Out with the old, in with the new. Now that it’s January, we have a whole new year’s worth of films to look forward to – 12 months sure to bring a stack of must-see movies on screens big and small, from long-awaited sequels and highly-anticipated blockbusters, to much-hyped awards favourites and under-the-radar indie treasures. And trust us, there’s plenty to be excited about.
If all goes to plan (and in these days, that’s quite a big ‘if’), 2022 should bring new films from Martin Scorsese, Sam Raimi, Joanna Hogg, Robert Eggers, Jordan Peele, Olivia Wilde, Steven Spielberg, Paul Feig, and a certain James Cameron. Plus, the have brand new comic book epics from The Batman and Thor: Love And Thunder, to Black Panther: Wakanda Forever and The Flash (hello, Michael Keaton’s Batman!) All that, and we’ll get the follow-up toKnives Out in an all-new Benoit Blanc mystery, two takes on Pinocchio from a pair of master filmmakers, three films from Kenneth Branagh, and Nic Cage playing Nick Cage. What more could you ask for? Dive into Empire’s epic 2022 preview here.
All dates are subject to change. I mean, you saw what happened over the last two years, right?
Currently dated
2022 Movie Preview
Belfast
Release: 21 JanuaryKenneth Branagh channels his childhood memories of growing up in Belfast at the beginning of the Troubles into a black-and-white coming-of-age movie, starring Jamie Dornan, Caitriona Balfe, and Judi Dench.
A Journal for Jordan
Release: 21 JanuaryMichael B. Jordan plays a soldier deployed to Iraq in a war romance, directed by Denzel Washington.
Nightmare Alley
Release: 21 JanuaryDirector Guillermo del Toro ditches the supernatural for a dark, twisted noir tale of deception and betrayal, starring Bradley Cooper, Cate Blanchett, Rooney Mara and Toni Collette.
Parallel Mothers
Release: 28 JanuaryPenélope Cruz and Milena Smit play two single pregnant women on the verge of giving birth in the new film from Pedro Almodovar.
Amulet
Release: 28 JanuaryA homeless soldier seeks shelter in a house with a dangerous secret in Romola Garai's directorial debut horror movie.
Sing 2
Release: 28 JanuaryGarth Jennings returns with another animated sing-a-long adventure, with Matthew McConaughey, Reese Witherspoon, Scarlett Johansson and Taron Egerton all returning for voice roles – and added support from Adam Buxton as a proboscis monkey.
The Eyes Of Tammy Faye
Release: 4 FebruaryJessica Chastain and Andrew Garfield play real-life televangelist duo Tammy Faye Bakker and Jim Bakker in Michael Showalter's bio-drama.
Moonfall
Release: 4 FebruaryThe moon (!) falls out of the sky (!!) and looks set to crash into the earth (!!!) with possible alien interference (!!!!) in Roland Emmerich's planet-smashing sci-fi disaster movie, starring Halle Berry, Patrick Wilson and Game Of Thrones' John Bradley.
The Souvenir: Part II
Release: 4 FebruaryDirector Joanna Hogg presents the second part of her semi-autobiographical drama, in which Honor Swinton Byrne's film student Julie turns her previous doomed romance into her graduation film.
Belle
Release: 4 FebruaryAnime legend Mamoru Hosoda presents a dazzling take on the usual Beauty & The Beast tale, with added pop star pizzazz and virtual reality visuals.
Jackass Forever
Release: 4 FebruaryThe original pranksters are back, reuniting for another set of don't-try-this-at-home stunts over 10 years since their last outing.
Marry Me
Release: 11 FebruaryThe wildest romcom plot of 2022 sees Jennifer Lopez play a popstar who, upon discovering that her popstar fiancé (played by other actual popstar Maluma) is cheating on her, impulsively marries a random man in the crowd (Owen Wilson) at one of her concerts. Features brand new J-Lo / Maluma songs.
Uncharted
Release: 11 FebruaryNaughty Dog's beloved action-adventure video game series gets a big-screen adaptation from director Ruben Fleischer, starring Tom Holland as Nathan Drake and Mark Wahlberg as Sully.
