UPDATED: May 12, 2025
The upcoming slate of Walt Disney Pictures titles will bring a lot of familiarity, with a live-action Lilo & Stitch as well as new, animated, chapters in the Frozen, Toy Story and Zootopia-verses. Searchlight Pictures is also producing The Roses, director Jay Roach and writer Tony McNamara’s reimagining of the Michael Douglas-Kathleen Turner divorce comedy The War of the Roses (Benedict Cumberbatch and Olivia Colman star).
But there are also titles like the Pixar Animation Studios animated film Elio and Searchlight Pictures’ Joel Kim Booster wedding-themed comedy Again Again Again.
Below, we’ve gathered details for some of the Disney and Disney-associated films that are expected to hit in the next few years. We’ll add to this list as more information becomes available, especially in regard to the speculation Pixar Animation Studios movies still waiting release dates.
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Below, you’ll find the Disney-produced projects that have locked release dates – for now. Expect some of the dates to shift as announcements are made. We’ll keep this list updated so you’re always on top of what’s coming up. We’ve also noted which of these are 20th Century Studios and Searchlight Pictures releases.
Lilo & Stitch
(2025)
Release Date: May 23, 2025
Director: Dean Fleischer-Camp
Starring: Maia Kealoha, Sydney Elizebeth Agudong, Billy Magnussen, Tia Carrere, Hannah Waddingham, Chris Sanders, with Courtney B. Vance, Zach Galifianakis
After languishing in various stages of development, it was announced in 2022 that Marcel the Shell with Shoes On director Dean Fleischer-Camp would helm this live-action take on the animated musical about a Hawaiian orphan and her newfound best friend: an alien who crash-landed on the island. The film will be released with a cast that includes Kealoha as Lilo Pelekai and Lilo & Stitch creator Sanders as the voice of Stitch. Other cast members include Sydney Elizebeth Agudong, Kaipot Dudoit, Zach Galifianakis, Billy Magnussen, Tia Carrere and Courtney B. Vance.
Predator: Killer of Killers (2025) (20th Century Studios)
Release Date: June 6, 2025
Director: Dan Trachtenberg, Micho Robert Rutare
Starring: Lindsay LaVanchy, Louis Ozawa Changchien, Rick Gonzalez and Michael Biehn
This animated film, which ties into Trachtenberg’s upcoming live-action <I>Predator: Badlands</i>, will be released on Hulu and Disney+.
Elio
(2025)
(Pixar)
Release Date: June 20, 2025
Director: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina
Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldaña, Remy Edgerly, Brad Garrett, Jameela Jamil, Shirley Henderson
This Pixar Animation Studios movie is about an 11-year-old boy who doesn’t fit in at home. By accident, he ends up traveling through space to become some aliens’ ambassador for Earth.
Freakier Friday (2025)
Release Date: August 8, 2025
Director: Nisha Ganatra
Starring: Jamie Lee Curtis, Lindsay Lohan
The sequel that everyone kept asking for sees Curtis and Lohan reprising their (albeit older and maybe wiser now) roles as mother-daughter body switchers. Lohan’s character now also has her own snarky daughter as well as a soon-to-be stepdaughter. What could possibly happen?
The Roses (2025) (Searchlight Pictures)]
Release Date: August 29, 2025
Director: Jay Roach
Starring: Benedict Cumberbatch, Olivia Colman
Deadline reports that this film, a reimagining of the Michael Douglas-Kathleen Turner marriage comedy The War of the Roses, looks at how little it takes for a “façade of the perfect family” to implode once the husband’s “professional dreams come crashing down.”
TRON: Ares
(2025)
(20th Century Studios)
Release Date: October 10, 2025
Director: Joachim Rønning
Starring: Jared Leto
Per Walt Disney Pictures, the film follows “a highly sophisticated program, Ares, who is sent from the digital world into the real world on a dangerous mission, marking humankind’s first encounter with A.I. beings.”
Predator: Badlands (2025) (20th Century Studios)
Release Date: November 7, 2025
Director: Dan Trachtenberg
Starring: Elle Fanning
“It’s titled Badlands and it is an absolutely bonkers idea. It is a sci-fi thing, but it’s not what everybody thinks it is. And I mean, it’s awesome. It is so nuts. But in Dan, we trust,” 20th Century Studios president Steve Asbell cryptically told The Hollywood Reporter in October 2024 before revealing that Trachtenberg has also filmed another Predator movie that will come out before this one. (That one turned out to be the animated film Predator: Killer of Killers).
Release Date: November 26, 2025
Director: Jared Bush
Starring: Ginnifer Goodwin, Jason Bateman
Goodwin returns to voice rabbit Judy Hopps and Bateman returns to voice fox Nick Wilde. Ke Huy Quan joins the cast as Gary the snake.
Release Date: December 12, 2025
Director: James L. Brooks
Starring: Emma Mackey
Sex Education alum Mackey stars as a young politico hoping for a work-life balance when she becomes governor of her state. Woody Harrelson, Ayo Edebiri, Kumail Nanjiani, Jack Lowden, Rebecca Hall, Jamie Lee Curtis and Albert Brooks also star.
Avatar: Fire and Ash
(2025)
(20th Century Studios)
Release Date: December 19, 2025
Director: James Cameron
Starring: Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, Stephen Lang, CCH Pounder, Kate Winslet, Cliff Curtis, Edie Falco, Jemaine Clement, Michelle Yeoh, David Thewlis, Oona Chaplin
The third chapter in James Cameron’s epic space-nature adventure continues to follow Jake Sully (Sam Worthington), Neytiri (Zoe Saldana) and their family as they navigate Pandora and attempt to elude Colonel Quaritch (Stephen Lang) and his military forces.
Swiped (Hulu)
Release Date: TBD 2025
Director: Rachel Lee Goldenberg
Starring: Lily James
James stars as Bumble founder Whitney Wolfe Herd in this biopic directed by Unpregnant’s Goldenberg. Set to air on Hulu in 2025, the cast also includes Ben Schnetzer, Ian Colletti, Mary Neely, Ana Yi Puig, Aidan Laprete, Pedro Correa, Coral Peña and Hunter Sansone.
Send Help (20th Century Studios)
Release Date: January 30, 2026
Director: Sam Raimi
Starring: Rachel McAdams, Dylan O’Brien
When announcing O’Brien’s casting in January 2025, Deadline described the film as “a survival horror thriller about two colleagues who become stranded on a deserted island, the only survivors of a plane crash. On the island, they must overcome past grievances and work together to survive, but ultimately, it’s a battle of wills and wits to make it out alive.”
Hoppers (Pixar Animation Studios)
Release Date: March 6, 2026
Director: Daniel Chong
Starring: Piper Curda, Jon Hamm, Bobby Moynihan
Announced at the August 2024 D23 Expo, the film focuses on a girl who can transfer her mind into a robot beaver with the intention of going undercover in the animal kingdom. She soon befriends a “regal beaver” played by Moynihan. With the other animals, they band to fend off the plans of a greedy mayor voiced by Hamm.
The Mandalorian & Grogu (Lucasfilm)
Release Date: May 22, 2026
Director: Jon Favreau
Starring: Pedro Pascal, Sigourney Weaver, Jeremy Allen White, Jonny Coyne
Originally conceived as the fourth season of the Disney+ TV show The Mandalorian, writers Favreau and Dave Filoni adapted the story into a film after the 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes delayed production schedules.
Toy Story 5 (Pixar Animation Studios)
Release Date: June 19, 2026
Director: Andrew Stanton, McKenna Jean Harris
Starring: TBD
The toys face their scariest foe yet … technology.
Live-Action Moana
Release Date: July 10, 2026
Director: Thomas Kail
Starring: Dwayne Johnson
This is a live-action take on the 2016 blockbuster about a Polynesian princess who (reluctantly) teams with the demigod-with-a-God-complex Maui on a mission to save her people. Johnson is welcomed back to play Maui and Hamilton director Thomas Kail will helm this film. Catherine Laga’aia replaces Auli’i Cravalho in the titular role.
Most of the Ice Age regulars are back to heat up the franchise’s sixth installment.
Star Wars: Starfighter (Lucasfilm)
Release Date: May 28, 2027
Director: Shawn Levy
Starring: Ryan Gosling
Details are still TBD.
Frozen III
Release Date: November 24, 2027
Director: TBD
Starring: TBD
Disney’s not letting go of the blockbuster franchise about two royal sisters, one blessed with magical powers and one not so much, who must routinely find ways to save their village. Details are still scarce, but Walt Disney Animation Studios chief creative officer Jennifer Lee shared concept art at the August 2024 D23 Expo that she said “captures the seeds of their next epic adventure.”
A fourth Frozen film is also said to be in the works.
