Most Anticipated Movies of 2023

Most Anticipated Movies of 2023

I enjoy making lists of the movies I am most excited for more than making lists of my favourites for the past year. I love scrolling through IMDb and flagging my favourite directors', cinematographers', or actors' next projects, even if they are years away. I won't end up watching everything, but making a short list helps prioritize. It's expected that some movies on the list will end up being disappointments but there will also be gems that were never on my radar to begin with.

Here are my Most Anticipated Movies for 2023 (in order of release):

• Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (Feb 17)

• Creed III (Mar 3)

• John Wick: Chapter 4 (Mar 24)

• Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (May 5)

• Spider-man Across the Spider-verse (Jun 2)

• Elemental (Jun 16)

• Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (Jun 30)

• Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning Part 1 (Jul 14)

• Oppenheimer (Jul 21)

• Dune: Part Two (Nov 3)

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Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (Feb 17)

Director: Peyton Reed (Ant-Man, Yes Man)

Starring: Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lilly, Jonathan Majors

Cinematographer: Bill Pope (The Matrix, Spiderman 2, Baby Driver)

Composer: Christoph Beck (Edge of Tomorrow, Frozen 2)

Its almost unfair how often MCU movies make my lists, but as a long time fan of not just the movies but the source material I can't help but be excited. The hype is even bigger for Quantumania which will be the first big threat since Thanos and Jonathan Major’s first appearance as Kang. The director also said it has a more serious tone than the previous Ant-man movies.

I know its hard to keep up with all the MCU projects but I would highly recommend watching the Loki series on Disney+ before watching this. Jonathan Major's character was very interestingly set up in that show. It's also very good on its own.

I heard the newest trailer gives away way too much of the plot, characters etc. So if you are sensitive to spoilers like I am, you should probably avoid it. I am going to watch the movie so I don't need to be marketed to any more. Besides I would rather go in without knowing too much anyway.

This is a top priority and one I'll see opening weekend in IMAX (already bought my tickets!). I typically don't like 3D but the previous Ant-Man movies and the shrinking sequences really fit well with what can otherwise be a distracting gimmick, so for this one I made an exception.

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January 2023 Releases:

• Operation Fortune - A Guy Ritchie film with Jason Statham and Hugh Grant, not terribly excited for this, but if you are a Guy Ritchie (Snatch) fan it might be fun.

• A Man Called Otto - Tom Hanks stars as a grumpy old man in the adaptation of the novel A Man Called Ove. I never read the book but it looks decent.

• Women Talking - Canadian Sarah Polley directs an all star cast in this dramatic story of a group of women subjected to abuse in their isolated religious community.

• The Son - Hugh Jackman stars in the spinoff to the award winning 2020 film The Father (Anthony Hopkins and Olivia Colman).

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Other February 2023 Releases:

• Cocaine Bear - Don't know much about this but it's based on true events, sounds insane, and is directed by Elizabeth Banks.

• Knock at the Cabin - M. Night Shyamalan is very hit or miss, we'll see how this turns out.

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Creed III (Mar 3)

Director: Michael B. Jordan (Directorial Debut*)

Starring: Michael B. Jordan, Jonathan Majors, Tessa Thompson

Writer: Ryan Coogler, Keenan Coogler, and Zach Baylin (King Richard)

Composer: Joseph Shirley (Book of Boba Fett)

The third movie in the surprisingly great Rocky spin off series. Like Sly Stallone did with the original Rocky, Michael B. Jordan will be making his directorial debut while still playing the lead role. I'm excited to see how they weave Jonathan Majors' character into the story as a troubling figure from Adonis' past. Jonathan Majors (Last Black Man in San Franciso) is incredibly underrated so it's great that he is finally getting the recognition he deserves by headlining both this and Ant-Man. Unlike Rocky the Creed movies have lacked well developed rivals, bringing back Drago was fun but was a threat from an older Rocky story. I am sure Majors will deliver on what has been missing for me.

Despite all the excitement I still have some worries. A new director, who has to also balance being the star, along with the fact that Stallone will not be returning as Rocky Balboa. I can understand a diminished role but to be completely left out after being a major part of the first two movies is really harsh. Another huge loss is not having Ludwig Goransson compose the score again. Although I'm sure Joseph Shirley will borrow heavily from the foundation left by Goransson's amazing themes.

