2013 is over. It’s done and gone. It’s now time for 2014. However, it feels like a lot of people are underestimating 2014 and are just waiting for the cluster of movies that are headed to theaters in 2015. I feel that’s unfair; 2014 has a lot of good stuff coming!
So here are our most anticipated 2014 movies for various reasons, in no particular order.
Divergent (March 21, 2014)
The premise here is weird: a dystopian world where people are segmented by personality type. This one has a cast of kick-ass females though, including Shailene Woodley, Kate Winslet and Maggie Q. There has to be something to this, right?
Transformers: Age of Extinction (June 27, 2014)
This weird reboot follows Mark Wahlberg, his daughter and her boyfriend as they run away from rebooted Transformers doing stuff. The interest comes from the inclusion of Dinobots and seeing if Michael Bay can improve this series following his excellent Pain and Gain.
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (July 11, 2014)
I was a skeptic of Rise and I was proved very, very wrong. Everything I’ve heard about this one proves they’re on the right track, with humanity and the apes trying to forge peace and keep from killing each other… until something happens.
Big Hero 6 (November 7, 2014)
Disney Animation’s first Marvel movie is a doozy, following robotics prodigy Hiro Hamada as he tries to stop a criminal plot in the city of San Fransokyo.
Transcendence (April 18, 2014)
This looks like pure 70s sci-fi schlock, and that’s why I think it’ll be crazy to see where this goes. You tell me Johnny Depp starts dying, so his crazed wife uploads his mind to a newly sentient AI program that begins to take over the world?
The Hundred-Foot Journey (August 8, 2014)
An Indian family moves to France and opens a restaurant across the street from a Michellin-starred restaurant. Stars Helen Mirren and is produced by – wait for it – Oprah.
Beauty and the Beast (February 12, 2014 in France)
This one is from Christopher Gans, the guy who’s given the world Brotherhood of the Wolf and Silent Hill. A moody, dark, atmospheric Beauty and the Beast story? I’ll take it.
Pawn Sacrifice
Director Edward Zwick (Blood Diamond, The Last Samurai) returns with a movie about chess champion Bobby Fischer preparing for his legendary match with Russian Boris Spassky.
Let’s Be Cops
A buddy cop movie where two guys impersonate cops but then end up in way over their heads. Starring Jake Johnson, Damon Wayans Jr. and Nina Dobrev.
The Face of an Angel
A journalist and documentary filmmaker chase the story of a murder and its prime suspect. From Michael Winterbottom and starring Kate Beckinsale, Daniel Bruhl and Cara Delevinge.
Home (November 26, 2014)
From DreamWorks Animation, a group of aliens hide out on Earth to seek refuge from their enemies. Featuring voice talent from Rihanna, Jim Parsons and Jennifer Lopez.
Earth to Echo (April 25, 2014)
A group of teens receive strange text messages after construction begins in their town. Seems like a weird alien version of Chronicle.
The Devil and the Deep Blue Sea
Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Jessica Biel and Chloe Grace Moretz star in a movie about an introvert architect who recruits a witty young girl to help him build a raft to sail across the Atlantic after he loses his wife.
Midnight Special
The new film from Jeff Nichols (Mud) starring Kirsten Dunst, Michael Shannon and Joel Edgerton. A father and son go on the run after the father discovers his son has special powers.
Far From the Madding Crowd
A woman maintains three relationships with three very different men. The twist here is it comes from Thomas Vinterberg (The Celebration) and stars Carey Mulligan, Michael Sheen and Juno Temple.
A Little Chaos
A pair of landscape gardeners compete to design a fountain for Versailles for Louis XIV. Starring Kate Winslet, Alan Rickman and Stanley Tucci.
Wild
I sense this’ll get Reese Witherspoon an Oscar nom. It’s based on the true story of a woman who goes on a 1,100 solo hike to recover from a recent catastrophe.
Katherine of Alexandria
A movie about its title character. This film houses the final performance from Peter O’ Toole.
Love & Mercy
Paul Dano and John Cusack team up to play Beach Boys songwriter Brian Wilson in his younger and older years.
Cheap Thrills (March 21, 2014)
Following in the footsteps of great early-year horror movies like You’re Next and Cabin in the Woods, Cheap Thrills follows a group that lets some bets go way, way out of hand.
Get on Up (August 1, 2014)
Director Tate Taylor’s follow-up to The Help, this one stars Chadwick Boseman as a young and up and coming James Brown.
Big Game
I’m hoping this one turns into this year’s White House Down. A teenager camping in the woods has to rescue the President after Air Force One crashes near his campsite. Starring Samuel L. Jackson as the President.