Death On The Nile
Release: 11 FebruaryKenneth Branagh's much-delayed second Agatha Christie adaptation sees the director return as Hercule Poirot, this time on a boat with Gal Gadot, Annette Bening, Letitia Wright and, er, Armie Hammer.
Flee
Release: 11 FebruaryAfter gaining major acclaim at film festivals, Jonas Poher Rasmussen's animated documentary about a refugee fleeing from Afghanistan to Denmark comes to UK cinemas.
Wheel Of Fortune And Fantasy
Release: 11 February_Drive My Car_ director Ryusuke Hamaguchi is back already with an anthology feature telling three stories of romance.
Dog
Release: 18 FebruaryChanning Tatum makes his directorial debut alongside co-director Reid Carolin, and stars as a man taking a road trip with a rambunctious dog to a military funeral.
The Duke
Release: 25 FebruaryJim Broadbent and Helen Mirren star in this art-theft biographical comedy-drama, the final film from director Roger Michell who sadly passed away in 2021.
The Batman
Release: 4 MarchRobert Pattinson steps into the Batsuit for a new take on the Caped Crusader from director Matt Reeves – teaming up with Zoe Kravitz's Catwoman to take on Paul Dano's serial killer The Riddler.
Ali & Ava
Release: 4 MarchThe latest film from director Clio Barnard stars Adeel Aktar and Claire Rushbrook as two lonely people drawn together in the city of Bradford.
Turning Red
Release: 11 MarchPixar's next original film comes from Bao director Domee Shi, telling the story of 13-year-old girl Mei in early '00s Toronto, who turns into a giant fluffy red panda whenever she feels overwhelmed.
Red Rocket
Release: 11 March_Tangerine_ and The Florida Project director Sean Baker returns with the tale of a porn star who returns to his hometown in Texas, starring Simon Rex.
Downton Abbey: A New Era
Release: 18 MarchThe Downton gang heads to France on holiday in the second big-screen outing for the mega-popular period drama.
Unwelcome
Release: 18 MarchA couple move from London to rural Ireland and are menaced by malevolent goblins in Jon Wright's creature-feature horror flick.
Operation Fortune: Ruse De Guerre
Release: 18 MarchThe increasingly-prolific Guy Ritchie returns with an action-packed caper movie, starring Jason Statham as special agent Orson Fortune (no, really).
Ambulance
Release: 25 MarchExplosion maestro Michael Bay is back with a heist thriller, in which two hardscrabble robbers – played by Yahya Abdul-Mateen II and Jake Gyllenhaal – hijack an ambulance on the streets of LA.
The Lost City
Release: 25 MarchSandra Bullock's romance novelist and her hunky cover model Channing Tatum are pitched into a jungle adventure by a villainous Daniel Radcliffe in Aaron and Adam Nee's action-comedy.
The Worst Person In The World
Release: 25 MarchJoachim Trier's acclaimed Norwegian comedy-drama stars Renate Reinsve as Julie, set over the course of four years in her life.
Nan: The Movie
Release: 25 MarchThe foul-mouthed Catherine Tate character gets her own big-screen spin-off, directed by Josie Rourke and co-penned by Ted Lasso favourite Brett Goldstein.
Sonic The Hedgehog 2
Release: 1 AprilThe blue blur returns for a cinematic sequel, now adding Tails (voiced by Colleen O'Shaughnessey) and troublesome echidna Knuckles (voiced by Idris Elba) into the mix.
Morbius
Release: 1 AprilSony's much-delayed Spidey spin-off casts Jared Leto as Dr. Michael Morbius, whose experiments turn him into a batlike living vampire creature. Daniel Espinosa is on directing duties.
The Bad Guys
Release: 1 AprilDreamworks' next animated outing is a crime comedy, in which a bunch of villainous anthropomorphised animals attempt to go straight. The stacked voice cast includes Sam Rockwell, Marc Maron, Awkwafina, Anthony Ramos, Craig Robinson, Zazie Beetz, and Richard Ayoade.