I don't expect this to be the best of 2023, but I am still very curious to see how this turns out. The franchise is easy to write off but so far I have been really impressed with how much it still shines despite the many Rocky movies before it. The first Creed was amazing, the second was still surprisingly great despite losing Ryan Coogler as a director, and I am hoping the third instalment delivers again. Pushing to use the IMAX format to its full potential and adding Jonathan Majors leads me to think it will be a great time like its predecessors.

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John Wick: Chapter 4 (Mar 24)

Director: Chad Stahelski (John Wick 1, 2, and 3)

Starring: Keanu Reeves, Donnie Yen

Cinematographer: Dan Austen (Shape of Water, Nightmare Alley, John Wick 2, and 3)

There’s been a recent renaissance in Hollywood with top quality action movies and John Wick may have been the movie that started it. Keanu Reeves (The Matrix, Constantine) is so dedicated to the character and the stunt choreography that it has become the gold standard for what action scenes should look and feel like. Wide angles, long takes, fights that are easy to follow but exceedingly creative. Adding the masterful Donnie Yen (Ip Man, Rogue One) to a series already known for its action choreography is a recipe for success.

The story has never been the main selling point of the franchise but each entry has revealed more about John Wick's own past to keep me intrigued when there isn't a crazy action sequence on screen. The legacy of John Wick is that great action need not be mindless. Action can tell a story, and even if that story is relatively simple, I am all for more of what John Wick is dishing out.

This is a must watch for me and absolutely will be a great time in the theatre. Seeing as the last few entries have been literally direct sequels, where the end of one movie is the beginning of the next, I will marathon parts 1, 2, and 3 before I catch John Wick: Chapter 4 later this year.

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Other March 2023 Releases:

• Shazam: Fury of the Gods - The DCEU is dying, this will be one of the last projects before they reboot.

• Scream 6 - Yes they are still making these...heard the last one was good.

• 65 - Sci-Fi time traveling dinosaur movie starring Adam Driver. Sounds promising.
  

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April 2023 Releases:

• Super Mario Bros: The Movie - This looks like so much fun, and aside for Chris Pratt as Mario, the rest of cast is perfect.

• Renfield - Nicholas Cage as Dracula. Need I say more? Looks super campy but probably a ridiculous fun time to watch on a streaming service.

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Guardians of the galaxy vol. 3 (May 5)

Director: James Gunn (Suicide Squad (the good one :P), Guardians 1 and 2)

Starring: Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Bradley Cooper, Dave Bautista, Karen Gillian

Composer: John Murphy (Kick-Ass)

Another MCU movie, I know... I should branch out more…but really the Guardians series has consistently delivered great storytelling and character building. James Gunn (Suicide Squad, PeaceMaker) is so great at balancing humour, action, and heart. Feige and Disney also seem to give him way more creative control than other directors. This will be the swan song for his story and will likely be a very emotional climax for some of my favourite characters. Expect some tears in this one.

Sure they will spend some time setting up sequels, as all MCU movies do, but I strongly expect this to be character focused and dedicated to honouring their legacy. James Gunn is moving on to be the creative director for the DC Universe, so sadly I don't think we will see him directing another Marvel movie.

Thor: Love and Thunder was disappointing for a few reasons, but the Guardians did feature in the intro to that movie, you probably don't need to be up to date on all the MCU content before this, but I would catch that opening scene and also watch The Guardians Holiday Special on Disney+ while you wait. It’s wacky, fun, but still has heart. I'll be blasting songs from Awesome Mix Vol. 1 and 2 in the meantime.

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Other May 2023 Releases:

• Fast X - I'd rather see Vin Diesel play Groot than Dom. Will this series ever end?

• The Little Mermaid - Another Disney live action remake. After last year's Wakanda Forever and Avatar: Way of Water I don't know how they will top the under water filmmaking.

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Spider-Man: Across The Spider-verse (Jun 2)

Directors: Joaquim Dos Santos (Avatar: The Last Airbender TV Series), Kemp Powers (One Night in Miami), Justin K. Thompson

Writers: Phil Lord, Christopher Miller (21 Jump Street, The Lego Movie) David Callaham

Starring: Shameik Moore, Haile Steinfeld, Jake Johnson, Daniel Kaluuya, Oscar Isaac

I can totally see why most people may not be excited for another Spider-man movie, we really have been getting a lot of them. I can also see people writing this off because it's animated, but that would be a huge mistake. The first instalment in the "Spider-verse" series, Spider-man: Into the Spider-verse was one of my favourite movies of 2018, not just for an animated movie...one of the best period...it was that great! This sequel was supposed to come out in October 2022 and was unfortunately delayed, so it's actually a carry over from my Most Anticipated Movies of 2022 list.

