Movies are back in full force this summer, and June feels like the month the floodgates break. There’s action comedies! Experimental documentaries! Sexy European romantic tragedies! Horror flicks! In the Heights is coming out and so is Zola. Plus a new Pixar movie and an animated film about a chainsaw-wielding George Washington leading a team to fight Benedict Arnold. Get ready, friends.
Here are a dozen of June’s most interesting films to look for in theaters or on streaming platforms.
All Light Everywhere
Release date: June 4
We undeniably live in a surveillance society. Cameras are ubiquitous, from body cameras on cops to drone-enabled cameras that capture views from above to the phone cameras we hold in our hands every day. But what do cameras miss? Do they really give us a more objective view of reality? Those are the questions Theo Anthony (Rat Film) tackles in All Light, Everywhere, a sprawling essay film about “blind spots” in the technologies we trust (or don’t trust) to keep us safe and the illusions they too often depend upon. Watching All Light, Everywhere is informative, but more importantly, it’s an experience — and a sobering one.
How to watch it:All Light, Everywhere will premiere in theaters.
The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It
Release date: June 4
The latest installment in the Conjuring universe (and a direct sequel to 2016’s The Conjuring 2) returns to paranormal investigative couple Ed and Lorraine Warren (Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga). The Warrens were real people, and just like other movies from the series, this one draws on their files for its source material. Some of the story in The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It is expected — a little boy exhibits weird behavior, and the Warrens are convinced it’s a case of possession. But the film also covers the first court case in US history in which a murder suspect used demonic possession as a defense. If the previous Conjuring films are any indication, The Devil Made Me Do It will be taut and spooky.
How to watch it: The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It will premiere in theaters and stream on HBO Max.
Undine
Release date: June 4
Christian Petzold, one of Europe’s greatest living filmmakers (Transit; Barbara), returns with Undine, which transports an ancient mythological creature into the present day. In European mythology, an “undine” is a water nymph who falls in love with a man, but will die if he is unfaithful to her. In Undine, a (modern-day) historian who studies the urban development of Berlin falls in love with a man, but he betrays her — and she must kill him and return to the water. It’s stylish, passionate, and full of enchantment.
How to watch it: Undine will premiere in theaters.
In the Heights is poised to be the smash hit of the summer — and that would probably be true even if it wasn’t perfectly timed to welcome moviegoers back to theaters after a long pandemic year. Lin-Manuel Miranda’s (pre-Hamilton) musical was a hit on Broadway, and now it’s been translated to the big screen by Crazy Rich Asians director Jon M. Chu. Starring a bevy of talent — Anthony Ramos, Corey Hawkins, Leslie Grace, Melissa Barrera, Olga Merediz, Daphne Rubin-Vega, Gregory Diaz IV, Stephanie Beatriz, Dascha Polanco, Jimmy Smits, Marc Anthony, and Miranda himself — it’s a joyful, music-filled story about a community pulling together and their dreams of a better life.
How to watch it:In the Heights will open in theaters and on HBO Max.
Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard
Release date: June 16
As you may have deduced from the title, Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard is a sequel to the 2017 comedy The Hitman’s Bodyguard, in which Michael Bryce (Ryan Reynolds) must protect hitman Darius Kincaid (Samuel L. Jackson) from a bunch of pretty bad dudes. Everyone’s back for the new film, including Darius’s wife Sonia (Salma Hayek), who drags Bryce — who’s been on a sabbatical, at his company’s insistence — back into the fray. Will it be kind of stupid? Probably. But Jackson, Reynolds, and Hayek all have proven comedy chops, so it’s also likely to be the platonic ideal of a mindless summer Blockbuster.
How to watch it: Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard will open in theaters.
Luca
Release date: June 18
Pixar’s latest is set in the Italian Riviera, a place I’d give my eyeteeth to vacation in right about now. The film isa coming-of-age story about a kid named Luca, who’s about to have the best summer of his life in Italy. He meets another boy and they become fast friends. But Luca has a secret: He’s actually a sea monster. What? I don’t know, but it sounds fun to me.
How to watch it: Luca will premiere on Disney+.
Rita Moreno: Just a Girl Who Decided to Go For It
Release date: June 18
Living legend Rita Moreno is one of the most highly decorated actors in American entertainment, and her success spans decades: Her first major award was the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for West Side Story in 1961. (She’s also one of the few actors to ever accomplish the elusive EGOT — Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, Tony.) But more importantly, she’s an absolute icon, a woman who blazed trails for Latinas — Moreno is from Puerto Rico — with determination, commitment, and skill. In this documentary, she tells her story, from the good times to the hard times, and it is absolutely delightful.
How to watch it: Rita Moreno: Just a Girl Who Decided to Go For It will premiere in theaters.
Summer of 85
Release date: June 18
French director François Ozon makes entertaining, passionate melodramas, and Summer of 85 is no exception. The drama — which premiered at the virtual Toronto International Film Festival last fall — is about a 16-year-old named Alexis (Félix Lefebvre), who is spending his summer at a seaside resort in Normandy. He meets David (Benjamin Voisin), and they fall into a relationship that quickly becomes a romance. But tragedy is always lurking around the edges. Summer of 85 is a coming-of-age story, and if you’re up for some sexy French summer fun and emotional implosions, this is it.
How to watch it: Summer of 85 will premiere in theaters.
F9
Release date: June 25
You don’t go see a Fast Furious movie for the plot; you go for the cars and the camaraderie, and that’s what F9 promises to serve up as well. Directed and co-written (with Daniel Casey) by Justin Lin, who also made Fast Furious 6, F9 has been delayed several times due to the pandemic. But now it’s here, with a stacked cast: Vin Diesel, Michelle Rodriguez, Tyrese Gibson, Chris “Ludacris” Bridges, John Cena, Jordana Brewster, Nathalie Emmanuel, Sung Kang, Helen Mirren, and Charlize Theron.Presumably, there will also be really cool stunts.
How to watch it: F9 will open in theaters.
False Positive
Release date: June 25
Broad City’s Ilana Glazer co-wrote False Positive with director John Lee, and it’s a spin on Rosemary’s Baby. Glazer plays Lucy, who has been trying to get pregnant with her partner Adrian (Justin Theroux), with little success. Then they find a fertility doctor they love, Dr. Hindle (Pierce Brosnan), and hopes run high. But when Lucy becomes pregnant, she starts to suspect something is afoot with Dr. Hindle and sets out to investigate. A spooky horror film about pregnancy? Sounds great to me.
How to watch it: False Positive will premiere on Hulu.
Zola
Release date: June 30
I am reasonably confident that Zola (which premiered at Sundance in 2020) is the first movie based on a Twitter thread, and it is a humdinger. In 2015, dancer A’Ziah King — who goes by Zola — told the story, in 148 tweets, of a strange but true trip to Florida with a girl named Stefani; the trip went terribly, terribly wrong when King discovered Stefani’s “roommate” was actually her pimp. King later admitted that some parts of her account were exaggerated, but Zola directorJanicza Bravo is less interested in facts than she is in crafting an entertaining tale and exploring how our perceptions of the characters are affected by who’s telling the story. It’s wild, raunchy, and very funny, with a cast that includes Riley Keough, Colman Domingo, Nicholas Braun (a.k.a. Succession’s Cousin Greg), and a marvelous Taylour Paige, plus a screenplay co-written by Bravo and Slave Play writer Jeremy O. Harris.
How to watch it: Zola will open in theaters.
America: The Motion Picture
Killer Mike as “Blacksmith,” Olivia Munn as “Thomas Edison,” Jason Mantzoukas as “Samuel Adams,” Channing Tatum as “George Washington,” Bobby Moynihan as “Paul Revere,” and Raoul Max Trujillo as “Geronimo” in a still from America: The Motion Picture.Netflix
Release date: Wednesday, June 30
This movie sounds very wild, which is probably the idea. It’s kind of a revisionist history of America, helmed by Archer executive producer Matt Thompson; George Washington (voiced by Channing Tatum, who’s also one of the film’s producers) leads a team to take on Benedict Arnold and King James, and Washington, uh, wields a chainsaw? Phil Lord and Christopher Miller of Lego Movie fame are among the film’s producers, and the voice cast is full of top-flight talent, probably because everyone’s been stuck in lockdown for a year. In addition to Tatum, listen for Simon Pegg, Judy Greer, Bobby Moynihan, Amber Nash, Killer Mike, Andy Samberg, Jason Mantzoukas, Olivia Munn (who, I need to point out, is playing Thomas Edison), Raoul Max Trujillo, Will Forte, and more. The film is slated to come out just before the July Fourth weekend, so I guess it’s time to celebrate.
How to watch it: America: The Motion Picture will premiere on Netflix.
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It’s been over a year since the coronavirus pandemic closed movie theaters and threw Blockbuster release dates into turmoil, but theaters are starting to cautiously re-open in the US and elsewhere. A Quiet Place Part II is out now, while James Bond adventure No Time to Die, Fast and Furious sequel F9 and Marvel’s Black Widow are just some of the postponed films coming soon. It’s been tough to keep up to date with all the changes, but don’t worry: these are the latest movie release dates for 2021 and beyond.
Here’s this year’s revised box office calendar to show when (or if) 2021’s big movies arrive in movie theaters (and/or online). These dates are still in flux but we’ll keep you updated with the latest changes as new dates are announced.
Emma Stone stars as a young Cruella De Vil in Disney’s latest live-action prequel, this time putting a new spin on animated classic 101 Dalmatians. It streamed on Disney Plus the same day it opened in theaters.
The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It (June 4, 2021)
Sylvester Stallone is an aging superhero in this dark take on superheroics.
Infinite (June 10, 2021)
Action man Mark Wahlberg headlines the eternal story of a man who learns that his hallucinations are actually visions from past lives. It’s streaming on paramount Plus.
This adaptation of Lin-Manuel Miranda and Quiara Alegría Hudes’ Tony-winning musical is helmed by Crazy Rich Asians director Jon M. Chu, and stars Anthony Ramos from the Broadway cast of Hamilton.
Original release date: June 2020
Luca (June 18, 2021)
Pixar animated adventure featuring aquatic creatures finding their feet on the Italian Riviera. It releases exclusively on Disney Plus.
F9 (June 25, 2021)
Starring Vin Diesel, John Cena and Charlize Theron, the ninth Fast and Furious film was one of the first to reschedule, taking the bold step of moving nearly a year to April 2021 — a date previously earmarked for the next film in the Fast Saga. There’s no word yet on when that 10th and final film will be released.
