2017 is behind us. While many argue that it was a mediocre year in cinema, I believe that it wasn’t as bad as people might think it to be. Especially, when you think in terms of stories that we got to see last year, 2017 was in ways more than one a landmark year. Many of the best movies of last year were told from female perspective. ‘Lady Bird’, ‘Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri’ and ‘A Ghost Story’ are some of the examples. With that said, now is the time to look ahead.
How will 2018 pan out? What are the interesting movies coming out in 2018? Which actors and directors are going to be prominent this year?
If you have all those questions, worry not! We have done all the hard work for you. Our editors, Aditya and Vishnu, have assembled together the list of 50 most anticipated movies of 2018. Here is the first part of the list consisting of 25 movies.
50. The 15:17 to Paris
Director: Clint Eastwood
Starring: Spencer Stone, Anthony Sadler, Alek Skarlatos, Judy Greer, Jenna Fischer
Synopsis: American soldiers discover a terrorist plot on a Paris-bound train. Based on the true story of the 2015 Thalys train attack
Why is it anticipated?: This is an interesting thriller which is based on actual events that occurred aboard a Thalys train, when a perpetrator stabbed a fellow passenger and injured four others, but none fatally. The interesting fact is that three American soldiers who were actually present during the incident are set to act in the film. Now that is a level of authenticity worth anticipating!
49. Sicario 2: Soldado
Director: Stefano Sollima
Starring: Benicio del Toro, Josh Brolin, Isabela Moner, Jeffrey Donovan, Manuel Garcia-Rulfo, Matthew Modine and Catherine Keener.
Synopsis: After discovering that drug cartels are smuggling terrorists across the US border, the CIA sends Matt Graver (Brolin) and former undercover operative Alejandro Gillick (del Toro) to eliminate the problem. Along the way, Alejandro revisits his old nemesis to settle scores.
Why is it anticipated?: ‘Soldado’ is the sequel to the widely acclaimed 2015 thriller, which starred Emily Blunt along with Brolin and del Toro. The original was a taut thriller, action-packed yet intensely intelligent as well. While Denis Villeneuve is no longer in the director’s chair, the presence of Taylor Sheridan, who wrote both the films and was the force behind ‘Wind River’, one of 2017’s best films, is a reassurance. Whether ‘Soldado’ can live up to ‘Sicario’s benchmarks, only time shall tell.
48. Red Sparrow
Director: Francis Lawrence
Cast: Jennifer Lawrence, Joel Edgerton, Matthias Schoenaerts
Synopsis: The plot revolves around a Russian spy agent named Ballerina Dominika Egorova who is tasked with the job of exposing a CIA agent.
Why Anticipate: The story looks pretty intriguing, but what would be interesting to see is director Francis Lawrence take on Jason Matthews’ novel. The most challenging aspect would be to bring in a sense of realism that the book effortlessly managed to do. What makes it even more interesting would be to see Lawrence’s take on the lead role. Lawrence has been in the form of her life, and while her last film ‘Mother’ divided audiences, her performance received unanimous praise.
47. Ready Player One
Director: Steven Spielberg
Starring: Tye Sheridan, Olivia Cooke, Ben Mendelsohn, T. J. Miller, Simon Pegg, and Mark Rylance
Synopsis: in dystopian 2044, when the creator of a virtual reality world called the OASIS dies, he releases a video in which he challenges all OASIS users to find his Easter Egg, which will give the finder his fortune. Wade Watts finds the first clue and starts a race for the Egg.
Why is it anticipated?: Dystopian films are a dime a dozen these days, but this isn’t just any other film; it is one directed by the father of blockbusters himself! While the basic outline of the plot of ‘Ready Player One’ (a virtual world begins to involve real stakes) has been tested before, the trailer of the film, which looks to be an ode to all the successes in the genre with many original set-pieces unseen in it, has raised everyone’s expectations. Hope Spiel doesn’t let us down!
46. X-Men: Dark Phoenix
Director: Simon Kinberg
Starring: James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence, Nicholas Hoult, Tye Sheridan, Sophie Turner, Alexandra Shipp, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Evan Peters, and Jessica Chastain
Synopsis: Jean Grey begins to develop incredible powers that corrupt and turn her into a Dark Phoenix. Now the X-Men will have to decide if the life of a team member is worth more than all the people living in the world.
