For many, 2021 was the year of the comeback to theaters, thanks to blockbusters like Spider-Man: No Way Home and Dune. Fans are flocking back to the theaters in droves, and anticipation for new releases has never been higher. With so many great actors and filmmakers ready to release outstanding films in 2022, it’s time to look a little further forward. Many highly anticipated movies are slated to hit theaters in 2023, ranging from historical biopics to Marvel action extravaganzas.
Ant-Man And The Wasp: Quantumania
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania is the first of three MCU Phase 4 films on this list, and it is the third feature in the Ant-Man trilogy, bringing back an exciting mix of old and new characters. Marvel fans should be excited for the third sequel, which features a story from Rick and Morty writer Jeff Loveness and a return of Ant-Man director Peyton Reed.
Paul Rudd and others will reprise his characters from the first two films in Quantumania, as well as two of the most interesting performers making their MCU debuts in Phase 4. Jonathan Majors will make his cinematic debut as Kang The Conqueror, rumored to be the MCU’s next prominent cross-film villain, while Bill Murray will play an unnamed antagonist.
Dune: Part 2
Last year, Denis Villeneuve’s epic sci-fi adaptation of Frank Herbert’s novel grabbed the movie world by storm, earning eleven Academy Award nominations. Timothee Chalamet will return, while Zendaya will most certainly have a larger role in the sequel, with Florence Pugh and Austin Butler speculated to play other significant roles from the book.
In the sequel, fans can expect a bigger role for the House of Harkonnen, as well as another cooperation with cinematographer Greig Fraser, who also worked on The Batman. And, given that Villeneuve’s Dune exceeded many diehard fans’ high expectations, it’s little surprise that Dune: Part Two is the second most anticipated film for 2023.
Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3
In 2023, James Gunn will return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe for a final installment of the acclaimed Guardians of the Galaxy franchise. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, Vin Diesel, and Bradley Cooper will reprise their roles, while Peacemaker star Chukwudi Iwuji will play a “very powerful” and “complex” villain.
The previous two Guardians films were box office smashes, with the first capturing the top spot in 2015, so it’s no wonder that the third installment is the most anticipated film of 2023. Fans can expect another terrific soundtrack consisting of pop hits, as well as a spectacular conclusion to the trilogy, when the film arrives in theaters next year.
Indiana Jones 5
Despite the fact that this will be the first Indiana Jones film not directed by Steven Spielberg, there are plenty of reasons to be enthusiastic for Indy’s return to the big screen. Harrison Ford, who will be 80 when the film is released, is reprising his legendary role as the film’s central character.
The yet-to-be-titled film will also be directed by James Mangold, who gave fans reason to be thrilled about what he could do with another great character in Logan. If this is Indiana Jones’ final film, like Logan was for Wolverine, fans can have more confidence that Mangold will honor the character and the franchise.
John Wick: Chapter 4
The fourth sequel in the John Wick franchise, directed by Chad Stahelski, will be released on March 24, 2023, and will reunite Keanu Reaves, Laurence Fishburn, and Ian McShane. Following the success of John Wick 3: Parabellum, the fourth film is expected to follow up where the third film’s cliffhanger ended.
Reaves has recently been in two other franchises, Bill & Ted Face The Music and The Matrix: Resurrections, and fans are certainly looking forward to seeing him reprise his third legendary role. And, given how each consecutive John Wick picture has grown in intensity and spectacle, it’s likely that excitement will only rise in the next year.
Mission: Impossible 7
Following a series of setbacks, the seventh and eighth Mission: Impossible films will be released in July 2023 and June 2024, respectively, following a series of delays. After directing the previous two M:I films, with the most recent in Fallout being an instant classic, Christopher McQuarrie returns to direct both.
Tom Cruise’s spectacular stunts have become legendary in previous M:I films, with the actor appearing to try to outdo himself with each sequel. In the fourth film, he hung off the world’s highest building, in the fifth, he hung off a soaring plane, and in the sixth, he piloted a helicopter while operating IMAX cameras. So, if you’re wondering why the seventh picture is one of the most anticipated of the year, all you have to do now is speculate on what he’ll do next.
Oppenheimer
Despite the fact that little is known about the narrative of Christopher Nolan’s upcoming film, an adaptation of a book on atomic bomb developer Robert Oppenheimer, Christopher Nolan’s fame has propelled it to the top of the most anticipated films of 2023.
But it’s the cast, which has some of Hollywood’s biggest personalities from top to bottom, that has landed Nolan’s upcoming film on this list. Due to the film’s secrecy, performers were reportedly not given any clues about the plot before signing on, but the picture nonetheless has a star-studded cast that includes Matt Damon, Florence Pugh, Robert Downey Jr., Kenneth Branagh, and others.
The Flash
The superhero will eventually return to the big screen in June of 2023, after several delays. Following the release of Zack Snyder’s Justice League, which won both fan honors at the 2021 Academy Awards, Ezra Miller will reprise his role as the titular hero in the film, which will be his fourth appearance in the expanded universe.
Despite the fact that this will be the first standalone Flash film, it is unsurprising that it will be one of the most anticipated films of the year, given that it will have two different Batman characters. Fans of the caped crusader may look forward to Ben Affleck’s final appearance as the character, as well as Michael Keaton’s comeback to the role.
The Marvels
The Marvels movie, which will star Ms. Marvel and Captain Marvel, has already begun to generate anticipation following the publication of the first trailer for Ms. Marvel, which will premiere on Disney+ in June. Captain Marvel was a box office smash in 2019, grossing more than Spider-Man: Far From Home and Star Wars: Episode IX combined.
Fans may also look forward to filmmaker Nia DaCosta helming and directing the forthcoming flick. Although some fans were dissatisfied with her adaptation of Candyman last year, believing it fell short of the original, there were many wonderful filmmaking moments that demonstrated why DaCosta is one of the best up-and-coming filmmakers working today.
Wonka
There was a huge list of applicants for the role of the titular chocolatier, which included stars like Donald Glover and Ryan Gosling. Timothee Chalamet, a young heartthrob fresh off of a 2021 that served as a star turn for the young actor, was cast in the role.
But the filmmaker of the impending prequel to the classic Roald Dahl novel, Paul King, is the most interesting component of the film. King is coming off of directing Paddington and Paddington 2, two universally adored children’s book adaptations with a vibrant vitality that would be ideal for a Willy Wonka feature. It’s difficult to imagine a finer choice for a Willy Wonka prequel, and excitement for the film will only build as more information becomes available.
