After returning from the snowy mountains of Park City and the never ending Sundance Film Festival last week, the HitFix staff was hoping for nothing but a relaxing few days in the sunny warmth of California. Imagine that the rest of the movie world didn’t stop spinning during the festival (even with most of the industry’s top execs stomping through the snow). Looking over the past few weeks, you’d assume that the recent revelation that Brit Henry Cavill will star as the Man of Steel in Zack Snyder’s “Superman” would push that super hero flick to the top of our weekly power rankings.
Not so fast.
Only three words in one sentence could trump that. Anne. Hathaway. Catwoman. Moreover, when expected “Dark Knight Rises” cinematographer and Oscar nominee for “Inception” Wally Pfister revealed Hathaway has already shot a screen test and, well, let’s just let him chime in shall we?
“This is something she wanted and wanted to show Chris, ‘I’m the one for this job’ and she did an incredible job… and she looked phenomenal in the wardrobe. It’s going to be amazing with her,” Pfister said while appearing on a DC radio show.
Add in the news that Joseph Gordon Levitt is also joining the cast and we’re sorry Superman fans, the Caped Crusader wins this round.
As for the rest of this week’s rankings…
Feb. 2, 2011
1. “The Dark Knight Rises” (not ranked)
Something tells us Hathaway will more than live up to Michelle Pfeiffer’s iconic legacy.
2. “Superman” (not ranked)
Your new Man of Steel is Henry Cavill. Let the ludicrous online scuttlebutt begin!
3. Academy Awards (not ranked)
Sure there isn’t much drama in who will win the big prizes, but Franco and Hathaway may make everyone forget they’re even watching an awards show.
4. “The King’s Speech” (last rankings no. 6)
Oscar rule #1: If you make them “feel,” they will come. In this case, they came with 12 Oscar nominations and a b-line to best picture.
5. Sundance Film Festival (last rankings no. 11)
It was a good year for movies, but boy was it a good year for producers. So many financiers made their money back you’d actually think this business was profitable.
6. James Bond 23 (not ranked)
Javier Bardem is seriously considering playing a villain again in 007’s long awaited return. Can we add, “pretty please”?
7. “Snow White and the Huntsman” (not ranked)
Can public and media pressure convince Kristen Stewart to star in Universal Pictures potential new franchise? Someone is certainly trying.
8. “The Twilight Saga” (not ranked)
First photo? Pretty.
9. “I Am Number Four” (same ranking)
DreamWorks is going to kick off it’s Disney run with the biggest opener in February. Of course, when you look at the competition it may not be that impressive. Just sayin’.
10. Alex Cross (not ranked)
Going from God to Madea is quite a fall (or should that be jump?). Tyler Perry is now replacing Morgan Freeman in the big screen series of the literary series. Hollywood wonders: when will Perry fit this into his already busy schedule?
11. “The Hunger Games” (not ranked)
Buy the books now. It’s the “next” “Twilight.” Of course every time anyone says that it never lives up to the hype…
12. “Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter” (not ranked)
Did our 16th President ever look this buff? Not sure, but he’ll win some votes on the big screen.
13. “X-Men: First Class” (not ranked)
Your first look at Matthew Vaughn’s vision of a 1960’s mutant world.
14. Golden Globes (last rankings no. 8)
Ricky Gervais and the HFPA are failing to realize no one cares about the host’s controversial gig anymore. Seriously.
15. “The Social Network” (last ranking no. 7)
It was fun being the Oscar contender while it lasted. Made that whole Zuckerberg/Eisenberg meeting a tad anti-climatic, didn’t it?
Movie Power Rankings appear every Thursday except when they don’t. What do you think of this week’s rankings?