Major blockbusters, crowd-pleasing horror, and much-anticipated sequels. Next year’s release calendar is full of reasons to head back to the theater. In 2023, movie lovers can look forward to more than a few Marvel heroes, a comedy starring a cocaine-addled bear, and M3gan, the AI android who is already the biggest star of the year. (At least, according to Twitter.) Maverick himself Tom Cruise will also get a chance to save the movie business again with his latest Mission: Impossible film. For those who prefer their home theater to the multiplex, you can Netflix and chill with films starring Jennifer Lopez, Bradley Cooper, and Julia Roberts. Here are the 49 most anticipated movies of 2023.
M3gan (Jan. 6)
Talented toy maker Gemma (Alison Williams) creates a high functioning lifelike doll named M3gan—whose name stands for Model Three Generative Android—to protect her grieving niece from emotional and physical harm. Let’s just say the titular star of this campy horror film takes her job very seriously.
Shotgun Wedding (Jan. 27)
Jennifer Lopez and Josh Duhamel play a couple in this romantic action-comedy, streaming on Amazon Prime Video, whose destination wedding is hijacked by pirates. The two spend their wedding day fighting their way back to the altar, giving new meaning to ‘til death do us part.
Infinity Pool (Jan. 27)
Director Brandon Cronenberg, son of body horror legend David Cronenberg, proves he’s a chip off the old block with this sci-fi creepshow about a remote island where the punishment for any crime is death. When a famous writer (Alexander Skarsgård) finds himself facing execution, he’s told that he can save himself by creating a body double that will be killed in his place. What could go wrong?
Knock at the Cabin (Feb. 3)
M. Night Shyamalan trades in the Old beach for a remote cabin in the woods where two dads (played by Jonathan Groff and Ben Aldridge) and their young daughter are visited by a group of doomsdayers led by Dave Bautista, who claim they’ve been sent to prevent the apocalypse. In order to save the world, the dads are asked to make the ultimate sacrifice in this paranoid thriller based on the 2018 novel The Cabin at the End of the World.
80 For Brady (Feb. 3)
Four octogenarian best friends—played by Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin, Rita Moreno, and Sally Field—head to 2017’s Super Bowl LI in order to see their favorite football player Tom Brady (playing himself in all his New England Patriot glory.) The shenanigan-filled comedy, which is based on a true story, is The Hangover meets the Golden Girls.
Magic Mike’s Last Dance (Feb. 10)
Cue the Donna Summer because Channing Tatum is leaving it all on the dancefloor in his third and supposed final Magic Mike film. The ever charming Mike Lane (Tatum) gets another chance at stardom with a little help from a wealthy socialite, played by Salma Hayek Pinault, who whisks him off to London to start a dance revue that will get everyone hot and bothered.
Sharper (Feb. 10 in select theaters, Feb. 17 on Apple TV+)
Julianne Moore stars in this enigmatic drama about the hidden secrets of New York City and the people who keep them. John Lithgow, Sebastian Stan, and Justice Smith also star in the mysterious A24 film.
Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania (Feb. 17)
Paul Rudd’s tiniest Avenger is heading down to the Quantum Realm, the secret universe below our own, in the follow-up to 2018’s Ant-Man and The Wasp. There he meets Kang the Conqueror (Jonathan Majors), the MCU’s newest big bad, whose help comes at a steep price that is sure to ripple through the multiverses.
Cocaine Bear (Feb. 24)
The dark comedy, directed by Elizabeth Banks, is, as the title suggests, about a bear who ingests so much cocaine it goes out of its mind. The funny part is, the movie, starring Keri Russell, O’Shea Jackson Jr, and the late Ray Liotta, is loosely inspired by a true story.
Creed III (March 3)
Michael B. Jordan makes his directorial debut with the third installment of the Rocky spinoff. His character, Adonis “Donnie” Creed, must get in the ring with an old friend-turned rival (played by Jonathan Majors), who has a score to settle.
