With the summer season upon us, Hollywood's top brass will unleash onto the world their annual batch of Blockbusters - each with its own pipe dream of capturing the box office crown. Despite the incredible evolution in film equipment and special effects over the years, the general consensus is that Hollywood is running out of ideas. So far, the summer movie season has already brought out sequels to the Indiana Jones, Harold and Kumar, and Narnia franchises; but with the large number of sequels, re-makes, and superhero films still awaiting their 2008 release, one has to wonder if Hollywood has finally hit a wall?

The answer is not that simple. It's not as much writers-block, as it is a lack of trust from major studios when dealing with unproven original material. There are a number of incredible writers today who are constantly pushing the boundaries of what we thought possible in film. The problem is that history has shown that the original scripts don't always make it to the top of the box office, and are often times shelved immediately (True Romance anyone?). Due to the nature of this “supply and demand” business, if a studio cannot be convinced that a movie will make enough money, don't expect to see that flick green lit.

This leads us to the real reason behind Hollywood's obsession with cheesy characters and cliché plots: THE AUDIENCE. Yes, it's true; but is it really that surprising? Who else could have influenced studio execs to suddenly become obsessed with penguins? How can there be more additions coming to the dull scary-epic-date movie franchise? The industry leaches onto trends like a 16-year-old mallrat. As long as people keep supporting these rushed and generic films; who can blame the studios for making them?

The good news is that movie fans are beginning to demand more from filmmakers. Thanks to the recent success of Iron Man and any of the Judd Apatow projects, expectations of movie fans are slowly changing. Gone are the days in which Will Farrell could sell a comedy just by showing up (Semi-Pro). Following the success of Knocked Up, Superbad, and the soon to be released Pineapple Express, Apatow is setting the comedy standard that pins the competition as immature sludge-fests. Like Batman Begins before it, Iron Man took its audience seriously and made an entertaining, yet completely engaging adaptation of one of America's most popular comic superheroes. By continuing to support quality, movie fans have the power — no, the responsibility — to change the film industry and encourage the kind of creativity that has helped movies remain relevant today.

Sequels to keep an eye on

Hellboy II
Release Date: July 11, 2008
Hitting theatres this week is the highly anticipated sequel to Guillermo Del Toro's breakthrough hit, Hellboy. After Pan's Labyrinth, people took notice of Guillermo's visual style with makeup and effects. The result is an engaging cast of comic book characters being accuruately translated from paper to film. If the trailers are any indication, this one should be a bona fide hit.

The Dark Knight
Release Date: July 17, 2008
Christopher Nolan's Batman Begins follow-up is almost guaranteed to be the biggest summer blockbuster in recent memory. In one of his last roles before his tragic death this past year, Heath Ledger looks to add another legendary performance to his impressive career. Maggie Gyllenhaal takes over Katie Holmes's character “Rachel Dawes” in the sequel, while newcomer Aaron Eckhart looks to add a new twist to the classic Gotham City District Attorney “Harvey Dent” (more commonly known as “Two-Face”).

The X-Files: I Want to Believe
Release Date: July 25, 2008
Mulder and Scully return in this Sci-Fi prequel that fans have been clamoring for since 1998. With growing interest in apocalyptic prophecies and alien visitors, it's evident that writers won't be running short on inspiration. Interviews with X-Files creator and director Chris Carter reveal that this sequel will function as a separate piece to the mythology of the show.

James Bond: Quantum of Solace
Release Date: November 7, 2008
Picking up right where Casino Royale left off, Bond (Daniel Craig) returns to Her Majesty's Secret Service to investigate a secret criminal organization. Coming to terms with its predecessors climax, Bond continues his transformation from rookie hot shot to the suave agent he is destined to become. Word is there are more gadgets this time around; however Q and Moneypenny are still nowhere to be found.

Harry Potter: And the Half-Blood Prince
Release Date: November 21, 2008
How can there be sequel talk without the ‘boy who lived.' The next chapter continues with the maturation of the students in the Potter Universe, while adding to the ever-growing adult problems they must face to ensure survival. All the principle cast members have signed on until the end of the series, magnifying the illusion that we are watching these kids grow. Non-readers should be happy to note that Harry will begin piecing together his destiny and start taking action against the mysterious forces of evil.

Star Trek XI
Release Date: May 8, 2009
This J.J. Abrams (“LOST,” Cloverfield) directed prequel to arguably the most popular science fiction franchise ever looks to re-invent itself for a new generation of “Trekkies.” With Heroes breakout star Zachary Quinto taking the role of Spock, and Chris Pine set to embrace his character Captain Kirk, it appears the creators are trying to remain as faithful as possible to the original series. The film will focus on the early years of James T. Kirk's and his future crew of the Starship Enterprise; from their time at Starfleet Academy to their first mission, Star Trek looks to live long and prosper at the box office.

Terminator Salvation: The Future Begins
Release Date: May 22, 2009
Set in the post-apocalyptic world where Skynet has destroyed most of humanity in a nuclear holocaust, John Connor (Christian Bale) leads resistance fighters in a war against the machines. Though director McG (Charlie's Angels) seems an odd choice, the casting of Bale almost single-handedly saves this project. The big question mark is if the film can succeed without Arnold Schwarzenegger. There are rumours, however, of a possible cameo from everyone's favourite “Guvnah.”

Transformers 2
Release Date: June 26, 2009
With Michael Bay and Steven Spielberg at the helm again, audiences can expect a hell of a lot of stuff to blow up. Though there is pressure to top the first installments success, the signing of the original cast members will help carry over the spirit and energy that dazzled the big screen last summer. Fans will be relieved to know that there are a reported 20 Transformers on the way (10 Autobots, 10 Decepticons), with fan-favourite “Sound Wave” being one of them.

Jurassic Park IV
Release Date: 2009 TBA
Though still in the pre-production phase, rumours of plot details have been floating around online since Mr. T hit puberty. Word on the street is that Laura Dern will be making a welcome return to the franchise as the brave Dr. Ellie Sattler. Now if Spielberg could only get Sam Neill and Jeff Goldblum involved, we may finally see the Jurassic Park sequel we've been asking for.

The Hobbit
Release Date: December 2011
Fresh off the success of Hellboy and Pan's Labyrinth, Director Guillermo Del Toro looks to input his imagination to this Lord of the Rings prequel. With Peter Jackson attached as a Producer, along with Ian McKellen and Andy Serkis set to make their return to Middle Earth, The Hobbit seems destined for success.