Original release date: May 2020
Zola (June 30, 2021)
A riotous story told through a series of viral tweets inspired this tale of a wild weekend in Florida.
Chris Pratt headlines this original sci-fi action film about a time-traveling warrior, which streams on Amazon Prime Video instead of opening in theaters as planned.
Scarlett Johansson headlines Marvel’s Black Widow delving into the Russian super-assassin’s origins. Originally scheduled for May 2020, it’s been been pushed back in a reshuffle of the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe schedule. That pushed back sequels for Captain Marvel , Thor and Doctor Strange over the next couple of years. Black Widow arrives in theaters and on Disney Plus the same day.
Original release date: May 1, 2020
Space Jam 2: A New Legacy (July 16, 2021)
It’s true: there’s a long-awaited sequel to the basketball-themed 1996 cartoon/live-action Space Jam. Basketball star LeBron James, writer Ryan Coogler and Bugs Bunny lead the Looney Tunes cartoon characters onto the court when the film streams on HBO Max.
Cinderella (July 16, 2021)
Sony is not having a fairy tale year, delaying this live-action musical.
Original release date: February 2021
Snake Eyes: GI Joe Origins (July 23, 2021)
Henry Golding and Samara Weaving toy with the idea of headlining Snake Eyes, a ninja-focused spinoff from the GI Joe series of toys and movies.
Original release date: October 2020
Old (July 23, 2021)
M. Night Shyamalan writes and directs a new supernatural chiller based on French graphic novel Sandcastle about a group of people who discover a dead body on a beach.
Original release date: Feb. 26, 2021
Jungle Cruise (July 30, 2021)
Emily Blunt and Dwayne Johnson take a cruise in the jungle, although Disney has pushed their departure date back a whole year. The film will stream on Disney Plus on July 30, the same day it cruises into theaters.
Original release date: July 2020
The Green Knight (July 30, 2021)
Dev Patel is mythic knight Sir Gawain, King Arthur’s headstrong nephew, in this medieval fantasy epic from A24.
This video game-themed action-comedy starring Ryan Reynolds was slated for 2020 but will now open this summer.
Original release date: July 3, 2020
Don’t Breathe 2 (Aug. 13, 2021)
This horror sequel sees the return of The Blind Man.
Bios (Aug. 13, 2021)
Tom Hanks is the last man on Earth, hanging out with his faithful robot in this post-apocalyptic drama.
Original release date: October 2020
PAW Patrol: The Movie (Aug. 20, 2021)
Parents get it.
Candyman (Aug. 27, 2021)
This horror remake directed by Nia DaCosta and written by Jordan Peele has been moved a few times, but the hook-handed slasher looks like it’s filled with chills.
Original release date: June 12, 2020
The Beatles: Get Back (Aug. 27, 2021)
Peter Jackson charts the making of the Beatles’ 1970 album Let It Be in a documentary set to be released by Disney.
Original release date: September 2020
Shang-Chi and the Ten Rings (Sept. 3, 2021)
Marvel’s martial arts action movie starring Simu Liu as mystical fighter Shang-Chi has been kicked back a few months by Disney.
The Many Saints of Newark is a ’60s-set prequel to classic TV series The Sopranos, in which Michael Gandolfini takes on the role of Tony Soprano made famous by his father, James Gandolfini. The original series ushered in the era of prestige TV and enshrined HBO’s reputation, so it’s appropriate the new film will stream on HBO Max.
This slasher sequel is in the awkward situation that the release date is sort of in the title. You can’t really bump a movie named “Halloween” to February, can you? So Universal pushed it back a whole year to 2021 — which has a knock-on effect for planned threequel, Halloween Ends, now expected in October 2022.
Wes Anderson returns with more idiosyncratic art-housery in The French Dispatch, starring Timothée Chalamet, Bill Murray, Saoirse Ronan, Tilda Swinton and Frances McDormand. At first, Disney bumped this Fox Searchlight film to October 2020, but then in July took it off the schedule. It will premiere at this ear’s Cannes film festival before sauntering into theaters in October.
Jason Reitman‘s small town-set Ghostbusters resurrection stars Paul Rudd. I ain’t afraid of no postponement!
Original release date: July 10, 2020
Top Gun: Maverick (Nov. 19, 2021)
Tom Cruise feels the need for speed. We’ve waited over 30 years for a sequel to the original 1986 Top Gun, so what’s a few more months?
Original release date: June 2020
King Richard (Nov. 19, 2021)
How do you tell the story of perhaps the greatest ever women athletes? Make it about their dad! Will Smith plays the father of real-life tennis legends Venus and Serena Williams in this HBO Max film.
Original release date: November 2020
Encanto (Nov. 24, 2021)
Disney’s magical musical from Hamilton creator Lin-Manuel Miranda will cast a spell on Thanksgiving.
Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City (Nov. 24, 2021)
Steven Spielberg‘s remake of the legendary musical was originally supposed to fill Disney’s traditional big-money holiday movie slot in 2020, plugging the fallow year between the last Star Wars trilogy ending in 2019 and the Avatar sequels kicking in. Now everything’s been pushed back a year, West Side Story will be Disney family Blockbuster for the holidays in 2021.
Keanu Reeves returns to the Matrix in a new cyberpunk action thriller from one of the creators behind the original trilogy, Lana Wachowski. The film will stream on HBO Max too.
Original release date: May 2020
The King’s Man (Dec. 22, 2021)
Ralph Fiennes suits up for The King’s Man, a World War I-era prequel to the sharp-dressed Kingsman series.
There was much excitement when it was announced that Kill List and Rebecca director Ben Wheatley would helm a new adventure for video game superstar Lara Croft. Originally scheduled for March 2021, the sequel starring Alicia Vikander was then taken off the calendar by MGM.
Sony’s Spider-Man spinoff features Jared Leto as Marvel vampire Morbius.
Original release date: July 31, 2020
Death on the Nile (Feb. 11, 2022)
Kenneth Branagh once again fires up his moustache and little grey cells as Agatha Christie’s detective Hercule Poirot in a follow-up to 2017’s Murder on the Orient Express.
Original release date: December 2020
Uncharted (Feb. 18, 2022)
When 2020’s films began to be reshuffled, Uncharted was the first 2021 film to be moved. Fans are hyped for Sony’s video game adaptation stars Tom Holland, although the release date has jumped around more than Nathan Drake exploring a temple.
Original release date: December 2020
Rumble (Feb. 18, 2022)
WWE’s movie studio tag teams with paramount for this animated movie in which giant monsters are superstar athletes in professional wrestling.
The Batman (March 4, 2022)
Robert Pattinson dons the batsuit for this delayed DC adventure. It’s a Warner Bros film but there are currently no plans to stream it on HBO Max — only 2021 films will be released online.
Original release date: June 25, 2021
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (March 25, 2022)
Fans of Doctor Strange, played by Benedict Cumberbatch, will have to wait until 2022 before entering the Multiverse of Madness thanks to Marvel’s reshuffles.
Original release date: May 2021
John Wick: Chapter 4 (May 27, 2022)
Keanu’s other all-action franchise also returns for a fourth outing.
Baz Luhrmann‘s Elvis tribute became an early high-profile casualty of the pandemic when Tom Hanks, who appears in the film as Col. Tom Parker, contracted the coronavirus. He and his wife, Rita Wilson, have now recovered, and the film will be delayed only a month.
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse 2 (Oct. 7, 2022)
Halloween Ends (Oct. 14, 2022)
The Flash (Nov. 4, 2022)
Captain Marvel 2 (Nov. 11, 2022)
Aquaman 2 (Dec. 16, 2022)
Avatar and Star Wars (December 2022 onward)
Christmas 2021 was supposed to see the long-awaited arrival of James Cameron’s Avatar sequel, which would be followed by a new Star Wars trilogy the following year. The two franchises would then alternate each holiday season until Avatar 5 in 2027. But as the coronavirus shoved more and more Blockbusters into 2021, Disney decided in late July to shift all seven movies back a year. So Avatar 2 will arrive in 2022, Avatar 3 in 2024, Avatar 4 in 2026 and Avatar 5 in 2028. Three Star Wars movies then fill in the odd-numbered years.
Anne Hathaway and Chiwetel Ejiofor are a troubled couple who take advantage of the COVID-19 pandemic to pull off a jewelry heist in an empty store. How topical! It’s streaming on HBO Max.
Outside the Wire (Released Jan. 15, 2021)
Marvel star Anthony Mackie is an android with attitude in Netflix’s near-future action thriller.
Coming 2 America (Released March 5, 2021)
Eddie Murphy already waited more than 30 years to come back to America for this long-awaited sequel to his ’80s classic, so we didn’t mind a delay of a few months. Amazon Prime Video acquired Coming 2 America in November, a month before it was set to be released in theaters, and it’s streaming now.
Original release date: Dec. 18, 2020
Chaos Walking (Released March 5, 2021)
Tom Holland and Daisy Ridley cause chaos on a planet where all the women have died and thoughts are visible. Even before the pandemic this delightfully weird-sounding film was delayed by reshoots.
Raya and the Last Dragon (Released March 12, 2021)
Arguably one of the most-delayed films on the list, this reworked and significantly longer version of 2017’s Justice League re-teams Wonder Woman, Batman and Superman in the hands of the film’s original director Zack Snyder. All four hours of the Snyder Cut stream on HBO Max after a long-running online campaign.
The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent (Released March 19, 2021)
Nicolas Cage plays himself in suitably over-the-top style in this bonkers comedy.
Abbi Jacobson and Maya Rudolph’s wacky family take on a robot uprising led by Olivia Colman makes for a heartwarming and anarchic Netflix animated adventure from the producers of Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs and Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.
Without Remorse (April 30, 2021)
Michael B. Jordan stars in this adaptation of a Tom Clancy espionage novel, which is remorselessly shuffled to Amazon Prime Video.
Amy Adams plays an agoraphobic child psychologist who witnesses a horrific crime through the window of her New York apartment. Based on the bestseller by Tracy Letts, this Netflix film also stars Gary Oldman, Anthony Mackie, Wyatt Russell, Brian Tyree Henry, Jennifer Jason Leigh and Julianne Moore.
