The nominations for The National Movie Awards 2008 are announced today with blood-thirsty barbers, dark knights, dancing queens and the queens of fashion all featuring in this year’s shortlist.

Following the success of the inaugural event, ITV will host the second National Movie Awards in an action packed ceremony from London’s Royal Festival Hall in September to recognise and reward the year’s blockbuster movies and the stars who appear in them. Last year’s event saw a host of the industry’s most celebrated artists grace the red carpet including Daniel Radcliffe, Dustin Hoffman, Jamie Foxx and Dame Judi Dench.

Over the year cinema goers have been treated to a fantastic mix of action, adventure, comedy and family films, with musicals taking movie theatres by storm with smash hits including Mamma Mia, Sweeney Todd: The Barber Of Fleet Street and Enchanted.

Included in the shortlist for The Best Female Performance category are nominations for two glamorous new mums Angelina Jolie (for Wanted) and Nicole Kidman (for The Golden Compass). Plus this year’s favourite fashion icon Sarah Jessica Parker earns a nomination for Best Female Performance in Sex And The City and Johnny Depp in the Best Male Performance category for his grisly performance as Sweeney Todd (Sweeney Todd: The Barber Of Fleet Street).

And will this be the year when the veterans outplay the rising stars with Meryl Streep (Best Female Performance for Mamma Mia!) and Harrison Ford (Best Male Performance for Indiana Jones And The Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull) pitting their wits against new-comers Ellen Page (Best Female Performance for Juno) and British actor Ben Barnes (Best Male Performance for The Chronicles Of Narnia: Prince Caspian)?

Plus the latest caped crusader Christian Bale earns himself a nomination for The Dark Knight as does the new Batman film itself in the new ‘Superhero’ category.

Official Nominations for National Movie Awards 2008: -

Superhero
Iron Man
Hancock
The Dark Knight
The Incredible Hulk

Musical
Enchanted
Mamma Mia!
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street

Action/Adventure
I Am Legend
Indiana Jones And The Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull
The Mummy: Tomb Of The Dragon Emperor
Wanted

Comedy
Juno
Sex And The City
St Trinian’s
The Love Guru

Family
Kung Fu Panda
The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian
The Golden Compass
WALL –E

Performance – Male
Christian Bale: The Dark Knight
Ben Barnes: The Chronicles Of Narnia: Prince Caspian
Pierce Brosnan: Mamma Mia!
Patrick Dempsey: Enchanted
Johnny Depp: Sweeney Todd: The Demon Of Fleet Street
Robert Downey Jr : Iron Man
Rupert Everett: St Trinian’s
Colin Firth: St Trinian’s / Mamma Mia!
Harrison Ford: Indiana Jones And The Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull
Brendan Fraser: The Mummy: Tomb Of The Dragon Emperor
James McAvoy: Wanted
Mike Myers: The Love Guru
Edward Norton: The Incredible Hulk
Will Smith: I Am Legend / Hancock

Performance Female
Amy Adams: Enchanted
Gemma Arterton: St Trinian’s
Cate Blanchett: Indiana Jones And The Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull
Helena Bonham Carter: Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street
Angelina Jolie: Wanted
Nicole Kidman: The Golden Compass
Ellen Page: Juno
Sarah Jessica Parker: Sex And The City
Dakota Blue Richards: The Golden Compass
Meryl Streep: Mamma Mia!