TAGGED AS: Film, films, movie, movies
Knock at the Cabin
(2023)
Directed by: M. Night Shyamalan
Starring: Jonathan Groff, Ben Aldridge, Kristen Cui, Dave Bautista, Nikki Amuka-Bird, Rupert Grint, Abby Quinn
Opening on: February 3, 2023
M. Night Shyamalan directed and co-wrote this psychological thriller based on an award-winning novel about two men and their adoptive daughter on vacation who are terrorized by a group of strangers with mysterious motives.
Magic Mike's Last Dance
(2023)
Directed by: Steven Soderbergh
Starring: Channing Tatum, Salma Hayek, Gavin Spokes, Caitlin Gerard
Opening on: February 10, 2023
Channing Tatum strips off his clothes for Steven Soderbergh one last time in this follow-up to 2015’s Magic Mike XXL. This time around Tatum’s Mike Lane has fallen on hard times and takes an opportunity to travel to London to fulfill a request for a wealthy woman (Salma Hayek), only to discover she has ulterior motives.
Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania
(2023)
Directed by: Peyton Reed
Starring: Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lilly, Michael Douglas, Michelle Pfeiffer, Jonathan Majors, Bill Murray
Opening on: February 17, 2023
It may have been delayed a year, but Paul Rudd & Co. are back for round three of this delightful franchise, which promises some exciting casting: namely, Jonathan Majors as supervillain Kang the Conqueror and Bill Murray as… something.
Cocaine Bear
(2023)
Directed by: Elizabeth Banks
Starring: Keri Russell, Ray Liotta, Margo Martindale, Alden Ehrenreich, O’Shea Jackson Jr., Matthew Rhys
Opening on: February 24, 2023
Yes, there really was a bear who overdosed on a pile of smuggled cocaine that dropped from a plane in Georgia back in 1985. It didn’t kill anyone, but that didn’t stop a bunch of folks taking some creative liberties to give us this tongue-in-cheek horror comedy.
Creed III
(2023)
Directed by: Michael B. Jordan
Starring: Michael B. Jordan, Tessa Thompson, Jonathan Majors, Phylicia Rashad
Opening on: March 3, 2023
Michael B. Jordan makes his feature directorial debut with the third installment of the Rocky spin-off Creed franchise, in which he plays the son of Rocky’s nemesis-turned-friend Apollo Creed. We don’t yet know how things will play out in this chapter, but Jonathan Majors appears to be Adonis’s opponent in the ring, while Tessa Thompson and Phylicia Rashad are set to reprise their roles as Adonis’s girlfriend and mother, respectively.
65
(2023)
Directed by: Scott Beck, Bryan Woods
Starring: Adam Driver, Ariana Greenblatt, Chloe Coleman
Opening on: March 10, 2023
The writing-directing team of Scott Beck and Bryan Woods, best known for writing A Quiet Place, helm this sci-fi thriller starring Adam Driver as an astronaut who crash lands on a foreign planet, only to discover he has landed on prehistoric Earth — 65 million years in the past, to be exact, hence the title. The film is produced by Sam Raimi, and its score was composed by Danny Elfman, so all-around great pedigree behind it.
Luther: The Fallen Sun
(2023)
Directed by: Jamie Payne
Starring: Idris Elba, Cynthia Erivo, Andy Serkis
Premiering on: March 10 on Netflix (February 24 in select theaters)
Four years after the popular British television series ended, we’re finally getting a Luther movie. Idris Elba returns to the role in a feature film continuation of the series that finds Luther in prison as a serial killer terrorizes London. This one will play in a handful of theaters before ultimately heading to Netflix.
Scream VI
(2023)
Directed by: Matt Bettinelli-Olpin, Tyler Gillett
Starring: Melissa Barrera, Jenna Ortega, Mason Gooding, Jasmin Savoy Brown, Hayden Panettiere, Courteney Cox, Samara Weaving, Tony Revolori
Opening on: March 10, 2023
Not long after 2022’s Scream opened, it was announced that there would indeed be a sequel directly tying into the characters who survived that film. Hayden Panettiere also returns to reprise her role as Kirby Reed from Scream 4, but the film will be without franchise star Neve Campbell, who decided not to return after she was offered less than she felt she was worth for the film. As for the story, sisters Sam and Tara (Melissa Barrera and Jenna Ortega) and their friends find themselves terrorized by Ghostface in New York City.
