Most Anticipated Movies of 2017- Part 2 (50-1)

50 MOST ANTICIPATED MOVIES OF 2017

50) Hostiles

Director: Scott Cooper (Crazy Heart, Out of the Furnace, Black Mass)  Cast: Christian Bale, Rosamund Pike, Ben Foster, Stephen Lang, Jesse Plemons, Paul Anderson, Scott Wilson, Q'orianka Kilcher, Rory Cochrane, Timothee Chalamet, Peter Mullen, Wes Studi, Adam Beach, Bill Camp, and Robyn Malcom.

• I've mentioned before how westerns are hardly done these days, and hardly done right for that matter. It's a genre that's grown relatively stale, and it's sad because the moments of sheer brilliance it's had in modern film-making make you yearn to see more movies further that trend. But I truly believe the first step in polishing the dust off a worn and dry brand is attaching it with a concept that packs heat, and the plot to Hostiles sounds like it's loaded with fire. This should come as no surprise, since director Scott Cooper is a cinematic voice known for burning his audience with searing grit and scalding intensity. While his last two films have not reached the fahrenheit of his debut, Crazy Heart, they solidify the reputation he's built on his hard-as-nails style of filmmaking. With that said, I hope with his upcoming feature he raises the bar to some new degrees. Reuniting with Christian Bale for the second time, he's assembled a top-natch cast that stays consistent with his ability to always attract strong talent, and I'm really looking forward to seeing Q'orianka Kilcher in her first major film role since playing Pocahontas in Terrence Malick's The New World. Ben Foster's involvement is equally exciting, given that he delivered a masterful turn in this genre only last year in Hell or High Water. Cooper brings this excellent cast together with a script he wrote with Donald Stewart (The Hunt for Red October), which follows Bale as a legendary Army captain who reluctantly agrees to escort a Cheyenne chief and his family through dangerous territory circa 1892. Sign me up! 

Release: TBA

49) Colossal 

Director: Nacho Vigalondo (Timecrimes)  Cast: Anne Hathaway, Dan Stevens, Jason Sudeikis, Austin Stowell, and Tim Blake Nelson.

• Nacho Vigalondo knows how to throw a curve-ball that's barbed with venom. His hit feature Timecrimes from a decade ago still has people talking, and I've been waiting for him to deliver as strong a feature since. Colossal boasts his strongest cast yet, so there's our first promising indicator. But what really brings this project together is the writer/director's striking pitch: a woman moves back to her hometown after losing her job and boyfriend all in the same day, only to discover that she's sharing a strange mental connection with a massive monster laying waste to Seoul. Ok, sold! While I've avoided reading reviews so I can maintain the mystery and go in with a fresh, unbiased perspective, the word out of Toronto and Sundance was apparently quite buzz-worthy. But even before the film screened it was accruing a lot of press. The director had apparently used a picture of Godzilla to make his pitch to the studio, and while the gesture was not meant to be taken literally (no, the monster is not the titan of Tokyo) it was still taken to court by Toho productions who couldn't recall Vigalondo purchasing the rights to their most successful property. Colossal has come a long way since then, with the studio recently dropping a trailer within a few months of its closely approaching release, and although that trailer has teased a very light (almost comedic) tone and vibe, I know the director well enough to foresee the pit of acid he'll have unexpectedly lurking beneath our feet. Approach this beast with caution. 

Release: April 7th 

48) Raw

Director: Julia Ducournau  Cast: Garance Marillier, Ella Rumpf, Rabah Nait Oufella, Laurent Lucas, Joana Preiss, Bouli Lanners, Marion Vernoux, and Jean-Louis Sbille.

• Lately, there's been at least one indie horror hit every year that signals the resurrection of the genre back from the dead (The Witch, It Follows, The Babadook.) And although there's some promising projects coming out in 2017 under the horror mantle, word of mouth is that this one is guaranteed to draw blood. When done right, horror can be the most cerebral and exhilarating genre in film, which is one of the reasons an argument can be made that it's my favorite. So if this is to be the next nightmare-inducing masterpiece in a recent line of modern classics, then you can count me in for sure. Newcomer actress Garance Marillier makes her feature-length debut as Justine, a vegetarian college student who becomes a cannibal following an initiation ritual at school. Nice. If there's one thing I love, it's a horror movie with real meat on its bones, and Raw not only sounds like it has meat to spare, but also savagely eats it off its own body. Bon appetit. 

Release: March 10th

47) Free Fire

Director: Ben Wheatley (High Rise, Kill List)  Cast: Brie Larson, Sharlto Copley, Armie Hammer, Cillian Murphy, Jack Reynor, Michael Smiley, Sam Riley, Noah Taylor, and Enzo Cilenti.

• Writer/director Ben Wheatley definitely rests in that category of filmmakers you either love or you hate. Personally, I'm somewhere in between, which is why I've been waiting for him to deliver the picture that will win me over for good. That's why I am thrilled for his next film, Free Fire, which not only looks like the movie that will make me a believer, but is such a disarming surprise in that I never would have expected something SO great-looking to come from him in the first place. For starters, there's the tight, slick cast he got on board, which includes an eclectic host of interesting and superb talent, like Oscar-winner Brie Larson, District 9 breakout Sharlto Copely, and the always-reliable Cillian Murphy (just to name a few.) Set in Boston during 1978, the film takes us right in the middle of a heated showdown between two gangs after their arms deal in a deserted warehouse goes south. It's the kind of shoot-em-up that strikes a familiar chord on paper, but has a few extra things going for it in terms of visceral impact that could make it a huge standout in its sub-genre. Apparently, Wheatley shot the whole movie in real time which, for those that don't quite understand what that entails, basically means that despite a series of different takes, the length of the event in the story matches the film's running time; in other words, what's happening on screen to the characters is a 90-minute game of survival, which is also exactly where the film clocks in at. This creates a more intense and frenetic atmosphere so that the audience is sucked in, full throttle into this heart-racing thrill-ride. Like the rest of the movies on my list that have already screened at festivals, I haven't read too deeply into the reviews, but I know word of mouth was strong and promises something very entertaining indeed. 

Release: April 21st

46) A Cure for Wellness

Director: Gore Verbinski (The Ring, Pirates of the Caribbean)  Cast: Dane DeHaan, Jason Isaacs, Mia Goth, Adrian Schiller, Celia Imrie, and Ashok Mandanna. 

• I know most may disagree with me, but The Ring is arguably the best film Gore Verbinski has directed in his career. Sure, the Pirates of the Caribbean movies are a blast (I genuinely do enjoy them) and Rango was oddly charming and inventive, but Verbinski showed more focus and control of tone with his remake of the Japanese smash hit. I also realize a case can be made that Verbinski hasn't directed anything of considerable merit; some people weren't swooned by Johnny Depp's swashbuckling pirate in eyeliner, and the very idea of someone remaking Hideo Nakata's horror classic was just another eye roll-deserving demonstration of Hollywood white-washing great properties. Plus, I haven't even mentioned his massive train wreck of a flop, The Lone Ranger! But I believe the director deserves another look with his next feature, which will see him return to the horror genre for the first time in over a decade. As I previously stated, he demonstrated an assured and confident grasp on tone and atmosphere which helped give The Ring its creepy, gothic horror sensibility, so imagine what he could bring to an original horror property. Working apart from the biased expectations that go hand in hand with any remake (or sequel) could give him the opportunity to win over a brand new following. The trailers have given off vibes of Shutter Island tossed with a side of The Shining, and even though I have a vague idea of  which direction the story may go, I'm thrilled and eager to see the execution. DeHaan stars as a young and ambitious executive who's sent to track down his company's CEO after a prolonged absence. His task takes him to a remote wellness spa located in the Swiss Alps, where he discovers that the miraculous "treatments" inflicted on the clients have a much more sinister side-effect.

Release: February 17th

45) Death Note

Director: Adam Wingard (You're Next, The Guest)  Cast: Nat Wolf, Lakeith Stanfield, Margaret Qualley, Shea Whigham, Matthew Kevin Anderson, and the voice talent of Willem Dafoe.

• If you're a fervent follower of anime and manga series, or Japanese pop culture in general, then you probably know (at least) a little something about Death Note. The hit sensation began as an insanely popular manga series before acquiring film and television deals that amassed a large and devoted cult following. The story follows a high school student who discovers a notebook that grants him the ability to kill anyone whose name and face he knows. The student uses his newfound power to rid the world of people he considers evil and a threat to society, but soon gets caught in deadly game of cat and mouse when a cunning detective begins to track his steps and every move. Obviously, it was only a matter of time before Hollywood bought the rights to crank out their own Americanized version, but (hold your breath) they just may have hired the perfect man for the job. Adam Wingard has been one of the best and most clever talents at helping resurrect the horror genre. You're Next, a breathless, blood-soaked game of cat and mouse-meets-Home Alone infused with razor-sharp black comedy, was a bonafide hit, and the director followed it up with stylish thrills and a wicked sense of fun in The Guest. His surprise Blair Witch sequel (last year) was an admirable attempt that just neatly missed the mark, but was worth seeing all the same (if only for its third act), and I'm glad to see him delivering another project so soon. This material is tailor-made for him, and I'm confident he can utilize his gifts to bring us something special. One thing is for sure, he's certainly expressed how passionate he is about getting it made. Warner Bros was preparing to drop the project right after acquiring Wingard to direct, but he managed to persuade the studio to sell the rights to Netflix so he could continue having a platform to see the film through. If anything, I'm much more excited about Netflix distributing and hope the movie makes its premiere soon!

Release: TBA 

44) Mudbound

Director: Dee Rees (Pariah)  Cast: Garrett Hedlund, Jason Clarke, Carey Mulligan, Jason Mitchell, Mary J. Blige, Jonathan Banks, and Rob Morgan. 