Deliver Us From Evil (July 2, 2014)
A NYC cop investigates a series of heinous crimes involving the occult and possible demon possession. Starring Olivia Munn, Eric Bana and Joel McHale.
Young Ones (January 18, 2014)
A dystopian sci fi picture in which a young boy sets out to protect his family in a world where water is hard to find.
Frank (May 2, 2014)
A young wannabe musician finds out he bit off more than he could chew when he joins a pop band led by the eccentric Frank, played by Michael Fassbender.
Walk of Shame (April 25, 2014)
I like Elizabeth Banks. I think she needs a big role. I don’t know if this is it though; it’s about a news anchor who is stranded and loses her phone, ID and purse and has 8 hours to get to the job interview for her dream job.
Cuban Fury (February 14, 2014 in UK)
Nick Frost plays a former salsa prodigy that stages a comeback years after his career was ruined.
The Two Faces of January
The directorial debut of the writer of Drive starring Oscar Isaac, Viggo Mortensen and Kirsten Dunst. Thriller centered around a con artist, his wife and a stranger who try to flee the country after one of them murdered a cop.
Kill Me Three Times
Three tales of murder, revenge and blackmail are interconnected. But really, I want to see this because Simon Pegg plays a mustachioed assassin.
Maps to the Stars
The new film from David Cronenberg is apparently about what Hollywood reveals about Western culture.
Rudderless (January 26, 2014)
The directorial debut from William H. Macy is about a grieving father who stumbles upon his dead son’s demo tapes and lyrics. So he reforms his son’s band as some sort of catharsis.
Tusk
Kevin Smith’s new movie about a podcast host who loses his co-host in the Canadian backwoods. Who knows if it’ll ever come out, but it’s supposed to.
Camp X-Ray (January 17, 2014)
This one feels like an acting piece for Kristen Stewart, as she plays a soldier at Guantanamo Bay who befriends an inmate of 8 years. We’ll see if she can show off more of her talent. I’m certain she’s got some (go see Into the Wild).
They Came Together
Another Paul Rudd – David Wain comedy, this time co-starring Cobie Smulders and Michael Shannon about a small time business owner (Smulders) who is about to lose her business to corporate overlords.
McFarland (November 21, 2014)
A Kevin Costner sports movie about a track coach who turns regular joe athletes into champions. Uh, spoilers?
Everest (December 19, 2014)
This one stars Jake Gyllenhaal, Josh Brolin and Jason Clarke and is about an Everest expedition devastated by a storm.
Jane Got A Gun (August 29, 2014)
Natalie Portman plays a woman who asks her ex lover to help her defend her outlaw husband from a gang that’s out to kill him.
Poltergeist
A remake of Poltergeist. Boo, right? But it’s starring Sam Rockwell… so it has my attention.
Jersey Boys (June 20, 2014)
A film adaptation of the play directed by Clint Eastwood. A “musical biography” of the group Four Seasons.
A Most Wanted Man
A Chechen Muslim man illegally immigrates to Hamburg, where he gets caught up in the International war on terror. It has Phillip Seymour Hoffman in it, which is usually a good sign.
Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day (October 10, 2014)
A little boy wakes up with gum in his hair, and his day gets worse as it progresses, but slowly finds out his family is also having a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day. Steve Carell is in it too!
Voyage of Time / Knight of Cups
TWO Terrence Malick pictures in one year. Expect them to be whimsical with lots of shots of nature and whispered talking from the actors.
Lucy (August 8, 2014)
The new film from Luc Besson (The Fifth Element), starring Scarlett Johansson and Morgan Freeman. It’s not known what it’s about.
Stretch (March 21, 2014)
From The Grey director Joe Carnahan and starring Chris Pine, Jessica Alba and Brooklyn Decker, it’s about a chauffeur who takes a job for a billionaire who makes his life hell.
Magic in the Moonlight (July 26, 2014)
Woody Allen’s 2014 feature stars Emma Stone and Colin Firth. We don’t yet know what it’s about.
The Boxtrolls (September 26, 2014)
The new movie from Laika is about a young boy who is raised by underground trash collectors and has to save his friends from an evil exterminator.
Paddington (December 12, 2014)
It’s a movie about that adorable Paddington bear, who has a love for all things British. Spot a tea, ya?
Wish I Was Here
Here’s the movie Zach Braff Kickstarted, which is also a spiritual sequel to Garden State.
Cesar Chavez: An American Hero (March 28, 2014)
A movie about Cesar Chavez, directed by Diego Luna! It looks way too on-the-nose, but hey, it’s about time Chavez got a biopic.
