Even though the calendar year of 2017 is coming to an end, there's still much to discuss when it comes to one of the most impressive movie years in recent memory. I know I say this every year, but I feel like there was something truly special about the crop of films that came out in 2017. Although I'm still finalizing my Top 25 list, it's safe to say that it'll be jam-packed with blockbusters, as Hollywood cinema delivered some of the most thought-provoking, eye-popping spectacles of this decade. Christopher Nolan gave us a war masterpiece with Dunkirk, Rian Johnson, Matt Reeves, and Denis Villeneuve created sci-fi sequels for the ages, Pixar came roaring back with the downright gorgeous Coco, and Edgar Wright finally got his first mainstream hit with the car chase musical Baby Driver. And beyond the big-budget arena, Darren Aronofsky's mother! emerged as a daring fever dream, Kumail Nanjiani and Emily V. Gordon brought their beautiful love story to life with The Big Sick, and Kogonada crafted a contemplative directorial debut with Columbus.
Simply put, it'll be hard to top 2017.
But 2018 has no shortage of enticing cinematic options, and it's sure to be another tremendous year for movies. While there doesn't appear to be anything as bold as, say, Blade Runner 2049 in the blockbuster realm, who in their right mind isn't excited to see the beginning of the end for the Marvel Cinematic Universe with Avengers: Infinity War? Damien Chazelle and Barry Jenkins will be back in the thick of the awards race, the long-awaited Incredibles 2 will finally reach the big screen, and Jeremy Saulnier and Wes Anderson will return with new movies. From franchise entries like Mission: Impossible 6 and Deadpool 2 to original sci-fi projects like Annihilation and Ready Player One, 2018 is full of enticing options. But before we dive into my Top 25, here are a few special/honorable mentions for what looks to be a highly promising year!
SPECIAL MENTIONS
Okay, so there's no guarantee that these movies will even be released in 2018. And if they are, I probably won't see them until 2019. There are many films on my list that are currently TBA, but these films stand out because they have been mentioned repeatedly as 2019 releases. However, I would be remiss if I didn't include Martin Scorsese's The Irishman, a long-gestating mob drama that is finally getting off the ground thanks to the good people at Netflix. With a cast that features big names such as Al Pacino, Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci, Bobby Cannavale, Anna Paquin, Jesse Plemons, Jack Huston, Harvey Keitel, Stephen Graham, and Ray Romano, this looks like it has the potential to be another Scorsese gangster classic. And even though he has plenty of projects still in the works (including several with frequent collaborator Leonardo DiCaprio), this unique take on the Jimmy Hoffa killing feels like a swan song for a certain chapter in the legendary filmmaker's career. If I knew for sure that The Irishman would be on the streaming platform by December 31, 2018, trust me, this would be near the very top of my list.
The second film is Ad Astra, the new sci-fi epic from Lost City of Z director James Gray. I hadn't even thought of placing this on my list, since it's officially set for release on January 11, 2019. However, The Playlist included it on their spectacular, fully comprehensive list of the 100 Most Anticipated Films of 2018, and considering my excitement for the film, I felt that it warranted a special mention. Led by the one-two punch of Brad Pitt and Tommy Lee Jones, with supporting turns from Ruth Negga and Donald Sutherland, Ad Astra sounds like a weighty, thrillingly strange sci-fi adventure. The aforementioned Lost City of Z remains one of the most singular filmmaking achievements of 2017, and I'm certainly intrigued to see what Gray does with this material.
HONORABLE MENTIONS
2018 CLOVERFIELD MOVIE- 10 Cloverfield Lane is perhaps one of the greatest cinematic surprises of the last decade. Dan Trachtenberg's brilliant sci-fi thriller was in development for a long time under a different name, but when producer J.J. Abrams raised the curtain and revealed a Cloverfield connection, people went bananas. The two films are loosely linked, but I love the idea of this franchise becoming The Twilight Zone for a modern generation. Some have scoffed at the idea of establishing a connection where there really isn't one, but if it gets people to see small-scale sci-fi movies, then I'm all for it. The 2018 chapter in the Cloverfield franchise was originally titled God Particle, and it features a cast that includes David Oyelowo, Daniel Bruhl, Elizabeth Debicki, Chris O'Dowd, and Gugu Mbatha-Raw. Just a month before its release, we've still seen absolutely nothing. Which, quite frankly, is an amazing accomplishment. Will it live up to its predecessor? We'll see. FEBRUARY 2
THE NEW MUTANTS- I love the fact that Fox is (currently) allowing the X-Men franchise to experiment with style and genre, and the results have been pretty terrific thus far. Deadpool's overtly comedic approach made it the most influential superhero movie since The Dark Knight, while Logan embraced its R rating to create a monumental Western thriller. The New Mutants, with its lack of recognizable characters or famous superstars, may just be the riskiest X-Men project yet. This is a straight-up horror film, and the trailer teased a genuinely frightening haunted house adventure that just happened to feature superheroes. Director Josh Boone is best known for The Fault in Our Stars, so this is definitely bold new territory for him as well. But with a cast led by Charlie Heaton, Maisie Williams, and Anya Taylor-Joy, this could be really special. APRIL 13
SICARIO 2: SOLDADO- A sequel to a film that works well as a stand-alone sounds like a truly awful idea on paper, but I'm excited for Soldado for one pretty big reason- Taylor Sheridan. No, Denis Villeneuve isn't coming back to direct, but Sheridan's return as screenwriter has me equally thrilled. The actor-turned-filmmaker has been on an unstoppable run the last few years, writing Sicario and the Oscar-nominated Hell or High Water, and then directing icy noir Wind River, one of 2017's best films. Soldado will continue the ambiguous drug war that was already raging in the original film, with Josh Brolin and Benicio Del Toro reprising their roles. Matthew Modine, Isabela Moner, and Catherine Keener join the cast, and Italian director Stefano Sollima will be at the helm. This could be a massive disaster, but I'm putting my trust in Sheridan. JUNE 29
THE HAPPYTIME MURDERS- This is one of those concepts that is just too awesome to pass up. The script for The Happytime Murders has been on the Blacklist for years, but thanks to the work of The Henson Company and STX Entertainment, this bawdy puppet crime comedy will finally be heading to the big screen. The story follows a puppet LAPD Detective who is investigating the murders of cast members from a popular television show, and the concept art is as hilarious as you might imagine. Throw in a cast led by Melissa McCarthy, Elizabeth Banks, Maya Rudolph, and Joel McHale, and you have what just might be my most anticipated comedy of the year. AUGUST 17
SPIDER-MAN: INTO THE SPIDER-VERSE- It'll be a little while until we see Phil Lord and Christopher Miller behind the camera again with their adaptation of Andy Weir's Artemis, but I'm excited to see how Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, their latest effort as producers of unique animation, pans out. Spider-Man: Homecoming was a fun Marvel movie that I ended up being surprisingly mixed on, as Tom Holland's version of the character diverged wildly from the web-slinger that I saw on screen throughout my childhood. That being said, I'm more willing to bend the rules in animation, and I'm thrilled to see Spider-Man in a big-budget cartoon. The first trailer was eye-popping, catching my attention immediately. Hopefully the rest of the film lives up to that vibrant clip. DECEMBER 14
MARY POPPINS RETURNS- Disney is on a quest to remake or reboot every single one of its classic properties- nothing is safe now that the Mouse House has dollar signs in its eyes. They've been hit or miss so far, but I'm actually quite curious to see what they do with Mary Poppins Returns. Unlike last year's The Jungle Book or this year's Beauty and the Beast, Returns is a direct sequel to the 1964 classic. That itself makes it a much more interesting proposition than a Poppins reboot, and I'm intrigued to see what director Rob Marshall (Chicago and Into the Woods) does with the material. And that cast- Emily Blunt, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Ben Whishaw, Colin Firth, Meryl Streep, Emily Mortimer, Julie Walters, Angela Lansbury, and even a cameo from Dick Van Dyke- is absolutely spectacular. I have high hopes for this one. DECEMBER 25
FREAKSHIFT- I was really hoping that Free Fire would turn out to be a bigger hit for director Ben Wheatley, but unfortunately, the film bombed in America. I was lucky enough to get the chance to see it at TIFF 2016 with an enthusiastic crowd, which made all the difference in the world. Wheatley is sticking in the action genre with Freakshift, a movie about people who hunt and kill nocturnal monsters. It's an awesome concept, and Wheatley has the epic trio of Armie Hammer, Alicia Vikander, and American Honey's Sasha Lane leading the cast. This sounds like a brilliant genre throwback, and I'm excited to see Wheatley move into the big-budget realm. TBA
THE MAN WHO KILLED DON QUIXOTE- Terry Gilliam has been hit or miss with critics and audiences over the past two decades, but anticipation is sky-high for The Man Who Killed Don Quixote, which the filmmaker has been working on for years. The IMDb logline suggests a film that jumps back and forth between the 21st and 17th centuries, which could prove to be quite interesting. The cast includes Adam Driver, Stellan Skarsgard, Olga Kurylenko, and Brazil's Jonathan Pryce, but the real draw here is the filmmaker. The Man Who Killed Don Quixote is practically an urban legend in cinephile circles, and its premiere will be one of the biggest events of 2018. TBA
MUTE- It was once assumed that Mute would be released sometime in 2017 (it's been in post-production for over a year now), but Netflix was focused on the December premiere of Bright. So I guess we have something to look forward to in 2018. Supposedly some kind of companion piece to Jones' acclaimed sci-fi film Moon, Mute follows a mute bartender who fights gangsters in a Blade Runner-like future. Not much to go on, but the idea is fascinating. Alexander Skarsgard, Justin Theroux, Paul Rudd, and Sam Rockwell lead the cast, making this one of the more promising original sci-fi films of 2018. TBA
THE SISTERS BROTHERS- I'm not nearly as familiar with the work of French filmmaker Jacques Audiard (A Prophet, Rust and Bone) as I should be, but his English language debut already sounds like a can't miss experience. The Sisters Brothers is the story of a prospector being chased by two assassins in the Pacific Northwest in the 1850s, which sounds like an interesting Western setup in and of itself. But then there's the matter of the cast, led by Jake Gyllenhaal, Joaquin Phoenix, John C. Reilly, Riz Ahmed, and Rutger Hauer. Gyllenhaal and Phoenix are two of the best actors working today, and I can't wait to see them together in this film, which will be distributed by indie rockstars Annapurna. TBA
Now, without further ado, here are my Top 25 Most Anticipated Films of 2018!
