Joel Siegel's Summer Movie Preview

April 27, 2007 — -- Hollywood had a bummer summer last year. On both sides of the screen. But this summer Hollywood's gone hog wild (and "Hog Wild" did a hundred million in the spring when no one is supposed to go to the movies).

Hollywood's predicting its biggest summer ever, a $4 billion box office leading to a $10 billion dollar year, and I think they are going to make it.

One reason, international box office is way up. India, China and Russia are opening up, and as I've long said, most Hollywood films play better if you don't speak English.

That's one reason we are seeing so many sequels this summer. If a film made money in the last 15 to 20 years, you'll see a part two or three or five starting next weekend with "Spiderman 3."

Not long ago, $100 million total box office made a movie a blockbuster hit. "Spiderman 3" should make more than $100 million on its first weekend.

But notice the number after the name. This summer Hollywood finds out if three's a company, or if three's a crowd. "Shrek the Third" opens in May. "Shrek 2" was the biggest-grossing domestic film of the last decade.

"Pirates of the Caribbean 3" opens in May. "Pirates 2" did a billion around the world all by itself.

Will these movies steal one another's audiences? Hollywood's betting they'll get more people to go. And I'm with Hollywood.

There are 17 sequels scheduled to open this summer. Why so many? Believe it or not, it's good business. It's cheaper -- studios spend less on advertising and promotion. It's easier to get into a theater near you. Even thousands of theaters near you when the theater owners have a known quantity. "Spidey 3" has already opened in Asia.

"Harry Potter 5" is opening simultaneously in 10,000 theaters around the world. More sequels? "Fantastic Four 2" is coming. Why didn't they call it "Fantastic 5"?

"Evan Almighty," a Jim Carrey-less sequel to "Bruce Almighty" with Steve Carrell building an ark will be sailing into a theater near you. At $175 million, it's the most expensive comedy ever made.