Although F. Scott Fitzgerald contended there were no second acts in American lives, when it comes to American films, it's a different story. In fact, this summer's move lineup is chockful of third acts—Spiderman 3, Shrek the Third, Rush Hour 3 and the third installments of Pirates of the Caribbean and The Bourne Ultimatum—and one fifth act, another Harry Potter. Fitzgerald might take solace in the fact that all these movies have books connected with them. And some summer films are linked to classic titles and very literary authors: Nancy Drew, starring Emma Roberts; Becoming Jane, a biopic about Jane Austen; and films based on works by Alice Munro, Raymond Carver and Susan Minot.
MOVIESMAY
Away from Her
Starring Julie Christie, Gordon Pinsent, Olympia Dukakis
Directed by Sarah Polley
Release date May 4 (Lionsgate U.S.)
Based on the story "The Bear Came over the Mountain" from Away from Her by Alice Munro (Vintage, Apr. 17; 40,000 trade paper)
Darling Brit beaut Christie and Canadian character actor Pinsent play a couple whose decades-long marriage is broadsided by Alzheimer's. An unexpected plot turn indicates Munro's signature.
Jindabyne
Starring Laura Linney, Gabriel Byrne, Deborra-Lee Furness
Directed by Ray Lawrence
Release date May 4 (Sony Pictures Classics U.S.)
Based on the story "So Much Water So Close to Home," from What We Talk About When We Talk About Love and Where I'm Calling From by Raymond Carver (Vintage; trade paper with movie stickers)
The body of a murdered girl washes ashore and a man lets days pass before reporting it to the police. This Carver classic filmed in and around New South Wales stars Linney and Byrne as a married couple on red alert.Spider-Man 3
Starring Tobey Maguire, Kirsten Dunst, James Franco
Directed by Sam Raimi
Release date May 4 (Columbia)
Tie-ins from DK:The Amazing Spider-Man: The Ultimate Guide by Alastair Dougall (Mar. 19, hardcover); Spider-Man: The Visual Guide to the Complete Movie Trilogy (Apr. 2, hardcover)
Tie-ins from HarperEntertainment: (Mar. 27) 13 titles, including The Junior Novel by Jasmine Jones (250,000 paper); and The Movie Storybook by Kate Egan (250,000 trade paper); plus coloring and activity books, 8x8s and I Can Read titles.
Other Tie-ins: novelization by Peter David (Pocket Star, Mar.; 450,000 mass market); The Amazing Spider-Man Pop-Up, design & paper engineering by Andy Mansfield (Candlewick, Apr. 10; 150,000 hardcover); The Spider-Man Chronicles: The Art and Making of Spider-Man 3 by Grant Curtis (Chronicle, May 4; 25,000 hardcover)
Dunst reunites with Clairol #47R Red Ginger and Maguire for the super-budgeted (rumored $250 million) third installment of the Marvel Comics franchise.Shrek the Third
Voices of Mike Meyers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz
Directed by Chris Miller
Release date May 18 (DreamWorks Animation)
Tie-ins from DK:Shrek: The Complete Guide by Steven Cole (Mar. 19, hardcover); Glow in the Dark Shrek the Third Sticker Book (Mar. 19, hardcover); Shrek Cookbook (Aug. 20, hardcover)
Other tie-in:Shrek the Third Storybook and Viewer (Reader's Digest Children's Books, May 1; 175,000 hardcover)
Five SNL actors and two Monty Python members do voices. If it's not funny, we have until Shrek the Halls (December 2007) to hear about it.Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End
Starring Johnny Depp, Orlando Bloom, Keira Knightley
Directed by Gore Verbinski
Release date May 25 (Disney, Jerry Bruckheimer Films)
Tie-ins from Disney Press: 19 books, including At World's End Movie Storybook (May; 150,000 paper); and Junior Graphic Novel: Dead Man's Chest (June; 75,000 paper); as well as a few illustrated readers, a poster book and a pop-up book, among others.
