With 2022 long in the past, we are looking forward to another year at the movies! From superheroes to action stars, even some theatrical films have caught our attention. As usual, we will preview the movies we highly anticipate each month. Our Top Picks for the 12 movies to watch in 2023!

January- M3GAN

Another take on the world of Artificial Intelligence becoming self-aware serves as the basis for M3GAN. Produced by James Wan (who also co-writes the film), M3GAN will explore the idea of AI protecting the child she seemingly designed to protect. Instead of the typical slasher in Child’s Play, M3GAN looks different, but we will have to wait and see when M3GAN releases on January 6.

February- Cocaine Bear

Wow, the legendary story that occurred in 1985 is finally getting a movie made about it. Directed by Elizabeth Banks, this movie follows the tradition of classic monster movies and adds cocaine to the mix. This movie stars a fun cast, including the final appearance of the late Ray Liotta, and based on the red-band trailer, this looks to be an absolute blast. Forget all aspects of a compelling plot or realistic characters. Instead, we are thrilled to see a black bear high on cocaine starting a bloody rampage. Although, to be fair, there’s no record that the real-life incident caused bear-related attacks toward humans. Nevertheless, Cocaine Bear looks goofy, over the top, and completely ridiculous, and we are excited to witness it! Cocaine Bear arrives in theaters on February 24.

March- John Wick Chapter 4 

The Man, the Myth, the Baba Yaga is back for more! What started as a standard action movie turned into a worldwide blockbuster. With action sequences to constantly gaze upon, the lure of the Continental and the assassin business as a whole makes the John Wick Universe so appealing. With the fourth entry fast approaching and seeing the International star Donnie Yen co-star with Keanu Reeves has action fans eagerly awaiting the action franchise we can’t get enough of. No matter what happens, everyone will root for the success of Mr. Wick. John Wick Chapter 4 arrives on March 24 in theaters!

April- Evil Dead Rise

The dead never stay dead for long. The fifth installment of the wildly goofy horror franchise has a new setting- a cramped apartment in Los Angeles! Taking place within the same universe but working as its own story, Evil Dead Rise will see that infamous book again, horrific demons, and most likely, gore galore! Taking cues from the gruesome 2013 re-imagining, Evil Dead Rise looks creepy, gory, and a thrill ride to hell! Evil Dead Rise will premiere at the South by Southwest Film Festival in March before its theatrical release on April 21.

May- Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3

The gang is back together for one last ride. Returning to helm the film is James Gunn, who was previously fired from Disney after some past tweets on Twitter resurfaced. After a public outcry months later, Gunn was reinstated and returned to the characters he fully embraces and fans of the MCU have come to adore. The movie sees the gang defending the galaxy once again and is tasked with protecting one of their own on a dangerous mission. Even though most of the gang was killed at the end of Infinity War, we’ll have to wait and see which timeline this story occurs in. If anything else, James Gunn has proved himself to be a worthy filmmaker who treats his audience with respect while delivering immense entertainment. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 flies into theaters on May 5.

June- Spider-Man Across the Spider-Verse

Oh, how we love our web-slinging friend. It cannot be overstated just how much fun Into the Spider-Verse was, and fans eagerly awaited the next installment. Well, folks, 2023 is the date, and June is the specific month. In this movie, Spider-Man is tasked to save members of the future Spider-People from impending doom after a new mysterious villain surface. With stunning visual effects and great voice acting, the newest film looks to match if not have us thrilled to step in the shoes of Miles Morales again. Spider-Man Across the Spider-Verse web slings into theaters on June 2.

July- Oppenheimer

Everyone loves a good historical movie, and Christopher Nolan brings this epic to life with Oppenheimer! Dubbed “The Father of the Atomic Bomb,” the movie will focus on the life of J. Robert Oppenheimer (portrayed by Cillian Murphy) and his contributions that brought forth the atomic bomb. One notable difference with this movie is that the test sequence was reportedly recreated with real explosives rather than CGI. Aside from the historical context, Oppenheimer looks to be a thrilling film about a man who created one of the most significant weapons of the 20th century. Oppenheimer releases in theaters and in IMAX on July 21.

August- Haunted Mansion 

Those spooky ghosts will never leave us alone! Based on the Disney attraction of the same name, the movie takes place in New Orleans, where a family finds a house for cheap, only to discover that many ghosts occupy the house, causing havoc among the family. This will serve as the second adaptation of the attraction after the 2003 film starring Eddie Murphy. Featuring a talented cast, and a good old-fashioned story, Haunted Mansion further proves that ghost stories never indeed die. Haunted Mansion will premiere on August 11.

September- The Nun 2 

Why won’t that Valek be nice to anyone? Following the previous film’s success, this movie will serve as the ninth installment of The Conjuring Universe and a direct sequel to The Nun. Sister Irene is back to once again face off against the evil Valek in a showdown that’s sure to leave us grabbing our seats. While Haunted Mansion will be best suited for family audiences, The Nun has its audience, and we can’t wait for the classic battle of good vs. evil. The Nun 2 arrives on September 8.

October- Kraven the Hunter 

An iconic character from the Spider-Man Universe, Kraven hasn’t been seen on the big screen, but come October, he will be. Aaron- Taylor Johnson portrays the infamous character, and while the plot is still in the wind, we are eager to witness a beloved character brought to the Silver Screen for the first time. As superhero movies go, Kraven the Hunter is one to watch for. Sure, Vemon is a classic villain for Spider-Man but Kraven the Hunter is a true comic book classic. Kraven the Hunter arrives on October 6.

November- Dune Part 2

It was 2021 that saw the release of Dune, a wide-sweeping epic that enthralled audiences and kept true to the source material even if the first movie only covered a small portion of the novel. Now, the highly anticipated sequel is arriving and we are more than excited to see how this one plays out. We’ve already marked our calendars, and with Denis Villeneuve back in the director’s chair, we are confident that the wait will be worth it. Prepare yourselves. Dune Part 2 arrives on November 3.

December- Wonka

You know the man, you know the factory, but do you know his story? Well, we don’t, but since Wonka is returning to the Big Screen, we are interested to see where this movie will take us. The adventure of a lifetime or a cautionary tale for young kids? Just kidding, Wonka is a story of wonder and intrigue, and we are very interested to see Timothee Chalamet sink into the role of the iconic character! Wonka arrives on December 15, right in time for the holiday season!