From the director of the immensely fun New Zealand horror-comedy Housebound, this Blumhouse-produced killer doll film has been accruing some buzz from critics and potential audiences alike with the hope that M3GAN might usher in the production company’s next surefire franchise. For those unfamiliar, M3GAN is based on a story from Hell Fest writer Akela Cooper and Insidious mastermind James Wan, and stars Get Out’s Allison Williams as a roboticist who unexpectedly gains custody of her recently orphaned niece, whom she uses as a test subject for a lifelike child companion android. However, the prototype becomes self-aware and dangerously protective of the little girl, which ultimately leads to some chilling consequences for all involved. Originally slated to release on HBO Max, one of the rare benefits from the Warner Bros.-Discovery merger has been a number of “Max Originals” getting a renewed opportunity to shine on the big screen. Produced by LeBron James and directed by Calmatic, the filmmaker who helmed the acclaimed music videos for Lil Nas X’s “Old Town Road” and Kendrick Lamar’s “Rich Spirit,” this remake of the 1990 cult comedy from hip-hop duo Kid ‘n Play is much more of an irreverent, star-studded affair while injecting a modern edge to its party sequences. Following a pair of house cleaners (Jacob Latimore and Tosin Cole) who decide to host a party at their job site, which happens to be LeBron James’s mansion, House Party also features the likes of Lil Wayne, Snoop Dogg, Lena Waithe, Andrew Santino, and Kid Cudi, to name a few. A viral sensation that exploded onto the radar of horror fans late last year after a critically-lauded premiere at the 2022 Fantasia Film Festival, Skinamarink has been compared to a waking nightmare by rejecting the traditional horror movie experience in exchange for a more visceral and immersive experience. The feature film directorial debut of Kyle Edward Ball, who refined his skills recreating the nightmares of his YouTube channel subscribers, Skinamarink surrounds a pair of children who wake in the middle of the night to discover that their parents have disappeared and there is no way to escape their dark home. Skinamarink will notably receive a theatrical release soon, but those who hope to check out the film in their own dark home won’t have to wait much longer to check out the film (legally) on Shudder. Though David Cronenberg returned to the realm of sci-fi body horror with the divisive Crimes of the Future in 2022, his son, Possessor filmmaker Brandon Cronenberg, carries on the family legacy with the controversial upcoming flick Infinity Pool. Starring 2022 standout Mia Goth as well as Alexander Skarsgård and Cleopatra Coleman, Infinity Pool surrounds a rich man on vacation who is charged with a heinous crime outside of his resort, only to learn of an illicit service that will create a replica of him to take his punishment in his stead…for a price. Edited down from an NC-17 rating, this surreal thriller is guaranteed to shake up the arthouse scene in 2023. Adapted from the novel The Cabin at the End of the World by Paul Tremblay, this intense psychological horror film is the latest from M. Night Shyamalan, whose post-The Visit comeback somewhat hinges on the success of this frightening film, given the meme stock of his last offering, Old. Shyamalan’s first R-rated effort since his laughably bad 2008 film The Happening, Knock at the Cabin tells the tale of a vacationing family at their remote cabin who are held hostage by strangers who claim to have received a common vision of the apocalypse that can be averted with an unthinkable sacrifice. Starring Glass Onion’s Dave Bautista, Mindhunter’s Jonathan Groff, and Fleabag’s Ben Aldridge, Knock at the Cabin also reunites Shyamalan with his Old star Nikki Amuka-Bird and Servant lead Rupert Grint. The male stripper franchise that could is back for its final bow, eight years after Magic Mike XXL and over a decade after Magic Mike. With the original film’s helmer, Steven Soderbergh, once again assuming the director’s chair, Magic Mike’s Last Dance seemingly leaves the ensemble of the previous chapters behind for a more intimate and personal tale for Channing Tatum, who serves as both star and producer. Co-headlining the film with Salma Hayek Pinault, Magic Mike’s Last Dance follows the now-dormant male dancer as he is hired by a wealthy socialite for one final, lucrative dance in London, for which he must teach a rising company of new dancers and deal with his employer’s hidden agenda. The first film of Phase Five of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania assembles the majority of the Ant-Man crew to return for the third outing in the series, including Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lilly, Michael Douglas, Michelle Pfeiffer, David Dastmalchian, and Randall Park. Also recruiting Jonathan Majors, who previously appeared as He Who Remains in the first season of Loki, as well as Kathryn