• The emergence of new and singularly gifted filmmaker is most often marked by a startling indie that makes big waves. So it was with director Dee Rees, whose 2011 debut Pariah was a deeply personal and emotionally raw gem that rocked Sundance and promised great things to come from the new up-and-comer. She followed it up in 2015 with the acclaimed HBO film Bessie, which went on to win four Primetime Emmys. This year she's back on the festival circuit with her adaptation of Hillary Jordan's award-winning novel, Mudbound. Set in 1946, the story centers around a white family who relocates from Memphis to a Mississippi cotton farm, where they cope with numerous issues (racial tensions, the aftermath of WW2) during a profound shift in American culture. The source material for Rees' new film is hefty and ambitious to say the least, but the strong cast should be up to the task and the director's talent behind the camera should not be taken lightly. In an era when strong female filmmakers are a rarity (especially if they're a black, lesbian woman), it's so refreshing and inspiring to see a voice like Rees leading the charge. Netflix snatched up the rights for her latest film after it made an allegedly terrific debut at Sundance this year, so I have my eyes kept closely on this one!

Release: TBA

43) Suburbicon

Director: George Clooney (Good Night, and Good Luck, The Ides of March)  Cast: Matt Damon, Julianne Moore, Josh Brolin, Oscar Isaac, Glenn Fleshler, and Noah Jupe.

• If you're familiar with George Clooney's work as a director, then you're well aware he's pretty hit or miss, sometimes knocking out a home-run and other times getting tagged out at third base. So far I'd say he's about 3 for 5, with only Leatherheads and The Monuments Men being met with lukewarm reception, and he could very well be 4 for 6 by the end of 2017 with his next feature. As is the case with all of Clooney's projects so far, he's brought on board a cast that basically screams, "Give me an Oscar!" (go figure.) But this time, there's more going for the picture then just A-list talent. Clooney penned the script with long-time pals Joel and Ethan Coen, and that's the kind of factor that will always ignite excitement! Seeing as how the Coen Bros are two of the most brilliant writers in Hollywood, and the main issues with Clooney's milder received works was the writing, this signals a very promising collaboration. Blending elements of comedy, crime, and mystery, the 50s-set story takes place in a quiet family town, where the best and worst of humanity is hilariously reflected through the deeds of seemingly ordinary people. When a home invasion turns deadly, a picture-perfect family turns to blackmail, revenge and betrayal. Now, I don't want to get my hopes too high, but based on the described concept this sounds like it could be a fresh, new spin on Fargo, and if that's the case then this one needs to stay high on your radar.

Release: TBA

42) Thor: Ragnarok

Director: Taika Waititi (Hunt for the Wilderpeople, What We Do in the Shadows)  Cast: Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston, Idris Elba, Mark Ruffalo, Cate Blanchett, Benedict Cumberbatch, Jamie Alexander, Anthony Hopkins, Tessa Thompson, Karl Urban, Ray Stevenson, Jeff Goldblum, and Sam Neill.

• Before I get into to it, let me just make clear that Thor: Ragnarok was the only superhero film to make my top 50, and there's a VERY good reason for that. Ragnarok is a word from Scandinavian mythology that means: the destruction of the gods and of all things in a final battle with the evil powers. In other words, the end. After the disappointingly underwhelming middle chapter in the Thor trilogy (The Dark World), it seems that Marvel and co may have been saving the best for last. Shortly before production of Ragnarok went underway, Marvel had announced a proposed film adaptation of the Planet Hulk storyline, which sees the titular hero forced into exile on a hostile planet where he is enslaved and made to participate is savage, gladiator-like matches. Its the best and most well-received of all the Hulk storylines, and one of the most entertainingly, kick-ass chapters in the Marvel comic book universe EVER! Not too long after Marvel's announcement of the proposed film, it was revealed that Planet Hulk and the final Thor installment would in fact be one movie. While certain aspects of the source material have been (obviously) altered to combine the two storylines, it's clear that what's been done here is a perfect example of brilliant, innovative writing to get the best from both worlds. Because we all know that if you're going to drastically change the source material, it has to be in a way that caters to the fans while still delivering a standout film experience that defies convention, and I think Marvel has made sure to assemble an airtight team to see that's achieved. New Zealand sensation Taika Waititi is a director that knows how to have fun with his movies, executing scenes of action and humor with an abundance of creativity, personality, and gusto. He's a interesting choice for this type of film, but after Hunt for the Wilderpeople I have a feeling he's more then up to the task. Another thing I'm looking forward to are the new additions to the cast. Marvel regulars Hemsworth, Ruffalo, and Hiddleston return (respectively) to their roles, joined by Benedict Cumberbatch (making his second appearance as Doctor Strange), Tessa Thompson, Karl Urban, Jeff Goldblum, and (wait for it) Cate Fucking Blanchett, who will star as the movie's chief villain. Since Blanchett is amazing in EVERYTHING she does, you can start placing your bets that she'll go down as one of best Marvel characters ever brought to life on screen, because her involvement is definitely one of the main highlights circling this project. Whether or not Ragnarok can live up to its potential will only be revealed in time, but you can bet I'll be counting down the days till it happens!

Release: November 3rd

41) The Snowman

Director: Tomas Alfredson (Let the Right One In, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy)  Cast: Michael Fassbender, Rebecca Ferguson, Chloe Sevigny, Val Kilmer, J.K. Simmons, Toby Jones, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Jamie Clayton, James D'Arcy, and Anne Reid.

• The adaptation of Jo Nesbo's acclaimed crime fiction has been in development for some time now. At one point it was even in Martin Scorsese's hands to direct (he exited so he could give his full attention to his passion project, Silence.) He's still on as executive producer, but his absence as director is not too dispiriting since getting Tomas Alfredson was (in my opinion) a much better bargain. While I haven't read the novel, I know how careful Alfredson is about choosing his projects, as well as what kind of material he works best with. The Swedish auteur has a gift with adapting edgy, noir-like thrillers, so the Norwegian novel should be a match made in heaven for him. Also, since this is a foreign novel, I think enlisting a foreign director to helm the feature is only fitting. Having Drive scribe Hossein Amini penning the script only adds value to the production, since his writing style and sensibilities are very much aligned with Alfredson's. Fassbender in the lead is another brilliant choice as well. The actor leads a cast as cool as ice in the role of Harry Hole, a detective investigating the disappearance of a young woman who's pink scarf (the only leading clue) is wrapped around an ominous looking snowman. Nesbo's international bestseller has drawn comparisons to the "master of suspense" himself, Alfred Hitchcock, so I am very much looking forward to seeing the talent behind (and in front of) the camera bring this novel to life. The snowman in the pink scarf may be ominous, but the arrival of the picture sure isn't.

Release: October 13th

40) Logan Lucky 

Director: Steven Soderbergh (Ocean's Eleven, Traffic)  Cast: Channing Tatum, Adam Driver, Riley Keough, Daniel Craig, Katherine Waterston, Seth MacFarlane, Hilary Swank, Sebastian Stan, Katie Holmes, David Denham, Jim O'Heir, Macon Blair, Jack Quaid, Brian Gleeson, and Charles Halford.

• All hail the return of Steven Soderbergh! After claiming he would retire from directing following Behind the Candelabra, the Oscar-winning director has returned from his 4-year hiatus. So what was so striking about the script for Logan Lucky that brought him out of early retirement? Honestly, I have no clue and it's difficult to say, since this is the first script from debut writer, Rebecca Blunt. But one thing is certain: she must have done something right to attract the attention of the Oscar-winning director. What we do know about the story is that it's a comedy that centers on two brothers who attempt to pull off a heist during a NASCAR race in North Carolina. Soderbergh demonstrated real flair with the Ocean trilogy, so this should be cake for him, and like the Ocean trilogy (in fact, like most Soderbergh films in general) the cast is a colorful ensemble of great talent. I'm very excited to see the esteemed director making a return to the silver screen, but even more excited to find out what this film will mean for his career; will Logan Lucky mark his return to film indefinitely, or is this just one more thing he wanted to get out of his system before finally calling it quits? I'm sure that will depend a great deal on the reception to his next picture, but at this point only time will tell.

Release: October 13th

39) Downsizing

Director: Alexander Payne (Sideways, Nebraska, Election)  Cast: Matt Damon, Kristen Wiig, Neil Patrick Harris, Christopher Waltz, Jason Sudeikis, Alex Baldwin, Maribeth Monroe, and Margo Martindale.

• Most people recognize Alexander Payne as one of the most celebrated writer/directors working in Hollywood today. His brand of comedy is sharp, observant, and emotionally wise, and there are few filmmakers in the genre that can even compete with him. So any time he has a project coming, you can bet there will be a great deal of buzz surrounding it, especially when looking ahead to the next awards season. His upcoming comedy is a social satire about a man who realizes he would have a better life if he were to shrink himself (yes, literally shrink himself.) This is definitely very different from anything Payne has done in the past; a fantastical premise that, if pulled off with the same brilliance he's demonstrated in his previous work, could produce extraordinary results. He's brought together a great cast of very diversely comedic talent, which includes actors who have shined in dark, dramatic comedy (like Damon and Waltz), sketch and sitcoms standouts (like Harris, Baldwin, and Sudeikis), and then Wiig, who's had success in BOTH styles. Also, getting released in the midst of the holiday season is always a good sign too!

Release: December 22nd

38) Darkest Hour

Director: Joe Wright (Atonement, Pride and Prejudice)  Cast: Gary Oldman, Kristin Scott Thomas, Lily James, Ben Mendelsohn, John Hurt, and Stephen Dillane.

