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ShareMaking up stories isn’t easy, which is why Hollywood likes to find ones that already exist. That means 2009 is so far shaping up to be another year of adaptations, remakes, “reimaginings” and plain old sequels.
Some are obvious, such as “New Moon,” the much-awaited follow-up to the tween-vampire blockbuster “Twilight” (reportedly scheduled for Nov. 20). Others seem a bit puzzling: “Terminator Salvation,” due May 22, doesn’t feature Arnold Schwarzenegger. And in this tight economy, studios are looking back fondly on old cheapie slasher-flicks: Watch for “My Bloody Valentine 3D” on Jan. 16 and a new “Friday the 13th” on Feb. 13.
Some potential gems are in the works. Will Ferrell stars in “Land of the Lost” (June 5), an update of the lovably hokey television series. The gritty 1974 crime flick “The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3” gets modernized on June 12 with Denzel Washington in the Walter Matthau role. And “Watchmen” (March 6), based on the legendary comic-book series, could turn out to be the movie event of the year.
Here’s a sampling of 2009’s more noteworthy flicks; keep in mind that release dates often change as the year advances and the studios jockey for position.
NOTORIOUS (Jan. 16)
Director: George Tillman Jr.
The story: The life and death of heavyweight Brooklyn rapper The Notorious B.I.G. With Derek Luke and Angela Bassett.
Who’s Biggie? He’s played by another heavyweight Brooklyn rapper, Jamal Woolard, an unknown with no previous acting experience.
PAUL BLART: MALL COP (Jan. 16)
Director: Steve Carr
The story: A mall cop (Kevin James) must act like a real one when his turf is invaded by a dangerous gang.
Totally unlike: “Observe and Report” (which opens April 10), about a mall cop ( Seth Rogen) trying to become a real one.
HE’S JUST NOT THAT INTO YOU (Feb. 6)
Director: Ken Kwapis
The story: A group of 30ish men and women swims the choppy waters of love.
What story? It’s based on a self- help book. But check out the cast, which includes Ben Affleck, Jennifer Aniston, Drew Barrymore, Jennifer Connelly and Scarlett Johansson.
WATCHMEN (March 6)
Director: Zack Snyder
The Story: A ragtag group of flawed superheroes must stop the arrival of a Cold War-style doomsday. Based on the comic-book series by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons.
Full steam: As of this writing, Fox was still suing over rights to the film, but Warner Bros. is moving forward, having already screened lengthy segments of the film for critics.
ADVENTURELAND (March 27)
Director: Greg Mottola
The Story: A recent college grad shelves his dreams of traveling to work at a local amusement park but finds - surprise! - romance. With Jesse Eisenberg and Kristin Stewart.
Real life: Mottola (“Superbad”) based the script on his own experiences at a Farmingdale, N.Y., park.
LYMELIFE (Early April)
Director: Derick Martini
The story: Alec Baldwin, Rory Culkin and Cynthia Nixon star in this dark-hued drama about a suburb plagued by Lyme disease.
More real life: The director and his co-writer, Steven Martini, are brothers who based the movie on their experiences growing up in Syosset, N.Y.
THE SOLOIST (April 24)
Director: Joe Wright
The story: Based on the real-life relationship between a Los Angeles journalist (Robert Downey Jr.) and a homeless violin prodigy (Jamie Foxx).
Hey, Oscar: Judging from the teary trailer, Foxx seems to be tugging at the academy’s heartstrings again.
X-MEN ORIGINS: WOLVERINE (May 1)
Director: Gavin Hood
The story: How the future X-Man became the hairy hunk he is. With Hugh Jackman.
Smart move: Jackman, whose good looks helped make this franchise so popular, also produced this film.
STAR TREK (May 8)
Director: J.J. Abrams
The story: The creator of “Lost” rounds up a new crew of youngsters in this reworking of the sci-fi franchise.
Old-timer: Watch for Leonard Nimoy, the original Mr. Spock.
ANGELS & DEMONS (May 15)
Director: Ron Howard
The story: Harvard religious expert Robert Langdon ( Tom Hanks) discovers an ancient society that’s still secretly at work. Based on the novel by Dan Brown.
Familiar turf: Didn’t we already see “The Da Vinci Code”? Yes, but since it grossed more than $200 million, Sony is hoping we’ll see it again.
TERMINATOR: SALVATION (May 22)
Director: McG
The story: Anti-robot crusader John Connor is still man’s hope for the future, but now that future is looking a little uncertain.