Shazam! Fury of the Gods
(2023)
Directed by: David F. Sandberg
Starring: Zachary Levi, Helen Mirren, Lucy Liu, Jack Dylan Grazer, Asher Angel Rachel Zegler, Adam Brody, Megan Good
Opening on: March 17, 2023
Zachary Levi’s Shazam returns, along with his teenage form Billy Batson (Asher Angel) and all of his stepsiblings, who have embraced their superpowered . But when new villains Kalypso (Lucy Liu) and Hespera (Helen Mirren) — aka the daughters of Atlas —arrive, the kids have to learn to work together to defeat them.
John Wick: Chapter 4
(2023)
Directed by: Chad Stahelski
Starring: Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, Lance Reddick, Ian McShane, Donnie Yen, Bill Skarsgård, Hiroyuki Sanada
Opening on: March 24, 2023
Chad Stahelski and Keanu Reeves’ blockbuster action franchise finally reaches theaters in 2023 after a two-year delay caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. We don’t know much about the film, except that John Wick is at war with — and possibly presumed dead by — the High Table, and Stahelski has gone on record to say that there is a possibility that Chapter 4 will not be a “happy ending” for its central character.
Directed by: John Francis Daley, Jonathan Goldstein
Starring: Chris Pine, Hugh Grant, Regé-Jean Page, Michelle Rodriguez, Sophia Lillis, Smith
Opening on: March 31, 2023
The popular role-playing game gets a shiny reboot, courtesy of directors John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein (Game Night, 2015’s Vacation) and an all-star cast that includes Chris Pine, Michelle Rodriguez, Hugh Grant, Bridgerton breakout star Regé-Jean Page, and more.
Tetris
(2023)
Directed by: Jon S. Baird
Starring: Taron Egerton, Nikita Efremov, Toby Jones
Opening on: March 31, 2023
Similar to Gran Turismo, also opening later in 2023, this is a based-on-true-events biopic, of sorts, rather than a straight adaptation of the game in its title. Tetris tells the story of how one man (Taron Egerton) took immense risks at the height of the Cold War to travel to the Soviet Union and secure the rights to the eponymous game.
Air
(2023)
Directed by: Ben Affleck
Starring: Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, Jason Bateman, Viola Davis, Chris Tucker, Chris Messina, Marlon Wayans
Opening on: April 5, 2023
Ben Affleck returns to the director’s chair for this based-on-true-events sports drama about Nike’s quest to land Michael Jordan as the signature superstar for its fledgling basketball shoe line. The rest, of course, is history. Affleck also stars as Nike co-founder Phil Knight, alongside Matt Damon as Sonny Vaccaro, the marketing exec who landed the deal, and an all-star supporting cast.
The Super Mario Bros. Movie
(2023)
Directed by: Aaron Horvath, Michael Jelenic
Starring: Chris Pratt, Anya Taylor-Joy, Jack Black, Charlie Day, Seth Rogen, Fred Armisen, Keegan-Michael Key
Opening on: April 7, 2023
This big-screen adaptation of the iconic Nintendo character and his friends is being produced by Chris Meledandri of Illumination (Despicable Me) and the creator of Mario himself, Shigeru Miyamoto. Chris Pratt is voicing the famous Goomba-stomping plumber, who arrives in the Mushroom Kingdom and meets Keegan-Michael Key’s Toad. Anya Taylor-Joy is also on board as Princess Peach, while Jack Black and Seth Rogen will voice Bowser and Donkey Kong, respectively, and Charlie Day will play Luigi.
Beau Is Afraid
(2023)
Directed by: Ari Aster
Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Amy Ryan, Nathan Lane, Parker Posey, Patti LuPone, Stephen Henderson
Opening on: April 21, 2023
Writer-director Ari Aster’s third film is… difficult to describe, though its official synopsis states that it is “an epic odyssey” of a man trying to “get home to his mother” that is “bold and ingeniously depraved.” We have absolutely no idea how this will play out, but the trailer promises a unique, surreal experience.
Evil Dead Rise
(2023)
Directed by: Lee Cronin
Starring: Alyssa Sutherland, Lily Sullivan, Gabrielle Echols, Morgan Davies, Neil Fisher
Opening on: April 21, 2023
Originally slated to be an HBO Max release in the Fall of 2022, the fifth film in the Evil Dead franchise is now headed to theaters in April. The story, which moves the action from the woods to the city, focuses on two estranged sisters whose reunion is interrupted by – what else? – the discovery of a mysterious book that summons demons. The film doesn’t appear to be connected to any of the previous entries, including the 2013 remake, but it promises plenty of blood-soaked thrills.
