Most Anticipated Movies of 2023

Now that 2022 has concluded, it's time to look ahead at all of the most exciting new releases of the new year

Jan 01, 2023

Ant-Man 3 Image: Scott and Cassie Are Stuck in the Quantum Realm

The abundance of MCU content being churned out has certainly made the quality dwindle, but the arrival of ultimate villain Kang and the beginning of a new phase inspires confidence for improvement. Quantumania sees the Ant-Man franchise going from small-scale heist movies to ones that travel throughout the multiverse, and the trailer guarantees more dramatic stakes accompanying the fun of traversing through wild universes.

Barbie

Typically, a Barbie movie wouldn’t be overly enticing and would appear to exist for the purpose of selling toys. However, the minds behind this are Greta Gerwig and Noah Baumbach, both acclaimed writers who have extensive backgrounds in films about humanity and that incorporate plenty of social commentary. Their involvement indicates that Barbie can be elevated above an ad and have clever messaging about the enduring character while being amusing for children.

Beau Is Afraid

The next film from Hereditary and Midsommar director Ari Aster, he collaborates with A24 once again for a “decades-spanning surrealist horror film set in an alternate present”. This story about a man (played by Joaquin Phoenix) encountering supernatural threats while journeying home sounds just as original as his other two features, and Aster has made such a unique stamp on the horror genre that any future projects are guaranteed to be another eerily interesting project.

Creed 3

Michael B. Jordan Reveals "Creed III" Posters & Arrival of Jonathan Majors as Damian Anderson - The Credits

The latest film in the Rocky franchise will unfortunately be free of Sylvester Stallone, but sees Michael B. Jordan stepping into the director’s chair for the first time. These Creed movies have been an impressive continuation of this decades-old series, and the trailer indicated a formidable new foe in Jonathan Majors that should make this film another worthy extension that keeps revitalizing a long-lasting legacy.

Ferrari

This is a biopic detailing the life of Enzo Ferrari (played by Adam Driver, a recurring factor on this list) and his rise to becoming the manufacturer of the famous car company. What truly peaks interest in this film is director Michael Mann, who branches out from his success in LA-based crime stories for a profile about an iconic part of the car industry.

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3

The Guardians of the Galaxy have consistently remained one of the most consistently entertaining characters in the MCU’s roster. Even though Phase 4 has been a rocky ride, James Gunn looks to be giving us a heartfelt goodbye to this family with his offbeat humor and oddball brand of emotion. From the trailer, this installment guarantees to be even more powerful using a tearful Rocket backstory and an awesome usage of Spacehog.

Havoc

Havoc is the newest action film from Gareth Edwards, director of the high-octane The Raid series. Whereas that stood out as impeccable displays of martial-arts action, Havoc stars Tom Hardy, Forest Whitaker and Timothy Olyphant and has a gritty plot about a detective exploring the corrupted world of the criminal underground. Edwards seems to be forming a more intricate story, and at the very least, you can expect pints of blood to accompany the reliably thrilling fight sequences.

Hitman

Richard Linklater, director of the Before trilogy and Boyhood, makes a foray into the action genre with a plot about a cop going undercover as a hitman and having to risk his life to protect a woman from her abusive boyfriend. Using an established director and capable actors such as Glen Powell and Austin Amelio, Hitman could put a modern spin on familiar territory.

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny

Nothing about the return of Indiana Jones would normally sound appealing, from the ill-fated fourth film, Harrison Ford’s old age preventing him from fully allowing Indiana to be a proper action hero again, and Disney’s tendency to reboot beloved properties and promptly forget about what makes them special. On the other hand, James Mangold is a brilliant director who has proven he can make mature westerns and old-timey fun, indicated by the new trailer that seemed to retain some of the classic spirit of the originals.

John Wick: Chapter 4

John Wick 4' Trailer: Keanu Reeves Bashes Heads in Comic-Con Footage - Variety

The world’s favorite unstoppable hitman returns for his fourth outing, one that promises to be ever grander and gorier than ever. With the additions of Donnie Yen and Bill Skarsgård, he’ll be getting some new opponents to battle in the epic fight scenes promised in the trailer. The series has always been elevated by its expansive world-building and sublime cinematography, but the rousing fight sequences only seem to be getting better from the trailer. John looks to be travelling across the globe so he can use nunchucks, swords, and hopefully an eraser to kill baddies and give us another badass entry.

The Killer

A new movie from David Fincher would be driven into the top 3 alone, but there’s even more beyond his name to get excited about. Based on a graphic novel, this neo-noir action thriller follows an assassin played by Michael Fassbender and also stars Tilda Swinton. Reteaming with the writer of Seven, Fincher returning to his forte in the crime genre to direct an assassin story is extremely encouraging, especially since the legendary filmmaker has made multiple classic crime films such as Seven, Gone Girl, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, and Zodiac.

