Take Two!

Hollywood movie studios are clearly desperate for money, if the number of sequels coming out is any indication. Some of the studios are looking at these sequels as proverbial cash cows and if one considers the success of certain successful movie franchises, this may not be the worst thing. Consider if you will, that Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 enjoyed the second biggest opening week of all time, not bad for the 8th movie in the teen wizard movie series.

Of course certain sequels were utter flops and failed to get off the ground. So what do we as the film-going public have to look forward to in terms of pending sequels?
Rumour has it that a sequel to the romantic comedy Love Actually is in the pipeline. Universal Pictures president Eddie Cunningham confirmed that he would love to “green light” a follow-up to the 2003 film which was directed by Richard Curtis and starred Hugh Grant, Colin Firth and Emma Thompson. What made this film so special is that it was the first movie to combine inter-woven love stories and capture the feeling of each.

"I think many American movies try to emulate that brilliant format where the stories interweave and no one's on screen for more than six minutes. But only Richard Curtis has achieved it. It really makes you appreciate the beauty of his writing."

Love Actually - which also starred Bill Nighy, Keira Knightley and Laura Linney - made $246m worldwide on its release in 2003.

Valentine's Day and New Year's Eve have both tried to follow the same format but have not achieved similar box office or critical acclaim. 

The second movie rumoured to be receiving a face-lift is the cult classic Top Gun. The movie that launched Tom Cruise’s career is said to be in the script phase. It will be interesting to see who they will get to play our favourite characters – Goose, Maverick and Ice Man.

The best movie of the year, if opening week takings are to be considered, is the Marvel comic movie The Avengers. With the extent of its success it really comes as no surprise that the sequel is already on the cards. With the cgi teams in fine form following the success of this film as well as The Iron Man movies, studio execs will be in a hurry to cash in on the follow-up. 

It looks like we are in for a really good year at the movies!