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Chennai to hot up with Hollywood films

Ananth Krishnan

Much-awaited movie sequels, Oscar winners and animation – there is something for all

Promotional stills of some of the films hitting cinemas this summer

CHENNAI: Cinema lovers, brace yourselves. The summer is upon us, and that can only mean one thing – it’s blockbuster time.

Movie theatres around the city are dusting the curtains and cleaning the aisles as a slew of box office blockbusters from Hollywood are set to hit Chennai’s screens this summer.

Traditionally, the summer months are when cinemas draw in the biggest audiences and the box-office pulls in the most profits. Summer releases are usually films that have mass appeal – blockbusters, comedies and family films that target the younger audience. This year is no different, and the sheer number of big-budget offerings already has the city’s theatre operators excited.

“Summer films are usually the biggest hits at the box office, and in the last few years, it’s been movies like Spiderman, Pirates of the Caribbean and [those in the] Harry Potter [series] that have done very well,” says Meenakshi Sundaram, a manager at Mayajaal.

Summer sequels

Mr. Sundaram expects the biggest releases in 2008 too to be the blockbuster sequels of popular film franchises.

The Chronicles of Narnia sequel Prince Caspian, out on May 16, and the much-awaited fourth instalment of Steven Spielberg’s Indiana Jones series film The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, releasing in Chennai on May 22, are Mr. Sundaram’s biggest bets as this summer’s top grossers.

Sequels are undoubtedly the big trend.

The third part of The Mummy… series is also out this summer, as is the second chapter of the popular animated film Madagascar.

Another film that has fans excited is the action flick Speed Racer which will be out in May. The film, directed by Wachowski brothers of The Matrix fame, is based on the animated Japanese cartoon series of the same name that many of Chennai’s school-kids will be familiar with.

“The trend in the past few years has been that children’s films usually do better than any other films in the summer,” says Supriya of Corporate Communications, Sathyam Cinemas.

Animation success

Last year, the animated film Surf’s Up was one of the most successful summer films in Chennai, giving big-budget blockbusters such as Spider-Man and Ocean’s Thirteen a run for their money. “Animated films in particular have been doing very well of late,” confirms Aarathy Ilangovan of INOX cinemas.

Of the animated films that will be released this summer, Dr. Seuss’ Horton Hears a Who! starring Jim Carrey, which releases later this month, stands out.

The film tells the story of an elephant who discovers a microscopic community that no one else can see, and is based on the popular Dr. Seuss children’s book series.

But if you don’t fancy talking elephants and are more the realist kind, don’t despair. This summer will also see the Oscar’s big winners finally grace Chennai’s theatres.

The crime thriller No Country for Old Men that took away four Academy Awards, including best picture, is out this month, as is the political drama Charlie Wilson’s War. Something for everyone this summer.

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