Ronnie Dobbs

Thats some crazy shiznitch.

Supermallet

Some odd team-ups there. I wouldn't think Robert Downey Jr. was a younger version of Russell Crowe.

islandclaws

Here's the problem with most of their logic: these "future A-listers" aren't the ones putting asses in seats; the films they're making are. Tom Cruise will draw more people in for a film if he's the star than Shia LeBeouf. Well, at least he used to. Point is, big-name celebs tend to draw in people. Most of these younger stars have big box-office receipts simply because they are unknowns cast in an already-established property. I'd say of all those listed the only one with a probable A-list future is Shia LeBeouf, as long as he keeps making good choices.

DeanoBKN

Exactly my point of view. People didn't rush to see Shia LeBeouf in Transformers, they rushed to see their favorite 80's cartoon on the big screen.

PopcornTreeCt

Katherine Heigl is just lucky she was in Knocked Up. I don't think James McAvoy will ever be a huge star, I see him more like a Ryan Gosling type actor.

MasterofDVD

Amen to that. Then she goes and rips on the content of the movie and the stereotypes in the movie that really helped to launch her career. She really seemed like a stuck up bitch after that. I just hope my wife never wants to watch any girly movie she makes from here on out because I will never willingly spend money on any other movie she is in.

Drexl

I laughed at the quote from a producer calling Seth Rogen this generation's Steve Martin.

Neeb

Uh, yeah. Something tells me Anthony Daniels in six Star Wars movies beats them all.

PopcornTreeCt

Or Orlando Bloom's 3 Lord of the Rings movies and 3 Pirates of the Caribbean movies.

My Other Self

If iit wasn't for Knocked Up she sure as hell wouldn't have any star appeal. Sure she's hot, and I liked her in Roswell, but other than that.. please.

RichC2

She comes off like a bitch, but I think she'd still have a career in movies even without Knocked Up. Grey's is just too popular and she'll keep making genre "date movies".

DRG

Yeah, I read that article the other day and couldn't help but think they were *really* twisting the data to back up their argument.

Barings

Wow, a lot of hatred for Heigl. I liked her in Knocked Up. The worst I can about her is indifference due to excessive righteous indignation she felt about Knight's persecution and now withdrawing her name for Emmy consideration (which seems half sincere, half attention-seeking stunt).

No, Shia is a one guy I can't stand! I thought this was going to be a thread commenting on his stupid antics (apparently a slap flight which I have admittedly did not see where he's gay slurs) being on par with Cruise's couch jumping incident.

This is the guy from Even Stevens – the Disney show more cheesy than High School Musical. The guy’s gotten lucky by being cast in two big franchise movies in 2007 and 2008.

Giles

yet that doesn't stop him by getting a big 'ol Hollywood paycheck for his upcoming role in Wanted

RichC2

How is that on par with Cruise's couch jumping? One was a 21/22 (bday was yesterday)year old guy being a 21/22 year old guy and was recorded on a cellphone while in the company of mostly friends, the other was a guy being a lunatic on national tv. I don't see how that compares at all.

He doesn't bother me and has a non-imposing screen presence, I wouldn't seek out a movie just because he's in it but I have no ill will toward him. And so he caught a break on a show I've never heard of when he was 13, yeah, that's definitely something to hold against someone.

Additionally, I never held the couch jumping thing against cruise, it was funny but fit his personality. It's his Scientology preaching I can't get around.

Barings

Okay, I just watched the Shia slap vid and he gets a pass. Like you, I didn't the couch jumping thing was a big deal since he was basically trying make a point about how happy he is with Katie Holmes, though I did love the CGI lightning bolt fight with Oprah. (Tom's downfall was the Matt Lauer "glib" interview.)

Oh, please! How is my opinion about him any different than you not liking Heigl because "she comes off like a bitch." Trust me when I tell you that we're going to see a lot more asshat-ery (is that even a word?) from LaBeouf before the decade is over. If not, I may be able to garner some degree of tolerance of him.

