Kids have every reason to smile this season, what with a fantastic line-up of films from Hollywood
The pirates will take on everybody’s favourite ogre this summer. Captain Jack Sparrow returns and so does Shrek with Donkey. The big battle begins on June 1. Spider-Man 3 is likely to stay back to watch the action but Ta Ra Rum Pum may reach the finish line earlier than expected. For kids, the summer magic has just begun with the record-breaking Spider-Man 3 and they will continue to be in a spell, thanks to Harry Potter and Co.
With many releases lined up, especially for them, children have a long summer ahead. Mr. Bean’s Holiday (released on May 18), Pirates of the Caribbean 3: At World’s End (June 1), Shrek The Third (June 1), Fantastic Four 2: Rise of the Silver Surfer (June 15) and Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (July 13). And there’s action extending till July-August with Ratatouille and Surf’s Up.
MUCH-AWAITED From “Pirates of the Caribbean 3” and “Shrek 3”
Add to that, the kid’s film festival at Sathyam Cinemas every weekend. If you missed Lion King and Finding Nemo earlier this month, you can still catch up with The Incredibles (May 20), Madagascar (May 27) and Shrek (June 3) on Sunday mornings.
Breaking records
The market for children’s films is huge as Spider-Man 3 has proved beyond doubt. Spidey has broken all existing records for an English film released in India, beating the last biggest grosser, Casino Royale, by over 28 per cent, collecting Rs. 19.17 crore in the opening weekend.
The launch was big too. The premiere of the Spider-Man 3 in India happened in Chennai along with the official launch of Sathyam 2, the completely renovated Sathyam theatre. “For Spider-Man, we created a space for kids to explore the Spider-Man experience. We put up a net that they could climb and jump on. That was pretty much a hit,” says Siddharth Chandrashekar, Director of Mittra Media. “For Pirates 3 too, we have big plans.”
At the trade show to launch Pirates 3, Sony Pictures got Siddharth to do up the entire Ballroom at the Taj Connemara with a pirate theme. There were huge crates painted with skull and crossbones, a miniature of the Black Pearl called the Black Pearl Junior and even a Jack Sparrow Junior speaking Tamil for the benefit of distributors.
“We did it up in one-and-a-half days with art director Rembon. The idea was to localise it to take it to a mass,” Siddharth explains.
Exclusive promos were screened for Caribbean Kallarai Theevu. When Jack Sparrow made that explosive entry from the inside of a coffin last time around, fans whistled like it were a Superstar Rajnikant intro scene. With Will Turner, Elizabeth and Captain Barbossa on a rescue mission to the World’s End to bring back Captain Jack Sparrow, fans can’t wait for the cliff-hanger to resolve.
“With Spider-Man 3, Pirates 3, Surf’s Up and Ratatouille, we have a long summer for kids,” says Vikramjit Roy of Sony Pictures India. INOX recently did up the multiplex to promote Meet the Robinsons with contests for children. There are more contests and prizes awaiting children at INOX when Pirates 3 releases.
Warner Brothers is releasing Rowan Atkinson’s Mr. Bean’s Holiday next followed by Fantastic Four 2 mid-June and the ultimate finale to the summer specials: the latest instalment of Harry Potter. “We will have a lot of promotional activities for the July release,” a publicist informs, adding that details are yet to be finalised.
If the Fantastic Four sequel is all about the superheroes battling the all powerful Silver Surfer and the planet-eating Galactus, Paramount and Universal Pictures has a few surprises in store for Shrek lovers.
Justin Timberlake joins the star-studded voice cast as the rebellious Artie, Shrek’s own candidate for King, as Prince Charming plans a coup when Princess Fiona’s father falls ill.
Encouraged by the success of Rakesh Roshan’s Krissh, Yashraj Films had packaged the Days of Thunder-inspired Ta Ra Rum Pum for kids with merchandise and a built-in animated song (something Superstar did in Raja Chinna Roja ages ago), but with intense competition from Spider-Man and negative reviews, the film isn’t doing as well as expected.
Tamil Cinema does not have anything special for children. But the kids are not exactly complaining.
They have their own all-time superhero coming to the theatres this summer. As Sivaji.
SUDHISH KAMATH
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