2015 has been a great year for movies, with something for the fans of every genre - granted, while some of the big releases haven't met the success they were aiming for, some others have completely invigorated franchises, started franchises of their own, or simply made a ton of cash.
2016 will be even bigger, with more franchises scheduled to hit the screen and more interesting projects announced to be released. And while it is pretty clear which franchise installment of 2015 was the best (Mad Max: Fury Road), which movie was the most exciting (Sicario), and which Oscar bait was the most interesting (The Revenant), what can we say about this year's flicks?
2016 will see the release of quite a few entries in the superhero genre, as well as quite a few reboots and sequels of cult favorites, long awaited projects, and others. Which of them are the most awaited? Regardless of their genre and of the originality of the ideas behind them, here are our top 15 choices for 2016's flicks.
Keep in mind, though, that there is no particular order to all of these movies, except for the chronological one.
Hail, Caesar! (February 5)
The last time when the Coen Brothers made a movie set in the "˜50', Barton Fink was released. And, just like Hail, Caesar!, Barton Fink also dealt with what happens behind all the glamour in Hollywood.
The story/synopsis for the story is as goofy as with many other Coen productions - a big movie star is kidnapped by an organization called The Future and a man his hired to find him (while also having to keep in line many other stars).
Speaking of which, who stars in Hail, Caesar!? Well, basically, everybody. Josh Brolin (Thanos of the MCU), George Clooney (O Brother, Where Are Thou? of the Coen Brothers), Jonah Hill (The Wolf of Wall Street), Scarlett Johansson (the Black Widow of the MCU), Tilda Swinton (Only Lovers Left Alive and the future Ancient One of the MCU), Channing Tatum (The Hateful Eight and the future Gambit), and Ralph Fiennes (The Harry Potter franchise), just to name a few, are some of the biggest names included.
Watch the trailer below and find out why it is on this list! (Scarlett Johansson nails every single line!):
However, and quite frankly, we would have had this movie on this list even if the trailer wasn't released just yet. And that is because the Coen Brothers always deliver - Barton Fink, Fargo, The Big Lebowski, No Country for Old Men, and True Grit are just a few of the movies they have directed and wrote the script for. We have no doubt that Hail, Caesar! will be easily included in a top of the best 2016 movies!
Deadpool (February 12)
Usually, February is the month where movies go to die - fortunately, Deadpool cannot be killed (we hope). And, based on the two trailer released, we actually believe that it will be a hit at the box office.
Sure enough, it won't break records since it is an R-rated flick. However, the buzz has been constant and it will make a pretty buck at the box office. The story looks pretty interesting too, even if it can be said to have quite a few common points with other movies (one becomes hero in order to save the beloved one, for example).
Deadpool is one of the most interesting characters to be brought to life this year, especially because of his ability to break the 4th wall. Furthermore, he isn't exactly a superhero - seeing that 2016 will be quite a busy year from this point of view, we can only thank Ryan Reynolds and the team for sticking to this project.
What else can be said other than what is already known? Not too much - however, until the 12th of February we can still watch the trailers a couple of more times:
Midnight Special (March 18)
This can be called the second superhero flick of the year – Jeff Nichols reunites with Michael Shannon (Man of Steel) after the more than interesting Take Shelter (2011) for Midnight Special, a movie about a father going on the run with his son, after the latter develops special powers.
The movie also stars Kirsten Dunst (Sam Raimi's Spider-Man flicks), Adam Driver (Star Wars: The Force Awakens), and Joel Edgerton (Warrior, alongside Tom Hardy). Taking into account the previous movies of the director, we can expect for this to be another self-contained flick, all about the development of the characters in front of the audiences.
Of course, most people haven't even heard of this movie yet - but check out the trailer below and you will see why it is on this list (Michael Shannon seems to deliver yet again another great performance):
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (March 25)
The second movie of the DCEU, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice will pick up where Man of Steel ended and will introduce for the first time on the silver screens DC's Trinity: Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman.
There is a lot riding on this movie and, unfortunately, the second trailer didn't actually convince the fans they have nothing to fear. While we are more than certain that Batman v Superman will make a ton of cash, we are not so sure how Zack Snyder will manage to insert so many characters and plot points into a single movie.
And this has always been the trouble with Snyder - while he has always delivered from a visual point of view, his movies are known to have very weak storylines. Maybe Batman v Superman will be an exception - we doubt it.
For what is worth, though, we will still see it. It depends on the director whether we will do it more than once. Check out the trailers below, after the short synopsis: Fearing the actions of Superman left unchecked, Gotham City’s own formidable, forceful vigilante Batman takes on Metropolis’ most revered, modern-day savior, while the world wrestles with what sort of hero it really needs. And with Batman and Superman at war with one another, a new threat Doomsday quickly arises, putting mankind in greater danger than it’s ever known before.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yViIi3gie2c
Captain America: Civil War (May 6)
If there were any doubts about the next flick in the MCU, the first trailer for Captain America: Civil War put all the fears to rest. The Russo Brothers have returned, after delivering probably the best installment in the MCU (Captain America: The Winter Soldier) and have teased the biggest repercussions for all the actions of all the characters.
