Most Anticipated Movies of 2018: 20-11
Now that the 2018 movie year is in full swing, let’s look at the movies coming out this year. As always, there are a lot of intriguing movies from a lot of great filmmakers. We have a slew of sequels, franchises, and comic book movies, as well as original content and some that will sneak up out of nowhere. Here is part one of my most anticipated movies of 2018.
20 – HOLMES & WATSON (Etan Cohen, November 9)
Will Ferrell is Sherlock Holmes, John C. Reilly is Watson. Why would anyone not want to see this movie?! Both actors are comedic geniuses, but they are both very good dramatic actors as well and I could easily see it being a little more serious. Either way, this is one of my most anticipated comedies of the year.
19 – OCEAN’S 8 (Gary Ross, June 8)
I like Steven Soderbergh’s Ocean Trilogy (save for 12). This all female Ocean looks just as slick, cool, and fun as those movies. The cast is amazing and I hope that they somehow tie it in with the original so we can have an Ocean’s 19 down the line. One can hope.
18 – MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – FALLOUT (Christopher McQuarrie, July 27)
Talk about longevity. The Mission: Impossible franchise has been going strong for over 20 years now, hitting a new franchise peak in 2011 in Ghost Protocol. Fallout looks like another explosive, riveting entry into the franchise. Tom Cruise reprises his role as Ethan Hunt, along with old and new faces, particularly Henry Cavill, who looks ripped and ready to kick ass. The stunts are going to be crazy, the action is going to be explosive, and this movie is going to be a ball.
17 – SICARIO 2: SOLDADO (Stefano Sollima, June 29)
The first Sicario really showed the world how great of a director Denis Villeneuve is and how strong of a writer Taylor Sheridan is. Sadly, Villeneuve isn’t back, but Sheridan is, as are returning stars Josh Brolin and Benicio Del Toro (robbed of an Oscar nomination in 2015). Rumor has it this movie is more brutal and intense than the original, which is mildly startling and has me hooked to see it.
16 – THE FAVOURITE (Yorgos Lanthimos, TBA)
Yorgos Lanthimos is as crazy and unique as filmmakers get. Every year, he comes out with a new movie that is more original than anything in the mainstream. The Lobster is a modern masterpiece and The Killing of a Sacred Deer has stayed with me since I saw it in 2017. Lanthimos brings in all-star actresses Emma Stone and Rachel Weisz to tell a bawdy, acerbic tale of royal intrigue, passion, envy and betrayal in the court of Queen Anne in early 18th century England. Sold!
15 – SOLO: A STAR WARS STORY (Ron Howard, May 25)
Look, any Star Wars movie will have me excited, it’s just a franchise that I love. And a Han Solo origin story? I’m there opening night. However, rumors of tons of reshoots, director changes, and questioning star Alden Ehrenreich’s performance have me worried. Could this movie really fail?
14 – WIDOWS (Steve McQueen, November 16)
After winning Best Picture for 12 Years a Slave, director Steve McQueen went radio silence on the cinematic world. He was dearly missed, as his honest, brutal filmmaking style is something not a lot of filmmakers bring to the table. But, McQueen is back and is bringing the big guns. With stars Viola Davis, Elizabeth Debicki, Daniel Kaluuya, Liam Neeson, Colin Farrell, Carrie Coon, Robert DuVall, Jacki Weaver, and Jon Bernthal, this look at a group of women trying to get their lives together from their husband’s criminal activity is a sure-fire Oscar contender.
13 – BOY ERASED (Joel Edgerton, September 28)
We don’t deserve Joel Edgerton. He’s a terrific, overlooked actor and showed he is a pro at directing as well, with his 2015 debut, The Gift, a small, tense drama with a trio of great performances. Boy Erased sounds like the next big step in Edgerton’s career, as it tells the story of a baptist preacher’s son who is forced to participate in a church-supported gay conversion program. Rising star Lucas Hedges stars as the son, which could be a meaty role for him to earn his second Oscar nomination. This is the “prove it” picture for Edgerton, let’s see what he’s got.
12 – DEADPOOL 2 (David Leitch, May 18)
Deadpool is a great movie and a gave Ryan Reynolds the role he was made for. Though the director of the original, Tim Miller, isn’t back (Atomic Blonde director David Leitch is, which I’m okay with), Reynolds is back and we add John Brolin as Cable (perfection), Zazie Beetz as Domino (interesting but great), and some other newbies to this high-octane sequel. Living up to the first one will be tough, but with Reynolds leading the way, it’s definitely possible.
11 – READY PLAYER ONE (Steven Spielberg, March 29)
This was tough to leave out of the top ten. I love Steven Spielberg, especially what he has been to accomplish lately with Lincoln, Bridge of Spies, and The Post. Ready Player One looks like vintage Spielberg, as it brings in fantastical elements and legendary pop-culture characters into an adventure movie. The trailers look crazy, with great visuals and a unique story. Anything Spielberg does gets me excited, but when I see Freddy Krueger, Iron Giant, and the Delorean in one trailer, we are in for one wild ride.
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