2021's Spider-man: No Way Home was an amazing third movie for Tom Holland's character, but Into the Spider-verse is arguably the best recent Spider-man movie, and it's not even about Peter Parker... well at least he is not the main character. The main Spidey is Miles Morales but there are several other fun Spider-people introduced as well, and getting even more this time is so exciting. The way these movies explore the motivations and struggles of these versions of Spidey is so refreshing and the sincerity with which they are presented is touching. Bringing on Oscar Issac as the futuristic Spider-man 2099 is a fantastic addition, and a great casting choice.

I can’t wait to see this story continue especially with the signature stylized animation. Every frame is a beautifully composed painting, and the unique frame rate makes this stand out from other movies. Honestly, the visuals and animation are enough to earn it a spot on this list, but its so much more than that. I highly recommend watching the first one to see if you are as excited for the sequel as I am. It should be on Netflix now!

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Elemental (Jun 16)

Director: Peter Sohn (The Good Dinosaur)

Starring: Mahmoudou Athie, Leah Lewis

Pixar has been pumping out quality content for decades. Lately they have been making way more movies than usual, lots of them on streaming. This seems to one of their bigger theatrical projects that continues the trend of personifying anything and everything, not just toys and cute animals. Without knowing too much about the plot, the premise seems to be a Romeo and Juliet, West Side Story situation, with two characters from different elemental groups coming together in a society where they don't (and physically can't) mix.

I don't need to know much about this but the studio's track record is too strong to not be worth checking out their latest movie. Pixar almost always delivers and both Soul and Peter Sohn's last movie, The Good Dinosaur, were heartfelt, creative, and so incredible that I can't see them missing with this one.

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Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (Jun 30)

Director: James Mangold (3:10 to Yuma, Logan, Ford v Ferrari)

Starring: Harrison Ford, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Mads Mikkelsen, John Rhys-Davies

Composer: John Williams (Star Wars, Jurassic Park, Harry Potter...do I need to say more?)

Indi is one of my favourite franchises. I grew up wearing out the VHS tapes for these movies, watching them every few weeks. Sadly they don't quite make adventure movies like they used to and the recent movies inspired by Indi, like Tomb Raider and Uncharted, have failed to capture the magic that made the classics so fun. My disappointment with Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull left me hesitant to embrace another sequel, especially with an even older Harrison Ford as Dr. Jones. Harrison Ford is 81 years old this year and surprisingly returning to the franchise!

My doubts were put to rest as soon as I heard James Mangold (Ford v. Ferrari, Logan) was writing and directing. I have complete confidence that this will be the sendoff that Indi deserves (like Logan was for Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine). Mangold can handle characters with a long history. Mads Mikkelsen is a wonderful choice for the villain and I am ecstatic to see him on screen alongside Harrison Ford. Phoebe Waller-Bridge is also a great addition as a supporting character...hopefully much better than Shia Laboef...of whom we shall not speak. Thankfully the legendary John Williams is back to compose his final film score before retirement.

If you aren’t convinced this will be a great time, watch the trailer! I normally don't recommend trailers because they spoil too much, but this one is vague enough to leave you guessing while full of exciting shots to build the hype. I am a bit worried with the amount of CGI de-aging. While it doesn’t look perfect, it’s better than expected and will likely only improve as we get closer to the release.

To see a childhood hero get a well deserved redemption and proper send off is a must watch for me.

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Other June 2023 Releases:

• Transformers: Rise of the Beasts - I loved the Beast Wars TV show and Bumblebee (2018) was actually good, so I have hope this could be a fun time. Ron Perlman as Optimus Primal is perfect casting.

• The Flash - I never liked Ezra Miller as Barry Allen. I'm amazed they're continuing with this despite all his controversies and the reboot DC is going through. Low priority, likely will wait until it is streaming.