More often than not, this was called the 3rd Avengers flick, because almost everybody is in it (except for Thor and the Hulk). It will also mark the first appearance in the MCU for both Black Panther (Chadwick Boseman) and the new Spider-Man (Tom Holland).
What really didn't work with Avengers: Age of Ultron was the fact that Joss Whedon had to consider all the events that took place in the MCU, while also having to set up quite a few movies (including Civil War). For this reason, it was one of the most rushed and (oftentimes) unintelligible movies of the whole franchise. The Russo Brothers have a chance to erase these past mistakes, by elevating the entire franchise to another level. Will it happen so?
Check out the trailer below, after the short synopsis: Marvel's "Captain America: Civil War" finds Steve Rogers leading the newly formed team of Avengers in their continued efforts to safeguard humanity. But after another incident involving the Avengers results in collateral damage, political pressure mounts to install a system of accountability, headed by a governing body to oversee and direct the team. The new status quo fractures the Avengers, resulting in two camps"”one led by Steve Rogers and his desire for the Avengers to remain free to defend humanity without government interference, and the other following Tony Stark's surprising decision to support government oversight and accountability.
X-Men: Apocalypse (May 27)
May sees the release of two comic book movie behemoths - X-Men: Apocalypse is the second one and will see the X-Men pitted against the most powerful villain they have ever faced.
Many people believe that Bryan Singer isn't the right director for these movies - but, until now, he has done a marvelous job, no matter how many characters were included in the movies. X-Men: Apocalypse will focus entirely on the First Class characters, while also introducing a few others (fan favorites or not).
We mentioned the displease some of the fans have with this director because we do remember the reaction when Apocalypse was revealed. And then we also saw the reaction when the first trailer was released.
Nonetheless, the same thing happened with Days of Future Past as well. And we do have high hopes of X-Men: Apocalypse, especially since it will mean the end of the First Class generation and the emergence of a newer one. Furthermore, the coming of Apocalypse might bring with it other interesting villains and heroes.
Check out the trailer below, after the short synopsis: Worshiped as a god since the dawn of civilization, the immortal Apocalypse becomes the first and most powerful mutant. Awakening after thousands of years, he recruits the disheartened Magneto and other mutants to create a new world order. As the fate of the Earth hangs in the balance, Professor X and Raven lead a team of young X-Men to stop their seemingly invincible nemesis from destroying mankind.
Warcraft (June 10)
This if the first (and probably the biggest) movie of 2016 based on a video game to be found on this list. The fans of the Warcraft games have been waiting for a long time for this one - and now they finally have it. Duncan Jones (Moon, Source Code) directs, while the cast seems to be top notch (Toby Kebbell, Paula Patton, Ben Foster, and Dominic Cooper, to name a few). But is this such a good idea?
A first trailer was already released and it didn't impress too much - mainly because of all the CGI being used. But what were the fans expecting, when it will all be about humans fighting orcs?
Considering the amount of talent involved, we do expect for this to be better than most of the movies based on games which were released thus far. And, quite frankly, the whole idea of witnessing a total war gets us excited.
Check out the trailer below, after the short synopsis: The peaceful realm of Azeroth stands on the brink of war as its civilization faces a fearsome race of invaders: Orc warriors fleeing their dying home to colonize another. As a portal opens to connect the two worlds, one army faces destruction and the other faces extinction. From opposing sides, two heroes are set on a collision course that will decide the fate of their family, their people and their home. So begins a spectacular saga of power and sacrifice in which war has many faces, and everyone fights for something.
Untitled Matt Damon/Bourne Sequel (July 29)
After the huge success of The Martian, Matt Damon returns to the franchise which made him an action superstar. Unfortunately, there is almost nothing known about this movie, except for a few tidbits of information released at the end of 2015: the action will take place in the modern day, 12 years after the events of Bourne Ultimatum, while rumors say that Bourne will be on the run, with a skilled assassin tracking his every move.
So why is this a much expected film? Because of the talent behind it: Paul Greengrass (The Bourne Supremacy and Ultimatum) is back at the helm, while Julia Stiles (The Bourne Movies), Tommy Lee Jones (Captain America: The First Avenger), Vincent Cassel (Black Swan), and Alicia Vikander (Ex Machina) have also signed to play.
Keep posted for a first trailer, sometime soon (hopefully).
Suicide Squad (August 5)
The second DC flick of the year, Suicide Squad is yet another superhero movies without any superheroes. The most dangerous villains of the DC comic books (better yet, some of the most dangerous Batman villains) are united by a governmental figure (Amanda Waller, portrayed by Viola Davis) and let loose against a bigger threat.
There were quite a few set pics leaked online, quite a few official images released, as well as a first trailer (with a second one scheduled for release sometime in January 2016). But still we cannot say that we know too much about this movie.
David Ayer (End of Watch, Fury) directs, while the cast is a spectacular one (Margot Robbie, Jared Leto, Will Smith, Cara Delevingne, Ben Affleck, and others). The first trailer gathered even more views in the first day than the Batman v Superman one - so the fans are indeed interested in this release.