Easter Sunday
Release: 1 AprilStand-up and actor Jo Koy stars in a comedy about a family gathering for the titular holiday and chaos, predictably, ensues.
Violence Of Action
Release: 1 AprilAfter being involuntarily discharged from the U.S. Special Forces, James Harper (Chris Pine) decides to support his family by joining a private contracting organization alongside his best friend (Foster) and under the command of a fellow veteran (Sutherland). Overseas on a covert mission, Harper must evade those trying to kill him while making his way back home. Gillian Jacobs, Kiefer Sutherland and Eddie Marsan also star.
Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets Of Dumbledore
Release: 8 April A third bite of the magical cherry for this Harry Potter-adjacent Wizarding World adventure, which looks to focus more on Jude Law's younger take on Dumbledore as he battles the nefarious Grindelwald (Mads Mikkelsen). Still, Eddie Redmayne's Newt Scamander and his various friends remain involved, on a mission to stop the dark wizard's forces.
The Outfit
Release: 8 April The Imitation Game writer Graham Moore turns director for this mob tale in which a talented tailor (Mark Rylance) must outwit a dangerous group of criminals across a particularly challenging night.
Thirteen Lives
Release: 15 AprilRon Howard's latest film chronicles the heroic true story of the efforts to rescue a group of young soccer players and their coach trapped underground in caves that are quickly flowing. There are several versions of this story on their way to screens, but this one boasts Colin Farrell, Viggo Mortensen, Joel Edgerton and Tom Bateman.
The Phantom Of The Open
Release: 15 April Following its successful premiere at last year's BFI London Film Festival, Craig Robert's true-life golfing tale arrives in cinemas. Mark Rylance plays Maurice Flitcroft, an atrocious golfer whose performance at the 1976 British Open saw him become a legend.
Operation Mincemeat
Release: 22 AprilBased-on-truth World War II thriller which sees British intelligence forces pulling off an almighty hoax with a corpse and some forged attack plans to trick the Nazis. Colin Firth, Rufus Wright, Matthew Macfadyen, Mark Gatiss and Johnny Flynn are in front of the camera, while John Madden directs.
The Northman
Release: 22 April_The Witch_ and The Lighthouse's Robert Eggers is back, this time with a grimy, gritty tale of Viking revenge. Alexander Skarsgård is the warrior seeking retribution for the death of his father. Anya Taylor-Joy (reuniting with her Witch director), Nicole Kidman, Willem Dafoe (of Lighthouse) and Nicole Kidman also feature.
The Unbearable Weight Of Massive Talent
Release: 22 AprilNic Cage on full meta form as "Nick Cage," who finds himself in financial dire straits and agrees to perform at a billionaire superfan's (Pedro Pascal) birthday party. Except he's also working as an informant for the CIA, since the fan is also a drug kingpin.
Benedetta
Release: 22 AprilIt's Paul Verhoeven, so you knew it was never going to be subtle. Benedetta is the story of 17th century Italian nun (Virginie Efira), who begins having erotic visions. Assigned a companion to help, a romantic relationship develops between the two.
65
Release: 29 April_A Quiet Place_ co-writers Scott Beck and Bryan Woods script and direct this sci-fi tale, as an astronaut (Adam Driver) must survive on an alien planet, only to learn he's not alone. Ariana Greenblatt and Chloe Coleman co-star.
Mrs Harris Goes To Paris
Release: 29 AprilLesley Manville is the title character in the new adaptation of Paul Gallico's novel. A cleaning lady in 1950s London falls in love with an haute couture dress by Christian Dior and decides to gamble everything for the sake of getting it.
Fisherman’s Friends: One And All
Release: 29 AprilThe singing Cornish fishermen are back, and this time they're dealing with the impact of fame on their tight-knight group. James Purefoy, David Hayman, Sam Swainsbury and Meadow Nobrega return, with Ramon Tikaram and Richard Harrington among the new recruits.
Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness
Release: 6 MaySam Raimi took over the directorial reins for this sequel about Marvel's sorcerer (Benedict Cumberbatch). Though a lot of the plot is naturally a mystery, we do know it'll tie into Spider-Man: No Way Home's multiverse fallout and elements of WandaVision. Elizabeth Olsen is back as Wanda, with Chiwetel Ejiofor causing problems as Mordo and Benedict Wong's Wong likely having to sort it all out.
Benediction
Release: 13 MayTerence Davies brings the life of soldier and war poet Siegried Sassoon to the screen, with Jack Lowden as the man himself. Peter Capaldi, Kate Phillips, Jeremy Irvine and Gemma Jones are also on the roster.
DC League Of Super-Pets
Release: 20 MayDwayne Johnson's first superhero genre film of the year, and a reunion with Kevin Hart, even if they're both just providing voices. The 'toon adventure finds Superman's best friend, Krypto The Superdog (Johnson) recruiting some shelter animals recently acquired powers to help save Superman (John Krasinski) and the Justice League when they're kidnapped.
Vortex
Release: 20 MayGaspar Noé, more usually known for his explorations of sex and love, switches gears for a touching story of a couple dealing with dementia. Dario Argento (yes, more normally known as a director) and Françoise Lebrun play the parents, while Alex Lutz is their son.
Top Gun: Maverick
Release: 27 MayMuch-delayed by the pandemic, the Tom Cruise-starring sequel looks to finally go wheels down in May this year. Cruise's Maverick is still bending the rules, and here is brought in to tutor the next generation of pilots, even as the job changes in the technological world. And he'll face a personal challenge in the shape of Rooster (Miles Teller), son of his late best pal and Radar Intercept Officer, Goose.
Jurassic World Dominion
Release: 10 JuneOne of the first movies to return to shooting after a shutdown as the pandemic started to really bite brings the World trilogy to a close. Colin Trevorrow is back directing, and there's a sprawling ensemble including World leads Bryce Dallas Howard and Chris Pratt (along with Jurassic Park veteran BD Wong and fellow legacy cast Sam Neill, Laura Dern and, uh, hum, ah-heh, Jeff Goldblum). Dinosaurs are stomping across the world following the events of Fallen Kingdom and it's our heroes' job to make sure we're not all trampled/eaten.
Lightyear
Release: 17 JuneTeam Pixar goes back to the Toy Story well in an unconventional way, as Chris Evans provides the voice for the human space pilot on whose adventures the Buzz Lightyear toy was based. Expect a '70s/'80s-style space adventure and some beautiful cinematography.
Hit The Road
Release: 17 June Panah Panahi's film follows a chaotic, tender family on a road trip across a rugged landscape. In the back seat, Dad has a broken leg, but is it really broken? Mom tries to laugh when she's not holding back tears. The kid keeps exploding into choreographed car karaoke. All of them are fussing over the sick dog and getting on each others' nerves, except a mysteriously quiet eldest child...
The Black Phone
Release: 24 June Scott Derrickson is back in full-on horror mode with this adaptation of Joe Hill's short story. And he's reuniting with Ethan Hawke, here playing a terrifying kidnapper colloquially known as 'The Grabber', who abducts youngster Finney (Mason Thames) and locks him in a basement with a disconnected black phone on the wall. When the phone suddenly rings, Finney discovers the voices on the other end are The Grabber's other young victims, who plot to help him escape a similarly bleak fate.
Elvis
Release: 24 JuneBaz Luhrmann tackles the story of Elvis Presley's rise to rock 'n' roll fame, with Austin Butler as The King and Tom Hanks as his controversial manager, Colonel Tom Parker. Expect the music to star, and plenty of style.
Minions: The Rise Of Gru
Release: 1 JulyIllumination rolls out the latest in its Minions/Despicable Me franchise, which turns back the clock for the story of the little yellow creatures' early days working for wannabe supervillain Gru (Steve Carell).
Thor: Love And Thunder
Release: 8 JulyAfter Thor: Ragnarok's resounding success in blending the drama of Chris Hemsworth's Thor with the comedy instincts of director Taika Waititi, it wasn't surprising that they'd be back working together for one of the MCU's most anticipated new films. The plot is being kept mostly quiet, but we know the Guardians Of The Galaxy will be cameoing and Natalie Portman is back as Jane Foster, ready to assume her own heroic mantle.