25. BAD TIMES AT THE EL ROYALE- October 5
Image courtesy of Lionsgate
Nobody knows what Bad Times at the El Royale is about. Seriously, this movie is shrouded in absolute secrecy. We know this much- the film is written and directed by Drew Goddard, it stars Chris Hemsworth and Jeff Bridges, and it centers on a "dilapidated hotel in the Lake Tahoe region in California." And that's enough to get me excited. Drew Goddard is a compelling voice in modern genre cinema, and his star is definitely on the rise. He received an Oscar nomination for writing the screenplay for Ridley Scott's The Martian, but his first directorial gig was The Cabin in the Woods, one of the strangest and most subversive horror films of the decade. Bad Times at the El Royale is his first effort behind the camera since that 2012 film, but if his involvement with the upcoming X-Force movie is any indication (another Fox production), we could see something really special here.
24. HALLOWEEN- October 19
Image: IMDB
Do we really need another installment in the Halloween franchise? Absolutely not. Am I incredibly intrigued by this one nonetheless? You bet I am.
Nine years after Rob Zombie completed his version of the story of Michael Myers, the iconic serial killer will be returning to the big screen. Even though the Halloween saga has seen numerous sequels since the 1978 original, this reboot/sequel will be a direct continuation of John Carpenter's classic. Jamie Lee Curtis is returning to play tough-as-nails heroine Laurie Strode, and Judy Greer will be playing her daughter. But the more interesting developments are going on behind-the-scenes, as this film will be directed by David Gordon Green, co-written by Danny McBride, and produced by Jason Blum, with Carpenter himself returning to craft the musical score. It could all go very, very wrong, but it's a cocktail of ideas too fascinating to pass up.
23. YOU WERE NEVER REALLY HERE- April 6
Image: IMDB/Amazon
In a year that saw the Cannes Film Festival debut a surprising amount of highly divisive films, there was only one movie that pretty much everyone liked- Lynne Ramsay's You Were Never Really Here. The brutal action flick was finished just in time, and it blew everyone away as the festival reached its end. Normally, a response like that from the French critics would result in an Oscar campaign and a prime release date. But since this film is billed as "Taxi Driver meets Drive," distributor Amazon probably isn't expecting it to get much love from the Academy. Nonetheless, this is one of my most anticipated films of 2018- You Were Never Really Here looks like an absolute knockout. Joaquin Phoenix as a Travis Bickle-inspired character, music by PTA collaborator Jonny Greenwood, and a runtime of only 85 minutes? I'm so in.
22. WIDOWS- November 16
Image: IMDB/Fox Searchlight
Steve McQueen has only three directorial credits under his belt, but he's already one of the most important voices in global cinema today. After the brutal one-two punch of Hunger and Shame, McQueen took his talents to a new level with 12 Years a Slave, one of the most essential narrative films of the 21st century. After a lengthy hiatus, McQueen is back with Widows, which follows four widows who bond together to shape their own destiny after their husbands are killed in a criminal war. And for this one, McQueen has assembled a genuinely insane cast- Viola Davis, Carrie Coon, Michelle Rodriguez, Elizabeth Debicki, Liam Neeson, Colin Farrell, John Bernthal, Robert Duvall, Andre Holland, Daniel Kaluuya, Jacki Weaver, Lukas Haas, Kevin J. O'Connor, Manuel Garcia-Rulfo, and the list goes on from there. This is certainly a different direction for McQueen, but with his track record, I think he'll be able to pull it off.
21. APOSTLE- TBA
Image: IMDB/Netflix
With the announcement that Gareth Evans is making a Deathstroke movie for Warner Bros., the director's profile is about to rise astronomically. But before he jumps into the DC Universe, Evans is taking a trip to Netflix for a film that sounds right in his wheelhouse. Set in the world of a religious cult, Apostle follows a man attempting to rescue his sister from the clutches of said cult. With a cast led by rising star Dan Stevens, Sing Street's Lucy Boynton, and Michael Sheen, this already sounds like a fascinating little project. But the real star here is Evans, who crafted some of the best action scenes of the 21s century with The Raid series. As someone who found The Raid 2 to be a significant step up in scale and storytelling for the filmmaker, I can't wait to see what he does with his English-language debut.
20. A WRINKLE IN TIME- March 9
Image: IMDB/Disney
Ava DuVernay has quickly become one of the most important directorial voices in the film industry, embodying diversity behind the camera and passionately fighting for equality at every moment. After the critical success of Selma and the vital documentary 13th, DuVernay is jumping up to the blockbuster league with A Wrinkle in Time, becoming the first African-American woman to helm a film with a budget of over $100 million. The trailers have detailed a feminist fantasy epic of the highest order, an adaptation of Madeleine L'Engle's classic novel that looks as gorgeous as it does innovative. With a cast led by newcomer Storm Reid, Chris Pine, Reese Witherspoon, Mindy Kaling, Better Watch Out's Levi Miller, and none other than Oprah Winfrey herself, A Wrinkle in Time would be an interesting film no matter who was directing. But with DuVernay behind the camera, this is instantly one of the can't-miss events of 2018.
19. BACKSEAT- TBA
Image: Paramount/IMDB
After years of working in the realm of goofy comedy, producing and directing films like Talladega Nights and Anchorman, Adam McKay surprised everyone in 2015 with The Big Short. Both a riotous financial satire and a devastating political statement, the Oscar-winning drama became something of a sensation, indicating that McKay could do more than just team up with Will Ferrell. Three years later, McKay is returning to theaters with Backseat, a political drama about the rise to power of former Vice President Dick Cheney. Christian Bale is playing the embattled politician, with Amy Adams, Sam Rockwell, Alison Pill, Bill Pullman, Steve Carell, Shea Wigham, and Tyler Perry rounding out the supporting cast. This is a surefire Oscar contender for 2018, and if McKay's last directorial effort is any sign, Backseat could be an incisive, hilarious ride.