Scream 6 (March 10)
Ghostface takes Manhattan. Sidney Prescott won’t be returning for the latest installment of the Scream revival, which ditches California for New York City. But her mask-wearing nemesis wouldn’t miss a chance to expand his kill zone. The new Scream’s star Melissa Barerra told Collider that the new film is “possibly a hundred times gorier.”
Shazam! Fury of the Gods (March 17)
Shazam (Zachary Levi), the adult superhero alter ego of teen Billy Batson (Asher Angel), is experiencing a crisis of confidence. He doesn’t think he deserves his god-like powers, and the Daughters of Atlas—the goddesses Hespera (Helen Mirren), Kalypso (Lucy Liu) and Anthea (Rachel Zegler)—agree. Now, with help from his friends, he has to prove that he’s worthy of his powers so he can save the world. No pressure.
John Wick: Chapter 4 (March 24)
In the fourth installment of the gun-fu franchise, Keanu Reeves’ titular character prepares to fight his final boss, the Marquis de Gramont (played by Bill Skarsgård), the leader of the High Table, the underground council of crime lords that has been hunting him. Win or lose, this battle is John Wick’s way out.
Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves (March 31)
Chris Pine plays a charming thief (could he be any other kind?) who slays dragons, fights evil wizards, and engages in witty reparté with his band of misfits (played by Michelle Rodriguez, Regé-Jean Page, and Justice Smith) in this action-fantasy epic based on the insanely popular role-playing game.
The Super Mario Bros. Movie (April 7)
Whatever you make of Chris Pratt’s vocal stylings, his Mario is on a mission to save the Mushroom Kingdom from his long-time nemesis King Bowser (Jack Black) in this animated movie based on the iconic Nintendo video game series. Charlie Day, Keegan-Michael Key, and Anya Taylor-Joy round out the cast of nostalgic characters.
Chevalier (April 7)
In the biopic written by Atlanta scribe Stefani Robinson, Kelvin Harrison, Jr. plays the Chevalier de Saint-Georges, a prolific French-Caribbean composer from the 18th century, known as “Black Mozart.” The period piece looks at how the musical prodigy’s relationship with Marie Antoinette—and its eventual fallout—led him to reexamine his place in French high society.
Renfield (April 14)
Nicholas Hoult plays the fanatically deranged henchman to Nicolas Cage’s Count Dracula in this horror-comedy based on a story by The Walking Dead’s Robert Kirkman. A must-see for fans of What We Do In The Shadows.
Next Goal Wins (April 21)
Taika Waititi’s follow-up to Thor: Love and Thunder is a sports-comedy based on the true story of the Dutch-American coach (played by Michael Fassbender) who, in 2014, was tasked with turning the American Samoa national football team, considered the worst in the world, into a FIFA World Cup qualifier.
Evil Dead Rise (April 21)
The fifth installment in Sam Raimi’s legendary horror series focuses on two sisters who find a mysterious book in the basement of their high-rise building that unleashes flesh-possessing demons. Here’s to hoping OG Evil Dead star Bruce Campbell makes a cameo.
Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret (April 28)
The Edge of Seventeen director Kelly Fremon Craig brings Judy Blume’s seminal 1970 novel about a sixth-grade girl dealing with her religious identity to the big screen. Rachel McAdams, Benny Safdie, and Kathy Bates star in this coming-of-age dramedy.
The Mother (May 2023)
Jennifer Lopez goes full mama bear in the Netflix thriller about a deadly assassin who comes out of hiding to protect the daughter she gave up years earlier.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (May 5)
The team of misfits led by Peter Quill (Chris Pratt) are trying to make the world a more peaceful place. But when one of their own needs their help they embark on a dangerous mission that could mean the end of the Guardians. You might want to buy a box of tissues before heading to the theater.