Bullet Train
Release: 15 JulyWhat happens when five assassins on a speeding train discover their missions all have something in common? It sounds a little like John Wick on a train and action expert David Leitch is behind the camera. In front? An eclectic cast including Brad Pitt, Sandra Bullock, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Zazie Beetz, Joey King, Logan Lerman, Michael Shannon, Hiroyuki Sanada and Brian Tyree Henry. There will be blood.
The Railway Children Return
Release: 15 JulyA sequel to the 1970 original boasts the return of Jenny Agutter as Bobbie Waterbury and a new group of kids, this time evacuated during World War II and meeting a young soldier who, like them, is far from home.
Nitram
Release: 15 JulyJustin Kurzel dips into real history for the events leading up to Tasmania's 1996 Port Arthur massacre, in an attempt to figure out how it happened. Caleb Landry Jones, Anthony LaPaglia and Judy Davis star.
Where The Crawdads Sing
Release 22 JulyDirector Olivia Newman and writer Lucy Alibar adapt the Delia Owens book, in which a woman who raised herself in the marshes of the deep South becomes a suspect in the murder of a man she was once involved with.
Nope
Release: 22 July_Get Out_ and Us writer/director Jordan Peele making another horror movie is always reason to be excited. The story is a mystery (that's a good thing) and the cast includes Keke Palmer, Daniel Kaluuya, Michael Wincott and Steven Yeun.
Under The Boardwalk
Release: 27 JulyAnimation chaos reigns as two groups of crabs – sea crab tourists versus land crab townies on the Jersey Shore. It's all set to a pop punk jukebox musical backing a crustacean take on Romeo & Juliet.
Black Adam
Release: 29 JulyDwayne Johnson steps into the DC universe for his latest flex as the antihero with a yen for tough justice. A former slave from an ancient land, he clashes with the Justice Society of America as to how to punish evildoers. Jaume Collet-Serra marshals the action, while Pierce Brosnan, Sarah Shahi, Aldis Hodge, Noah Centineo and Marwan Kenzari round out the main cast.
Beast
Release: 12 AugustIdris Elba has big cat energy to deal with in Baltasar Kormákur's thriller. Elba plays Dr. Nate Samuels, who, along with his two teenage daughters (Iyana Hailey and Leah Jeffries) are hunted by a massive rogue lion.
Secret Headquarters
Release: 12 AugustWhen a boy discovers a secret HQ under his home, he starts to suspect that his estranged father (Owen Wilson) might be living a double life as a superhero.
The Man From Toronto
Release: 12 AugustKevin Hart and Woody Harrelson star in the story of a screw-up who is confused for an elite assassin at an Airbnb. Patrick Hughes calls the shots, and the film is one of those that had to deal with a pandemic shooting delay and a location shift to Canada.
BROS
Release: 26 AugustBilly Eichner co-writes and stars in a rom-com about two commitment-phobes who decide to try a relationship. Luke Macfarlane co-stars along with Guillermo Diaz, Harvey Fierstein, Dot-Marie Jones and Monica Raymond.
The Bride
Release: 26 AugustInspired by Bram Stoker's Dracula, the film is set in the present day and finds a young woman (Nathalie Emmanuel) swept off her feet by a dashing man (Garrett Hedlund). But even as she's falling in love, she discovers a gothic conspiracy. We hate it when that happens.
Samaritan
Release: 26 AugustSylvester Stallone swaps Rocky, Escape Plan and Expendables territory for this fantastical take if a young boy who discovers that the drifter he meets could actually be a superhero who went missing after an epic battle 20 years previously.
Salem’s Lot
Release: 9 SeptemberA big screen adaptation of Stephen King's fanged classic about a small town where the locals have a serious case of vampirism. Horror veteran Gary Dauberman, who previously wrote both It movies, pulls double duty here.