Bluey: The Movie
Release Date: TBD 2027
Director: Joe Brumm
Starring: Melanie Zanetti, David McCormack
It was inevitable. The TV show about a family of Australian blue heelers who are loved by both kids and kids at heart is going to Hollywood. A feature-length Bluey film is in the works with creator Brumm directing. It will also feature voice talent from the show such as Melanie Zanetti (who voices Bluey’s mum, Chili) and David McCormack (who voices Bluey’s dad, Bandit).
Avatar 4 (20th Century Studios)
Release Date: December 21, 2029
Director: James Cameron
Starring: Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana
Details are still TBD.
Coco 2 (Pixar Animation Studios)
Release Date: TBD 2029
Director: Lee Unkrich
Starring: TBD
Walt Disney Company CEO Bob Iger announced the news in March 2025 during the annual meeting of shareholders, saying then that “while the film is just in the initial stages, we know it will be full of humor, heart and adventure.”
Avatar 5 (20th Century Studios)
Release Date: December 19, 2031
Director: James Cameron
Starring: Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana
Details are still TBD.
Below are projects that have been announced, are in some state of development – we define “stalled” as a state of development – and whose dates we’re still awaiting.
For more info on upcoming Marvel films without release dates, check our our full list of upcoming Marvel movies.
9 to 5 Remake (20th Century Studios)
Director: TBD
Starring: TBD
What a way to make a livin’. Variety reported in 2024 that Jennifer Aniston’s Echo Films was producing a remake of the 1980 office satire that starred Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin and Dolly Parton.
29 Dates
Director: Richard Wong
Starring: TBD
This young adult rom-com, which is based on the Melissa de la Cruz novel, will appear on Disney+. While no cast or writer has been announced, we know that this story centers on a 16-year-old Korean exchange student who meets a host of eligible bachelors from around the globe. It has been compared to author Jenny Han’s To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before series.
Again Again Again (Searchlight Pictures)
Director: TBD
Starring: Joel Kim Booster
Deadline reported in 2024 that Fire Island’s Booster wrote this script, which is about a man of honor whose attempts to keep his best friend’s wedding on track go off the rails when his boyfriend shows up and causes drama.
Aladdin Spin-Off
Director: TBD
Starring: Billy Magnussen
The Hollywood Reporter reported in 2019 that Disney had hired Jordan Dunn and Michael Kvamme to write a spin-off of its live-action version of Aladdin that would focus on Magnussen’s smarmy Prince Anders. Magnussen will reprise his role in the film. He told Entertainment Tonight in 2024 that the project was still happening, but was pushed due to delays from the COVID-19 shutdown and SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes.
Alvin Ailey Biopic (Searchlight Pictures)
Director: Barry Jenkins
Starring: TBD
Deadline reported in 2019 that Moonlight director Jenkins was developing an as-yet-to-be-titled biopic about the famed choreographer.
Live-Action The Aristocats
Director: Questlove
Starring: TBD
Not to be confused with the Paul Provenza comedy documentary The Aristocrats, this film will be a live-action reimagining of the 1970 film about Parisian cats who suddenly learn they have inherited a fortune from their owner. Deadline reported in 2022 that Will Gluck and Keith Bunin were writing the script.
(Photo by Walt Disney Pictures)
Live-Action Bambi
Director: TBD
Starring: TBD
Although long in the works, the film lost director Sarah Polley in 2024. It’s also already seen backfire from conservatives who bristled when one of its screenwriters, Lindsey Anderson Beer, suggested today’s kids haven’t seen the film as much as previous generations because [spoiler] it showed Bambi’s mom’s death and that her take “did give a little bit more of a scope to it.”
The Barrier (20th Century Studios)
Director: Edward Berger
Starring: Austin Butler
It was announced in 2024 that All Quiet on the Western Front’s Berger would direct, and that Butler would star in, this film based on a MacMillan Hedges short story. The plot is being kept under wraps, but Deadline reports that it is described as “Interstellar meets Top Gun.”
Beach Read (20th Century Studios)
Director: Yulin Kuang
Starring: TBD
Based on Emily Henry’s best-selling novel, this rom-com follows two authors who agree to swap aesthetics (she to write the Great American Novel; him to write a book with a perfect happy ending) and end up falling in love.
Bomb (20th Century Studios)
Director: Ridley Scott
Starring: TBD
Deadline reported in 2023 that there was an explosion of offers for this project, which is based on Kevin McMullin’s short story about a hostage negotiator who gets called into work the night before his wedding.
Buster Keaton Biopic (20th Century Studios)
Director: James Mangold
Starring: TBD
Deadline reported in 2022 that Mangold was developing a film based on Marion Meade’s book, Buster Keaton: Cut to the Chase. However, Deadline then reported in 2023 that Warner Bros. TV was making a biographical series with Rami Malek set to star as the silent film star.
The Caves of Steel (20th Century Studios)
Director: John Ridley
Starring: TBD
Deadline reported in January 2025 that the 12 Years a Slave Oscar winner had also co-written the latest adaptation of Isaac Asimov’s 1954 sci-fi novel with Luke Cage’s Cheo Hodari Coker. Set in a future where the last living humans dwell in cave cities, the plot follows a human and a humanoid robot who partner to solve a high-profile murder.
Club 33
Director: TBD
Starring: TBD
Can’t get a reservation at Disneyland’s exclusive restaurant? Buy a movie ticket. The Hollywood Reproter reported in 2024 that Shawn Levy, Dan Levine and Dan Cohen’s 21 Laps Entertainment was developing a story set at the club that was in the vein of whodunnit comedies like Clue (apropos, as frequent 21 Laps collaborator Ryan Reynolds may have lost his chance to star in a remake of that Tim Curry classic).
Cruella 2
Director: Craig Gillespie
Starring: Emma Stone
Soon after the 2021 release of Disney’s villain origin story, Cruella, news broke that a sequel was in early development. Variety reported at the time that director Craig Gillespie and screenwriter Tony McNamara were expected to return. A couple months later, Deadline confirmed that Emma Stone had a deal to be in the second film.
Stone told Variety in 2024 that the project is a “work in progress” and that it will come together “hopefully sooner rather than later.”
The Devil in the White City (20th Century Studios)
Director: Martin Scorsese
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio
Appropriately, given its title, this is a project stuck in development hell. In 2010, DiCaprio bought the rights to Erik Larson’s book about the overlapping lives of serial killer H. H. Holmes and World’s Fair architect Daniel Burnham in 1890s Chicago. Several adaptations, including a TV series for Hulu starring Keanu Reeves, were workshopped. In January 2025, 20th Century Studios announced its plans to adapt with Scorsese and DiCaprio still involved.
The Dog Stars (20th Century Studios)
Director: Ridley Scott
Starring: Jacob Elordi
Based on a Peter Heller novel, this post-apocalyptic thriller is about the survivors of a flu virus that wiped out most of humanity. Gladiator II star Paul Mescal was supposed to star in this film, but Variety reported in 2025 that he ha to drop out due to a scheduling conflict.
DNA (Searchlight Pictures)
Director: Jorma Taccone
Starring: Ben Schwartz, Sam Rockwell
Schwartz also wrote the script for this comedy, which he sold to Searchlight in 2020, reports Deadline.
Enemy Mine (20th Century Studios)
Director: TBD
Starring: TBD
Star Trek: Picard showrunner Terry Matalas would be giving an update to this 1985 cult sci-fi film, The Hollywood Reporter noted in June 2024. The first film starred Dennis Quaid and Louis Gossett Jr. as a human and an alien who crash-land together on a desolate planet. Oh, and also their species hate each other.
Flight of the Navigator
Director: Bryce Dallas Howard
Starring: TBD
Actor-director Howard is remaking the 1986 sci-fi adventure movie for Disney+, switching the lead from a 12-year-old boy who goes missing and reappears eight years later to a female character. A release date is still unknown. Howard told the Los Angeles Times in 2022 that “there’s not a script yet.”
Untitled The Fly Film (20th Century Studios)
Director: Nikyatu Jusu
Starring: TBD
Rising horror power-player Jusu (Nanny; a Night Of The Living Dead sequel) will write and direct this project based on the world created in David Cronenberg’s body horror classic, according to Deadline. A plot and casting are still TBD.
Free Guy 2
Director: Shawn Levy
Starring: Ryan Reynolds
Star Reynolds Tweeted soon after Free Guy’s summer 2021 premiere that Disney would be interested in doing a second film. What that film would look is still TBD, as returning director Levy told Collider in 2023 that the script was being retooled because it was too similar to box office smash Barbie. He further sunk the idea in a 2024 interview with The Hollywood Reporter where he said “we’ve worked for two years on ideas and scripts” and that “I’m less certain now … [W]e’re really proud of the movie and we don’t need to make sequels. If we don’t crack a story that feels very worth making, we’d rather just make a different movie.”
Deliver Me from Nowhere (20th Century Studios)
Director: Scott Cooper
Starring: Jeremy Allen White
The Bear star will play Bruce Springsteen in this biographical film about the making of the musician’s Nebraska album. Odessa Young and Paul Walter Hauser also star.
