Film fans anticipate return of Batman, Spock, Indiana Jones

By Brandy McDonnell, George Lang and Matthew Price

Published: January 4, 2008

At first glimpse, 2008 could be dubbed the year of the nerd.

Take a look at the year's upcoming films and you'll find new adventures from Indiana Jones, Batman, the "Star Trek” crew and many other geek-lore heroes.

But Hollywood is offering a variety of films in 2008, from a big-screen version of "Sex and the City” to the period drama "Valkyrie” to the family-friendly "WALL-E.”

Here are 25 movies we can't wait to see this year, along with their estimated (and subject-to-change) release dates.

Nearly 20 years after everyone's favorite archaeologist rode off into the sunset in "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade,” Steven Spielberg and Harrison Ford reunite for another adventure. This one is set in 1957, about 19 years after "Crusade” took place, and co-stars Shia LaBeouf, Cate Blanchett and Karen Allen.

•Release date: May 22.

Director Christopher Nolan follows up "Batman Begins” with a second installment starring Christian Bale and introducing Heath Ledger as the Joker. Maggie Gyllenhaal replaces Katie Holmes as love interest/assistant district attorney Rachel Dawes.

•Release date: July 18.

David Fincher ("Zodiac”) directs the intriguing tale of Benjamin Button (Brad Pitt), who starts aging backward with wild results. Cate Blanchett, Tilda Swinton and Taraji P. Henson co-star.

•Release date: Nov. 26.

Not long ago, it seemed everything had been squeezed out of the "Star Trek” franchise. But then "Lost” creator J.J. Abrams signed on to direct, and "Star Trek” is suddenly hotter than dilithium crystals. Zachary Quinto (Sylar from "Heroes”) stars as Mr. Spock, causing many sci-fi geeks' heads to explode.

•Release date: Dec. 25.

The baffling trailers for this movie have generated incredible buzz. Directed by Matt Reeves and produced by J.J. Abrams, the film examines a monster attack from the point of view of five young New Yorkers and their video camera.

•Release date: Jan. 18.

Robert Downey Jr. plays Tony Stark, a genius arms creator who devises the Iron Man armor to escape his captors after being kidnapped. It's based on the Marvel Comic and directed by Jon Favreau ("Elf”).

•Release date: May 2.

Maurice Sendak's famed picture book gets a live action/computer-generated big-screen treatment, with Spike Jonze ("Adaptation”) in the director's seat.

•Release date: Oct. 3.

It's only a working title, but it's all anyone needs to know. Daniel Craig reprises his role as James Bond in a story that screenwriter Paul Haggis says takes place two minutes after the ending of "Casino Royale.” After that amazing reboot of the 007 franchise, they could call this one "The Other Boleyn Girl” and people would still stand in line.

•Release date: Nov. 7.

With the acclaim of "No Country for Old Men,” Joel and Ethan Coen's next movie is a must-see. Starring George Clooney, Brad Pitt and Tilda Swinton, it centers on two shady gym employees who obtain a disk containing the memoirs of a CIA agent.

•Release date: Late 2008.

Pixar's new animated film, written and directed by Andrew Stanton ("Finding Nemo”), is about a 700-year-old robot that finds the meaning of its existence.

•Release date: June 27.

The boy wizard (Daniel Radcliffe) enters his sixth year at Hogwarts School, learning more about evil Voldemort's past and finding a useful old book owned by the mysterious Half-Blood Prince.

•Release date: Nov. 21.

The Wachowski Brothers ("The Matrix”) bring their vision to this film update of the popular Japanese anime series. Speed Racer (Emile Hirsch) is the world's best car racer, with his closest competition his sometime-ally Racer X (Matthew Fox).

•Release date: May 9.

More "Superbad”-ness: Writers Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, the mensches behind 2007's best teen sex comedy, turn their attention to stoner laughs in their new movie, in which a druggie (Rogen) and his dealer (James Franco) go on the run together after witnessing a murder. David Gordon Green, acclaimed indie director of 2003's earthy love story "All the Real Girls,” finally gets to direct his version of a Cheech and Chong movie.

•Release date: Aug. 8.

Clint Eastwood's new film is about a mother who prays for her kidnapped son's return but suspects the boy who comes back to her isn't really her child. Angelina Jolie, John Malkovich and Amy Ryan star.

•Release date: Nov. 7.

Edward Norton comes on board as Bruce Banner, who turns into the Hulk in times of rage. He searches for a cure, as he's separated from his love, Betty Ross (Liv Tyler), and pursued by her father, Gen. Thunderbolt Ross (William Hurt).

•Release date: June 13.

Andrew Adamson comes back to direct the Pevensie siblings' return to magical Narnia, where they are enlisted to oust an evil king and restore the rightful heir to the throne, Prince Caspian (Ben Barnes).

•Release date: May 16.

A young man (Hayden Christensen) who discovers he can teleport finds himself caught up in a war between groups of rival teleporters in this new movie from Doug Liman ("Mr. and Mrs. Smith”).

•Release date: Feb. 14.

In what may be the year's most inspired casting choice, Steve Carell (TV's "The Office”) plays bumbling Agent Maxwell Smart in the film version of the 1960s TV series. Anne Hathaway co-stars as his partner, Agent 99.

•Release date: June 20.

Writer-director Guy Ritchie's ("Snatch”) return to crime films centers on a Russian gangster's crooked land deal, which puts millions of dollars up for grabs and London's criminal underworld on notice.

•Release date: Oct. 3.

Bryan Singer ("X-Men”) directs this World War II drama, based on real events, about a plot to assassinate Hitler. It stars Tom Cruise, Bill Nighy and Kenneth Branagh.

•Release date: Oct. 3.

The film involves the battle between sisters Anne and Mary Boleyn to win the affection of King Henry VIII (Eric Bana). Everyone knows how it turns out, but with Natalie Portman and Scarlett Johansson in sisterly competition, this could be the one corseted period drama worth losing your head over.

•Release date: Feb. 29.

Duncan native Ron Howard steers this dramatic retelling of the post-Watergate interviews between British TV host David Frost (Michael Sheen) and ex-President Nixon (Frank Langella).

•Release date: 2008.

For his "Superbad” follow-up, director Greg Mottola tracks a recent college graduate (Jesse Eisenberg) who takes a rotten job at an amusement park and discovers it is the perfect gig to prepare him for life. Look for several Judd Apatow team players: Kristen Wiig, Tulsa's Bill Hader and Martin "Haverchuck” Starr.

•Release date: Summer 2008.

After numerous false starts, this movie brings together the original cast for one more stroll in Manolo Blahniks. Michael Patrick King, who directed several of the HBO series' most memorable episodes, heads up the reunion starring Sarah Jessica Parker, Cynthia Nixon, Kristin Davis and Kim Cattrall.

•Release date: May 30.

Demon/superhero Hellboy (Ron Perlman) and the Bureau for Paranormal Research and Development must keep the armies of a magical realm from invading Earth in this sequel, again helmed by Guillermo del Toro ("Pan's Labyrinth”).

•Release date: July 11.

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