A year in pictures

SUPERMAN will fly again as Batman gets back behind the wheel of his shiny new Batmobile. King Kong will go on the rampage in the familiar beauty and the beast scenario, while Anakin Skywalker moves to the dark - or rather, Darth (Vader) - side in the latest Star Wars movie.

But James Bond's licence to kill has been revoked temporarily and action man archaeologist Indiana Jones seems more like to draw his pension than crack his whip for a fourth time.

2004 was dubbed the year of Mel and Michael. Mel Gibson for The Passion Of The Christ, the greatest story that was nearly never retold because no-one would put up the money, and Michael Moore for his Bush-baiting documentary Fahrenheit 9/11, which Disney refused to release and saw go on to become the highest-grossing documentary ever.

Now it's another new year at the movies. Last year's hits have swelled the coffers of the studios and the misses have been consigned to the cinematic dustbin. As there's nothing new under the sun in the world of movie-making, the process might best be called remaking, re-imagining or just plain copying someone else's successful idea.

As the first week of the UK cinema year brings new films from directors Martin Scorsese, Oliver Stone and Mike Leigh, 2005 could be a bumper year. But, while Brit Leigh's Vera Drake is potential award material, the latest work of the often-controversial American directors has met with mixed reviews. Scorsese's The Aviator has collected good notices and many a Golden Globe nomination, while Stone's Alexander has flopped at the box-office.

Both have one thing in common - they conform to Hollywood's renewed fascination for biopics, in which true life stories are shaped to fit celluloid sensibilities.

The Aviator tells the story of high-flying, reclusive millionaire Howard Hughes with the real life characters including Katherine Hepburn, Ava Gardner and Jean Harlow in supporting roles. They aren't the only real people being converted into reel people in coming months. Jamie Foxx puts on dark glasses and sits at the piano as musician Ray Charles in Ray. Liam Neeson studies the birds and the bees as Kinsey, the man who changed American culture and sexual taboos with his bestselling book Sexual Behaviour In The Human Male.

Predictable too is Hollywood's obsession with remakes and sequels. It doesn't take a crystal ball to know that directors will be playing the numbers game. Ocean's Eleven becomes Ocean's Twelve, in which original stars George Clooney, Brad Pitt and Matt Damon are joined by Mrs Michael Douglas, Catherine Zeta Jones, for another crime caper. The reason for this follow-up must surely be more financial than artistic.

The sequel to Meet The Parents is cleverly disguised as Meet The Fockers, which adds Dustin Hoffman and Barbra Streisand to the mix as Ben Stiller introduces dad Robert De Niro to his in-laws. With a record opening Christmas weekend take of $46m, this is one sequel that looks set to compare well to the first instalment.

The Ring 2 has Naomi Watts and her son scared witless again in a sequel to the US remake of the Japanese horror hit. The killer doll series continues with Seed Of Chucky, in which Chucky and his bride try for a baby, using a human woman as a surrogate mother. Be Cool follows on from Elmore Leonard's Get Shorty with John Travolta back in a starring role. Son Of The Mask is a belated sequel to The Mask without any sign of original star Jim Carrey, which would seem to be a distinct disadvantage.

The most eagerly awaited sequel - by Star Wars devotees, at least - is Episode III: Revenge Of The Sith, in which Anakin turns into Darth Vader and director George Lucas ties up all the loose ends in his space soap opera.

Stuck in the starting gate are new James Bond and Indiana Jones movies, which have missed planned starting dates. The 007 team is seeking a replacement for Pierce Brosnan, while writers do more work on keeping up with the Joneses. The only hope is that star Harrison Ford won't be too old to go running about when, or perhaps if, Indiana returns.

Comic book heroes continue to fly high as makers strive to wring more cash out of valuable franchises. The screen Batman looked as dead as a dodo after his last screen outing, Batman And Robin, failed to please critics or make as much money as previous episodes. Superman, too, was grounded after his last lacklustre outing.

Both have a new lease of life thanks to respected directors. Batman Begins returns to his roots with the help of Memento director Chris Nolan. X-Men director Bryan Singer has been chosen to make Superman fly again, casting unknown Brandon Routh as the Kryptonite-allergic superhero.

Comic strippers The Fantastic Four are being brought to life, along with Jennifer Garner reprising her role as Elektra. She was left for dead at the end of Daredevil, so it'll be interesting to see how the makers resurrect her. His career boosted by the Matrix trilogy, Keanu Reeves stars in Constantine as a supernatural detective sprung from the pages of DC comic book Hellblazer.

Tim Burton, director of the first Batman movie, helms the new Charlie And The Chocolate Factory. With him directing we can be certain it'll be closer to Roald Dahl's original story than the previous film. Willy Wonka is played by Burton's Ed Scissorhands and Sleepy Hollow star Johnny Depp, who's reunited with Finding Neverland's talented child actor Freddie Highmore as Charlie.

Having completed The Lord Of The Rings trilogy, Oscar-winning director Peter Jackson gives King Kong a makeover. Shooting is under way in New Zealand with Jack Black, Adrian Brody and Naomi Watts in leading roles.

The War Of The Worlds is a remake too, reuniting director Steven Spielberg and star Tom Cruise. We're promised a different slant on the HG Wells aliens-have-landed saga. It's spared cinemagoers another sequel, as Cruise went to war after aborting Mission Impossible 3 while a new director was found.

Two old Robert Aldrich-directed films resurface in new versions - The Flight Of The Phoenix, the plane crash in the desert adventure with Dennis Quaid replacing James Stewart, and prison football drama The Longest Yard. Burt Reynolds, who starred in the 1974 original, features in the latest version which stars Adam Sandler. While the US continues to pump out big screen versions of old small screen hits like The Dukes Of Hazzard and Miami Vice, the British have grown more reluctant to organise a transfer deal.

The Smack The Pony girls made the sword-and-sandals comedy Gladiatress, a comic take hot on the heels of Gladiator, several years ago, but the movie has yet to surface. Other recent comedies like Fat Slags and Sex Lives Of The Potato Men have proved no laughing matter. So The League of Gentlemen deserve a medal for bravery in moving the creepy residents of Royston Vasey to the big screen.

Whether it was a wise move remains to be seen. The same sense of anticipation mixed with dread applies to The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy. The film of Douglas Adams' sci-fi comedy based on his radio and TV series and book has been a long time in gestation. A good sign is that the screenplay is by Adams, although he didn't live to see the movie made. The mix of US and British cast is a worry. The Office's Martin Freeman as Arthur Dent sounds fine, but New York hip-hop artist Mos Def as Ford Prefect seems odd. The only certain thing is that Bill Nighy will be a real scene-stealer as Slartibartfast.

With Shrek 2 heading the 2004 top film chart, more animated movies are a certainty. Due next month is the children's favourite The Magic Roundabout with a formidable voice cast that includes Robbie Williams (Dougal), Kylie Minogue (Florence), Ian McKellen (Zebedee) and Joanna Lumley (Ermintrude).

Also opening this year is Robots, from the makers of Ice Age and with Robin Williams in his first voice role since the Genie in Disney's Aladdin. The new one from Pixar, makers of The Incredibles and Finding Nemo, is Cars. This has a collection of classic automobiles hitting the road for adventures along Route 66. Whether it's a sports car or old banger in box office terms remains to be seen.