The 2008 movie year is really looking up, with a lot of potential blockbusters. It’s always tough to guess at which ones will do well, so I’ve split my list into two: definite box office hits and “maybe” hits. The first list is below, and the second one will follow in a day or two. Note that the list is sorted alphabetically, so get off my back about “what? this is better than that.”

These are my guesses as to which flicks will do well in the box office, based on the buzz and regardless of merit. Note, also, that some of the video clips below are fan trailers.

1. Cloverfield. [Jan 18; Michael Stahl-David, Mike Vogel, Lizzy Caplan, Jessica Lucas] Cloverfield’s trailers so far come across as a bunch of unknown actors in a mysterious monster flick. Doesn’t excite me, but everyone else seems to be wetting themselves. It is a J.J. Abrams’ film, but I’m waiting for Star Trek. I’m seriously thinking it’s a Godzilla/ Gojira or Mothra type of flick - in which case it’ll be a dud. It’s too soon since the last one, and Mothra just isn’t big box office. Or it could be something really original. And scary.

2. Get Smart. [Jun 20; Steve Carell, Anne Hathaway, Dwayne “Rocky” Johnson, Alan Arkin, Terence Stamp.] I can only take Steve Carell characters in small doses - kind of like when Will Ferrell does his loud-mouth characters in movies. But it is Steve Carell, and he’s hot right now, even if he did do Evan Almighty. (What do you want a bet there’ll be a third in that series?) A good Get Smart remake has a lot of potential across a few generations of moviegoers, and Carell does seem suited for the role.

3. Hancock. [Jul 2; Will Smith, Jason Bateman, Charlize Theron, Lauren Hill.] Will Smith can’t seem to lose these days, even if he was declared one of the more overpaid actors. Maybe his reign is just starting to end, but he’s got several good years left before he’ll switch to directing. In Hancock, he’s a down and out superhero. Also known as Tonight He Comes.

4. Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince. [Nov 21; Helena Bonham Carter, Emma Watson, Daniel Radcliffe, Alan Rickman, Maggie Smith, Robbie Coltrane.] How could this possibly lose? Harry and the gang could all wear garbage bags on their heads and jump around speaking in tongues and fans would probably still go spend their money. Just kidding. If you’ve seen the previous installments, you’re saving your pennies for this one - and for Deathly Hallows in 2010.

5. Hellboy 2: The Golden Army. [Jul 11; Ron Perlman, Selma Blair, Jeffrey Tambor.] Love Hellboy or hate it, Hellboy 2 is going to kick ass, both on film and probably in the box office. I’m always into cult films of this type, and whether or not anyone else liked it, I loved Ron Perlman as Hellboy.

6. Star Trek XI. [Dec 25; Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Eric Bana, Winona Ryder, Leonard Nimoy.] Trekkies, Trek fans, and the mildly interested are all waiting with baited breath for this long-overdue sequel/ prequel - even without William Shatner. (I always went to see Spock anyway.) That’s all I know about it, but hey it’s Star Trek. And hopefully another TV series will be revealed soon, too.

7. The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian. [May 16; Liam Neeson, Ben Barnes, Tilda Swinton (rumored).] Sure, it’s based on the third book instead of the second one (which will be a movie next) but The Chronicles of Narnia is a classic series enjoyed by generations. This series, when complete, will no doubt be another legendary fantasy movie series. I missed the first installment, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, but I’ll grab the DVD and watch it before Prince Caspian comes out.

8. The Dark Knight. [Jul 18; Christian Bale as the Joker, Michael Caine, Heath Ledger, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Gary Oldman, Morgan Freeman, Eric Roberts, Aaron Eckhart, Anthony Michael Hall.] As someone in the comics world is known for saying, “enuff said.” (Gawd, my memory is bad.) Ok, maybe not, but it’s a Batman movie, and there’s enough momentum from Christian Bale’s last Batman flick for this to be one of the biggest blockbusters of 2008. Bale is without a doubt my favorite Batman of all time, primarily because Bruce Wayne and Batman were not separated: they are one and the same person. That and the fact that Batman Begins was so much grittier than its predecessor. It’s much truer to Batman’s origins in the comic books.

9. The Love Guru. [Jun 20; Mike Myers, Justin Timberlake, Jessica Alba, Justin Timberlake, Ben Kingsley, Samantha Bee.] Admit it. You’re craving another movie with Mike Myers - probably the most successful SNL alumnus ever. Well, I despise Justin Timberlake, who I think is overpraised for his mediocre musical talent (is he even an actor?). But Ben Kingsley is in this, for crying out loud. Yeah, in a comedy.

10. Tropic Thunder. [Jul 11; Ben Stiller, Robert Downey Jr., Jack Black, Nick Nolte.] I love Ben Stiller but even though this is a comedy, it’s also kind of a war movie - something I’ve never, ever, ever been into. Show me a war movie and I’ll show you a boring pile of political propaganda (most of the time). On the other hand, Ben Stiller is acting and directing, so something good might come out of it. It’s opening the same day as Hellboy 2, and followed by The Dark Knight, so it’s hard to say how it’ll do. [Sorry, no trailer yet.]

11. Sex and the City: The Movie. [Added Sun Dec 30th] [May 30; Sarah Jessica Parker, Kim Cattrall, Cynthia Nixon, Kristin Davis, Chris Noth.] I somehow completely forgot about Sex and the City: The Movie, so I’ve added it to the end of this list. The movie will no doubt be a big hit, purely on the basis of the popularity of the HBO TV series about four New York City women whose sex lives we learned about and whose antics we grew to enjoy. (I only ever watched the show because of super cute Kristin Davis, hoping she’d get naked. She apparently did, eventually, but I missed that episode.) They’re already talking sequels for the movie, which will probably also be big hits as well.

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