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Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning Part 1 (Jul 14)

Director: Chris McQuarrie (Mission Impossible Rogue Nation and Fallout)

Starring: Tom Cruise, Rebecca Ferguson, Hayley Atwell, Pom Klementieff

Editor: Eddie Hamilton (Top Gun: Maverick, Kingsman, X-Men: First Class)

The Mission Impossible series is the gold standard for modern action movies. The tone has changed a lot since the original in 1996 and there have been missteps along the way. But the recent movies have tapped into exactly what I go to the theatre for. If you've seen Mission Impossible: Fallout (2018) you will know what I mean. Chris McQuarrie's movies are full of exciting non-cgi stunts and can only be described as pure adrenaline fuelled spectacle.

The first trailer was insane, full of rapid fire shots of so much insanity and tension that I had to take a take a breath after...and that was just a 2 min teaser. The hype is even bigger now that I know that this 7th instalment will be a two parter (even if the title is a mouthful). I've said it before but I hate Tom Cruise...yet he keeps making the most cinema worthy movies. That I still have fun despite seeing him on screen for most of the runtime is a testament to how great these movies are.

If you're still not convinced, watch this IMAX preview of Cruise launching himself off a motorcycle before base-jumping off a mountain.

I swear these movies are just an excuse for Cruise to do crazy stuff... crazy stuff that I can't wait to see on a giant screen. Another carry over from my 2022 list, as it was originally set to release in September 2022.

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Oppenheimer (Jul 21)

Director: Christopher Nolan (The Dark Knight, Inception, Interstellar)

Starring: Cillian Murphy, Emily Blunt, Matt Damon, Robert Downey Jr., Florence Pugh (The cast has even more big names...it's nuts)

Cinematography: Hoyt Van Hoytema (Nope, Tenet, Interstellar)

Composer: Ludwig Gorransson (Black Panther, Creed, Mandalorian)

Christopher Nolan is one of my favourite directors and he absolutely knows how to deliver spectacle, tension, and drama. The creation of the atomic bomb and the life of Robert Oppenheimer is such perfect subject matter for Nolan. The mad man used practical effects to recreate the atomic bomb explosion! That feels like a joke but it's actually true.

Nolan's movies must be seen in the theatre, they are not home viewing experiences. Even with a large screen and a great sound system you will never recreate the booming effects and overwhelming views he puts in his movies. I expect all of that here.

The cast is insane, so many big names that its almost hard to list everyone but with Cillian Murphy as the lead I have really high hopes that this will deliver. Ludwig Gorransson is one of my favourite modern composers and I think he will bring the necessary dread and brooding atmosphere that this story calls for. Hoyt Van Hoytema is also a brilliantly talented cinematographer, who knows how to make sequences feel raw and overwhelming. This production is an amazing collection of incredibly talented people. Without question this will be a MUST for me in IMAX, probably my most anticipated of the year.

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Other July 2023 Releases:

• Barbie - Greta Gerwig (Little Women, Lady Bird) making a movie about a doll with Margot Robbie as the title character...it sounds bizarre but I think it could work.

• The Marvels - Less of a sequel to 2019's Captain Marvel and more of a team up, between Kamala Khan, Monica Rambeau, and Carol Danvers. The Ms. Marvel series on Disney+ was a flawed but welcome surprise. I hope this delivers as a follow up

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August 2023 Releases:

• Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem - I grew up with TMNT and a new animated feature about them is something I'll gladly check out. Cowabunga!

• Gran Turismo - Neil Blomkamp (District 9) directs the true story of a competition to allow one lucky gamer a chance to race for real. If you like cars and racing, this looks pretty good. The driving scenes from the trailer feels realistic, raw, and exhilarating.

• Blue Beetle - Xolo Mariduena (Cobra Kai) plays a lesser known Mexican DC super hero. He has the experience with action and fight choreography, should be fun.

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September 2023 Releases:

• Equalizer 3 - Denzel Washington reunites with director Antoine Fuqua (Training Day) to deliver the third instalment of this action packed franchise. Denzel is great and these movies are shallow but fun.

• Next Goal Wins - Taika Waititi (Thor 3 and 4, JoJo Rabbit) directs this true story, with Michael Fassbender starring as the coach of an infamously terrible World Cup soccer team.

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October 2023 Releases:

• Kraven The Hunter - Another Spider-man villain spin off...have they not learned from their mistakes with Morbius...Sony, please stop making these.