• There's really not a whole lot of filmmakers that can hold a candle to Joe Wright when it comes to crafting excellent period dramas. His elegant and sophisticated style is what made previous works Atonement and Pride and Prejudice the modern masterpieces that they are. Sadly, it's been years since he's visited that kind of territory, breaking apart from the mold on which he made his name to experiment and try his hand hand at other genres, like with his action/thriller fairy tale Hanna and his overblown fantasy flop Pan. That all changes this fall with his next feature, a historical biopic about Winston Churchill leading the movement against Adolf Hitler in the early days of WWII, which on paper is already a return to form for the acclaimed director. It's refreshing and exciting to see him back to doing what he does best, and Andrew McCarten's (The Theory of Everything) passion project of a screenplay is the perfect vehicle for him to make the comeback he deserves. But not only could this prove to be a huge Oscar break for Wright, it could finally earn a golden statue for one of the most underappreciated actors in Hollywood: Gary Oldman. Thanks to meticulously applied makeup and prosthetics (see above), Oldman literally embodies the legendary British statesman in a performance that should prove to be one of the major highlights in film this year. The rest of the cast is also perfection, but it will be especially wonderful (and sad) to see the recently departed John Hurt in his last screen role (the movie will apparently be dedicated to his memory as well.)

Release: November 24th

37) You Were Never Really Here

Director: Lynne Ramsay (We Need to Talk About Kevin)  Cast: Joaquin Phoenix, Ekaterina Samsonov, Alessandro Nivola, Alex Manette, John Doman, and Judith Roberts.

• Lynne Ramsay has had quite the challenge following up her acclaimed indie hit, We Need to Talk About Kevin, since its release back in 2011. Following her success with adapting Lionel Shriver's chilling novel, the visionary filmmaker was almost immediately snatched up by The Weinstein Company to direct the buzz-worthy western, Jane Got a Gun; a baity script that had made the Black List that year as one of the most popular unproduced screenplays. Ramsay dropped out right before shooting was set to start after a 3-day standoff with producer Scott Steindorff, who had allegedly forced an impossible schedule upon the director, failed to fulfill financial obligations stated in the contract, and had continuously butted heads with Ramsay over creative differences regarding the film. Perhaps that's why the final product was so underwhelming. Luckily, Ramsay has found a more then suitable rebound in her next project, even if it took long enough finally getting it off the ground, with Joaquin Phoenix starring as a war veteran whose attempt to save a young girl from a sex trafficking ring goes horribly wrong. Ramsay and Phoenix are a dream team made in heaven, and the extremely dark premise of the story should give the two of them plenty of strong material to work with and highlight some of their finest qualities.

Release: TBA

36) The Glass Castle

Director: Destin Daniel Cretton (Short Term 12)  Cast: Brie Larson, Naomi Watts, Woody Harrelson, Ella Anderson, Sadie Sink, Sarah Snook, Dominic Bogart, Joe Pingue, and Max Greenfield.

• One of the most heartbreaking and emotionally true films to grace Sundance in the last decade was back in 2013 with Short Term 12. Besides being one of the most acclaimed films of the year, it made Destin Daniel Cretton a director to watch for and provided actress Brie Larson with a major breakout performance that was simply breathtaking (she went on to win an Oscar last year for Room.) Director Cretton reunites with his star for his next feature, an adaption of the best-selling memoir by Jeanette Walls. Released to critical acclaim back in 2005, The Glass Castle recounts the unconventional, poverty-stricken upbringing of Walls and her siblings at the hands of their deeply dysfunctional parents. The book is an emotional doozy, and should be a perfect fit for Larson (who plays the author) and Cretton, who did a superb job handling the raw emotions of every-day tragedy in his last movie. Watts and Harrelson (as the parents) are also excellent additions to the cast, and I could totally see one (or both) of them getting strong notices for their work in this story. But what I'm really hoping for is that this finally gives Cretton his due as a filmmaker, because he's honestly one of the most promising new voices to watch for today, and you would be surprised at how many people did not see Short Term 12.

Release: TBA

35) Abracadabra 

Director: Pablo Berger (Blancanieves)  Cast: Maribel Verdu. Antonio de la Torre, Jose Mota, Josep Maria Pou, Quim Gutierrez, Priscilla Delgado, Saturnino Garcia, Ramon Barea, and Javivi.

• Back in 2013, a little film that probably no one saw called, Blancanieves, made my top 10 list of the year. Blancanieves translates as Spanish for Snow White. When the movie came out, I was already at my wits end with the recent attempts to revive the classic fairy tale on screen. Mirror, Mirror was lousy and embarrassingly goofy, and Snow White and the Huntsman was just a dull, pointless adventure story that's only merits were a strong showcase for Charlize Theron's evil queen and some dazzling visual effects. But it was Pablo Berger who surprised me with the most daring and original take on the story yet: a black and white silent film that took place in 1920s Spain. It was beautiful and brilliantly poetic, and I actually found it to be more successful at resurrecting the silent film genre than the Oscar-winning The Artist (although that's a great film too.) Now almost four years later, Berger is back with a dark comedy sprinkled with elements of suspense and the fantastical, centering on a Madrid housewife who suspects her husband has been possessed by an evil spirit. Berger has promised that audiences will not be disappointed with his next film, and that it will be every bit as entertaining and visually stunning as Blancanieves was. Consider me sold hook, line, and sinker. 

Release: TBA

34) War for the Planet of the Apes

Director: Matt Reeves (Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, Cloverfield)  Cast: Andy Serkis, Woody Harrelson, Judy Greer, Steve Zahn, Terry Notary, Amiah Miller, Max Lloyd Jones, Aleks Paunovic, Chad Rook, Alessandro Juliani, Karen Konoval, Michael Adamthwaite, and Sarah Canning.

• Who would've thought in 2011 that one of the most unexpected surprises would come in the form of a solid reboot of Planet of the Apes. Rise of the Planet of the Apes got the ball rolling, which laid the groundwork for the even better sequel, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, a few years later. But if there's one thing history has taught us, it's that most excellent sequels are followed by a lackluster third chapter (Spider-Man 3, Terminator 3, Return of the Jedi.) Being that as it may, I'm still really looking forward to War and sincerely hope that Matt Reeves delivers a grand finale, because he did such a fantastic job with Dawn and it would be great to see this trilogy go out with a bang! The ominous, impending doom teased in the trailer and the movie's title itself should give you a good, elbow-nudging hint at what's to come in this next installment, so I'll say no more than that. On a a final note though, I am anticipating this to be one of the best and most successful blockbusters this year.

Release: July 14th

33) Mute

Director: Duncan Jones (Moon, Source Code)  Cast: Alexander Skarsgard, Paul Rudd, Justin Theroux, Seyneb Saleh, Florence Kasumba, Gilbert Owuor, Daniel Fathers, and Noel Clarke.

• Let me first just make one thing perfectly clear: We are going to forget Warcraft ever happened. Why? Because I think it's only fair that we realize that that one is not on director Jones. The adored filmmaker was clearly acting as a director-for-hire (who doesn't need the money in this business) and let's be honest, I don't think there even exists a filmmaker who could've made a great movie out of Warcraft. Besides, even critics agreed that the movie was at least slightly bearable thanks to Jones direction in the first place. Plus, if you're familiar with Duncan Jones' previous work then you're well aware that fantasy and video game adaptations are not his forte. Which brings us to Mute, which is exactly the kind of territory the director does thrive in. Set in a futuristic underworld, the story follows a mute bartender who must go up against gangsters and the rest of the city's dark underbelly if he's to find out what happened to his missing girlfriend. Obviously, anything that's connected to the words "Duncan Jones" and "sci-fi" is going to have my full attention, and I'm even more excited that the story will supposedly take place in the same world as Jones' debut hit, Moon (Sam Rockwell's character is even rumored to make a brief cameo.") On top of all that, Mute sounds like it could follow in the footsteps of other classic tech noirs, like Blade Runner and Looper, so that definitely gives me something else to look forward to as well.

Release: TBA

32) Untitled Detroit Project

Director: Kathryn Bigelow (The Hurt Locker, Zero Dark Thirty)  Cast: John Boyega, Jack Reynor, Will Poulter, Ben O' Toole, Hannah Murray, Anthony Mackie, Jacob Latimore, Tyler James Williams, Kaitlyn Dever, Jason Mitchell, Algee Smith, Brandon Scales, Joseph David-Jones, John Krasinski, Jeremy Strong, Chris Chalk, Ephraim Sykes, Laz Alonso, Malcolm David Kelly, Peyton 'Alex' Smith, Leon Thomas III, and Darren Goldstein.

• If there's a list of filmmakers who "did it first" (and I'm sure there is), you can definitely bet that Kathryn Bigelow is on it. To this day, she is still the only female to win an Oscar for Best Director in motion picture history. Her award(s) for The Hurt Locker gave hope and encouragement to female filmmakers across the board, and her success made her one of Time Magazine's "most influential people." The talented director, who is known for tackling projects that challenge heavy, complex issues that most people in her field would normally shy away from, is showing no signs of quitting while she's ahead. She's back this summer with another weighty subject (especially in the state of today's current affairs) that recounts the great police raid of 1967 in Detroit; one of the largest uprisings in United States history. Knowing what Bigelow is capable of, you can be sure that this will be an intense, fiercely political movie-going experience. She's brought on a cast of diverse, mostly young talent that you may not altogether recognize (for the most part) at first glance, but I'm sure we will all know each and every one of their names after this movie.