Newton as Cassie Lang and both Bill Murray and William Jackson Harper in undisclosed roles, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania looks to be the most ambitious Ant-Man outing yet, with the core Lang/Pym/van Dyne group being transported into the Quantum Realm, only to discover an advanced civilization and dangerous new adversaries awaiting them. If the title doesn’t grab your attention out of the gate, perhaps the fact that Cocaine Bear is, indeed, inspired by a true story that took place in Georgia in 1985 will. Directed by Elizabeth Banks, Cocaine Bear is exactly what it sounds like: An American black bear accidentally ingests a duffel bag full of cocaine, inspiring a murderous rampage that a ragtag gang of locals must come together to stop. With a shockingly stacked cast that includes Keri Russell, O’Shea Jackson Jr., Alden Ehrenreich, Isiah Whitlock Jr., Margo Martindale, and the late, great Ray Liotta, the box office odds has not always favored the outwardly campy (see: Snakes on a Plane) yet the recent success of Violent Night might point to Cocaine Bear being an unlikely cult favorite as opposed to a cinematic punchline. Rocky Balboa is finally out of the picture in Creed III, a sequel that dives deeper into the world of Adonis Creed while showcasing the events of the character’s troubled youth. With Michael B. Jordan also stepping into the director’s chair, which incidentally follows the path of previous franchise stalwart Sylvester Stallone, Creed III shows Adonis finding his professional and personal lives thrown into chaos when a former friend, Damian Anderson (franchise newcomer Jonathan Majors), emerges after a long prison sentence. As Adonis tries to make good and support his friend, it becomes clear that Damian’s ambitions are further than reuniting with an old friend, pitting the two against one another in an inevitable, high-profile match. Filmmaking collective Radio Silence (Ready or Not) returns to the Scream franchise for its sixth entry, and reportedly the first entry without series mainstay Neve Campbell, in which the slasher action will make its way to New York City for the first time. Bringing back the surviving cast of the previous film as well, including Melissa Barrera, Jenna Ortega, Mason Gooding, and Jasmin Savoy Brown, the film follows the Meeks and Carpenters starting a new chapter of their lives in the Big Apple, but they’re followed by another Ghostface killer in a faded mask. While the surprises have been kept under wraps, there are a few things that have slipped through the cracks, from the rumors of a “Stab”-franchise convention playing a part in the plot, the confirmed returns of Courteney Cox and Scream 4’s Hayden Panettiere, and the casting of Ready or Not’s Samara Weaving, but perhaps the most interesting reveal yet was the film’s teaser poster, which, upon closer examination, may play into the popular fan theory that Matthew Lillard’s Stu Macher may not be as dead as previously thought. From the writing-directing team behind A Quiet Place and Haunt, 65 is a high-concept science-fiction thriller that appears to be a prehistoric twist on a Planet of the Apes scenario. In this film, two survivors of a futuristic spacecraft crash (Adam Driver and Ariana Greenblatt, respectively) find themselves in a battle for their lives after somehow landing on Earth, 65 million years in the past. Crossing unknown and dangerous terrain, the pair must use their wits and limited resources to survive and fend off various creatures, including dinosaurs. Produced by Sam Raimi, 65 hopes to capitalize on the international interest in cinematic dinosaur spectacle that the Jurassic World films enjoyed while offering a unique and intimate narrative twist. Initially slated to hit theaters in 2022 (alongside almost all the DC films on this list), Shazam! Fury of the Gods continues the story of Billy Batson, the teenager imbued with transformative superpowers upon muttering a magic phrase, and his family as they grow older (and, inevitably, apart) while new threats arise that aim to punish the Batsons for their reckless use of magic. Bringing back the core cast and creative team behind the warmly-received first film, Fury of the Gods also appears to remain on the fringe of the DC Universe with no known appearances from other DC heroes at the moment, but the film does bring in Rachel Zegler, Helen Mirren, and Lucy Liu as a trio of new and powerful antagonists. He’s back! John Wick: Chapter 3 ended on an uncertain note with the efficient assassin teaming with the Bowery King to get revenge for their expulsion from the “High Table,” despite both figures looking worse for wear. Luckily, the four-year gap between John Wick films seems to pay off, with Donnie Yen, Bill Skarsgård, Scott Adkins, Marko Zaror, and Hiroyuki Sanada all getting in on the action while the rules and history of the Wick-verse continues to expand. With the prequel series The Continental, the spin-off Ballerina, and