# What move, on the drawing board or in production, will be the Next Big Thing? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 17, 2004, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-move-on-the-drawing-board-or-in-production-will-be-the-next-big-thing/260233 "2004-08-17T13:16:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2004, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-move-on-the-drawing-board-or-in-production-will-be-the-next-big-thing/260233/1 "2004-08-17T13:16:30Z")
Are there any movies, currently either on the drawing board, in pre-production, in production, in post-production, or on the shelf, that are going to going to take the box office by storm? Any _Lord of the Rings_-type epic masterpieces in the works? (I’ve heard that Disney has greenlighted _Chronicles of Narnia_, but I don’t anticipate LotR-type grandiosity from that series. I may be wrong, though.) Any _Passion of the Christ_-like pet projects that are going to raise eyebrows and bring hordes to the theaters? Any _Blair Witch Project_-like low-budget movies that are going to find an audience and make 10,000 times their original investment? In short, what’s coming to the theaters before the next 12-16 months are up that’s going to blow me away? ---
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2004, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-move-on-the-drawing-board-or-in-production-will-be-the-next-big-thing/260233/2 "2004-08-17T13:20:32Z")
Can I get a moderator to change the title to “What **movie** …”, please. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2004, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-move-on-the-drawing-board-or-in-production-will-be-the-next-big-thing/260233/3 "2004-08-17T13:34:39Z")
**Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow** Everything except the actors is CGI, in a realistic/cartoon style. And it has Giant Flying Robots invading New York City in the late 1930s. ---
**Author:** ![merge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9f8e36/32.png) [@merge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/merge)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2004, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-move-on-the-drawing-board-or-in-production-will-be-the-next-big-thing/260233/4 "2004-08-17T13:45:53Z")
I think [Alexander](http://imdb.com/title/tt0346491/) has some potential. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2004, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-move-on-the-drawing-board-or-in-production-will-be-the-next-big-thing/260233/5 "2004-08-17T13:59:44Z")
They’re making a sequel to Dungeons and Dragons! … Okay, that’s not likely to set the cinema world on fire. I do expect _Firefly_ to do very well, hopefully well enough to inspire either a new series or a string of movies; if you think that’s not significant, consider _Star Trek_… I have high hopes for _Fantastic Four, X3, The Hobbit, and Elektra,_ but I don’t expect them to set the world on edge. Or on fire. ---
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2004, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-move-on-the-drawing-board-or-in-production-will-be-the-next-big-thing/260233/6 "2004-08-17T14:17:22Z")
> [@Ethilrist](#): > > I have high hopes for _Fantastic Four, X3, The Hobbit, and Elektra,_ but I don’t expect them to set the world on edge. Or on fire. Has _The Hobbit_ been grennlighted? :eek: Last I heard, it was tied up in legal wrangling with the Tolkien estate. ---
**Author:** ![Santos\_L\_Halper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/santos_l_halper/32/1_2.png) [@Santos\_L\_Halper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Santos_L_Halper)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2004, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-move-on-the-drawing-board-or-in-production-will-be-the-next-big-thing/260233/7 "2004-08-17T14:53:48Z")
I agree on the Firefly Movie ( **Serenity** ). I’m also really looking forward to **Wallace & Gromit: Curse of the Wererabbit** and the next Pixar film **the Incredibles**. I had high hopes for **the Fantastic Four** , but I’ve heard some really bad stuff about what they’re doing with it. I hope the rumors turn out to be wrong because it could be a kick-ass movie if they know how to handle the characters. Eric ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2004, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-move-on-the-drawing-board-or-in-production-will-be-the-next-big-thing/260233/8 "2004-08-17T14:58:04Z")
> [@HeyHomie](#): > > Has _The Hobbit_ been grennlighted? :eek: Last I heard, it was tied up in legal wrangling with the Tolkien estate. Hey, I said “high hopes.” Not “I’m looking forward to seeing it when it opens next month.” That would be silly. ---
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2004, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-move-on-the-drawing-board-or-in-production-will-be-the-next-big-thing/260233/9 "2004-08-17T16:26:43Z")
Have not yet read the books but I’m looking forward to seeing LEMONY SNICKET’S A SERIES OF UNFORTUNATE EVENTS. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2004, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-move-on-the-drawing-board-or-in-production-will-be-the-next-big-thing/260233/10 "2004-08-17T17:23:38Z")
I have _very_ low aspirations for “next big thing”. I.e., the following are some soon to be released movies that I hope do a lot better than they probably will. In fact, most will probably be limited releases. Sigh. All data is from [Box Office Prophets](http://www.boxofficeprophets.com/tickermaster/). _Bright Young Things_. 8/20. Released a long time ago in the UK but well received. _Bush’s Brain_. 8/27. Hey, if _F 9/11_ can bring in $115M, why can’t this do well too? _Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence_. 9/17. But if you didn’t see the original… _Shaun of the Dead_. 9/24. Although I suspect most US folks who would like this movie have already seen it. (It also came out in the UK some time ago.) _Closer_. 12/24. Good play, cast (mostly) and director. But I’m not expecting much from _Synergy_. 12/29. ---