18. UNDER THE SILVER LAKE- TBA
Image courtesy of Lionsgate
Under the Silver Lake was originally supposed to hit theaters in 2017, and judging by a few tidbits I've seen on Twitter, the film is done and people have seen it. Despite still popping up on the A24 website, there's no information on Under the Silver Lake's release date, so who knows when we're going to see this thing. Nonetheless, I'm still maintaining a pretty high degree of excitement for David Robert Mitchell's follow-up to It Follows, a stylish film that I didn't quite love as much as everyone else. Mitchell is clearly an impressive filmmaker, and a dark and seedy L.A.-set noir with Andrew Garfield, Riley Keough, and Grace Van Patten is an enticing proposition. And the fact that A24 is releasing it? Icing on the cake.
17. THE FAVOURITE- TBA
Image courtesy of A24
In 2017, Yorgos Lanthimos once again released an uncompromising, strange, and absolutely insane film in the form of The Killing of the Sacred Deer, which ended up being another divisive chapter in the director's career. With some accusing the Greek auteur of bordering on self-parody, it seems fitting that his next film is completely different from anything else he's done before. The Favourite is billed as a "bawdy, acerbic tale," words that I certainly wouldn't use to describe The Lobster or the aforementioned Sacred Deer. The film follows the 18th century court of Queen Anne, and it stars Emma Stone, Olivia Colman, Rachel Weisz, Nicholas Hoult, and Joe Alwyn. Early word is that this one will please even the Lanthimos doubters, and the fact that it's being distributed by Fox Searchlight leads me to believe that this will be a fairly mainstream outing. As a fan of Lanthimos, this could be a treat. I'm expecting a Cannes premiere for this one.
16. SUSPIRIA- TBA
Image: IMDB
I watched Dario Argento's Suspiria for the very first time earlier this year (not the new 4K restoration though), and it truly lives up to its reputation. The 1977 classic of giallo horror is colorful and campy, decadent and brilliant, a slice of madness that features an absolutely bonkers plot. It's a horror masterpiece- so why would anyone even think about remaking it? Well, when that someone is Luca Guadagnino, things get a little more interesting. Guadagnino first emerged on my radar with 2016's A Bigger Splash, a sultry, sun-baked thriller that blew itself up in the third act. But Guadagnino achieved a different level of stardom this year, thanks to the runaway success of the critically-acclaimed romance Call Me By Your Name. Expectations are now higher than ever for his rendition of Suspiria, which is being framed as more of a re-imagining than a straight remake. With a rumored runtime of close to 3 hours and a cast that includes Dakota Johnson, Chloe Grace Moretz, and Tilda Swinton, Suspiria has the potential to be a unique and frightening horror treat.
15. SOLO: A STAR WARS STORY- May 25
Image: IMDB/Lucasfilm
Star Wars: The Last Jedi is one of my favorite films of 2017, but that doesn't mean I'm sold on Lucasfilm's entire direction for the Star Wars franchise. Giving Rian Johnson his own trilogy? Brilliant! Taking away the Han Solo spin-off movie from LEGO Movie geniuses Phil Lord and Christopher Miller at the last minute? Oh, no!
The film, which is now titled Solo: A Star Wars Story, originally would have placed much higher on this list. I was thrilled to see Lord and Miller get their chance to make a big-budget Star Wars movie, and with a cast led by Alden Ehrenreich, Donald Glover, Emilia Clarke, and Woody Harrelson, this film looked like pure gold. But the behind-the-scenes drama between Lord and Miller and Lucasfilm chief Kathleen Kennedy, a clash that resulted in the firing of two prominent directors and the subsequent hiring of Ron Howard, has cast a large shadow over this film. Howard is a talented director, and there's a good chance that this still ends up being an entertaining Star Wars movie. But it could also end up looking like Ant-Man, where the potential of what could have been looms over everything else.
14. RALPH BREAKS THE INTERNET: WRECK-IT RALPH 2- November 21
Image: IMDB/Disney
Out of all the great movies Disney has made over the last few years, Wreck-It Ralph feels the most like a Pixar idea that just never quite got off the ground. But in the hands of director Rich Moore, the brilliant story of a video game villain who just wants to be loved ended up being a wonderful, emotionally resonant journey. Six years later, we're finally getting a sequel- and this time, John C. Reilly's Ralph and Sarah Silverman's Vanellope are heading to the internet. Based on the plot synopsis and the IMDb cast list, I have no idea what to expect- currently credited are the voice actors for virtually every single Disney princess movie. But this is a sequel to a movie that I've grown to love more and more over the years, and I'm excited to see what Moore and co-director Phil Johnston do with the material. Disney doesn't have a great reputation with sequels, but if any movie deserves a proper treatment, it's Wreck-It Ralph.
13. JURASSIC WORLD: FALLEN KINGDOM- June 22
Image: Universal/IMDB
The first trailer for Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom was.....not good. After a week of building anticipation, Universal released a teaser that showcased a weirdly muted visual palette, while simultaneously feeling poorly edited for such a major trailer. However, one bad first look isn't going to dim my excitement for Fallen Kingdom, the sequel to what I believe is one of the most purely enjoyable popcorn movies in recent memory. I know I'm alone on this one, but I stand by it. This time around, A Monster Calls and The Impossible's J.A. Bayona is in the director's chair, hopefully adding some bone-chilling scares to a formula that seems more suitable for blockbuster action at this point. I still have my doubts here, but there's no denying that I'll be at the theater on opening night for Fallen Kingdom. I'm a sucker for a good summer blockbuster, and this one could deliver the goods.
12. READY PLAYER ONE- March 30
Image: IMDB/WB
As I've said in my breakdowns of the various Ready Player One trailers, this movie could go really, really wrong. At one point, this would have been a shoo-in for the #1 slot on the list. But the first trailer was radically different than I expected, and I realized that I had bitten into the hype in a way that had skewed my perceptions. The second trailer, released earlier this month, was far superior, and I'm definitely thrilled to see Steven Spielberg back in blockbuster mode. Ready Player One looks as energetic and engaging as anything he's made in decades, and in a best case scenario, this ends up being a pop filmmaking achievement on par with the films that inspired it. But with all of the technological innovations and the controversial source material, Ready Player One could end up falling victim to its ambitions, resulting in a mess of a movie. It could go either way- but I'm enormously intrigued to see how it all plays out.
11. ANNIHILATION- February 23
Image: Paramount/IMDB
Alex Garland's Annihilation was originally set to hit theaters in 2017, but Paramount booted it to February 2018 to allow for more breathing room for their other awards favorites. Though on a side note, they're probably regretting this decision after the relative failure of mother!, the disastrous critical and financial performance of Suburbicon, and the disappointment of Downsizing. Anyways, Annihilation looks out of this world, and I cannot wait to see what Garland does with another heady, bold science fiction project. Remember, this is the guy who made Ex Machina, probably the best movie about artificial intelligence yet (it grew on me on a second viewing). And this time around, he's tackling a movie about......something. Seriously, watch this trailer and give me any kind of plot synopsis- it's impossible. Natalie Portman plays a biologist who goes looking for her missing husband (played by Oscar Isaac), and then things get weird from there. It looks like a blend of Apocalypse Now and a sci-fi nightmare, and if that doesn't excite you, I don't know what to say.
10. UNTITLED DEADPOOL SEQUEL- June 1
Image: Fox/IMDB
Deadpool was a quirky and delightfully violent breath of fresh air in 2016, and the expectation is that the so-called Untitled Deadpool Sequel will be an even more wild and madcap adventure. Ryan Reynolds is returning to play the Merc with a Mouth, and judging by the character's omnipresence over the past two years, this follow-up will be an even bigger smash than the original. Atomic Blonde and John Wick director David Leitch is taking over for Tim Miller, with famous faces like Josh Brolin, Zazie Beetz, Eddie Marsan, and Hunt for the Wilderpeople's Julian Dennison joining the cast. The plot synopsis given by Fox is so bizarre and abstract that it's impossible to say with any certainty what this movie will actually be about, but personally, I'm excited to see a superhero blockbuster that dips into a kind of absurd strangeness that we've never seen before.
