Sure, sure, the studios want to make quality movies, but what they really want to do is avoid flushing huge wads of cash down the loo.
As it is, they’re often spending $100 million on a movie before they get $1 back, and if it fails, they’re nailed. So when a new project is proposed, they’re thinking one word:
Franchise.
A franchise is a near-automatic revenue stream. A new Eddie Murphy vehicle may be risky, but “Nutty Professor II: The Klumps”? Like taking money from a public ATM.
The franchises not only boost the studios — where would MGM/UA be without James Bond? — but also the stars: Arnold Schwarzenegger is riding a cold streak, and boom, he just announced he’ll do “Terminator 3,” so people presumably can remember why they love him. Sharon Stone’s career is in the dumps? Hey, as of last week she’ll do “Basic Instinct 2” after all.
This summer has already brought us “M:I-2” (a Lexus franchise), “The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas” (a Yugo) and movies obviously calculated to generate sequels, such as “Shaft,” “Dinosaur,” “Battlefield Earth” (oops) and even “Chicken Run.” Coming later this summer and fall: “Pokemon the Movie 2000,” the “Kiss the Girls” prequel “Along Came a Spider,” “Blair Witch 2: Book of Shadows,” “Jason X” (the 10th “Friday the 13th”) and “102 Dalmatians.”
Here’s a rundown of what else is on the franchise drawing boards at this point:
“American Pie 2”: An earlier script wasn’t deemed up to snuff, so Universal just hired original “Pie” scribe Adam Herz to write the sequel to last summer’s raunchy high school comedy. Reasons to be cheerful: The cast, if it returns, was pretty darn likable. Reasons to be fearful: Imagine, if you dare, how they’ll try to top the pie gag.
“Austin Powers 3”: Nothing is set yet, but you can bet Mike Myers will write a script that he presumably will OK (unlike his recently abandoned “Dieter”) so he can keep his lucrative series on its one-movie-every-three-years schedule. Reasons to be cheerful: More Mini-Me. Reasons to be fearful: Please, no more Fat Bastard.
“Basic Instinct 2”: Variety reported that Stone will collect a cool $15 million to reprise her ice-pick-wielding seductress that made her a star, though Michael Douglas, director Paul Verhoeven and writer Joe Eszterhaus won’t be along for this ride. Reasons to be cheerful: Stone returns to the kind of role she does best. Reasons to be fearful: Eight years after the original, is anyone’s pulse racing at this news?
“Batman”: After the heinous “Batman and Robin” buried the series, Warner Brothers is trying to rejuvenate it with new blood: Reportedly, Darren Aronofsky, who made the striking though not altogether coherent indie “Pi,” has been tapped to write and possibly direct, with George Clooney supposedly still under contract as the man with the rubber breast plate. Reasons to be cheerful: Aronofsky would bring energy and a distinctive visual style to the series. Reasons to be fearful: A visual stylist without a great sense of story — that sounds like the previous “Batman” directors.
“Blade 2”: Wesley Snipes and Kris Kristofferson (who must be creatively revived) are set to return in this comic-book spinoff sequel to be directed by Guillermo del Toro (“Mimic”). Reasons to be cheerful: Sometimes comic-like sequels top the originals when the financial stakes are raised (a la “Terminator 2”). Reasons to be fearful: Sometimes they don’t (a la “Robocop 2”).
“`Crocodile’ Dundee 3”: A dozen years after the first sequel, Paul Hogan decided it’s a “G’day” to return as everyone’s favorite Aussie outback hero. Reasons to be cheerful: Hogan certainly is a likable mate. Reasons to be fearful: If there’s actually a demand for this, can a Men at Work reunion be far behind?
“Dirty Dancing 2”: Nothing’s definite here, but the most popular rumors place Jennifer Lopez (or Natalie Portman) opposite Ricky Martin in a salsa-flavored update of the Patrick Swayze-Jennifer Grey “classic.” Reasons to be cheerful: Lopez and Martin could add surprising spice to a bland recipe. Reasons to be fearful: It might actually get made.
“The Friday After Next”: This really is the tentative title of another “Friday” sequel in the planning stages, starring Ice Cube. Reasons to be cheerful: Anticipating the subsequent sequel titles. Reasons to be fearful: Chris Tucker quit after the “Friday” before last.
“Indiana Jones”: The latest reports have M. Night Shyamalan (“The Sixth Sense”) hired to write the fourth Indiana Jones movie, which would reunite star Harrison Ford with director Steven Spielberg and producer George Lucas. Reasons to be cheerful: That dynamite combo can’t fail (can it?), and we miss seeing Ford having fun on screen. Reasons to be fearful: Given their packed schedules, when will Spielberg and Lucas have time to make this sucker? And are we prepared for a long-in-the-tooth Indy?
