Comeback kids

September 08, 2006|By Curt Wagner, REDEYE.

Ben Affleck's hoping for a super return to movie theaters Friday in "Hollywoodland." Few actors in recent years have taken such a hard fall as Affleck, whose race to movie "stardom" was stopped by "Daredevil," "Gigli" and a woman named J.Lo. But Big Ben's not the only comeback kid of the fall movie season. Here's a look at some actors, characters and genres making their triumphant returns.

Jude Law

Remember 2004, when Law starred in six movies that, besides "The Aviator," fizzled? Since then the Oscar nominee has been a tabloid favorite--nannygate and his hookup/breakup/makeup with actress Sienna Miller made frequent headlines. He's back in three movies this fall: "All the King's Men" (Sept. 22), "Breaking and Entering" (Oct. 6) and "The Holiday" (Dec. 8).

Leonardo DiCaprio

The heartthrob isn't making a comeback a la Law; rather, he just hasn't been seen on the big screen since 2004's "The Aviator." The Oscar nominee returns with two anticipated films this fall: "The Departed" (Oct. 6) and "Blood Diamond" (Dec. 15). With "The Departed," he once again collaborates with director Martin Scorsese ("The Aviator," "Gangs of New York").

Mel Gibson

Gibson, for many years one of Hollywood's most bankable stars, was all set to be the lone salesman of his first epic project since "The Passion of the Christ." But the writer/director/producer's drunken-driving charges--and anti-semitic comments--may have changed those plans. The fate of "Apocalypto" (Dec. 8), his look at the decline of the Mayan kingdom, hangs in the balance.

Truman Capote

Are movie-goers ready for another Capote biography after Philip Seymour Hoffman won an Oscar for playing the "In Cold Blood" author last year? Like 2005's "Capote," "Infamous" (Oct. 13) centers on the period when Capote was writing his famous book. Entertainment Weekly said Toby Jones, in the title role (above), rivals Hoffman.


You can't keep a good boxer--or 60-year-old actor with no other job offers--down. Sylvester Stallone writes, directs and stars in "Rocky Balboa" (Dec. 22), his sixth trip into the ring. But who's counting?

James Bond

He's young and blond, but can Daniel Craig (above) pull off Bond? The British actor will try to fill 007's suit in "Casino Royale," which is being touted as a darker prequel to the past 20 official Bond installments. It opens Nov. 17.

The movie musical

It's never really gone away, but we sometimes wish it had: consider last year's disappointing "Rent" and "The Producers." Enter Beyonce, who'll try to erase all those bad memories in "Dreamgirls" (Dec. 22). She stars as one of three members of a girl group. And good news: Bill Condon, who made "Chicago," adapts the Broadway musical.

The mockumentary

We're not talking "The Breakdance Kid" or "The Blair Thumb"; we're talking "Waiting for Guffman" and "Best in Show." That's right, Christopher Guest returns with "For Your Consideration" (Nov. 17), about an indie movie that starts gaining Oscar buzz. Jennifer Coolidge, Jane Lynch, Parker Posey and John Krasinski join Guest's usual troupe.