Grace of Monaco (March 14, 2014)
Nicole Kidman plays Hollywood star Grace Kelly as she struggles with marriage and identity during a looming French invasion of Monaco in the early 1960s.
Dracula Untold (October 17, 2014)
Luke Evans plays Dracula in this reboot of the legend, which will intertwine the true story of Prince Vlad.
A Million Ways to Die in the West (May 30, 2014)
Seth MacFarlane follows up Ted with a movie about a cowardly farmer who enlists a gunslinger’s wife to help him win back the woman who left him. Starring Liam Neeson, Seth MacFarlane, Charlize Theron, Amanda Seyfried, Sarah Silverman, Neil Patrick Harris and Giovani Ribisi.
The Interview (October 10, 2014)
This Is The End directors Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg return for a movie about an attractive talk show host and his producer, who end up getting caught up in an international assassination plot. Starring James Franco, Seth Rogen and Lizzy Caplan.
Birdman
A washed up actor who once played an iconic superhero puts on a Broadway play to reclaim his glory. And this is starring Michael Keaton. How perfect is that?
Untitled Cameron Crowe Film
A military contractor returns to the sites of his greatest career triumphs while also reconnecting with his long-ago love while also falling in love with his Air Force watchdog. Starring Bradley Cooper, Emma Stone and Rachel McAdams.
The Raid 2: Berandal (March 28, 2014)
The sequel to one of the best action films in recent memory. Watch the trailer. It speaks for itself. By the way, director Gareth Evans claims the stuff in the trailer is all stuff from the first act (relatively 30 minutes of the 2 hour and 30 minute final film). Yeah, it’s going to be bananas.
Nymphomaniac Volume I and II
Lars von Trier’s epic tale of a woman who recounts her sexual adventures to a man who saves her from a beating. People who’ve seen it have said it’s excellent and more intellectual than erotic, whatever that means.
Chef (May 9, 2014)
Jon Favreau takes a step away from cowboys, aliens and superheroes to make a simple movie about a chef who starts up a food truck. Also starring Robert Downey Jr., Scarlett Johansson, Sofia Vergara, Bobby Cannavale, John Leguizamo and Dustin Hoffman.
Inherent Vice
Paul Thomas Anderson (There Will Be Blood) returns with a movie about a drug-fueled detective who investigates the death of his former girlfriend in 1970s LA. Starring Joaquin Phoenix, Jena Malone and Reese Witherspoon.
London Fields
Amber Heard stars as Nicola Six, a clairvoyant who has been living with a vision of her impending murder. She then begins a love affair with three different men, knowing that one of them is her murderer. Also stars Johnny Depp, Jamie Alexander, Jim Sturgess and Billy Bob Thornton.
Big Eyes (August 28, 2014)
Hailed as Tim Burton’s potential return to form. It’s centered around the awakening of painter Margaret Keane, her success in the 1950s and her legal battle with her husband, who claimed credit for her work. Starring Amy Adams, Krysten Ritter and Christoph Waltz.
Hot Tub Time Machine 2
A lot of people are fans of the original. Here’s your sequel.
The Equalizer (September 28, 2014)
Starring Denzel Washington and directed by Antoine Fuqua, it’s about a veteran operative who quits a CIA-like organization and puts an add in a newspaper that reads “Got a problem? Odds against you? Call the Equalizer.”
Foxcatcher
Based on a true story and from Moneyball director Bennett Miller. Stars Channing Tatum as Olympic wrestler Mark Schultz, who has to deal with Steve Carrell’s paranoid schizophrenic John duPont, who killed his Schultz’s brother. I smell a bunch of Oscar recognition for this one.
The Judge (October 10, 2014)
Wedding Crashers director David Dobkin teams with Robert Downey Jr., Leighton Meester, Vera Farmiga, Billy Bob Thornton and Robert Duvall in a film about a successful lawyer who returns home for his mother’s funeral, only to find his estranged father is suspected of murder.
How to Catch A Monster (June 19, 2014)
Ryan Gosling makes his directorial debut in a movie about a mother who is swept into a dark underworld while her teenage son discovers a road that leads him to an underwater town. Starring Christina Hendricks, Saoirse Ronan, Matt Smith and Eva Mendes.
The Imitation Game
Benedict Cumberbatch stars as mathematician Alan Turing as he helps crack the Enigma code during World War II. Also starring Keira Knightley, Matthew Goode and Mark Strong.
Child 44
An MGB agent is sent to investigate a series of child murders in Stalin-era Soviet Union. Starring Tom Hardy, Gary Oldman, Jason Clarke and Noomi Rapace.
