Following 2 slow years at the box office, 2022 has been off to a promising start and doesn't seem to be slowing down anytime soon. There are a lot of films that were meant to be released in 2020 and 2021, and many others that were actually intended to come out this year. The result is going to be week after week of new theatrical releases, some of which we've been waiting quite some time to see. Without further adieu, here's a list of some of the most anticipated films of 2022.
"What's Your Favourite Scary Movie? "
Hello reader. Do you want to play a game? Well, neither did Sidney Prescott (Neve Campell), but, more than two decades after Ghostface first began to terrorize her and her friends, she's still playing. In fairness, there's only one way for a character in the Scream franchise to stop playing, and trust me, you wouldn't like it. The alternative, however, is appearing in the franchise's sequels, the fourth of which premiered in theatres two weeks into the new year.
With familiar faces and thrilling suspense, Scream (2022) is sure to cause moviegoers to look over their shoulders on their way home. Remember, surviving a horror film is as easy - just follow the rules...
"I Think I'm A Little Concussed"
The guys from Jackass jumped, flew, rolled, and laughed their ways in the households of millions of people around the world with their slapstick comedy, dark humor, and reckless disregard for their own safety. Johnny Knoxville, Steve-O, Chris Pontius, Dave England, and, of course, Wee Man is at it again. They might be missing a few of the people who began the journey with them 20 years ago, but that doesn't mean their stunts are any less idiotic.
On February 4th, Jackass Forever hits theatres, and, although one never can tell what those guys will get up to next, one thing that you can be sure of, is that it'll be tough to watch without cringing.
"Is It The Look In Your Eyes, Or Is It This Dancing Juice? "
Just in time for Valentine's Day is a movie that could end being the romantic comedy of the year, Marry Me. It stars, funny man, Owen Wilson as a down on himself single father, and pop mega-sensation, Jennifer Lopez, as...a pop mega-sensation. After a chance encounter, that can only be described as destiny, the two proceed on what can only be described as an unlikely and unorthodox courtship.
Needing a jolt of romance and a heartwarming film to get rid of these winter blues? Be sure to check out Marry Me on (or after) February 11th.
"Who Done It? "
More than two years after it was first set to be released, based on the storytelling of the great Agatha Christie, the murder mystery crime drama, Death on the Nile will, finally, be getting its theatrical release on February 11th. When a murder happens on a boat in the middle of the Nile, luckily, one of the world's best detectives is present, but can the killer be found before it's too late?
The film's talented cast includes the likes of Gal Gadot (Wonder Woman), Annette Benning (American Beauty), Russell Brand (Get Him To The Greek), and, the woman who stole Jon Snow's heart on, and off, screen, Rose Leslie (Game of Thrones).
"Eye On The Prize"
Making videogames that were based on films has been popular for quite some time. It's not very common, however, to find a movie whose origin was a game, but that's what Uncharted is. A combination of Indiana Jones, Tomb Raider, and National Treasure, this action-adventure treasure-hunting thriller is bound to keep audiences on the edge of their seats from start to finish.
Entering his post-Spiderman life, on February 18th, Tom Holland can be found alongside the leader of the Funky Bunch himself, Mark Wahlberg, as the two enter 'uncharted' territory together as treasure hunters on the big screen.
"I'm Batman! "
From Adam West's comic book portrayal of the caped crusader in the '60s to Michael Keaton's classic performance in the '80s, right through the Val Kilmer and George Clooney days of the '90s, and, finally, to Christian Bale's darker interpretation of the Dark Knight in the 2000s, and Ben Affleck's brief stint in the late-2010s, we have been privy to more film versions of Batman than any other superhero...
After much anticipation, on March 4th, Robert Pattinson (The Twilight Saga) don the cowl, and The Batman will return to protect Gotham. The cast also includes Zoe Kravitz (Catwoman), Colin Farrell (the Penguin), and Andy Serkis as Alfred amongst others.
