MGM Plugs Five New Sequels

In an effort to beef up their worldwide television distribution operation, MGM has hired some new senior management, to be led by seasoned distribution executive Jim Packer. On top of handling the international television sales for flicks like Casino Royale and Rocky Balboa, the MGM Worldwide Television Distribution Group will launch an aggressive sales campaign for five movie sequels. (Honestly, it would take a ton of dough and a few hundred neck rubs in order to sell me on the films they have in mind.) Below are the descriptions taken straight from the press release (as well as my own personal thoughts):

• Legally Blonde 3 -- Beauty and brains bring big laughs. (Yeah, except from people like me who wish this franchise was legally dead. Keep in mind Reese Witherspoon will not be reprising her role.)
• Cutting Edge 3 -- The romantic drama about the quest for victory among professional ice skaters. (The first one was great, though I can't imagine anything original coming out of this boring and regurgitated formula. Now, if they were ice skaters from the future ... )
• Into the Blue 2 -- A new and exciting installment based on the action thriller about aspiring treasure hunters. (If someone who looks like Jessica Alba gets to make out underwater, then I'm game ... for about five minutes.)
• WarGames 2 -- Scheduled to begin shooting in Montreal in November, the thrilling story of what happens when top officials try to dismantle the famous computer. (Um, why don't they just turn it off? All kidding aside, will anyone even remember the original?)
• Species 4 -- The fourth installment of the Species franchise continues in Mexico, where new experiments with DNA bring horrific results. An MGM/360 Production, Frank Mancuso, Jr. will oversee production beginning in October on Species 4. Mancuso has served as the producer or executive producer on the previous Species movies. (Seeing as the DVD for Species 3 made $11 million, I'm not surprised they're making a fourth installment. Beautiful women? Aliens? Sex? Gruesome deaths? Don't expect this franchise to die anytime soon.)

[via Coming Soon]