**Author:** ![Ms\_Boods](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5e9695/32.png) [@Ms\_Boods](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ms_Boods)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2004, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-move-on-the-drawing-board-or-in-production-will-be-the-next-big-thing/260233/11 "2004-08-17T17:28:12Z")
> [@ftg](#): > > _Shaun of the Dead_. 9/24. Although I suspect most US folks who would like this movie have already seen it. (It also came out in the UK some time ago.) > > [ This one is fried gold. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Trigonal\_Planar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/0ea827/32.png) [@Trigonal\_Planar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trigonal_Planar)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2004, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-move-on-the-drawing-board-or-in-production-will-be-the-next-big-thing/260233/12 "2004-08-17T18:12:59Z")
> [@DrFidelius](#): > > **Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow** > > Everything except the actors is CGI, in a realistic/cartoon style. And it has Giant Flying Robots invading New York City in the late 1930s. This movie is going flop so bad. It only appeals to nerds. ---
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2004, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-move-on-the-drawing-board-or-in-production-will-be-the-next-big-thing/260233/13 "2004-08-17T19:52:44Z")
If **The Incredibles** doesn’t do boffo box office (Pixar! Brad Bird! Super-heroes! Suburbanite jokes!), you might as well signal the start of the Apocalypse. And a sympathy vote for **The Transformers,** just because. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Agrippina](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8797f3/32.png) [@Agrippina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Agrippina)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2004, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-move-on-the-drawing-board-or-in-production-will-be-the-next-big-thing/260233/14 "2004-08-17T20:07:21Z")
That new “Batman” movie with Christian Bale. That’s probably a given, though. ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2004, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-move-on-the-drawing-board-or-in-production-will-be-the-next-big-thing/260233/15 "2004-08-17T21:30:58Z")
I don’t have very high expectations however I am looking forward to the final installment of **Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith**. And I am also very excited about Peter Jackson’s remake of **King Kong**. And I want to see Terry Gilliam’s **Brother’s Grimm** and **Indiana Jones 4**. I’d also like to see what Steven Speilberg is working on, and like to know if James Cameron will ever do another big budget film. And how about Scorsese, Ridley Scott, or Paul Verhoven? ---
**Author:** ![Ross](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e274bd/32.png) [@Ross](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ross)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2004, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-move-on-the-drawing-board-or-in-production-will-be-the-next-big-thing/260233/16 "2004-08-17T22:34:27Z")
[Transformers](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0418279/) has the potential to have us all going “Nooooooo!!!” in a couple of years’ time. Which is what most 'big thing’s seem to do around here. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2004, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-move-on-the-drawing-board-or-in-production-will-be-the-next-big-thing/260233/17 "2004-08-17T22:48:04Z")
> [@Santos L Halper](#): > > the next Pixar film **the Incredibles**. And after that, [Cars](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0317219/combined). Judging from Shrek 2, the ultimate Next Big Thing will be [Shrek 3](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0413267/combined). ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2004, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-move-on-the-drawing-board-or-in-production-will-be-the-next-big-thing/260233/18 "2004-08-17T22:55:29Z")
> [@ftg](#): > > _Shaun of the Dead_. 9/24. Although I suspect most US folks who would like this movie have already seen it. (It also came out in the UK some time ago.) Since it hasn’t played in the US yet–how? 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Freejooky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ba8739/32.png) [@Freejooky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freejooky)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2004, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-move-on-the-drawing-board-or-in-production-will-be-the-next-big-thing/260233/19 "2004-08-17T23:05:39Z")
Chris Cunningham has been in supposed talks to do William Gibson’s “Neuromancer” for years, and someone’s just greenlighted “Watchmen” (which should be terrible, but could be great). ---
**Author:** ![Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hey_It_s_That_Guy)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2004, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-move-on-the-drawing-board-or-in-production-will-be-the-next-big-thing/260233/20 "2004-08-17T23:56:27Z")
> [@Trigonal Planar](#): > > This movie is going flop so bad. It only appeals to nerds. Well I guess I’m a nerd, because I’m eagerly awaiting this one. The Sky Captain trailers look like Hollywood people tapped into the “cool stuff” portion of my brain, because the movie looks like a perfect representation of everything I consider cool. If it has a battle with ninjas, a hot dominatrix, and either cats or ferrets doing something funny, it might be the greatest movie of all time. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-move-on-the-drawing-board-or-in-production-will-be-the-next-big-thing/260233.md?page=2)