a proposed fifth film all-but-guaranteeing Wick will live to fight again, Chapter 4 appears to be another bloody blast within the dependable action franchise. Dungeons & Dragons rolls to attack the big screen again with a new cinematic gambit anchored by an incredibly charismatic cast and a blockbuster budget to bring its imaginative universe to life. With Honor Among Thieves showcasing impressive practical effects and inspired CGI creations alike in its trailers thus far, the story itself follows a pair of opportunistic criminals who must assemble a new crew of talented misfits in a mission that settles personal scores while potentially saving the world as they know it. It may not have the violence of Game of Thrones or the morality plays of Harry Potter, but with the directors of Game Night behind the camera, you can guarantee that Honor Among Thieves will bring both the laughs and action needed to elevate this flick from standard fantasy fare. It’s always welcome to see Nicolas Cage back in a non-direct-to-video film in this day and age, but it’s even more exciting to see the actor do so while in a horror-comedy where the beloved thespian gets to fill the shoes of Count Dracula. Not to be confused with 2023’s other vampiric flicks, The Last Voyage of the Demeter and Salem’s Lot, Renfield surrounds Dracula’s hapless familiar of the same name (Nicholas Hoult), whose existential crisis leads him to become an unexpected hero fueled by consuming insects. Meeting a charismatic police officer (Awkwafina) who forces him to confront his place in the world, Renfield looks to be equal parts Kick-Ass and What We Do in the Shadows, with Cage seemingly going above-and-beyond the realm of camp with his ghoulish performance. The Evil Dead franchise trades the creepy cabin for a claustrophobic apartment in this scary sequel that unsurprisingly evokes the mean and gruesome lengths of Fede Alvarez’s 2013 remake. Recruiting rising indie horror darling Lee Cronin, Evil Dead Rise follows a young woman who visits her older sister and her three nieces in their LA apartment, only to discover a mysterious book within the building that unleashes an unspeakable evil onto the family. With a reported 6,500 liters of fake blood used throughout the film, Evil Dead Rise’s spoilerific red-band trailer promises a very wicked time at the cinemas this April (that is, if you can stomach it). It’s been over 50 years since Judy Blume’s novel of the same name hit shelves and essentially became a seminal tome in the Young Adult genre, but the author’s overprotective nature regarding the film waned when she sold the rights to adapt the book to James L. Brooks and Kelly Fremon Craig, the creative team responsible for the acclaimed coming-of-age comedy The Edge of Seventeen. For those unfamiliar with the classic novel, Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret surrounds an interfaith family that moves from New York City to New Jersey, at which point sixth-grader Margaret Simon becomes determined to discover her religious identity while learning to adjust to her new friends, environments, and growing responsibilities in the world. With a cast that includes Ant-Man’s Abby Ryder Fortson as well as Rachel McAdams, Benny Safdie, and Kathy Bates, it certainly appears that this adaptation is in good hands and won’t disappoint the generations who grew up loving the book during their own formative years. In James Gunn’s curtain call in the Marvel Cinematic Universe before fully devoting his attention to reshaping the DC Extended Universe, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 appears to have the ragtag space-trotting heroes face their past, present, and future while defending the universe and searching for Gamora, who has gone missing following the events of Avengers: Endgame. Many of the key players in the Guardians series will return, most of which for likely the last time, but perhaps more interesting are the new figures who will undoubtedly make their presence known in the MCU, specifically Will Poulter’s Adam Warlock and Chukwudi Iwuji’s High Evolutionary. This entry into Marvel Studios’ Phase Five also appears to be a more dramatic affair, and while James Gunn’s sense of humor will be integral to the DNA of the film, fans might want to expect something perhaps more intense (and heartbreaking) than, say, The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special. Costing an estimated $340 million to produce, which is over $100 million more than the previous film and a little less than half of Fast 9’s worldwide gross, Fast X will be the first half of the franchise’s supposed swan song, at least as far as Vin Diesel and co. are concerned. While the plot of Fast X has yet to be made public, there are a few details that are known thus far: the original director, Justin Lin, exited the film shortly after filming began, and Dwayne Johnson is reportedly not returning for either part of the saga’s conclusion, while Jason