Release: August 4th

31) Wendy

Director: Benh Zeitlin (Beasts of the Southern Wild)  Cast: Unknown

• One of the best and most wondrous films to come out in the last decade is Benh Zeitlin's stunning debut, Beasts of the Southern WIld. The film garnered four Oscar nominations including Best Picture and Best Director (pretty damn impressive for someone making their first feature-length film), and turned breakout performer Quvenzhane Wallis into a major child superstar, whose Oscar nomination for Best Actress in the movie made her the youngest ever nominee in the category. So naturally, my expectation is extraordinarily high for his next movie. Sadly, there's not a lot we know about the film so far in terms of the cast or whether or not it's even started production, but it's also very possible that is Zeitlin's intention exactly (to keep the details very secret.) His last movie consisted predominately of mostly unknown actors, and it wouldn't be a surprise if he followed the same route again here. What we do know about the picture is that it follows the journey of a young girl who is taken to a destructive ecosystem, where she befriends a young boy and discovers a mystical pollen that allows them to break the relationship between aging and time. Yes, it all sounds very strange and whimsical in theory, but the story is more than likely a poetic metaphor for how children see certain things and issues in the world. Beasts of the Southern Wild was also very similar in that respect, so if my theory is correct, then it's clear the director is reusing more then a few of the same things that worked so well in his first film. At this point in time, I'm really hoping this is one of the surprise arrivals at Cannes this year, because that would at least mean that it's finished.

Release: TBA

30) Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

Director: Martin McDonagh (In Bruges)  Cast: Frances McDormand, Woody Harrelson, Sam Rockwell, Abbie Cornish, Caleb Landry Jones, Kathryn Newton, Peter Dinklage, John Hawkes, Lucas Hedges, and Darrell Britt-Gibson.

• It's been almost five years since Seven Psychopaths, but Martin McDonagh's presence has been sorely missed. Even though his last movie wasn't able to reach the heights of his first, it still solidified the director's reputation for delivering witty, fast-paced comedy injected with blood-spattered violence. Perhaps I'm still holding on to how brilliant In Bruges is (well, it is THAT good), but McDonagh is one of the sharpest and most wickedly funny writer/directors worth following (especially if you're familiar with any of his stage plays), so the fact that his filmography only involves two feature titles only makes me look forward to his work even more. His next film is (no surprise) another black comedy about a desperate mother's bold attempt to discover the culprit behind her daughter's murder. McDonagh has described the movie as being more dramatic than Seven Psychopaths, which is excellent news because In Bruges was proof that he delivers better work when the story is more compelling, while his last film opted over that approach in favor of delivering straight-up doses of the director's razor-sharp, mean-spirited brand of humor with gleeful (albeit overt) relish. His next project offers up one of his strongest casts yet, reuniting him with a few of his regulars (Harrelson, Rockwell, Cornish, Dinklage) as well as a few welcomed new additions like McDormand, Hawkes, Jones, and Manchester by the Sea breakout Lucas Hedges.

Release: TBA

29) The Racer and the Jailbird

Director: Michael R. Roskam (Bullhead, The Drop)  Cast: Matthias Schoenaerts, Adele Exarchopoulos, Dimitry Loubry, Charley Pasteleurs, Sam Louwyck, Stefaan Degand, Guray Nalbant, Igor van Dessel, and Nathalie Van Tongelen.

• Thank god for 2011's Bullhead, or we might never have heard of Matthias Schoenaerts or director Michael R. Roskam. The Oscar nominee for Best Foreign Language film offered up a searing, harrowing journey for its central character, played by a never-better Schoenaerts who used his terrific showcase to blow our minds with some fantastic acting chops, letting audiences know just what they had been missing. Since then, he's delivered some more incredible turns in films like Rust and Bone and Far From the Madding Crowd, and director Roskam followed up his reputation for crafting gritty, compelling drama with 2014's The Drop, and I'm very excited that the two of them are working together again alongside Blue is the Warmest Color breakout Adele Exarchopoulos. Both Schoenaerts and Exarchopoulos are two of my favorite actors working today, and The Racer and the Jailbird should provide the two of them with plenty to do as a gangster and car-racer locked in a tragic love story. In some ways, it looks vaguely reminiscent of Jacques Audiard's soaring masterpiece, Rust and Bone (the same one I mentioned above), so that alone makes this movie a done deal for me. With that said, could Cannes just hurry up and get here please, since this is sure to be part of their lineup!

Release: TBA 

28) Mektoub is Mektoub

Director: Abdellatif Kechiche (Blue is the Warmest Color)  Cast: Unknown

• Speaking of Adele Exarchopoulos, the director of her breakout hit is FINALLY following up his masterpiece Blue is the Warmest Color with the upcoming Mektoub is Mektoub. The plot of his next project is very similar to another film earlier on this list, Ismael's Ghosts, which focuses on a love triangle with a young screenwriter as its center. But as I said with Ismael's Ghosts, I'm always down for a good love triangle, and Abdellatif should be able to deliver something much better than Arnaud Desplechin after showcasing his chops at directing intense, heart-busting romantic drama in his last feature. The fact that the cast is currently unknown also teases with potential, since there was a great deal of notable actors ready to line up and work with Kechiche after his fantastic Cannes debut. Blue is the Warmest Color was my favorite movie of 2013, and still remains as one of the best films I've ever seen period, so anything with the director's name attached was going to rank particularly high on this list, despite the fact that so many of the film's details remain a secret.

Release: TBA

27) Yeh Din Ka Kissa (aka the Meyerowitz Stories)

Director: Noah Baumbach (The Squid and the Whale, Frances Ha, Mistress America)  Cast: Ben Stiller, Adam Sandler, Dustin Hoffman, Emma Thompson, Candice Bergen, Elizabeth Marvel, Rebecca Miller, Sakina Jaffrey, and Danny Flaherty.

• One of my absolute favorite writers of comedy is director Noah Baumbach. The subjects of his stories are often dysfunctional individuals coming into themselves or trying to deal with a difficult situation, and Baumbach explores these characters and their scenarios with authenticity and clever comedic timing. His last movie, Mistress America, was a symphony of witty zingers and hilarious, mile-a-minute dialogue and showed the director in full control of his amazing gifts (even if a little restraint wasn't one of them), so I'm beyond excited for his star-studded family comedy Yeh Den Ka Kissa. While I'm slightly disappointed that Greta Gerwig won't be coming back for his next feature (his muse and frequent collaborator for three of his last films), especially after she had such a fantastic last year with 20th Century Women and Jackie, I am excited to be seeing him reteam with his other Greenberg star (Stiller.) Hoffman and Thompson are fabulous additions (together again for the first time since Last Chance Harvey) as parents who reunite in New York with their estranged children (Stiller and Sandler) to celebrate the artistic work of their father. Let the toasts begin.

Release: TBA

26) Happy End

Director: Michael Haneke (Amour, The White Ribbon, Cache)  Cast: Isabelle Huppert, Mathieu Kassovitz, Jean-Louis Trintignant, and Fantine Harduin. 

• Michael Haneke is one of the best and most masterful filmmkaers on the planet, capable of creating beautiful movie experiences that resonate with his audience on a deeply emotional level, as well as nerve-racking thrillers that can chill us to the bone and make our skin crawl. The German writer/director is not recognized by most American audiences, but those statistics might have changed slightly after his last feature Amour, which was nominated for five Oscars including Best Picture, delivered a portrait of old age so heartbreakingly poignant, its scars will remain permanently etched in our mind. For his next feature, he's reunited with two of his Amour actors (Huppert and Trintignant) in a drama about a family set in Calais with the European refugee crisis as the backdrop. Huppert had a helluva year in 2017 with Elle (for which she earned a slew of Best Actress nominations, including an Oscar nod) and Things to Come, so her and Haneke together again is definitely cause for celebration. But more importantly, this is an incredibly timely subject (given the current state of our world), and I think we could all use a storyteller like Haneke who has a reputation for handling difficult issues like this with powerful sensitivity and wisdom.

Release: TBA

25) Golden Exits

Director: Alex Ross Perry (Queen of Earth, Listen Up Phillip)  Cast: Emily Browning, Adam Horowitz, Mary-Louise Parker, Jason Schwartzman, Chloe Sevigny, Analeigh Tipton, and Lily Rabe.

• No can articulate the fragile relationships of shallow, back-stabbing New Yorkers like writer/director Alex Ross Perry (yeah, the CW and their shitty soap operas have got nothing), and he certainly isn't through telling their stories yet either. Using an intersectional narrative, the film explores two different Brooklyn families and the upheaval of their lives when a young foreign girl spending time abroad upsets the balance on both sides. Queen of Earth was a scathing, mesmerizing portrait of a shattering friendship and a psychological breakdown, and was one of the most striking pieces of cinema in 2015, making me an even huger fan of Perry and giving me more reason to look forward to whatever project he did next. Which is why I'm so excited for Golden Exits, which despite looking more in the vein of Listen Up Phillip than Queen of Earth, is still guaranteed to deliver Perry's signature penchant for dramatic tension and vicious verbal onslaughts that he's made a part of his trademark. Get ready for claws and tears.

Release: TBA

24) A Ghost Story

Director: David Lowery (Ain't Them Bodies Saints, Pete's Dragon)  Cast: Rooney Mara, Casey Affleck, Will Oldham, Sonia Acevedo, Rob Zabrecky, Liz Franke, Grover Coulson, Kenneisha Thompson, Barlow Jacobs, McColm Sephas Jr., and Kesha.

• Could there be any debut in the last five years more beautiful, haunting, and lyrical than David Lowery's Ain't Them Bodies Saint. The western/folktale of Casey Affleck and Rooney Mara's doomed lovers was pure, cinematic magic, and announced Lowery as a fresh, wonderful new voice to look for in the future. And the fact that he took one of the least successful properties at Disney and recrafted it into the wondrous, heartfelt reiteration that was last year's Pete's Dragon in a testament to his skill as a truly gifted storyteller. So his return to the screen with his Ain't Them Bodies Saints stars should pose absolutely no question as to why A Ghost Story ranked so high on this list. For a director so in touch with the use of poetry and how it can be expressed through the art of filmmaking, it is extremely exciting to know that the subject of Lowery's next feature is so perfectly matched with the his unique style, which stars Casey Affleck as a ghost trying to reconnect with the world he's left behind. It's been four years since Affleck and Mara shared the screen in Lowery's debut, but the talented stars have grown so much in their craft during that short span of time, and it makes their reunion something to look forward to even more.  