Tie-ins from Reader's Digest Children's Books:The Journey to World's End (Apr. 17; 175,000 storybook with compass); At World's End: A Pirate's Tale (July 3; 60,000 adventure play pack)
Other tie-in:The Complete Visual Guide by Richard Platt and Glenn Dakin (DK, May 15)
Rolling Stone Keith Richards, on whom Depp's first two portrayals of Jack Sparrow were based, is on deck to play the pirate's father. Chow Yun-Fat also jumps aboard.JUNE
Gracie
Starring Elisabeth Shue, Dermot Mulroney, Carly Schroeder
Directed by Davis Guggenheim
Release date June 1 (Picturehouse Entertainment)
Novelization by TBA (Newmarket, June 1; 10,000 trade paper)
A teen girl fights for her right to play varsity soccer with the boys. Shue's husband directs; brother costars.
Surf's Up
Voices of Shia LaBeouf, Jeff Bridges, Zooey Deschanel
Directed by Ash Brannon and Chris Buck
Release date June 8 (Sony Pictures Animation)
Tie-ins from HarperEntertainment: (Apr. 24) 13 titles, including Island Adventures by Lisa Rao (200,000 I Can Read), a few 8x8's, coloring books and The Unauthorized Biography by Annie Auerbach (100,000 chapter book), among others.
Equal parts March of the Penguins, Endless Summer and This Is Spinal Tap. A computer-animated surfing mockumentary starring penguins.
Evening
Starring Vanessa Redgrave, Claire Danes, Meryl Streep
Directed by Lajos Koltai
Release date June 15 (Focus Features)
Based on the novel by Susan Minot (Vintage, May 1; 75,000 trade paper)
Three women of various ages and circumstances contemplate death and personal issues. Meryl Streep leads; her daughter joins her onscreen. Who else but Michael Cunningham to help Susan Minot adapt her novel?
Nancy Drew
Starring Emma Roberts, Tate Donovan, Max Thieriot
Directed by Andrew Fleming
Release date June 15 (Warner Bros.)
Tie-ins from Grosset & Dunlap:(May 10) Two novelty titles and The Nancy Drew Sleuth Book: Clues to Good Sleuthing (45,000 hardcover)
Tie-ins from Simon Spotlight:(Apr. 16) Six books, including Hello Headscratchers by Jen Funk Weber (75,000 activity book); and Emma Roberts, Simply Fabulous! by Lauren Brown (50,000 trade paper)
Since 1930, Nancy Drew has sold over 200 million copies and been translated into 14 languages. Now multiply that by what happens when a Julia Roberts relation stars....Ratatouille
Voices of Patton Oswalt, Peter O'Toole, Janeane Garofalo
Directed by Brad Bird
Release date June 29 (Disney/Pixar)
Tie-ins from Disney Press:Remy's Adventure in Paris (June; 200,000 novelty magnetic book); Too Many Cooks (June; 75,000 hardcover); What's Cooking?: A Cookbook for Kids (June; 50,000 hardcover)
Tie-ins from DK: (May 21) The Guide to Remy's World; Ultimate Sticker Book
Tie-ins from Random House Children's Books: (May 22) Seven titles, including Run, Remy, Run! (150,000 first printing, Step into Reading)
Other tie-ins:Movie Theater Storybook & Movie Projector (Reader's Digest Children's Books, July 24; 60,000); Art of Ratatouille by Karen Paik (Chronicle, June 1; 25,000)
A CGI-animated adventure about a French rat whose nose for fine cuisine and grand dreams of chefdom whisk him up the ranks of the Parisian restaurant world.JULY
Transformers
Starring Jon Voight, Josh Duhamel, Bernie Mac
Directed by Michael Bay
Release date July 4 (Paramount/DreamWorks U.S.)
Tie-ins from DK:The Movie Guide by Simon Furman (July 4, hardcover); The Ultimate Guide by Simon Furman (May 21, paper)
Tie-ins from HarperEntertainment: (May 22) 11 titles, including coloring and activity books,a junior novel and Meet the Decepticons by Jennifer Frantz (250,000 I Can Read), among others.