If you were a little bummed out by all the lackluster Netflix releases that flooded the streaming service for the first few months of 2021, you’re not alone. Combine that with rumors that Netflix might crack down on password sharing and the fact that there are so many other streaming services out there that are picking up steam… and things were not looking great for Netflix. Thankfully though, the streaming giant appears to be turning things around. April included some great new Netflix originals like Concrete Cowboy, The Serpent, Stowaway, and Shadow and Bone. Then May came along with big original releases such as the superhero series Jupiter’s Legacy, The Woman in the Window, Who Killed Sara?: Season 2, and more.
Of course, Netflix is about more than just original content — the service also adds dozens and dozens of new content each month that’s licensed from other studios. With the Netflix June 2021 releases list now official, it’s time to check out all the new movies set to arrive on Netflix in June.
Netflix is starting June off strong with a whopping 28 different movies and full seasons of TV series coming on Just 1st alone. Among them, you’ll find 21 new movies including fan favorites like Million Dollar Baby, Stand by Me, and The Big Lebowski. It doesn’t matter if you’ve seen Lebowski one time or a dozen times, you know you need to watch it again.
Other solid movies are set to premiere over the course of the month as well, including Netflix originals like Fatherhood starring Kevin Hart and Awake starring Gina Rodriguez. For all the other movies set to be released over the course of the month on Netflix, scroll through the complete June movie slate down below.
Let’s not beat around the bush – 2020 was a disaster for theaters.
As Covid-19-induced lockdowns led to unprecedented closures of theaters around the world, movie studios pulled movie after movie from their release schedules. Even the few movies that did make it to the screen – Tenet, Wonder Woman 1984 – struggled to get anywhere near the box office takings they’d have made in any other year.
With big hitters originally scheduled for 2020 competing against 2021’s existing release slate, competition is going to be fierce. Indeed, it’s unlikely there are enough opening weekends to sustain everything – a few huge Blockbusters will almost definitely take big hits at the box office, or end up being pushed back further.
And that’s before you factor in movies being shifted to streaming platforms (all of Warner’s theatrical releases for 2021 will launch simultaneously on HBO Max), and ongoing uncertainty surrounding the coronavirus pandemic.
So, don’t be surprised if some of the dates below move significantly over the coming months. If there’s one thing we can be certain of in these topsy-turvy times, it’s that we should expect the unexpected.
Release date: May 28, 2021 (theatrical and streaming via Disney Plus Premier Access)
Sometimes, Disney’s villains are much more memorable than the good guys. That’s why anyone can tell you who terrorized the spotted pooches in 101 Dalmatians but only the keenest of fans could name their owners. So, after Angelina’s successful outings as Sleeping Beauty’s nemesis Maleficent, Emma Stone dons a two-tone hair-do and plenty of over-the-top, fur-lined outfits as the infamous Cruella de Vil. This ’70s-set, punk-tinged prequel movie is set to show the origins of a dog’s worst nightmare in a movie that looks oddly Joker-esque.
The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It
Release date: May 28, 2021 (UK, theatrical), June 4, 2021 (US, theatrical/HBO Max)
Once you’ve taken scale and budgets into consideration, The Conjuring movies may well be the most successful shared cinematic universe beyond the MCU and Star Wars. Having spawned spin-offs like Annabelle, The Nun and The Curse of La Llorona, it’s back to the spooky franchise that spawned it all, as real-life paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren (Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga) take on another mystery. This time they’re looking into the 1981 case of a possessed boy that marked the first time demonic possession was ever used as a defense in an American court.
Release date: May 28 (US, theatrical), June 4 (UK, theatrical)
Every so often, a horror movie moves outside genre fandom to become a critical hit. And so in 2018, A Quiet Place came from nowhere to follow the similarly brilliant Get Out into conversations about major awards. It was easy to see why: not only was the story’s central hook of aliens hunting via sound frighteningly, devastatingly simple, director (and former The Office star) John Krasinski found the humanity in a family trapped in the middle of a silent nightmare.
This sequel picks up after the original, as Emily Blunt and her young family venture into the outside world, crossing paths with Cillian Murphy’s Emmett. The movie will roll out onto paramount Plus in the US 45 days after it lands in theaters.
Luca
Release date: June 18, 2021 (streaming via Disney Plus)
Having left its brief sequel phase behind, Pixar is now firmly back in original movie territory – and that’s got to be good news when you’re talking about one of the most creative outfits in cinema. The CG animation studio’s follow up to Onward and Soul is a coming-of-age tale set on the Italian Riviera, inspired by director Enrico Casarosa’s childhood – though we’re guessing he didn’t really encounter the mer-people revealed in the trailer. Probably… You can almost feel the Mediterranean warmth. This one releases straight onto Disney Plus this June, bypassing a theatrical release.
Fast and Furious 9 (aka F9)
Release date: June 24 (UK, theatrical),June 25, 2021 (US, theatrical)
After letting Dwayne Johnson and Jason Statham take the lead in sci-fi tinged spin-off Hobbs Shaw, the turbo-charged franchise revs up again for Fast and Furious 9, the penultimate entry in the long-running saga. Vin Diesel, Michelle Rodriguez, Jordana Brewster, Tyrese Gibson and Nathalie Emmanuel are among the regular racers putting the pedal to the metal once again, while Charlize Theron is back to reprise her role as part 8 baddie Cipher – this time without the dreadlocks.
Fast cars and physics-defying stunts will clearly be key components of the combustible mix, but – beyond confirmation the franchise is heading into outer space – we’re most intrigued by the prospect of John Cena turning up as Dom Toretto’s (seemingly) villainous brother, Jakob. This one’s already out in parts of the world that have dealt with the pandemic more successfully, so be wary of spoilers out there.
Release date: July 9, 2021 (theatrical and streaming via Disney Plus Premier Access)
It’s been a whole decade coming but the Avengers’ Russian superspy Natasha Romanoff – aka Black Widow – finally gets a chance to headline her own movie in Marvel’s first theatrical release since Spider-Man: Far From Home in July 2019. As great as WandaVision was, we’re itching to see some big-screen MCU action, though you will be able to stream this one on Disney Plus at the same time for an additional fee.
It’s a shame Scarlett Johansson had to wait (spoiler alert!) for her character to die in Avengers: Endgame to get a solo outing, but the Cate Shortland-directed movie heads back to the aftermath of Captain America: Civil War, where Romanoff confronts her murky past. Expect rival female assassins, espionage overload, and Stranger Things’ David Harbour as Russia’s unlikely answer to Captain America.
Release date: July 16, 2021 (US, theatrical/HBO Max and UK, theatrical)
In 1996, Michael Jordan was such a legend in the world of basketball that nobody batted an eyelid when he headlined a big-budget movie alongside Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck and the rest of the Looney Tunes gang. A quarter of a century later, the baton is passed to current Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James, who teams up with a bunch of animated co-stars to take on an evil AI in Space Jam: A New Legacy. The MCU’s Don Cheadle and Star Trek: Discovery’s Sonequa Martin-Green are also taking to the court, along with some top NBA talent.
Hoping to continue movie studio A24’s reign as the king of independent cinema, David Lowery’s The Green Knight hits theaters in July to offer audiences an artsy adaptation of the famous Arthurian legend.
Dev Patel leads the cast as Sir Gawain, the nephew of King Arthur, alongside the likes of Alicia Vikander and Joel Edgerton. Given the recent success of A24 hits like The Lighthouse, Minari and Saint Maud, we’re hoping The Green Knight will bowl over critics and cinephiles alike with some pretty camerawork and a large helping of medieval weirdness.
Jungle Cruise
Release date: July 30, 2021 (theatrical and via Disney Plus Premier Access)
Despite the phenomenal success of the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, alarm bells still ring when anyone suggests adapting a film from a theme park attraction – probably because so many of the later Pirates movies were disasters on the high seas. Nonetheless, Disney has brought together Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt for a riverboat adventure through the Amazon.
Going on the trailer, the movie version of the Disneyland ride could be a lot of fun. Blunt plays an English scientist, and Johnson a grizzled, wisecracking boat captain (possibly channelling Humphrey Bogart in The African Queen) who takes her on a voyage to find the mythical Tree of Life. Expect a more kid-oriented take on Indiana Jones, with plenty of rollercoaster-style thrills. Like Black Widow and Cruella, this one will be available as a paid extra via Disney Plus Premier Access.
David Ayer, director of the first Suicide Squad movie, has been lobbying Warner Bros to give his movie the same ‘director’s cut’ service they’ve given Zack Snyder’s Justice League. It’s not hard to see why, seeing as the movie that made it into cinemas was incoherent, messy and dragged down by a terrible villain.
This sequel/quasi-reboot looks set to fix all that, retaining the services of Margot Robbie’s brilliant Harley Quinn (alongside a few other other returnees), while drafting in James Gunn to write and direct. With two Guardians of the Galaxy movies behind him, he knows a thing or two about handling mismatched groups of morally flexible super-people on a mission. If anyone can turn Polka-Dot Man, King Shark and Weasel into stars (all of them lifted from the pages of DC Comics), it’s Gunn.
Free Guy
Release date: August 13, 2021 (theatrical)
The history of movies inspired by videogames is not a glorious one, but Free Guy may have have a clever solution to that particular problem – it’s not based on a specific franchise. Instead, it’s set in a made-up game where a non-player character suddenly becomes self-aware and assumes the role of a hero.
This looks like the perfect vehicle for Deadpool star Ryan Reynolds, who can do wise-cracking action hero in his sleep, while the trailer suggests the in-game reality will put a fun spin on the fights. The supporting cast is also great, with Killing Eve’s Jodie Comer, Stranger Things’ Joe Keery and Reynolds’ past Green Lantern collaborator Taika Waititi all playing along.
Candyman
Release date: August 27, 2021 (theatrical)
Get Out/Us creator Jordan Peele produces this continuation of the ’90s slasher franchise. Watchmen and Aquaman star Yahya Abdul-Mateen II plays an artist who becomes obsessed with the legend of the Candyman, a supernatural killer who appears in mirrors when you say his name five times. Plot specifics are scarce, but Tony Todd is rumored to be reprising his role as the hook-handed, bee-spewing bogeyman, while director Nia DaCosta (2018’s Little Woods, Netflix’s Top Boy revival) is calling the shots.
The Beatles: Get Back
Release date: August 27, 2021 (theatrical)
Is there anything new to say about the Fab Four? The Lord of the Rings director Peter Jackson is giving it a good go in this hotly anticipated documentary film. Given access to 56 hours of previously unseen behind-the-scenes footage recorded for 1970 movie Let it Be, Jackson is assembling a new take on the Beatles final days as a band. In other words, it should be heaven for fans of John, Paul, George and Ringo – and you can guarantee the music’s going to be great.