Annie (December 19, 2014)
A remake of Annie starring Rose Byrne, Cameron Diaz, Quvenzhane Wallis and Jamie Foxx.
Unbroken (December 25, 2014)
Angelina Jolie takes on her second directorial effort, roping in Roger Deakins to shoot a film about the life of Louis Zamperini, an Olympic runner who was taken prisoner by the Japanese during World War II.
Horrible Bosses 2 (November 26, 2014)
Here’s your Horrible Bosses sequel, about more horrible bosses.
Gone Girl (October 3, 2014)
David Fincher’s adaptation of the popular Gillian Flynn novel, about a woman who disappears on her wedding anniversary, and how her husband (Ben Affleck) is suspected.
Serena
Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper team up again, this time in a movie set in Depression-era North Carolina, where the future Cooper’s timber empire comes into question when his wife Serena (Lawrence) can’t bear children.
Sex Tape (July 25, 2014)
Cameron Diaz and Jason Segel star in a comedy about a couple who freaks out when they discover their sex tape goes missing.
Rio 2 (April 11, 2014)
I’m not sure anyone really wants Rio 2, but the first had good music so who knows. The two birds voiced by Anne Hathaway and Jesse Eisenberg have kids and meet the parents and stuff.
Exodus (December 12, 2014)
I keep wanting to believe Ridley Scott still has something left in the tank, but it’s coming harder and harder to actually believe that. Maybe a return to a Kingdom of Heaven-like sandal epic would do? That’s what Exodus is, even though it’s also about Christian Bale’s Moses.
Non-Stop (February 28, 2014)
Liam Neeson on an airplane as a US Air Marshall that’s wrongly accused of hijacking said plane. There’s a fan base for this stuff now.
Muppets Most Wanted (March 21, 2014)
The first Muppets film was a glorious and sweet return to form. I have less hope about this second one, but the additions of Tina Fey and Ricky Gervais should make for some entertainment.
Into the Woods (December 25, 2014)
A Rob Marshall (Chicago) musical based on the hit musical play about a bunch of fairy tale characters are taught a lesson by a witch., starring Meryl Streep, Johnny Depp, Anna Kendrick, Chris Pine, Emily Blunt and more.
Veronica Mars (March 14, 2014)
The Kickstarted movie, based on the hit TV show, is apparently going to make fans really, really happy.
Endless Love (February 14, 2014)
One of those forbidden romance flicks. For Valentine’s Day. I’d like to see if this one takes off.
Fury (November 12, 2014)
David Ayer’s (End of Watch) movie about tank operators in Nazi Germany and their brave mission at the end of World War II. Starring Brad Piit, Shia LaBeouf and Logan Lerman.
Dumb and Dumber To (November 14, 2014)
Jim Carry and Jeff Daniels return as we meet with Lloyd and Harry 20 years after the original. There’s no way this can match the charm and humor of the original, but I’d like to see them attempt it.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (August 8, 2014)
Michael Bay (as a producer’s) much maligned Ninja Turtles reboot is finally coming out. It probably won’t be as terrible as people are fearing, but we’ll see.
Sin City: A Dame To Kill For (August 22, 2014)
There are a lot of people psyched for this sequel to Sin City, so here it is! I just wonder if it’s way too late, and if enough people still care?
The Monuments Men (February 7, 2014)
Its delay out of Oscar season makes me think this won’t be very good, and George Clooney’s track record as a director is very hit and miss, but I love the premise of a bunch of art historians trying to save art from Hitler during World War II a lot.
The Maze Runner (September 19, 2014)
A young boy, who has his memory erased, is trapped in a giant maze thing in a post-apocalyptic world.
Son of God (February 28, 2014)
A movie about Jesus.
Need for Speed (March 14, 2014)
Aaron Paul headlines this racer based on the hit video game series. I don’t really care about the plot here, but I’m looking forward to some practical car action.
Jupiter Ascending (July 18, 2014)
The Wachowskis return with a weird ass movie about Channing Tatum as a space elf saving Mila Kunis from something.
Hercules (July 25, 2014)
Brett Ratner directs Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson in a reimagining of the classic Greek hero.
Vampire Academy (February 14, 2014)
The director of Mean Girls makes what looks like a spin-off of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
The LEGO Movie (February 7, 2014)
Just watch the trailer. It looks hilarious.
Maleficent (May 30, 2014)
Angelina Jolie stars as Maleficent in a prequel to Sleeping Beauty, in which we find out why she has such a terrible heart. And maybe where she finds that crazy dragon.
