what I want to do.' It's her decision that drives the story in a very different direction," producer David Ellison explained the conflict. Alan Taylor who directed "Thor: The Dark World" took the helming duty.
Minions
Suffice to say that the success of "Despicable Me" was partly attributed to the minions. These adorable yellow creatures, though speak in a language that only they can understand, are unforgettable since making appearance in the 2010 supervillain movie and subsequently get their own movie that also serves as a prequel to the original movie. Expect to see more clumsy and wacky acts by the minions as Kevin, Stuart and Bob search for a new master after accidentally destroying all their masters, including a T. Rex, Genghis Khan, Napoleon and Dracula. Sandra Bullock, Jon Hamm and Michael Keaton support the animation by joining the voice cast.
Ant-Man
After long sitting in the bottom of fans' wish-list, "Ant-Man" is finally happening. The project went through a rough patch when director Edgar Wright announced a sudden departure after talking about the comic adaptation passionately for years at Comic-Con conventions. With Paul Rudd and Michael Douglas attached, the project went on with Peyton Reed as director. Armed with a super-suit with the astonishing ability to shrink in scale but increase in strength, con-man Scott Lang must embrace his inner hero and help his mentor, Dr. Hank Pym, plan and pull off a heist that will save the world.
Pan
The popularity of Peter Pan never dies down decades after it was created by J. M. Barrie. Last year alone, it became the object of NBC's holiday musical production while Warner Bros. Pictures was developing a movie about the origin story of the boy who would never grow up. Peter is the highlight of "Pan", but Hugh Jackman's Blackbeard stole the attention in the first trailer released for the movie with his drastic transformation. Levi Miller, Garrett Hedlund, Amanda Seyfried and Rooney Mara join the cast and no one can deny that Cara Delevingne as a mermaid will be a delight to the eye. Taking the helming duty is Golden Globe-nominated director Joe Wright.
Fantastic Four
"Fantastic Four" had been turned into a movie in 2005, but it as well as the 2007 sequel never won the hearts of critics and moviegoers. The 20th Century Fox decided to reboot the Marvel Comics adaptation with a slew of young cast such as Kate Mara, Miles Teller, Jamie Bell and Michael B. Jordan. Doctor Doom once again comes into the picture as the baddie, being portrayed by Toby Kebbell. A relatively-new director Josh Trank is trusted to carry the actioner using a screenplay from Simon Kinberg. "There's some moments in this, not to be specific, that are actually gonna be phenomenal on screen and stuff you haven't seen in a superhero movie before," Marvel creative consultant Mark Millar said. This may be a make it or break it film, but Marvel is already planning this to be a big franchise by securing a 2017 slate for "The Fantastic Four 2".
The Jungle Book
The beloved story from Rudyard Kipling is coming to life in a live-action CGI adaptation directed by Jon Favreau. With such director behind the project, "The Jungle Book" lured big names such as Lupita Nyong'o, Ben Kingsley, Scarlett Johansson, Bill Murray and Idris Elba to voice the animals. Meanwhile, newcomer Neel Sethi will portray the central character, Mowgli, and will be the only actor seen on screen. "Neel has tremendous talent and charisma. There is a lot riding on his little shoulders and I'm confident he can handle it," Favreau gushed about his golden egg. Written by Justin Marks, the film will stay true to Kipling's classic by telling the story of an orphan boy who is raised in the Jungle with the help of a pack of wolves, a bear and a black panther.
Crimson Peak
Guillermo del Toro came up with this rare idea and it took years before "Crimson Peak" landed on Legendary Pictures which greenlit the project. The acclaimed filmmaker described it as "a very set-oriented, classical but at the same time modern take on the ghost story." With Mia Wasikowska, Tom Hiddleston, Charlie Hunnam and Jessica Chastain in the cast ensemble, it follows a young author who discovers that her charming new husband is not who he appears to be. It could be one-of-a-kind movie as the "Pacific Rim" director planned "to play with the conventions of the genre I know and love, and at the same time subvert the old rules."