James Bond: Pierce Brosnan supposedly will remain 007 for the next installment whenever the filmmaking team figures out which world-destroying conspiracy he should smash. Reasons to be cheerful: The series’ action scenes still show signs of life. Reasons to be fearful: The same can’t be said of the scripts.
“Jurassic Park 3”: Filming is set to begin this summer on the third of the rampaging dino-flicks, with Joe Johnston taking over the director’s chair from Steven Spielberg. Reasons to be cheerful: Johnston can show a nice human touch, as in last year’s sleeper “October Sky.” Reasons to be fearful: Johnston’s last digital-effects extravaganza was “Jumanji.”
“The Lord of the Rings”: Director Peter Jackson is currently filming, in succession, all three books from J.R.R. Tolkien’s famed fantasy trilogy (“The Fellowship of the Ring,” “The Two Towers” and “The Return of the King”) in New Zealand, with the movies scheduled for release in December 2001, 2002 and 2003, respectively. Reasons to be cheerful: New Zealander Jackson (“Heavenly Creatures”) is one of the most creative directors around, and his cast (Elijah Wood, Ian Holm, Ian McKellen, Cate Blanchett, Christopher Lee) is top-notch too. Reasons to be fearful: Fantasy rarely works on screen, and if the first installment doesn’t score, New Line Cinema, which plunked down a reported $140 million on the trilogy, will be looking at a long three years.
“The Matrix 2 and 3”: The Wachowski Brothers are bringing back Keanu Reeves and perhaps adding Jet Li for back-to-back sequels that haven’t begun filming and aren’t due to debut until Christmas 2002. Reasons to be cheerful: More “Matrix” action plus Li? Cool. Reasons to be fearful: Not sure where the convoluted reality-unreality dynamic can go — or whether we’ll get tired of Keanu exclaiming, “Whoa!”
“The Pink Panther”: Kevin Spacey has been rumored as the potential new Inspector Clouseau in a revival of Blake Edwards’ comedy series, though nothing is set. Reasons to be cheerful: Spacey is such a fab actor and impressionist that at worst the movie would be a curiosity. Reasons to be fearful: “The Son of the Pink Panther,” “The Curse of the Pink Panther” . . .
“Rocky 6”: Sylvester Stallone told Entertainment Weekly in May that he’s written the script. Reasons to be cheerful: Everyone loves a good comeback story. Reasons to be fearful: Everyone hates to see a punch-drunk fighter getting pummeled, and Rocky’s legs already are wobbly.
“Rush Hour 2”: Jackie Chan, Chris Tucker and director Brett Ratner all have signed to make this action-comedy sequel, with production set to begin around the end of this summer so the movie can be out next summer. Reasons to becheerful: Chan and Tucker had fun chemistry in the first one. Reasons to be fearful: Jackie really may be getting too old for this stuff.
“Star Wars: Episodes II and III”: Oh, you know . . . .Reasons to be cheerful: “The Empire Strikes Back” redux? Reasons to be fearful: “The Phantom Menace” redux?
“The Sum of All Fears”: Harrison Ford just bagged out of reprising Jack Ryan for the next Tom Clancy adaptation, so the franchise either needs a replacement (Ben Affleck’s name has been floated) or the power of persuasion over Ford. Reasons to be cheerful: Ford was awfully dour in “Clear and Present Danger,” no? Reasons to be fearful: Affleck would make a callow Ryan, yes?
“Superman”: What was supposed to be the fifth modern-day Superman movie, titled “Superman Lives,” has shed directors such as Tim Burton, screenwriters such as Kevin Smith and, most recently, lead actor Nicolas Cage. Reasons to be cheerful: Given that the only name players left are producer Jon Peters and Warner Brothers, maybe the movie is better off unmade. Reasons to be fearful: The project seems plagued by Kryptonite.
“Terminator 3 and 4”: After years of keeping his distance, Arnold Schwarzenegger announced he’ll return to his most famous role in “T3” even though at this point the movie — plus an additional sequel — is being planned without the participation of “Terminator” creator James Cameron. Reasons to be cheerful: Maybe Arnold’s participation will inspire the “Titanic” director to get off his duff and return to the job of wowing audiences. Reasons to be fearful: Don’t count on it.
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Which movies would you like to become franchises? Send your suggestions to mcaro@tribune.com.