"It's Only Lost If They Don't Find It"
Loretta Sage (Sandra Bullock) is a romance novelist who would rather spend her time soaking in a tub than experiencing the adventures that she writes about. Alan (Channing Tatum) is the cover model for Sage's novels. When Sage is kidnapped by an international villain, who has aspirations of finding the 'fictitious' Lost City that she has written about, Alan begins his Zoolanderesque quest to save her and prove once and for all that he's more than just ridiculously good looking.
On March 25th, join Loretta and Alan as they embark on a romantic-comedy treasure-hunt for the ages that's bound to change their lives forever.
"A Little Plasma Can Go A Long Way"
In 1971, Michael Morbius made his first appearance in the Marvel comic book universe, but it wasn't until "The Living Vampire" showed up in the, now infamous, '90s Spiderman cartoon that interest in the character began to grow. With talks of a film beginning back in 2000, it was only a matter of time before the good doctor's story was going to be told. 20 years later, that time is now, and it's not an April fools joke.
With Jared Leto taking on the title role, when Morbius flies into theatres on April 1st, it will bring new life to an old character, and a new character into the MCU.
"I Have No Master, Except The Wind That Blows Free"
It's been 2 years since Sonic and his pals stopped Dr. Robotnic (Jim Carrey) from completing his evil plan, but the supersonic speedster is going to be called back into action on April 8th, when Sonic The Hedgehog 2 debuts in theatres across America. Sticking with the videogame theme, Sonic 2 is going to be every bit as quirky as the first one, and introduce some more classic characters.
Sonic and Tails are back, this time, however, Robotnik isn't the only one they need to look out for, Knuckles (Idris Elba) is making his highly anticipated appearance, and he's not to be trifled with.
"I Gotta Get Back To My Wife And My Son... "
Ambulance is a film about William Sharp (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II), a military veteran, who is willing to go to any lengths needed in order to ensure his family's well-being - that includes turning to his criminal adoptive brother Danny (Jake Gyllenhall) for help. Ambulance explores the ins and outs of the human psyche and just how far is too far when crossing the lines of morality.
Originally slated for release in February, we're now going to have to wait until April 8th, to find out if William is able to save his wife, and what the cost of his actions will be...
"I Will Avenge You Father, I Will Save You Mother... "
The Northman is a tale of deceit, bravery, and vengeance experienced by Vikings, in a way that only they could have done. Nicole Kidman, Ethan Hawke, and Willem Dafoe all have supporting roles in the action-drama period piece with Alexander Skarsgard leading the way as prince Amleth, who experienced a similar childhood to Simba, as they both bore witness to their uncles "Hamletting" their fathers.
Anyone who is going through withdrawal from the Vikings TV series ending last year need only wait until April 22nd for their next big fix of Norse culture.
"Forget Everything You Think You Know"
It has been a few years since Doctor Stephen Strange got into the accident that sent him on the path that would end up leading to him fighting alongside the Avengers. If his encounter with Dormammu 6 years ago wasn't maddening enough, kicking off the next phase of Doctor Stephen Strange's MCU career is a trip into The Multiverse of Madness on May 6th.
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe's "Phase 4", and follows the events of the Loki TV series, as well as Spiderman: No Way Home.
"Up, Up, And Away! "
Superhero movies by both, DC and Marvel, have taken over the box office in recent years. As great as most of those films have been, they have all missed the mark when it comes to seeing what a Superhero's home life is like. Just like regular people, Superheroes also have pets and, for the first time, these pets are getting their own film... Or, at least, the pets from the DC Universe are.
The comedic pairing of Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson and Kevin Hart are joining forces once again, only this time, they're playing animated super DC League of Super-Pets which comes out on May 20th.
"Whoever Said Orange Is the New Pink Was Seriously Disturbed"
If following her on her journeys through law school and to Washington D.C. weren't enough to give us a big enough glimpse into the life of Elle Woods, the third installation of the Legally Blonde franchise should help. Reese Witherspoon is back as the lovable blonde with a heart of gold, and I can only imagine what hijinks she and her girls will get into this time.