Ghosted
(2023)
Directed by: Dexter Fletcher
Starring: Chris Evans, Ana de Armas, Adrien Brody, Mike Moh, Amy Sedaris, Tim Blake Nelson, Marwan Kenzari
Premiering on: April 21, 2023 on Apple TV+
From the writers of the Deadpool movies and the director of Bohemian Rhapsody comes this action rom-com about a regular guy (Chris Evans) who travels to London as a grand gesture to win over the girl who ghosted him (Ana de Armas), only to discover she’s a CIA agent and get tangled up in her latest mission.
Guy Ritchie's The Covenant
(2023)
Directed by: Guy Ritchie
Starring: Jake Gyllenhaal, Dar Salim, Alexander Ludwig, Antony Starr, Emily Beecham
Opening on: April 21, 2023
Aside from his forays into franchise fare and big-budget tentpoles, Guy Ritchie is known for his trademark talky crime capers, but his latest showcases a different side of the writer-director. Jake Gyllenhaal stars in this serious action thriller about a special ops veteran who returns to Afghanistan to find the interpreter who previously rescued him and carried him to safety.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
(2023)
Directed by: James Gunn
Starring: Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Bradley Cooper, Dave Bautista, Karen Gillan, Pom Klmentieff, Will Poulter, Elizabeth Debicki
Opening in: May 5, 2023
Writer-director James Gunn’s follows his giddily irreverent 2021 effort The Suicide Squad with the latest Guardians, which is sure to have a winning Chris Pratt, an awesome mix — see what we did there? — of other actors, and, we’re just guessing, plenty of comedic hijinks. We also know that Will Poulter is set to play Adam Warlock, who was teased at the end of Vol. 2.
Fast X
(2023)
Directed by: Justin Lin
Starring: Vin Diesel, Michelle Rodriguez, Tyrese Gibson, Sung Kang, Ludacris, Nathalie Emmanuel
Opening on: May 19, 2023
This is only part one of the tenth installment of the most speedy and angry franchise out there. (Part two, rumored to be the last in the series, will drop in 2024.) And while the plot is hush-hush at the moment, we know that Vin Diesel, Michelle Rodriguez, and the rest of the family will be back to do their thing.
The Little Mermaid
(2023)
Directed by: Rob Marshall
Starring: Halle Bailey, Jonah Hauer-King, Melissa McCarthy, Javier Bardem, Daveed Diggs, Awkwafina
Opening on: May 26, 2023
This live-action remake of Disney’s fish-out-of-water favorite has some inspired casting — in particular, Melissa McCarthy (Ursula), Awkwafina (Scuttle), and Javier Bardem (King Triton) — and new tunes co-written by Lin-Manuel Miranda, while pop star Halle Bailey will don some fins to play Ariel.
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
(2023)
Directed by: Joaquim Dos Santos
Starring: Shameik Moore, Hailee Steinfeld, Oscar Isaac, Issa Rae
Opening on: June 2, 2023
The Oscar-winning animated Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse was a big hit with critics and audiences, and Across the Spider-Verse was one of the most anticipated of 2022… until it got moved to 2023. Shameik Moore will voice Miles Morales again, with Hailee Steinfeld’s Gwen Stacy and Oscar Isaac’s Miguel O’Hara (aka Spider-Man 2099) joining him. We also know that Issa Rae is set to voice Jessica Drew (aka Spider-Woman), and it’s likely that Jake Johnson’s Peter Parker will be back as well. The first trailer didn’t give us a whole lot more on the actual story of the film, but it revealed a whole slew of Spider characters Miles will come into contact with.
Transformers: Rise of the Beasts
(2023)
Directed by: Steven Caple Jr.
Starring: Ron Perlman, Anthony Ramos, Peter Cullen, Dominique Fishback, Luna Lauren Velez
Opening on: June 9, 2023
The Transformers franchise takes another step back in time after the 1980s-set Bumblebee, taking viewers back to the mid-’90s as a pair of archaeologists stumble into a three-way conflict between different factions of Transformers. The film is loosely based on the Beast Wars storyline and directed by Steven Caple Jr. (Creed II), with Peter Cullen reprising his role as the voice of Optimus Prime and people like Ron Perlman, Anthony Ramos, and Dominique Fishback joining the cast.
Elemental
(2023)
Directed by: Peter Sohn
Starring: Leah Lewis, Mamoudou Athie
Opening on: June 16, 2023
The latest offering from Pixar takes place in a city whose residents belong to the elements of fire, water, land, and air, where one fiery woman forms a friendship with a watery man. We don’t know much else about the story, but the film is directed by Peter Sohn, who also helmed 2015’s The Good Dinosaur.
