This summer has brought us a string of what are being called "threequels:" Spider-Man 3, Shrek the Third, Pirates of the Caribbean: Is This Movie Seriously Still Going On? One would expect those big special effect-laden movies to spawn franchises, but now a highly unlikely candidate may be headed for trilogy status -- Elizabeth. Director Shekhar Kapur tells Entertainment Weekly in this week's issue that he always envisioned the series as a threesome. Kapur and his Queen, Cate Blanchett, have already completed work on Part 2 -- Elizabeth: The Golden Age -- and it will be in theaters on October 12th. The new film (which Monika told you is already being blasted for its historical accuracy) will focus on the Queen and her adviser (played by Geoffrey Rush) during the time leading up to the Spanish Armada. Clive Owen will play Walter Raleigh, Samantha Morton plays Mary, Queen of Scots, and up-and-comer Abbie Cornish plays Elizabeth Throckmorton.

Blanchett apparently needed a bit of coaxing to return to her Oscar-nominated role for The Golden Age. Kapur says, "It's sometimes difficult for an actor when you're so appreciated for a part, you're just afraid that you may not find the same passion the second time. But as I assured Cate: I've never seen her do anything without passion." Will he have to twist her arm for the third chapter? Depends on if it happens. The Golden Age is being released by Working Title Films, and the studio won't greenlight a third installment until they find out how Age performs at the box office. "Talk to me in November," says Working Title co-chair Tim Bevan. The original Elizabeth grossed a very respectable $30 million, and was a critical smash, nominated for seven Academy Awards including Best Picture (It won only one, for Best Makeup). Kapur feels confident he'll get his chance to bring his saga to a close. In fact, he's already hammering out the story. Says Kapur, "I want to make a film about the absolute loneliness of power. She (Elizabeth) was left with no one at the end. She outlasted everybody." Sounds pretty interesting, but if he really wants to make some cash, he should have Venom and The Sandman swing by 16th century England.

England's fascination with the monarchy, Queen Elizabeth and epic stories of danger, suspense, action and romance continues with the film Elizabeth: The Golden Age. The film, directed by Shekhar Kapur and featuring the great Geoffrey Rush, the cool Clive Owen and the exceptional Cate Blanchett as Elizabeth, is of course a sequel to Kapur's previous foray into Elizabethan storytelling, the aptly titled: Elizabeth. When we first heard of this new film, we had few details except it was going forward but Blanchett's participation was not a sure-thing.

Obviously, she eventually agreed to participate because cut to a few months later and here we are with the film's shiny new trailer for for your viewing pleasure. The trailer features all the action, intrigue, romance, desperate gambles and rousing speeches you could want from a film like this. Elizabeth is attacked, questioned, bullied, sullen, emotional and finally, angry, decisive and triumphant. Watching the trailer and realizing all the problems England has faced over the years, its amazing the country is still around.

As I am a big fan of these types of movies, and having enjoyed Kapur's prior Elizabeth film a great deal, I'm looking forward to seeing this new one very much. Plus, the trailer looks great. I tend to think of the first Elizabeth as a little like The Godfather of Elizabeth movies. Watch both films again if you don't get the similarities right away. So, if that comparison holds up, the sequel should hopefully end up as The Godfather II of Elizabeth movies. Really, if its even close, it'll still be pretty good. We'll know for sure, of course, when its released in October. Until then, enjoy the trailer.

Martha got us all excited about a proposed sequel to Elizabeth yesterday (although anything starring Clive Owen is known to cause a bit of a stir here at Cinematical Headquarters), but Cate Blanchett, who was Oscar nominated for her role as the Virgin Queen in the original film, has now indicated that she doesn't want to do it. The actress told Australia's Herald Sun yesterday that reports that the sequel is all but a sure thing are incorrect. "I'm really good friends with [Elizabeth director] Shekhar Kapur and he's forever saying he's going to do this movie or that movie and I think there was talk about it," the actress admits. But she's cagey about whether or not she's be involved: "There's so much there if it were to happen, but my initial instinct is, why (make it)?" Well, Cate, judging by the media response to the initial report, how about because people would like to see it?

According to The Guardian, Cate Blanchett has agreed to reprise her role as Queen Elizabeth in a sequel to the surprisingly successful Elizabeth. I say "surprisingly" because you never imagine lots of people going to see historical dramas - but not only did people see the thing, but it made enough money (I guess $64 million world-wide on a production budget of $25 million isn't too shabby) to merit a sequel. My only disappointment with said sequel is that it's not called Elizabeth II. Damn. Instead of totally confusing audiences with thoughts of a daughter-queen, wise producers selected the much more practical and vague Elizabeth:  The Golden Age. Blanchett will be joined on her return by director Shekhar Kapur, who also helmed Elizabeth.

The plot of Golden Age is expected to revolve around Elizabeth's turbulent relationship with the dashing adventurer/discoverer Sir Walter Raleigh (he's the gallant fellow who, according to legend, spread his cloak over a puddle so the queen didn't get her little booties dirty). In a bit of great news for us history nerds, Raleigh will be played by the equally dashing Clive Owen. This way, we can combine learning with gazing at Clive. Good work, casting people!