Columbia Pictures announces powerhouse movie line-up for next year

Ever keeping the torch flaming to light up screens, Columbia Pictures proudly announces its powerhouse movie lineup for 2007. From veritable movie events ("Spider-Man 3," "Ghost Rider") to potential Oscar contenders ("The Pursuit of Happyness") to high-octane action-thrillers ("30 Days of Night," "The Priest"), to crowd-pleasing comedies ("Catch and Release"), Columbia's roster of films is sure to ignite movie-going all year-round.

"Spider-Man 3." Peter Parker's (Tobey Maguire) newfound self-assuredness is jeopardized when he faces the battle of his life against two of the most feared villains ever, Sandman and Venom, whose unparalleled power and thirst for retribution threaten Peter and everyone he loves.

"Ghost Rider." In order to save his dying father, young stunt cyclist Johnny Blaze (Nicolas Cage) sells his soul to Mephistopheles who offers redemption if Johnny becomes a supernatural agent of vengeance and justice.

"The Pursuit of Happyness." Chris Gardner (Will Smith) is a bright and talented, but marginally employed salesman. When Gardner lands an internship at a prestigious stock brokerage firm, he and his young son endure many hardships, including living in public restrooms, in pursuit of his dream of a better life for the two of them.

"Vacancy." A young couple (Kate Beckinsale, Luke Wilson) becomes stranded at an isolated motel and finds hidden video cameras in their room. They realize that unless they escape, they'll be the next victims of a snuff film.

"Perfect Stranger." A female reporter (Halle Berry) for a major New York City newspaper goes undercover to investigate the unsolved murder of one of her childhood friends. The path leads her directly into the office and the personal life of powerful multi-millionaire (Bruce Willis).

"Surf's Up." This stylistically daring CGI feature is based on the groundbreaking revelation that surfing was actually invented by penguins. In the film, a documentary crew will take audiences behind the scenes and onto the waves during the most competitive, heartbreaking and dangerous display of surfing known to man, the Penguin World Surfing Championship.

"Reign Over Me." Adam Sandler plays a man who lost is family in the 9/11 attacks on New York, but when he rekindles the friendship with an old college roommate (Don Cheadle), it helps him get over his grief.

"The Priest." Based on the popular Japanese comic, this is the story of a priest (Gerard Butler) who goes against the laws of the church to hunt the vampires who kidnapped his niece. "The Covenant's" Steven Strait also stars.

"30 Days of Night." In a sleepy, secluded Alaskan town, the sun sets and doesn't rise for over thirty consecutive days and nights. From the darkness, across the frozen wasteland, an evil will come that will bring the residents of to their kness. The only hope for the town is the Sheriff (Josh Hartnett) and Deputy, a husband and wife who are torn between their own survival and saving the town they love.

"Catch and Release." Jennifer Garner plays a woman facing the sudden death of her husband and the secrets he kept from her.

"The Messengers." An ominous darkness invades a seemingly serene sunflower farm in North Dakota and the Solomon family (Kristen Stewart, Dylan McDermott) is torn apart by suspicion, mayhem and murder.

"Premonition." A housewife (Sandra Bullock) finds out that her husband (Julian McMahon) was in a car crash, but when she sees him the next day, she realizes that she saw a premonition and will do anything she can to keep it from coming true.

"Vantage Point." Dennis Quaid and Matthew Fox star in this thriller about the attempted assasination of a Mexican president shown from five different viewpoints.

"Hostel: Part II." The sequel starts immediately where the first film left off. Three American girls who are studying in Italy for the summer get lured to Slovakia for a vacation-in-hell.

"Across the Universe." This love story about a British boy (Jim Sturgess) and an American girl (Evan Rachel Wood) is set against the backdrop of the social upheaval of the 1960s. Although not about the Beatles, the musical uses their songs to drive the narrative, with the actors singing and dancing to the classic tunes.

"Stomp the Yard." After the death of his brother, an expert street dancer goes to Georgia to attend college. But his efforts to get an education and woo the girl he likes are sidelined when he joins in his fraternity's effort to win a step dancing competition.

"Wind Chill." Two students sharing a ride home for the holiday season, break down on a deserted stretch of road and are subsequently plagued by the ghosts of the people who have died there.

"Super Bad." Two co-dependent high school seniors set out to score alcohol for a party, believing that girls will then hook up with them and they will be ready for college. But as the night grows more chaotic, overcoming their separation anxiety becomes a greater challenge than getting the girls.