Why is it anticipated?: The ‘Dark Phoenix Saga’ is one of the most iconic storylines in the X-Men comics, and has already been adapted for cinema once in ‘X-Men: The Last Stand’ (2006), a film so horrendous its events were reversed a future film! Now Kinberg, who has written many X-Menfilms including ‘The Last Stand’ has geared up for a second take on the saga. And while Sophie Turner, the current Jean Grey, was less than impressive in her first outing as the character in ‘Apocalypse’, I can’t help but hope this time would be better. Plus, Jessica Chastain in an undisclosed role is enough to get an ‘anticipated’ tag in my books!
45. Mary Magdalene
Director: Garth Davis
Starring: Rooney Mara, Joaquin Phoenix, Chiwetel Ejiofor, and Tahar Rahim
Synopsis: A biblical drama based on the story of Mary Magdalene.
Why is it anticipated?: Mary Magdalene is one of the pivotal women in the story of the Bible. According to the Bible, she was witness to Jesus Christ’s crucifixion as well as resurrection. A biblical drama about the character is an interesting premise, buoyed by Garth Davis (of ‘Lion’ fame) as the director and a cast including Mara, Phoenix and Ejiofor is nothing short of a dream. And if the trailer is anything to go by, it is going to be a massively scaled film as well.
44. Solo: A Star Wars Story
Director: Ron Howard
Starring: Alden Ehrenreich, Woody Harrelson, Emilia Clarke, Donald Glover, Thandie Newton, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Joonas Suotamo and Paul Bettany.
Synopsis: Han Solo and Chewbacca’s adventures before joining the Rebellion, including their early encounters with Lando Calrissian.
Why is it anticipated?: Why is it anticipated? Do I really need to tell you why the next film in the world’s biggest franchise, chronicling the backstory of one of the franchise’s most celebrated heroes, is anticipated? Guess I don’t.
43. Annihilation
Director: Alex Garland
Starring: Natalie Portman, Jennifer Jason Leigh Gina Rodriguez, Tessa Thompson, Tuva Novotny, Oscar Isaac
Synopsis: A group of soldiers enters an environmental disaster zone and only one comes back out alive, though he is grievously injured. In an attempt to save his life, his wife Lena, a biologist, volunteers for a second expedition into the zone to figure out what happened to him.
Why is it anticipated?: ‘Annihilation’ is based on a bestselling Jeff VanderMeer book of the same name. Director/screenwriter Alex Garland, who made waves in 2015 with the supremely original ‘Ex Machina’ is back for another sci-fi thriller, with a cast chuck-filled with girl power and a promising premise. Doesn’t get a lot better than that.
42. Avengers: Infinity War
Directors: Russo Brothers
Starring: More people than I can mention here. So look at the sprawling list here.
Synopsis: The Avengers and their allies must be willing to sacrifice all in an attempt to defeat the powerful Thanos before his blitz of devastation and ruin puts an end to the universe.
Why is it anticipated?: The Marvel Cinematic Universe has changed the way superhero film franchises (and films in general) are created, marketed and released. Every MCU film brings in unrivaled anticipation. And the ‘Infinity War’ duology is their most mammoth venture ever. Jam-packed with A-Listers and with the dependable Russo brothers in charge, the first half of ‘Infinity War’ is set to be the ‘Main Event’ of cinema in 2018. The anticipation is so stratospheric that anything short of spectacular is sure to be a letdown; so I’ll keep my fingers crossed till 4 May!
41. Creed II
Director: Steven Caple Jr.
Starring: Sylvester Stallone, Dolph Lundgren, Michael B. Jordan
Synopsis: Adonis Creed tries to seek revenge when he goes toe to toe with the man who killed his father.
Why is it anticipated?: Just when everyone had given up on the ‘Rocky’ franchise for being overdone, ‘Creed’ happened. Stallone took a backseat and delivered an understated (and Oscar-nominated) performance as retired boxer Rocky Balboa while Michael B. Jordan injected new blood into the story, resurrecting the franchise. ‘Creed II’ takes off where the last film left, and we’re hoping for it to be as good a story as its predecessor.
Read More: Best Action Movies of 2017