(Image credit: Sony Pictures)
Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City
Release date: September 3, 2021 (theatrical)
It turns out you can’t keep a bunch of zombies down for long, as the long-running movie franchise based on the long-running videogame franchise gets a reboot. Original star/director combo Milla Jovovich and Paul WS Anderson have vacated Raccoon City for this 1998-set origin story. Instead, The Maze Runner’s Kaya Scodelario will play Claire Redfield, with The Tomorrow People’s Robbie Amell as her brother Chris, and Ant-Man and the Wasp’s Hannah John-Kamen as Jill Valentine. 47 Meters Down director Johannes Roberts marshals the survival horror carnage.
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
Release date: September 3, 2021 (theatrical)
With Iron Man and Captain America gone, the MCU continues its mission to diversify with another lesser known hero. Kim’s Convenience star Simu Liu will play titular hero Shang-Chi, a “master of kung fu” who debuted in Marvel Comics in the ’70s – don’t worry, we’re sure his adventures will be much better than Iron Fist’s were on Netflix.
Most intriguingly for the MCU’s wider continuity is the fact this movie will properly introduce classic Iron Man villain the Mandarin and his Ten Rings terrorist organization, previously hinted at – and impersonated by Sir Ben Kingsley’s Trevor Slattery – but never actually seen on screen…
Venom: Let There be Carnage
Release date: September 14, 2021 (UK, theatrical), September 24, 2021 (US, theatrical)
If prizes were awarded for clever sequel titles, this Venom follow-up would definitely be in with a shout. Not only does the Let There Be Carnage moniker promise violence and chaos, it confirms the identity of the movie’s antagonist. Teased in the end credits of the first movie, Carnage is what happens when serial killer Cletus Kasady (Woody Harrelson) is fused with one of Venom’s alien symbiote cousins, creating a supervillain in the process. Tom Hardy’s back to reprise his memorable double act with his head-munching alter-ego, while performance capture expert Andy ‘Gollum’ Serkis marshals the action.
(Image credit: Warner Bros.)
The Many Saints of Newark
Release date: September 24, 2021 (US, theatrical/HBO Max), October 22, 2021 (UK, theatrical)
As the streaming giants threaten to leave movies trailing in their dust, one of the shows that kickstarted the golden age of TV is heading in the opposite direction. More than 20 years after his classic HBO gangster show The Sopranos laid the groundwork for Breaking Bad and Game of Thrones, David Chase is returning to explore the early days of Tony Soprano. Prequel movie The Many Saints of Newark is set against a backdrop of riots in 1967 New Jersey, and features Michael Gandolfini as Soprano – a role his late father, James, played in the TV show. Alessandro Nivola, Leslie Odom, Vera Farmiga and Jon Bernthal co-star.
No Time to Die
Release date: September 30, 2021 (UK, theatrically), October 8, 2021 (global, theatrically)
Daniel Craig draws his Walther PPK for the fifth and final time in the latest James Bond movie (originally set for an April 2020 release) as the 007 arc begun by Casino Royale back in 2006 comes to an explosive end. While James Bond begins the film in retirement in Jamaica with Spectre survivor Madeleine Swann (Lea Sedoux) – there are strong rumors the couple now have a kid – he’s soon drawn back into active service by a story involving Blofeld (Christoph Waltz), old MI6 colleagues M, Q and Moneypenny, and a new 00 agent in the form of Captain Marvel’s Lashana Lynch. All eyes, however, will be on Bohemian Rhapsody Oscar-winner Rami Malek as a Big Bad called Safin.
Dune
Release date: September 17, 2021 (UK), October 1, 2021 (theatrical and streaming via HBO Max, US)
Director Denis Villeneuve definitely isn’t afraid of a challenge. Having negotiated the tricky timelines of Arrival and lived up to fan expectations with the brilliant Blade Runner 2049, he’s taking on Frank Herbert’s epic space opera – a book largely believed to be unfilmable. David Lynch had a go in 1984, of course, but you’d hope that with 21st century effects, Villeneuve’s storytelling skills, and an all-star cast – The King’s Timothée Chalamet is the story’s hero Paul Atreides, while Mission: Impossible’s Rebecca Ferguson plays his mother, Lady Jessica – the new Dune might just achieve the impossible. The fact that the book is being split across two movies at least suggests they’ll be giving the story time to breathe.
Halloween Kills
Release date: October 15, 2021 (theatrical)
Say what you like about Michael Myers, he does so love a sequel. And with Jamie-Lee Curtis having made a spectacularly successful return to her breakout movie role in 2018’s Halloween reboot, the psycho killer in the William Shatner mask is back for another round of murders.
The creative team from the 2018 movie have also made the return trip to Haddonfield for this follow-up (part three, Halloween Ends, is coming in October 2022), and reports say they’ll be diving into the backstories of supporting players from John Carpenter’s classic 1978 original.
Last Night in Soho
Release date: October 22, 2021 (theatrical)
A new Edgar Wright movie is always something to get excited about and his seventh, Last Night in Soho, is set to mark another shift of direction after the stylish action of Baby Driver. Indeed, it doesn’t look like the new film will include much of the Spaced/Cornetto trilogy comedy that made Wright’s name. Instead, it’s a time-hopping horror story, where a fashion student finds herself transported back to the seedy side of 1960s London. Expect the cinema-literate Wright to make something very special of this.
Marvel’s Eternals
Release date: November 5, 2021 (theatrical)
Featuring a bunch of barely known bunch a-holes running around in outer space, Guardians of the Galaxy looked like a big risk for Marvel back in 2014. The MCU has subsequently been so good at turning anything it touches to box-office gold, however, that nobody’s particularly concerned about Eternals, even though it’s a similarly unfamiliar property.
The film marks a new level of scale even for Marvel, with a story of god-like beings (stars include Angelina Jolie, Kit Harington and Salma Hayek) told across thousands of years. While Disney Plus shows WandaVision and Falcon and the Winter Soldier gave us our first glimpse of where Marvel’s post-Avengers: Endgame future is heading, expect Eternals to supply the big screen spectacle – especially as Oscar-winning Nomadland director Chloé Zhao is at the helm.
Ghostbusters meets Stranger Things – and not just because the cast features Finn Wolfhard, one of the young stars of Netflix’s nostalgic smash hit. The second update of the beloved ’80s spooky comedies – after 2016’s underrated female-led reboot – moves the action away from New York to Nowheresville USA, as a pair of kids stumble upon proton packs, Ecto-1 and other ghost-hunting paraphernalia.
The fact it’s set in the same continuity as the original movies (with most of the surviving stars returning) will lend the project extra kudos points – as should director Jason Reitman being original Ghostbusters helmer Ivan Reitman’s son.
Top Gun: Maverick
Release date: 19 November, 2021 (theatrical)
Tom Cruise climbs back into that famous fighter jet cockpit for the first time since Top Gun made him the biggest star on the planet over three decades ago. Resurrecting the most ’80s of movies in the cut and thrust of the 21st century marketplace is a gamble, even for Cruise, but the production team are doing everything they can to recapture the old magic – as well as real action with real planes, they’ve brought back synth legend Harold ‘Axel F’ Faltermeyer on music duties. Plot wise, Pete ‘Maverick’ Mitchell is still an instructor at the Top Gun school, while one of his students (played by Whiplash’s Miles Teller) just happens to be the son of Mav’s late co-pilot, Goose. We’re still feeling the need for speed…
West Side Story
Release date: December 10, 2021 (theatrical)
The year is set to go out with a song and dance, as all eyes turn to Steven Spielberg’s first ever big screen musical. And let’s be honest, the legendary director of Indiana Jones, Jaws and Saving Private Ryan couldn’t have chosen a bigger act to follow. Robert Wise’s Oscar-winning 1961 movie version of the classic Bernstein and Sondheim production is undoubtedly one of the greatest screen musicals of all time, so it’ll be exciting to see what Spielberg can bring to the party.
(Image credit: Marvel Studios)
Spider-Man: No Way Home
Release date: December 17, 2021 (theatrical)
The most remarkable thing about Spider-Man: No Way Home is that it exists at all. Thankfully, rights holders Sony were able to settle a dispute with Marvel Studios that could have seen Tom Holland’s Spidey going solo, and now the Wallcrawler will continue to operate within the labyrinthine continuity of the MCU.
The mid-credits twist of Far From Home makes that particularly welcome news, having plunged Spidey into new territory when Mysterio revealed Peter Parker’s secret identity to the world. It also looks like he’ll be exploring the multiverse, with several rumors suggesting that two former screen Spideys Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield are joining the action, along with old villains like Jamie Foxx’s Electro and Alfred Molina’s Doc Ock. (Holland himself has, unsurprisingly, denied the rumors.)
Zendaya (MJ) and director Jon Watts both return alongside Holland, with MCU regular Benedict Cumberbatch reportedly bringing Doctor Strange into Spidey’s web.
(Image credit: Warner Bros.)
The Matrix 4
Release date: December 22, 2021 (US, theatrical and streaming via HBO Max and UK, theatrical)
The Matrix saga was supposed to be done and dusted after the twin disappointments of Reloaded and Revolutions, but Warner Bros are inviting us to take the red pill once more in this unexpected follow-up. Lana Wachowski, half of the original writer/director team, is back for the reboot, along with stars Keanu Reeves and Carrie-Anne Moss. Both their characters died in the original trilogy, so we’re not sure how this movie fits in with the predecessors – the Wachowskis were secretive even before JJ Abrams and Christopher Nolan made it fashionable, so concrete information is thin on the ground. Still, in the cyber-world of The Matrix, pretty much anything should be possible, so expect to see bullet-time taken to the next level.
The King’s Man
Release date: December 22, 2021 (theatrical)
After the fun action of Kingsman: The Secret Service, the franchise quickly went off the rails with the overblown The Golden Circle. There’s a lot riding on this third instalment, then, which may be why it’s gone in such a radical new direction, heading back to World War I to show the early days of top-secret, impeccably tailored spy organization The Kingsmen. Ralph Fiennes is the M-type figure (shouldn’t be too much of a stretch…) who recruits Harris Dickinson’s Conrad to the club to combat an early 20th century brand of villainy. Sounds like a retro James Bond to us, and there’s nothing wrong with that.