The Woman King
Release: 16 SeptemberGina Prince-Bythewood co-writes and directs a historical epic inspired by true events that took place in the Kingdom of Dahomey, one of the most powerful states of Africa in the 18th and 19th centuries. The story follows Nanisca (Viola Davis), general of the all-female military unit, and Nawi (The Underground Railroad's Thuso Mbedu), an ambitious recruit, who together fought enemies who violated their honor, enslaved their people and threatened to destroy everything they've lived for. John Boyega and Lashana Lynch also star.
Distant
Release: 16 SeptemberAnthony Ramos is an asteroid miner who, after a space travel mishap, crashes on an alien planet. Hunted by strange creatures across the harsh terrain, he must somehow make his way to another survivor (Naomi Scott) in a life pod.
Don’t Worry Darling
Release: 23 SeptemberOlivia Wilde follows up Booksmart with this Florence Pugh-starring dramatic thriller in which a 1950s housewife living with her husband in a utopian experimental community begins to worry that his glamorous company may be hiding disturbing secrets. Harry Styles, Gemma Chan, Chris Pine and Wilde herself will all be part of the mystery.
Dark Harvest
Release: 23 September_30 Days Of Night_ and Hard Candy director David Slade has a new horror tale to tell, this time about a legendary monster called October Boy. He terrorizes residents in a small Midwestern town when he rises from the cornfields every Halloween with his butcher knife and makes his way toward those who are brave enough to confront him.
Ticket To Paradise
Release: 30 SeptemberGeorge Clooney and Julia Roberts reunite on screen to play a divorced couple who travel to Bali to stop their daughter making the same romantic mistake (spur-of-the-moment) marriage they feel they made 25 years earlier.
Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse (Part One)
Release: 7 October_Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse_ was a visual delight and an emotional journey, and ended up with an Oscar. So we're naturally thrilled to see what producers/writers Phil Lord and Chris Miller, plus collaborators including co-writer Dave Callaham Joaquim Dos Santos, Kemp Powers and Justin K. Thompson have come up with. Miles Morales (Shameik Moore) and a batch of other spider-folk will return, and we'll meet some new faces (probably behind masks of course).
Halloween Ends
Release: 14 OctoberDavid Gordon Green wraps up his Michael Myers trilogy of legacy horror sequels with a final(?) confrontation between the masked stalk-slasher and the heroic Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis).
Puss In Boot: The Last Wish
Release: 21 OctoberAntonio Banderas returns as DreamWorks Animation's adventurous kitty. In this sequel, Puss discovers that his passion for adventure has taken its toll: he has burned through eight of his nine lives. He sets out on an epic journey to find the mythical Last Wish and restore his nine lives.
Untitled Bee Gees Movie
Release: 4 NovemberKenneth Branagh gets into the musical biopic game with a film that charts the story of the performing Gibbs brothers, who have enjoyed huge success in disco and pop.
The Flash
Release: 4 NovemberEzra Miller's DC speedster, attempting to unravel his mother's murder, ends up crossing the multiverse and putting everyone, including himself, at risk. Michael Keaton and Ben Affleck will both be bringing their versions of Batman back to the screen, while we can expect faces from parallel DC worlds.
Untitled David O. Russell Movie
Release: 4 NovemberWe don't yet know the name of Russell's latest, nor has he revealed what the plot is about, but it certainly has a stacked cast: Anya Taylor-Joy, Christian Bale, Margot Robbie, Robert De Niro, Timothy Olyphant, Zoe Saldana, Rami Malek and Michael Shannon, to name just eight.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
Release: 11 NovemberEven given the tragic death of star Chadwick Boseman, we have all faith in co-writer/director Ryan Coogler to honour his memory and continue the story of Wakanda's inhabitants. Lupita Nyong'o, Danai Gurira, Winston Duke, Florence Kasumba and Letitia Wright all return. Cannot. Wait.
Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile
Release: 18 NovemberJosh Gordon and Will Speck are directing this adaptation of Bernard Waber's kids' book about a crocodile living in New York. Javier Bardem, Scoot McNairy, Constance Wu and Brett Gelman are among those lending their tonsil talents to the 'toon.