Release: TBA

23) Dunkirk

Director: Christopher Nolan (The Dark Knight Trilogy, Inception)  Cast: Tom Hardy, Cillian Murphy, Mark Rylance, Kenneth Branagh, James D'Arcy, Aneurin Barnard, Harry Styles, Jack Lowden, Elliot Tittensor, Kevin Guthrie, Bobby Lockwood, Brian Vernel, Barry Keoghan, Adam Long, Michael Fox, Will Attenborough, Richard Sanderson, and Fionn Whitehead.

• I don't think there's a moviegoer alive that doesn't agree Christopher Nolan is one of the biggest filmmakers on the planet. From the groundbreaking, billion dollar-grossing Dark Knight Trilogy to his monumental sci-fi epic Inception, the director is known for delivering his stories on a grand scale. It's one of the reasons we go to movies in the first place, to experience jaw-dropping cinematic wonders that were made for the largest screen possible. So the fact that Nolan's upcoming feature is an epic war film should make ardent follows of his work go crazy with excitement. The director has promised an incredible, unforgettable experience, and if you saw the seven-minute sneak peak that was screened right before IMAX showings of Rogue One, then you know there's very good reason to believe that Nolan will deliver on his word. Nolan also wrote the film's script, which recounts the historic events of Operation Dynamo, a heroic attempt to evacuate allied soldiers from Belgium, Canada, Britain, and France from the beaches of Dunkirk as German forces began closing in. Because of his success at the box office the director was given a salary of $20 million (the largest any director has received since Peter Jackson did King Kong) to direct the film, and like that figure, it looks like the movie itself also required a hefty financial order. Going with his tradition of using the minimalist amount of CGI possible, Nolan reportedly shot real explosions, used real naval destroyers and a combination of real Supermarine Spitfires, and even resorted to using cardboard cutouts of soldiers in the distant background to create the illusion of large masses, all to give the movie as visceral an impact as possible. It all sounds absolutely amazing, and in a year full of WWII movies, this should definitely stand out.

Release: July 21st  

22) Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets

Director: Luc Besson (The Fifth Element, Lucy)  Cast: Dane DeHaan, Cara Delevingne, Ethan Hawke, Clive Owen, Rihanna, Kris Wu, Sam Spruell, Alain Chabat, Matthieu Kassovitz, Herbie Hancock, Rutger Hauer, Alexandre Nguyen, and the voice talent of John Goodman.

• I am so overjoyed that Besson is making this type of movie again. It's been 20 years since the director delivered his blast of a space adventure, The Fifth Element, and everything about his Valerian project, from the story to its eye-popping visuals, is a gust of nostalgic, fresh air. I know it's difficult to take to Besson so candidly after a string of duds, but Lucy was a wildly insane, unabashedly fun guilty pleasure, so I have to give the director the full benefit of the doubt, especially since the material is SO perfect for him! DeHaan stars as time-traveling agent Valerian, who is sent to investigate a galactic empire alongside his partner Laureline (Delevingne.) Apparently, this is a huge passion project for director Besson, who has wanted to adapt the "Valerian and Laureline" comics on which the movie is based for years. The visionary filmmaker made the movie on a production budget of a whopping $180 million, and he's begging audiences to go to the theaters to support his latest venture so it doesn't fail at the box office and he can be allowed to make the second one. If it's as good as The Fifth Element (and I sincerely hope that it is), the director can not count on just one, but TWO tickets from me. 

Release: July 21st

21) Suspiria

Director: Luca Guadagnino (I Am Love, A Bigger Splash)  Cast: Dakota Johnson, Chloe Grace Moretz, Mia Goth, Tilda Swinton, Sylvie Testud, Angela Winkler, Malgorzata Bela, and Jessica Harper.

• For those that know me personally, you know that I may have mentioned (on more than one occasion) how much I am in love with Dario Argento's gorgeous, glorious horror masterpiece, Suspiria. The story follows an American ballet student's nightmare as she travels to a prestigious academy in Germany to hone her craft, only to discover she's the prey of a coven of bloodthirsty witches. The movie, which is one of my all-time favorite films, is renowned for its grand, eye-popping color scheme and eerily cool soundtrack, and when it was first announced that they were planning to remake the adored classic I was outraged. At the time, the project had landed in the hands of David Gordon Green, whose biggest success so far was the stoner comedy Pineapple Express, so all I could think about was just how much he could potentially butcher a great thing. Apparently, he's wanted to try his hand at the horror genre for years, and while I respect his ambition I just wished he had chosen a different property to experiment with. Well, that was almost 10 years ago and a lot has changed since then. Green will still get to scratch his itch, but with a different remake instead (it was just announced he would helm the second reiteration of John Carpenter's Halloween, which doesn't exactly excite me either, but should still be better than Rob Zombie's version), and he's been replaced with Guadagnino. The Bigger Splash director is a much more interesting choice for this kind of project, and I'm still not entirely sure yet if that's a good thing or a bad thing. I definitely admire the Italian filmmaker's style, and if anyone was to direct the remake of a giallo classic, I would prefer it was someone who hails from the same country where the sub-genre was born. On top of that, I have to admit that if Guadagnino announced he was going to direct a horror movie (any horror movie for that matter) I would be beyond interested to see what he comes up with. So even though I'm still keeping this project at a (relatively) safe distance, I will be going in with an open mind. Plus, the talent involved must be brewing up something extra special if they managed to attract the interest of Chloe Grace Moretz, who dropped out of Universal's big-budget Little Mermaid (including all her future projects) because she was "quitting acting for a while," only to return a few months later to do this. That definitely says something, but then again Moretz also did the so-so remake of Carrie, so who knows. Regardless, I'm glad to see her back.

Release: TBA

20) Call Me By Your Name

Director: Luca Guadagnino (I Am Love, A Bigger Splash)  Cast: Timothee Chalamet, Armie Hammer, Michael Stuhlbarg, Amira Casar, and Esther Garrel.

• If there's one thing we've noticed in the last ten years, it's that gay/lesbian dramas are becoming some of the most compelling and masterful pieces of cinema to hit the screens (last year's Moonlight is currently nominated for 8 Oscars, on top of multiple other wins and nominations.) There's been at least one on my yearly top ten lists for almost the same amount of time. So an adaptation of Andre Aciman's highly praised novel, about a 17 year-old Italian-Jewish boy's summer love affair with a 24 year-old American scholar visiting Italy from abroad, seemed only inevitable. The pairing of Aciman's fantastic novel and director Luca Guadagnino is as perfectly matched as strawberries and cream on a hot summer day, as the Italian filmmaker certainly knows how to capture sultry lust and romance set in exotic foreign locales. Between this and his hotly anticipated remake of Suspiria, Guadagnino is shaping up to have a fantastic year!

Release: TBA

19) The Killing of a Sacred Deer

Director: Yorgos Lanthimos (The Lobster, Dogtooth)  Cast: Colin Farrell, Nicole Kidman, Raffey Cassidy, Bill Camp, Alicia Silverstone, Barry Keoghan, and Sunny Suljic.

• Writer/director Yorgos Lanthimos gave us one of the most visionary and socially observant allegorical comedies ever made with last year's The Lobster. His brilliant work is so philosophical it's no wonder that he's a Greek playwright. In fact, if it weren't for its modern setting, The Lobster could have been one of the traditional Greek satires or tragedies (in some ways, I'm pretty sure it's a mixture of both), it's style and structure is just so similar. The point is: I loved it, and I'm very excited that we're already getting another project from him so soon! But if you thought The Lobster was dark (especially for a movie with some sharp comedic elements), then you might not be ready for what the director has coming up next. But then again, if you've seen Dogtooth then you're well aware of the disturbing and uncomfortable turns his stories can take. In fact, Farrell (who also starred in The Lobster) say he felt relatively nauseous after reading the script, calling it much more bleak then Lanthimos' previous feature. He stars as a brilliant surgeon who forms an unlikely bond with a sinister teenage boy and his family, only for it to take an unexpected turn for the worse. Bring it!

Release: TBA

18) Based on a True Story

Director: Roman Polanski (Rosemary's Baby, The Tenant)  Cast: Eva Green, Emmanuelle Seigner, Vincent Perez, and Alexia Seferoglou.

• You can despise him for his personal life all you want (I'm definitely not a fan myself) but Roman Polanski DOES make great movies. It's been years since he's delivered anything that's even remotely as good as The Pianist (The Ghost Writer was pretty damn solid though), but I haven't had more hope or excitement for anything he's directing until now. Perhaps that's because he's working from a script he penned with writer/director Olivier Assayas (Clouds of Sils Maria, Summer Hours) that has Green and Seigner in the leads, or perhaps it's because Based on a True Story sounds an awful lot like the kind of classic dramatic thrillers the director has built his incomparable reputation on. Inspired by a novel by award-winning French novelist Delphine de Vigan, the story centers on a writer going through a tough period as she's forced to deal with an obsessive admirer, and definitely reads like a brilliant toss-up of Notes on a Scandal and Misery (god, I hope it is.) Assayas is a great writer (and director), and even though I have yet to see Personal Shopper (it finally hits US theaters in a few weeks), word at Cannes was that he knows how to craft a superb thriller, and with Polanski at his side the possibilities are endless. As for Green and Seigner, I'll watch the two of them in anything, especially if it's a project with this much prestige behind the camera.

Release: TBA

17) Lean on Pete

Director: Andrew Haigh (Weekend, 45 Years)  Cast: Charlie Plummer, Travis Fimmel, Chloe Sevigny, Steve Buscemi, Steve Zahn, Thomas Mann, Amy Seimetz, Justin Rain, Lewis Pullman, and Frank Gallegos.

