Cinemas must be rubbing their hands in glee, with 2015 proving to be the year of the blockbuster.
Here are the top 10 films Wayne Savage will be queuing up to see, including one he wouldd rather not admit to.
He said: “What do you mean I can only pick 10? I spent ages pouring over film magazines and fansites to compile this list and even longer agonising over which made the cut the same way I imagine a football manager sweats over his starting 11.”
Let’s get started before he changes my mind... again.
Star Wars Episode VII - The Force Awakens
George Lucas’ saga continues in the safe hands of JJ Abrams who proved he knows how to breath new life into a beloved franchise with 2009’s Star Trek. The original cast are back and the recent 88-second teaser trailer succeeded where Kim Kardashian failed and broke the internet.
As a fan since the age of four - who’s still hasn’t come completely down from talking to Darth Vader himself David Prowse recently - this is my number one pick. The only downside, having to wait until December instead of the traditional May.
Avengers: Age of Ultron
Oh, Tony when will you learn? The genius, billionaire, playboy philanthropist’s plans to form a robotic peacekeeping programme goes haywire and the Avengers must regroup to stop manical mechanoid Ultron wiping out humanity. Geek god Joss Whedon can do no wrong and, again, the trailers look like a comic book page brought to life.
The source of constant arguements in my house - my wife thinks this will stomp all over Star Wars - I look forward to finding out who’s right in April or May.
Big Hero 6
The kid inside me can’t wait for this animated action adventure, out this month. Grieving genius Hiro Hamada, his adorable plus-sized inflatable robot Baymax and his friends team up to take on a super villan terrorising the city. From the team behind Frozen, the trailers tick all the boxes. A film that not only packs a punch visually, but packs a lot of heart too.
Kingsman: The Secret Service
Veteran secret agent Harry Hart takes street kid Eggsy under his wing in the latest Mark Millar comic book to hit movie screens. Director Matthew Matthew Vaughn attempts to out-Bond Bond in this outlandish action thriller, released this month. Villainous Richmond Valentine plot to solve the problem of climate change via a worldwide killing spree. It looks and sounds bonkers but in the age of ultra-serious spy films that may be the shake up the genre needs. Luke Skywalker himself Mark Hamill’s in it too - the in-joke being in the film he plays Dr James Arnold whereas in the comic series Hamill is the first celebrity kidnapped by Dr Arnold.
Pitch Perfect 2
A ca believe it, I’m a Barden Bellas fan. The collegiate a cappella group taken on the rest of the world in an international singing competition no American team has ever won. If I’m completely honest, I’m not sure a sequel was necessary so this one’s a bit of punt. It’s out in May.
Minions
Bottom. The undisputed stars of the Despicable Me movies, Stuart, Kevin and Bob are recruited by the supervillain Scarlet Overkill who, alongside her inventor husband Herb, hatches a plot to take over the world as super villains like to do. Plenty for kids and their parents to enjoy here. Out in June, the trailer is hilarious.
Terminator Genisys
Stupid name aside, this looks like an interesting reboot of a beloved franchise that’s lost its way in recent years. Finding himself in a radically different time-line than he was expecting Kyle Reese teams up with John Connor’s mother Sarah and an aging terminator to once again try to stop Judgement Day.
With Connor being played by Game of Thrones’ Daenerys Targaryen herself Emilia Clarke, the Lannisters now have a T-800 to worry about on top of dragons. Ironically, Cersei Lannister is played by Lena Headey who played Connor in the fab but short-lived Terminator TV series.
The film’s out in July.
Spectre
Sam Mendes and Daniel Craig return for the latest Bond. Skyfall was a barnstormer so fingers crossed they can find gold again. Fans of a certain age will have got a tingly feeling at the mention of old foes Spectre. There are plenty of rumours surrounding the plot but we’ll have to wait until later in the year to find out more.
Chappie
Directed by District 9’s Neill Blomkamp, the gifted, one of a kind prodigy Chappie is kidnapped at birth, unaware of his true place in the world. He also happens to be a fully thinking and feeling robot. An intriguing concept, I’m hoping this doesn’t turn out to be a live action Wall-E. It’s out in March.
Fifty Shades of Grey
Come on, don’t tell me you’re not a teeny bit interested in seeing how one of the most read books ever translates on to the big screen? Literature student Anastasia Steele’s life changes forever when she meets handsome, yet tormented, billionaire Christian Grey. The trailers were exactly what I expected from this Twilight slash fiction turned unstoppable literary juggernaut. My wife’s work colleagues are planning an office outing to see this next month; I’m in two minds whether to accept their invitation to join them.
Then there’s Jurassic World, Mad Max Fury Road, Ant-man, Hunger Games Mockingjay part 2, Furious 7...
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