On May 20th, after a 19-year wait, Legally Blonde 3 is going to "bend and snap" its way back onto the box office charts, and it'll be tough not to watch.
"You Can Be My Wingman Any Time"
After more than 30 years, and endless speculation as to when it will finally happen, Tom Cruise has reprised his role as a "hot shot" pilot in the sequel to Top Gun, a film named after his character's call sign, Maverick. In the film, Cruise will be joined by long-time film frienemy Val Kilmer, who will be taking on the role of "Iceman" again, just as he did in 1986.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the release date of Maverick has been pushed back a few times but has been cleared to officially take-off on May 27th.
"Life Will Find A Way"
Playing God is great in theory but, as John Hammond taught us, in 1993, there are limits to what humankind should be trying to do - especially, when it comes to cloning prehistoric carnivores. If the fictitious character of the Jurassic Park universe would have learned from their mistakes, however, then we wouldn't have been able to witness history repeat itself, time and time again, throughout the franchise's double trilogy.
On June 10th, the 3rd installment in Jurassic Park's second trilogy, Jurassic World: Dominion, hits theatres, and, for the first time, will bring the stars of Jurrasic past together with those from Jurassic present.
"To Infinity And Beyond"
We watched when Andy unwrapped him in the original Toy Story, and then, over the years, we joined him, Woody, and the rest of the gang on one adventure after another, but what was he doing before he was fighting Evil Emperor Zurg? From Pixar Animation Studios and Walt Disney Pictures comes the origin story that we didn't know we needed, the history of everyone's favorite Space Ranger, Buzz Lightyear.
Lightyear is cleared for launch on June 17th, but Tim Allen won't be reprising his role as Buzz's voice, instead, it's going to be Captain America himself, Chris Evans voicing young Buzz.
"Anyone Up For A Fried Peanut Butter And Banana Sandwich? "
In his heyday, Elvis Presley was topping the music charts and the box office ones - there was nothing he couldn't do. On June 24th, for the first time in decades, the "King of Rock" is returning to the big screen. No, it's clearly not the real Elvis, he passed away in the '70s. Austin Butler will be the one "dancin' to the jailhouse rock" and Tom Hanks has been cast as his manager, Colonel Tom Parker.
The biographical musical drama about the life and career of Elvis Aaron Presley was written, directed, and produced by the man who brought us Moulin Rouge, Baz Luhrmann, so, if anything, it should, at least, be a fun movie experience.
"Ba-Na-Na! "
In 2010, when Despicable Me was released, the world was introduced to the most loyal helpers that a villain could possibly find, the only problem is that they're not all that great at doing their jobs. The Minions, in their goggles and blue denim overalls, and with their gentle naive innocence, captured the hearts of the world. Over the next decade, the Minions had supporting roles in 2 more Despicable films before, finally, being given their own film.
The success of their stand-alone film has since opened the door for a sequel, Minions 2: The Rise of Gru, that will be coming out on Canada Day, July 1st, and just in time for Independence Day weekend.
"If They Can Wield The Hammer, They Must Be Worthy"
As a result of the Endgame that followed the Infinity Wars, the MCU's "Phase 4" is going to be without stand-alone films from a few of its first phase superheroes, Iron Man and Captain America. We will, however, be treated to another Thor film, and just like Ragnarok, Taika Waititi will be credited as a writer and the director of the film, and, if it's anything like its predecessor, Thor: Love and Thunder will be a must-see film of 2022.
On July 8th, Chris Hemsworth will be returning, for what may be his final stand-alone film as the "God of Thunder", and Natalie Portman will be back as Jane Foster, after not appearing in the "Phase 3".
"It Does Not Do To Dwell On Dreams And Forget To Live"
The story of Albus Dumbledore began long before he became the Headmaster at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, but the part of the tale that most of us know doesn't tell the whole truth about what had happened all those years ago. On July 15th, after Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore is released, hopefully, many of those unanswered questions of ours will be answered.
