With just a few more days left in 2016, the vibe in the air is that people are desperate for a new year. With all the craziness that we’ve gone through over the past 12 months, there is this hope that a new year will be a blank slate, an opportunity for better tidings.
Part of the anticipation for a new year is all by taking stock of all the things we have to look forward to. For many people, such as myself, movies are the perfect escape from reality, a chance to leave behind stress and fear for a couple of hours so that we may lose ourselves in worlds and stories that can inspire and amaze us.
So, in the hopes that I can get some of you excited for what the future holds – at least in the world of movies – I’ve put together a list of films that I’m very eager to see hit the big screen! Join me below and then let me know which films I may have missed and should put on my radar!
Alien: Covenant
The 6th film in the Alien franchise and the direct sequel to Prometheus, Alien: Covenant will continue the attempt to bring a foundation to the 1979 original film and the universe that it created.
Bound for a remote planet on the far side of the galaxy, the crew of the colony ship Covenant discovers what they think is an uncharted paradise, but is actually a dark, dangerous world — whose sole inhabitant is the “synthetic” David (Michael Fassbender), survivor of the doomed Prometheus expedition.
Release date: May 19th
Blade Runner 2049
Coming over 35 years after the release of the original film, Blade Runner 2049 sees Harrison Ford reprise his role as Rick Deckard. However, he’s the co-star of the film, passing the reigns to Ryan Gosling, who is seeking Deckard out after discovering some strange and troubling secret.
Thirty years after the events of the first film, a new blade runner, LAPD Officer K (Ryan Gosling), unearths a long-buried secret that has the potential to plunge what’s left of society into chaos. K’s discovery leads him on a quest to find Rick Deckard (Harrison Ford), a former LAPD blade runner who has been missing for 30 years.
Release date: October 6th
Friday the 13th
There is no official synopsis for this film but it seems that the powers that be are starting the series from scratch yet again, even though the last installment was itself a remake/reboot. Why this movie excites me is that it’s really hard to fuck up a Friday the 13th film. When done right, they can be wildly entertaining films with fantastic kills and a presentation that makes audiences clap, cheer, and have a blast. While I believe that Jason Voorhees is a , that doesn’t mean I don’t have a great time with the movies themselves. So, let’s go back to Camp Crystal Lake and see some counselors get hacked to pieces!
Release date: October 13th
Ghost in the Shell
Having grown up watching Mamoru Oshii’s anime and reading Masamune Shirow’s manga, I find myself incredibly excited to see how this movie is going to turn out. The original properties were smart, deep, philosophical works and I believe that a live-action film could hit those same notes. Then again, it could be a colossal failure, so…
Ghost in the Shell tells the story of The Major (Scarlett Johansson), a special ops, one-of-a-kind human-cyborg hybrid, who leads the elite task force Section 9. Devoted to stopping the most dangerous criminals and extremists, Section 9 is faced with an enemy whose singular goal is to wipe out Hanka Robotic’s advancements in cyber technology.
Release date: March 31st
God Particle
The third film in the Cloverfield universe, God Particle seemingly came out of nowhere in its attachment to the series. However, J.J. Abrams is adamant that Cloverfield, 10 Cloverfield Lane, and this upcoming sci-fi thriller are all set in a common universe. Perhaps there will come a day when a movie comes along and ties together all these strings into one incredible tapestry.
‘God Particle’ is about a team of astronauts who make a “shocking discovery” and end up fighting for survival in what is described as an altered reality.
Release date: October 27th
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2
After the smash success of the first film, it’s no wonder that so many people are excited for the sequel. And while Baby Groot is adorable, it’s the experiences of the entire crew that interest me. This series is probably going to end up as the most entertaining title in the MCU, so let’s see what they’ve got in store for us!
Set to the backdrop of ‘Awesome Mixtape #2,’ Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 continues the team’s adventures as they traverse the outer reaches of the cosmos. The Guardians must fight to keep their newfound family together as they unravel the mysteries of Peter Quill’s true parentage. Old foes become new allies and fan-favorite characters from the classic comics will come to our heroes’ aid as the Marvel cinematic universe continues to expand.
Release date: May 5th
Insidious: Chapter 4
Screw the haters, I love this franchise! It’s wild, it’s creepy, it isn’t afraid to go into uncharted territories, and it’s always entertaining. Considering that this comes from The Taking of Deborah Logan‘s Adam Robitel, I’m convinced we’re in for another fun and scary ride!
