This year is shaping up to be a big one for cinema, with much-anticipated sequels and superhero movies hitting the big screen.
From Black Panther to A Wrinkle in Time to Deadpool 2, there’s no shortage of promising movies slated for 2018. Whether you like action or romance, comedy or drama, special effects or an animated story, there’s something for everyone coming to theatres.
Here’s a selection of some of the must-see movies coming out in 2018.
Fifty Shades Freed (Feb. 9)
The final film in the Fifty Shades trilogy is coming to theatres just in time for Valentine’s Day. Christian and Anastasia are getting married. So they all lived happily ever after, right? Well, Ana’s life is threatened when her former boss swears revenge for being fired. Elena also returns to haunt Christian and makes the couple’s lives a lot more troublesome.
Black Panther (Feb. 16)
This is, without question, one of the most anticipated movies of 2018. The Disney/Marvel film focuses on superhero T’Challa (also known as Black Panther, played by Chadwick Boseman) returning home to Wakanda after his father dies to take the throne as king. Of course, as is usually the case, things don’t go as smoothly as planned. Co-starring Michael B. Jordan, Lupita Nyong’o, Martin Freeman, Daniel Kaluuya, Angela Bassett and Forest Whitaker (among many, many others), the movie has some serious cred.
Annihilation (Feb. 23)
Annihilation stars Natalie Portman as a biologist who goes into an environmental disaster zone to figure out what happened to her husband after he returns grievously injured. The cast includes Gina Rodriguez, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Tessa Thompson and Oscar Isaac. The movie is an adaptation of Jeff VanderMeer’s bestselling science-fiction novel, and hopefully it’ll be a better sci-fi/fantasy turn for Portman, who’s been widely derided for her performance as Queen Amidala in the Star Wars movies.
Red Sparrow (March 2)
Red Sparrow is a thriller starring Lawrence as a former ballerina, forced into a Russian intelligence program in order to get her mother medical care. “They gave me a choice: die or become a Sparrow,” her character explains. Lawrence’s character also begins a relationship with a CIA agent played by Joel Edgerton, who tries to convince her to become a double agent.
A Wrinkle In Time (March 9)
This big-budgeted adaptation of Madeleine L’Engle’s sci-fi children’s novel follows young Meg Murry (Storm Reid) and her brother Charles Wallace (Deric McCabe) on a quest to save her father (Chris Pine) by bouncing through space and time. Meg has the help of Mrs. Which (Oprah Winfrey), Mrs. Who (Mindy Kaling) and Mrs. Whatsit (Reese Witherspoon). This Disney film promises a unique visual experience, with a budget over $100 million, and the buzz early on has been deafening.
Tomb Raider (March 16)
Tomb Raider is back, but this time the film features Alicia Vikander as Lara Croft. Sorry Angelina Jolie, your time has (unfortunately) passed. The movie, a reboot of the previous film series, will tell the story of Croft’s first expedition. Here’s hoping it’s a lot more action and a lot less silly than the first incarnation.
Pacific Rim Uprising (March 23)
Pacific Rim Uprising is set 10 years after the events of the original movie, and follows a new generation of pilots tasked with battling massive beasts from the sea using gigantic robots. Star Wars: The Force Awakens star John Boyega leads the cast. The first movie was the beloved project of Guillermo del Toro (now Golden Globe-winning director del Toro), so it’s tough to predict whether or not this’ll be the same labour of love.
Ready Player One (March 29)
This action-packed film, directed by Steven Spielberg, is set largely in a virtual world. Wade Watts (Tye Sheridan) is a young dreamer living in an overpopulated future America who spends all his time in an online video game. He gets sucked into a quest to inherit the fortune of the game’s inventor, and sacrifices everything to come out on top. But will he?
Avengers: Infinity War (May 4)
Avengers: Infinity War is a superhero movie that sees the Guardians of the Galaxy cast and The Avengers cast join forces to stop Thanos (Josh Brolin) from collecting Infinity Stones. Marvel has been building up to this crossover film for almost 10 years, and boy, does it look like it!
Deadpool 2 (May 18)
This Ryan Reynolds Fox film is the sequel to the fan-favourite Deadpool. Morena Baccarin returns as Wade’s partner Vanessa Carlysle. TJ Miller has said that he ‘believes’ that he’ll be back as sidekick Weasel — despite recent sexual misconduct allegations. Domino, played by Atlanta actress Zazie Beetz, will make her on-screen debut in the movie. As of this writing, there is no official trailer for the film, but there is a teaser, below.