Momoa, Rita Moreno, and Brie Larson serve as the franchise’s latest newcomers. To be frank, who knows how they’re going to top the last several entries into the Fast and Furious saga, which included them going into space and preventing nuclear war, but I’m sure we’re all going to be revved up and ready to see how the Toretto story comes to an end beginning this spring. Rob Marshall’s upcoming remake of the film that essentially launched Disney’s animation renaissance of the late ‘80s and ‘90s really made an impression at the 2022 edition of D23, as a teaser trailer offered a look at the undersea environment and the powerful voice of star Halle Bailey as Ariel. Of course, don’t expect too many deviations from the source material, as most “live action” reboots of Disney’s animated classics have stuck to the script while offering spectacle as only the House of Mouse can. That said, this writer is choosing to be optimistic about The Little Mermaid, especially with inspired casting that includes Bailey, Hamilton’s Daveed Diggs as Sebastian, and Melissa McCarthy as Ursula, who just might come out of the film reshaping the role entirely in her image á la Emma Stone in Cruella. Let’s just say it: Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse was dope, and Across the Spider-Verse looks to capture that chaotic animated energy all over again. Launching from where the previous film ended, Across the Spider-Verse follows Miles Morales and Gwen Stacy as they cross dimensions to stop a multiversal villain known as “The Spot.” In doing so, a new roster of Spider-Men-and-Women join the fray, including Daniel Kaluuya’s Spider-Punk, Issa Rae’s Spider-Woman, and Oscar Isaac’s Spider-Man 2099, who was teased at the end of the last film as being a central figure in Across the Spider-Verse. With more incredible animation styles fused together and the mixture of irreverence and emotional resonance that has become producer/writers Lord & Miller’s trademark at this point, Across the Spider-Verse will undoubtedly be worth the wait. From once being considered a potential game-changer in the superhero genre to possibly having its release axed due to the worrisome (and criminal) behavior of its star, The Flash has become one of the most anticipated films of 2023 for one reason or another. Heralding the return of Michael Keaton as Bruce Wayne for the first time in over 30 years, Barry Allen’s first (and likely only) solo outing takes inspiration from the “Flashpoint” comic arc and follows The Flash as he travels back in time to prevent his mother’s murder, which sets off a chain of events that affects multiple different timelines and universes. Beyond the return of Keaton, fans are also very interested in seeing how Michael Shannon’s General Zod, Sasha Calle’s Supergirl, and Ben Affleck’s Batman also fits into the equation, as long as the film doesn’t become another victim of David Zaslav’s indefensible budget cuts. Hoping to wash the bad taste of The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull out of the mouths of Indiana Jones fans, the first non-Spielberg-directed Indiana Jones film sees Logan filmmaker James Mangold take the reigns for the next (and likely last) adventure for Harrison Ford’s action icon. While rumors have persisted that the story may follow time travel in some sense, the plot as it is currently known suggests Indiana Jones must team with his goddaughter, played by Fleabag’s Phoebe Waller-Bridge, to foil a sinister plot from ex-Nazis working with NASA to defeat the Soviet Union in the Space Race of the 1960s. Tom Cruise came out of 2022 reaffirming his status as a Hollywood mega-star with the incredible success of Top Gun: Maverick, and if the reactions online to the promotional videos (where Cruise continues his death-defying stunt work) and trailer are to be believed, 2023 doesn’t look to be any different with the release of the next Mission: Impossible film. Not much is known about the film’s plot, but in addition to a number of new faces, most notably Hayley Atwell and Esai Morales, the film is intriguingly bringing back Henry Czerny as former IMF director and antagonist Eugene Kittridge, a character who was last seen in the original Mission: Impossible film more than 25 years ago. Christopher Nolan is a singular filmmaker with an unparalleled desire to offer a different kind of visual spectacle to the big screen, often employing state-of-the-art special effects and ambitious stories that no other directors could bring to life. Of course, if anyone is going to make a film about J. Robert Oppenheimer, the scientist responsible for the creation of the atomic bomb, it’s going to be Nolan, who assembled an incredible ensemble cast of dramatic heavy-hitters while utilizing jaw-dropping IMAX photography and even a practically-achieved recreation of the notorious Trinity nuclear test. The sole question is whether or not this biopic will capture the mesmerizing magic of Nolan’s most celebrated work or if the