Jude Law will be back as an older young version of Dumbledore and will be leading a rag-tag group into battle against the evil wizard, Grindelwald, who has declared war against the Muggle world.
"Nuh Uh! Nyet! Non! "
From the mind of filmmaker Jordan Peele, the twisted place where the idea behind the psychological thriller Get Out came from, comes Nope, another of his films that will keep you from sleeping soundly at night. Peele has successfully proven that he was able to make the leap from comedy to horror, and as he delves further into the genre, he is quickly establishing himself as one of the more talented filmmakers of today.
Nope is set to make its theatrical premiere this summer (July 22) and if Peele's past work is any sign of what to expect, it's going to be terrifying.
"5,000 Years In Prison? No Thanks! "
This mid-summer blockbuster is about one of the most revered anti-heroes in the DC universe, "The People's Champ", Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, I mean, Black Adam. Originally slated for a holiday season release, in December of 2021, like most films that are coming out in 2022, the premiere of DC's Black Adam's was pushed back due to the delays caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, but it will, finally, be hitting theatres this summer, on July 29th.
For the film, Johnson has teamed up once again with director Jaume Collet-Serra (Jungle Cruise (2021) - and, yes, Black Adam is part of the DC Extended Universe, so, there might be some interesting cameos to watch out for.
"Just Your Friendly Neighbourhood Spider-Man"
If the name Miles Morales doesn't sound familiar, then, clearly, someone didn't watch Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse (2018) and should catch up on their animated superhero films. If the name does ring a bell, then hang on tight, because later this year, Miles, Gwen, and, of course, Peter Parker will be slingin' and swingin' their ways back into theatres. This time, however, they're not going into the spider-verse, they're going across it.
The sequel of, arguably, the most fun Spider-Man film is almost here. Mark October 7th off on the calendar because that's the day that Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (Part One) will arrive.
"He Had The Blackest Eyes... The Devil's Eyes"
More than 40 years ago, Jamie Lee Curtis was cast in the now infamous role of Laurie Strode in the classic horror film Halloween. Over the years, there have been a dozen more films made in the Halloween franchise, with some being received well (Halloween H20), and some (Halloween 3) not so much. After taking some years away from the franchise, Curtis returned in 2018, for the first part of, what is meant to be, the franchise's final trilogy (the second being in 2021).
Halloween folklore has it that Michael Myers will only die when everyone else in his bloodline has as well - on October 14th of this year, when Halloween Ends is released, we should find out.
"Part Of Being A Hero Is Being Able To See The Good In People"
If it seems as though The Flash has been in the works for decades, that assessment wouldn't be altogether wrong. The idea has been broached every few years since the '80s, but until now nothing more than pre-production has become a reality. Then, the DC Extended Universe was created, and with it, hope for the speedster's stand-alone film career resurfaced.
Finally, on November 4th, Barry Allen (Ezra Miller) will be running into theatres around the world. And in case you didn't know, the movie is about traveling through time and trying to change the past, which we all know doesn't, usually, end well...
"You Get To Decide What Kind Of King You're Going To Be"
Continuing along with the trend of sequels that are coming out this year, we've come to another film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. When the film was first announced, there was a specific plan for the storyline, however, a massive wrench was thrown into the plans when the star of Black Panther, Chadwick Boseman, lost his fight with colon cancer.
After extensive storyline revision, Black Panther 2: Wakanda Forever got back on track and is set to continue Boseman's legacy on Remembrance Day, November 11th.
"By The Beard Of Poseidon! "
In 2017, when Aquaman appeared in Justice League, the age-old question, "what's so cool about a superhero who can talk to fish?", was answered, emphatically, by Jason Momoa's portrayal of Arthur Curry. A year later, all remaining naysayers were put in their places when Aquaman (2018) cemented itself as one of the better-received films in the DCEU and was given an order for a sequel.
It has been prophesized that, just in time for the holidays in 2022, on December 16th, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom will enter theatres and will be bringing back all of its core cast.