9. THE PREDATOR- August 3
Image: Fox
I have never seen the original Predator. Does that make me a bad movie fan? I dunno. With that in mind, you're probably wondering why this reboot is so high on my list. The answer is simple- it's a Shane Black movie. While I enjoy both Iron Man 3 and Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, my pure adoration for The Nice Guys is no secret. I love that movie with every fiber of my being, and it made me a Shane Black fan for life. After starring in a supporting role in the original film, Black is directing and co-writing (with Monster Squad scribe Fred Dekker) this reboot/sequel, which will reportedly be a radically different take on the story. The cast, led by Jacob Tremblay, Boyd Holbrook, Trevante Rhodes, Olivia Munn, Yvonne Strahovski, Edward James Olmos, and many more, is absolutely spectacular, and I have a feeling that Black will deliver something subversive and wildly entertaining. Hopefully he can end the summer movie season with a bang in August.
8. MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE 6- July 27
Image: Paramount/IMDB
Tom Cruise is getting too old for this sh*t.
No, seriously, I don't think he can keep doing these movies. He got hurt on the set of Mission: Impossible 6, the latest adventure in the popular and critically acclaimed spy series, temporarily causing a delay in production while he recovered. With rumblings that Henry Cavill could take over for Cruise, there's a good chance that Christopher McQuarrie's follow-up to the thrilling Rogue Nation goes down as the famed actor's last ride as Ethan Hunt. The tale of this film's strange production will likely go down in cinephile lore (after all, this is the movie that caused Superman's messed up face in Justice League), but injuries and mustaches aside, there's no denying that the Mission: Impossible series is on a roll. Ghost Protocol and Rogue Nation are brilliant action films, and I have a feeling that this could be another wholly satisfying roller-coaster ride.
7. BLACK PANTHER- February 16
Image: IMDB/Marvel
After this year, I've decided that the secret to auteur-like freedom at Marvel lies in the screenplays. James Gunn wrote Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 2, but Taika Waititi did not have a hand in the script for Thor: Ragnarok, and there is a real, tangible difference in the spirit of those two films. I bring this up because Ryan Coogler is co-writing the screenplay for Black Panther, and I have a feeling the result is going to be a film that feels like his own distinct work. Coogler has already proven himself as an immensely talented and innovative filmmaker, thanks to the beloved Fruitvale Station and the utterly terrific Creed. With Black Panther, he gets to work on a bigger stage than ever before- and judging by the trailers, this film is going to be one of Marvel's most ambitious and incredible adventures yet. It's a much-needed step for diversity at the studio, and it also just looks like one hell of a thrill ride. Footage from Black Panther has drawn comparisons to the James Bond franchise, and there's no doubt that this movie looks slick and effortlessly awesome. And how about that cast? Chadwick Boseman, Michael B. Jordan, Lupita Nyong'o, Danai Gurira, Daniel Kaluyya, Martin Freeman, Andy Serkis, Angela Bassett, Forest Whitaker, Sterling K. Brown, and many more- I gotta say, this could very well be one of Marvel's best.
6. IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK- TBA
Image courtesy of A24
I know that some seasoned cinephiles were familiar with Barry Jenkins thanks to Medicine for Melancholy, his 2008 directorial debut, but it's safe to say that he took on a new level of fame in 2016 with the release of Moonlight. Jenkins' gorgeously rendered masterpiece took the film world by storm, eventually winning the Oscar for Best Picture in a shocking, groundbreaking upset. Even as one of the biggest fans of La La Land on the planet, I was equally thrilled by the raw power of Moonlight (surprise- you can like more than one movie), and it was a film that announced Jenkins as a filmmaker I needed to watch. Thankfully for us, it won't be 8 years before Jenkins' next project, as he's in post-production on If Beale Street Could Talk, an adaptation of the novel by James Baldwin. The cast is led by KiKi Layne, Stephan James, Dave Franco, and more, but if we're being honest, the real star here is Jenkins. How will he follow up one of the most acclaimed films of the century? I don't know, but I cannot wait to find out.
5. INCREDIBLES 2- June 15
Image: IMDB/Disney
When I turned 6 years old, I had my birthday party at a theater in Novi, Michigan. And on that day, my friends and I saw Pixar's The Incredibles. Almost 14 years after Pixar's most infamous cliffhanger, the superhero family is finally returning to the big screen for another adventure. Not much is known about Incredibles 2, despite the fact that we saw a brief teaser trailer for the film with Coco, the studio's latest masterpiece. Plot details have indicated a focus on Jack-Jack and Holly Hunter's Elastigirl, and Samuel L. Jackson will also be returning as the iconic Frozone. Even though I lamented Pixar's focus on sequels in the coming years, there's no denying that everyone in my generation has waited a very long time to see the Parr family back in action. Pixar hasn't delivered quite as many full-blown instant classics this decade, but with Brad Bird writing and directing this hotly-anticipated follow-up, I have a feeling it's going to be worth the wait.
4. HOLD THE DARK- TBA
Image courtesy of A24
I'm not someone who goes to the movies looking for gruesome gore and bone-crunching violence. I don't necessarily mind it- but it's rarely my reason for buying a ticket. That being said, Jeremy Saulnier's Green Room gave me a rush of adrenaline so extreme that it just left me wanting more. Despite the gnarly, vicious nature of the punks vs. Nazis horror thriller, I've revisited the film time and time again, just to relish the performances, the tight genre craftstmanship, and yes, the often horrific violence. I became an immediate fan and champion of Saulnier's work, which is why Hold the Dark places so high on a list dominated by blockbusters and films from famous auteurs. With his biggest film yet, Saulnier ventures into the Alaskan wilderness for an adaptation of William Giraldi's book that will likely be as terrifying and graphic as his previous films. The script is penned by frequent collaborator Macon Blair, and the cast includes great performers like Riley Keough, Alexander Skarsgard, Jeffrey Wright, and James Badge Dale. I don't know when Netflix plans on dropping this one, but I know that I'll be eagerly awaiting my first glance at Saulnier's latest.
3. ISLE OF DOGS- March 23
Image courtesy of Fox Searchlight
Wes Anderson has been on a roll since 2009's Fantastic Mr. Fox, and I see no reason why his hot streak won't continue with Isle of Dogs. The director's return to stop-motion animation comes four years after the release of The Grand Budapest Hotel, his greatest achievement and the film that got him significant Oscar attention for the first time. Anderson just keeps getting better and better as a filmmaker, and this fable about a boy searching for his lost dog on an island in Japan looks like another quirky, wonderfully fun adventure. With a cast led by both frequent Anderson collaborators (Jeff Goldblum, Bill Murray, Tilda Swinton) and newcomers (Scarlett Johansson, Greta Gerwig, Bryan Cranston), this looks like a delightful film with style to spare. I can't wait for another trip into the mind of one of the most daringly original and distinct auteurs working today.
2. FIRST MAN- October 12
Image courtesy of Lionsgate
If you've followed my writing over the years, you know why First Man is so high on this list. After the runaway success of La La Land, my favorite movie of 2016, Damien Chazelle and Ryan Gosling will be re-teaming for First Man, a biopic of iconic astronaut Neil Armstrong. It's a fascinating choice to jump into a big space biopic shortly after a splashy musical, but there are few directors I trust right now more than Chazelle. The La La Land hatred reached a fever pitch as Oscar season moved forward, but now that we're removed from the socio-political showdown over that film, I think we can properly acknowledge it as the masterpiece that it is. And in addition to that, Ryan Gosling has proven himself as one of the actors working today, having starred in some of the best movies of the last few years (Blade Runner 2049, The Nice Guys, among others). I'm thrilled to see the two of them re-team for a historical drama, and with a supporting cast that includes Claire Foy, Jon Bernthal, Kyle Chandler, and more, First Man is undoubtedly one of 2018's most promising offerings.
1. AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR- May 4
Image: IMDB/Marvel
Do I think that Avengers: Infinity War will be the best film of 2018? No, absolutely not.
Is it the cinematic event of the year? Indeed it is.
I tend to pick my most anticipated film of the year almost based on a kind of event status, an uncontrollable nerdy excitement that cannot be contained. Only in rare cases (The Nice Guys over Rogue One, for example) have I deviated from this rule. Infinity War is the culmination of a decade of Marvel stories- some have been brilliant, some have been mediocre, but it has all been leading to this. And as such, I am beyond thrilled to see this master plan come together. Joe and Anthony Russo delivered two of the better Marvel movies with the final two Captain America installments, proving that they can juggle several characters and storylines with stunning ease. Throw in a darker tone, a frequently teased villain, the introduction of the Guardians of the Galaxy, and the possible death of heroes we've come to know and love, and Infinity War has the potential to be a momentous blockbuster the likes of which we've never seen before. I can't wait to see how it all plays out, and even though I'd like to think my taste in movies has gotten more sophisticated, there's no denying that I'll be in the theater on opening night, ready to have my mind blown by what is sure to be the biggest Marvel movie of all time.
