Producer-writer-director Judd Apatow has created something of a domestic empire, with 2007 hits such as Knocked Up and Superbad showing formidable staying power in a sea of franchise films and remakes. They have so far taken over $240m at the US box office and $277m globally. Knocked Up has taken 20% of its worldwide total internationally ($36.8m) and is yet to open in Italy, Spain, France and Brazil. The UK has already embraced Apatow's knee-slapping humour - Knocked Up fell by just 7% in its second week, and has taken nearly $10m in the territory while the film fell by 11% in its second week in Germany and has taken $1.9m to date. Teenage comedy Superbad has grossed $92.4m in its first three weeks in the US and kicks off its staggered international release in the UK on September 14.

Summer 2008 will see the release of a slew of Apatow films: first, he produces Forgetting Sarah Marshall, (Universal Pictures), out on May 30, starring favourites Jason Segel (who wrote the script), Bill Hader and Jonah Hill (of Superbad) and Paul Rudd. Apatow also produces Step Brothers (Sony Pictures), out on July 25, which sees him re-unite with director Adam McKay (Anchorman: The Legend Of Ron Burgundy) and Will Ferrell. Pineapple Express (Sony Pictures) - another comedy from Apatow Productions - is out on August 8.

Apatow also bumps heads with Adam Sandler: the pair have written one of Fox's expected 2008 hits, You Don't Mess With The Zohan. Out on June 6, it sees Sandler play a Mossad spy who fakes his own death then moves to New York to become a hairdresser.