No official synopsis has been released but writer Leigh Whannell told WeGotThisCovered the following:
I don’t know. I haven’t really thought about it yet. But for the purposes of this interview, I’ll say that I’d like to explore the time between [Insidious 3] and the first film. That whole area there where Elise has rediscovered her gift, I think you could have a lot of adventures before she arrives. So I think there is a lot of room there. We’ve kind of established Lin [Shaye] in this particular film as kind of this superhero, so that would be kind of interesting to explore in the other films.
Release date: October 20th
It
I’ve how I feel the “It” mini-series hasn’t withstood the test of time, which makes me all the more hopeful and excited to see Andy Muschietti’s adaptation. With a real budget and utilizing large strides forward in technological possibilities since the 1990 mini-series, I have a strong feeling that we’re going to get something really special.
In a small town in Maine, seven children known as The Losers Club come face to face with life problems, bullies and a monster that takes the shape of a clown called Pennywise.
Release date: September 8th
John Wick: Chapter 2
The first John Wick was a tightly crafted action film that wasted absolutely no time whatsoever getting to the meat and potatoes of its story. In fact, once it got going, not a single frame felt wasted or like it overstayed its welcome. If the sequel can pull off the same kind of frantic and exhilarating pace, then I think we’ll all be very happy theater goers!
Legendary hitman John Wick is forced back out of retirement by a former associate plotting to seize control of a shadowy international assassins’ guild. Bound by a blood oath to help him, John travels to Rome where he squares off against some of the world’s deadliest killers.
Release date: February 10th
Kingsman: The Golden Circle
I can’t remember having as much fun watching a movie as I did with Kingsman: The Secret Service for a long, long time. Essentially a fresh take on James Bond-esque films, Kingsman brought a youthful energy to the genre while embracing the cliché, grandiose schemes that villains crafted in the early spy movie days. After all, who needs an assassination plot when you can plan to massacre the majority of the world’s population?
If this sequel can be half as good as the first one, then I think it’ll put a big smile on my face.
No official synopsis has been released but supposedly the film follows Eggsy and Merlin as they team up with their American counterparts to take on Poppy (Julianne Moore).
Release date: October 6th
Kong: Skull Island
After Gareth Edward’s 2014 take on Godzilla, it seems like the giant monster movie fever hit Hollywood, who pushed forward this adaptation of the 1933 original. While I loved the first trailer, the second one (above) dramatically changed the tone from a serious, epic tale to something far more lighthearted and carefree. Hopefully I’m wrong and this movie leaves us shocked and in awe but I’m going to remain cautious as I take my seat in the theater.
A diverse team of explorers is brought together to venture deep into an uncharted island in the Pacific – as beautiful as it is treacherous – unaware that they’re crossing into the domain of the mythic Kong.
Release date: March 10th
Logan
Deadpool proved that comic book movies can be R-rated and still achieve success. For years now, fans have been clamoring for a chance to see Wolverine show his true violent nature. Now, in his last performance as the titular character, Hugh Jackman is giving the fans what they want with a supposedly gritty and violent offering.
In 2024, mutant births are severely in decline, and people aren’t sure why. A government-type operation is turning mutant children into killing machines. From this, Logan emerges as a mentor to a mutant girl, who has two claws instead of his three.
Release date: March 3rd
Murder on the Orient Express
Agatha Christie’s famed novel is getting a remake in late 2017 with an all-star cast that includes Daisy Ridley, Johnny Depp, Kenneth Branagh, Michelle Pfeiffer, Judi Dench, Derek Jacobi, and more. While I know the ending from the book and 1974 film, I’m still very interested to see how this film will turn out.
Renowned Belgian detective Hercule Poirot investigates the murder of a wealthy American traveling on the Orient Express, the most famous train in the world.
Release date: November 22nd
Saw Legacy
I have an interesting relationship with the Saw franchise. I absolutely adore the first one but I can’t stand any of the films after. My hope with Legacy is that it opens up new paths and follows interesting threads to create a world built on Jigsaw’s message but that doesn’t involve those close to him.
No official synopsis has been released and everyone attached to the film is being very secretive, so all we can do is speculate on what might come to fruition.
Release date: October 27th (unconfirmed)
Spider-Man: Homecoming
Marvel movies have yet to disappoint. Some are more forgettable than others but there is no denying that they’re extremely entertaining. Since we got to meet Spider-Man in Captain America: Civil War, everyone has been on pins and needles to see Tom Holland get his own solo film. Now that it’s on the way, all we can do is wait and hope that this is finally the time when they get things right. Sorry Andrew Garfield, but The Amazing Spider-Man 2 was pretty awful.
