Sequels to "The Purge," "Ride Along," and "Best Exotic Marigold Hotel" receive release dates, Fox Searchlight and Weinstein also announce new release dates

This is only part one of my release dates update for today (part 2 will feature some really interesting films) but there are already quite a few films worth talking about. From Sundance hits like Calvary and Wish I Was Here to major commercial blockbusters like The Purge: Anarchy to acclaimed films like Snowpiercer, there are already quite a few films in this batch that are worth looking forward to. Let's take a closer look:

First up on our list is The Purge: Anarchy. This sequel to 2013's The Purge tells a completely different story with different actors. Originally slated for release on June 20, 2014, Universal has now moved Anarchy to July 18, 2014. The film will now face off against Jupiter Ascending, Warner Bros. big-budget sci-fi film. I'm much more interested in the latter film, but the trailer for Anarchy looked promising as well. All in all, look for The Purge 2 to be a sizable hit. 

Next up is Ride Along 2 from Universal. This sequel to the dreadful comedy Ride Along will reunite stars Kevin Hart, Ice Cube and Tika Sumpter for more cliche-ridden garbage. Three cheers for Hollywood! Ride Along 2 will be released on January 15, 2016, which is identical to the date that is predecessor was released on earlier this year. 

Focus Features announced the release dates for two of their most interesting upcoming films recently. First is Zach Braff's Wish I Was Here, the Sundance smash which has received a lot of buzz over the last year or so for Braff's controversial use of Kickstarter to fund the film. Focus Features picked the film up at Sundance and it will now be released on July 18, 2014. Wish I Was Here stars Braff, Josh Gad, Kate Hudson, Ashley Greene, Jim Parson, Mandy Patinkin, Joey King and many more stars and will almost certainly be a limited release hit. 

Next up for Focus is Kill the Messenger, a film which will most definitely be an Oscar contender. Kill the Messenger stars Jeremy Renner as Gary Webb, the journalist who exposed the CIA's role in arming the Contra rebels. The film tells the story of how Webb was driven to suicide because of the CIA's aggressive campaign to discredit him. Kill the Messenger will be released on October 10, 2014, which is a prime Oscar date. I'm really looking forward to this one. 

Popular indie studio A24 also set the release dates for two of their most exciting upcoming properties. First is Laggies, a comedy from director Lynn Shelton that stars Keira Knightley, Chloe Moretz and Sam Rockwell. Laggies received solid reviews at Sundance and is now set for a September 26, 2014 release date. A24's other film is one that interests me much more, The Rover. The film stars Robert Pattinson, Guy Pearce and David Field and is set in a post-apocalyptic future. The Rover is now set for a June 13, 2014 release date. 

This seems to be the time of year for the major independent studios to set up release dates for their summer releases, as Harvey Weinstein seems to be putting everything on the table. First, TWC announced that The Railway Man, a Colin Firth and Nicole Kidman-starred WWII drama will be released on April 11, 2014, which is only a few weeks away. I doubt that this one will be a serious Oscar contender. A May 23, 2014 release date for Tracks, an adventure drama starring Mia Wasikowska and Adam Driver was also announced by Weinstein. Finally, Radius-TWC, Harvey's VOD division, announced that Snowpiercer, the much-anticipated sci-fi drama will be released on June 27, 2014. I'm really pumped for that one. 

Finally, Fox Searchlight announced the release date for The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel 2, the sequel to the 2012 surprise hit. Judi Dench, Maggie Smith, Richard Gere, Bill Nighy, David Strathairn and Dev Patel will all appear in this sequel, which is set to release on March 6, 2015. I never saw the first one but I heard a lot of good things from friends. 

That's it for now, but I'll be back later with some interesting Marvel news!