Check out the trailer below, right after the (very) short synopsis: A secret government agency run by Amanda Waller, named A.R.G.U.S creates a task force comprised of super villains, the “Suicide Squad”. They are assigned to execute dangerous tasks in exchange for shorter prison sentences.
Gambit (October 7)
According to Channing Tatum (who will portray the titular character), Gambit has been a long time in the making - apparently, the actor has lobbied for quite a while until he got the movie released. Also a part of the Mutant Cinematic Universe, Gambit will once again bring on the silver screen the mutant who can infuse any object with kinetic energy.
Thus far, little is known about the flick - other than the fact that it is expected to be an origin story, which will also introduce Mister Sinister into the shared universe. Doug Liman (Edge of Tomorrow) directs, while the only other actor being cast is Léa Seydoux (Spectre) in an unspecified role.
There are no pics from the set just yet - though we can say that this was a troubled production, which almost lost its main star and director, due to creative issues (which were, as it seems, problems with an ever-expanding budget).
Jack Reacher: Never Go Back (October 21)
Why is this movie on this list? Simply because its prequel marked the return of Tom Cruise! If you haven't seen the first movie, you don't know what you've missed - looking forward to this second one.
As expected, there is no trailer just yet. Nonetheless, here is the short synopsis: Jack Reacher heads back to his old military base in Virginia to take a woman to dinner who is now the commanding officer. By the time he gets there, she has been arrested, and Reacher finds himself being charged with pummeling one guy and fathering a child with a woman. He can’t remember either transgression but gets to the bottom of it with cunning and sometimes brute force.
Doctor Strange (November 4)
The last superhero flick of 2016, Doctor Strange will present the origin story of the titular superhero, one that is known to be among the most powerful in the Marvel comic book universe.
But besides the fact that this is an MCU movie and besides the fact that it will most likely introduce another piece of the puzzle called Infinity Gauntlet, what is interesting is that Scott Derrickson directs - Sinister, Deliver Us From Evil, and The Exorcism of Emily Rose are just a couple of his movies. Having him in the MCU will certainly bring fresh blood, changing at least for this solo movie the tone.
Doctor Strange stars quite a few big names, including in here Rachel McAdams (Sherlock Holmes) in an unspecified role, Benedict Cumberbatch (no need for introductions), Tilda Swinton (Only Lovers Left Alive, as The Ancient One), Mads Mikkelsen (Casino Royale, in an unspecified role), and Chiwetel Ejiofor (12 Years a Slave, as Baron Mordo).
Obviously, there is no trailer yet. However, this is the released synopsis: After his career is destroyed, a brilliant but arrogant surgeon gets a new lease on life when a sorcerer takes him under his wing and trains him to defend the world against evil.
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (November 18)
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them can be considered an expansion of the Harry Potter universe. Directed by the Harry Potter veteran David Yates and starring Eddie Redmayne (The Theory of Everything), Ezra Miller (The Perks of Being a Wallflower and the Flash of the DCEU), Colin Farrell (In Bruges), and Ron Perlman (Hellboy) among many, the movie is set 70 years prior to the return of Voldemort.
While there is still a long time until its release, the movie already has a small teaser trailer, which can be seen after the short synopsis: Magizoologist Newt Scamander stops in New York City on his travels to find and document magical creatures. Scamander meets Tina, short for Porpentina, a witch who works her magic in the U.S.
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (December 16)
After the huge success of Star Wars: The Force Awakens, is there any wonder why this title is on this list? We guess not - this is the first spin-off of the hugely popular series and it will see the exploits of a band of resistance fighters trying to steal the plans of the newest Empire weapon: the Death Star.
Most obviously, the movie is set before the events of Star Wars: A New Hope. Rogue One: A Star Wars Story is directed by Gareth Edwards (Godzilla) and stars in unspecified roles Felicity Jones (The Theory of Everything), Mads Mikkelsen, Alan Tudyk (Trumbo), Ben Mendelsohn (The Dark Knight Rises), Donnie Yen (Blade II), and Forest Whitaker (The Last King of Scotland). Seeing as this is a Star Wars flick, there is no point in saying that little is known about it.
Obviously, there is no trailer yet.
Assassin's Creed (December 21)
This is the second movie adapted from a game on this list - simply because it stars Michael Fassbender (Magneto) and it won't follow any of the storylines in the game. Instead, the Assassin's Creed movie will come up with an original plot, only following the general guidelines of the games: someone from the future enters the mind of someone from the past.
Justin Kurzel reunites with Fassbender after the impressive Macbeth (2015), while the cast is completed by Marion Cotillard (The Dark Knight Rises), Brendan Gleeson (In Bruges), and Jeremy Irons (Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice), among others.
While there is no trailer released, you can check out the short synopsis: Through a revolutionary technology that unlocks his genetic memories, Callum Lynch experiences the adventures of his ancestor, Aguilar, in 15th Century Spain. Callum discovers he is descended from a mysterious secret society, the Assassins, and amasses incredible knowledge and skills to take on the oppressive and powerful Templar organization in the present day.