Tie-ins from Reader's Digest Children's Books: (June 5) Mix & Match (75,000); Prime Time (75,000 sliding-panel book)
The Autobots in this adaptation have plenty of inspiration on which to draw in out-slicking their boxy 1986 counterparts.Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Starring Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson
Directed by David Yates
Release date July 13 (Warner Bros.)
Based on the book by J.K. Rowling
Tie-ins from Scholastic: (June 1) Deluxe Coloring Book (paper); Collector's Sticker Book (paper); Poster Book (paper); Flip Book (paper)
Other tie-ins:The Psychology of Harry Potter: An Unauthorized Examination of the Boy Who Lived, edited by Neil Mulholland (BenBella, May; 7,500 trade paper); Building Cards Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry (Klutz, May 1; building cards w/ paper)
The first Harry Potter movie to descend on tweens since Radcliffe debuted his chest hair onstage in the West End.Hairspray
Starring John Travolta, Michelle Pfeiffer, Christopher Walken
Directed by Adam Shankman
Release date July 20 (New Line Cinema)
Tie-ins from Price Stern Sloan: (June 21) The Novel (30,000 hardcover); The Movie Photobook (30,000 scrapbook)
This remake of the Tony Award—winning musical/John Waters cult favorite marks Travolta's return to the movie musical and the power coupling of Queen Latifah and Aretha Franklin.Stardust
Starring Robert De Niro, Michelle Pfeiffer, Claire Danes
Directed by Matthew Vaughn
Release date July 27 (Paramount)
Based on the graphic novel by Neil Gaiman (HarperEntertainment, June 26; 150,000 paper)
Pfeiffer plays a witch in this fantasy film.Goal! 2: Living the Dream
Starring Kuno Becker, Alessandro Nivola, Anna Friel
Directed by Jaume Collet-Serra
Release date July (Milkshake Films & Buena Vista Pictures U.S.)
Tie-in: novelization by Robert Rigby (Harcourt Children's Books, Mar.; 100,000 trade paper)
Soccer import David "Becks" Beckham scores another cameo in the second installment of this planned trilogy.AUGUST
Becoming Jane
Starring Anne Hathaway, James McAvoy, Maggie Smith
Directed by Julian Jarrold
Release date August 3 (Miramax U.S.)
Tie-insBecoming Jane Austen by Jon Spence (Continuum Int'l; Apr., paper); Dear Jane Austen: A Heroine's Guide to Life and Love by Patrice Hannon (Plume, July; 40,000 trade paper); Lost in Austen: Create Your Own Jane Austen Adventure by Emma Campbell Webster (Riverhead, Aug.; 40,000 paper); Becoming Jane: The Wit and Wisdom of Jane Austen by Anne Newgarten (Miramax, July; paper)
A speculative foray into Jane Austen's formative years that takes artistic license in its account of her romance with a young Irishman, informed by the 2003 book Becoming Jane Austen.The Bourne Ultimatum
Starring Matt Damon, Julia Stiles, Joan Allen
Directed by Paul Greengrass
Release date August 3 (Universal)
Based on the novel by Robert Ludlum (Bantam, June 26; 650,000 mass market)
Ludlum's third Jason Bourne novel, published in 1990, isn't all that different from the second and first—it, too, stars Matt Damon and veers completely off plot.Care Bears: Oopsy Does It!
Release date August 4 (20th Century Fox)
Tie-ins from Scholastic: (July 1) Movie Reader: Oopsy Saves the Day by Sonia Sander (trade paper); Oopsy Does It! Movie 8x8 by Samantha Brooke (trade paper)
Before the Teletubbies, there were the equally colorful Care Bears.Rush Hour 3
Starring Jackie Chan, Chris Tucker
Directed by Brett Ratner
Release date August 10 (New Line Cinema)
Tie-ins:Rush Hour: Lights, Camera, Action! (Newmarket, Aug. 10; 20,000 hardcover & trade)
Chan and Tucker reprise their roles as Chief Inspector Lee and LAPD Det. James Carter.