Until Avengers 4, of course.
Well, that's it for my most anticipated films of 2018. Here's to another great year for cinema!
Source: Various IMDB Pages
Simply put, it'll be hard to top 2017.
But 2018 has no shortage of enticing cinematic options, and it's sure to be another tremendous year for movies. While there doesn't appear to be anything as bold as, say, Blade Runner 2049 in the blockbuster realm, who in their right mind isn't excited to see the beginning of the end for the Marvel Cinematic Universe with Avengers: Infinity War? Damien Chazelle and Barry Jenkins will be back in the thick of the awards race, the long-awaited Incredibles 2 will finally reach the big screen, and Jeremy Saulnier and Wes Anderson will return with new movies. From franchise entries like Mission: Impossible 6 and Deadpool 2 to original sci-fi projects like Annihilation and Ready Player One, 2018 is full of enticing options. But before we dive into my Top 25, here are a few special/honorable mentions for what looks to be a highly promising year!
SPECIAL MENTIONS
Okay, so there's no guarantee that these movies will even be released in 2018. And if they are, I probably won't see them until 2019. There are many films on my list that are currently TBA, but these films stand out because they have been mentioned repeatedly as 2019 releases. However, I would be remiss if I didn't include Martin Scorsese's The Irishman, a long-gestating mob drama that is finally getting off the ground thanks to the good people at Netflix. With a cast that features big names such as Al Pacino, Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci, Bobby Cannavale, Anna Paquin, Jesse Plemons, Jack Huston, Harvey Keitel, Stephen Graham, and Ray Romano, this looks like it has the potential to be another Scorsese gangster classic. And even though he has plenty of projects still in the works (including several with frequent collaborator Leonardo DiCaprio), this unique take on the Jimmy Hoffa killing feels like a swan song for a certain chapter in the legendary filmmaker's career. If I knew for sure that The Irishman would be on the streaming platform by December 31, 2018, trust me, this would be near the very top of my list.
The second film is Ad Astra, the new sci-fi epic from Lost City of Z director James Gray. I hadn't even thought of placing this on my list, since it's officially set for release on January 11, 2019. However, The Playlist included it on their spectacular, fully comprehensive list of the 100 Most Anticipated Films of 2018, and considering my excitement for the film, I felt that it warranted a special mention. Led by the one-two punch of Brad Pitt and Tommy Lee Jones, with supporting turns from Ruth Negga and Donald Sutherland, Ad Astra sounds like a weighty, thrillingly strange sci-fi adventure. The aforementioned Lost City of Z remains one of the most singular filmmaking achievements of 2017, and I'm certainly intrigued to see what Gray does with this material.
HONORABLE MENTIONS
2018 CLOVERFIELD MOVIE- 10 Cloverfield Lane is perhaps one of the greatest cinematic surprises of the last decade. Dan Trachtenberg's brilliant sci-fi thriller was in development for a long time under a different name, but when producer J.J. Abrams raised the curtain and revealed a Cloverfield connection, people went bananas. The two films are loosely linked, but I love the idea of this franchise becoming The Twilight Zone for a modern generation. Some have scoffed at the idea of establishing a connection where there really isn't one, but if it gets people to see small-scale sci-fi movies, then I'm all for it. The 2018 chapter in the Cloverfield franchise was originally titled God Particle, and it features a cast that includes David Oyelowo, Daniel Bruhl, Elizabeth Debicki, Chris O'Dowd, and Gugu Mbatha-Raw. Just a month before its release, we've still seen absolutely nothing. Which, quite frankly, is an amazing accomplishment. Will it live up to its predecessor? We'll see. FEBRUARY 2
THE NEW MUTANTS- I love the fact that Fox is (currently) allowing the X-Men franchise to experiment with style and genre, and the results have been pretty terrific thus far. Deadpool's overtly comedic approach made it the most influential superhero movie since The Dark Knight, while Logan embraced its R rating to create a monumental Western thriller. The New Mutants, with its lack of recognizable characters or famous superstars, may just be the riskiest X-Men project yet. This is a straight-up horror film, and the trailer teased a genuinely frightening haunted house adventure that just happened to feature superheroes. Director Josh Boone is best known for The Fault in Our Stars, so this is definitely bold new territory for him as well. But with a cast led by Charlie Heaton, Maisie Williams, and Anya Taylor-Joy, this could be really special. APRIL 13
SICARIO 2: SOLDADO- A sequel to a film that works well as a stand-alone sounds like a truly awful idea on paper, but I'm excited for Soldado for one pretty big reason- Taylor Sheridan. No, Denis Villeneuve isn't coming back to direct, but Sheridan's return as screenwriter has me equally thrilled. The actor-turned-filmmaker has been on an unstoppable run the last few years, writing Sicario and the Oscar-nominated Hell or High Water, and then directing icy noir Wind River, one of 2017's best films. Soldado will continue the ambiguous drug war that was already raging in the original film, with Josh Brolin and Benicio Del Toro reprising their roles. Matthew Modine, Isabela Moner, and Catherine Keener join the cast, and Italian director Stefano Sollima will be at the helm. This could be a massive disaster, but I'm putting my trust in Sheridan. JUNE 29
THE HAPPYTIME MURDERS- This is one of those concepts that is just too awesome to pass up. The script for The Happytime Murders has been on the Blacklist for years, but thanks to the work of The Henson Company and STX Entertainment, this bawdy puppet crime comedy will finally be heading to the big screen. The story follows a puppet LAPD Detective who is investigating the murders of cast members from a popular television show, and the concept art is as hilarious as you might imagine. Throw in a cast led by Melissa McCarthy, Elizabeth Banks, Maya Rudolph, and Joel McHale, and you have what just might be my most anticipated comedy of the year. AUGUST 17
SPIDER-MAN: INTO THE SPIDER-VERSE- It'll be a little while until we see Phil Lord and Christopher Miller behind the camera again with their adaptation of Andy Weir's Artemis, but I'm excited to see how Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, their latest effort as producers of unique animation, pans out. Spider-Man: Homecoming was a fun Marvel movie that I ended up being surprisingly mixed on, as Tom Holland's version of the character diverged wildly from the web-slinger that I saw on screen throughout my childhood. That being said, I'm more willing to bend the rules in animation, and I'm thrilled to see Spider-Man in a big-budget cartoon. The first trailer was eye-popping, catching my attention immediately. Hopefully the rest of the film lives up to that vibrant clip. DECEMBER 14
MARY POPPINS RETURNS- Disney is on a quest to remake or reboot every single one of its classic properties- nothing is safe now that the Mouse House has dollar signs in its eyes. They've been hit or miss so far, but I'm actually quite curious to see what they do with Mary Poppins Returns. Unlike last year's The Jungle Book or this year's Beauty and the Beast, Returns is a direct sequel to the 1964 classic. That itself makes it a much more interesting proposition than a Poppins reboot, and I'm intrigued to see what director Rob Marshall (Chicago and Into the Woods) does with the material. And that cast- Emily Blunt, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Ben Whishaw, Colin Firth, Meryl Streep, Emily Mortimer, Julie Walters, Angela Lansbury, and even a cameo from Dick Van Dyke- is absolutely spectacular. I have high hopes for this one. DECEMBER 25
FREAKSHIFT- I was really hoping that Free Fire would turn out to be a bigger hit for director Ben Wheatley, but unfortunately, the film bombed in America. I was lucky enough to get the chance to see it at TIFF 2016 with an enthusiastic crowd, which made all the difference in the world. Wheatley is sticking in the action genre with Freakshift, a movie about people who hunt and kill nocturnal monsters. It's an awesome concept, and Wheatley has the epic trio of Armie Hammer, Alicia Vikander, and American Honey's Sasha Lane leading the cast. This sounds like a brilliant genre throwback, and I'm excited to see Wheatley move into the big-budget realm. TBA
THE MAN WHO KILLED DON QUIXOTE- Terry Gilliam has been hit or miss with critics and audiences over the past two decades, but anticipation is sky-high for The Man Who Killed Don Quixote, which the filmmaker has been working on for years. The IMDb logline suggests a film that jumps back and forth between the 21st and 17th centuries, which could prove to be quite interesting. The cast includes Adam Driver, Stellan Skarsgard, Olga Kurylenko, and Brazil's Jonathan Pryce, but the real draw here is the filmmaker. The Man Who Killed Don Quixote is practically an urban legend in cinephile circles, and its premiere will be one of the biggest events of 2018. TBA
MUTE- It was once assumed that Mute would be released sometime in 2017 (it's been in post-production for over a year now), but Netflix was focused on the December premiere of Bright. So I guess we have something to look forward to in 2018. Supposedly some kind of companion piece to Jones' acclaimed sci-fi film Moon, Mute follows a mute bartender who fights gangsters in a Blade Runner-like future. Not much to go on, but the idea is fascinating. Alexander Skarsgard, Justin Theroux, Paul Rudd, and Sam Rockwell lead the cast, making this one of the more promising original sci-fi films of 2018. TBA
THE SISTERS BROTHERS- I'm not nearly as familiar with the work of French filmmaker Jacques Audiard (A Prophet, Rust and Bone) as I should be, but his English language debut already sounds like a can't miss experience. The Sisters Brothers is the story of a prospector being chased by two assassins in the Pacific Northwest in the 1850s, which sounds like an interesting Western setup in and of itself. But then there's the matter of the cast, led by Jake Gyllenhaal, Joaquin Phoenix, John C. Reilly, Riz Ahmed, and Rutger Hauer. Gyllenhaal and Phoenix are two of the best actors working today, and I can't wait to see them together in this film, which will be distributed by indie rockstars Annapurna. TBA
Now, without further ado, here are my Top 25 Most Anticipated Films of 2018!