film will join Tenet among Nolan’s rare underperformers. After a version of the film developed for Amy Schumer fell through at the 11th hour, no one could have guessed that Greta Gerwig and Noah Baumbach would eventually deliver the upcoming Barbie movie with a big budget, immersive sheen. With rumors of the film having a subversive plot á la The Lego Movie and Josie & the Pussycats, Barbie caught the attention of many after debuting a trailer parodying 2001: A Space Odyssey in front of Avatar: The Way of Water. Only time will tell should this star-studded romantic comedy does indeed offer a narrative curveball or if Barbie is going to go the way of Battleship and Mac and Me. Ms. Marvel was largely warmly received in 2022, even if the series discarded some of the more fun visual flourishes for Marvel’s paint-by-numbers style after Episode 1, but the show’s final beat swapping Carol Danvers (Brie Larson) and Kamala Khan (Iman Vellani) certainly left some major questions lingering in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. With Candyman’s (2021) Nia DaCosta grabbing the reigns for the series’ next entry, which also brings in WandaVision’s Monica Rambeau (Teyonah Parris), there’s not much on the books about what to expect with The Marvels, but given how many wild swings appear to be in store for Phase Five, it should be anything but predictable. Ever since the 2003 clunker of an adaptation starring Eddie Murphy flamed out at the box office, Disney has been mostly unable to crack a reboot for their beloved haunted ride, even with Guillermo del Toro at the helm. But eventually, the spooky stars aligned with Justin Simien at the helm and one hell of a cast assembling, with a story that follows a single mother (Rosario Dawson) whose new digs, an oddly affordable mansion in New Orleans, are…well, haunted. Eventually recruiting a priest (Owen Wilson), a paranormal expert (LaKeith Stanfield), a psychic (Tiffany Haddish), and a history professor (Danny DeVito), the group soon discovers the horrifying history of the estate as well as the ghoulish figures beyond the grave who remain. Initially intended as an HBO Max exclusive release, early footage and interest in the property turned Blue Beetle into the little-superhero-film-that-could, especially one targeted toward a Latin audience. Starring Cobra Kai’s Xolo Maridueña as the titular hero, Blue Beetle surrounds a teenager who unexpectedly gains superpowers from an alien exoskeleton that grafts around his body in the shape of a scarab. Facing off against Carapax the Indestructible Man (Raoul Trujillo), Blue Beetle is certainly going to be the underdog superhero story to follow this summer, especially considering where it may fall in the present restructuring of DC Films. Lionsgate has long wondered how to expand upon their uber-popular Hunger Games franchise, albeit without the series’ figurehead Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence). Luckily, Suzanne Collins, the author of the Hunger Games books, came to the rescue with The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes in 2020, a prequel that was received well by readers and critics alike while expanding upon the history of Panem. Starring Tom Blyth as a young Coriolanus Snow, the villain of the previous films, as well as West Side Story standout Rachel Zegler, another exciting aspect to The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes comes with the return of director Francis Lawrence, who directed the three strongest entries into the franchise thus far. Timothée Chalamet has seen his star on the rise in the past few years, with his leading role in Dune cementing his status as a bona fide leading man in Hollywood. But 2023 may be Chalamet’s biggest test of his star power yet, with both Dune: Part Two on schedule for a fall release and Wonka, a musical Willy Wonka origin story, dropping shortly before Christmas. Allegedly leaning closer to the original 1971 film as opposed to the 2005 remake, Wonka is already stirring up some spicy discourse online, though too little is known about the film outside of the ensemble cast and the fact that the film brought in Paddington film architect Paul King to steer the ship. Initially set for a late 2022 release before the COVID-19 pandemic impacted the Warner Bros. release calendar, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom appears to be the swan song for the so-called “Snyderverse” before James Gunn and Peter Safran introduce their vision for DC Films. Directed once again by James Wan and bringing back the ensemble cast from the first film, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom has been kept mostly under wraps, outside of an appearance from Ben Affleck’s Batman and an increased role for Yahya Abdul-Mateen II’s Black Manta, but with nearly a year before the film’s Christmas release, who knows what additional changes may happen in the editing bay that could reflect the desires of DC Films’ new guard.