Eenie Meanie (20th Century Studios)
Director: Shawn Simmons
Starring: Samara Weaving, Karl Glusman
Written and directed by Simmons, this heist film stars Weaving as (according to Deadline) “a former teenage getaway driver who is dragged back into her unsavory past when a former employer offers her a chance to save the life of her chronically unreliable ex-boyfriend.”
The Hand That Rocks the Cradle Remake (20th Century Studios)
Director: Michelle Garza Cervera
Starring: Maika Monroe, Raúl Castillo, Martin Starr, Mary Elizabeth Winstead
A re-imagining of the 1992 psychological thriller about obsession, revenge and parenting.
In the Blink of an Eye (Searchlight Pictures)
Director: Andrew Stanton
Starring: Kate McKinnon, Rashida Jones, Daveed Diggs
This sci-fi drama that interconnects three stories exploring the history of the world is said to be premiering soon on Hulu.
Incredibles 3 (Pixar Animation Studios)
Director: Brad Bird
Starring: Craig T. Nelson, Holly Hunter
The third film in the franchise was announced at the August 2024 D23 Expo.
Is This Thing On? (Searchlight Pictures)
Director: Bradley Cooper
Starring: Bradley Cooper, Will Arnett
Deadline reported in 2023 that long-time friends Cooper and Arnett would star in this film. Details are being kept under wraps, but it’s known that Arnett also co-wrote the script with Mark Chappell. Sean Hayes joined the cast in 2024.
Live-Action Hercules
Director: Guy Ritchie
Starring: TBD
It was first announced in 2020 with Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings writer Dave Callaham handling the script and Avengers filmmakers Joe and Anthony Russo producing.
Joe Russo told Variety in 2022 that this film will be “a little bit more experimental in tone, a little bit more experimental in execution.”
Ritchie, who directed 2019’s live-action take on Aladdin, is reportedly still helming this project, although rumors circulated in early 2024 that he’d left the film. As of April 2024, the producers said they were “still waiting on a script.”
Lunik Heist (Searchlight Pictures)
Director: Kemp Powers
Starring: Jared Leto, John Mulaney, Lupita Nyong’o
The script, based on an MIT Technology Review, “is inspired by the true story of the American government’s plot to steal a Soviet spacecraft during a 1959 expo in Mexico City,” reports The Hollywood Reporter.
Untitled Majorettes Movie (20th Century Studios)
Director: TBD
Starring: H.E.R.
Deadline reported in 2024 that musician H.E.R. was re-teaming with The Color Purple producers Harpo Films and Scott Sanders Productions on this dance movie about an introvert ballerina who joins a dance squad at a HBCU. Lauren Ashley Smith (A Black Lady Sketch Show) was writing the script.
Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice (20th Century Studios)
Director: BenDavid Grabinski
Starring: Vince Vaughn, James Marsden, Eiza González, Jimmy Tatro
Grabinski writes and directs this action-fueled buddy comedy.
Monster Jam
Director: TBD
Starring: TBD
A live-action film set in the world of the world of motorsports, Dwayne Johnson announced the project, and his involvement in it, at the August 2024 D23 Expo (although what exactly that involvement is is still TBD).
“I’m a pickup truck man. I love motor sports. I love monster trucks. And I thought we had an opportunity here to create something interactive and fun and live action from the POV of these monsters trucks and their eccentric and crazy drivers,” Johnson said at the D23 announcement.
O’Dessa (Searchlight Pictures)
Director: Geremy Jasper
Starring: Sadie Sink
Jasper wrote and directed the rock opera, which stars Stranger Things breakout Sink as a small-town girl hoping to recover a cherished family heirloom. Kelly Macdonald, Mark Boone Junior, Regina Hall, Murray Bartlett and Kelvin Harrison Jr. also star.
Perfect (Searchlight Pictures)
Director: Olivia Wilde
Starring: Thomasin McKenzie, Mckenna Grace
Wilde is set to direct the biopic about Kerri Strug, the Olympic gold medalist who famously fought a painful injury to bring her team to victory. However, she told Variety in 2022 that she was pushing back the start of production to concentrate on her children.
Prince Charming
Director: Paul King
Starring: TBD
What happened before the meet-cute that resulted in the the happily ever after? Paddington’s King, Simon Barnaby and Jon Croker are co-writing the story that tells Prince Charming’s side of things, reporters Variety.
The Princess Diaries 3
Director: Adele Lim
Starring: Anne Hathaway
In October 2024, Hathaway confirmed via Instagram that she would be going “back to Genovia” and that the “fairy tale continues.”
Ready or Not Sequel (Searchlight Pictures)
Director: TBD
Starring: Samara Weaving
Weaving is back for more wedding night jitters for this follow-up to the 2019 black comedy about a bride who finds that her new husband’s family has some weird marriage traditions.
Rental Family (Searchlight Pictures)
Director: Hikari
Starring: Brendan Fraser, Mari Yamamoto, Takehiro Hira, Akira Emoto
According to Variety, the film follows a “down-and-out actor living in Tokyo who is hired as a token American guy for a Japanese rental family company providing professional stand-in services.”
The Return of the Rocketeer (Disney+)
Director: TBD
Starring: David Oyelowo
After some false starts, a live-action remake of the 1991 film The Rocketeer is in the works with David Oyelowo on board as an executive producer and lead. The Wrap reported in 2023 that Sylvie’s Love filmmaker Eugene Ashe would write the script. The film would air on Disney+.
Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion Sequel (Searchlight Pictures)
Director: Tim Federle
Starring: Mira Sorvino, Lisa Kudrow
Grab the Post-its and your best business woman attire. The Hollywood Reporter announced in 2025 that Sorvino and Kudrow were in final talks to return for a sequel to this pop culture favorite.
Shrunk
Director: Joe Johnston
Starring: Rick Moranis, Josh Gad
A follow-up to the Honey, I Shrunk The Kids franchise familiar to late Gen Xers and older Millennials, the film will focus on Gad’s Nick Szalinski — son of Moranis’ Wayne from the original film series — who continues with his dad’s size-changing experiments. It will air on Disney+, although “when” is still a big TBD.
Gad Tweeted in 2023 that “a lot of u ask me what’s going on with this film. Truth is, we were inches from starting and then COVID hit, inches from starting again & then my schedule exploded with conflicts, inches from starting again & budget got the best of us. If you want it, let your local @disney know.”
(Photo by 20th Century Fox Films)
The Simpsons Movie 2 (20th Century Studios)
Director: TBD
Starring: TBD
Comic Book Guy — and other Simpsons characters who care about details — would like you to know that the long-awaited second Simpsons movie is a standalone film and not a sequel. At least, that was the word from series producer Al Jean when he was asked about it in 2020.
Jean told ComicBook.com in 2024 that “there’s talk and I think something will happen” and that “it’s tough for the entire animation business right now to know what the best path is. I think we want to see how the animated films do this summer.”
Sister Act 3
Director: TBD
Starring: Whoopi Goldberg
Regina Y. Hicks and Karin Gist have been tapped to write the script for the latest installment in the franchise and Goldberg has stated that she is involved. In 2024, the star reiterated her desire for her costar in 1993’s Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit, Sheryl Lee Ralph, to appear in the movie. It will air on Disney+.
Spooked
Director: Peter Foott
Starring: TBD
News came in 2020 that Irish filmmaker Foott was developing a Disney+ supernatural comedy that The Hollywood Reporter says “involves a Halloween night gone awry as trick or treaters are transformed into whatever costume they are wearing.”
Star Wars: New Jedi Order (Lucasfilm)
Director: Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy
Starring: Daisy Ridley
When breaking news that Ocean’s 12 writer George Nolfi would be writing the script, The Hollywood Reporter noted that the plot take place 15 years after the events seen in 2019’s The Rise of Skywalker, with Ridley’s character now a mentor to a new crop of Jedis.”
Starlight (20th Century Studios)
Director: Joe Cornish
Starring: TBD
Attack the Block’s Joe Cornish is adapting Mark Millar’s comic. According to Deadline, which broke the news, it “centers on a space hero who saved the universe 35 years ago but when he came back to Earth, no one believed his fantastic stories. He married, had kids and settled into old age, but then his old rocket ship shows up, and he is called back for one fantastic adventure.”
Street Justice (20th Century Studios)
Director: Peter Atencio
Starring: Will Ferrell
Keanu director Atencio is directing this film based on a script from Dave Callaham about “a character who decides to deliver his own brand of justice,” reports The Hollywood Reporter.
Three Men and a Baby
Director: Mo Marable
Starring: Zac Efron
High School Musical alum Efron will, presumably, be one of the three men (and not the baby) in this remake of the 1980s film about a trio of guys out of their element when one of them unexpectedly becomes a father. Marable is directing, according to Deadline. Disney had planned for the film to be released in 2022 on Disney+.