Fast X (May 19)
The second-to-last installment of the Fast & Furious franchise is still a bit of a mystery, but with a reported budget of $340 million and the notable castings of Brie Larson, Rita Moreno, and Jason Momoa, it’s clear the mega-franchise is pulling out all the stops for its final run.
The Little Mermaid (May 26)
Head under the sea with Halle Bailey, who plays Ariel in the live-action musical remake of the Disney animated classic that also features Daveed Diggs, Awkwafina, Javier Bardem, and Melissa McCarthy as Ursula.
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (June 2)
The much-anticipated sequel to Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse reconvenes with Miles Morales (Shameik Moore) and his superhero crew, which includes a few new Spideys from the multiverse: Miguel O’Hara, a.k.a Spider-Man 2099 (Oscar Isaac), Hobie Brown, a.k.a Spider-Punk (Daniel Kaluuya), and Jessica Drew, a.k.a Spider-Woman (Issa Rae). Their enemy this time around is The Spot (voiced by Jason Schwartzman), who has the ability to open interdimensional portals and has a surprising connection to Miles.
Transformers: Rise of the Beasts (June 9)
Optimus Prime, Bumblebee, and the rest of the Autobots are back in the latest installment of the Michael Bay-produced sci-fi blockbuster. This time, the Transformers are waging an epic battle on the streets of New York City.
Elemental (June 16)
In Pixar’s latest, the elements react. The rom-com fantasy feature is set in Element City, where residents made of air, water, fire, and land all commingle, but don’t always connect. When Ember, a fiery young woman, and Wade, a go with the flow guy, realize they can’t actually touch, they search for other ways to bond.
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (June 30)
Harrison Ford’s Indiana Jones is coming out of retirement for his latest adventure—and looking better than ever doing it, thanks to a bit of de-aging movie magic. Director James Mangold is at the helm of the fifth installment of the action series, which features Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Antonio Banderas, and Mads Mikkelsen.
Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning, Part One (July 14)
Like every other Mission: Impossible movie, the mysterious seventh installment of the action series has Tom Cruise performing some of the most dangerous stunts ever put to screen. The film also features Eugene Kittridge (Henry Czerny), the former director of the IMF in 1996’s Mission: Impossible, who is back to antagonize Ethan Hunt (Cruise). A sign that Ethan’s past is catching up to him in ways he never imagined.
Barbie (July 21)
Little is known about Greta Gerwig’s movie inspired by the iconic doll. (It’s been described as a rom-com about an imperfect doll who enters the real human world in hopes of finding herself.) What we do know for sure is that Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling look great in neon, which is more than enough reason to get excited for the film.
Oppenheimer (July 21)
Christopher Nolan’s star-studded biopic tells the story of how J. Robert Oppenheimer (played by Cillian Murphy) became the “father of the atomic bomb.”
The Marvels (July 28)
Captain Marvel (Brie Larson) is teaming up with Kamala Khan/Ms. Marvel (Iman Vellani) and S.W.O.R.D. agent Monica Rambeau (Teyonah Parris) in the Nia DaCosta-directed sequel to 2019’s Captain Marvel, which deals with the fallout of WandaVision and Ms. Marvel.
Untitled Exorcist Film (Oct. 13)
After reviving the Halloween franchise, David Gordon Green is breathing new life into The Exorcist with a little help from the original 1973 film’s star Ellen Burstyn.
Dune: Part Two (Nov. 3)
Denis Villeneuve’s sci-fi epic picks up where Part One left off: Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet) is out to avenge his father and save the universe with help from Chani (Zendaya) and the Freman, the keepers of the spice. Florence Pugh, Austin Butler, and Christopher Walken join the already illustrious cast of the sequel.
The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (Nov. 17)
The Hunger Games prequel, based on Suzanne Collins’ 2020 book of the same name, picks up 64 years before Katniss Everdeen volunteered as tribute. Coriolanus Snow (Tom Blyth) isn’t yet the future president of Panem, but an 18-year-old whose once great family is struggling to survive. When he’s assigned to mentor District 12 tribute Lucy Gray Baird (Rachel Zegler in the 10th annual Hunger Games he sees a way to finally turn the odds back in his favor.