Extraction 2
(2023)
Directed by: Sam Hargrave
Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Golshifteh Farahani, Adam Bessa
Premiering on: June 16, 2023 on Netflix
Not long after the pandemic took hold of the world in 2020, Netflix released an ambitious, adrenaline-fueled action flick starring Chris Hemsworth called Extraction, directed by Sam Hargrave and written by Joe Russo (and based on a graphic novel that Russo co-wrote). All three have returned for this sequel, which promises more ridiculous stunts and set pieces you can enjoy from the comfort of your living room couch.
The Flash (2023)
Directed by: Andy Muschietti
Starring: Ezra Miller, Ben Affleck, Sasha Calle, Billy Crudup, Michael Keaton
Opening on: June 16, 2023
Multi-verses were all the rage in 2022, and this movie looks to be DC’s contribution to the trend. Like a lot of the films on this list, we don’t yet know anything about the story, but the casting of Michael Keaton as Bruce Wayne is either a super meta stunt or a big hint as to what we’ll see. There are rumors that the plot will follow the “Flashpoint” storyline from the comics, in which case, yes, expect some crossover shenanigans.
Asteroid City
(2023)
Directed by: Wes Anderson
Starring: Jason Schwartzman, Scarlett Johansson, Tilda Swinton, Tom Hanks, Jeffrey Wright, Bryan Cranston, Ed Norton, Adrien Brody, Liev Schreiber, Margot Robbie, Steve Carell
Opening on: June 23, 2023
Wes Anderson has gathered another ridiculously star-studded ensemble cast for his latest film, a period comedy set in 1955 about the students and parents at a Junior Stargazer convention. In other words, this might be the most Wes Anderson-y Wes Anderson movie yet.
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny
(2023)
Directed by: James Mangold
Starring: Harrison Ford, Antonio Banderas, Mads Mikkelsen, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Shaunette Renée Wilson, Toby Jones, Boyd Holbrook
Opening on: June 30, 2023
For the first time ever, a person not named Steven Spielberg is helming an Indiana Jones film. James Mangold (Walk the Line) directs this long-awaited follow-up to 2008’s Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, which boasts turns by Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Mads Mikkelsen, Shaunette Renée Wilson, Antonio Banderas, and, of course, Harrison Ford.
Insidious: The Red Door
(2023)
Directed by: Patrick Wilson
Starring: Patrick Wilson, Rose Byrne, Ty Simpkins, Andrew Astor, Hiam Abbass
Opening on: July 7, 2023
Insidious franchise star Patrick Wilson makes his feature directorial debut with this fifth installment, which takes place a decade after Insidious 2 and focuses on the Lambert family’s older son Dalton (Ty Simpkins), who is terrorized by his family’s demons while away at college. In addition to Wilson and Simpkins, Rose Byrne and Andrew Astor also reprise their roles to complete the Lambert family.
Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One
(2023)
Directed by: Christopher McQuarrie
Starring: Tom Cruise, Rebecca Ferguson, Simon Pegg, Ving Rhames, Vanessa Kirby, Henry Czerny, Hayley Atwell, Pom Klementieff, Shea Whigham, Esai Morales
Opening on: July 14, 2023
This was the slot originally reserved for Mission: Impossible 8, but with COVID being what it is, we’re now getting M:I 7 in 2023 and M:I 8 in 2024. In any case, when this movie hits theaters, Tom Cruise will have played Ethan Hunt for a whopping 27 years. Where does the time go? This installment brings back familiar franchise faces like Simon Pegg, Ving Rhames, Rebecca Ferguson, Henry Czerny, and Vanessa Kirby, with Esai Morales playing the primary villain.
Barbie
(2023)
Directed by: Greta Gerwig
Starring: Margot Robbie, Ryan Gosling
Opening on: July 21, 2023
After her stellar adaptation of Little Women, director Greta Gerwig is back with this high-concept original (co-written with Noah Baumbach), which chronicles the most famous doll ever (Margot Robbie) as she’s banished from Barbieland and introduced to our world.
Oppenheimer
(2023)
Directed by: Christopher Nolan
Starring: Cillian Murphy, Florence Pugh, Emily Blunt, Matt Damon, Robert Downey Jr., Rami Malek, Josh Hartnett, Benny Safdie
Opening on: July 21, 2023
Christopher Nolan’s buzzed-about biopic on physicist and “father of the atomic bomb” J. Robert Oppenheimer stars Cillian Murphy in the titular role, as well as Emily Blunt and Matt Damon. Like virtually all of Nolan’s films, the IMAX-shot pic should be taken in on the biggest screen possible.
