This section contains details of all the new and forthcoming films from Optimum Releasing which will be distributed in cinemas across the UK. Our most recent releases can be seen below - simply click for more details on each film - and the full archive of releases can be searched below.

Ponyo			The Hurtlocker
Release date: August TBC This is the story of Ponyo, a little fish from the sea who stuggles to realise her dream of living with a boy named Sosuke. It also tells of how five-year old Sosuke manages to keep a most solemn promise. Ponyo places Hans Christian Anderson’s The Little Mermaid in a contemporary Japanese setting. It is a tale of childhood love and adventure – Hayao Miyazaki. The latest film from the internationally acclaimed Studio Ghibli (SPIRITED AWAY, HOWL’S MOVING CASTLE), encapsulates everything that makes the studio’s output so unique. Breathtaking animation combined with thrilling storytelling makes this another worthy addition to the Ghibli catalogue.			Release date: August TBC From visionary filmmaker Kathryn Bigelow and starring Ralph Fiennes (SCHINDLER’S LIST, THE ENGLISH PATIENT) and Guy Pearce (LA CONFIDENTIAL, MEMENTO), THE HURT LOCKER is an intense portrayal of elite soldiers who have one of the most dangerous jobs in the world: disarming bombs in the heat of combat. When a new sergeant, James (Jeremy Renner), takes over a highly trained bomb disposal team amidst violent conflict, he surprises his two subordinates, Sanborn and Eldridge (Anthony Mackie and Brian Geraghty), by recklessly plunging them into a deadly game of urban combat. James behaves as if he’s indifferent to death. As the men struggle to control their wild new leader, the city explodes into chaos, and James’ true character reveals itself in a way that will change each man forever.
Whiteout			Bunny & The Bull
Release date: September 09 Antarctica; cold, desolate, nothing but ice and snow for miles and miles. Carrie Stetko is a U.S Marshal, and she’s made the ice her home. In its vastness, she has found a place where she can forget her troubled past and feel at peace... until someone commits a murder in her jurisdiction and that peace is shattered. The murder is one of five men scattered across the continent, and he has more reason to hide than just the slaying. Several ice samples were taken from the area around the body, and the depth of the drilling signifies something particular was removed. Enter Lily Sharpe, who wants to know what was so important that another man’s life had to be taken for it. But are either of the women prepared for the secrets and betrayals at the core of the situation? Based on the award-winning graphic novel of the same name and starring Kate Beckinsale (UNDERWORLD, VACANCY), WHITEOUT is a chilling thriller from legendary producer Joel Silver, that will have you on the edge of your seat and chilled to the bone.			Release date: Autumn 09 Starring Ed Hogg (White Lightnin’, Brothers of the Head), Simon Farnaby (The Mighty Boosh, Jam and Jerusalem), Veronica Echegui and Julian Barratt (Howard Moon in The Mighty Boosh) BUNNY AND THE BULL is a comedy road movie set entirely in a flat. Stephen Turnbull (The Mighty Boosh, Jam and Jerusalem) hasn’t been outside in months. When a sudden infestation of mice forces him to abandon his routine, he finds his mind hurtling back to the disastrous trek around Europe he undertook with his friend Bunny. Two gambling addicts let loose for the first time, they are hopelessly unprepared for the adventure that awaits them. Stephen’s flat becomes the springboard for an extraordinary odyssey through lands made up of snapshots and souvenirs, from the industrial wastelands of Silesia to the bull fields of Andalusia. BUNNY AND THE BULL is a touching and beautiful journey to the end of the room.