Tender is the Night (Searchlight Pictures)
Director: Soo Hugh
Starring: TBD
Variety reported in August 2024 that Pachinko creator Hugh would write and direct this adaptation of the F. Scott Fitzgerald novel.
Test Drive (20th Century Studios)
Director: TBD
Starring: TBD
Dexter: Resurrection writer Matt Venne sold this original action thriller script in November 2024, according to Deadline.
Tower of Terror
Director: Taika Waititi
Starring: Scarlett Johansson
Another project based on a popular Disney attraction, Black Widow’s Johansson will produce and star in this film according to Collider. Toy Story 4 director Josh Cooley will write the script and Waititi is rumored to direct. The project was delayed during Johansson’s lawsuit with Disney over the release of her film, Black Widow and then, again, in 2023, due to the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. And, as Screenrant points out, her involvement in Jurassic Park 4 will only further push production on this film.
Treasure Island Remake
Director: TBD
Starring: TBD
The Peanut Butter Falcon’s Tyler Nilson and Michael Schwartz are writing the script. Schwartz told The Hollywood Reporter in December 2024 that “It’s an Australian surfer version of Treasure Island, and if they [Disney] ever make it, it would be so fun. It has the vibes that we do, and there’s found family, brotherhood, drama and outsider energy.”
Whalefall (20th Century Studios)
Director: Brian Duffield
Starring: TBD
Deadline reported in March 2024 that Duffield would direct this adaptation of the popular Daniel Kraus novel. The two are co-writing the script, which Deadline says is “described as The Martian meets 127 Hours. The book is about a scuba diver in search of his deceased father’s remains who gets swallowed by an eighty-foot, sixty-ton sperm whale and has only one hour to escape before his oxygen runs out. After giving up on life, the young man is surprised to find a reason to live in the most dangerous and unlikely of places.”
Wild Horse Nine (Searchlight Pictures)
Director: Martin McDonagh
Starring: John Malkovich, Mark Ruffalo and Sam Rockwell
Deadline reported in February 2025 that Malkovich and Ruffalo were joining the project, which already reunited Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri writer-director McDonagh with that film’s best supporting actor Oscar winner, Sam Rockwell.
Working Girl (20th Century Studios)
Director: TBD
Starring: TBD
Let the river run wild with this one. Selena Gomez is said to be aiding in the adaptation of the 1980s Melanie Griffith film Working Girl — a story of a Manhattan receptionist from Staten Island who should never have been underestimated. Diary of a Future President creator Ilana Pena is writing the new screenplay and Gomez is producing. It’s still unclear as to whether the Only Murders in the Building actress will star in the film.
Thumbnail image: Walt Disney Studios
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Certified Fresh romance Love & Basketball was the breakout hit for director Gina Prince-Bythewood. It has become a hallmark of Black cinema, and impacted the industry by blending romance and sports in a new way. Since then, she has worked on projects in other genres because she refuses to be pigeonholed – both in TV and film. (Though she did return to romance, triumphantly, in the acclaimed drama Beyond the Lights.)
Her latest film, the big-budget adaptation of Greg Rucka’s graphic novel, The Old Guard, was perhaps her biggest departure yet. Starring Charlize Theron, Kiki Layne, Chiwetel Ejiofor, and more, the action flick hit Netflix last year after a planned theatrical release was scuttled by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Action is a genre that few women get the opportunity to tackle, and there are even fewer Black women at the helm of big-budget action features. Prince-Bythewood may have pushed the door open a little further: The Old Guard was a huge success for the streaming service, with 72 million views in the first month of release and talk of a sequel. She is following it up with The Woman King, starring Viola Davis as General Nanisca of Dahomey, who leads all-female unit known as the Dahomey Amazons who fought back against the French in the 19th century.
As part of our “Filmmaker Selects” series for Women’s History Month, Prince-Bythewood shared 10 films from creatives that inspired her, and spoke with Top Critic Valerie Complex about what makes her tick, her favorite directors, and what the future is looking like for women filmmakers.
Gina Prince-Bythewood on the set of The Old Guard. (Photo by Mohammad Kamal © Netflix 2020)
Valerie Complex for Rotten Tomatoes: Do you miss the movie theater?
Gina Prince-Bythewood: Yes! I love the collective theater experience of sitting with a group of people I don’t know, yet we all laugh/cry at the same thing. I love sitting in the theater when those opening credits come up. Especially when it’s a movie that I’ve done and it’s an exciting moment we all have to miss right now.
What was the first film that made you really want to become a director?
Prince-Bythewood: It’s interesting because I didn’t have that epiphany watching a movie. I had that epiphany that I was a director working on a movie. I was working on a student film at UCLA. I was on set and looked around then it hit me in that moment: you’re a director. From then on, I worked on improving the craft and watching great films, which is the benefit of film school. You get to see so many movies that you normally wouldn’t be able to. As time moved forward, I became more and more enamored with the craft and the power of filmmaking.
Being on set, what were some of the challenges you remember having when shooting your first feature Love & Basketball?
Prince-Bythewood: While in school, you’re given room to fail, but for Love & Basketball, that was my first shot. I worked on the script for so long and fought hard to make it. I was in a constant state of anxiety that I couldn’t fail. It was the fear of: If I blow this, I’ll blow my entire career. Working on the film, the crew developed a sense of family, and everyone there wanted me to win, which helped fuel me to see it through to the end.
Gina Prince-Bythewood and Sanaa Lathan while making Love & Basketball. (Photo by © New Line Cinema)
When you talk about that collective anxiety about failure, where does that stem from for you? Is it like a collective thing of being a woman, and being a woman of color? Was it being new in the industry? All of the above?
Prince-Bythewood: It’s history. Women, Black folks, and people of color don’t have the luxury of failure in this industry. It is very hard to get a second film, and a third film. Suddenly, you look around and you don’t see anybody that looks like you – and I learned this pretty early on in my career.
Are there any particular women filmmakers that you admire?
Prince-Bythewood: Well, there is Kathryn Bigelow, and Euzhan Palcy – she is someone who looks like me, and is working with people like Marlon Brando. Then there is Kasi Lemmons who directed Eve’s Bayou. It’s a film I respect immensely and was so different from anything that had come out before it. When Eve’s Bayou came out, it was on such another level. The craft, the storytelling, the performances inspired me. The two sisters and their story, the performance that she got from Journee Smollett and Meagan Good, that movie stayed with me. I thought it was such an incredible debut from Kasi. I’ll never forget when I met Kasi before directing Love & Basketball, and she was so giving of her time, support, and encouragement.
Adepero Oduye in Dee Rees’ Pariah. (Photo by © Focus Features)
What new filmmakers are you into right now?
Prince-Bythewood: There are also some dope young women out there. I get excited, not only by their work and their talent, but the fight. I know what it takes to get a film made, and for them to have the grit to get it done is impressive. There is Dee Rees, her film Pariah blew me away. I loved Tina Mabry’s film Mississippi Damned; Little Woods by Nia DaCosta, and looking forward to her next film Candyman; and Channing Godfrey Peoples, who impressed me with Miss Juneteenth.
Miss Juneteenth is such a great film.
Prince-Bythewood: The movie took me into a world that I had no idea existed. There are a couple of scenes in there that are devastating to watch in the best way. Peoples did phenomenal world-building, which brought me into this small Texas community and taught me something. I cared about Turquoise (Nicole Beharie) and her daughter Kai (Alexis Chikaeze). She wants a better life for them both, and will do what it takes to change her circumstance. I just think Peoples created something special.
I hear you really enjoyed Mati Diop’s first feature film, Atlantics, as well. I saw that one at Cannes in 2019.
Prince-Bythewood: There was a lot of buzz about it, and I finally got a screener to watch it. I’m glad I didn’t know much about the film because it was exciting to experience that way. It’s a quiet, beautiful movie, and I was just so invested in the love story. It’s beautiful, surprising, and heartbreaking.
Radha Blank in The Forty-Year-Old Version. (Photo by © Netflix)
And one of your favorites of last year is The Forty-Year-Old Version, which is written and directed by Radha Blank.
Prince-Bythewood: Blank created something with all the elements: There’s drama, comedy, and an honest depiction of one woman’s life who works in the creative arts. She has a fresh voice and clear vision that’s dope, dynamic, and bold. And shooting in black-and-white? A brilliant touch. I also loved the music and how it helps tell the story. It’s the best kind of humor because it comes from a place of truth.
Your portfolio is super diversified. Like you got action, drama, romance. Do you like to do it all? Do you want to experiment with horror next? What’s coming?
Prince-Bythewood: I love every genre except for horror and westerns. I can’t even tell you why. That’s not to say I can’t recognize a great western or horror film, but it’s not my thing. Personally, I crave to do another love story. That is my favorite genre. However, I certainly want to see women, particularly Black women, creating in every genre. The next thing I am working on is The Woman King with Viola Davis. It’s a historical epic. I’m so hyped about the project because it’s a beautiful story, and we don’t often get epics of this caliber with women at the forefront.