Haunted Mansion
(2023)
Directed by: Justin Simien
Starring: Rosario Dawson, Jamie Lee Curtis, Jared Leto, Owen Wilson, Tiffany Haddish, Danny DeVito, LaKeith Stanfield, Winona Ryder, Dan Levy
Opening on: July 28, 2023 (formerly August 11, 2023)
Disney’s first attempt at a feature film adaptation of their Haunted Mansion theme park ride was something of a notorious flop, but that was 20 years ago, so why not try again? This time around, the story centers on a single mother (Rosario Dawson) who moves into the titular mansion with her son, then enlists the help of a priest, a paranormal investigator, a psychic, and a history professor to cleanse their new home of evil spirits.
Meg 2: The Trench
(2023)
Directed by: Ben Wheatley
Starring: Jason Statham, Sienna Guillory, Cliff Curtis
Opening on: August 4, 2023
It may not have impressed the majority of critics, but 2018’s The Meg was a surprise box office hit, so we’re getting a sequel. One upside is that this time around the film is being directed by Ben Wheatley (Kill List, Free Fire), who has proven to be a pretty savvy genre guy in the past, so it’ll be interesting to see what he can do with Jason Statham and a giant shark.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem
(2023)
Directed by: Jeff Rowe
Starring: Brady Noon, Nicolas Cantu, Micah Abbey, Shamon Brown Jr., Paul Rudd, Jackie Chan, Giancarlo Esposito, Seth Rogen, John Cena, Ice Cube
Opening on: August 4, 2023
Seth Rogen and his frequent partner Evan Goldberg are rebooting the TMNT franchise with this new, computer-animated film that retells the origin story of the titular quartet, who emerge from the sewers to fight crime and be accepted by the city they protect. Outside of the turtles themselves, the voice cast is stacked with big names, and the animation style is reminiscent of a certain Spider-Verse movie, so it’s got a lot going for it.
Blue Beetle
(2023)
Directed by: Angel Manuel Soto
Starring: Xolo Maridueña, Susan Sarandon, Harvey Guillen
Opening on: August 18, 2023
Originally conceived as a film specifically for the HBO Max streaming platform, Blue Beetle eventually found its way to being a theatrical release when Warner Bros. changed their minds about the film. The DC superhero flick will be helmed by Angel Manuel Soto (Charm City Kings) and star Xolo Maridueña, who has recently made a name for himself on the Karate Kid-inspired hit Netflix series Cobra Kai.
Gran Turismo: Based on a True Story
(2023)
Directed by: Neill Blomkamp
Starring: David Harbour, Orlando Bloom, Darren Barnet, Archie Madekwwe, Djimon Hounsou
Opening on: August 25, 2023
Don’t be too quick to dismiss this as a standard video game adaptation, because, despite its title, it’s actually a coming-of-age tale based on the true story of a teenager who won a series of video game competitions — playing the popular racing game Gran Turismo of course — en route to becoming an actual professional race car driver.
The Equalizer 3
(2023)
Directed by: Antoine Fuqua
Starring: Denzel Washington, Dakota Fanning, David Denman, Gaia Scodellaro, Sonia Ammar
Opening on: September 1, 2023
Director Antoine Fuqua and star Denzel Washington return for another go in this vigilante action thriller franchise based on the classic TV series of the same name. This time, Washington reunites with his Man on Fire co-star Dakota Fanning, though we don’t yet know exactly who her character is and what the story will be.
The Nun II
(2023)
Directed by: Michael Chaves
Starring: Bonnie Aarons
Opening on: September 8, 2023
The Conjuring Universe continues to expand, as we get a sequel to the 2018 horror film The Nun, which starred Taissa Farmiga as a young nun who comes face-to-face with the demon Valak at her convent. The second film takes place four years later, as Farmiga’s Sister Irene encounters Valak again after a priest is murdered. Bonnie Aarons, who portrayed Valak, is the only star currently attached to the film, so we have no word yet on whether or not Taissa Farmiga will also return to reprise her role.
The Creator
(2023)
Directed by: Gareth Edwards
Starring: John David Washington, Gemma Chan, Allison Janney, Ken Watanabe, Benedict Wong, Danny McBride
Opening on: September 29, 2023
From writer/director Gareth Edwards, The Creator is an epic sci-fi action thriller set amidst a future war between the human race and the forces of artificial intelligence.
Saw X
(2023)
Directed by: Kevin Greutert
Starring: Tobin Bell
Premiering on: September 29, 2023
Just in time for Halloween, we’re getting another Saw movie. Kevin Greutert, who directed 2009’s Saw VI and 2010’s Saw 3D, is returning to helm this tenth installment in the franchise, and though we don’t really know anything about the story, we do know that Tobin Bell’s Jigsaw will appear in the film. If you’ve been following the lore of the series thus far, that should be an interesting development.
