‘Catwoman,’ ‘Pacific Rim 2,’ ‘Gandalf the Gay’: Only one is real

Being part of a film franchise is the closest thing to having job security in Hollywood these days, so perhaps that’s why so many folks in the creative community are engaging in wishful thinking regarding their upcoming or recent movies’ sequel prospects.

The current spate of sequel hopefuls started with Anne Hathaway’s recent appearance on “Access Hollywood,” in which she told her interviewer about her deep connection to the character Selina Kyle (a.k.a. Catwoman), who she played in this summer’s “The Dark Knight Rises.”

“I would love to do a spinoff,” she said. Though she acknowledged that no one had talked to her about a spinoff, she continued, “I love Selina so much and I love her presence in my life and getting to … I’m crying again.”

Hathaway is no doubt conveniently forgetting the 2004 “Catwoman” starring Halle Berry that won four Golden Raspberry awards, for worst picture, worst actress, worst director and worst screenplay.

Meanwhile, Ian McKellen appeared on “The Colbert Report” on Monday as the first guest on Colbert’s “Hobbit Week” celebration and playfully raised the idea of a possible “Hobbit” spinoff.

In response to Colbert’s tongue-in-cheek question, “Are you the sharp knife point of the gay agenda trying to brainwash our children?,” McKellen jokingly suggested a possible “Hobbit” sequel.

“You know we’re making a sequel in Middle-earth,” McKellen said. “Perhaps I shouldn’t say. It’s going to star Gandalf the Gay. And you get to find out who is his favorite dwarf.”

“I can’t wait to see it in 3-D,” Colbert joked.

But while Hathaway and McKellen can go on about sequels they’d like to see, there’s already one in the works before the first film even hits theaters.

The Hollywood Reporter wrote that Legendary Pictures is currently developing the sequel to “Pacific Rim,” the Guillermo del Toro-directed giant robots and monsters film that won’t be released until next summer. Del Toro and “Pacific Rim’s” original writer, Travis Beacham, are said to be writing the script.

Though it may seem a bit bold to be planning a sequel before audiences have shown any desire to see the original, it’s becoming more common these days. Work on the sequel to “The Hangover” began months before the original opened and became a huge hit.

ALSO:

Bret Easton Ellis says Kathryn Bigelow is ‘overrated’

‘Upstream Color’ trailer reveals long-awaited ‘Primer’ follow-up

‘The Hobbit’: Mixed reviews for high-speed format, expanded story

PHOTOS AND MORE

VIDEO: Highlights from the Envelope Screening Series