• True Love - I doubt this will even be released in 2023. So far nothing is even revealed about the plot, but it is directed by Gareth Edwards (Rogue One) and has an amazing cast.

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Dune: Part Two (Nov 3)

Director: Dennis Villeneuve (Prisoners, Arrival, Blade Runner: 2049)

Starring: Timothee Chalemet, Rebecca Ferguson, Zendaya, Javier Bardem, Florence Pugh, Austin Butler, Christopher Walken

Cinematography: Greig Fraser (The Batman, Rogue One, Lion)

Composer: Hans Zimmer (Gladiator, The Dark Knight, Lion King)

I love the Frank Herbert novel that these movies are based on and Denis Villeneuve's Dune: Part One (2021) was at the top of my list for that year. Villeneuve’s direction in the first part was as close to perfect as I could expect a film adaptation of this bizarre philosophical sci-fi story could be. Unlike most multi-part movies, this sequel was not green-lit until Part One was already complete, so they did not film these together like The Lord of the Rings. Hopefully that time allowed Villeneuve and the team to build on what worked in the first part and explore new creative directions to push this story forward.

Part One only covered the more grounded introduction to this vast and lore filled story, Part Two will delve into the weird psychedelic/spiritual stuff and I can't wait to see how it's presented, especially on a giant IMAX screen, with Hans Zimmer's epic score. I say this about a lot of movies but the difference between IMAX and a regular screen is actually radically different for these films. Just look at the comparison screen shots below. If you plan to watch this you MUST see it in a theatre and unless you want to miss 30% of each stunning shot, IMAX is the only way.

Without spoiling anything, Dune is peak sci-fi fantasy and was the foundation that inspired so many other stories, even classics like Star Wars. Part Two will introduce lots of talented and unconventional additions to the cast, including Florence Pugh (Midsommer, Black Widow), Austin Butler (Elvis), and the most shocking of all Christopher Walken (Deer Hunter, Catch Me if You Can) as a major antagonist. It's going to get weird and I am 100% down for it.

This is a day one/opening weekend MUST watch for me (in IMAX...as usual) and I really hope we get a theatrical re-release of Dune: Part One leading up to this.

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Other November 2023 Releases:

• The Ballad of Songs and Snakes - A prequel to The Hunger Games, the books were great, movies were hit and miss. I have no strong feelings about the prequel and never read that book. Same director as the last two films is returning

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December 2023 Releases:

• Wonka - Timothee Chalemet stars as the bizarre and enigmatic Willy Wonka in this musical. Directed by Paul King (Paddington). Could be interesting but do we really need a prequel?

• Ghostbusters Afterlife Sequel - I never watched Afterlife (2021) so I am not terribly excited for this one. Maybe I will be once I see the last reboot/sequel.

• Aquaman and The Lost Kingdom - DC's final entry before the big reboot. I like Jason Mamoa and the first movie was a fun and well shot action blockbuster. Felt like a Saturday morning cartoon in live action. Likely the same thing here.

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Other Possible 2023 Releases:

Ferrari

Adam Driver (BlacKKKlansmen, The Last Duel) plays the legendary Enzo Ferrari, founder of the Ferrari auto brand. Michael Mann (Heat, Collateral) is directing so I expect plenty of pulse pounding race sequences. Hopefully we don’t get a repeat of the comical Italian accents from House of Gucci.

Killer

David Fincher (Fight Club, Social Network), who is known for his tense and brooding thrillers, brings to life a graphic novel about the struggles of an assassin discovering his own morality. Starring Michael Fassbender (X-Men: First Class, Inglorious Basterds) and Tilda Swinton (Okja, Doctor Strange). This has all the ingredients for a great Fincher film.

Maestro

Bradley Cooper (Nightmare Alley) is starring, writing, and back in the director's chair after his 2018 hit remake of A Star is Born. This biopic is about composer and musician Leonard Bernstein, and co-stars the brilliant Carey Mulligan (Drive). Produced by Martin Scorcese, Spielberg, and Todd Phillips!

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There is my list of Most Anticipated Movies of 2023 I will periodically post short reviews of the films featured on this list, so keep an eye out for new posts.

As always I am sure there will be plenty that were never on my radar (especially toward the end of the year) so if there are any movies you are excited for that I missed, please leave a comment and share your most anticipated with me!

If you want to see what I loved most last year check out my Top 10 Movies of 2022!

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