"Life Happens Wherever You Are... "
It's hard to believe that anyone, aside from the production's crew, had any idea just how great Avatar (2009) would end up being. The graphics and 3D technology that were used for the film were groundbreaking at the time, and their excellence has only been amplified over time. It's been 13 years since Avatar become the first film to break the $2 billion box office mark, and, now, its sequel is gearing up to do the same thing.
James Cameron's much-anticipated sequel Avatar 2 is coming out on December 16th, the same day that the Aquaman sequel is scheduled for release, it should be a good fight at the box office that week.
"It's-A-Him... Mario"
Super Mario has been part of our lives since 1985 and, it's safe to say, he and Luigi are the most well-known plumbers in the world - but not because of their ability to plumb. In the early-'90s, a live-action film about the famous brothers was released, and, let's just say, it bombed, which might explain why it's been, nearly, 30 years since anyone has attempted to bring the world of Mario back to the big screen.
Coming to theatres this December 21st, is an animated (not live-action) version of Super Mario Bros., starring the voices of Chris Pratt (Mario), Anya Taylor-Joy (Princess Peach), Charlie Day (Luigi), Jack Black (Bowser), and Seth Rogan (Donkey Kong).
"When You Wish Upon A Star"
The animated stop-motion musical fantasy interpretation of Pinocchio is the latest in the series of classic Disney films that have been remade/reimagined for a modern audience. The basic storyline will be similar to the original, but there will be some noticeable differences, especially, when it comes to the songs. Ewan McGregor, Cate Blanchett, and Ron Perlman have been cast to voice various roles.
Coming out sometime in 2022, Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio will be a darker version of an already dark-themed film and will be competing at the Oscars with the live-action version of Pinocchio that Disney will also be releasing in 2022.
"The Crimes Of The Future Also Affect The Present"
Sequels, remakes, and reimaginings of films have, in recent years, become the main focus of the film industry. What's not a frequent occurrence, however, is when a filmmaker redoes their own film. But that is exactly what the acclaimed writer/director David Cronenberg has done with the horror film that he made back in 1970, Crimes of the Future. The original was about a deranged dermatologist, his protege, and a plague.
Crimes of the Future (2022) will follow many of the same themes as the original, although the story may differ, and it will have Viggo Mortensen as the face of the film - the release date is sometime in 2022.
"Hell Ain't A Bad Place To Be"
It is not very often that filmmakers decide to gamble on making stop-motion movies. In fact, the number of great stop-motion films that have been released in the past 30 years could, probably, be counted on two hands. From the minds that brought us Key and Peele and the, now, world-renowned "A-A-Ron" sketch, comes a stop-motion film about demon brothers who, after escaping from the Underworld, are trying desperately to avoid a "demon-duster" who's hell-bent on their destruction.
Jordan Peele and Keegan-Michael Key's animated dark fantasy comedy, Wendall and Wild, is set to come out at some point in 2022, however, as of now, there is no official release date for the movie.
"They Really Seem Like They Want To Change"
Ever wondered what a non-superhero animated interpretation of the Suicide Squad mixed with a hint of Reservoir Dogs, and just a dash of the Oceans franchise would look like? The opportunity is coming later, in 2022, when The Bad Guys make their theatrical debut. The film will follow Mr. Snake, Mr. Wolf, Ms. Tarantule, Mr. Shark, and Mr. Piranha as they "attempt" to adjust to regular life.
Will the former animal outlaws be able to successfully assimilate to their new lives or will they fall back into their old ways? We'll find out on a date that has, currently, not been released to the public.
"Nothing's Impossible"
It has been more than 20 years since Tom Cruise and his band of off-the-grid agents began completing missions that would be impossible for any other team in the world to complete. Every 4 or 5 years, there seems to be some evil plan in the works that causes the "dream team" to reunite, and Mission Impossible: Fallout came out in 2018, so, you do the math.
Mission Impossible 7 was meant to hit theatres in July 2021, but due to pandemic-related delays, the date was pushed back to September 30th, 2022. Sadly, that mission's start date has once again been moved, this time to July 2023.