The Hottest State
Starring Mark Webber, Laura Linney, Michelle Williams
Directed by Ethan Hawke
Release date August 24 (ThinkFilm)
Based on the novel by Ethan Hawke (Vintage, trade paper)
Hawke's pieced-together first novel of disaffected songwriting and actor-aspiring youth in film form, some 10 years after critics tore it apart.Mr. Bean's Holiday
Starring Rowan Atkinson, Willem Dafoe, Emma de Caunes
Directed by Steve Bendelack
Release date August 31 (Universal U.S.)
Tie-ins from Price Stern Sloan: (Aug. 2) Four titles, including Have a Good Trip, Mr. Bean! by Megan E. Bryant (30,000 junior novelization)
Atkinson's second film based on his hit British comedy show, and, to the extent that a man who keeps his money in the tip of his tie can be believed, his last.
TV—Ongoing Series
Avatar (Nickelodeon)
Tie-ins from Simon Spotlight:Earth Kingdom Chronicles: The Tale of Azula by Michael Teitelbaum, illus. by Patrick Spaziante (June 26; 100,000 chapter book with 3-D glasses)The Backyardigans (Nick Jr.)
Tie-ins from Simon Spotlight:Monster Halloween Party by Laura Driscoll (Aug. 7; 150,000 board book with flaps & foil); We Love a Luau! by Jodie Shepherd, illus. by Carlo Lo Raso (May 8; 100,000 8x8 with flaps); Clowning Around by Emma Leigh (Aug. 28; 75,000 peg format)Barney (PBS Kids & PBS Kids Sprout)
Tie-ins from Scholastic Licensed Publishing (June1):Let's Go to the Farm and Zoo (trade paper); Let's Go Look and See (board book)Charlie and Lola (Playhouse Disney)
Tie-ins from Grosset & Dunlap:Boo! Made You Jump! (Aug. 18; 60,000 paper); I Completely Must Do Drawing Now and Painting and Coloring (June 14; 40,000 coloring book); I'm Really Ever So Not Well (June 14; 40,000 paper); Sizzles Is Completely Not Here (June 14; 40,000 novelty board book)
Tie-ins from Candlewick: (Aug. 1) Charlie and Lola's Numbers and Opposites by Lauren Child (board books)
Clifford the Big Red Dog and Clifford's Puppy Days (Cartoon Network)
Tie-ins from Cartwheel: (June 1) A School Days Treasury (paper over board); Clifford's Funny Adventures (trade paper)Cory in the House (Disney Channel)
Tie-in:Cory in the House Junior Novel #1: New Kid in Town by Alice Alfonsi (Disney Press, Aug.; paper)Curious George (PBS)
Tie-ins from Houghton Mifflin Children's Books: Four titles, including Curious George Finds a Friend: A Lift-the-Flap Adventure (June 18; 150,000 paperback picture book) and Curious George Good Night Book: Tabbed Board Book (May 21; 150,000)Dora the Explorer (Nick Jr.)