The French Dispatch
Release date: TBC
Going on the trailer, the latest new Wes Anderson movie is quite possibly the most Wes Anderson-looking thing you could imagine. His first movie since the under-appreciated Isle of Dogs is an anthology about the stories composing the final issue of the titular magazine, an American publication made in France. Everything from the color palette to the ensemble cast (which includes Anderson regulars Bill Murray, Owen Wilson and Tilda Swinton) is in line with what we’d expect from a director whose name should appear alongside “quirky” in a dictionary. Timothée Chalamet and Jeffrey Wright also star.
Big 2022 movies
Looking further ahead, these are the big movies coming up in 2022.
Morbius
Release date: January 21, 2022 (theatrical)
Having had a monster hit with Venom in 2018, Sony plunders Spider-Man’s rogues’ gallery once again, with a movie focusing on one Michael Morbius. The so-called “living vampire” is a scientist who uses an experimental serum to cure a debilitating condition, and ends up turning himself into a bloodsucker.
Jared Leto, who has comic book movie form as the Joker, takes on the role of Morbius, alongside former Doctor Who star Matt Smith as Loxias Crown, a villain with the same bloodsucking affliction as the title star. Daniel Espinosa is at the helm – a remarkable piece of synergy, seeing as his 2017 movie Life was once rumored to be a Venom prequel.
(Image credit: Sony Pictures/Tom Holland)
Uncharted
Release date:February 11, 2022 (theatrical)
Tom Holland stars as PlayStation-originated hero Nathan Drake in this adaptation of Naughty Dog’s games, which also co-stars Mark Wahlberg. This one’s been kicking around the schedules for years, and this time director Ruben Fleischer (Venom, Zombieland) is attached to make it. The games themselves were pretty cinematic, so it’ll be interesting to see if this film can contribute anything new to Drake’s story.
Death on the Nile
Release date: February 11, 2022 (theatrical)
Kenneth Branagh directs the sequel to his Murder on the Orient Express adaptation, where he returns to his role – and that impressively sculpted facial hair – as Agatha Christie’s Hercule Poirot. As in the first movie, he’s taken a dazzling ensemble cast along for the ride, this time including Gal Gadot, Sex Education’s Emma Mackey and Black Panther’s Letitia Wright. Don’t expect any massive surprises in the plot – the story’s over 80 years old – but with whodunits like this, the fun is always in watching Poirot sleuthing up a storm.
The Batman
Release date: March 4, 2022 (theatrical)
Robert Pattinson follows in the footsteps of Adam West, Michael Keaton, Val Kilmer, George Clooney, Christian Bale and Ben Affleck as the latest man to don the most famous cowl in cinema. Dawn of/War for the Planet of the Apes director Matt Reeves gets the keys to the Batmobile in the latest reboot of the most versatile hero in comics, and he’s promised his take on the Caped Crusader will feel “very psychological, very emotional”.
Gotham City is traditionally defined by its villains, however, and The Batman has plenty, with Zoë Kravitz as Catwoman, Paul Dano as Riddler and Colin Farrell as The Penguin. This could be a worthy successor to Christopher Nolan’s superlative Dark Knight trilogy.
Tom Cruise will have hit 60 by the time the seventh Mission: Impossible movie smashes its way into cinemas. Don’t expect him to give up his mantle as Hollywood’s leading action star anytime soon, however, as there’s still plenty of spectacular stunts for Cruise to risk life and limb for – part of the fun of the series is finding out what its leading man will dare to try next. Having delivered the long-running franchise’s best instalments with Rogue Nation and Fallout, Christopher McQuarrie is back behind the camera for part 7 and its follow-up. Plot details are currently wrapped up tighter than a government vault, but Mission: Impossible is a brand that tends to deliver.
Jurassic World: Dominion
Release date: June 10, 2022 (theatrical)
If there’s one certainty in Hollywood, it’s that – like life – major franchises find a way. So, despite production having been halted by coronavirus restrictions in March 2020, the sixth Jurassic movie got back in front of the cameras in July of last year. The big news this time out is that Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard will be joining forces with Sam Neill, Laura Dern and Jeff Goldblum, all reprising their roles from the original Jurassic Park. But with dinosaurs now loose on American soil after the events of Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, this movie promises to be very different to its prehistoric predecessors.
We were supposed to be seeing this in June 2021, but you can fill the hole with short film Battle at Big Rock (above).
(Image credit: 20th Century Fox/Disney)
Avatar 2
Release date: December 16, 2022 (theatrical)
James Cameron is anything but prolific these days – Avatar 2 will be his third movie in 25 years – but when he does step behind the camera, you know you’ll be seeing something groundbreaking. He tends to spend the long gaps between releases waiting for filmmaking technology to catch up with his vision, so his return to the spectacular alien ecosystem of Pandora will feature world-first underwater performance capture sequences.
Kate Winslet (who held her breath for an incredible seven minutes during filming), Jemaine Clement and Cliff Curtis join the cast alongside Sam Worthington and Zoe Saldana. Sigourney Weaver and Stephen Lang also return, despite their characters being presumed dead.
While this sequel was delayed a year as part of Disney’s massive Covid-19-induced release date shake up, you won’t have to wait another decade for more Avatar – part 3 is set for December 2024, with a fourth and fifth movie also in the works.
After a zombie outbreak, a group of mercenaries decide to pull off the biggest heist in a quarantine zone.
Starring: Dave Bautista, Ella Purnell, Omari Hardwick, Ana de la Reguera, Theo Rossi, Matthias Schweighöfer, Nora Arnezeder, Hiroyuki Sanada, Garret Dillahunt, Tig Notaro, Raúl Castillo, Huma Qureshi, Samantha Win, Richard Cetrone, and Michael Cassidy
Let’s not beat around the bush – 2020 was a disaster for theaters.
As Covid-19-induced lockdowns led to unprecedented closures of theaters around the world, movie studios pulled movie after movie from their release schedules. Even the few movies that did make it to the screen – Tenet, Wonder Woman 1984 – struggled to get anywhere near the box office takings they’d have made in any other year.
With big hitters originally scheduled for 2020 competing against 2021’s existing release slate, competition is going to be fierce. Indeed, it’s unlikely there are enough opening weekends to sustain everything – a few huge Blockbusters will almost definitely take big hits at the box office, or end up being pushed back further.
And that’s before you factor in movies being shifted to streaming platforms (all of Warner’s theatrical releases for 2021 will launch simultaneously on HBO Max), and ongoing uncertainty surrounding the coronavirus pandemic.
So, don’t be surprised if some of the dates below move significantly over the coming months. If there’s one thing we can be certain of in these topsy-turvy times, it’s that we should expect the unexpected.
How to watch the Marvel movies
Release date: May 28, 2021 (theatrical and streaming via Disney Plus Premier Access)
Sometimes, Disney’s villains are much more memorable than the good guys. That’s why anyone can tell you who terrorized the spotted pooches in 101 Dalmatians but only the keenest of fans could name their owners. So, after Angelina’s successful outings as Sleeping Beauty’s nemesis Maleficent, Emma Stone dons a two-tone hair-do and plenty of over-the-top, fur-lined outfits as the infamous Cruella de Vil. This ’70s-set, punk-tinged prequel movie is set to show the origins of a dog’s worst nightmare in a movie that looks oddly Joker-esque.
The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It
Release date: May 28, 2021 (UK, theatrical), June 4, 2021 (US, theatrical/HBO Max)
Once you’ve taken scale and budgets into consideration, The Conjuring movies may well be the most successful shared cinematic universe beyond the MCU and Star Wars. Having spawned spin-offs like Annabelle, The Nun and The Curse of La Llorona, it’s back to the spooky franchise that spawned it all, as real-life paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren (Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga) take on another mystery. This time they’re looking into the 1981 case of a possessed boy that marked the first time demonic possession was ever used as a defense in an American court.
Release date: May 28 (US, theatrical), June 4 (UK, theatrical)
Every so often, a horror movie moves outside genre fandom to become a critical hit. And so in 2018, A Quiet Place came from nowhere to follow the similarly brilliant Get Out into conversations about major awards. It was easy to see why: not only was the story’s central hook of aliens hunting via sound frighteningly, devastatingly simple, director (and former The Office star) John Krasinski found the humanity in a family trapped in the middle of a silent nightmare.
This sequel picks up after the original, as Emily Blunt and her young family venture into the outside world, crossing paths with Cillian Murphy’s Emmett. The movie will roll out onto paramount Plus in the US 45 days after it lands in theaters.
Luca
Release date: June 18, 2021 (streaming via Disney Plus)
Having left its brief sequel phase behind, Pixar is now firmly back in original movie territory – and that’s got to be good news when you’re talking about one of the most creative outfits in cinema. The CG animation studio’s follow up to Onward and Soul is a coming-of-age tale set on the Italian Riviera, inspired by director Enrico Casarosa’s childhood – though we’re guessing he didn’t really encounter the mer-people revealed in the trailer. Probably… You can almost feel the Mediterranean warmth. This one releases straight onto Disney Plus this June, bypassing a theatrical release.
Fast and Furious 9 (aka F9)
Release date: June 24 (UK, theatrical),June 25, 2021 (US, theatrical)
After letting Dwayne Johnson and Jason Statham take the lead in sci-fi tinged spin-off Hobbs Shaw, the turbo-charged franchise revs up again for Fast and Furious 9, the penultimate entry in the long-running saga. Vin Diesel, Michelle Rodriguez, Jordana Brewster, Tyrese Gibson and Nathalie Emmanuel are among the regular racers putting the pedal to the metal once again, while Charlize Theron is back to reprise her role as part 8 baddie Cipher – this time without the dreadlocks.
Fast cars and physics-defying stunts will clearly be key components of the combustible mix, but – beyond confirmation the franchise is heading into outer space – we’re most intrigued by the prospect of John Cena turning up as Dom Toretto’s (seemingly) villainous brother, Jakob. This one’s already out in parts of the world that have dealt with the pandemic more successfully, so be wary of spoilers out there.
Release date: July 9, 2021 (theatrical and streaming via Disney Plus Premier Access)
It’s been a whole decade coming but the Avengers’ Russian superspy Natasha Romanoff – aka Black Widow – finally gets a chance to headline her own movie in Marvel’s first theatrical release since Spider-Man: Far From Home in July 2019. As great as WandaVision was, we’re itching to see some big-screen MCU action, though you will be able to stream this one on Disney Plus at the same time for an additional fee.