Kiki Layne with Gina Prince-Bythewood on the set of The Old Guard. (Photo by Amy Spinks / © Netflix)
Do you think, since you directed Love & Basketball, that the industry has changed for women filmmakers?
Prince-Bythewood: It’s interesting you asked that, because I came across an interview I did 21 years ago during the press tour for Love & Basketball, and I talked about my hopes for the future, and the fact that we’re still having those conversations 21 years later is wild to me. When I shot The Old Guard I thought to myself that few women get the opportunity to do big tent-pole and action films. When I was in film school we had Kathryn Bigelow. She was the only woman I knew doing big-budget movies.
This past year, seven of us – and the majority of us, women of color – got the opportunity to do the high title films. However, you can’t get too excited though because you see the actual numbers and it’s like, “Oh my God, how is this still happening? How are we at 12% of anything?!” But it’s important to remember there are so many great films by a fantastic group of women that are in the awards conversation this year and it’s long overdue.
Kathryn Bigelow on the set of Point Break in 1991. (Photo by Courtesy the Everett Collection)
What do you hope to see for the future for not just women directors, but for Black women specifically? Paint a picture of how that would work if you had it your way.
Prince-Bythewood: More Black women in the director’s chair. I had this conversation with Regina King for another publication and we talked about that, what we bring as Black women to our storytelling. Hollywood needs to understand that we all bring something different, that we are not a monolith. We don’t all share the same experiences, so we need women who are bringing different things, in different genres to the table. My life experiences are what’s important to me and a large part of my work. Things are wide open, and there are so many stories and different perspectives to share. I want all of these women to have the opportunity to tell a story that no one else can tell.
Gina Prince-Bythewood’s The Old Guard is available on Netflix; Love & Basketball, The Secret Life of Bees, and Beyond the Lights are available on Vudu and FandangoNOW.
Whale Rider (2002)
91%
Only males are allowed to ascend to chiefdom in a Maori tribe in New Zealand. This ancient custom is upset when the child selected to be the next chief dies at birth; however his twin sister, Pai (Keisha Castle-Hughes), survives. At age 12, she enlists the help of her grandmother (Vicky Haughton) and the training of her uncle (Grant Roa) to claim her birthright.
Critics Consensus: An empowering and uplifting movie, with a wonderful performance by Castle-Hughes.
Written and directed by Niki Caro
Never Rarely Sometimes Always (2020)
99%
Faced with an unintended pregnancy and a lack of local support, Autumn (Sidney Flanigan) and her cousin, Skylar (Talia Ryder), travel across state lines to New York City on a fraught journey of friendship, bravery and compassion.
Critics Consensus: Powerfully acted and directed, Never Rarely Sometimes Always reaffirms writer-director Eliza Hittman as a filmmaker of uncommon sensitivity and grace.
Written and directed by Eliza Hittman
Eve's Bayou (1997)
83%
Over the course of a long, hot Louisiana summer, a 10-year-old black girl, Eve Batiste (Jurnee Smollett), discovers that her family’s affluent existence is merely a facade. The philandering of her suave doctor father, Louis (Samuel L. Jackson), creates a rift, throwing Eve’s mother, Roz (Lynn Whitfield), and teenage sister, Cisely (Meagan Good), into emotional turmoil. Eve, though, manages to find some solace with her quirky psychic aunt, Mozelle (Debbi Morgan).
Critics Consensus: Eve’s Bayou marks a striking feature debut for director Kasi Lemmons, layering terrific performances and Southern mysticism into a measured meditation on disillusionment and forgiveness.
Written and directed by Kasi Lemmons
Atlantics (2019)
96%
In Dakar, a group of construction workers abandon their work on a sky-scraper in response to months of withheld wages. The group then seeks better opportunities as they take to the sea. At the heart of the narrative are lovers Suleiman (traore) and Ada (Mama Sane) who must contend with Ada’s betrothal to another man.
Critics Consensus: An unpredictable supernatural drama rooted in real-world social commentary, Atlantique suggests a thrillingly bright future for debuting filmmaker Mati Diop.
Directed by Mati Diop, written by Mati Diop and Olivier Demangel
The Edge of Seventeen (2016)
94%
Everyone knows that growing up is hard, and life is no easier for high school junior Nadine (Hailee Steinfeld), who is already at peak awkwardness when her all-star older brother Darian (Blake Jenner) starts dating her best friend Krista (Haley Lu Richardson). All at once, Nadine feels more alone than ever, until an unexpected friendship with a thoughtful teen (Hayden Szeto) gives her a glimmer of hope that things just might not be so terrible after all.
Critics Consensus: The Edge of Seventeen‘s sharp script — and Hailee Steinfeld’s outstanding lead performance — make this more than just another coming-of-age dramedy.
Written and directed by Kelly Fremon Craig
Thelma & Louise (1991)
87%
Meek housewife Thelma (Geena Davis) joins her friend Louise (Susan Sarandon), an independent waitress, on a short fishing trip. However, their trip becomes a flight from the law when Louise shoots and kills a man who tries to rape Thelma at a bar. Louise decides to flee to Mexico, and Thelma joins her. On the way, Thelma falls for sexy young thief J.D. (Brad Pitt) and the sympathetic Detective Slocumb (Harvey Keitel) tries to convince the two women to surrender before their fates are sealed.
Critics Consensus: Simultaneously funny, heartbreaking, and peppered with action, Ridley Scott’s Thelma & Louise is a potent, well-acted road movie that transcends the feminist message at its core.
Directed by Ridley Scott, written by Callie Khouri
Broadcast News (1987)
98%
A highly strung news producer finds herself strangely attracted to a vapid anchorman even through she loathes everything he personifies. To make matters worse, her best friend, a talented but not particularly telegenic news reporter, is secretly in love with her.
Critics Consensus: Blockbuster dramatist James L. Brooks delivers with Broadcast News, fully entertaining with deft, deep characterization.
Written and directed by James L. Brooks
Miss Juneteenth (2020)
99%
A former beauty queen and single mom prepares her rebellious teenage daughter for the “Miss Juneteenth” pageant.
Critics Consensus: Like a pageant winner walking across the stage, Miss Juneteenth follows a familiar path — but does so with charm and grace.
Written and directed by Channing Godfrey Peoples
The Forty-Year-Old Version (2020)
99%
A struggling New York City playwright finds inspiration by reinventing herself as a rapper in this debut from Radha Blank, which she wrote, directed, and stars in.
Critics Consensus: The Forty-Year-Old Version opens a compelling window into the ebbs and flows of the artist’s life — and announces writer-director-star Radha Blank as a major filmmaking talent with her feature debut.
Written and directed by Radha Blank
Girlfight (2000)
87%
Nothing comes easy for Diana Guzman (Michelle Rodriguez), a troubled girl on the brink of womanhood. Her teachers don’t understand her, her father underestimates her and her friends are few. Diana struggles to find respect and dignity every day. Diana is a quick tempered young woman who finds discipline, self-respect and love in the most unlikely place — a boxing ring.
Critics Consensus: Michelle Rodriguez gives a compelling performance, despite lack of a boxing background; Karyn Kusama packs a punch with this directorial debut.
Written and directed by Karyn Kusama
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(Photo by Marvel Studios / Disney, 20th Century Fox, Miramax, TriStar)
For their bravery, wit, general badassery, and unbroken spirit in the face of enormous challenges (be they gender discrimination or acid-hissing aliens), we pay tribute to 87 Fearless Movie Women Who Inspire Us.
How did we arrive at our top 87? With the help of a fearless panel of women critics made up of some of the best writers in the industry, including a few on the Rotten Tomatoes staff. Starting with a long list of candidates, they whittled down the list to an initial set of 72 amazingly heroic characters and ordered them, crowning the most fearless woman movie hero in the process. Want to know more about the ladies who voted? We included their bios at the end! Then, in addition to their contributions, which make up the bulk of the list, we also added a handful of more recent entries chosen by the RT staff.
The final list (you can watch every movie in a special FandangoNOW collection) gives compelling insight into which heroes have resonated through the years, women whose big-screen impact remains even as the times change. We have the usual suspects along with plenty of surprises (Working Girl, your day has come!), and the only way to discover them all is reading on for the 87 fearless women movie heroes — and groups of heroes — who inspire us!
(Photo by 20th Century Fox Film Corp.)
#1One of the appeals of science-fiction is the luxury to comment on modern issues and social mores, or even eschew them completely. Take a look at the diverse space crews in Star Trek, Sunshine, or Alien, where people are hired based on nothing but competence, and none have proven their competence under extreme pressure as well as Ellen Ripley. She’s tough, pragmatic, and cunning in Alien. Journey with Ripley into Aliens and we get to see her in a new light: mothering and nurturing with hints of deep empathy (Sigourney Weaver was nominated for a Best Actress Oscar for this performance), which only makes the Xenomorph-stomping side of her even more badass.