25. BAD TIMES AT THE EL ROYALE- October 5
Image courtesy of Lionsgate
Nobody knows what Bad Times at the El Royale is about. Seriously, this movie is shrouded in absolute secrecy. We know this much- the film is written and directed by Drew Goddard, it stars Chris Hemsworth and Jeff Bridges, and it centers on a "dilapidated hotel in the Lake Tahoe region in California." And that's enough to get me excited. Drew Goddard is a compelling voice in modern genre cinema, and his star is definitely on the rise. He received an Oscar nomination for writing the screenplay for Ridley Scott's The Martian, but his first directorial gig was The Cabin in the Woods, one of the strangest and most subversive horror films of the decade. Bad Times at the El Royale is his first effort behind the camera since that 2012 film, but if his involvement with the upcoming X-Force movie is any indication (another Fox production), we could see something really special here.
24. HALLOWEEN- October 19
Image: IMDB
Do we really need another installment in the Halloween franchise? Absolutely not. Am I incredibly intrigued by this one nonetheless? You bet I am.
Nine years after Rob Zombie completed his version of the story of Michael Myers, the iconic serial killer will be returning to the big screen. Even though the Halloween saga has seen numerous sequels since the 1978 original, this reboot/sequel will be a direct continuation of John Carpenter's classic. Jamie Lee Curtis is returning to play tough-as-nails heroine Laurie Strode, and Judy Greer will be playing her daughter. But the more interesting developments are going on behind-the-scenes, as this film will be directed by David Gordon Green, co-written by Danny McBride, and produced by Jason Blum, with Carpenter himself returning to craft the musical score. It could all go very, very wrong, but it's a cocktail of ideas too fascinating to pass up.
23. YOU WERE NEVER REALLY HERE- April 6
Image: IMDB/Amazon
In a year that saw the Cannes Film Festival debut a surprising amount of highly divisive films, there was only one movie that pretty much everyone liked- Lynne Ramsay's You Were Never Really Here. The brutal action flick was finished just in time, and it blew everyone away as the festival reached its end. Normally, a response like that from the French critics would result in an Oscar campaign and a prime release date. But since this film is billed as "Taxi Driver meets Drive," distributor Amazon probably isn't expecting it to get much love from the Academy. Nonetheless, this is one of my most anticipated films of 2018- You Were Never Really Here looks like an absolute knockout. Joaquin Phoenix as a Travis Bickle-inspired character, music by PTA collaborator Jonny Greenwood, and a runtime of only 85 minutes? I'm so in.
22. WIDOWS- November 16
Image: IMDB/Fox Searchlight
Steve McQueen has only three directorial credits under his belt, but he's already one of the most important voices in global cinema today. After the brutal one-two punch of Hunger and Shame, McQueen took his talents to a new level with 12 Years a Slave, one of the most essential narrative films of the 21st century. After a lengthy hiatus, McQueen is back with Widows, which follows four widows who bond together to shape their own destiny after their husbands are killed in a criminal war. And for this one, McQueen has assembled a genuinely insane cast- Viola Davis, Carrie Coon, Michelle Rodriguez, Elizabeth Debicki, Liam Neeson, Colin Farrell, John Bernthal, Robert Duvall, Andre Holland, Daniel Kaluuya, Jacki Weaver, Lukas Haas, Kevin J. O'Connor, Manuel Garcia-Rulfo, and the list goes on from there. This is certainly a different direction for McQueen, but with his track record, I think he'll be able to pull it off.
21. APOSTLE- TBA
Image: IMDB/Netflix
With the announcement that Gareth Evans is making a Deathstroke movie for Warner Bros., the director's profile is about to rise astronomically. But before he jumps into the DC Universe, Evans is taking a trip to Netflix for a film that sounds right in his wheelhouse. Set in the world of a religious cult, Apostle follows a man attempting to rescue his sister from the clutches of said cult. With a cast led by rising star Dan Stevens, Sing Street's Lucy Boynton, and Michael Sheen, this already sounds like a fascinating little project. But the real star here is Evans, who crafted some of the best action scenes of the 21s century with The Raid series. As someone who found The Raid 2 to be a significant step up in scale and storytelling for the filmmaker, I can't wait to see what he does with his English-language debut.
20. A WRINKLE IN TIME- March 9
Image: IMDB/Disney
Ava DuVernay has quickly become one of the most important directorial voices in the film industry, embodying diversity behind the camera and passionately fighting for equality at every moment. After the critical success of Selma and the vital documentary 13th, DuVernay is jumping up to the blockbuster league with A Wrinkle in Time, becoming the first African-American woman to helm a film with a budget of over $100 million. The trailers have detailed a feminist fantasy epic of the highest order, an adaptation of Madeleine L'Engle's classic novel that looks as gorgeous as it does innovative. With a cast led by newcomer Storm Reid, Chris Pine, Reese Witherspoon, Mindy Kaling, Better Watch Out's Levi Miller, and none other than Oprah Winfrey herself, A Wrinkle in Time would be an interesting film no matter who was directing. But with DuVernay behind the camera, this is instantly one of the can't-miss events of 2018.
Image: Paramount/IMDB
After years of working in the realm of goofy comedy, producing and directing films like Talladega Nights and Anchorman, Adam McKay surprised everyone in 2015 with The Big Short. Both a riotous financial satire and a devastating political statement, the Oscar-winning drama became something of a sensation, indicating that McKay could do more than just team up with Will Ferrell. Three years later, McKay is returning to theaters with Backseat, a political drama about the rise to power of former Vice President Dick Cheney. Christian Bale is playing the embattled politician, with Amy Adams, Sam Rockwell, Alison Pill, Bill Pullman, Steve Carell, Shea Wigham, and Tyler Perry rounding out the supporting cast. This is a surefire Oscar contender for 2018, and if McKay's last directorial effort is any sign, Backseat could be an incisive, hilarious ride.
18. UNDER THE SILVER LAKE- TBA
Image courtesy of Lionsgate
Under the Silver Lake was originally supposed to hit theaters in 2017, and judging by a few tidbits I've seen on Twitter, the film is done and people have seen it. Despite still popping up on the A24 website, there's no information on Under the Silver Lake's release date, so who knows when we're going to see this thing. Nonetheless, I'm still maintaining a pretty high degree of excitement for David Robert Mitchell's follow-up to It Follows, a stylish film that I didn't quite love as much as everyone else. Mitchell is clearly an impressive filmmaker, and a dark and seedy L.A.-set noir with Andrew Garfield, Riley Keough, and Grace Van Patten is an enticing proposition. And the fact that A24 is releasing it? Icing on the cake.