Tie-ins from Simon Spotlight:Dora Had a Little Lamb by Elle Risco, illus. by Steven Savitsky (July 24; 150,000 8x8 paper)Drake & Josh (Nickelodeon)
Tie-ins from Scholastic:Chapter Book #6 (Aug. 1) and Scrapbook/Episode Guide (May 1, trade paper)Family Guy (Fox)
Tie-in:Family Guy and Philosophy by Jeremy Wisnewski (Wiley-Blackwell, Aug. 14; 7,000 trade paper)
Flight 29 Down (NBC/Discovery Kids)
Tie-in:Survival #7, created by DJ MacHale and Stan Rogow, written by Walter Sorrells, adapted from the teleplays by DJ MacHale (Grosset & Dunlap, June 14; 15,000 paper)
Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends (Cartoon Network)
Tie-ins from Scholastic:Chapter Book #5: Bloo's Brothers (July 1, trade paper); Glow-in-the-Dark Sticker Storybook (Aug. 1, trade paper)
Gilmore Girls (CW)
Tie-in:Coffee at Luke's: An Unauthorized Gilmore Girls Gabfest by Jennifer Crusie (Benbella, May; 7,500 trade paper)
Go, Diego, Go! (Nickelodeon)
Tie-ins from Scholastic: Two phonics bind-ups; Let's Go Rescue! (Aug., paper) and Here Comes Diego! (Aug., paper)
Hannah Montana (Disney Channel)
Tie-ins from Disney Press:Junior Novel #6: Crush-tastic! (Jun; 300,000 paper); Junior Novel #7: Nightmare on Hannah Street (July; 300,000 paper)
Jakers!(PBS)
Tie-ins from Simon Spotlight:Piggley Makes a Friend by Wendy Wax, illus. by Entara, Ltd. (June 26; 75,000 Ready to Read); Piggley's Treasure Hunt by Catherine Lukas, illus. by Entara, Ltd. (July 10; 75,000 8x8 paper)
Jane and the Dragon (NBC)
Tie-ins from Candlewick: (Mar. 1) Jane and the Dragon by Martin Baynton (35,000 paper); Jane and the Magician by Martin Baynton (35,000 paper)
Little Einsteins (Disney Channel)
Tie-ins from Disney Press: (Aug.) Halloween Surprise by Marcy Kelman (75,000 paper); Pirate's Treasure by Marcy Kelman (75,000 paper); Christmas Wish by Marcy Kelman (75,000 paper)
Other Tie-in:Amazing Animals, Storybook and Viewer with Fact File (Reader's Digest Children's, June 26; 60,000 hardcover)
Maisy (Noggin)
Tie-ins from Candlewick:Maisy's Amazing Big Book of Words by Lucy Cousins (July 1; 50,000 hardcover); Maisy Goesto the Hospital by Lucy Cousins (Aug. 1; 25,000 hardcover)Mickey Mouse Clubhouse (Disney Channel)
Tie-ins from Disney Press: Eight titles, including A Hot Dog Day (June; 100,000 hardcover)and Scary Sudoku and Spooky Puzzles (July; paper sticker book)
Project Runway (Bravo)
Tie-in:Tim Gunn: A Guide to Quality, Taste & Style by Tim Gun and Kate Moloney (Abrams Image, May 1; 75,000 hardcover)
Scooby-doo! (Cartoon Network & Boomerang)
Tie-ins from Reader's Digest Children's Books: (July 24) Scooby-Doo's Haunted Mysteries Storybook and DVD (40,000); Scooby Clues: Mysterious Message Storybook (40,000 hardcover)
Other tie-in:Scooby-Doo Case Files 02: The Scary Cyclops (Scholastic, June 1; trade paper)
Shonen Jump's Yu-Gi-Oh! (Cartoon Network)
Tie-ins from Scholastic:GX Game On! (May 1, Chapter Book #1); GX: Shadow Riders (May 1, Chapter Book #2); GX: Night Spies (Aug. 1, Chapter Book #3); GX: Jaden's Secret (Aug. 1, Reader #1)
Time Warp Trio (NBC/Discovery Kids)
Tie-in:Oh Say, I Can't See by Jon Scieszka, illus. by Adam McCauley (Puffin, June 14; 20,000 paper)
Zoey 101 (Nickelodeon)
Tie-ins:Mad Libs (Price Stern Sloan, Aug. 2; 30,000); A Quinn in Need (Scholastic, June 1; Chapter Book #9)
TV—Special EventsHigh School Musical 2
Starring Zac Efron, Vanessa Anne Hudgens, Ashley Tisdale
Directed by Kenny Ortega
Air date Aug. 17 (Disney Channel)
Tie-ins from Disney Press:The Junior Novel by N.B. Grace (Aug. 7; 500,000 paper); East High Yearbook by Emma Harrison (Aug. 7; 125,000 hardcover); Stories from East High #3—Poetry in Motion (June; 250,000 paper); Stories from East High #4—Crunch Time (Aug.; 250,000 paper)
Other tie-ins:High School Musical: My Page (Reader's Digest Children's Books, Aug. 28; 200,000 hardcover journal & microphone pen)