Thrilled by his experience with the Avengers, young Peter Parker (Tom Holland) returns home to live with his Aunt May. Under the watchful eye of mentor Tony Stark, Parker starts to embrace his newfound identity as Spider-Man. He also tries to return to his normal daily routine — distracted by thoughts of proving himself to be more than just a friendly neighborhood superhero. Peter must soon put his powers to the test when the evil Vulture emerges to threaten everything that he holds dear.
Release date: July 7th
Star Wars: Episode VIII
Following the events of The Force Awakens, we’ll get to see Rey get her training from Luke Skywalker as well as the Rebellion continue their fight against the Empire. Sadly, we’ll also see Carrie Fisher’s final performance as General Leia Organa.
No official synopsis has been released.
Release date: December 15th
Super Troopers 2
The first time I saw Super Troopers, I didn’t laugh once. Then I watched it with friends who found it funny and now it’s one of my favorite comedies. Now, 16 years after the original we’re going to once again join our lovable State Troopers!
No official synopsis has been released.
Release date: TBA
The Dark Tower
While Stephen King is known primarily for being a master of horror, he’s also pretty damn incredible when it comes to fantasy. There have been attempts to bring The Gunslinger series to film and TV for years, so seeing it finally come to fruition is pretty incredible. Now we’ll just have to wait and see if the interminable wait was worth it.
Gunslinger Roland Deschain roams an Old West-like landscape in search of the dark tower, in the hopes that reaching it will preserve his dying world.
Release date: July 28th
The Fate of the Furious
The Fast and Furious franchise is strange in that it got more exciting and entertaining as series went on. Starting out as a rather dreadful action/heist film, it’s since evolved to include espionage, highly unrealistic action, and phenomenal set pieces, all on an international level. This eighth film looks like it plans on continuing that tradition and I’m 100% okay with that!
Now that Dom and Letty are on their honeymoon and Brian and Mia have retired from the game—and the rest of the crew has been exonerated—the globetrotting team has found a semblance of a normal life. But when a mysterious woman seduces Dom into the world of crime he can’t seem to escape and a betrayal of those closest to him, they will face trials that will test them as never before.
Release date: April 14th
The Mummy
Universal resurrecting (no pun intended) their classic monsters for a new cinematic universe is one of the most exciting and ambitious plans in Hollywood at the moment, in my opinion. These are creatures that are known and loved by multiple generations, so attempting to craft a new series of films that are all interwoven and interconnected is no easy task. For that alone, I’m incredibly excited to see how they start things off!
Side note: you should check out Daniel Baldwin’s theories on what this film could offer.
Thought safely entombed in a crypt deep beneath the desert, an ancient princess whose destiny was unjustly taken from her is awakened in the modern era, bringing with her malevolence grown over millennia and terrors that defy human comprehension.
Release date: June 9th
Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets
Luc Besson is the man who brought us The Fifth Element, so if he wants to brings us another space opera then you damn well better believe I’m 100% on board.
In the 28th century, special operatives Valerian (Dane DeHaan) and Laureline (Cara Delevingne) maintain order throughout the universe for the government of the human territories. Under orders from their commander (Clive Owen), the duo embark on a mission to Alpha, an intergalactic city where diverse species share their technology and resources for the betterment of all. The ever-expanding metropolis is also home to sinister forces that jeopardize the future of mankind.
Release date: July 21st
War for the Planet of the Apes
What many once considered to be a bad idea in rebooting has since become one of the most interesting and beautifully constructed set of films to come out in recent years. If for nothing else, these films should be lauded for the absolutely stunning CGI work that went into creating the apes. Luckily, they also have some damn great writing and talent behind them, making them genuinely great films.
Following the events of ‘Dawn of the Planet of the Apes’, Caesar and his ape colony are embroiled in a battle with an army of humans. When the apes suffer heavy losses, Caesar wrestles with his darker instincts as he resolves to avenge his kind. The battle puts Caesar against the humans’ leader, a ruthless Colonel, in an encounter that will determine the fate of their species and Earth’s future.
Release date: July 14th
World War Z 2
I’m that rare guy who really enjoyed the 2013 film, although I’ll 100% concede that it doesn’t come anywhere close to the majesty that is the book. Still, I feel like there are a lot of stories that could be crafted from Brooks’ novel and I hope that this sequel will begin to do it justice.
No official synopsis has been released.
Release date: TBA
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Aberrant Dabbler
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Stephen