Nathan Fillion

Sly will be back, Bruno will be back, Ben Stiller is still in work and Nicole Kidman still has the monopoly on the best leading female parts around - - but some new faces are also going to come in with the current that is 2007. Here’s a few hot faces you’ll see swept up on the cinematic shore this year:

1. Katie Cassidy : She’s the only female cast member still attached to the on-off-on-off-on-off “Dallas” movie, and after beating Britney Spears and Jessica Simpson to the role of Lucy Ewing in the film (now recasting after losing most of its original - - - Jennifer Lopez, Shirley MacLaine, Luke Wilson - - - cast), she’s sternly staying put. Cassidy (“When A Stranger Calls”, “Black Christmas”) is going to be a major presence in 2007 - on top of a role in the new dramedy “Live!”, she’s rumoured to be in talks for a dozen or so more projects. Look out Firecrotch.

2. Mary Elizabeth Winstead - Like the abovementioned Katie Cassidy, Mary Elizabeth Winstead featured in this Christmas’s lacklustre “Black Christmas” remake - but that don’t hold that against her. She’s got another thing in common with Cassidy too - she had the distinct pleasure of beating Jessica Simpson to a role; that of Lucy McClane in this Summer’s “Live Free or Die Hard”. Mary also appears in one of the most anticipated films of the year, “Grind house”, and is currently winning raves for her role as Ingrid Superstar in “Factory Girl”.

3. Nathan Fillion - Whilst not exactly an unknown (well, not to the science-fiction community anyway), former “Firefly” star Nathan Fillion is still for all intents and purposes an unknown commodity when it comes to the big screen. His third major leading role in a film - after 2005’s “Serenity” and "Slither" (which I forgot to include - yeah, and my old mate James made the movie! - earlier, due to an extra tall glass of whisky... which seems to temporarily wipe your memory - Ed) - is “White Noise : The Light”, the sequel to the Michael Keaton chiller, which is generating great early buzz. It should cement his future in cinema. My good bud, Patrick Lussier, directed the film - and I know he’s darn talented, so you Tightpants fans are in for a treat.

4. Zoe Bell - Like Fillion, Zoe Bell is not unknown either; but she’s not exactly known for her acting work. Bell is one of Hollywood’s most in-demand stunt women - she’s done everything from “Xena” to “Catwoman”- and just happened to make a fan out of banana-chinned Quentin Tarantino. Believing there’s untapped potential there as an actress, Tarantino has cast Bell as herself in his new pic “Grind house”. It isn’t a five-minute cameo either; it’s the lead role!

5.Sam Worthington - Though very well-known here, in Australia, Worthington’s still not a household name in the states. He could’ve been last year, if he had won the role of James Bond in “Casino Royale”, but he just missed out [was short-listed]. Word is, James Cameron wants him for the lead role in his film “Avatar”, so before the year’s out you’ll all know the name: Worthington, Sam Worthington.

6. Kam Heskin - Part Julia Stiles (which would explain why she was cast in “The Prince and Me 2” - playing a character that Stiles originated), Part Alicia Silverstone, Heskin’s only a feature or two away from cracking the big leagues. She’s currently playing the villainous Sheridan Crane on TVs “Passions”, but as we speak is in talks for several big movies (in addition to a third “Prince and Me” movie) including for a lead in a studio horror pic.

7. Ryan Kwanten - Like Guy Pearce, Dannii Minogue, Julian McMahon, Naomi Watts and Simon Baker, Ryan Kwanten originally hails from Summer Bay - as in, he made his name starring on Aussie soapie, “Home & Away”. These days, he’s starring in big Hollywood pics like “Flicka” and “Don’t Fade Away” (with Mischa Barton), and this year will star in the anticipated horror pic “Dead Silence” - from James Wan, the creator of “Saw”. As we speak, he’s said to be in talks with Robert Redford for a role in his new film, “Lions for Lambs”.

8. Masi Oka - The former ILM effects artist - he worked on everything from “Pirates of the Caribbean” to “War of the Worlds”- turned actor is currently winning raves as the outrageously cool Hiro Nakamura on TV hit “Heroes”. This week, he was hired to star in the new thriller “21” from director Jamie Blanks . You’ll also be able to catch him in the upcoming comedy, “Balls of Fury” with Christopher Walken.

9. Jennifer Hudson - She’s exploded from nowhere - well, that’s what I like to call “American Idol”; anyway - to win award-worthy praise for her performance in the current musical hit “Dreamgirls”. If she doesn’t win an Oscar for her amazing performance, many will be surprised. If she’s not hired for another two or three films by the end of the year, I’ll be damn surprised.

10. Danielle Harris - Best known as Jamie Lloyd in “Halloween 4” and “Halloween 5”, Harris - now all grown-up - is set to make her comeback (says the rumour mill) as the heroine of the upcoming “Halloween” remake, and as one of the stars of “Left for Dead”. The actress, now 29, is also being courted for several other horror projects. We could have a new Jamie Lee Curtis on our hands - for several reasons.

There’s plenty more young guns coming up the ranks too; we’ll keep you posted about every damn one of them.