• One of the strongest new filmmakers rising today, and also one of my personal favorites, is Andrew Haigh. With as much attention to detail as he has for a complex range of human emotions, Haigh has a singular gift for exploring the dynamics of relationships with elegance, empathy, and brilliant articulation. But what's most interesting about his next feature is that it's unlike anything he's directed yet, though I'm sure that most of his signature trademarks will still be present. The story follows a young boy who embarks on a perilous journey in search of a long-lost aunt and possible home, his only companion a stolen racehorse named Lean on Pete. If I'm going to be perfectly honest, there aren't a lot of movies with human-horse bonds that have found success, at least in terms of something that holds up with time. However, that doesn't mean I wouldn't like to see that trend broken, and Haigh is such an emotionally engaging storyteller I'm sure his treatment of the story will be very rewarding. He's two-for-two in row now, and I would really just love to see him continue to build on his impeccable pedigree. Plus, besides being a story about a horse and his boy, this is also a road movie, and that's a genre I'll always find time to kick back with.

Release: TBA

16) Alien: Covenant

Director: Ridley Scott (Alien, Prometheus)  Cast: Katherine Waterston, Michael Fassbender, Billy Crudup, Danny McBride, Demian Bichir, Carmen Ejogo, Amy Seimetz, Callie Hernandez, Noomi Rapace, Guy Pearce, and James Franco.

• Now I know the love for 2012's Prometheus was pretty evenly split (there were some people who walked away not impressed), but I absolutely loved it! In some ways a more mature film than Scott's Alien (though I'll admit no where near the same heights), Prometheus left me eagerly wanting more and was a welcome return back to the series for the acclaimed director. But if you had doubts then, I could've told you Scott was just getting started. The Alien prequel was originally intended to be split into two parts, so even though Covenant was never set in stone, I knew there had to be a variety possibilities in store by the time the film's credits rolled. But Scott seems to know that not everyone was taken with Prometheus, and he's promised audiences who were expecting more Alien the first time around will be thoroughly satisfied with his follow-up this summer, going full-barrel on the scares and excessive gore. In fact, he says one particular scene will leave audiences pinned to their seats and their jaws on the floor, in what he promises will strongly hearken back to the shock value of his original classic. The cast, both new and returning members, is definitely something special, and I'm particularly excited for Waterston in the lead (who may or may not be Ripley's mom.) But at the end of the night, this is still sci-fi/horror (two of my favorite genres) we're talking about, and as it's the legendary Ridley Scott directing, I'll boldly and bravely go wherever this crew travels.

Release: May 19th

15) The Kidnapping of Edgardo Mortara

Director: Steven Spielberg (Schindler's List, Munich)  Cast: Oscar Isaac, Mark Rylance, and Issac Eshete.

• Steve Spielberg isn't a filmmaker who requires an introduction. We've been watching his movies for years! However, we might not be watching as many of his movies lately. For the better part of the last decade and a half, his work has mostly ranked as solid, but nowhere near the caliber of which he earned his legendary status as a director. However, he has always displayed fine skills and intuition when the subject is history, and even more so when it's Jewish history, so the non-fiction story on which his newest project is based should be the kind of material he needs right now to remind audiences what makes him so great. The film will be based on the best-selling novel by David I. Kertzer, which recounts the dramatic true story of how 6 year-old Edgardo Mortara was kidnapped from his Jewish parents in Bologna and taken away by the Inquisition to Rome, where he was forcibly converted to Catholicism and raised as Christian in the late 1800s. The saga of events would eventually lead to the collapse of the Catholic Church and its temporal power in Italy. This is an extraordinary story, one that I can't believe hasn't been told before on screen, and should be a powerful showcase for a director who has used his medium to convey powerful true stories like Saving Private Ryan and Schindler's List. The film is still in pre-production, but is set to begin shooting in only a few weeks. Isaac's role in the movie is still unknown at this time (I predict he's an older version of Mortara,) but the fact that he and Rylance will star opposite each other is nothing short of exciting, and only icing on the cake of this already prestigious project.  

Release: TBA

14) Under the Silver Lake

Director: David Robert Mitchell (It Follows)  Cast: Andrew Garfield, Riley Keough, Topher Grace, Zosia Mamet, Jimmi Simpson, Patrick Fischler, Callie Hernandez, Riki Lindhome, Summer Bishil, and Don McManus.

• All that's known about the latest film from David Robert Mitchell is that it's a Neo-noir set in Los Angeles, and frankly that's all I need to know. Mitchell wowed me big time back in 2015 with his horror-thriller It Follows, an eerily atmospheric hybrid of modern art film and 80s bogeyman flick. Armed with a clever script and an assured focus on tone, the director's stunning debut went on to be one of my favorite films of the year and announced Mitchell as an interesting genre filmmaker to look for. Casting Garfield in the leading role (who's fresh off a fantastic year with Silence and an Oscar nom for Hacksaw Ridge) is a wonderful bonus, and I'm really looking forward to the director and star play with this genre, which hasn't seen much life since Nightcrawler.

Release: TBA

13) The Discovery

Director: Charlie McDowell (The One I Love)  Cast: Jason Segal, Rooney Mara, Riley Keough, Robert Redford, Jesse Plemons, Ron Canada, and Kimleigh Smith. 

• There was a slight chance The Discovery, the new sci-fi romance from Charlie McDowell and follow-up to his indie hit The One I Love, could come out (or at least screen at a festival) in 2016. As it was, that never happened, but that didn't stop it from making my Most Anticipated list from last year. Segal stars as the son of a brilliant scientist, whose discovery of a proven "afterlife" poses problems for Segal when he falls in love with a girl who has a tragic past (Mara.) McDowell (that's the son of legendary screen actor Malcolm McDowell) is one of the most brilliant young filmmakers working today, whose terrific debut (The One I Love) was one of the best in recent memory and demonstrated his ability to helm high concept plots with fascinating and thought-provoking results. The One I Love was also a love story with an interesting premise, so I'm crossing my fingers McDowell is able to strike gold twice with results that prove to be just as clever and engaging as what he produced the first time.

Release: March 31st

12) How To Talk To Girls At Parties

Director: John Cameron Mitchell (Hedwig and the Angry Inch)  Cast: Ellen Fanning, Alex Sharp, Nicole Kidman, Ruth Wilson, Matt Lucas, Joanna Scanlan, Elarica Johnson, and Stephen Campbell Moore.

• A movie from John Cameron Mitchell always feels like a once-in-a-blue-moon event, and the fact that his newest film is the first punk rock musical he's done since Hedwig goes beyond being just unbelievable; it's a heaven-sent gift from above. Based on a beloved short story by Neil Gaiman, whose basically the Roald Dahl of today's generation that also makes stories for adults, How To Talk To Girls at Parties was another film I was hoping would come out last year and didn't. But the movie was recently slapped with an R-rating, so I feel its long-awaited release is only a short matter of time away. The story follows an alien from outer space (Fanning) touring the galaxy with a group, who secretly breaks away to head for for the coolest (but most dangerous) place in the universe: the London suburb of Croydon. There she meets a boy who introduces her romance, drugs, and rock'n'roll. The premise is absolutely inspired, and in the hands of Mitchell I'm predicting this will be something truly special indeed! No doubt the musical aspect will be cake for the director, but paired with Gaiman's rich and colorful imagination, the possibilities are truly endless.

Release: TBA

11) The Lost City of Z

Director: James Gray (The Immigrant)  Cast: Charlie Hunnam, Robert Pattinson, Sienna Miller, Tom Holland, Angus Macfadyen, Edward Ashley, John Sackville, Johann Myers, Harry Melling, Adam Bellamy, and Daniel Huttleston.

• One of my top ten most anticipated movies from last year, The Lost City of Z was another film that just couldn't pull together all the necessities for a fall release. However, it did screen for the New York Film Festival in October, where word of mouth was it performed very well! Based on the best-selling book by David Grann, The Lost City of Z is an old-fashion adventure story that recounts the travels of Colonel Percy Fawcett, a military man-turned-explorer whose quest to discover a lost city in the Amazon eventually culminated with his mysterious disappearance in 1925. The trailers have been very promising, which bring to mind the classic epics Werner Herzog used to make, but sadly doesn't anymore. And like Herzog, director James Gray also brought his cameras and crew deep into an untamed, exotic jungle to shoot the film; a shoot that all on deck have described as not without its challenges, though probably not nearly as rigorous as Innaritu's recent The Revenant. Nevertheless, members of the cast have all said they do not miss the jungle. As for Gray, he knew exactly what he was getting in to, as he wrote Francis Ford Coppola (whose jungle-set Apocalypse Now shoot is considered to be one of the brutal shoots in cinematic history) asking for advice and what to expect. The director's response was pretty simple and straightforward, consisting of only two words: "Don't go." Well, thankfully Gray did, and he shot the entire film (even in the exotic and harsh conditions) on 35mm. So even if the movie doesn't impress (and I strongly believe it will), at least it will look absolutely stunning on the big screen!

Release: April 21st

10) Untitled Paul Thomas Anderson Film (aka The Phantom Thread)

Director: Paul Thomas Anderson (There Will Be Blood, Boogie Nights, The Master)  Cast: Daniel Day-Lewis, Lesley Manville, Vicky Krieps, and Richard Graham.

