Ghost in the Shell (March 31st)
I wasn't a big fan of this remake until I saw the trailer (or, better yet, the small glitches leading to it), especially since Scarlett Johansson was cast in the lead role (thus throwing away the entire feel of the original). With Rupert Sanders (Snow White and the Huntsman) directing, who would have thought otherwise?
But the trailer looks great! And even if the story seems to be tweaked here and there, we can be certain of one thing: Ghost in the Shell looks stunning, with official pics and pieces of concept art showing a world very close to the one I imagined for this movie.
Of course, this is a subjective opinion. But I do believe that this will be a great movie, with no resemblance to Lucy, with which Ghost in the Shell is compared (because the same actress portrays the main character).
All in all, if Ghost in the Shell proves to be successful, this could open the door to other animes being adapted. Of course, Akira is the first one to come to mind (stuck in development hell since ever), but this could also mean that James Cameron might fast-track his Battle Angel Alita.
John Wick: Chapter 2 (February 10th)
This was a role tailor made for Keanu Reeves - an assassin with a moral code, ready to inflict pain on everybody who wronged him. The first John Wick was excellent, and I guess everybody saw the amount of work the star put into making it. The sequel promises to be even better, and an explosive trailer has already been released.
Of course, this might still be a failure - how many times has that happened with sequels? Nonetheless, this is one of the most anticipated flicks of 2017.
John Wick: Chapter 2 will expand on the very interesting mythos of a guild of assassins in modern day, which is great. Even better, the cast (those who survived, that is) and the directors of the first instalment are returning - if it isn't broke, then it needn't be fixed.
As seen in the trailer, John Wick has a new dog - which mirrors the plot kickstarter of the first flick. The new dog (and he'll be important, that's why I mention him before the actual actors) is joined by Common and Lawrence Fishburne, who seem to be the main antagonists of the film.
And who isn't a fan of Peter Stormare?
Kong: Skull Island (March 10th)
When I first heard that Godzilla and King Kong were going to clash, I laughed. However, after seeing the first trailer, the battle between the two giants no longer seemed so preposterous. This new Kong does stand a chance against the god of monsters.
With a stellar cast and quite a few shots of the titular beast included in the trailer, I was also surprised to see that comedy was also blended into the mix. Which was, once again, great. So I can't wait to see Kong: Skull Island as soon as it appears.
Kong: Skull Island is also a perfect example of how many actors appear in superhero flicks. Thus, the movie stars the new Captain Marvel, Loki, Nick Fury, Dr. Doom, Corpsman Day, and who knows who else. To my surprise, the lovable John Goodman hasn't appeared in a CBM until now, but time isn't lost.
What else can be said? While the trailers have been praised by the fans, some still say that the comedy falls a bit flat (especially the John C. Reilly one). I don't agree. He is like a breath of fresh air in there (of course, to be noted, there is an Apocalypse Now feel to the movie).
The LEGO Batman Movie (February 10th)
If Warner Bros. fails with its live-action movies, it does make up for it with its animations - and The LEGO Batman Movie is the project that will make the fans forget about the murderous Dark Knight from the DCEU. Will Arnett already stole the show (from none other than Chris Pratt of all people) in The LEGO Movie. And now he returns!
The cast is stellar, the comedy works, so why not?
It will make tons of cash, and I can bet that it will be better received than any other Warner Bros. superhero flick"¦ Which says something, given how the DCEU went until now.
The fans have been a bit skeptical at first. But the trailers proved and then some that Will Arnett can handle the role. And if you remember that Jimmy Kimmel skit, with him popping out of nowhere and interrupting the conversation between Henry Cavill and Ben Affleck, you do wonder who the better Batman is"¦
Kingsman: The Golden Circle (October 6th)
One of the biggest surprises of 2014, Kingsman: The Secret Service now has a sequel due in 2017. Titled Kingsman: The Golden Circle, it seems to have a by-the-numbers plot. But that doesn't mean that it won't be enjoyable.
Colin Firth will be back, alongside others from the first flick. Channing Tatum has joined the cast, together with Jeff Bridges, Julianne Moore, Vinnie Jones (the guy is a delight), and quite a few others. So it will definitely be a bigger movie.
Hopefully, it won't fail.
But since the first Kingsman took us all by surprise and revealed what a kickass action star Colin Firth is, maybe it will work a second time around as well. Though I have no idea how they'll get around the clear death of Galahad.