Nefarious

It would have been better if they listed the movies they are comparing. On the Amy Adams vs Nicole Kidman. I wonder if it isn't a lot of PG to PG-13's for Amy Adams vs. 2-3 R movies for Kidman. R films generally do not pull in the same level of box office because of the more limited audience depth.

fumanstan

I've never heard of James McAvoy.

conscience

I hate these kind of articles and KillerCannibal is exactly right.

I actually find the Anne Hathaway and Julia Roberts comparison to be the most egregious. Anne Hathaway has yet to star in a film and carry it without the help of either Disney or another actor or actors (ones that usually wipe the floor with her) - and it doesn't' look like she is going to anytime soon.

And Michael Cera and Seth Rogen? Please. I know Will Ferrell and Adam Sandler aren't exactly Marlon Brando but Cera and Rogen aren so one note it isn't even funny. It's no shock that this "attribute" gets you far in Hollywood now.

Charlie Goose

And she just recently shit all over Grey's Anatomy too, by removing herself from Emmy consideration because she felt the writers didn't do a good job with her character this season.

Burgundy LaRue

Excellent point. Kidman doesn't do a lot of PG/PG-13 rated films and the few she does seem to get panned. (Bewitched, anyone? Though I don't think it did that badly in theaters.) Adams has the princess/sweetest girl in the world persona going in her favor, so she'll rack up more box office receipts by simply being in kid-friendly movies.


I bought this copy of EW specifically because this article caught my interest. Some of the future A-listers had me scratching my head, too.

I think LeBeouf will do well and become a hybrid of Tom Hanks/Tom Cruise. Enough people went to see Disturbia to make me believe that LeBeouf has the chops to carry a film on his own. But he'll mix it up with the summer blockbusters and become what many will see as the textbook perfect movie star.

I can see where Dwayne Johnson (The Rock) can fill the void of the family action star. He appeals to all demographics. Kids will find him funny. He's macho enough for dads and he's good looking enough for moms. He's charming and well spoken. He's got one major Disney hit under his belt with The Game Plan. And directors/producers love his work ethic. So Johnson's got a good shot at being popular for a while.

Heigl will never become the superstar that she already thinks she is. She's simply not accessible enough. Julia Roberts has this wonderful charm about her. She really had all the makings of a movie star: good looks, charisma, a sense of humor, confidence. But most importantly, she never took herself too seriously. Roberts came across as your next door neighbor who asks for a cup of sugar to finish baking a cake. Heigl's pretty, but it's about all she has going for her. She seems pretentious and snooty. That whole name prounouncation mess at last year's Emmys turned off some people. Now she's trying to get out of her Grey's Anatomy contract, even though she fought like hell to get a raise just a year ago. If you want to be America's Sweetheart, you can't be seen as a humorless bitch. And Heigl is treading choppy waters in that regard.

T-bone22

Adam Sandler = the King of Comedy?!

fumanstan

Considering other then maybe Mike Myers, no other comedian is as big of a draw as him, I'd say it's pretty accurate.

nightwing82

I actually think Shia LeBeouf is a better actor than Tom Cruise, however, as mentioned -- you need to cut a lot of $$$ out of Shia's profit margin. People would have seen Transformers and Indy regardless if he was in it or not.

I think the only movie you can really contribute to Shia is Disturbia. Even Holes was a Disney push and not him. Now, it will be interesting to see how Eagle Eye does in the fall. I think he has been smart with accepting/getting the high profile roles to get his name out there better so he can then open movies himself.

I had no problems with his slapping video where as a kid he uses one stupid word while drunk. No problem with his funny arrest at Walgreens either, at least how he told the story about it on Letterman.

I'd put Adam Sandler as the king of comedy as well. I've enjoyed a lot of his movies -- not so much of Mike Meyers, and I may be the only person who did not enjoy Superbad.

Drexl

Yeah, I can't stand his movies, but there's probably no other choice for that title, if it has to exist.

I think it's way too early to guess on Shia LaBeouf yet. He's still young enough that he's playing teenagers. Let's see how he does as he gets older and transitions into adult roles.