Sequels
The Spongebob Movie: Sponge Out Of Water (February 6th)
Regular series voice actors Tom Kenny, Clancy Brown and Bill Fagerbakke are joined by Antonio Banderas, Seth Green and Slash in this second franchise instalment directed by Paul Tibbit. The script – written by SpongeBob creator Stephen Hillenburg, Tibbit, Jonathan Aibel and Glenn Berger – sees our porous hero embark on a mission to retrieve a stolen recipe, only to find himself on dry land, battling a pirate.
Hot Tub Time Machine 2 (February 20th)
While it is not entirely clear why a sequel to Hot Tub Time Machine has gone ahead without one quarter of its original, main ensemble (John Cusack), here it is, nonetheless. With Steve Pink back at the helm and concept originator Josh Heald writing the script, we can at least look forward to some continuity of tone and style, even if the casting is a little strange.
Those that are returning from the original include Craig Robinson, Clark Duke, Rob Corddry, Chevy Chase and Collette Wolfe, while Cusack’s spot is filled by Adam Scott – whose character name, Adam Yates Jr. seems to suggest that he is Cusack’s character’s son…
The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (March 6th)
Now with added Richard Gere, this follow-up to the popular 2011 film The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel finds the cast of the original facing some new challenges as the owner of the hotel (Dev Patel) looks to expand his enterprise to include a second location.
Directed by John Madden and written by Ol Parker, Gere and Tamsin Greig join the returning cast, which includes Maggie Smith, Bill Nighy, Judi Dench, Penelope Wilton and Celia Imrie.
The Divergent Series: Insurgent (March 20th)
The adaptation of the popular Veronica Roth book series continues, with a second instalment that is directed by Robert Schwentke (R.I.P.D), and written by Brian Duffield, Akiva Goldsman, and Mark Bomback.
Shailene Woodley returns as Beatrice Prior, with Theo James, Miles Teller, Jai Courtney, Naomi Watts and Kate Winslet providing support. The story sees Beatrice confronting her inner demons while battling a powerful alliance that threatens the fabric of society.
Monsters: Dark Continent (April)
Set ten years after the events of the first film – Gareth Edwards’ Monsters – this sequel numbers Edwards and original star Scoot McNairy among its executive producers. Starring Sofia Boutella, Joe Dempsie, Johnny Harris and Sam Keeley, it sees the ‘Infected Zones’ of the original spread worldwide, and as a result, the action moves to the Middle East.
There are, apparently, two further sequels planned as well. So let’s hope this one does well.
Furious 7 (April 3rd)
The latest instalment in the Fast And Furious franchise is a guaranteed box office hit, just like those that went before it. Directed, this time, by horror maestro James Wan (Saw), it sees Deckard Shaw (Jason Statham) seek revenge against Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel) for the death of his brother.
Series regulars return, including Michelle Rodriguez, Jordana Brewster, Tyrese Gibson and Dwayne Johnson, while it also marks the final screen role of the late Paul Walker. Kurt Russell, Djimon Hounsou, Ludacris and Iggy Azalea also feature.
Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2 (April 17th)
Kevin James brings the titular character back – this time becoming embroiled in stopping a heist attempt in Las Vegas while attending a Security Guard Expo. James co-wrote the script with Nick Bakay once again, and Andy Fickman (Parental Guidance) is in the director’s chair.