(Photo by 20th Century Fox Film Corp.)
#2And on the other side of the Sigourney spectrum, Weaver here plays Katharine, a particular kind of woman who’s nasty to the competition: other women. The object of her scorn is her secretary, Tess McGill (played by Melanie Griffith), who has her great ideas stolen by Katharine. The plucky Tess in turn pretends to be her boss’s colleague, and proceeds to shake things up in this corporate Cinderella story. Who doesn’t dream of one day suddenly arriving in a higher echelon of society? Of course, it’s what you do once you get there that’s important, and the glowing and tenacious Tess makes the most of it.
(Photo by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures/Marvel)
#3Hard-drinking, ass-kicking Valkyrie makes no apologies for her choices and draws solid boundaries. Sure, she’s flawed, but that’s what makes her successes so sweet. That she’s played by Tessa Thompson doubles the fun.
(Photo by Marvel/Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)
#4Letitia Wright proved that a sister doesn’t have to sit in the shadow of her sibling simply because he’s king. Her Shuri has the smarts and the sass to cut her own path, making her technical genius essential not only to the Kingdom of Wakanda, but also the Avengers’ recent efforts to take down the tyrant Thanos.
(Photo by Fox 2000 Pictures)
#5Don’t ask us to choose a favorite among Hidden Figures’ Space Race heroines: Taraji P. Henson as Katherine G. Johnson, Octavia Spencer as Dorothy Vaughan, and Janelle Monáe as Mary Jackson. The Oscar-nominated drama tells the story of a real-life team of female African-American mathematicians crucial to NASA’s early space program.
(Photo by )
#6As Imperator Furiosa, Charlize Theron blazed a trail for enslaved post-apocalyptic cult wives in skimpy clothing – literally. With an assist from Max (Tom Hardy), soldier Furiosa set the road on fire to rescue her charges from madman Immortan Joe (Hugh Keays-Byrne), leader of the Citadel.
(Photo by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures/Lucasfilm Ltd)
#7Daisy Ridley gave girls everywhere – and full-grown women, in truth – a fresh new hero to adore when she debuted in Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Of humble origins, scrappy Rey overcomes her circumstances living as an orphan in a harsh environment to become an essential component in the Resistance. It helps, of course, that The Force is with her.
(Photo by Clay Enos/Warner Bros. Pictures)
#8Despite her superpowers and privileged background, Gal Gadot as Diana – princess of Themyscira and the Amazons, daughter of Queen Hippolyta and King of the Gods Zeus – retains her humility and a genuine care for humanity. She’s also the most rock solid member of DC’s boys club of Justice League superheroes.
(Photo by 20th Century Fox)
#9Come on…she’s Princess Leia. She leads the Rebel Alliance. She saves the galaxy again and again (with a little help from Luke, and Han, and Chewy). She eventually becomes a revered general, but from the very start – when she first confronts Darth Vader at the beginning of Episode IV – A New Hope – she shows a defiant, fiery nature that never dims. In her defining film role, Carrie Fisher brings impeccable comic timing to this cosmic princess.
(Photo by Roadside Attractions)
#10Before she was Katniss, Jennifer Lawrence was Ree, the role that made her a star and earned her the first of four Oscar nominations. A no-nonsense teenager, Ree dares to brave the dangers lurking within the Ozark Mountains to track down her drug-dealing father and protect her siblings and their home. With each quietly treacherous encounter, she shows depth and instincts beyond her years, and a willingness to fight for what matters.
(Photo by )
#11You can’t have any fear when you’re going up against Hannibal Lecter – or at least you can’t show it. He’ll sniff it out from a mile away. But what’s exciting about Jodie Foster’s Oscar-winning portrayal of the young FBI cadet is the way she works through her fear, harnessing that nervous energy alongside her powerful intellect and dogged determination. Clarice Starling is a hero for every little girl who thought she wasn’t good enough.
(Photo by Universal Pictures)
#12Julia Roberts won a best-actress Oscar for her charismatic portrayal of this larger-than-life, real-life figure. Erin Brockovich is repeatedly underestimated because of the flashy way she dresses and the brash way she carries herself. But as a single mom who becomes an unlikely environmental advocate, she’s a steely fighter. What she lacks in book smarts, she more than makes up for with heart. Steven Soderbergh’s film is an inspiring underdog story.
(Photo by 20th Century Fox)
#13Jane Craig is the toughest, sharpest, most prepared woman in the newsroom at all times, but she isn’t afraid to cry to let it all out when the pressure gets too great. Writer-director James L. Brooks created this feminist heroine, this workplace goddess, but Holly Hunter brilliantly brings her to life. She’s just so vibrant. Even when she’s sitting still (which isn’t often), you can feel her thinking. And while two men compete for her attention, no man could ever define her.
(Photo by MGM Studios)
#14It would be easy to underestimate Marge Gunderson. Sure, she’s in a position of power as the Brainerd, Minnesota, police chief. But with her folksy manner – and the fact that she’s so pregnant, she’s about to burst – she’s not exactly the most intimidating figure. But in the hands of the brilliant Frances McDormand, she’s consistently the smartest and most fearless person in the room, and she remains one of the Coen brothers’ most enduring characters. You betcha.
(Photo by Marvel/Walt Disney Studios)
#15Danai Gurira plays Okoye, the leader of the Dora Milaje who specializes in spear fighting and strategic wig flipping. Of late, Okoye has been seen keeping company with Avengers.
(Photo by Miramax Films)
#16Things Bridget Jones is prone to: accidents, fantasizing about sexy coworkers, worrying about her weight, and running mad into the snow wearing tiger-print underwear. All totally relatable things, so it’s no surprise she’s the highest-ranked romcom heroine on this list. It also doesn’t hurt that, at their best, Bridget’s movies are what romantic comedies aspire to: They’re fun, cute, and just when it feels like everything’s about to fall apart, there’s the exhilarating little twist at the end that leaves watchers feel like they’re floating on air.
(Photo by Paramount Pictures)
#17It’s true that Cher is a little oblivious to the world at large, but she’s just so earnest and she tries so hard. She discovers a passion for doing good after successfully matchmaking a pair of teachers, and after a series of difficult lessons learned, she makes an honest effort to escape her privileged bubble and become a better person. Like we all should.
(Photo by MGM Studios)
#18Thelma and Louise, best friends who stick by each other no matter what. And when their girls’ getaway weekend quickly turns from frivolous to frightening, they find even deeper levels of loyalty to each other. Geena Davis and Susan Sarandon have an effortless chemistry with each other, and Ridley Scott’s intimate and thrilling film never judges these women for the decisions they make — or for the lengths to which they’ll go in the name of freedom.
(Photo by Warner Brothers)
#19Enduring racism, misogyny, and emotional, physical, and sexual violence, Celie (Whoopi Goldberg in her film debut) transcends her traumatic life in the rural South, finding friends, strength, and her own voice.
(Photo by Sony Pictures Classics)
#20As a transgender waitress, Marina constantly endures cruelty and confusion from the ignorant people around her. When the one man who loves her for who she truly is dies unexpectedly, she finds herself in the midst of an even more emotional, personal fight. Transgender actress Daniela Vega initially was hired as a consultant on Sebastian Lelio’s film; instead, she became its star, and A Fantastic Woman deservedly won this year’s foreign-language Oscar.
(Photo by TriStar Pictures)
#21Sarah Connor makes many want to be a better mother – or at least get to the gym and work on our triceps. The once-timid waitress crafts herself into a force of nature, a fearsome and visceral manifestation of pure maternal instinct. Played most memorably by Linda Hamilton in the first two Terminator movies, Sarah may seem unhinged, but she’s got laser-like focus when it comes to protecting her son, John, from the many threats coming his way.
(Photo by Miramax Films)
#22The return of blaxploitation queen, Pam Grier! What’s not to love? Especially in Quentin Tarantino’s killer love letter to South Bay Los Angeles. As Jackie Brown, Grier exudes classic cool with a tough exterior.
(Photo by Richard Olley/Columbia Pictures)
#23Jessica Chastain has made a career of playing quick-witted characters with nerves of steel. Nowhere is this truer than in her starring role in Kathryn Bigelow’s thrilling depiction of the hunt for Osama bin Laden. Maya is obsessively focused in her pursuit of the al Qaeda leader. She’s a confident woman who has to be extra prepared to survive in a man’s world. But when the mission is over and she finally allows some emotion to shine through, it’s cathartic for us all.
(Photo by Warner Brothers/ Everett Collection)
#24She’s the smartest kid in the class, regardless of the subject. The hardest worker, too. And she’s proud of those qualities, making her an excellent role model for girls out there with an interest in math and science. But Hermione isn’t all about the books. Over the eight Harry Potter films, in Emma Watson’s increasingly confident hands, Hermione reveals her resourcefulness, loyalty, and grace. She’s a great student but an even better friend.