No Arnold: The man who made this franchise famous won’t be appearing, but you do get Christian Bale as Connor, plus Sam Worthington and the rapper Common.
SPINNING INTO BUTTER (Spring)
Director: Mark Brokaw
The story: The dean of a New England college grapples with the aftermath of a campus hate crime.
Change of pace: Sarah Jessica Parker steps off her “Sex and the City” runway to play the dean. Also with Miranda Richardson and Beau Bridges.
LAND OF THE LOST (June 5)
Director: Brad Silberling
The story: In this version of the 1970s cult television show, Will Ferrell plays Rick Marshall, a scientist transported into the dinosaur era.
That’s Holly? Some changes to the series: Marshall’s little daughter, Holly, is replaced by a curvaceous research assistant (Anna Friel), while his son, Will, is a redneck survivalist (Danny McBride, “Tropic Thunder”).
TRANSFORMERS: REVENGE OF THE FALLEN (June 26)
Director: Michael Bay
The story: Sam Witwicky ( Shia LaBeouf) returns to help the Autobots battle the Decepticons.
Scene stealer: John Turturro reprises his role as the hilarious, half-insane Agent Simmons.
PUBLIC ENEMIES (July 1)
Director: Michael Mann
The story: In Depression-era Chicago, real-life FBI agent Melvin Purvis (Christian Bale) hunts folk-hero outlaw John Dillinger ( Johnny Depp).
High hopes: Despite a spotty track record, Mann (“Heat,” “Miami Vice”) has a shot at rivaling Brian DePalma’s great period crime flick, “The Untouchables.”
HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF-BLOOD PRINCE (July 17)
Director: David Yates
The story: According to the synopsis, “Love is in the air, but tragedy lies ahead.”
Why you waited: Warner Bros. blames the recent writers’ strike, which left gaps in its 2009 schedule. And with millions in the bank from ” The Dark Knight,” the studio can afford to save “Half-Blood” for later.
FUNNY PEOPLE (July 31)
Director: Judd Apatow
The story: A famous comedian has a near-death experience. With Adam Sandler, Seth Rogen, Jonah Hill and Jason Schwartzman.
Only three? As a producer, writer and mentor, Apatow has dominated the comedy genre for the past few years, yet this marks only his third directing gig after “The 40-Year-Old Virgin” and “Knocked Up.”
INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS (Aug. 21)
Director: Quentin Tarantino
The story: In Nazi-occupied France, a cinema owner, an actress and a group of resistance fighters hatch a plan to take down the Third Reich. The title comes from a 1978 Italian movie.
Mix and match: The oddball cast includes Brad Pitt, Mike Myers and Eli Roth, director of the horror flick “Hostel.”
SHUTTER ISLAND (Oct. 2)
Director: Martin Scorsese
The story: Leonardo DiCaprio and Mark Ruffalo are U.S. marshals investigating the disappearance of an heiress from an island-based madhouse. Based on Dennis Lehane’s novel.
Four’s a charm? This marks the fourth collaboration between Oscar winner Scorsese and the Oscarless DiCaprio.
WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE (Oct. 16)
Director: Spike Jonze
The story: Jonze and novelist Dave Eggers wrote the screenplay adaptation of the Maurice Sendak children’s classic.
Trouble in paradise? The director and Warner Bros. reportedly butted heads over how to translate Sendak’s dark-hued book into a mainstream film. But both now say they’re satisfied with the result.
THE WOLFMAN (Nov. 6)
Director: Joe Johnston
The story: Benicio Del Toro plays a nobleman who returns to his family estate and discovers more about himself than he bargained for.
Old school: Del Toro watched the 1941 classic “The Wolf Man,” with Lon Chaney Jr., to research his role.
SHERLOCK HOLMES (Nov. 20)
Director: Guy Ritchie
The story: The enduring fictional detective gets an update, revealing “fighting skills as lethal as his legendary intellect,” according to a synopsis. With Robert Downey Jr., Jude Law and Rachel McAdams.
It worked for James Bond: Taking liberties with Ian Fleming is one thing, but the critically esteemed Arthur Conan Doyle may be another.
AVATAR (Dec. 18)
Director: James Cameron
The story: Former Marine lands on new planet filled with exotic life-forms, not all of them friendly.
The teaser: According to one trailer on YouTube, Cameron’s first directing effort since 1997’s “Titanic” seems to aim for the grandiosity of Stanley Kubrick’s “2001: A Space Odyssey.”