Wonka (Dec. 15)
Wonka picks up long before Charlie visits his chocolate factory, when Willy Wonka (Timothée Chalamet) was just an eccentric teen who wanted to share his candy creations with the world. Chalamet’s co-stars, Olivia Colman and Keegan-Michael Key, are already raving about his performance in the musical prequel.
The Color Purple (Dec. 20)
The musical adaptation of the Broadway show based on Alice Walker’s novel follows Celie (American Idol’s Fantasia), a Black woman coming of age in the 1900s south. The film also stars Taraji P. Henson, Corey Hawkins, Danielle Brooks, Colman Domingo, and H.E.R., who makes her feature film debut.
Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom (Dec. 25)
Aquaman (Jason Momoa) must make friends with an unlikely ally to help save the world from ancient evil. He’ll reportedly have another friend by his side in the James Wan-directed sequel: Ben Affleck’s Batman.
Beau is Afraid (TBA)
Not much is known about the plot of Midsommar director Ari Aster’s new film starring Joaquin Phoenix. However, he has referred to the movie, which was previously titled Disappointment Blvd., as a four-hour “nightmare comedy” so prepare to feel unsettled.
Enys Men (TBA)
The folk horror film set in the 1970s focuses on a wildlife volunteer who goes mad while patrolling a remote island off the British coast. Writer/director Mark Jenkins’ latest film is definitely giving off some Blair Witch vibes.
Golda (TBA)
Helen Mirren plays Israeli Prime Minister Golda Mier in this thriller set during the Yom Kippur War, which was the 1973 armed conflict between Israel and a coalition of Arab states led by Egypt and Syria. The result of that conflict decided the fate of her nation, but also left her with a complicated legacy.
The Killer (TBA)
David Fincher’s follow-up to Mank is a neo-noir thriller about an unnamed assassin (played by Michael Fassbender) based on the graphic novel of the same name.
Leave the World Behind (TBA)
The Netflix thriller, written and directed by Sam Esmail, tells the story of a Black family who find themselves unexpectedly staying at their summer cottage with the white family they rented it to. As things start to get weird outside the home, tensions begin to rise inside. Julia Roberts, Mahershala Ali, and Ethan Hawke star in the tense film based on Rumaan Alam’s 2020 novel of the same name.
Legally Blonde 3 (TBA)
Get ready to bend and snap with Reese Witherspoon’s Elle Woods in this long-awaited sequel written by Mindy Kaling.
Maestro (TBA)
Bradley Cooper writes, directs, and stars in the Leonard Bernstein biopic that looks at the legendary composer and conductor’s life and marriage to actress Felicia Montealegre (played by Carey Mulligan).
MaXXXine (TBA)
Director Ti West and actor Mia Goth have become quite the prolific pair. The duo first teamed up for the 2021 slasher film X, in which Goth’s amateur porn star Maxine becomes the only survivor of a bloody massacre. In that film’s sequel (and the follow-up to the recent, Pearl), Maxine is heading to 1980s Hollywood in hopes of making it big. Let’s hope it goes better than her last acting gig.
Nightbitch (TBA)
Marielle Heller directs and Amy Adams stars in the big screen adaptation of Rachel Yoder’s book of the same name, which is a deranged fairytale about a stay at home mom who sometimes turns into a dog.
Rebel Moon (TBA)
Zack Snyder heads to Netflix with a space opera about a young woman (played by Sofia Boutella) who is seeking warriors who can help protect her peaceful colony.
Showing Up (TBA)
Michelle Williams reunites with director Kelly Reichardt for their fourth collaboration, and first since 2016’s Certain Women. Williams plays an artist on the verge of a career-spanning exhibition. Expect this indie comedy to be quietly devastating.
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