(Photo by Columbia Pictures/ Everett Collection)
#25Howard Hawks’ celebrated screwball comedy benefited from a not-so-small change to the stage play it was based on: In the original The Front Page, Hildy Johnson was a male. But thanks to Rosalind Russell’s lively performance, as well as a few script changes she personally insisted upon, the character blossomed into an early icon of the independent working woman who’s not only just as effective at her job as her male counterparts, but also equally adept with a witty comeback.
(Photo by Walt Disney/ Everett Collection)
#26Elastigirl takes on all the trials of motherhood: She’s got hyper kids, a bored husband, and has to witness certain parts of her body unperkify. Elastigirl also just happens to be a superhero, with the fate of the world resting on her shoulders.
(Photo by Universal/courtesy Everett Collection)
#27Fans of the short-lived but beloved Fox sci-fi series Firefly were already familiar with Gina Torres‘ badassery as Zoe Washburne in Serenity. A veteran of the Unification War and second in command of the ship, Zoe is a strong and loyal ally who rarely pulls punches, whether she’s stating a controversial opinion or engaged in a literal fistfight. With her free spirit and deadly skills, it’s no wonder she became a fan favorite.
(Photo by 20th Century Fox Film Corp./courtesy Everett Collection)
#28Dolly Parton is a national treasure, and 9 to 5 allows her to light up the screen with her sparkling, charismatic personality. But while Doralee may seem like a sweet Southern gal, she’s got a stiff backbone and a sharp tongue, and she isn’t afraid to use them when she’s crossed. When she finally stands up to her sexist bully of a boss alongside co-workers Lily Tomlin and Jane Fonda, it’s nothing short of a revolution – one that remains sadly relevant today.
(Photo by Columbia Pictures/courtesy Everett Collection)
#29The story of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League is one that deserves to be told, and it’s Geena Davis‘ Dottie Hinson who grounds this fictional account. She’s a talented local player who becomes the star of the Rockford Peaches, and it’s her quick thinking that brings publicity to the sport. When her decision to play in the World Series leads to a spectacular finish, she also demonstrates a very human vulnerability, making her a strong but relatable heroine.
(Photo by Focus Features/courtesy Everett Collection)
#30Jane Austen’s classic heroine Elizabeth Bennet jumps off the page in the 2005 film starring Keira Knightley, who gives audiences an intelligent, down-to-Earth, sometimes literally dirty, but uncompromisingly steadfast leading lady.
(Photo by Everett Collection)
#31Never underestimate a sorority girl. They are organized and they know how to get what the want. In the case of Elle Woods, she goes after her law school goals with a smile on her face, a spring in her step, and an impeccably coordinated wardrobe. Reese Witherspoon is impossibly adorable in the role, with a potent combination of smarts and heart to shut down the naysayers who are foolish enough to judge her simply by her looks.
(Photo by Warner Bros./Courtesy Everett Collection)
#32Talk brashly and carry a big sword. As Tom Cruise’s character unravels a complex time travel sci-fi story, a constant in his fluctuating world is Rita Vrataski aka the killer Angel of Verdun. But Emily Blunt gives life to Rita beyond burgeoning love interest. She takes the lead and makes the movie just as much her’s.
(Photo by Marvel Studios)
#33When Nick Fury sent that mysterious intergalactic text message right before disappearing into dust at the end of Avengers: Infinity War, eager fans knew what was in store. As played by Brie Larson, Captain Marvel is one of the most powerful superheroes in the MCU — if not THE most powerful — and she’s in such high demand that she spends most of her time battling evil on other planets. She shows up when it counts, though, and she can rock a mowhawk like nobody’s business.
(Photo by Paramount /Courtesy Everett Collection)
#34Though hit hard by tragedy and seemingly insurmountable odds of surviving an alien invasion, mother and daughter duo Evelin and Regan Abbott prove their mettle in A Quiet Place.
(Photo by Paramount Pictures / Courtesy: Everett Collection)
#35Played first in film by the groundbreaking star of the Star Trek TV series, Nichelle Nichols, the role was passed on to Zoe Saldana in the 2009 reboot film. Uhura, the USS Enterprise chief communications officer, was a critical crew member throughout the franchise in both TV and film.
(Photo by 20th Century Fox Film Corp./courtesy Everett Collection)
#36Who can stand up to Hugh Jackman’s fierce Wolverine without flinching? His cloned daughter X-23. Dafne Keen imbued the preteen mutant, a.k.a. “Laura,” with a volatile mix of anger, despondency, obstinance, and hope – that we would very much like to see more of.
(Photo by 20th Century Fox Film Corp./courtesy Everett Collection)
#37She’s Buffy. She slays vampires while juggling cheerleading and the SATs. But while Kristy Swanson gives the character a satricial bent, it’s the legendary TV adaptation that gives this character a lasting legacy. But the movie ain’t a bad place to start.
As usual, the big streaming subscription services unloaded a ton of new titles for the beginning of April, and as usual, we’ve gone through and selected the best-reviewed of the bunch. Read on to find out where to watch ’80s classics like Gremlins, A Nightmare on Elm Street, and Escape from New York; beloved hits from the ’90s like Boogie Nights and The Legend of Drunken Master; and contemporary winners like There Will Be Blood, Tropic Thunder, The Love Witch, and A Man Called Ove.
Liam Neeson, Ben Kingsley, and Ralph Fiennes star in Steven Spielberg’s historical drama about a German businessman who helped save hundreds of Jews by employing them in his factory during World War II.
Available now on: Netflix
Iconic horror villain Freddy Krueger (Robert Englund) makes his debut in Wes Craven’s classic film about a group of teens who are tormented by an evil spirit who visits them in their dreams.
Available now on: Netflix
Based on the novel by Jay Asher, this Netflix original series stars Dylan Minnette as a high schooler who strives to understand the reasons behind a classmate’s suicide.
Available now on: Netflix
Keisha Castle-Hughes earned a Best Actress Oscar nomination for her work in Niki Caro’s family drama, based on a novel by Witi Ihimaera, about a young Maori girl in New Zealand who wants to become the chief of her tribe, upending a generations-old patriarchal tradition.
Available now on: Netflix
Based on true events, this crime drama from Argentina about a normal-seeming family who kidnapped wealthy citizens and held them for ransom during the 1980s.
Available now on: Netflix
Joe Dante’s beloved horror-comedy stars Zach Galligan as an unsuspecting office drone who adopts a strange creature in Chinatown, names him Gizmo, and promptly discovers that his new pet — as cute as he is — is plagued by some horrific allergic reactions.
Available now on: Netflix
Kurt Russell stars in John Carpenter’s cult classic sci-fi action film set in a dystopian future, where New York is now a giant prison, and a mercenary is tasked with rescuing the President from within its confines after Air Force One crashes there.
Available now on: Netflix
In one of his most celebrated martial arts films, Jackie Chan stars as folk hero Wong Fei-hung, who utilizes his unorthodox fighting style to take down a ring of smugglers in early 20th century China.
Available now on: Netflix
Ben Stiller, Robert Downey Jr., and Jack Black star in Stiller’s hilarious Hollywood satire about a group of unprepared actors filming a Vietnam War movie who encounter a heroin operation in the jungle and fail to realize they’re the real deal.
Available now on: Netflix
Denzel Washington and Meryl Streep star in Jonathan Demme’s remake of John Frankenheimer’s classic thriller, which shifts the focus from the military to the world of multinational conglomerates.
Available now on: Netflix
Ethan Hawke and January Jones star in this Certified Fresh drama about a drone pilot whose work begins to tear at his conscience.
Available now on: Netflix
This curious thriller with a retro vibe centers on a beautiful but lonely witch whose efforts to seduce men with her potions results in a string of dead bodies.
Available now on: Amazon Prime
Paul Thomas Anderson’s ensemble opus about life in the porn industry made a movie star out of Mark Wahlberg and benefited immeasurably from great performances by Burt Reynolds, Julianne Moore, John C. Reilly, Don Cheadle, Heather Graham, Luis Guzman, Philip Seymour Hoffman, and William H. Macy.
Available now on: Amazon Prime
Paul Thomas Anderson’s epic drama stars Daniel Day-Lewis as pioneering oil man Daniel Plainview, who strikes oil in southern California at the turn of the 20th century and promptly begins to build an empire.
Available now on: Amazon Prime
Based on the novel of the same name, this Swedish dramedy centers on an elderly man whose plans for suicide are foiled by unwanted friendships.
Available now on: Amazon Prime
Viggo Mortensen and Ed Harris star in David Cronenberg’s mystery thriller about a small-town diner owner who attracts the attention of a dangerous man after he thwarts an attempted robbery and makes national news.
Available now on: Amazon Prime
Sally Field and Max Greenfield star in this Certified Fresh dramedy about a woman who falls for a much younger man and starts hanging with a new crowd.
Available now on: Amazon Prime
Christina Ricci and Martin Donovan star in this dark comedy about a rebellious 16-year-old who, after the death of her stepfather, travels to visit her half-brother in Indiana and proceeds to cause all sorts of trouble.
