2016 is almost gone, and we can’t wait for 2017. To forget about this devastating year for our childhood idols, let’s have a look at some of the most anticipated movies of the upcoming year. Our list ranges from blockbuster action movies to animation, and should feature something for everyone in the family.
Patriots Day (January 13)
The 2013 Boston Marathon bombings resulted in three dead, and around 260 injured. Mark Wahlberg plays the role of Tommy Saunders, one of the many police officers in charge of the investigation, under the orders of Commissioner Ed Davis (John Goodman). Kevin Bacon, J. K. Simmons, and Michelle Monaghan complete the main cast.
xXx: The Return of Xander Cage (January 20)
Vin Diesel. Explosions. xXx. Need we say more? Samuel L. Jackson returns as the hero’s handler, Augustus Gibbons. Rogue One’s Donnie Yen stars as Xiang, and the cast is completed by Thai action star Tony Jaa,Vampire Diaries’ Nina Dobrev, Bollywood star Deepika Padukone and Orange Is the New Black’s Ruby Rose.
John Wick: Chapter 2 (February 10)
His late wife gifted him a dog. They killed it. He came out of retirement for revenge. It looks like he’s not going back. Keanu Reeves returns as John Wick, along with Ruby Rose, Common, , Laurence Fishburne, Ian McShane, and more.
The Lego Batman Movie
Will Arnett voices Batman, that must fight the gallery of usual Gotham villains, and find time to raise the boy he adopted.
The Great Wall (February 17)
Matt Damon grows his hair, and fights monsters in medieval China.
Logan (March 3)
Hugh Jackman dons the claws one more time (over seven times since X-Men in 2000!). This time, Wolverine has to deal with a not so bright future, and a vanishing healing factor. Patrick Stewart and Boyd Holbrook complete the cast.
T2: Trainspotting (March 3)
Twenty years later, Rent, Spud, Sick Boy, and Begbie are back! Returning director Danny Boyle brings us the on-screen reunion of Ewan McGregor, Johnny Lee Miller, Robert Carlyle and Ewen Bremner.
Kong: Skull Island (March 10)
Tom Hiddleston, Brie Larson, John Goodman, John C. Reilly and Samuel L. Jackson star as a mixed group of scientists and soldiers, sent to check in on a newly discovered island in the Pacific.
Beauty and the Beast (March 17)
Emma Watson is back on the big screen as Belle, for this live action version of this classic of Disney animation.
Power Rangers (March 24)
The 1990s show is back for its moment on the silver screen. Becky G, Naomi Scott, Dacre Montgomery, Ludi Lin, and RJ Cyler play the five Rangers, while Elizabeth Banks, Bryan Cranston, and Bill Hader complete the cast.
Ghost in the Shell (March 31)
Scarlett Johanson stars as the Major, an android/human hybrid policewomen that is after a dangerous hacker, while at the same time trying to figure out who she is/was.
The Fate of the Furious/Fast and Furious 8 (April 14)
Dom (Vin Diesel) is seduced by a mysterious woman (Charlize Theron), turned back to a life of crime, and betrays those close to him. The family is shattered, and put through trials that will test them like never before.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (May 5)
Obviously, they are back. Obviously, Peter Quill is trying to figure the enigma is his parentage. Obviously, Baby Groot is cute. Obviously, Rocket Racoon is still as unhinged as before.
King Arthur: Legend of the Sword (May 12)
Charlie Hunnam is King Arthur in Guy Richie’s take on the medieval legend. Jude Law, David Beckham and Djimon Hounsou complete the cast.
Snatched (May 12)
Amy Schumer and Goldie Hawn star as daughter and mother gone on vacation in Ecuador. They end up being kidnapped, and hilarity ensues.
Alien: Covenant (May 19)
Ridley Scott is back behind the camera for this new installment in the franchise he created in 1979. Alien: Covenant is a new chapter in the prequel trilogy started in 2012 with Prometheus. The ship Covenant discovers a seemingly paradisiac world on the far side of the galaxy, whose only inhabitant is the android David. Starring Katherine Waterston, Billy Crudup, Danny McBride and Carmen Ejogo with Prometheus‘ Michael Fassbender returning as David and Noomi Rapace as Dr. Elizabeth Shaw.