Strange World
Release: 23 NovemberReuniting Raya And The Last Dragon director Don Hall with that film's co-writer Qui Nguyen (who steps up to co-direct this time), Strange World will voyage deep into an uncharted and treacherous land where fantastical creatures await the legendary Clades, a family of explorers whose differences threaten to topple their latest — and by far — most crucial mission.
The Fabelmans
Release: 23 NovemberSteven Spielberg's latest is a very personal story – it's loosely based on his own upbringing as a young, aspiring filmmaker. Michelle Williams, Paul Dano, Seth Rogen and Oakes Fegley are all in the cast, with Gabriel LaBelle playing Sammy Fabelman, AKA the fictional young Spielberg. No pressure, then...
Matilda
Release: 2 DecemberThough Roald Dahl's story of a smart, imaginative girl was brought to the screen in 1996, this new film adapts the musical version of the tale. Emma Thompson, Stephen Graham, Lashana Lynch, and Andrea Riseborough all star, while Alisha Weir is taking on the title role.
Violent Night
Release: 2 December_Dead Snow_ and Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters director Tommy Wirkola has another action horror to share, this time set at Christmas. David Harbour stars, and while the details are a mystery, the initial logline described "a coal-dark holiday thriller that says you should always bet on red." Which immediately puts the mind towards a certain S. Claus.
Avatar 2
Release: 16 DecemberIt has been 13 years since Avatar, and since then it feels like James Cameron has announced about 30 sequels (okay, four). And while there has been debate as to whether the follow-up(s) can succeed even given the box-office busting appeal of the original. Still, no one should ever count out Cameron, and he brings us back to Pandora for the continuing story of Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) and Neytiri (Zoe Saldana).
Aquaman And The Lost Kingdom
Release: 16 DecemberJames Wan's superhero success gave Jason Momoa's watery action star his own franchise, though we do wonder whether it'll stick around on the same weekend as Avatar 2. Wan has played his plot cards close to his chest for now, but we do know that Amber Heard's Mera and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II's ambitious Black Manta will both be back.
Untitled Super Mario Bros Movie
Release: 21 December1993's Super Mario Bros. fell into infamy as one of the worst video game adaptations of all time. Illumination Entertainment will be hoping for better results with this animated version, one that has Chris Pratt, Anya Taylor-Joy, Seth Rogen, Jack Black and Keegan-Michael Key among its voice cast.
I Wanna Dance With Somebody
Release: 23 DecemberWith Kasi Lemmons directing, Naomi Ackie takes on the challenge of portraying Whitney Houston, the greatest female R&B pop vocalist of all time. Her story ended in tragedy, but her rise to fame is a powerful story.
Undated
2022 Movie Preview: Undated And Streaming
Knives Out 2
Coming to: NetflixRian Johnson is ready to blow our minds with another whodunnit starring Daniel Craig as detective Benoit Blanc – this time set (and shot) in Greece, with a stellar cast including Janelle Monae, Kathryn Hahn, Ethan Hawke, Dave Bautista, Edward Norton, Leslie Odom Jr., Jessica Henwick, and Kate Hudson.
Killers Of The Flower Moon
Coming to: Apple TV+Ready for the most Martin Scorsese movie of all time? The legendary director adapts the tale of the FBI as it investigates Native Americans from the Osage tribe who were murdered in the 1920s – starring his twin muses, Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert De Niro, alongside Jesse Plemons.
Everything Everywhere All At Once
Coming to: CinemasThe cinematic force known as Daniels – aka Swiss Army Man directors Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert – return with a multiversal sci-fi story, centred on Michelle Yeoh's existentially-dissatisfied Evelyn who begins accessing her abilities from other timeline.
Luther
Coming to: NetflixAfter years of talks, Idris Elba's gruff copper is finally making the leap to movies, in a Netflix film written by series creator Neil Cross, and directed by Jamie Payne.
