Spider-Man 3 opens on May 4th and of course there is a lot of anticipation around it. I’m even anxious myself to see it… kind of. I’ve loved Spidey since I was a comic book collecting kid. They did a pretty good job on the first two movies until Spidey took off his mask in Spider-Man 2. This one, though, could turn into a convoluted mess with so many villains (3) and new characters being introduced. Sandman is one of the villains and I am wondering whether they could have picked a worse one. Fan-favorite Venom is also in the movie which I think is a great choice. My big question here is whether they will portray Venom as the ruthless, vicious enemy he is in the comics, or sweeten him up for the kiddie movie-goers. Harry Osborn is the last villain as he seeks revenge on Peter/Spidey for killing his father. The trailers have him wearing a rejected Power Rangers costume. Why not just make him the Hobgoblin? I know Spider-Man 3 will at the very least be watchable. I just hope to finally walk out of the theater a fully-satisfied Spidey fan.
Check out the official site here.

Joblo.com has reported that the first trailer for the latest (and likely last) Indiana Jones movie will be released on Thanksgiving weekend 2007. The movie opens May 2008. All information about the story has been top secret. All we know is that best-actress-in-the-world Cate Blanchett and Ray Winstone of The Departed are in the cast along with Harrison Ford. Sean Connery is still undecided about returning to his role as Papa Jones. I’m hoping they do this farewell film justice, but I am skeptical. Ever since the last Indy film in 1989, George Lucas, Steven Spielberg, and Ford have rejected dozens of scripts until finally accepting this one. Ford really wants/needs a hit. Lucas and Spielberg love making big blockbusters that make big money. Will they return to the masterful storytelling that was Raiders of the Lost Ark, or shell out another Temple of Doom or Last Crusade? The answer lies in the script which is under lock and key ala the Star Wars sequels. The right story of an aging Indy could be fantastic. However, we’ll probably have to wait until Thanksgiving to even get a sense as to whether this film will put a justified close to a great character.

If you were a big fan of Shaun of the Dead, you may want to mark your calender for Tuesday April 10th. From 2:30 to 3:30pm (EST) JoBlo.com will host a live chat with the creative team behind both projects; director Edgar Wright and writers Simon Pegg, and Nick Frost. Head over to JoBlo and register for JoBlo’s forums if you not already a member. In the forums you can begin posting your questions which the guys will answer next Tuesday.

The press machine for Michael Bay’s highly anticipated summer release Transformers has begun to heat up. The publicity juggernaut is walking tenuous path between releasing too much pre-publicity and too little. So far, Transformers has successfully generated a lot of buzz by keeping the movie-going public in the dark when it comes to storyline, stills, and video of the upcoming blockbuster. But IGN.com has just released the first Transformers TV spot available exulisvely on their site here. A lot of movie fans and nerds alike are looking forward to this Independence Day release. Check out the video and post your comments here.

Prayer works! Every morning since the brilliant comedy Wild Hogs came out starring the quadtastic group of thespians - Travolta, Allen, Lawrence, and Macy - I have been on bended knee hoping that sweet baby Jesus would whisper gently into the ears of executives at Touchstone Pictures to green light a sequel. Well, it seems that the Son of God is starting to work his magic. According to the movie news website darkhorizons.com, Travolta has entertained the idea of a sequel. Travolta reveals that movie exec’s of little faith had low-balled predictions for this cinematic masterpiece by projecting a take of only $20 million dollars. As many readers already know, Hogs made almost $40 million in domestic ticket sales. Let’s continue to hope that such a fine work like Wild Hogs gets its due and we see a second work from this brilliant acting team make it to the silver screen. These are the kind of films Hollywood needs to keep vomiting, er - I mean - producing.

I loved Shaun of the Dead - so I can’t wait to for Hot Fuzz to hit US theaters April 20th. The movie was released in February in the U.K. and reviews there have been glowing. I was so disappointed with the movie adaptation of one of my favorite TV comedies - Reno 911 - I’m hoping Hot Fuzz will make up for it. For those of you who don’t know the Hot Fuzz story - here’s an abstract:

(more…)

FlynetOnline.com has released the first on set photos from Rambo 4 (working title “John Rambo”). Currently filming in Thailand, the rumor is Stallone decided to do Rambo 4 after the success of ‘Rocky Balboa’. I guess you can beat a dead horse. As noted on FlynetOnline.com, its hard not to look at these pictures and wonder how the 50-something Stallone pumped up so quickly - especially since Australian authorities busted him for bringing HGH into their country earlier this month. The Hollywood machine rumbles on - leaving crap like this in its wake.

According to Daily Variety, Shyamalan has gotten the go ahead from 20th Century Fox to make ‘The Happening’, a movie that follows a family trying to escape a looming natural disaster. Shyamalan will write and direct the flick which is currently scheduled for a June ‘08 release.

This news may surprise many movie fans and critics who widely panned Shyamalan’s last effort Lady in the Water. Internet rumors have swirled around for months that Shyamalan would have trouble getting support for his next movie given the poor box office showing of Lady in the Water. But I guess in Hollywood one blockbuster and a little buzz carry a lot more weight than talent.