Killers of the Flower Moon

Martin Scorsese’s next film is a crime drama that will hit Apple TV+ with an expensive price tag of $200 million. Starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert De Niro, it details the mysterious murders in 1920s Oklahoma and the FBI investigation into them. With that compelling true story, Scorsese should be able to craft a thoughtful drama with all of the prestigious aplomb he put into The Irishman.

Knock at the Cabin

M. Night Shyamalan’s newest film once again ventures into the thriller genre for an intriguing story about a decision between saving the world and saving your family. His filmography is infamous for being hit-or-miss, but his outstanding work with many high-concept stories inspires hope that he can recapture that magic once again and avoid getting bogged down in his own ambitions.

Megalopolis

Francis Ford Coppola returns to directing after an over decade-long hiatus, this time swapping out gangster odysseys with a sci-fi epic. Not much is known beyond the all-star cast and a brief synopsis about a woman torn between loyalties to her family and to her lover, but Coppola is such an important talent that he must always be paid attention to.

Mission: Impossible—Dead Reckoning Part One

The Mission: Impossible franchise has done the impossible itself and is at the peak of its success after 27 years. The last 3 movies have kept improving and accelerating the stunts to pulse-pounding levels, and the footage that has debuted shows no signs of slowing down. With Christopher McQuarrie returning as director and Top Gun: Maverick reinforcing Tom Cruise’s status as king of the blockbuster, there’s no reason to doubt that Dead Reckoning will be anything but another fantastic spy thriller.

Napoleon

This year, Ridley Scott takes on the French leader’s journey to power as he has done previously in a robust set of historical epics like Gladiator and The Last Duel. With fascinating events to chronicle and Joaquin Phoenix as the star (he will be having a busy year), this is sure to be another complex saga that will nicely compliment Scott’s skills as a storyteller.

Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre

The latest film from Guy Ritchie, who has been on a recent hot streak with films like The Gentlemen and Wrath of Man, which both returned to the underground crime genre that popularized him. Operation Fortune was initially slated for this year, but extenuating circumstances regarding the film’s Ukrainian villains led to multiple delays. Hopefully, it will finally release this year and we can see Ritchie’s attempt at a Bond-esque adventure with his signature plotting and characters that make his directing distinct.

Oppenheimer

Christopher Nolan’s next film has an all-star cast and his story about the invention of the atomic bomb promises to have all of the extravagant spectacle that he normally produces. What truly fuels the anticipation for Oppenheimer is Nolan diverting from high-concept premises that bend the rules of space and time, instead focusing on characters and the study of an iconic figure that can get him back to basics.

Scream VI

Scream 6's first trailer teases the return of Ghostface

One year after Ghostface returned to theaters, we’ll be receiving another installment that takes the killer to New York City. Through the whodunnit stories and shifting commentary about the horror genre, the franchise has still managed to keep its spark alive. It’s a rarity for slasher franchises to maintain what makes them special after so many years, and the sixth Scream can hopefully continue that same success.

Silent Night

John Woo making a return to action cinema is definitely worth some recognition, but Silent Night proves to be him at his most ambitious. A revenge tale starring Joel Kinnaman as a grieving father exacting retribution on Christmas Eve, the entire film is shot without dialogue. Who knows if it’ll work, but Woo’s flair for kinetic action and an endless barrage of doves should always make for stylish viewing alone.

65

65' Trailer: Adam Driver Stars In A New Sci-Fi Film From The Writers Of 'A Quiet Place'

The year of Adam Driver (seriously, does he ever sleep?) continues with this sci-fi thriller from the writers of A Quiet Place. This film surrounds an astronaut crashing on a mysterious planet, which turns out to be a prehistoric Earth 65 million years in the past. The idea of him having to fight dinosaurs and other dangerous creatures to survive could easily become ridiculous, but this high-concept thriller could easily be edge-of-your-seat fun.

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse

The sequel to Spider Man: Into the Spider-Verse arrives this June, and it appears to have kept the same creativity that made the original so special. Into the Spider-Verse was a tour de force of stunning animation, an energetic world, a sincere story, and a sense of humor you immediately fell in love with. Adoring everything about the original, the sequel is sure to keep the same freshness when returning to these vibrant characters on a larger scale.

Untitled Safdie Brothers Project

Adam Sandler, Safdie Brothers Team With Netflix on Next Movie - Variety

The directors of Good Time and Uncut Gems are working with Adam Sandler once again for a story centered around sports card collecting. It’s nice to see Sandler pursuing dramatic work again rather than resorting to more lazy comedic dreck, and the Safdies have proven themselves to be gifted at making high-anxiety, street-level crime films in their previous two works.