• We never need to know (from the get-go) what Paul Thomas Anderson's new movie is about. We just need to know he's making one, and you can count on us being there. So despite the fact that all we know about the mysterious project working under the code-name of, The Phantom Thread, is that it's a drama set within the fashion world of 1950s London and follows a dressmaker commissioned to design for members of high society and the royal family, there's still enough information to sell me and place this within my top ten: 1) Like I said, it's PTA; so anything with his name attached is already going to convey to me that it's something good. This director does not choose boring projects! 2) It's a period piece, so whatever culture that's going to be on display (in this case, British 50s) is going to be impeccably realized. Aside from Punch Drunk Love, Magnolia, and Hard Eight, all of Anderson's films have been in another period, and each time he did a magnificent job of making it feel transporting. Plus, 50s fashion culture was so bourgeoisie and intriguing, it will be very interesting seeing what sort story the director is using this era to convey. The main character's dealings with the upper class definitely give us hints that it might have something to do wealth and social status, and those things never get old in a drama, especially if they're done right. And 3) This film will mark the first time Anderson and Day-Lewis have collaborated since There Will Be Blood. Most people would say that their work together on that film marked the pinnacles of their careers, arguably turning out their best work yet. So if PTA has come up with something to bring them together again after ten years, I have to believe it's something damn good. Focus Features already has the rights and reportedly has plans to release the film sometime at the end of the year, right in the heat of awards season, so that speaks volumes too. Naturally, more will come to light as we start seeing the lineups of big film festivals in the latter half of the year, but until then, this is more then enough to go on.  

Release: TBA

9) Star Wars: Episode VIII-The Last Jedi

Director: Rian Johnson (Looper, Brick)  Cast: Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Mark Hamill, Adam Driver, Oscar Isaac, Domhnall Gleeson, Gwendoline Christie, Carrie Fisher, Benicio Del Toro, Laura Dern, Billie Lourd, Andy Serkis, Lupita Nyong'o, Kelly Marie Tran, Jimmy Vee, Peter Meyhew, and Anthony Daniels.

• The most important thing to know about the ninth entry on my list is that since Disney bought the rights to the universally loved Lucas property, I have not put ANY Star Wars films is my top ten. This is the first one. Why is it the first one? Two words: RIAN JOHNSON! Writer/director Rian Johnson has been the leader of his own clique for longer than you think; the members of said clique being those (like me) who dazedly follow his work like a mirage in a barren dessert. Johnson launched his cult following, as well as Joseph Gordon-Levitt's career as an adult actor, in his low-budget, retro-noir hit, Brick. It was one of the best and most striking debuts of that time, and proved to us that we would be seeing a lot more of Johnson in the years to come. He didn't take off right away, following up Brick only a few years later with the delightful comedy caper, The Brothers Bloom. But it wasn't until he reteamed with Gordon-Levitt for his third feature that we saw flashes of what made Brick the indie favorite that it was. A dark, twisty sci-fi noir (or tech-noir), Looper not only confirmed the director's auteur status, but announced him as a strong and unique voice in the science-fiction genre. So the fact that he was hired by Disney to helm one of the Star Wars movies should come as no surprise. But perhaps it is a bit of a surprise, given Johnson's style tends to be more darker, adult-themed, and violent, while Disney is...well..not. And although Johnson has naturally toned it down a bit, given that it's Disney and Star Wars, he apparently didn't do it by a whole lot. In fact, according to inside word, it could very well be the darkest entry in the series yet, and here's where we get to the MOST surprising part: Disney doesn't give a shit! Yes, you read that correctly. Disney has (for once) decided to play it cool. But why? Well, the movie is apparently so freaking good, the studio feels it would be too criminal to change anything about the final product that the cast and crew have worked so hard to make. But just how "good' could it possibly be? According to J.J. Abrams (director of The Force Awakens), VERY good! Cameras hadn't even begun rolling when Abrams declared that Johnson's script (who's notoriously adamant about writing everything he directs) was so great, he wished he was the one directing it! Not to worry though, because like I said: Johnson writes everything he INTENDS to direct, and you can bet that The Last Jedi will be his show through and through. Obviously plot details are scarce, as they're being kept under an ultra-tight veil of secrecy, but I'm confident in saying this could be the Star Wars movie we've been waiting our whole lives for. 

Release: December 15th

8) The Death and Life of John F. Donovan 

Director: Xavier Dolan (Mommy, Laurence Anyways, Tom at the Farm)  Cast: Kit Harington, Jessica Chastain, Natalie Portman, Bella Thorne, Jacob Tremblay, Sarah Gadon, Emily Hampshire, Thandie Newton, Susan Sarandon, Kathy Bates, and Michael Gambon.

• Now I know that IMBd may say otherwise about the release date slated for Xavier Dolan's seventh feature film, which says the movie won't hit theaters until 2018, but I have a strong feeling that's only half true. My prediction is that it will get a limited release sometime in December, before going wide in January. It would definitely make sense if Dolan wanted to give his next film "the Oscar push" that, on paper at least, it so rightfully deserves. The story follows an American actor (played by Harington) who whose life and career is destroyed after his correspondence with an eleven year-old actor is exposed. Dolan is the king of dramatic fireworks, wringing every emotion possible from each scene he directs for maximum impact without it ever feeling too overdone. So you can better believe that, given the concept of his latest story, things are gonna light up like the Fourth of July in his next movie. John F. Donovan boasts one of THE best casts I've seen for an upcoming film, and I really hope the tremendous host of A-list talent is an indicator that Dolan is about to knock it out of the park big time, and not just because they all wanted an opportunity to work with one of the best new auteurs of this generation. But after all, who could blame them if that were the case. At the mere age of 27, Dolan is one of the most visionary and accomplished filmmakers working today, winning the Cannes Jury Prize twice in a row, as well as another 58 wins and 87 nominations for his work. Perhaps I'm going out on limb, hopefully wishing that Dolan's movie hits theaters sooner then it's (apparently) expected to. But I couldn't care less. Mommy and Laurence Anyways have got to be two of the best films I've seen in the last ten years, and Dolan is most definitely a director worth waiting and anticipating for.

Release: TBA

7) The Beguiled

Director: Sofia Coppola (Lost in Translation, The Virgin Suicides, Marie Antoinette)  Cast: Nicole Kidman, Colin Farrell, Kirsten Dunst, Elle Fanning, Angourie Rice, Oona Lawrence, Addison Riecke, and Emma Howard.

• No one can capture girlhood on film the way Coppola does. She treats everything, from her flesh and blood characters right down to the sunlit glade of grass they might be relaxing in, with a dream-like whimsy and as an endless source of pure fascination. But it looks like she'll be trading in that whimsy (or most of it anyways) for a somber, more serious tone in her upcoming film, The Beguiled. A western that's based on an old Eastwood classic, which in turn is also based on a classic novel, The Beguiled is set in Virginia at an all-girls school during the turn of the Civil War, where the lives of the sheltered young women who live there take an unexpected turn after a wounded Union soldier shacks up with them while seeking refuge. Sexual tensions and bitter rivalries ensue, as well as a few other sinister twists. The Eastwood version is....good (nothing more, nothing less.) However, Coppola on the other hand should be able to tap into the story with an entirely unique, and overall more satisfying approach. Think The Virgin Suicides, but with MUCH more bite. The Beguiled is another 2017 release that has one of the strongest casts I've seen for an upcoming feature, and each one of them is a perfect fit for their character. And while Somewhere (the director's last film) was pleasurably diverting, I'd love for Coppola to come back in a major way with this movie. It isn't this often the stars align and the material is so impeccably matched to the director and their gifts, with everything else falling just as nicely into place.

Release: June 30th

6) Mother!

Director: Darren Aronofsky (Black Swan, Requiem For a Dream, The Wrestler)  Cast: Jennifer Lawrence, Javier Bardem, Michelle Pfieffer, Domhnall Gleeson, and Ed Harris.

• Darren Aronofsky is a complete visionary. In his career as one of the best and most distinguishable filmmakers working today, he's already delivered two of the greatest movies ever made (Black Swan, Requiem for a Dream), and even when his work doesn't reach the heights of his best (The Fountain, Noah), it's never boring and still 10x more exciting and ambitious than the work of most directors on their best day. So his inclusion on this list really doesn't warrant an explanation, because as long as he's directing, I will be at the theater opening weekend with a ticket already in hand. The plot of his next film reads like an updated retelling of Michael Haneke's classic thriller, Funny Games, which centers on a couple whose relationship is tested when uninvited guests arrive at their home, disrupting their tranquil existence. I was (admittedly) a little disappointed when I learned Clint Mansell, who's collaborated with Aronofsky on every project thus far, would not be providing the film's score, but became very excited when I found out it was because he had hired on Johan Johannsson (Sicario, Arrival) instead. As it is with most of his movies, the cast he's put together looks superb, though I must say that this is arguably his best cast yet! But most importantly, my biggest hope for the movie is that it gives Aronofsky another shot at Oscar glory, since Black Swan was the best film of 2010 and should've seen the director walk away with the top prize (and that's not even mentioning the fact he was snubbed completely for Requiem for a Dream in 2001.) Don't get me wrong, The King's Speech was absolutely wonderful, but like the Grammy's this year, someone more deserving was robbed. With that said, I don't necessarily need Mother! to win (after all, I haven't even seen the god damn film yet), but if it ranks with the director's best I hope he's given the due he deserves. Two times shorted is still too much if you ask me.  

Release: October 13th

5) Wonderstruck

Director: Todd Haynes (Carol, I'm Not There)  Cast: Julianne Moore, Michelle Williams, Oaks Fegley, Amy Hargreaves, Morgan Turner, Jaden Michael, Millicent Simmons, Cory Michael Smith, Tom Noonan, James Urbaniak, Ekaterina Samsonov, Hays Wellford, and Damian Young.