It’s a shame Scarlett Johansson had to wait (spoiler alert!) for her character to die in Avengers: Endgame to get a solo outing, but the Cate Shortland-directed movie heads back to the aftermath of Captain America: Civil War, where Romanoff confronts her murky past. Expect rival female assassins, espionage overload, and Stranger Things’ David Harbour as Russia’s unlikely answer to Captain America.
Release date: July 16, 2021 (US, theatrical/HBO Max and UK, theatrical)
In 1996, Michael Jordan was such a legend in the world of basketball that nobody batted an eyelid when he headlined a big-budget movie alongside Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck and the rest of the Looney Tunes gang. A quarter of a century later, the baton is passed to current Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James, who teams up with a bunch of animated co-stars to take on an evil AI in Space Jam: A New Legacy. The MCU’s Don Cheadle and Star Trek: Discovery’s Sonequa Martin-Green are also taking to the court, along with some top NBA talent.
Hoping to continue movie studio A24’s reign as the king of independent cinema, David Lowery’s The Green Knight hits theaters in July to offer audiences an artsy adaptation of the famous Arthurian legend.
Dev Patel leads the cast as Sir Gawain, the nephew of King Arthur, alongside the likes of Alicia Vikander and Joel Edgerton. Given the recent success of A24 hits like The Lighthouse, Minari and Saint Maud, we’re hoping The Green Knight will bowl over critics and cinephiles alike with some pretty camerawork and a large helping of medieval weirdness.
Jungle Cruise
Release date: July 30, 2021 (theatrical and via Disney Plus Premier Access)
Despite the phenomenal success of the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, alarm bells still ring when anyone suggests adapting a film from a theme park attraction – probably because so many of the later Pirates movies were disasters on the high seas. Nonetheless, Disney has brought together Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt for a riverboat adventure through the Amazon.
Going on the trailer, the movie version of the Disneyland ride could be a lot of fun. Blunt plays an English scientist, and Johnson a grizzled, wisecracking boat captain (possibly channelling Humphrey Bogart in The African Queen) who takes her on a voyage to find the mythical Tree of Life. Expect a more kid-oriented take on Indiana Jones, with plenty of rollercoaster-style thrills. Like Black Widow and Cruella, this one will be available as a paid extra via Disney Plus Premier Access.
David Ayer, director of the first Suicide Squad movie, has been lobbying Warner Bros to give his movie the same ‘director’s cut’ service they’ve given Zack Snyder’s Justice League. It’s not hard to see why, seeing as the movie that made it into cinemas was incoherent, messy and dragged down by a terrible villain.
This sequel/quasi-reboot looks set to fix all that, retaining the services of Margot Robbie’s brilliant Harley Quinn (alongside a few other other returnees), while drafting in James Gunn to write and direct. With two Guardians of the Galaxy movies behind him, he knows a thing or two about handling mismatched groups of morally flexible super-people on a mission. If anyone can turn Polka-Dot Man, King Shark and Weasel into stars (all of them lifted from the pages of DC Comics), it’s Gunn.
Free Guy
Release date: August 13, 2021 (theatrical)
The history of movies inspired by videogames is not a glorious one, but Free Guy may have have a clever solution to that particular problem – it’s not based on a specific franchise. Instead, it’s set in a made-up game where a non-player character suddenly becomes self-aware and assumes the role of a hero.
This looks like the perfect vehicle for Deadpool star Ryan Reynolds, who can do wise-cracking action hero in his sleep, while the trailer suggests the in-game reality will put a fun spin on the fights. The supporting cast is also great, with Killing Eve’s Jodie Comer, Stranger Things’ Joe Keery and Reynolds’ past Green Lantern collaborator Taika Waititi all playing along.
Candyman
Release date: August 27, 2021 (theatrical)
Get Out/Us creator Jordan Peele produces this continuation of the ’90s slasher franchise. Watchmen and Aquaman star Yahya Abdul-Mateen II plays an artist who becomes obsessed with the legend of the Candyman, a supernatural killer who appears in mirrors when you say his name five times. Plot specifics are scarce, but Tony Todd is rumored to be reprising his role as the hook-handed, bee-spewing bogeyman, while director Nia DaCosta (2018’s Little Woods, Netflix’s Top Boy revival) is calling the shots.
The Beatles: Get Back
Release date: August 27, 2021 (theatrical)
Is there anything new to say about the Fab Four? The Lord of the Rings director Peter Jackson is giving it a good go in this hotly anticipated documentary film. Given access to 56 hours of previously unseen behind-the-scenes footage recorded for 1970 movie Let it Be, Jackson is assembling a new take on the Beatles final days as a band. In other words, it should be heaven for fans of John, Paul, George and Ringo – and you can guarantee the music’s going to be great.
(Image credit: Sony Pictures)
Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City
Release date: September 3, 2021 (theatrical)
It turns out you can’t keep a bunch of zombies down for long, as the long-running movie franchise based on the long-running videogame franchise gets a reboot. Original star/director combo Milla Jovovich and Paul WS Anderson have vacated Raccoon City for this 1998-set origin story. Instead, The Maze Runner’s Kaya Scodelario will play Claire Redfield, with The Tomorrow People’s Robbie Amell as her brother Chris, and Ant-Man and the Wasp’s Hannah John-Kamen as Jill Valentine. 47 Meters Down director Johannes Roberts marshals the survival horror carnage.
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
Release date: September 3, 2021 (theatrical)
With Iron Man and Captain America gone, the MCU continues its mission to diversify with another lesser known hero. Kim’s Convenience star Simu Liu will play titular hero Shang-Chi, a “master of kung fu” who debuted in Marvel Comics in the ’70s – don’t worry, we’re sure his adventures will be much better than Iron Fist’s were on Netflix.
Most intriguingly for the MCU’s wider continuity is the fact this movie will properly introduce classic Iron Man villain the Mandarin and his Ten Rings terrorist organization, previously hinted at – and impersonated by Sir Ben Kingsley’s Trevor Slattery – but never actually seen on screen…
Venom: Let There be Carnage
Release date: September 14, 2021 (UK, theatrical), September 24, 2021 (US, theatrical)
If prizes were awarded for clever sequel titles, this Venom follow-up would definitely be in with a shout. Not only does the Let There Be Carnage moniker promise violence and chaos, it confirms the identity of the movie’s antagonist. Teased in the end credits of the first movie, Carnage is what happens when serial killer Cletus Kasady (Woody Harrelson) is fused with one of Venom’s alien symbiote cousins, creating a supervillain in the process. Tom Hardy’s back to reprise his memorable double act with his head-munching alter-ego, while performance capture expert Andy ‘Gollum’ Serkis marshals the action.
(Image credit: Warner Bros.)
The Many Saints of Newark
Release date: September 24, 2021 (US, theatrical/HBO Max), October 22, 2021 (UK, theatrical)
As the streaming giants threaten to leave movies trailing in their dust, one of the shows that kickstarted the golden age of TV is heading in the opposite direction. More than 20 years after his classic HBO gangster show The Sopranos laid the groundwork for Breaking Bad and Game of Thrones, David Chase is returning to explore the early days of Tony Soprano. Prequel movie The Many Saints of Newark is set against a backdrop of riots in 1967 New Jersey, and features Michael Gandolfini as Soprano – a role his late father, James, played in the TV show. Alessandro Nivola, Leslie Odom, Vera Farmiga and Jon Bernthal co-star.
No Time to Die
Release date: September 30, 2021 (UK, theatrically), October 8, 2021 (global, theatrically)
Daniel Craig draws his Walther PPK for the fifth and final time in the latest James Bond movie (originally set for an April 2020 release) as the 007 arc begun by Casino Royale back in 2006 comes to an explosive end. While James Bond begins the film in retirement in Jamaica with Spectre survivor Madeleine Swann (Lea Sedoux) – there are strong rumors the couple now have a kid – he’s soon drawn back into active service by a story involving Blofeld (Christoph Waltz), old MI6 colleagues M, Q and Moneypenny, and a new 00 agent in the form of Captain Marvel’s Lashana Lynch. All eyes, however, will be on Bohemian Rhapsody Oscar-winner Rami Malek as a Big Bad called Safin.
Dune
Release date: September 17, 2021 (UK), October 1, 2021 (theatrical and streaming via HBO Max, US)
Director Denis Villeneuve definitely isn’t afraid of a challenge. Having negotiated the tricky timelines of Arrival and lived up to fan expectations with the brilliant Blade Runner 2049, he’s taking on Frank Herbert’s epic space opera – a book largely believed to be unfilmable. David Lynch had a go in 1984, of course, but you’d hope that with 21st century effects, Villeneuve’s storytelling skills, and an all-star cast – The King’s Timothée Chalamet is the story’s hero Paul Atreides, while Mission: Impossible’s Rebecca Ferguson plays his mother, Lady Jessica – the new Dune might just achieve the impossible. The fact that the book is being split across two movies at least suggests they’ll be giving the story time to breathe.
Halloween Kills
Release date: October 15, 2021 (theatrical)
Say what you like about Michael Myers, he does so love a sequel. And with Jamie-Lee Curtis having made a spectacularly successful return to her breakout movie role in 2018’s Halloween reboot, the psycho killer in the William Shatner mask is back for another round of murders.
The creative team from the 2018 movie have also made the return trip to Haddonfield for this follow-up (part three, Halloween Ends, is coming in October 2022), and reports say they’ll be diving into the backstories of supporting players from John Carpenter’s classic 1978 original.
Last Night in Soho
Release date: October 22, 2021 (theatrical)
A new Edgar Wright movie is always something to get excited about and his seventh, Last Night in Soho, is set to mark another shift of direction after the stylish action of Baby Driver. Indeed, it doesn’t look like the new film will include much of the Spaced/Cornetto trilogy comedy that made Wright’s name. Instead, it’s a time-hopping horror story, where a fashion student finds herself transported back to the seedy side of 1960s London. Expect the cinema-literate Wright to make something very special of this.
Marvel’s Eternals
Release date: November 5, 2021 (theatrical)
Featuring a bunch of barely known bunch a-holes running around in outer space, Guardians of the Galaxy looked like a big risk for Marvel back in 2014. The MCU has subsequently been so good at turning anything it touches to box-office gold, however, that nobody’s particularly concerned about Eternals, even though it’s a similarly unfamiliar property.
