Twenty 2010 Movies To Get Excited About

The Road

Expected: 8 January

Why We’re Excited: Cormac McCarthy's novel is a tragic work of genius, a rambling account of a man's journey with his son through a shattered, post-apocalyptic world.

But while it's loaded with depressing imagery, we're hopeful it'll be one of the best cinema experiences for next year.

Is It Ready Yet? It's been ready for a while, and was originally slated for 2008 but was thrown back into post-production when producers couldn't agree over the staggeringly bleak tone.

The Book Of Eli

Expected: 15 January

Why We’re Excited: More end-of-the-word drama, but this time framed as an action thriller as Denzel Washington morphs back into his badass self to save humanity with sword-slashing kung-fu.

Plus DW vs Gary Oldman? Bring it on!

Is It Ready Yet? Directors Albert and Allen Hughes said at Comic-Con that they've been putting the final touches to the movie, so it's pretty much locked.

The Lovely Bones

Expected: 29 January

Why We’re Excited: The man who made LOTR really seems to have connected with Alice Sebold's fantastical novel about a dead girl trying to help with her own murder investigation, and he's got one of the best effects teams in the business helping him bring the afterlife sequences to the screen.

Plus with the likes of Rachel Weisz and young Oscar nominee Saiorse Ronan to the screen, it'll be an acting showcase.

Is It Ready Yet? Peter Jackson showed a "sizzle" reel at Comic-Con that proved the film is in the final stages - it'll be ready shortly, despite the director's packed producing schedule and Hobbit-overseer duties.

The Cabin In The Woods

Expected: 5 February

Why We’re Excited: Joss Whedon made his name with clever takes on horror movie tropes (that would be Buffy, in case anyone has forgotten), so to see his and Drew Goddard's take on an actual horror is something to be anticipated.

We know it'll be funny and smart - we're hoping for terrifying to boot.

Is It Ready Yet? Goddard is feverishly slicing away at the movie, which finished shooting a couple of months ago.

Ponyo

Expected: 5 February

Why We’re Excited: It's the return of animation master Hayao Miyazaki... What more do you want? Admittedly, this is him pitching to a slightly younger crowd, but his painterly style and keen eye for characters means we're more than willing to brave a wave of ankle-biters.

And the likes of Pixar's John Lasseter are shepherding this to our screens - your 'toon stamp of quality.

Is It Ready Yet? Since the film has already been released in Japan and screened in full at the San Diego con, that's a big yes.

The Wolf Man

Expected: 12 February

Why We’re Excited: While we're seriously worried about all the talk of behind-the-scenes drama and issues, we still want to see Rick Baker's effects work and find out how Benicio Del Toro embodies the hairy anti-hero.

Fingers crossed for this one...

Is It Ready Yet? Not yet. Due to issues with the effects and some necessary re-shoots, Joe Johnston is still trying to get it into shape.

Edge Of Darkness

Expected: 19 February

Why We’re Excited: Can Martin Campbell wrangle Mel Gibson back into a world where he's known for acting rather than acting stupid/drunk?

Given that this is adapted from the '80s BBC miniseries that the director helped make, we'd like to think it'll turn out to be something superb - gritty, brutal and thought-provoking.

Is It Ready Yet? Campbell finished shooting a year ago, and post-production kicked off in December, so we'd certainly hope it's close to finished...

A Couple Of Dicks

Expected: 26 February

Why We’re Excited: It's a whole new direction for the former View-Askewniverse helmer- his second time (after TV pilot Reaper) working from someone else's script and a very different genre.

But with Bruce Willis and 30 Rock's Tracy Morgan as cops on a wild mission, all the ingredients are in place for some real laughs.

Is It Ready Yet? It wrapped last week and one of Kevin Smith's recent tweets reported that he was home in LA and continuing the editing process he started on set. It'll be a few months yet.

Alice In Wonderland

Expected: 5 March

Why We’re Excited: Tim Burton's knack for the bizarre meshed with Lewis Carroll's trippy world feels like the perfect marriage of filmmaker and subject.

Regular collaborator Johnny Depp gets the chance to indulge his inner child again and a host of acting types such as Michael Sheen, Matt Lucas, Anne Hathaway and Helena Bonham Carter came to play,

Is It Ready Yet? Er, not so much. "I'll be working up until the end. It's a weird process, because we're using so many different techniques, it takes a very long time to get to a finished shot, so I have very few finished shots, if any. And it comes out in March," says Burton.

The Expendables

Expected: TBC 2010

Why We’re Excited: Stallone. Statham. Jet Li. Dolph Lundgren. Mickey Rourke. Terry Crews. Need we say more?

Oh, very well - it'll be the cult thesp-fest and action-packed adventure to beat this year. Sly's been promising OTT action, throwback dialogue and one wild time at the cinema.

