Vintage year for blockbusters

Under normal circumstances, another overdose of sequels, prequels and remakes would draw a tired groan from jaded cinema audiences, writes movie blogger Carl Jones.

But 2008 promises to be rather different.

Even the most sceptical Shropshire film fan must admit to a tinge of excitement, or at the very least curiosity, at the idea of some vintage big-hitters making their return this year.

Not only do we have the first Indiana Jones movie in almost 20 years, but Sylvester Stallone is back in business as one-man army John Rambo; the Starship Enterprise boldly goes on another cinematic journey; and Daniel Craig straps on his shoulder holster for another crack at 007.

It doesn’t stop there…the Incredible Hulk is getting a second movie outing - this time in the shape of tough guy Edward Norton; Brendan Fraser’s archaeologist adventurer is coming out of retirement for a third Mummy movie; and the second chapter of the Chronicles of Narnia saga arrives in summer.

And we haven’t even mentioned what look certain to be two of the year’s biggest crowd-pleasers of all. Christian Bale is reprising his role as Batman and battling the Joker again in the Dark Knight, and another Harry Potter fantasy is rolling off the production line.

So where to start with a preview of 2008? It has to be under the famous dusty, battered fedora of Dr Indiana Jones.

Rumour and gossip have been rife for over a decade. Scriptwriters were hired, then fired, directors touted then dismissed, and all the time leading man Harrison Ford was growing longer in the tooth.

Finally, with the 65-year-old action veteran now eligible for his bus pass, the cameras are rolling on Indiana Jones And The Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull, which will hit Shropshire cinemas on May 22.

British actor Ray Winstone is among a stellar line-up which also includes Oscar winner Cate Blanchett, and young star Shia LaBoeuf.

He says: “Working with Steven Spielberg and George Lucas; they’re geniuses, these are clever
men. It starts off with a gallop, and then just gets quicker and quicker and quicker. It’s one hell of a story, actually.”

The storyline is as closely guarded a secret as George Lucas’s PIN number.

Producer Frank Marshall will only tease us by saying: “We’ve moved it from the 1940s to the 1950s, so we’re acknowledging that everyone is 10 or 15 years older and it plays into the story.”

From one golden oldie to another. Hot on the heels of his unlikely success with Rocky Balboa, Sylvester Stallone has dusted down his other big-screen legend, John Rambo, for a last brutal hurrah.

This time the fighting machine is called back into action to accompany a group of Christian missionaries up the Salween River in south-east Asia, protecting them from the local dictator.

Rumour has it, this has the highest bodycount of the bloodthirsty series so far - we can find out when it’s released on February 22.

The Chronicles of Narnia was a big hit with the younger viewers two years ago - less so with the mums and dads - but the producers of the second adventure, Prince Caspian, promise a more adult adventure this time round.

And Brendan Fraser will be joining the summer family-friendly fun by taking on Jet Li’s shape-shifting Chinese emperor in The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor, while Billy Connolly joins forces with Gillian Anderson and David Duchovny for a second big-screen X-Files outing.

But the pick of the summer releases is surely The Dark Knight, Christian Bale’s second stab at the Batman role, with Heath Ledger promising a far more sinister take on The Joker than Jack Nicholson’s panto villain turn, Aaron Eckhart as acid-drenched Two Face, Maggie Gyllenhaal as the love interest, and a new “batpod” bike.

Looks like fabulous stuff. The final quarter of 2008 has much to offer too. The 22nd Bond film, yet to be titled, begins filming this week for a November release.

All we know is that Daniel Craig is back as 007, and the story follows on from the climax of Casino Royale, with Frenchman Mathieu Amalric signed up as the baddie.

Locations include Panama and Italy - and Craig has been spotted honing his speedboat skills!

Ending the year with a licence to thrill the youngsters is Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince, the penultimate chapter in the hit series. If the producers honour their intention to make it ever darker, it could be the best yet.

Also intriguing is Star Trek, a reboot of the series which promises to take us back to the early days of the starship Enterprise, with British comic Simon Pegg as “beam us up” Scotty.

Finally, a quirky footnote: There’s also a new Carry On movie slated for a 2008 release, but stars of Carry On London have come and gone with such disruptive regularity that it’s still shrouded in doubt.

Shane Richie and Victoria Silvstedt top the bill of the current “official” cast list…but Sid James and Barbara Windsor they ain’t. Don’t hold your breath.