Finishing up our coverage of the movies we loved, hated, and loved to hate in 2017, we have come to the part where we look forward into the new year and all the potential moviegoing riches that it has to offer. Below we present our most anticipated films of 2018, the movies that we are most excited to see and already on the edge of our seats to see if they live up to our expectations. Only time will tell…
January – THE COMMUTER
“Liam Neeson plays an insurance salesman, Michael, on his daily commute home. After being contacted by a mysterious stranger, Michael is forced to uncover the identity of a hidden passenger on his train before the last stop. As he works against the clock to solve the puzzle, he realizes a deadly plan is unfolding and is unwittingly caught up in a criminal conspiracy.” Vera Farmiga also stars.
The Commuter is directed by Jaume Collet-Serra (The Shallows, Non-Stop) and hits theaters on January 12.
February – BLACK PANTHER
The Marvel Cinematic Universe is taking audiences to the African Kingdom of Wakanda to tell the story of superhero Black Panther, aka Prince T’Challa (Chadwick Boseman). After the death of his father, the King, T’Challa must fight to save his kingdom from tyranny and from the outside world that threatens to infiltrate its riches and take his rightful place as King.
Black Panther is directed by Ryan Coogler (Creed) and also stars Michael B. Jordan, Lupita Nyong’o, Danai Gurira, Andy Serkis, Forest Whitaker, and more. It hits theaters on February 16.
March – ISLE OF DOGS
Wes Anderson returns to stop-motion animation for his latest film Isle of Dogs. “It tells the story of Atari Kobayashi, 12-year-old ward to corrupt Mayor Kobayashi. When, by Executive Decree, all the canine pets of Megasaki City are exiled to a vast garbage-dump called Trash Island, Atari sets off alone in a miniature Junior-Turbo Prop and flies across the river in search of his bodyguard-dog, Spots. There, with the assistance of a pack of newly-found mongrel friends, he begins an epic journey that will decide the fate and future of the entire Prefecture.”
Anderson’s typical behemoth star-studded cast is present in the film, including Bill Murray, Harvey Keitel, Edward Norton, Jeff Goldblum, as well as several newcomers to the Anderson world such as Greta Gerwig, Scarlett Johansson, Bryan Cranston, Yoko Ono, and many more.
Isle of Dogs is slated to hit theaters on March 23.
April – THE NEW MUTANTS
Twentieth Century Fox’s surprise horror-take on the X-Men will be hitting theaters in 2018. The New Mutants is written and directed by Josh Boone (The Fault in Our Stars) and follows five brand-new mutants discovering their abilities while being held captive in a secret government facility. They must confront their demons and their past in order to escape and save themselves.
Anya Taylor-Joy (Split), Charlie Heaton (Netflix’s Stranger Things), and Maisie Williams (HBO’s Game of Thrones) star.
The New Mutants hits theaters on April 13.
May – AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR
In the third Avengers installment, the superhero team-up will be taking on Thanos and the infinity gauntlet for one giant all-out battle to save the world from total destruction. Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr., Chris Hemsworth, Chris Pratt, Tom Holland, Chadwick Boseman, Scarlett Johansson, Anthony Mackie, Benedict Cumberbatch, Mark Ruffalo, Elizabeth Olsen, Zoe Saldana, Paul Bettany, Sebastian Stan, Tom Hiddleston, and Josh Brolin star in the film.
Directed by Joe and Anthony Russo, Avengers: Infinity War hits theaters on May 4.
June – INCREDIBLES 2
“Everyone’s favorite family of superheroes is back – but this time Helen (Holly Hunter) is in the spotlight, leaving Bob (Craig T. Nelson) at home with Violet (Sarah Vowell) and Dash (Huck Milner) to navigate the day-to-day heroics of “normal” life. It’s a tough transition for everyone, made tougher by the fact that the family is still unaware of baby Jack-Jack’s emerging superpowers. When a new villain hatches a brilliant and dangerous plot, the family and Frozone (Samuel L. Jackson) must find a way to work together again.”
Incredibles 2 opens in theaters on June 15.
July – ANT-MAN AND THE WASP
“As Scott Lang balances being both a superhero and a father, Hope van Dyne and Dr. Hank Pym present an urgent new mission that finds the Ant-Man fighting alongside The Wasp to uncover secrets from their past.”
Peyton Reed returns to the director’s chair along with returning cast Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lilly, and Michael Douglas, along with newcomer to the series Michelle Pfeiffer.
Catch Ant-Man and the Wasp in theaters starting on July 6.
August – THE PREDATOR
Writer-director Shane Black, of the darkly comedic action thrillers The Nice Guys and Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, takes on a sequel to the popular 1987 classic Predator. It is set before the events of the 2010 sequel Predators, and will be an event-film surrounding ex-soldiers who must go up against the monstrous creature The Predator.
The film boasts a star-studded cast consisting of Boyd Holbrook, Olivia Munn, Keegan Michael-Key, Trevonte Rhodes, Jacob Tremblay, Sterling K. Brown, Thomas Jane, , and Yvonne Strahovski.
The Predator hits theaters on August 3.
September – BOY ERASED
Joel Edgerton directs and co-stars in the adaptation of the best-selling memoir Boy Erased. It tells the harrowing story of a young boy facing his changing sexuality while living with a Baptist pastor for his father. He is forced to endure gay-conversion therapy with another pastor at their church in order to avoid shunning from his family and their entire community.
Oscar-nominee Lucas Hedges, Nicole Kidman, Russell Crowe, Xavier Dolan, and Singer Troye Sivan star.
Boy Erased comes to theaters on September 28.
October – FIRST MAN
Oscar-winner Damien Chazelle (La La Land) returns with the biopic First Man, telling the story of Neil Armstrong’s journey to becoming an astronaut and eventually being the first man to walk on the moon. The story will be based on the biography First Man: The Life of Neil A. Armstrong, written by James R. Hansen.
Joining Chazelle once again is Ryan Gosling as Armstrong. Claire Foy, Jon Bernthal, Kyle Chandler, Pablo Schreiber, Corey Stoll, Patrick Fugit, Lukas Haas, and Brian d’Arcy James also star.
First Man is slated for release on October 12.
November – MULAN
Disney continues with their live-action adaptation slate for Mulan, the story of the girl who would disguise herself as a man in the Chinese army to save her aged father from the fight agains the Huns.
Niki Caro (Whale Rider) is directing the film and Chinese actress Yifei Liu will play the coveted title role.
Mulan hits theaters on November 2.
December – BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY
After a director switcheroo, replacing absentee helmer Bryan Singer with Dexter Fletcher, the awaited Queen/Freddie Mercury biopic will finally be hitting the screen. Starring Rami Malek as the late Mercury, the film will follow the origins of the classic rock band up until one of their final performances in their original group at the Live Aid concert in 1985.
Aidan Gillen, Joseph Mazzello, Tom Hollander, Allen Leech, Ben Hardy, and Mike Myers star in the film.
Bohemian Rhapsody comes to theaters on December 25.