17. THE FAVOURITE- TBA
Image courtesy of A24
In 2017, Yorgos Lanthimos once again released an uncompromising, strange, and absolutely insane film in the form of The Killing of the Sacred Deer, which ended up being another divisive chapter in the director's career. With some accusing the Greek auteur of bordering on self-parody, it seems fitting that his next film is completely different from anything else he's done before. The Favourite is billed as a "bawdy, acerbic tale," words that I certainly wouldn't use to describe The Lobster or the aforementioned Sacred Deer. The film follows the 18th century court of Queen Anne, and it stars Emma Stone, Olivia Colman, Rachel Weisz, Nicholas Hoult, and Joe Alwyn. Early word is that this one will please even the Lanthimos doubters, and the fact that it's being distributed by Fox Searchlight leads me to believe that this will be a fairly mainstream outing. As a fan of Lanthimos, this could be a treat. I'm expecting a Cannes premiere for this one.
16. SUSPIRIA- TBA
Image: IMDB
I watched Dario Argento's Suspiria for the very first time earlier this year (not the new 4K restoration though), and it truly lives up to its reputation. The 1977 classic of giallo horror is colorful and campy, decadent and brilliant, a slice of madness that features an absolutely bonkers plot. It's a horror masterpiece- so why would anyone even think about remaking it? Well, when that someone is Luca Guadagnino, things get a little more interesting. Guadagnino first emerged on my radar with 2016's A Bigger Splash, a sultry, sun-baked thriller that blew itself up in the third act. But Guadagnino achieved a different level of stardom this year, thanks to the runaway success of the critically-acclaimed romance Call Me By Your Name. Expectations are now higher than ever for his rendition of Suspiria, which is being framed as more of a re-imagining than a straight remake. With a rumored runtime of close to 3 hours and a cast that includes Dakota Johnson, Chloe Grace Moretz, and Tilda Swinton, Suspiria has the potential to be a unique and frightening horror treat.
15. SOLO: A STAR WARS STORY- May 25
Image: IMDB/Lucasfilm
Star Wars: The Last Jedi is one of my favorite films of 2017, but that doesn't mean I'm sold on Lucasfilm's entire direction for the Star Wars franchise. Giving Rian Johnson his own trilogy? Brilliant! Taking away the Han Solo spin-off movie from LEGO Movie geniuses Phil Lord and Christopher Miller at the last minute? Oh, no!
The film, which is now titled Solo: A Star Wars Story, originally would have placed much higher on this list. I was thrilled to see Lord and Miller get their chance to make a big-budget Star Wars movie, and with a cast led by Alden Ehrenreich, Donald Glover, Emilia Clarke, and Woody Harrelson, this film looked like pure gold. But the behind-the-scenes drama between Lord and Miller and Lucasfilm chief Kathleen Kennedy, a clash that resulted in the firing of two prominent directors and the subsequent hiring of Ron Howard, has cast a large shadow over this film. Howard is a talented director, and there's a good chance that this still ends up being an entertaining Star Wars movie. But it could also end up looking like Ant-Man, where the potential of what could have been looms over everything else.
14. RALPH BREAKS THE INTERNET: WRECK-IT RALPH 2- November 21
Image: IMDB/Disney
Out of all the great movies Disney has made over the last few years, Wreck-It Ralph feels the most like a Pixar idea that just never quite got off the ground. But in the hands of director Rich Moore, the brilliant story of a video game villain who just wants to be loved ended up being a wonderful, emotionally resonant journey. Six years later, we're finally getting a sequel- and this time, John C. Reilly's Ralph and Sarah Silverman's Vanellope are heading to the internet. Based on the plot synopsis and the IMDb cast list, I have no idea what to expect- currently credited are the voice actors for virtually every single Disney princess movie. But this is a sequel to a movie that I've grown to love more and more over the years, and I'm excited to see what Moore and co-director Phil Johnston do with the material. Disney doesn't have a great reputation with sequels, but if any movie deserves a proper treatment, it's Wreck-It Ralph.
13. JURASSIC WORLD: FALLEN KINGDOM- June 22
Image: Universal/IMDB
The first trailer for Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom was.....not good. After a week of building anticipation, Universal released a teaser that showcased a weirdly muted visual palette, while simultaneously feeling poorly edited for such a major trailer. However, one bad first look isn't going to dim my excitement for Fallen Kingdom, the sequel to what I believe is one of the most purely enjoyable popcorn movies in recent memory. I know I'm alone on this one, but I stand by it. This time around, A Monster Calls and The Impossible's J.A. Bayona is in the director's chair, hopefully adding some bone-chilling scares to a formula that seems more suitable for blockbuster action at this point. I still have my doubts here, but there's no denying that I'll be at the theater on opening night for Fallen Kingdom. I'm a sucker for a good summer blockbuster, and this one could deliver the goods.
12. READY PLAYER ONE- March 30
Image: IMDB/WB
As I've said in my breakdowns of the various Ready Player One trailers, this movie could go really, really wrong. At one point, this would have been a shoo-in for the #1 slot on the list. But the first trailer was radically different than I expected, and I realized that I had bitten into the hype in a way that had skewed my perceptions. The second trailer, released earlier this month, was far superior, and I'm definitely thrilled to see Steven Spielberg back in blockbuster mode. Ready Player One looks as energetic and engaging as anything he's made in decades, and in a best case scenario, this ends up being a pop filmmaking achievement on par with the films that inspired it. But with all of the technological innovations and the controversial source material, Ready Player One could end up falling victim to its ambitions, resulting in a mess of a movie. It could go either way- but I'm enormously intrigued to see how it all plays out.
11. ANNIHILATION- February 23
Image: Paramount/IMDB
Alex Garland's Annihilation was originally set to hit theaters in 2017, but Paramount booted it to February 2018 to allow for more breathing room for their other awards favorites. Though on a side note, they're probably regretting this decision after the relative failure of mother!, the disastrous critical and financial performance of Suburbicon, and the disappointment of Downsizing. Anyways, Annihilation looks out of this world, and I cannot wait to see what Garland does with another heady, bold science fiction project. Remember, this is the guy who made Ex Machina, probably the best movie about artificial intelligence yet (it grew on me on a second viewing). And this time around, he's tackling a movie about......something. Seriously, watch this trailer and give me any kind of plot synopsis- it's impossible. Natalie Portman plays a biologist who goes looking for her missing husband (played by Oscar Isaac), and then things get weird from there. It looks like a blend of Apocalypse Now and a sci-fi nightmare, and if that doesn't excite you, I don't know what to say.
10. UNTITLED DEADPOOL SEQUEL- June 1
Image: Fox/IMDB
Deadpool was a quirky and delightfully violent breath of fresh air in 2016, and the expectation is that the so-called Untitled Deadpool Sequel will be an even more wild and madcap adventure. Ryan Reynolds is returning to play the Merc with a Mouth, and judging by the character's omnipresence over the past two years, this follow-up will be an even bigger smash than the original. Atomic Blonde and John Wick director David Leitch is taking over for Tim Miller, with famous faces like Josh Brolin, Zazie Beetz, Eddie Marsan, and Hunt for the Wilderpeople's Julian Dennison joining the cast. The plot synopsis given by Fox is so bizarre and abstract that it's impossible to say with any certainty what this movie will actually be about, but personally, I'm excited to see a superhero blockbuster that dips into a kind of absurd strangeness that we've never seen before.
9. THE PREDATOR- August 3
Image: Fox
I have never seen the original Predator. Does that make me a bad movie fan? I dunno. With that in mind, you're probably wondering why this reboot is so high on my list. The answer is simple- it's a Shane Black movie. While I enjoy both Iron Man 3 and Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, my pure adoration for The Nice Guys is no secret. I love that movie with every fiber of my being, and it made me a Shane Black fan for life. After starring in a supporting role in the original film, Black is directing and co-writing (with Monster Squad scribe Fred Dekker) this reboot/sequel, which will reportedly be a radically different take on the story. The cast, led by Jacob Tremblay, Boyd Holbrook, Trevante Rhodes, Olivia Munn, Yvonne Strahovski, Edward James Olmos, and many more, is absolutely spectacular, and I have a feeling that Black will deliver something subversive and wildly entertaining. Hopefully he can end the summer movie season with a bang in August.
8. MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE 6- July 27
Image: Paramount/IMDB
Tom Cruise is getting too old for this sh*t.
No, seriously, I don't think he can keep doing these movies. He got hurt on the set of Mission: Impossible 6, the latest adventure in the popular and critically acclaimed spy series, temporarily causing a delay in production while he recovered. With rumblings that Henry Cavill could take over for Cruise, there's a good chance that Christopher McQuarrie's follow-up to the thrilling Rogue Nation goes down as the famed actor's last ride as Ethan Hunt. The tale of this film's strange production will likely go down in cinephile lore (after all, this is the movie that caused Superman's messed up face in Justice League), but injuries and mustaches aside, there's no denying that the Mission: Impossible series is on a roll. Ghost Protocol and Rogue Nation are brilliant action films, and I have a feeling that this could be another wholly satisfying roller-coaster ride.
7. BLACK PANTHER- February 16
Image: IMDB/Marvel
After this year, I've decided that the secret to auteur-like freedom at Marvel lies in the screenplays. James Gunn wrote Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 2, but Taika Waititi did not have a hand in the script for Thor: Ragnarok, and there is a real, tangible difference in the spirit of those two films. I bring this up because Ryan Coogler is co-writing the screenplay for Black Panther, and I have a feeling the result is going to be a film that feels like his own distinct work. Coogler has already proven himself as an immensely talented and innovative filmmaker, thanks to the beloved Fruitvale Station and the utterly terrific Creed. With Black Panther, he gets to work on a bigger stage than ever before- and judging by the trailers, this film is going to be one of Marvel's most ambitious and incredible adventures yet. It's a much-needed step for diversity at the studio, and it also just looks like one hell of a thrill ride. Footage from Black Panther has drawn comparisons to the James Bond franchise, and there's no doubt that this movie looks slick and effortlessly awesome. And how about that cast? Chadwick Boseman, Michael B. Jordan, Lupita Nyong'o, Danai Gurira, Daniel Kaluyya, Martin Freeman, Andy Serkis, Angela Bassett, Forest Whitaker, Sterling K. Brown, and many more- I gotta say, this could very well be one of Marvel's best.
6. IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK- TBA
Image courtesy of A24
I know that some seasoned cinephiles were familiar with Barry Jenkins thanks to Medicine for Melancholy, his 2008 directorial debut, but it's safe to say that he took on a new level of fame in 2016 with the release of Moonlight. Jenkins' gorgeously rendered masterpiece took the film world by storm, eventually winning the Oscar for Best Picture in a shocking, groundbreaking upset. Even as one of the biggest fans of La La Land on the planet, I was equally thrilled by the raw power of Moonlight (surprise- you can like more than one movie), and it was a film that announced Jenkins as a filmmaker I needed to watch. Thankfully for us, it won't be 8 years before Jenkins' next project, as he's in post-production on If Beale Street Could Talk, an adaptation of the novel by James Baldwin. The cast is led by KiKi Layne, Stephan James, Dave Franco, and more, but if we're being honest, the real star here is Jenkins. How will he follow up one of the most acclaimed films of the century? I don't know, but I cannot wait to find out.
5. INCREDIBLES 2- June 15
Image: IMDB/Disney
When I turned 6 years old, I had my birthday party at a theater in Novi, Michigan. And on that day, my friends and I saw Pixar's The Incredibles. Almost 14 years after Pixar's most infamous cliffhanger, the superhero family is finally returning to the big screen for another adventure. Not much is known about Incredibles 2, despite the fact that we saw a brief teaser trailer for the film with Coco, the studio's latest masterpiece. Plot details have indicated a focus on Jack-Jack and Holly Hunter's Elastigirl, and Samuel L. Jackson will also be returning as the iconic Frozone. Even though I lamented Pixar's focus on sequels in the coming years, there's no denying that everyone in my generation has waited a very long time to see the Parr family back in action. Pixar hasn't delivered quite as many full-blown instant classics this decade, but with Brad Bird writing and directing this hotly-anticipated follow-up, I have a feeling it's going to be worth the wait.
4. HOLD THE DARK- TBA
Image courtesy of A24
I'm not someone who goes to the movies looking for gruesome gore and bone-crunching violence. I don't necessarily mind it- but it's rarely my reason for buying a ticket. That being said, Jeremy Saulnier's Green Room gave me a rush of adrenaline so extreme that it just left me wanting more. Despite the gnarly, vicious nature of the punks vs. Nazis horror thriller, I've revisited the film time and time again, just to relish the performances, the tight genre craftstmanship, and yes, the often horrific violence. I became an immediate fan and champion of Saulnier's work, which is why Hold the Dark places so high on a list dominated by blockbusters and films from famous auteurs. With his biggest film yet, Saulnier ventures into the Alaskan wilderness for an adaptation of William Giraldi's book that will likely be as terrifying and graphic as his previous films. The script is penned by frequent collaborator Macon Blair, and the cast includes great performers like Riley Keough, Alexander Skarsgard, Jeffrey Wright, and James Badge Dale. I don't know when Netflix plans on dropping this one, but I know that I'll be eagerly awaiting my first glance at Saulnier's latest.
3. ISLE OF DOGS- March 23
Image courtesy of Fox Searchlight
Wes Anderson has been on a roll since 2009's Fantastic Mr. Fox, and I see no reason why his hot streak won't continue with Isle of Dogs. The director's return to stop-motion animation comes four years after the release of The Grand Budapest Hotel, his greatest achievement and the film that got him significant Oscar attention for the first time. Anderson just keeps getting better and better as a filmmaker, and this fable about a boy searching for his lost dog on an island in Japan looks like another quirky, wonderfully fun adventure. With a cast led by both frequent Anderson collaborators (Jeff Goldblum, Bill Murray, Tilda Swinton) and newcomers (Scarlett Johansson, Greta Gerwig, Bryan Cranston), this looks like a delightful film with style to spare. I can't wait for another trip into the mind of one of the most daringly original and distinct auteurs working today.
2. FIRST MAN- October 12
Image courtesy of Lionsgate
If you've followed my writing over the years, you know why First Man is so high on this list. After the runaway success of La La Land, my favorite movie of 2016, Damien Chazelle and Ryan Gosling will be re-teaming for First Man, a biopic of iconic astronaut Neil Armstrong. It's a fascinating choice to jump into a big space biopic shortly after a splashy musical, but there are few directors I trust right now more than Chazelle. The La La Land hatred reached a fever pitch as Oscar season moved forward, but now that we're removed from the socio-political showdown over that film, I think we can properly acknowledge it as the masterpiece that it is. And in addition to that, Ryan Gosling has proven himself as one of the actors working today, having starred in some of the best movies of the last few years (Blade Runner 2049, The Nice Guys, among others). I'm thrilled to see the two of them re-team for a historical drama, and with a supporting cast that includes Claire Foy, Jon Bernthal, Kyle Chandler, and more, First Man is undoubtedly one of 2018's most promising offerings.
1. AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR- May 4
Image: IMDB/Marvel
Do I think that Avengers: Infinity War will be the best film of 2018? No, absolutely not.
Is it the cinematic event of the year? Indeed it is.
I tend to pick my most anticipated film of the year almost based on a kind of event status, an uncontrollable nerdy excitement that cannot be contained. Only in rare cases (The Nice Guys over Rogue One, for example) have I deviated from this rule. Infinity War is the culmination of a decade of Marvel stories- some have been brilliant, some have been mediocre, but it has all been leading to this. And as such, I am beyond thrilled to see this master plan come together. Joe and Anthony Russo delivered two of the better Marvel movies with the final two Captain America installments, proving that they can juggle several characters and storylines with stunning ease. Throw in a darker tone, a frequently teased villain, the introduction of the Guardians of the Galaxy, and the possible death of heroes we've come to know and love, and Infinity War has the potential to be a momentous blockbuster the likes of which we've never seen before. I can't wait to see how it all plays out, and even though I'd like to think my taste in movies has gotten more sophisticated, there's no denying that I'll be in the theater on opening night, ready to have my mind blown by what is sure to be the biggest Marvel movie of all time.
Until Avengers 4, of course.
Well, that's it for my most anticipated films of 2018. Here's to another great year for cinema!
Source: Various IMDB Pages
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