Baywatch (May 26)
Dwayne Johnson as leader of an elite group of lifeguards who is forced to team up with a hotshot former Olympian (Zac Efron). Seth Gordon is behind the camera. Also featuring Priyanka Chopra, Alexandra Daddario, and Hannibal Buress, plus a cameo by the Hoff himself!
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales (May 26)
Johnny Depp wears the costume of Jack Sparrow for the fifth time. This time, he has to escape an angry Captain Salazar played by Javier Bardem, all the while trying to find some ancient artifact supposed to give him full control over Poseidon’s kingdom. Will Turner is back as well in the Joachim Ronning and Espen Sandberg co-directed movie, which will also feature a cameo by Paul McCartney.
Wonder Woman (June 2)
Gal Godot stars as Wonder Woman. The Patty Jenkins movie explores the origin story of the heroine, and how Diana Prince, an Amazon princess, leaves her island home to become the DC Comics warrior.
The Mummy (June 9)
Sofia Boutella is the Mummy, an ancient princess awakened from her crypt beneath the desert, and she’s not happy about it. Tom Cruise will have some hard battles to fight ahead.
Cars 3 (June 16)
Lightning McQueen is still here, and he wants to prove it to the next generation of racers. From the looks of it, things won’t entirely go according to plan. Owen Wilson returns as the red sports car, and Brian Fee directs.
Transformers: The Last Knight (June 23)
The fifth installment of the series sees the return of Mark Wahlberg, here to witness Optimus Prime and Megatron fighting to the death in the Michael Bay directed movie. The cast is completed by Anthony Hopkins, Stanley Tucci, Josh Duhamel, Tyrese Gibson, and John Turturro.
Despicable Me 3 (June 30)
Gru (Steve Carell) has to fight a new nemesis, a former child star that got stuck on the role he played in the 1980s (voiced by Trey Parker of South Park and The Book of Mormon fame). Also, minions.
Spider-Man: Homecoming (July 7)
Tom Holland steps in the webbed suit for the second time (after Civil War), and he has much, much more to learn, balancing student and super hero.
War for the Planet of the Apes (July 14)
Caesar and co. become embroiled in a battle with an army of human led by the Colonel (Woody Harrelson) in the 3rd installment of the new Apes series.
Dunkirk (July 21)
Allied soldiers from Belgium, the British Empire and France are surrounded by the German army and evacuated during a fierce battle in World War II in this Christopher Nolan directed epic starring Tom Hardy, Cillian Murphy and Mark Rylance.
Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets (July 21)
Time-traveling agent Valerian is sent to investigate a galactic empire, along with his partner Laureline in Luc Besson’s new sci-fi adventure based on the graphic novel.
The Dark Tower (July 28)
Stephen King’s epic tale finally comes to life on the big screen starring Matthew McConaughey as the man in black and Idris Elba as the gunslinger.
The Emoji Movie (August 4)
Gene, a muli-expressional emoji, sets out on a journey to become a normal emoji starring T.J. Miller, James Corden and more.
Blade Runner 2049 (October 6)
LAPD officer K, a new blade runner, is in search for the missing Rick Deckard, and according to the trailer, finds him. It’s been 30 years since the event of the first movie, and it looks like a lot has changed.
Kingsman: The Golden Circle (October 6)
When a bullet to the head fired by Samuel L. Jackson doesn’t kill you, you can come back! Taron Egerton, Mark Strong, and Colin Firth return for the sequel to the 2015 adaptation of the Mark Millar/Dave Gibbons comic book.
Thor: Ragnarok (November 3)
Let’s hope roommate Darryl makes an appearance or two in the 3rd installment in the Thor franchise.
Justice League (November 17)
Batman assembles the DC version of Marvel’s the Avengers.
Star Wars: Episode VIII (December 15)
Arguably the most anticipated movie of 2017, as well as the last Star Wars movie Carrie Fisher completed before she passed.
Jumanji (December 22)
The continuation of the 1995 film about the magical board game starring The Rock, Karen Gillan and Kevin Hart.
Pitch Perfect 3 (December 22)
Anna Camp, Anna Kendrick, Rebel Wilson, and Hailee Steinfeld are all returning as the Barden Bellas for the third time.
What movie did we miss?