Is there a sequel to Here Comes Mr Jordan

A.� There is a new film out soon called Down to Earth, a remake of the 1978 Warren Beatty film, Heaven Can Wait, which was itself a remake of 1941's Here Comes Mr Jordan. The latest version of the premature death and reincarnation comedy stars and is written by the sassy Chris Rock, who first came to public recognition in Lethal Weapon IV.

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Q.� Are there any other big movies with sequels coming up

A.� Hollywood studios have produced a huge number of sequels over the last 12 to 18 months. Coming to a cinema near you soon are: American Pie II, The Count of Monte Cristo, Crocodile Dundee in LA, Dr Doolittle II, Final destination II,� Jurassic Park III, Planet of the Apes, Rush Hour II, Santa Clause II and Scary Movie II.

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Studios have also turned to comic/book.computer game adaptations for material� including Final Fantasy, From Hell, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Lara Croft: Tomb Raider and Lord of the Rings.

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Q.� Why are there so many remakes and sequels coming up this year

A.� Hollywood, which has a 90 per cent market share of the cinema, is concentrating on what it knows, which is why so many this year are remakes or sequels. The safe bet for studios executives when greenlighting a film (i.e. undertaking a financial commitment to make it ) is a project which has done well in the past. Studios, which invest a budget of between $40 and $140 in most movies, have gone into bankruptcy when a film flops. Arnold Schwarzenegger's film The Last Action Hero, for example, should have been a sure-fire success at the box office. In 1993, his popularity was at its peak and the cinema audiences were enjoying a string of all-action and expensive movies such as Diehard. Surprisingly, the film flopped and incidents like this, see studios hedging their bets more closely than ever.

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By Katharine MacColl