Hollywood’s New Original Stories Look Unveiled This Autumn
After years of sequels and prequels and remakes of successes from the past, there are signs at last that Hollywood may have begun to listen to filmgoers saying they want to see good original films....
Almost 150 new films will be released in the US between September to December, including a crop of Oscar hopefuls and high-concept stories featuring star names, but few big-budget franchises like the Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings films.
One notable exception is the latest Bond, almost half a century since the first one, Dr No came out, but Casino Royale features Daniel Craig as a younger, edgier Bond, this time round.
THE ONES TO WATCH FOR
- Déjà vu; from Tony Scott; a sci-fi thriller in which Denzel Washington uses "deja vu" to track down a killer.
- Hollywoodland; Adrien Brody plays a detective looking for the truth behind the death of TV Superman George Reeves (Ben Affleck).
- The Guardian; action and adventure flick that pairs Kevin Costner and Ashton Kutcher as Coast Guard rescue swimmers.
- Fearless; Jet Li martial arts title
- Flyboys; features World War One pilots
- Jackass: Number Two; comedy in which Johnny Knoxville performs stupid stunts
- Confetti; a fake documentary about creating original weddings
OSCAR BUZZ
- Children of Men; The Black Dahlia; The Queen; The Last King of Scotland; All the King's Men (remake of 1949 classic)
- Flags of our Fathers: Clint Eastwood's World War Two tale
- The Departed; Martin Scorsese's thriller with Leonardo DiCaprio and Jack Nicholson
- Babel; Brad Pitt is a tragedy stricken tourist in Morocco
- The Prestige; Hugh Jackman plays a magician
- Marie Antoinette; from Sofia Coppola's stars Kirsten Dunst as the doomed French queen
- Little Children; from Todd Field stars Kate Winslet
- Employee of the Month; comedy with Dane Cook and Jessica Simpson
- Man of the Year; Robin Williams comedy
- Running with Scissors; ensemble cast including Annette Bening and Gwyneth Paltrow
- A Good Year; Oscar-winning Russell Crowe in a - wait for it - a comedy
- Fur; fantasy starring Oscar winner Nicole Kidman, playing a photographer who strikes up a life-changing friendship with a man covered in fur
- Stranger than Fiction: funnyman Will Ferrell takes on a drama
- For Your Consideration; quirky Christopher Guest ("Best in Show") comedy
- Borat; comedian Sacha Baron Cohen takes his popular character -- a TV reporter from Kazakhstan -- on a tour across America.
- Dreamgirls; musical based on a hit Broadway play
- The Good German; George Clooney World War Two drama
- The Good Shepherd; Robert De Niro directs, starring Matt Damon.