Funny People is an upcoming 2009 American comedy-drama film, written, co-produced, and directed by Judd Apatow, starring Adam Sandler and Seth Rogen as stand up comedians.

Funny People movie poster

According to Apatow, the movie is due out July 31st, 2009. Similar to Apatow’s previous films, the film would use both comedic and dramatic elements, though it will contain more of the latter. Funny People is in post-production as of January 2009. The film is a co-production between Happy Madison Productions and Apatow Productions. Universal Pictures and Columbia Pictures will co-finance the film, while Universal will distribute worldwide.

Plot:

George Simmons (Adam Sandler) is a very successful yet self-involved stand-up comedian who learns that he has an un-treatable blood disorder and is given less than a year to live. Ira Wright (Seth Rogen) is a struggling up-and-coming stand-up comedian who works at a deli and has yet to figure out his onstage persona. One thing these different men have in common is that neither of them has any close friends. One night, George takes notice of Ira when they perform at the same club and he hires him to be his semi-personal assistant and opening act at his performances. George and Ira form a close bond as George teaches Ira how to win the crowd and Ira helps the dying George find closure in his legacy.

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Monsters vs. Aliens is an upcoming 2009 computer-animated 3-D feature film from DreamWorks Animation. The release date was moved up to prevent competition with James Cameron’s upcoming Avatar.

Monsters vs. Aliens movie poster

This will be the first computer animated movie which will be produced in real 3-D instead of converting the film into 3-D after it is finished, which will add $15 million extra to the film’s budget. The trailer was seen with the movie Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa. The film is scheduled for a March 27, 2009 release. The film is rated PG for “Sci-fi Action, Some Crude Humor, and Mild Language.” Read More

Knowing is an upcoming 2009 action/thriller directed by Alex Proyas and starring Nicolas Cage. The project was originally attached to a number of directors under Columbia Pictures, but it was placed in turnaround and eventually picked up by Escape Artists.

Knowing movie poster

Production was financially backed by Summit Entertainment, which will also distribute the film. Knowing was filmed in Melbourne, Australia, using various locations to represent the film’s setting, Boston. The film is scheduled to be released on March 20, 2009. Read More

Fast & Furious is the latest film in the The Fast and the Furious film series, the fourth produced but sequel to the first and second, and prequel to the third film.

Fast & Furious 2009 movie poster

As an interquel, the film is currently in post-production and is scheduled for release in the United States and Canada on April 3, 2009. The plot connects with the original film of the series from which Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Michelle Rodriguez, and Jordana Brewster are reprising their roles. Tyrese Gibson and Sung Kang will reprise their roles from the second and third films, respectively. Read More

Land of the Lost is an upcoming American feature film based on the 1974 TV series Land of the Lost. The film is directed by Brad Silberling and stars Will Ferrell.

Land of the Lost movie poster

Production of the film began in March 2008. It was originally scheduled to be released on July 17, 2009 but the release date was pushed forward to June 5, 2009. The film follows “a disgraced paleontologist, his assistant, and a macho tour guide who find themselves in a strange, alternate world inhabited by dinosaurs, monkey people and reptilian Sleestaks.

Development of a feature film based on the show has been in talks at various studios since 1995. In 2002, Sony Pictures was working on a movie version, following the 2000 reversion to the Kroffts of adaptation rights previously bought by Disney as early as 1995. In April 2005, Universal Pictures acquired the adaptation rights and attached director Adam McKay and actor Will Ferrell, who had previously collaborated on Anchorman (2004), to the project. In May 2007, director Robert Rodriguez met with Universal to potentially direct the film adaptation of Land of the Lost. Rodriguez had also entered talks with Universal Pictures and Warner Bros. to film a live action film adaptation of The Jetsons. The director was uncertain which project he would pursue next, though the latest script draft for The Jetsons by Adam Goldberg was further along in development. In September 2007, director Brad Silberling was announced to be attached to direct the film adaptation, with Ferrell starring. The project was slated to begin production in March 2008 after reducing its budget from $125 million to $100 million, and wrapped up shooting at Universal Studios Hollywood. The first trailer was shown during Super Bowl XLIII.

The Code is an upcoming crime/heist film directed by Mimi Leder and starring Morgan Freeman, Antonio Banderas and Radha Mitchell. It is currently in post-production and set to be released in April 2009.

The Code movie poster

Set in New York City, a veteran thief recruits a younger crook to help him pull off one final job in order to repay his debt to the Russian mob. It turns out that the younger crook was actually a Miami cop on loan to the NYPD, and was looking to bring the veteran thief to justice by being an undercover thief. The cop gets involved in a relationship with the veteran thief’s goddaughter when he starts to work with him. When they get around to pulling the final job, a Russian mobster kidnaps the goddaughter and demands two Fabergé eggs to be stolen in return. When the duo get into the vaults of the museum with the eggs, the cop takes the eggs and runs to the Russian mobster to get his lover back. In the end though, the mobster was a good friend of the veteran thief and they set up the cop (it turned out they knew he was a cop) to take the eggs from one and give it to the other. The movie ends when the mobster and veteran thief look for a buyer and the cop decides to move to the thief life as his police career is over. The cop also gets back together with his lover, who turns out to be the Russian mobster’s daughter.