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.

Bruce is back, but Bruce Willis, not Bruce Almighty. "Live Free or Die Hard," with one stunt they give away in the trailer: Bruce flips his cop car 50 feet in the air to bring down a helicopter.

"I was out of bullets," is his reason. That one CGI stunt is reason enough for "Die Hard 4."

But three's the number they like best. "Rush Hour 3." Finally. "Bourne 3," with Matt Damon. And "Ocean's 13," with more Matt Damon. They started at "Ocean's 11" so it's really Ocean's 3. In "Ocean's 14," Brad Pitt adopts George Clooney.

If it's not a sequel, odds are it's a remake. Like "Hairspray." A remake with a difference, John Travolta plays ... the mom! Big comedy buzz.

More buzz -- they're calling "Knocked Up" this summer's "40-Year-Old Virgin." There are even some real movies for real people coming this summer. Last year it was "The Devil Wore Prada," a real movie that out grossed "Superman." This summer? Ann Hathaway is back in "Becoming Jane."

Catherine Zeta-Jones and Abigail Breslin star in "No Reservations." Angelina Jolie, the word is she's terrific as Mrs. Daniel Pearl in "A Mighty Heart."

Made on a different scale for a different audience, these films won't compete in the billion-dollar derby, 50 million to 100 million means they make money, though. And it's nice in the summer for grown-ups to have a place to go.

As for kids there are three other animated features, coming after "Shrek the Third." I'm not sure I want to see another movie about penguins, but there is one, "Surf's Up," in case you do. I'm not sure I want to see a rodent chef in "Ratatouille," either. But this is Pixar's summer entree, and it's yet to have anything sent back to the kitchen.

The animated feature I can't wait for: "The Simpsons Movie." These are smart guys. They've built one of the most successful TV franchises of all time. And the trailer shows us something they've never shown us on TV: It looks as if they've finally hired people who could actually draw.

There's a perfect Homer Simpson line in the trailer, Homer screaming at Bart: "I'll teach you to laugh at something funny!!!" To which I say ... please.

"Spidey 3" and "Pirates 3" may have already set records -- not at the box office but at the accounting office. Rumored to be two of the most expensive movies ever made, in at or over the $300 million mark. Even if it's true, my considerably lesser amount of money says they'll make it back.