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Web abuzz with apes, a mummy and Spidey
Internet buzz is unstoppable. Once rumors get out online,
there's little anyone can do to contain them. As a result, the Net these days
has the power to make movie execs both delighted and dejected as they savor
the buzz when it is good — and fear it when it's bad. Webheads often are
the first to indicate a massive hit is on the horizon, so USA TODAY's Andy Seiler
asked film fanatics at top fan Web sites which movie rumors, rumblings and secretly
smuggled on-set photos are buzz magnets. (Buzz factor is ranked on a scale of
1 to 10.)
The Mummy Returns
When it's coming: May 4
What it is: The sequel to the critically panned
but hugely popular remake of the horror classic. This time, the Mummy terrorizes
London.
Why it's hot: "The first was a surprisingly
fun mix of horror, comedy, action and romance," says Senh Duong, chief
operating officer of Rotten Tomatoes. Says Garth Franklin of Dark Horizons:
"The first one seems to have quite a few fans who are all looking forward
to this. It's pretty much the safest of the blockbusters, as we're all very
familiar with the material."
What they're waiting for: "The action scenes
shot in London sound quite spectacular," Franklin says. "But there's
also a large following for (wrestler) The Rock." (He'll play the Scorpion
King.) Says Duong: "Fans of the original are just looking for another fun
time at the movies."
Buzz factor: 5
Pearl Harbor
When it's coming: May 25
What it is: The story of the "date which will
live in infamy," when Japanese bombers attacked a U.S. naval base, told
through the eyes of hotshot pilots Ben Affleck and Josh Hartnett (The Virgin
Suicides).
Why it's hot: "Very simple: the explosions,"
Franklin says. "The trailers have certainly been hitting big. People can't
get enough of those shots of ships exploding."
What they're waiting for: Not the plot. "Michael
Bay, the prince of the action genre, wants us to believe that this will be his
Titanic," Duong says. "But movie buffs are just looking forward
to some nice explosions."
Buzz factor: 5
Tomb Raider
When it's coming: June 15
What it is: Lara Croft, the pneumatic video-game
heroine, goes live-action on the big screen.
Why it's hot: Because she is. "Lots
of people know Lara Croft and want to see how Angelina Jolie stacks up,"
Franklin says. "It also has that Raiders of the Lost Ark feel to
it but more high-tech." Chris Gore of Film Threat asks: "Can Oscar-winning
actress Angelina Jolie fill the role of Lara Croft? If you've seen her nude
scenes in the cable movie Gia, then you know the answer is yes!"
What they're waiting for: "Set visits by magazines
and a Webcast have shown some elaborate bits," Franklin says. "But
it's mainly Angelina Jolie in a tight top that has got a lot of guys salivating."
Gore answers a popular question: "Lara Croft does get naked, though she's
only seen in the shadows."
Buzz factor: 5
A.I.: Artificial Intelligence
When it's coming: June 29
What it is: Steven Spielberg's return to science
fiction. The official description: "David is 11 years old. He weighs 60
pounds. He is 4 feet, 6 inches tall. He has brown hair. His love is real. But
he is not." Oscar nominee Haley Joel Osment plays David.
Why it's hot: Director Stanley Kubrick planned this
movie for years. "It has a built-in audience," says Phillip Nakov
of Counting Down. Adds Franklin: "Spielberg, Kubrick, that Sixth Sense
kid and a sci-fi setting — do you need anything else?"
What they're waiting for: Virtually anything. "Everything
is being kept so secret," Franklin says. "The almost Blade Runner-sounding
sets and plot leaks don't match the tone of the very soft teaser trailer."
Buzz factor: 6
Jurassic Park III
When it's coming: July 18
What it is: The latest dino-venture in the series
— and the first not directed by Spielberg.
Why it's hot: "You have dinosaurs and two successful
films before it," Nakov says. "It's an instant hit." Adds Franklin:
"We've seen photos of some of the giant sets that have been used in the
production, including a cliff-face scene which should be spectacular."
What they're waiting for: Franklin says director
Joe Johnston (October Sky and Honey, I Shrunk the Kids) might
bring a new approach. "With a new director and no book, there's hope this
will be a Jurassic Park film done the way the original book was: with
actual scares and dark, adult themes."
Buzz factor: 5
Planet of the Apes
When it's coming: July 27
What it is: This version of the 1968 science-fiction
landmark comes from director Tim Burton (Sleepy Hollow, Batman)
and is described as a "re-imagining" rather than a remake of the original,
which spawned four sequels.
Why it's hot: "Everyone is curious how this
will compare to the original," Gore says. "Planet of the Apes
had a huge following in the early '70s along with a TV series and an animated
show, plus a line of popular action figures. It's nostalgic to see it return
in the big-budget summer blockbuster." Adds Sean Jordan of ZENtertainment:
"Tim Burton has been so secretive on this one. But with the following the
originals have and the respect Burton carries as a filmmaker, I don't think
anyone doubts this could be the biggest film of the summer."
What they're waiting for: Franklin says: "It'll
be interesting to see what he does with this classic piece of pop culture."
Fans are psyched about a rumored "interspecies sex scene between Helena
Bonham Carter (ape) and Mark Wahlberg (human)," says Drew McWeeny, who
writes as "Moriarty" on the Ain't It Cool News site.