Available now on: Amazon Prime
Mark Duplass and Katie Aselton star in Jay Duplass’ indie comedy about a man who embarks on a road trip with his demanding girlfriend and his brother to deliver a vintage recliner to his father.
Available now on: Amazon Prime
James McAvoy and Anya Taylor-Joy star in M. Night Shyamalan’s psychological thriller about a young woman who is captured and held captive by a man with 23 different personalities.
Available now on: FandangoNOW
The post-turkey blues will kick in as the North American box office should slump this weekend following a busy Thanksgiving holiday frame.
Three new releases venture into the multiplexes. The Biblical drama "The Nativity Story" will open in the most theaters and try to court a faith-based audience as Christmas nears. Teens and young adults looking to push the envelope with R-rated fare have the college comedy "Van Wilder: The Rise of Taj" and the horror thriller "Turistas." Meanwhile, the penguin toon "Happy Feet" and the James Bond actioner "Casino Royale" will both be past the $100M mark by Friday and will try to stay atop the charts for a third straight time.
The story of Baby Jesus comes to the big screen with New Line’s "The Nativity Story" which stars Keisha Castle-Hughes ("Whale Rider") as Mary. The PG-rated film should appeal to Christian parents wanting to share the religious saga with their children in an environment that the whole family can enjoy. Certainly "The Passion of the Christ" showed how big a Biblical film could be at the box office. However, "Nativity" is completely different and does not have that film’s high-profile director, controversy, or national media frenzy.
Keisha Castle-Hughes and friends in "The Nativity Story."
Instead, it may tap into the same audience as October’s Babylon epic "One Night With the King" which opened to $4.1M from just 909 theaters for a $4,518 average. "The Nativity Story" will launch in more than twice the number of theaters and has a more timely release with December 25 right around the corner, but could generate a similar per-theater average. Critics have not been kind to the pic which might prompt some to wait for the DVD. Opening in around 2,800 theaters, "The Nativity Story" could collect about $13M over the weekend.
Four and a half years after the release of National Lampoon’s first raunchy college comedy "Van Wilder" comes a new installment with "Van Wilder: The Rise of Taj." This R-rated tale finds Taj (Kal Penn) from the first film moving to England to teach a group of misfits how to party down. It’s been a tough road in recent weeks for R-rated films aimed at young males. "Tenacious D in The Pick of Destiny," "Let’s Go to Prison," and "Harsh Times" all opened with about $2M or $3M a piece. "Taj" has some brand recognition since the first "Van Wilder" went on to become popular on video and on cable. In theaters, it opened to $7.3M and a $3,612 average in April 2002 leading to a $21M final. However, a crowded marketplace will make it tough for the sequel to stand out. And "Borat" becoming a runaway smash with four straight $10M+ weekends won’t help either. Opening in 2,000 around theaters, "Van Wilder: The Rise of Taj" might debut with about $5M.
Kal Penn returns in "Van Wilder: The Rise of Taj."
Fox’s new division Fox Atomic, which will cater to teen and young adult audiences, sets sail with its first film with the horror pic "Turistas." The R-rated thriller is directed by John Stockwell ("Blue Crush," "Crazy/Beautiful") and follows a group of American tourists on vacation in Brazil who cross paths with creepy organ harvesters. No starpower here. Instead, Fox is hoping to appeal to college kids looking for a good scare. Outside of older teens and twentysomethings, appeal should be minimal. Even with its core audience, "Turistas" will have to share shelf space with "Taj" so potential will be limited. Opening in less than 2,000 theaters, "Turistas" could find its way to a weekend gross of roughly $4M.
A trio of scared turistas in "Turistas."
Among holdovers, films usually suffer steep declines on the weekend after the Thanksgiving holiday frame. Overall box office spending contracts and studios usually avoid programming any of their heavy hitters into the slot. In fact in the last 15 years, only one new release has opened at number one during this particular weekend – 2003’s "The Last Samurai."
This weekend, it could end up being "Happy Feet" and "Casino Royale" duking it out for box office supremacy for the third straight time. Family pics do extremely well over the turkey frame, but then come down hard a week later. Plus "The Nativity Story" could provide some competition for families. Warner Bros. might suffer a 55% fall for its penguin film which would leave it with $17M for the weekend and $120M after 17 days.
The new blonde Bond is pleasing audiences worldwide and in the United States, "Casino Royale" is set to give "Die Another Day" a run for its money thanks to good word-of-mouth. With kids back in school, the Sony adventure film has taken over the number one spot during the mid-week period. "Casino" could drop by 50% this weekend to around $15M which would push the domestic cume to $116M. Look for the global tally to surpass the $400M mark with ease by the end of the holiday season.
Last weekend, Denzel Washington‘s action thriller "Deja Vu" got off to a good start with a $28.6M five-day bow. Buena Vista may witness a 50% drop and collect roughly $10M over three days and raise its 12-day total to $43M.
LAST YEAR: For the third straight weekend, "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire" rose to the head of the class and grossed $19.9M to lead the box office. Paramount opened its Charlize Theron actioner "Aeon Flux" to $12.7M on its way to a lukewarm $25.9M. It was the only new wide release of the weekend. "Walk the Line" dropped to third with $9.5M, "Yours, Mine, and Ours" placed fourth with $8.3M, and "Just Friends" rounded out the top five with $5.6M.
Young Oscar-nominated actress Keisha Castle-Hughes, who starred in the lauded New Zealand drama "Whale Rider" at the tender age of 12, has announced that she’s pregnant. "Whale Rider" came out in 2002, so if you do the math…the young mom-to-be is sixteen years old. But a very mature sixteen, they say.
Castle-Hughes became the youngest, uh, woman, nominated for a Best Actress Oscar in 2004, for her debut performance as a Maori girl destined to become her tribe’s leader in "Whale Rider." She followed up that turn with a role in "Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith," as the Queen of Naboo. Her next role? Playing the Virgin Mary in Catherine Hardwicke‘s "The Nativity Story," due this December.
Castle-Hughes next stars as Mary in December’s "The Nativity Story"
According to gossip-scooper People Magazine, the baby’s father is Castle-Hughes’ boyfriend of three years, nineteen-year-old Bradley Hull. The two met in high school.
Castle-Hughes is also onboard the Australian coming-of-age dramedy "Hey, Hey, It’s Esther Blueburger," in which she’s set to star with Toni Collette. It’s about a 13-year-old Jewish girl (played by Aussie newcomer Danielle Catanzariti) who secretly switches from private to public school; production is scheduled to start this month, and Castle-Hughes is expected to give birth in the spring.
In yet another example of synergy between moviemakers and game creators, "The Wheelman" will hit movie theaters and video game stores in the same week. And Vin Diesel will factor heavily into both projects.
According to Variety, "In one of the biggest partnerships to date between a vidgame publisher and a studio, MTV Films and Paramount are developing Midway Games’ "The Wheelman" as a feature film. Plan is to release the pic and the game simultaneously; Vin Diesel is signed on to star in and produce both.
"Wheelman" is an action-adventure title about an expert driver who comes out of retirement to protect a woman from his past.
Par and MTV Films bought the rights from Midway, which is already well into development on the game for next generation consoles Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. Budget is believed to be north of $15 million — on the high end for videogames.
Game and movie are being targeted for a late 2007 release. "XXX" scribe Rich Wilkes is penning the film’s screenplay and is expected to turn in a draft in about two months. Vidgame’s story will be a prequel to the film, with some crossover between the two."
Thanks to ComingSoon.net for sharing a press release from Fox Searchlight regarding Danny Boyle‘s "Sunshine" — and the fact that it began shooting yesterday.
Plot: "Fifty years from now, the sun is dying, and mankind is dying with it. Our last hope: a spaceship and a crew of eight men and women. They carry a device which will breathe new life into the star. But deep into their voyage, out of radio contact with Earth, their mission is starting to unravel. There is an accident, a fatal mistake, and a distress beacon from a spaceship that disappeared seven years earlier. Soon the crew is fighting not only for their lives, but their sanity."
Cast: Rose Byrne ("Troy"), Cliff Curtis ("Whale Rider"), Chris Evans ("Fantastic Four"), Troy Garity ("After the Sunset"), Cillian Murphy ("28 Days Later"), Hiroyuki Sanada ("The Last Samurai"), Benedict Wong ("Dirty Pretty Things"), and Michelle Yeoh ("Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon").
Director: Danny Boyle, of "28 Days Later," "Millions," "Trainspotting," "The Beach," "Shallow Grave," and "A Life Less Ordinary." Screenplay by frequent Boyle collaborator Alex Garland, he of the $1 million "Halo" screenplay.
Also, it’s interesting to note that the project is now known as "Untitled Sunshine Project" and not the much prettier "Sunshine." Perhaps a title-change is in order for one reason or another.
For a lot more info check out the full press release at ComingSoon.net.