Noah (March 28, 2014)
Darren Aronofsky directs Russell Crowe in this movie based on the biblical story of Noah and his crazy ark filled with animals. I’m sure hijinks ensue, or maybe it’ll just be a serious movie with tons of CGI.
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1 (November 21, 2014)
Yes, Part 1. Katniss takes the hold of the revolution against the Capitol. Or something, I didn’t read the books.
Blended (May 23, 2014)
Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore team up. Again. This time they play two people who hate each other and are forced to be together and probably fall in love. Can it pull Sandler out of his rut? Probably not, but people are psyched for this.
The Fault In Our Stars (June 6, 2014)
Based on the bestselling book, it’s about two sick teens who fall in love after meeting at a cancer support group.
That Awkward Moment (January 31, 2014)
I’m not sure how the actual movie will be, but this film has two of Hollywood’s brightest young stars in Michael B. Jordan and Miles Teller in it.
Edge of Tomorrow (June 6, 2014)
From the director of The Bourne Identity, Tom Cruise is stuck in a time loop where he has to keep killing until he can find a way out.
Neighbors (May 9, 2014)
Seth Rogen and Rose Byrne face off against Zac Efron and Dave Franco as these pairs of neighbors duel over noise level.
Welcome to Yesterday (February 28, 2014)
Chronicle and Project X with time travel.
I, Frankenstein (January 24, 2014)
Will it live up to its expected reputation of worst film of 2014?
Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit (January 17, 2014)
The question here is whether Chris Pine can do for Jack Ryan what he did for Captain Kirk. Based on the character in the novels by Tom Clancy.
The Grand Budapest Hotel (March 7, 2014)
Wes Anderson returns with a movie about a man named Gustave, who is a legendary concierge at the Grand Budapest Hotel and all the crazy characters he runs into.
Interstellar (November 7, 2014)
We don’t truly know what Christopher Nolan’s new movie is about, but our best guess is our world’s agriculture starts dying so scientists use a wormhole to surpass the limits of human space travel to save our world.
Captain America: The Winter Soldier (April 4, 2014)
At times, it feels like Captain America is the best non-Avengers movie Marvel has made. And with this sequel, they’re turning his films into more of a political thriller than a superhero movie.
300: Rise of an Empire (March 7, 2014)
After numerous delays, we’re finally going to see the prequel/sequel to 300. The question is will a movie that relied on visual genius be good without its visual genius at the helm?
Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones (January 3, 2014)
Everything I’ve heard about this Paranormal Activity spin-off is that it’s the best one since the original and does some things to differentiate it from the rest of the series.
3 Days to Kill (February 21, 2014)
Taken with Kevin Costner.
The Hobbit: There and Back Again (December 17, 2014)
The Hobbit trilogy concludes. Here’s hoping we get more Hobbit in this Hobbit movie and less dwarves.
RoboCop (February 12, 2014)
The legendary cop gets rebooted. This could be the Total Recall of this year, but who knows what could happen!
The Expendables 3 (August 15, 2014)
Now with Antonio Banderas, Wesley Snipes, Mel Gibson and Harrison Ford.
22 Jump Street (June 13, 2014)
The first one was much better than expected and actually pretty hilarious. The second one has them going to college.
Million Dollar Arm (May 16, 2014)
Disney is usually pretty good at these inspirational sports stories, and this one’s based off a true story that was actually pretty fascinating about cricket players who are morphed into baseball players in months.
Godzilla (May 16, 2014)
Everything I’ve heard about this one is good. It, like the original Godzilla, uses the giant lizard as a walking metaphor, the script is apparently very good, it’s got a great cast, a great trailer and we’re going to see Godzilla take on other monsters.
How to Train Your Dragon 2 (June 13, 2014)
The first film was legitimately one of the better animation films in recent years that hasn’t come out of Pixar or Studio Ghibli. It’ll be interesting to see where they go with the sequel and if they can nail it as much as they did with the first.
Guardians of the Galaxy (August 1, 2014)
Marvel’s ballsiest movie yet. It’s going to be a wacky, silly space opera where a rag-tag group of crazy characters evades someone who works for Thanos that they stole something important from.
X-Men: Days of Future Past (May 23, 2014)
Here’s a film that’s supposed to bridge the gap between the original X-Men movies and the new First Class series, while also being primarily about the First Class crew. Also with Wolverine sent back in time to save Professor X and stopping Peter Dinklage from from creating an army of giant Sentinel robots that hunt mutants.
The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (May 2, 2014)
Sony’s second entry into their giant Spider-Man super plan. The web head now has to go up against Rhino and Green Goblin for a bit, while also taking on Electro. Then he also has to figure out the mystery of his parents. Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone both return, and will still be amazingly lovable.