The film marks a new level of scale even for Marvel, with a story of god-like beings (stars include Angelina Jolie, Kit Harington and Salma Hayek) told across thousands of years. While Disney Plus shows WandaVision and Falcon and the Winter Soldier gave us our first glimpse of where Marvel’s post-Avengers: Endgame future is heading, expect Eternals to supply the big screen spectacle – especially as Oscar-winning Nomadland director Chloé Zhao is at the helm.
Ghostbusters meets Stranger Things – and not just because the cast features Finn Wolfhard, one of the young stars of Netflix’s nostalgic smash hit. The second update of the beloved ’80s spooky comedies – after 2016’s underrated female-led reboot – moves the action away from New York to Nowheresville USA, as a pair of kids stumble upon proton packs, Ecto-1 and other ghost-hunting paraphernalia.
The fact it’s set in the same continuity as the original movies (with most of the surviving stars returning) will lend the project extra kudos points – as should director Jason Reitman being original Ghostbusters helmer Ivan Reitman’s son.
Top Gun: Maverick
Release date: 19 November, 2021 (theatrical)
Tom Cruise climbs back into that famous fighter jet cockpit for the first time since Top Gun made him the biggest star on the planet over three decades ago. Resurrecting the most ’80s of movies in the cut and thrust of the 21st century marketplace is a gamble, even for Cruise, but the production team are doing everything they can to recapture the old magic – as well as real action with real planes, they’ve brought back synth legend Harold ‘Axel F’ Faltermeyer on music duties. Plot wise, Pete ‘Maverick’ Mitchell is still an instructor at the Top Gun school, while one of his students (played by Whiplash’s Miles Teller) just happens to be the son of Mav’s late co-pilot, Goose. We’re still feeling the need for speed…
West Side Story
Release date: December 10, 2021 (theatrical)
The year is set to go out with a song and dance, as all eyes turn to Steven Spielberg’s first ever big screen musical. And let’s be honest, the legendary director of Indiana Jones, Jaws and Saving Private Ryan couldn’t have chosen a bigger act to follow. Robert Wise’s Oscar-winning 1961 movie version of the classic Bernstein and Sondheim production is undoubtedly one of the greatest screen musicals of all time, so it’ll be exciting to see what Spielberg can bring to the party.
(Image credit: Marvel Studios)
Spider-Man: No Way Home
Release date: December 17, 2021 (theatrical)
The most remarkable thing about Spider-Man: No Way Home is that it exists at all. Thankfully, rights holders Sony were able to settle a dispute with Marvel Studios that could have seen Tom Holland’s Spidey going solo, and now the Wallcrawler will continue to operate within the labyrinthine continuity of the MCU.
The mid-credits twist of Far From Home makes that particularly welcome news, having plunged Spidey into new territory when Mysterio revealed Peter Parker’s secret identity to the world. It also looks like he’ll be exploring the multiverse, with several rumors suggesting that two former screen Spideys Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield are joining the action, along with old villains like Jamie Foxx’s Electro and Alfred Molina’s Doc Ock. (Holland himself has, unsurprisingly, denied the rumors.)
Zendaya (MJ) and director Jon Watts both return alongside Holland, with MCU regular Benedict Cumberbatch reportedly bringing Doctor Strange into Spidey’s web.
(Image credit: Warner Bros.)
The Matrix 4
Release date: December 22, 2021 (US, theatrical and streaming via HBO Max and UK, theatrical)
The Matrix saga was supposed to be done and dusted after the twin disappointments of Reloaded and Revolutions, but Warner Bros are inviting us to take the red pill once more in this unexpected follow-up. Lana Wachowski, half of the original writer/director team, is back for the reboot, along with stars Keanu Reeves and Carrie-Anne Moss. Both their characters died in the original trilogy, so we’re not sure how this movie fits in with the predecessors – the Wachowskis were secretive even before JJ Abrams and Christopher Nolan made it fashionable, so concrete information is thin on the ground. Still, in the cyber-world of The Matrix, pretty much anything should be possible, so expect to see bullet-time taken to the next level.
The King’s Man
Release date: December 22, 2021 (theatrical)
After the fun action of Kingsman: The Secret Service, the franchise quickly went off the rails with the overblown The Golden Circle. There’s a lot riding on this third instalment, then, which may be why it’s gone in such a radical new direction, heading back to World War I to show the early days of top-secret, impeccably tailored spy organization The Kingsmen. Ralph Fiennes is the M-type figure (shouldn’t be too much of a stretch…) who recruits Harris Dickinson’s Conrad to the club to combat an early 20th century brand of villainy. Sounds like a retro James Bond to us, and there’s nothing wrong with that.
The French Dispatch
Release date: TBC
Going on the trailer, the latest new Wes Anderson movie is quite possibly the most Wes Anderson-looking thing you could imagine. His first movie since the under-appreciated Isle of Dogs is an anthology about the stories composing the final issue of the titular magazine, an American publication made in France. Everything from the color palette to the ensemble cast (which includes Anderson regulars Bill Murray, Owen Wilson and Tilda Swinton) is in line with what we’d expect from a director whose name should appear alongside “quirky” in a dictionary. Timothée Chalamet and Jeffrey Wright also star.
Big 2022 movies
Looking further ahead, these are the big movies coming up in 2022.
Morbius
Release date: January 21, 2022 (theatrical)
Having had a monster hit with Venom in 2018, Sony plunders Spider-Man’s rogues’ gallery once again, with a movie focusing on one Michael Morbius. The so-called “living vampire” is a scientist who uses an experimental serum to cure a debilitating condition, and ends up turning himself into a bloodsucker.
Jared Leto, who has comic book movie form as the Joker, takes on the role of Morbius, alongside former Doctor Who star Matt Smith as Loxias Crown, a villain with the same bloodsucking affliction as the title star. Daniel Espinosa is at the helm – a remarkable piece of synergy, seeing as his 2017 movie Life was once rumored to be a Venom prequel.
(Image credit: Sony Pictures/Tom Holland)
Uncharted
Release date:February 11, 2022 (theatrical)
Tom Holland stars as PlayStation-originated hero Nathan Drake in this adaptation of Naughty Dog’s games, which also co-stars Mark Wahlberg. This one’s been kicking around the schedules for years, and this time director Ruben Fleischer (Venom, Zombieland) is attached to make it. The games themselves were pretty cinematic, so it’ll be interesting to see if this film can contribute anything new to Drake’s story.
Death on the Nile
Release date: February 11, 2022 (theatrical)
Kenneth Branagh directs the sequel to his Murder on the Orient Express adaptation, where he returns to his role – and that impressively sculpted facial hair – as Agatha Christie’s Hercule Poirot. As in the first movie, he’s taken a dazzling ensemble cast along for the ride, this time including Gal Gadot, Sex Education’s Emma Mackey and Black Panther’s Letitia Wright. Don’t expect any massive surprises in the plot – the story’s over 80 years old – but with whodunits like this, the fun is always in watching Poirot sleuthing up a storm.
The Batman
Release date: March 4, 2022 (theatrical)
Robert Pattinson follows in the footsteps of Adam West, Michael Keaton, Val Kilmer, George Clooney, Christian Bale and Ben Affleck as the latest man to don the most famous cowl in cinema. Dawn of/War for the Planet of the Apes director Matt Reeves gets the keys to the Batmobile in the latest reboot of the most versatile hero in comics, and he’s promised his take on the Caped Crusader will feel “very psychological, very emotional”.
Gotham City is traditionally defined by its villains, however, and The Batman has plenty, with Zoë Kravitz as Catwoman, Paul Dano as Riddler and Colin Farrell as The Penguin. This could be a worthy successor to Christopher Nolan’s superlative Dark Knight trilogy.
Tom Cruise will have hit 60 by the time the seventh Mission: Impossible movie smashes its way into cinemas. Don’t expect him to give up his mantle as Hollywood’s leading action star anytime soon, however, as there’s still plenty of spectacular stunts for Cruise to risk life and limb for – part of the fun of the series is finding out what its leading man will dare to try next. Having delivered the long-running franchise’s best instalments with Rogue Nation and Fallout, Christopher McQuarrie is back behind the camera for part 7 and its follow-up. Plot details are currently wrapped up tighter than a government vault, but Mission: Impossible is a brand that tends to deliver.
Jurassic World: Dominion
Release date: June 10, 2022 (theatrical)
If there’s one certainty in Hollywood, it’s that – like life – major franchises find a way. So, despite production having been halted by coronavirus restrictions in March 2020, the sixth Jurassic movie got back in front of the cameras in July of last year. The big news this time out is that Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard will be joining forces with Sam Neill, Laura Dern and Jeff Goldblum, all reprising their roles from the original Jurassic Park. But with dinosaurs now loose on American soil after the events of Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, this movie promises to be very different to its prehistoric predecessors.
We were supposed to be seeing this in June 2021, but you can fill the hole with short film Battle at Big Rock (above).
(Image credit: 20th Century Fox/Disney)
Avatar 2
Release date: December 16, 2022 (theatrical)
James Cameron is anything but prolific these days – Avatar 2 will be his third movie in 25 years – but when he does step behind the camera, you know you’ll be seeing something groundbreaking. He tends to spend the long gaps between releases waiting for filmmaking technology to catch up with his vision, so his return to the spectacular alien ecosystem of Pandora will feature world-first underwater performance capture sequences.
Kate Winslet (who held her breath for an incredible seven minutes during filming), Jemaine Clement and Cliff Curtis join the cast alongside Sam Worthington and Zoe Saldana. Sigourney Weaver and Stephen Lang also return, despite their characters being presumed dead.
While this sequel was delayed a year as part of Disney’s massive Covid-19-induced release date shake up, you won’t have to wait another decade for more Avatar – part 3 is set for December 2024, with a fourth and fifth movie also in the works.
An action packed animated comedy for all the family inspired by Mel Brooks’ timeless classic, Blazing Saddles. Hank, a loveable dog with a head full of dreams about becoming a samurai, sets off in search of his destiny.
Directors:
Mark Koetsier,
Rob Minkoff,
Paul Stodolny,
Chris Bailey,
Rob Silvestri |
Stars:
Samuel L. Jackson,
Michael Cera,
Michelle Yeoh,
Djimon Hounsou
Grab some popcorn (and a mask), it’s time to go to the movies.
