Shutter Island
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Mark Ruffalo, and Ben Kingsley
Release Date: February 19
Watch for it because: The film is Martin Scorsese’s first feature film since winning the Best Picture and Best Director Academy Awards forThe Departed in 2006 and his first foray into the horror-thriller genre. Based on a 2003 novel by Dennis Lehane, the film was initially slated for release in late 2009 but was pushed back by Paramount to give it a better chance at commercial success. The film was also the subject of very early Oscar talk before its delay.
Clash of the Titans
Starring: Sam Worthington, Liam Neeson, and Ralph Fiennes
Release Date: March 26
Watch for it because: The early trailers have seen a great response and director Louis Leterrier (The Incredible Hulk, The Transporter) has demonstrated a great ability to blend his strengths in action filmmaking with Greek myth, a genre that has been largely untouched (on this scale) in the era of CG-driven blockbusters. The marketing has given the film a 300-vibe so fans of that 2007 hit are likely to turn out and Worthington, one of the biggest upcoming stars, will be hot off the heels of Avatar. Plus, the casting of Neeson as Zeus and Fiennes as Hades is just a stroke of genius.
Iron Man 2
Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Mickey Rourke, Don Cheadle, Scarlett Johansson
Release Date: May 7
Watch for it because: This is a no-brainer. The first film was the surprise blockbuster of 2008 and its word-of-mouth was on par of that with the Chris Nolan’s Batman films and Spider-Man. Downey Jr. received widespread acclaim for his portrayal of Stark and helped a second-tier superhero achieve A-level success at the box office and with audiences. With massive anticipation and the privilege of kick-starting the summer season, Iron Man 2 is a heavy contender to challenge The Dark Knight’s opening weekend record ($158.4 million) and become one of the biggest films of 2010.
Shrek Forever After
Starring: Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz, Antonio Banderas
Release Date: May 21
Watch for it because: Despite the mediocre word-of-mouth of the previous installment, the Shrek franchise is still the de facto source of animated entertainment for kids and families outside of Pixar. Shrek Forever After is being billed as the final chapter in the series and the first teaser trailer definitely offers some hope for a throwback to the more clever humor of the first two films. Kids still love these characters though and with the added benefit of 3D, the Shrek franchise looks to go out with a bang.
The A-Team
Starring: Bradley Cooper, Liam Neeson, Sharlto Copley
Release Date: June 11
Watch for it because: TV adaptations don’t typically translate into box office successes but giving Joe Carnahan (director of Narc and Smokin’ Aces) the crack at one of Fox’s summer tent poles for 2010 could prove to be a success. Unfortunately, we don’t have a trailer or any kind of preview of the film yet so this is one of the more risky calls but Bradley Cooper is fresh off the success of The Hangover and the added bonus of Neeson will help the initial appeal of the film to those that aren’t familiar with the TV series, which in all honesty, could be an asset in and of itself. With a reportedly similar balance of comedy and “realism” as 2008’s Get Smart, this film could be one of the sleeper hits of 2010.
Toy Story 3
Starring: Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusack, Michael Keaton, John Ratzenberger
Release Date: June 18
Watch for it because: Again, this one is obvious. Before Shrek emerged from his swamp, Toy Story was the unchallenged king of animation franchises and the sequel is considered by many to be even better than the first. Toy Story 3 re-unites all of the characters and voice actors (except the late Jim Varney) from the first two films and given Pixar’s unmatched success in the 10 years post-Toy Story 2, kids will no doubt flock to the long-anticipated three-quel while those who grew up with the original films will return in waves to see these characters on the big screen yet again. With the widespread age appeal, high level of anticipation, summer release date, and 3D ticket prices Toy Story 3 is well-poised to challenge Iron Man 2 for the biggest film of 2010 and could be in a position to overtake Shrek 2 as the highest-grossing animated film of all-time ($441 million domestically).
Inception
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Ken Watanabe, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Ellen Page, Marion Cotillard
Release Date: July 16
Watch for it because: Christopher Nolan is quickly becoming one of this generations most acclaimed directors and Inception is an original concept film not based on any prior material. Described as “a contemporary sci-fi actioner set within the architecture of the mind”, little is being revealed about the film. The element of secrecy, the massive Internet buzz, and the fantastic teaser trailers will heighten awareness of the film and the idea of a creative genius like Nolan in charge of a high-concept/high-budget tent pole film is more than enough reason to watch for Inception as one of 2010’s potential breakout blockbusters. Oh yea, and it’s his first film since The Dark Knight. That’s enough reason alone.
The Expendables
Starring: Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, Jet Li, Mickey Rourke, Dolph Lundgren, Eric Roberts
Release Date: August 13
Watch for it because: The cast alone is an epic amalgamation of 1980’s action stars. Sly himself is directing this one and coming off the surprisingly decent reception of his latest Rambo flick. The movie centers around a team of mercenaries going to South America on a mission to overthrow a dictator. With the throwback to old school, hardcore action films and a litany of promised cameos, The Expendables could make a big splash at the end of the summer.
Due Date
Starring: Robert Downey, Jr., Zach Galifianakis, Juliette Lewis, Jamie Foxx
Release Date: November 5
Watch for it because: Due Date is be Todd Phillips’ next comedic venture and he is coming off the massive success of The Hangover. Given that his previous film before that was another comedic game-changer for the film industry (Old School), Phillips is quickly rising as one of the most sought-after directors in the genre. Due Date is another original, high-concept comedy about a high-strung father (Downey Jr.) who is unwillingly forced into a road trip with a college slacker as he tries to make it to his child’s birth on time.
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part I
Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, Alan Rickman, Ralph Fiennes, Michael Gambon
Release Date: November 19
Watch for it because: The end begins. The most successful literary franchise of the century begins its cinematic coda with the first part of the seventh and final book in the series. The writers and producers made the decision to split the final installment into two films in order to be as faithful as possible to the climax of Harry’s journey and this decision should prove to not only please the loyal fan base but will also help bring back the more casual viewers that might have been disappointed with any of the previous films. The first film will be more of a “road movie” but will focus strongly on the characters. Given audiences’ habits to return to a beloved franchise for the grand finale (even if this isn’t the actual finale), Deathly Hallows: Part I could be poised to see the most success since the franchise’s early films.