(Warning: This teaser contains graphic language)
Solo: A Star Wars Story (May 25)
This standalone prequel of the Star Wars franchise, like Rogue One before it, follows the adventures of a young Han Solo (Alden Ehrenreich) as he meets Chewbacca and young Lando Calrissian (Donald Glover). The cast includes Emilia Clarke (Game of Thrones) and Woody Harrelson. So far, no trailer has been released and there are tantalizingly few details out there.
Ocean’s Eight (June 8)
This heist movie in the Ocean’s Eleven mould stars Sandra Bullock as Danny Ocean’s formerly incarcerated sister Debbie, who puts together a team of highly skilled women for a jewelry heist at the annual Met Gala in New York City. Bullock’s team includes Rihanna, Sarah Paulson, Mindy Kaling, Helena Bonham Carter, Cate Blanchett and Awkwafina. Ocean pleads her case to a parole board, saying that if she’s released she just wants “the simple life.” Once released from jail, Ocean recruits the other women to run the Met Gala job with her.
The Incredibles 2 (June 15)
More than 10 years after its initial release, The Incredibles 2 returns. The movie takes place where the first movie left off — only this time the family has a new villain to defeat.
Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (June 22)
The sequel to the 2015 mega-hit Jurassic World sees Chris Pratt returning as Owen Grady. This time, he’s attempting to rescue the remaining reptiles at dino island from a volcano explosion. It turns out a conspiracy might endanger humans as well. Jeff Goldblum returns as Dr. Ian Malcolm for at least one scene, as seen in the trailer.
Ant-Man and the Wasp (July 6)
Ant-Man (Paul Rudd) joins forces with the Wasp (Evangeline Lilly) on an urgent new mission to uncover secrets from the past. Marvel released a synopsis for the sequel as the movie headed into production: “In the aftermath of Captain America: Civil War, Scott Lang (Rudd) grapples with the consequences of his choices as both a Super Hero and a father. As he struggles to rebalance his home life with his responsibilities as Ant-Man, he’s confronted by Hope van Dyne (Lilly) and Dr. Hank Pym (Michael Douglas) with an urgent new mission. Scott must once again put on the suit and learn to fight alongside The Wasp as the team works together to uncover secrets from their past.
So far, no trailer has been released.
Mission: Impossible 6 (July 27)
The sixth (!) installment in the Mission: Impossible film series stars an ageless Tom Cruise, Rebecca Ferguson, Ving Rhames, Simon Pegg, Michelle Monaghan and Alec Baldwin. Henry Cavill, Vanessa Kirby, Sian Brooke and Angela Bassett are all joining the franchise. How will they all fit into the film? We’ll have to wait and see since no trailer has been released.
The Predator ( Aug. 3)
This is the fourth installment in the Predator film series, set to take place between Predator 2 (1990) and Predators (2010). The film stars Boyd Holbrook, Olivia Munn, Trevante Rhodes, Keegan-Michael Key, Sterling K. Brown, Jacob Tremblay, Yvonne Strahovski, Alfie Allen and Thomas Jane. So far, no trailer has been released, but just looking at this guy’s face takes us back to the jungle.
X-Men: Dark Phoenix (Nov. 2)
X-Men: Dark Phoenix is the twelfth installment in the X-Men film series and a sequel to X-Men: Apocalypse. Fan-favourite Jean Grey (Sophie Turner) begins to develop incredible powers that corrupt and turn her into a Dark Phoenix. Now the X-Men will have to decide if the life of a team member is worth more than all the people living in the world. As of this writing, there is no trailer for the movie.
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (Dec. 14)
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse takes a different turn and focuses on the character Miles Morales, in what the trailer is calling a “fresh vision of a different Spider-Man universe.” This Spider-Man film will star Shameik Moore as the voice of Miles Morales, with Oscar-winner Mahershala Ali (Moonlight) voicing his father and actor Brian Tyree Henry (Atlanta) voicing Miles’ uncle, Aaron Davis, a.k.a. The Prowler.
Aquaman (Dec. 21)
Aquaman is the only DC movie to hit cinemas this year. Following the events of Justice League, Arthur Curry (Jason Momoa), the reluctant ruler of the underwater kingdom of Atlantis, is caught between surface dwellers polluting the globe and his own people, who are ready to invade the surface. So far, no trailer has been released.
Mary Poppins Returns (Dec. 25)
Disney is exploring more of P.L. Travers’ Mary Poppins books, in a sequel to one of its most beloved films. Emily Blunt is taking over the role from Julie Andrews. Dick Van Dyke and Julie Andrews will both be making appearances in this movie too. So far, no trailer has been released.
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