And I do wonder whether the studio and the screenwriters have found a charismatic villain such as the one portrayed by Samuel L. Jackson or not. To be honest, the actor did own the movie and every scene he was in. Yes, as over the top as he was.
Star Wars: Episode VIII (December 15th)
The Force Awakens, while criticized by many, was huge and proved that there are many Star Wars fans out there, despite the prequels. Rogue One showed that Disney can actually do a dark war movie; it blew me away. So what if I already knew how it was going to end? Rogue One exceeded my expectations.
This being said, Episode VIII will arrive next year, and it will certainly be the biggest hit of 2017. However, I am wondering how long this spell is going to last - where will the Force take us next? I'd very much like to see a Star Wars film (in the main story) that surprises me (this doesn't mean that The Force Awakens didn't).
Of course, we don't know a thing about the next instalment. And maybe it is for the better - maybe this time around the director won't stick so closely to the original trilogy and maybe we'll see some lightsabre action between actual Force connoisseurs.
Furthermore, how cool would it be if there was a connection between Episode VIII and Rogue One? There is plenty of potential in here to be explored"¦
And, for god's sake, Luke Skywalker doesn't need to die!
Still, maybe Disney shouldn't have hurried. Maybe there shouldn't be an annual Star Wars flick.
Dunkirk (July 21st)
Christopher Nolan knows how to make big movies. And Dunkirk, based on true events, is his next one. It’s also his first war movie, reuniting him with Tom Hardy and Cillian Murphy. There will be no big twists to this movie, unlike Interstellar or Inception. However, it will be beautiful.
What else can I say about Dunkirk? That it promises to deliver the best war action sequences and top even the intro scene of Saving Private Ryan? I do expect that. And I do expect it to annihilate any kind of competition at the box office.
This being said, and as usual on this list, there is place to worry about Dunkirk as well. Christopher Nolan, while being an acclaimed director the studio trusts with any kind of project, did disappoint (just to a certain degree) with Interstellar - I believe it was awesome and flawless, by not everybody shares this opinion.
Maybe the fact that there won't be a twist in the end will help Dunkirk from this point of view. I don't know. But, as always with Christopher Nolan ever since Memento, I am looking forward for this flick!
Blade Runner 2049 (October 6th)
So Blade Runner is getting a sequel. One of the most perfect (if I may say so) movies of all time will now be ruined.
At least, this is what I said when I first heard the news. But then the teaser trailer dropped and revealed that the atmosphere of the first flick has been preserved. Even more, Ryan Gosling seems to own his role as the new Blade Runner.
But the biggest ace in the hole for this sequel is the director, Denis Villeneuve. Prisoners, Enemy, Sicario, and Arrival have been some of the most enjoyable flicks I've seen. The guy does action like no other, while also taking his time to develop truly amazing stories.
Of course, I still fear that maybe Blade Runner shouldn't have gotten a sequel. But everything indicates that it will be great - hopefully it will be so.
From a stylistic point of view, it hits the right notes. And nothing makes me believe that Denis Villeneuve will start making shallow movies with this one.
But where will the story go? Why would someone shed light over some of the best mysteries of the first movie? For example, we can already say that Deckard is not an android (since he is still alive and since Rachel is nowhere to be seen) - and this was one of the most essential questions of the first film.
Not knowing, in this case, was better.
Justice League (November 17th)
Why is Justice League so low on this list? It's easy - it’s the third DC movie (in the DCEU) directed by Zack Snyder. And while the director knows how to do a visual flick, he seems to have no idea how to do stories. I want very much for this movie to be great. I want it to blow everybody's minds. But everything points in the other direction.
Maybe the fact that Zack Snyder doesn't have full control will help. The Comic Con teaser didn't make me feel like it will be that great, though. I guess the buzz will increase once Wonder Woman proves to be a hit. But, for now, of all of next year’s superhero flicks, Justice League is the least anticipated.
Well, at least the Flash sequences will look cool, right?
Spider-Man: Homecoming (July 7th)
That Spider-Man: Homecoming trailer looked good. And that final shot of him with Iron Man was like seeing a comic book cover coming to life. So, naturally, this is one of the most anticipated flicks of 2017.