The summer movie season is officially here, with the usual mix of superheroes, reboots, sequels and family-friendly films — plus a large number of horror flicks that will remind you why it’s more fun to watch with a crowd. Most theaters have reopened after last year’s coronavirus shutdown, including Regal Cinemas and AMC Theatres locations across Upstate New York, the Movie Tavern in Camillus, the Hollywood Theatre in Mattydale, the Manlius Art Cinema, the Finger Lakes Drive-In, the Auburn Movieplex, and now the Midway Drive-In.
Keep in mind, movie theaters in New York state still have social distancing rules in place, so capacity is limited. Even if you’re fully vaccinated, face masks are required except when seated and eating or drinking. Hand sanitizers and other Covid-19 safety measures are also in place.
Movies currently in theaters include the new “Spiral: From the Book of Saw”; “Mortal Kombat”; “Wrath of Man” (starring Jason Statham, Josh Hartnett and Syracuse native Post Malone); Angelina Jolie’s “Those Who Wish Me Dead”; ‘Godzilla vs. Kong”; Disney’s “Raya and the Last Dragon”; “Nobody”; “Here Today”; and the romantic drama “Finding You” (starring Syracuse University alumnus Tom Everett Scott).
But there are plenty of Blockbusters on the way, including Disney’s “Cruella,” the Upstate New York-shot “A Quiet Place Part II,” Marvel’s “Black Widow,” James Gunn’s “The Suicide Squad,” the Aretha Franklin biopic “Respect,” the CNY thriller “The Night House,” Dwayne Johnson’s “Jungle Cruise,” and “F9″ (a.k.a. “Fast and Furious 9″).
See the full list of movies coming out this summer, along with release dates and trailers. (Note: Some videos may contain disturbing content not suitable for younger audiences.)
2021 Summer Movies: New flicks to see in theaters
“Spiral: From the Book of Saw” (May 21) — Chris Rock and Samuel L. Jackson star in this new take on the “Saw” horror films.
“Cruella” (May 28 in theaters and on Disney+) — Emma Stone stars as a younger, punky version of “101 Dalmations” villain Cruella de Vil in this live-action Disney film.
“A Quiet Place Part II” (May 28) — Filmed in Upstate New York, John Krasinski returns to direct the “A Quiet Place” sequel starring his wife Emily Blunt.
“The Conjuring: Devil Made Me Do It” (June 4 in theaters and on HBO Max) — Syracuse University alumna Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson return as real-life paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren.
“Samaritan” (June 4) — Sylvester Stallone plays a superhero who’s been missing for 20 years. Trailer not yet available.
“Spirit: Untamed” (June 4) — Eiza Gonzalez, Jake Gyllenhaal and Julianne Moore lend their voices to this CGI sequel to the animated horse film “Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron.”
“In the Heights” (June 11 in theaters and on HBO Max) — “Crazy Rich Asians” director Jon M. Chu brings Lin-Manuel Miranda’s musical to the big screen.
“The Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard” (June 16) — Ryan Reynolds, Samuel L. Jackson and Salma Hayek star in this sequel to “The Hitman’s Bodyguard.”
“Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway” (June 18) — James Corden returns as the voice of the animated bunny from Beatrix Potter’s stories.
“F9″ (June 25) — John Cena joins the “Fast and Furious” franchise as Vin Diesel’s estranged brother, and Han Lue returns from the dead.
“Werewolves Within” (June 25) — Sam Richardson, Harvey Guillén, Milana Vayntrub, Cheyenne Jackson, and Syracuse native Michaela Watkins star in this horror-comedy shot in Upstate New York, based on a video game about werewolves attacking a small town.
“Zola” (June 30) — A viral Twitter thread inspired this story of a stripper on a wild road trip.
“The Forever Purge” (July 2) — The fifth and final movie in “The Purge” series.
“Summer of Soul” (July 2) — Questlove directs this movie about the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival, also known as “Black Woodstock.”
“Black Widow” (July 9 in theaters and on Disney+) — Scarlett Johansson’s Natasha Romanoff takes center stage in a Marvel superhero film, set after 2016′s “Captain America: Civil War,” opposite David Harbour and Florence Pugh.
“Space Jam: A New Legacy” (July 16 in theaters and on HBO Max) — NBA superstar LeBron James teams up with Bugs Bunny and the Looney Tunes for a sequel to Michael Jordan’s 1996 live-action/animation hybrid sports classic.
“Snake Eyes: G.I. Joe Origins” (July 23) — Henry Golding (“Crazy Rich Asians”) stars as the popular G.I. Joe character.
“Hotel Transylvania: Transformania″ (July 23) — Adam Sandler returns as the voice of Dracula, now a human (!) in this animated family comedy featuring Selena Gomez and Andy Samberg.
“Old” (July 23) — M. Night Shyamalan weaves another mysterious thriller about a cursed beach that ages you.
“Jungle Cruise” (July 30) — Emily Blunt and Dwayne Johnson star in the adventure fantasy film based on the Disneyland ride where a riverboat travels through a supernatural jungle.
“Stillwater” (July 30) — Matt Damon is a roughneck father trying to help his estranged daughter who’s falsely accused of murder in France.
“The Green Knight” (July 30) — Dev Patel stars in this medieval tale of King Arthur’s nephew on a quest.
“The Suicide Squad” (Aug 6 in theaters and on HBO Max) — James Gunn directs this “Suicide Squad” re-quel with Margot Robbie, John Cena, Viola Davis, Taika Waititi, Sylvester Stallone, Idris Elba, Jai Courtney, Joel Kinnaman and Pete Davidson.
“Free Guy” (Aug. 13) — Ryan Reynolds discovers he’s a non-player character (NPC) in a video game.
“Respect” (Aug. 13) — Jennifer Hudson plays Aretha Franklin in this biopic about the Queen of Soul.
“The Night House” (Aug. 20) — Shot in the Syracuse area, this psychological horror film stars Rebecca Hall as a widow haunted by a presence in the lakefront home he built for her, along with strange and disturbing secrets. (Note: Release date moved to August after originally being set for July.)
“Paw Patrol: The Movie” (Aug 20) — A CGI animated movie based on the children’s TV show about rescue dogs. Trailer not yet available.
“Reminiscence” (Aug. 20 in theaters and on HBO Max) — Hugh Jackman, Rebecca Ferguson and Thandiwe Newton star in this sci-fi thriller about a who scientist discovers a way to relive your past and uses it to find his long lost love.
“The Protégé” (Aug 20) — Samuel L. Jackson, Maggie Q and Michael Katon star in this tale of the world’s deadliest assassin who vows revenge after the man who taught her everything she knows is killed.
“Candyman” (Aug. 27) — Nia DaCosta’s reboot of the horror film, starring Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, was originally set for Halloween 2020.
“The Beatles: Get Back” (Aug. 27) — Peter Jackson’s documentary shows the fun side of the Beatles’ final album, “Let It Be.”
“Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” (Sept. 3) — The Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Phase 4 continues with master martial artist Shang-Chi (Simu Liu) and a cast that includes Awkwafina, Michelle Yeoh and Florian Munteanu.
* * * * *
Note: All release dates are subject to change.
Movies coming later in 2021 include “Malignant” (Sept. 10), “The Boss Baby: The Family Business” (Sept. 17), “Venom: Let There Be Carnage” (Sept. 24), “Dear Evan Hanson” (Sept. 24), “The Sopranos” prequel “The Many Saints of Newark” (Sept. 24), “The Eyes of Tammy Faye” (Sept. 24), “Dune” (Oct. 1), Daniel Craig’s final James Bond movie “No Time to Die” (Oct. 8), “The Addams Family 2″ (Oct. 8), “The Last Duel” (Oct. 15), “Halloween Kills” (Oct. 15), Edgar Wright’s “Last Night in Soho” (Oct. 22), “Jackass 4″ (Oct. 22), Clint Eastwood’s “Cry Macho” (Oct. 22), “Antlers” (Oct. 29), Marvel’s “The Eternals” (Nov. 5), “Clifford the Big Red Dog” (Nov. 5), “Ghostbusters: Afterlife” (Nov. 11), Syracuse native Tom Cruise in “Top Gun: Maverick” (Nov. 19), “King Richard” (Nov. 19), Disney’s “Encanto” (Nov. 24), “House of Gucci” (Nov. 24), “Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City” (Nov. 24), Guillermo del Toro’s Buffalo-shot “Nightmare Alley” (Dec. 3), “West Side Story” (Dec. 10), “Spider-Man: No Way Home″ (Dec. 17), “The Matrix 4″ (Dec. 22), “Sing 2″ (Dec. 22), “The King’s Man” (Dec. 22) and “Downton Abbey 2″ (Dec. 22). Also, Camila Cabello’s “Cinderella” musical has moved from a summer theatrical release to Amazon Prime and Tom Hanks’ “Bios” was sold to Apple TV+ with a new title: “Finch.”
And if you’re looking for previously announced movie releases that have changed, films rescheduled for 2022 include Cruise’s “Mission: Impossible 7″; the Spider-Man spinoff “Morbius” (starring Jared Leto); Kenneth Branagh’s return as Hercule Poirot in “Death on the Nile”; Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis Presley biopic starring Austin Butler with Tom Hanks as the King’s manager Tom Parker; the new “Despicable Me” prequel “Minions: The Rise of Gru”; and Tom Holland and Mark Wahlberg’s adaptation of the video game “Uncharted.”
The long-awaited next installment of Master of None is just one of the highly-anticipated projects coming to Netflix this month.
Returning to the streamer four years after its second season, Master of None‘s five-episode third season, directed by co-creator Aziz Ansari and written by Ansari and Lena Waithe, focuses on the relationship between Waithe’s Denise and her partner Alicia (Naomi Ackie).
Other TV shows being added to Netflix include new seasons of Special and Who Killed Sara?, part two of the latest seasons of Selena and Lucifer, the debuts of The Upshaws and The Sons of Sam, and the latest Dirty John installment: The Betty Broderick Story.
On the film front, Joe Wright’s Woman in the Window, starring Amy Adams as an agoraphobic child psychologist who witnesses a crime, will finally surface after first being put into production at Fox 2000 and set to open in theaters in the fall of 2019 before it was delayed by the now-defunct label’s new parent company Disney and then sold to the streamer.
Other films streaming this month include Zack Snyder’s zombie heist filmArmy of the Dead and Monster, based on the Walter Dean Myers novel of the same name, starring Kelvin Harrison, Jr., Jennifer Hudson and Jeffrey Wright.
And the streaming service is adding a number of noteworthy library film titles, such as the Back to the Future trilogy, Notting Hill, Scarface, The Sweetest Thing and Zombieland.