Pinocchio
Coming to: NetflixGuilermo del Toro's first animated feature was always going to be something special – but this could be particularly brilliant, telling Collodi's dark coming-of-age fable as a stop-motion allegory set in 1930s Fascist Italy, with voices from Ewan McGregor, Ron Perlman, Tilda Swinton, Christoph Waltz, Cate Blanchett, Tim Blake Nelson and John Turturro.
Pinocchio
Coming to: Disney+As well as del Toro's stop-motion Pinocchio, also coming soon is a live-action(ish) version of Disney's second animated feature, from the legendary Robert Zemeckis. This take will feature Tom Hanks as Gepetto, with support (presumably mostly in voice roles) from Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Jiminy Cricket, Keegan-Michael Key as freaky fox Honest John, Cynthia Erivo as the Blue Fairy, and Luke Evans as the evil Coachman.
The Gray Man
Coming to: NetflixThe Russo Brothers are back, and they've teamed up with their regular Marvel writing team Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely for an espionage action flick, with a stacked cast centred around the pairing of Ryan Gosling and Chris Evans.
Prey
Coming to: Disney+Dan Trachtenberg presents a new take on the Predator franchise, set 300 years ago as a Comanche Nation warrior protects her people from an invading alien.
The School For Good And Evil
Coming to: NetflixThe hit fairytale fantasy novel by Soman Chainani gets a screen adaptation from director Paul Feig.
They Cloned Tyrone
Coming to: NetflixJohn Boyega, Jamie Foxx and Teyonah Parris team up to unveil a conspiracy in a sci-fi comedy from writer-director Juel Taylor.
White Noise
Coming to: NetflixNoah Baumbach is baum-back, this time with an adaptation of Don DeLillo's 1985 novel – with Adam Driver set to play 'Hitler Studies' professor Jack Gladney. Also in the cast are Greta Gerwig, André 3000, Jodie Turner-Smith and Don Cheadle.
Extraction 2
Coming to: NetflixTyler Rake lives! Chris Hemsworth returns as the improbably-named action hero in Netflix's sequel, once again produced by the Russo Brothers, with Sam Hargrave in the director's chair.
We Have A Ghost
Coming to: NetflixChristopher Landon – director of the Happy Death Day movies and Freaky – turns his hand to family adventure fare, as a friendly ghost appears in an American home. Starring Anthony Mackie, David Harbour, and Jennifer Coolidge.
Peter Pan And Wendy
Coming to: Disney+After directing an acclaimed take on Pete's Dragon, David Lowery follows up The Green Knight with another Disney live-action re-do, this time taking on Peter Pan. Newcomer Alexander Molony plays the boy who never grows up, Ever Anderson (aka Young Black Widow) plays Wendy, and Jude Law is Captain Hook.
Deep Water
Coming to: Unknown20th Century Fox's erotic thriller starring Ben Affleck and Ana de Armas, based on the Patricia Highsmith novel, is expected to arrive at some point this year – after multiple release date delays, and reports it's being moved to streaming services by Disney. Adrian Lyne directs.
DASHCAM
Coming to: UnknownStrap in: Host filmmakers Rob Savage, Jed Shepherd and Gemma Hurley are back with another visceral screenlife horror – a Sam Raimi-inspired rollercoaster ride starring troll-ish internet personality Annie Hardy as a fictionalised version of herself on one wild night. A festival hit last year – with an official UK release currently TBC.
Disenchanted
Coming to: Disney+The long-awaited sequel to Disney comedy Enchanted brings back Amy Adams as princess Giselle – with Patrick Dempsey, James Marsden and Idina Menzel also returning. Adam Shankman directs this time around, with Alan Menken back on songwriting duties.
Hocus Pocus 2
Coming to: Disney+Nearly three decades on, the witch trio is back for a sequel directed by Anne Fletcher – with Sarah Jessica Parker, Bette Midler and Kathy Najimy all returning to star.
Chip ’n Dale: Rescue Rangers
Coming to: Disney+The revival of the chipmunk duo finds Lonely Island-er Akiva Schaffer behind the camera – with his collaborator Andy Samberg voicing Dale, and John Mulaney voicing Chip. Set to be a live-action/animation hybrid.
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