This being said, at least from the trailer, it does seem that the movie will be, once again, a Marvel flick with a poor villain. Michael Keaton is great - but the Vulture design didn't impress, and the motivations (if they are the ones rumored) are by the numbers. So what gives?
There are some surprises I am waiting for - such as the introduction of a menacing and charismatic Norman Osborn, as well as the appearance of the Symbiote (after all, the Homecoming comic book was also the first time Spider-Man donned his Symbiote suit).
Jon Watts is directing, which is great, and Tom Holland is the best Peter Parker so far. I'm keeping my fingers crossed!
Thor: Ragnarok (November 3rd)
If there is one 2017 Marvel movie that I want to exceed all expectations, then Thor: Ragnarok is it. Hulk, Thor, Loki, Hela, Grandmaster, the rumor that the Soul Gem will appear, and Taika Waititi make me hopeful.
The cast had a great time while shooting the flick, which is great and, dare I say, unheard of with the other Thor flicks. The concept art was awesome, Hulk in a gladiator suit is awesome, Sakaar will be featured, rumors that Surtur and other big Thor baddies will also appear make it even more appealing…So what could go wrong?
The Thor solo franchise has been the weakest in the MCU. It’s about time that changed. Taika Waititi hasn’t disappointed us in the past. He'd better not start with this one.
Alien: Covenant (May 19th)
Prometheus, while enjoyable, suffered from an incoherent plot. Ridley Scott dropped the ball, big time. So at first, I was a bit disappointed to hear that Neil Blomkamp's Alien movie (starring Sigourney Weaver!!!) was shelved to make way for Alien: Covenant.
However, everything looks great so far, with the few pics released teasing an action-horror blend akin to James Cameron's Aliens masterpiece.
With a trailer waiting to be dropped any time now, I can hardly wait to hear more about Alien: Covenant. And this would have been my number one pic, if it weren't for Prometheus. May 2017 will be a busy month, with quite a few big movies being released. Hopefully, Ridley Scott has found the key to making the Alien franchise great again.
UPDATE: and the trailer has dropped!
Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 2 (May 5th)
Obviously. Star-Lord and his crew will be back, facing a still-unknown villain. Kurt Russell has joined the cast as EGO THE LIVING PLANET (this is huge!) and James Gunn, one of today’s most passionate directors, has returned. With the first teaser trailer blowing away records, it was expected that Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 2 would be so high on this list.
Dave Bautista's Drax stole the show in the trailers, which is pretty difficult, considering that Baby Groot (Disney will make tons of money with these toys) was also there. And, despite a kick-ass trailer, we still don't know anything about this movie. Like who the villain is.
Can we expect Guardians of the Galaxy to once again surprise us? Of course we can. And it will, most certainly.
Wonder Woman (June 2nd)
Just like with Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and Suicide Squad before it, there is a lot riding on Wonder Woman's first solo outing in the DCEU. We’ve become used to seeing excellent trailers for this movie. Without leaving aside the big ideas to which we’ve become accustomed with this shared universe, the movie seems to perfectly balance light and dark. And, unlike its predecessors, the comedy doesn't seem forced.
But, as said, the DCEU movies do have excellent trailers, only to end up disappointing. That does make me wonder whether Warner Bros. can pull it off or not.
There is also the fact that Gal Gadot isn't exactly the best actress in Hollywood. What else can I say? This movie is the second-most anticipated flick of 2017, and I want it to succeed.
Logan (March 3rd)
You didn't see it anywhere on this list, so you could have expected this - but, if I were to see just one movie next year, this would be it. It was so even from the start, when Hugh Jackman announced at Comic Con that Old Man Logan would be adapted. I had no idea how it would all work - but, apparently, it does.
And this is the last time for Patrick Stewart to portray Professor X. It’s also the first time X-23 will appear on the big screen. So this is a big event, no matter how you look at it.
And then there is the trailer, which dropped from nowhere like a bomb. Sure, its success is also based on the musical choice. However, there are so many scenes in it that fall in perfectly with what I want from a Wolverine flick that, at one point, you don't even hear Johnny Cash. For example, it's just Logan, Laura, and Charles at the table, genuinely smiling.
And then there is also the rating, the more than positive reactions to the 40-minute screening, and so on and so forth.
Yes - if I were to choose just one movie to see next year, Logan would be it.
What do you think? Which movies are on your must-see list for 2017?