Buzz factor: 10
Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back
When it's coming: Aug. 10
What it is: The latest in the outrageous, New Jersey-based
films that started with Clerks. The title characters (Jason Mewes, Kevin
Smith) take off on a new adventure that somehow involves Joey Lauren Adams,
Ben Affleck, George Carlin, Matt Damon and Chris Rock.
Why it's hot: "Kevin Smith is every Internet
user's dream filmmaker," Jordan explains. "Smith himself runs his
own official Web sites. It's a change from the norm, since you're not getting
the studio's take on the film. He's honest and up-front about his works."
What they're waiting for: "They are keeping
the plot somewhat a secret, fueling all kinds of speculation," says Barnaby
Dorfman, group product manager at the Internet Movie Database (IMDb). Jordan
adds: "The casting details that came out were quite juicy, though,"
because many characters from past films would be returning.
Buzz factor: 5
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
When it's coming: Nov. 16
What it is: An adaptation of the first in J.K. Rowling's
phenomenally popular series of children's books.
Why it's hot: "Harry Potter is one of
those rare fantasy novels that appeals to both children and adults," Duong
says. "Every kid on our Harry Potter message board wants to be cast
for the part of Ron (Harry's pal). Movie buffs have reservations about Home
Alone director Chris Columbus, though."
What they're waiting for: "How they will translate
the imagery from the book onto the big screen, especially the Quidditch game,"
Nakov says. (Quidditch is a wizard's sport, based loosely on basketball, that
involves players on brooms in midair.)
Buzz factor: 6
The Lord of the Rings trilogy
When it's coming: The Fellowship of the Ring,
Dec. 19; The Two Towers, December 2002; The Return of the King,
December 2003
What it is: The ambitious, three-movie retelling
of J.R.R. Tolkien's trilogy of novels about the epic adventures of hobbits,
dwarves, elves, Orcs, balrogs, kings, wizards, even some horses. "It's
the most popular fantasy novel of all time," Duong says.
Why it's hot: IMDb tallies movies getting the most
queries on the site. All are films in release — except for Fellowship
of the Ring. "This film has a massive amount of hype on the Web, and
it will translate into box office success," says IMDb's Dorfman. Adds Franklin:
"It seems to have as big a fan base as Star Wars. There are lots
of people obsessing about it. And the trailers just look fantastic."
What they're waiting for: "The promise of Gollum,
a computer-generated character that should break your heart and scare you, sometimes
in the same scene," McWeeny says. "The fans seem wild for any actual
footage," Jordan says. The trailer, which is on several sites, is extremely
popular.
Buzz factor: 10
Spider-Man
When it's coming: May 3, 2002
What it is: The long-awaited big-screen debut of
one of the most popular comic-book superheroes.
Why it's hot: "Spider-Man is the movie
that has set every movie and comic fan's heart aflame," says Berge Garabedian,
who writes as JoBlo at JoBlo's Movie Emporium. "We all thanked the gods
when (director) Sam Raimi, a fan of Spidey, took the reins. Casting Tobey Maguire
was also pretty spot-on." The first photos of Maguire in the Spidey costume
were a huge hit on the Web.
What they're waiting for: "Everyone seems to
now want to know what the look and feel will be," Jordan says. "The
plot almost comes second, as everyone knows the whole bitten-by-a-radioactive-spider
story of Peter Parker backward and forward." Says McWeeny: "Spider-Man
seems to be doing everything right."
Buzz factor: 10
Star Wars: Episode II
When it's coming: May 22, 2002
What it is: The fifth Star Wars movie —
chronologically, the second — that continues the futuristic fantasy adventures
of Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Padm� Amidala Naberrie and the one and
only Jar Jar Binks.
Why it's hot: Even hard-core Yoda-heads were a bit
disappointed by The Phantom Menace, but hopes are high for this one.
Gore says: "Readers are curious about everything from the effects to the
acting ability of the new, older Anakin played by Hayden Christensen."
Adds McWeeny: "The story details so far indicate that we're in for another
Empire Strikes Back," which many consider the best in the series.
What they're waiting for: "They're hyped about
seeing full-scale war with Jedi knights and unknown foes," Gore says. He's
hoping for "Gladiator with light sabers." McWeeny has other
expectations: "The fight between Jango Fett, a bounty hunter, and Ewan
McGregor on a landing platform in the rain."
Buzz factor: 8
The Matrix 2
When it's coming: Dec. 25, 2002
What it is: A sequel to the phenomenally popular
surprise hit about computer hacker Keanu Reeves who discovers that "reality"
is not what he thinks it is and that the real world is happening somewhere else.
Carrie-Anne Moss and Laurence Fishburne also return.
Why it's hot: "This is by far the most popular
upcoming film on our site," says Duong of Rotten Tomatoes. "The
Matrix was one of the best and most innovative films in a long time."
Adds Nakov: "The story must go on, and fans are ready and waiting."
What they're waiting for: "Action sequences
we've never seen anyone try," McWeeny says. Rumors are flying about a car
chase with Neo (Reeves) and the agents "leapfrogging from vehicle to vehicle,
with the agents actually changing bodies."
Buzz factor: 10
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