2006 New Line Cinema Preview!

Inspired by actual events, Alpha Dog revolves around a mid-level drug dealer from the San Gabriel Valley whose thirst for power led him to become, at 19, the youngest man ever to appear on the FBI’s Most Wanted list. Emile Hirsch stars as teenage suburban drug dealer Johnny Truelove, an ambitious young man whose lifestyle is a mecca for guns, sex and drugs. When a “client” cheats Johnny and a deal goes bad, he devises a plan to get his money back by kidnapping the client’s younger brother – but it’s not a typical kidnapping when it turns out that everyone knows and likes the kid. So what now? Things take an unexpected twist as Johnny and his crew get caught up in the dangerous and violent world they once idealized. Featuring a strong ensemble cast that includes Hirsch, Justin Timberlake, Bruce Willis, Sharon Stone, Ben Foster, Shawn Hatosy and Anton Yelchin, Alpha Dog is written and directed by Nick Cassavetes (The Notebook, John Q).

Action comedy The Cleaner stars Cedric the Entertainer as a man with amnesia who gets himself comically entangled in a government conspiracy. A mild-mannered janitor, Cedric’s character gets in over his head when he is duped into believing that he is an undercover agent who subconsciously holds a key piece of information that could expose an arms conspiracy involving the CIA and FBI. Co-starring Lucy Liu (Charlie’s Angels) and Nicollette Sheridan (Desperate Housewives) directed by Les Mayfield (Blue Streak), The Cleaner is scheduled for a 2006 release.

The fright-filled Final Destination franchise returns to theaters in the supernatural thriller Final Destination 3. Set six years after the original Final Destination film, the latest installment in the series centers around a high school senior who has a premonition of a fatal roller coaster accident involving herself and all her friends. When the premonition proves true, those who have “cheated death” and survived the accident are forced to deal with the repercussions of escaping their fate. Final Destination 3 stars Ryan Merriman (The Ring Two) and Mary Elizabeth Winstead. The film is directed by James Wong (Final Destination) and is scheduled for a February 10, 2006 release.

Three middle-schoolers take on greedy land developers, corrupt politicians, and clueless cops in the mystery adventure Hoot. Based on Carl Hiaasen’s Newbery Honor-winning book, Hoot revolves around a Montana boy who moves to Florida and unearths a disturbing threat to a local population of endangered owls. Determined to protect his new environment, the boy and his friends fight to prevent the adults from making a big mistake. Packed with surprising plot twists, quirky characters, and offbeat humor, Hoot is a classic story that’s fun for all ages. Hoot is directed by Wil Shriner, produced by Frank Marshall (Seabiscuit, Signs) and Walden Media (The Chronicles of Narnia, Holes), and features original music from producer Jimmy Buffett. It is scheduled for an April 2006 release.

Based on the hugely popular Thomas Rockwell book, How To Eat Fried Worms brings the classic story of a boy whose bravado lands him in a difficult predicament. The film revolves around 11-year-old Billy, who inadvertently challenges the school bully on his first day at a new school. In order to save face and earn the respect of his new classmates, Billy agrees to a bet that calls for him to eat 10 worms in one day. As the pressure mounts, Billy must summon all his strength to keep his younger brother from blabbing, his weak stomach from betraying him, and his big mouth from getting him in even more trouble. How To Eat Fried Worms is written and directed by Bob Dolman (The Banger Sisters), stars Luke Benwald (Because of Winn-Dixie), Tom Cavanaugh (Ed), Kimberly Williams (Father of the Bride, According to Jim), and Hallie Kate Eisenberg (The Insider). It is co-produced with Walden Media and scheduled for an August 25, 2006 release.

Kate Winslet, Jennifer Connelly and Patrick Wilson star in the multi-layered romantic drama Little Children, the latest work from Oscar-nominated writer/director Todd Field (In The Bedroom). Loosely based on the acclaimed Tom Perrotta novel of the same name, Little Children centers on a group of young marrieds, whose lives intersect on the playgrounds, town pools and streets of their small community in surprising and potentially dangerous ways. The film is scheduled for a Fall 2006 release.

The comic drama Martian Child stars John Cusack as a recently widowed science fiction writer who adopts a young boy that claims to be from Mars. But the new father ignores some sage advice about the perils of parenthood from his sister and gets more than he bargained for when a series of strange occurrences lead him to believe the child’s claim may be true. Based on an award-winning short story by sci-fi luminary David Gerrold, Martian Child is directed by Menno Meyjes and co-stars Amanda Peet and Joan Cusack. It is scheduled for a 2006 release.

Paul Walker (The Fast and the Furious) stars in the fast-paced crime drama Running Scared from critically acclaimed director Wayne Kramer (The Cooler). Walker plays a low-level mobster who, in order to save his family, must recover a gun used in a mob hit before it’s found by his bosses or the cops. Co-starring Chazz Palminteri (The Usual Suspects), Running Scared is scheduled for a February 24, 2006 release.

Samuel L. Jackson stars in the intense action feature Snakes On A Plane from director David Ellis (Final Destination 2, Cellular). Jackson plays an FBI agent who is escorting a witness on a flight from Hawaii to Los Angeles when an assassin releases hundreds of deadly snakes on a commercial airplane in order to eliminate the witness. The FBI agent, along with a rookie pilot, frightened crew and passengers must then band together in a desperate attempt to survive. Snakes On A Plane is scheduled for an August 18, 2006 release.

Inspired by a true story, Antonio Banderas stars as internationally acclaimed ballroom dancer Pierre Dulane in the family drama Take The Lead. The film revolves around a professional dancer who volunteers to teach in the New York City public school system. But when his classic methods clash with his students’ hip hop instincts, he teams up with them to create a new style of dance and becomes their mentor in the process. Take The Lead co-stars Alfre Woodard and marks the feature directing debut of veteran music video helmer Liz Friedlander (U2, Blink 182, Simple Plan). It is scheduled for an April 2006 release.

Comedians/musicians Jack Black and Kyle Gass bring their infamous rock duo Tenacious D to the big screen in the comedy Tenacious D in: The Pick Of Destiny. The film tells the story of how “The D” became the self-proclaimed greatest band on earth and is being directed by Liam Lynch. It is scheduled for a September 2006 release.

The origins of the legendary horror character Leatherface will finally be revealed in the Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning. The film, which is set years before the original Texas Chainsaw Massacre movie, stars Jordana Brewster and is being directed by Jonathan Liebesman.