It's not so much a movies as a time travel machine (which can only go to the '80s) / explosion generator.

Is It Ready Yet? Stallone has been crafting his men-on-a-mission movie since it finished shooting (and exploding and punching) in June, so it's creeping towards a finished state.

Clash Of The Titans

Expected: 26 March

Why We’re Excited: While it's yet another remake, it has a solid cast that includes Sam Worthington, Ralph Fiennes, Liam Neeson, and Casino Royale's Mads Mikkelsen and it looks to be giving the story a darker, meaner spin.

Gods fighting among mortals? Sign us up...

Is It Ready Yet? It's a huge-scale blockbuster that only properly entered the editing room at the start of last month. So we're going to go with: not yet.

Cemetery Junction

Expected: 7 April

Why We’re Excited: While Ricky Gervais has made strides into both acting and directing on film, we're pumped to see what he and Office/Extras co-creator Stephen Merchant have in store.

Plus, the subject matter - young men slaving away in a '70s insurance company, trying to find their way in life - sounds like prime material for the pair.

Even if co-star Ralph Fiennes isn't funny...

Is It Ready Yet? It's busy filming as we write this, so it won't be ready for months.

Robin Hood

Expected: 14 May

Why We’re Excited: Ridley Scott and Russell Crowe needed something like this to shake off the disappointment of Body Of Lies: an action adventure that blends the style of Gladiator with more character-based fun.

We just hope it gets a title soon...

Is It Ready Yet? After months of delays, re-writes and changes, Scott's take on the legend of Robin and the Merry Men has only just closed down its shoot, so it's currently being edited.

Iron Man 2

Expected: TBC 2010 (though we predict a May release)

Why We’re Excited: After watching the collection of scenes Favs showed at Comic-Con (which leaked online a couple of weeks ago), we couldn't be more thrilled to see the further adventures of Tony Stark.

It looks like Robert Downey Jr's back in fine form and we finally get to see War Machine in action. Can. Not. Wait.

Is It Ready Yet? Jon Favreau has been keeping us up to date via Twitter - he's not close to locking in a print yet, but has at least constructed one version of the film.

Prince Of Persia: The Sands Of Time

Expected: 28 May

Why We’re Excited: The videogame is a strong story source and Jake Gyllenhaal has clearly committed to the part - throwing himself into weight and fight training.

We want another epic adventure from the Disney team - better than Pirates 3, please...

Is It Ready Yet? Having shifted back a year to give director Mike Newell more time to work on it, we would certainly hope so - it's been in the post-production stage since last December.

Toy Story 3

Expected: 23 July

Why We’re Excited: While there are some nerves about Pixar re-visiting their best-known output yet again (how do you top Toy Story 2?), this is the Emeryville animation wizards we're talking about, so we're not betting against them.

Plus, the chance to spend more time with Woody (full name Woody Pride, apparently), Buzz and the rest of the gang is massively appealing.

Is It Ready Yet? No CGI animated movie is close to finished this far away from release. Director Lee Unkrich reports that the animation team is still beavering away.

The Green Hornet

Expected: 23 July

Why We’re Excited: Nervously anticipating would be more accurate. Can Gondry and Rogen pull off what sounds like a very different superhero movie?

Is Nicolas Cage a good choice as villain? Will Jay Chou work as Kato? We want it to be good... And we like the car, which we watched Rogen unveil at Comic-Con.

Is It Ready Yet? Nope. It hasn't started filming yet. Michel Gondry is scheduled to turn his lens on Seth Rogen and co sometime soon, since Rogen has talked about sets being built.

The A-Team

Expected: 30 July

Why We’re Excited: Joe Carnahan's had a run of bad luck with films in development, so we figure he's due for something good.

And with Liam Neeson (above) leading as Hannibal Smith, we want to see a full-on action movie birthed from the concept of the show.

Is It Ready Yet? Carnahan's plan - like his cast - has not yet comes together. We're still waiting to see who he wants as Howlin' Mad Murdock and BA Baracus, among others. Production begins later this month.

Salt

Expected: 20 August

Why We’re Excited: After an enforced sex change following Tom Cruise's departure, the idea of Angelina Jolie as a betrayed CIA Agent actually makes us more excited than having the Cruiser aboard.

And with Noyce's deft touch, Salt should be something special.

Is It Ready Yet? Philip Noyce wrapped the spy thriller in June, and launched into post-production so, no, it's not ready to see yet. But we're expecting a trailer any day.

The Chronicles Of Narnia: The Voyage Of The Dawn Treader

Expected: 10 December

Why We’re Excited: With Michael Apted at the helm and a much more adventurous setting than the previous Narnia movies, Dawn Treader could sail past Prince Caspian in terms of quality.

Is It Ready Yet? You are joking, right? Apted and the cast are still deep in the middle of filming. And given the effects load on this latest Narnia outing, we expect him to be working on it until the release.