• I've always been very fascinated with polyptych stories that span vastly different times and places, like Daldry's The Hours or the Wachowski's Cloud Atlas. But if you were to tell me that Carol director Todd Haynes was doing one, and that it was adapted from an award-winning novel by Brian Selznick (The Invention of Hugo Cabret), I would be beyond fascinated. I would be....wonderstruck! So I will be eagerly awaiting the release of the next project to come from Haynes. His last film Carol was hands-down the best film of 2015, and sadly the most underrated too. The director has always shown remarkable skill with his attention to detail and preferred use of subtle-yet-powerful emotions, but it was with Carol that we truly saw him working at the peak of his exquisite talents; the film is all in all a masterpiece. That same attention to detail will be integrally vital to Wonderstruck, which tells two different stories separated by fifty years, but each share the same mysterious connection. I know it's still very early to tell, but Haynes' next film could very well be the Oscar front-runner for next year. Selznick's incredible novel is beautifully written and intricately layered and complex, which is exactly what I would say about The Price of Salt, Patricia Highsmith's acclaimed best-seller that Haynes adapted for the screen with Carol; so the material should fit like a glove for the director (or at least, that is what I am hoping.) One thing can be said though: The last time Selnick's work was adapted for the screen, we got Scorsese's marvelous and gorgeously designed, Hugo. As Hugo went on to get nominated for 11 Oscars, 5 of which it won, I'd say that's more than an adequate bar to meet for director Haynes.

Release: TBA

4) Annihilation

Director: Alex Garland (Ex Machina)  Cast: Natalie Portman, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Tessa Thompson, Gina Rodriguez, David Gyasi, and Oscar Isaac.

• One of the finest and most successful debuts of the past decade is without a doubt Alex Garland's sci-fi thinker, Ex Machina. The acclaimed writer's foray into directing could've easily been one of those self-indulgent exercises in excess and tedium, but instead showcased a gifted storyteller with style, focus, and an astute visual eye. Garland has always been an extremely intelligent and talented writer, but his debut is so good, I have to wonder why he hasn't been directing his own material from the beginning! As of today, Ex Machina holds a 93 percent on Rotten Tomatoes and cumulatively pulled in $36.8 million during its run at the box office with a budget of only $15 million. So yeah, that's pretty successful for an R-rated indie from a debut director that mainly only stars three actors (who were also still pretty unknown at the time.) So the fact that Garland's sophomore feature sees him returning to the sci-fi genre was already enough to sell me. But the director earned extra points when he announced that his next project was also an adaptation of Jeff VanderMeer's phenomenal best-seller. Considered by many as one of the best new science-fiction novels today, the award-winning book is about a renowned biologist who enlists to go on a dangerous expedition where the laws of nature don't apply, accompanied by only three other members: a psychologist, an anthropologist, and a surveyor. I haven't read the book myself, but I do know those who have, and as someone who regards their opinions most highly, I can tell you: it's apparently damn good! And with Garland at the helm backed by an impeccable cast, this has the strongest chance of being this year's Arrival. Can't.Fucking.Wait.

Release: TBA

3) The Shape of Water

Director: Guillermo Del Toro (Pan's Labyrinth, The Devil's Backbone)  Cast: Sally Hawkins, Michael Shannon, Octavia Spencer, Richard Jenkins, Doug Jones, Michael Stuhlbarg, Lauren Lee Smith, David Hewlett, and Nick Searcy.

• When it comes to rich imagination that's breathtakingly realized on screen, there are few in the league of Guillermo Del Toro. It's been years since we've had anything as good as Pan's Labyrinth or The Devil's Backbone, and yet he is still a director whose projects always amass an incredible amount of fascination and excitement, even if they end up falling short of their expectation. But I've said this to fellow cinephiles before, and I'll repeat it again now: I'd rather watch a mediocre offering from someone like Del Toro than another cloyingly bland cash-grab from any of the major studios. Because believe it or not, I actually believe a colorful imagination merits a higher level of interest (crazy huh.) So even though Crimson Peak couldn't match in story what it had visually in beautifully lush abundance, Del Toro is a filmmaker who will always have my attention. And here he sits, placed respectively at number three on this list, which is where I'm pretty sure Crimson Peak was at the beginning of 2015 too. But don't worry. Del Toro didn't place this high just because he's Del Toro. There's plenty of reasons why The Shape of Water could be the project we've been waiting years for him to make. Del Toro has described the script as something that deeply moved him, stating that he simply had to be the one who directed it because the opportunity was just too good to pass up. As for his excellent cast, they're all backing the director's word one hundred percent, saying that what he's committed to screen is indeed both very special and beautiful, and could even earn the director a welcomed and deserved return to the Oscars. If the circumstances were different, I might casually brush such comments aside. But when your cast included the likes of Sally Hawkins, Michael Shannon, and Michael Stulbarg, I have to believe there's some truth in those statements. Part modern day fantasy/part other-worldly romance, with some allegorical themes sprinkled in, the story that left Del Toro so enchanted would have to include some kind of creature, ghost, or any other mythical being, and naturally it does. But it's WHAT that creature is that is probably the most fascinating (and I'll tell you why.) Described as some kind of underwater fish being, I couldn't help but notice how that, combined with the otherworldly romance/modern-day fantasy element, struck a striking similarity to M. Night Shyamalan's Lady in the Water (The Shape of WATER, Lady in the WATER, it kinda makes sense.) Now obviously, Shyamalan's movie was severely disappointing, but what if this is an attempt to tell a slightly-similar-but-much-better story than that one? If it is, I would totally be down with that! Lady in the Water may have been bad, but it was an interesting concept that probably could've been great if it hadn't taken such uninspired directions. Let's hope Del Toro and his team got it right this time!

Release: TBA 

2) Okja

Director: Joon-Ho Bong (Snowpiercer, The Host)  Cast: Seo-Hyun Ahn, Tilda Swinton, Jake Gyllenhaal, Paul Dano, Steven Yeun, Lily Collins, Devon Bostick, Hee-Bong Byun, Shirley Henderson, Daniel Henshall, and Giancarlo Esposito.

Another cast that's been singing the praises of their film and its director is the ensemble for Okja, Joon-Ho Bong's long-awaited follow-up to his magnificent Snowpiercer. If you know me personally, you probably remember me raving (still raving) about the enthralling science-fiction thrill ride that came out in 2014. It was one of my favorite (if not my absolute favorite) movies of that year, and cemented my already growing love and admiration for director Joon-Ho Bong. And just like he's done so many times in the past, his next feature will (according to his stars) will be seriously blowing some minds in the year's cinematic landscape. The action-thriller creature-feature follows a young girl named Mija, who goes on the run and risks everything to prevent a powerful, multi-national company from seizing her best friend-a massive animal named Okja. According to the director, the film's themes will reverberate with echos of capitalism; a clever contrast to his last film, which was an allegory for communism. With its gargantuan monster alongside its strong political and economic themes, Okja sounds like it could be the brilliant baby of The Host and Snowpiercer that no one saw coming, but we're incredibly ecstatic for nonetheless! And speaking of ecstatic, we can all breathe a sigh of relief that director Bong won't have to deal with...complications that circled the release of his last film. There's at least one film every year that has to put up with some form of studio bullshit that seeks to weight down their picture, and Weinstein's acquisition of Snowpiercer back in 2013 following its impressive Cannes debut was definitely one of those stories. Whether its violence he believes is too excessive or troubling and depressing thematic material, the notorious studio exec is notoriously disliked for notoriously cutting the most inconsequential things from the pictures he buys (much to the furious dismay and resentment of the directors), giving him the notorious nickname, Harvey Scissorhands. But this time, his movie landed a platform with a much more supportive backing, getting streaming giant Netflix to handle marketing and distribution rights. As if the studio didn't already boast one of the most exciting lineups this year, it can now add its release of Okja to its already impressive slate.

Release: TBA

1) Blade Runner 2049

Director: Dennis Villeneuve (Arrival, Sicario, Incendies)  Cast: Ryan Gosling, Harrison Ford, Ana de Armas, Jared Leto, Robin Wright, Dave Bautista, Mackenzie Davis, Lennie James, Barkhad Abdi, and Hiam Abbass.

Fans of Ridley Scott's science-fiction classic have waited years for this to happen. After repeatedly getting teased with false promises and empty leads, we were beginning to think that this would never happen, and that it was merely the stuff of wishful dreams that die-hard geeks fantasize about and lose their shit over. So when it was announced last year that the project was a definite go, we didn't know whether we had just died and gone to heaven or if we should patiently wait for Ashton Kutcher to pop up on our internet feed saying, "Gotcha!" But the project is realer than it's ever been, and even has a trailer that was released last month to incessant screaming, followed by an epidemic of shock-induced fainting. If you think this is all slightly over-dramatic, then you probably don't understand the legacy of one of the greatest achievements ever committed to film (and there's probably nothing I can do about that.) Although, being a Blade Runner movie wasn't its only claim to the number one spot on this list (even if that may be the case for some.) It wasn't even just the fact that Harrison Ford would reprise his role as Deckard (though again, that may be the case for some.) Don't get me wrong, both of those aspects regarding movie are great. But the real reason this secured the number one spot had to do with French-Canadian director, Dennis Villeneuve. Without a doubt, he is the most (as far as I'm concerned) exciting and singularly gifted filmmaker working today. Everything he has touched has been a mesmerizing, thought-provoking spellbinder from start to finish, and it's clear we are probably experiencing this director during the Renaissance period of his career (I think he skipped his Golden Age altogether and just went straight for the big leagues.) With his next film, he's coming straight off his success at handling sci-fi with Arrival, so if there were any doubts about him dipping his toes in this genre (there never was for me) then you can put those fears to rest. The only thing that should be taken into consideration is that this will definitely be the most popular property he's managed yet, and according to recent news it also won't be his last either. A matter of weeks ago, he was tapped to helm the newest screen revival of Dune! This is incredibly exciting news, and I really believe that Blade Runner is only going to be the beginning of an incredible new chapter in Villeneuve's already promising career.
Release: October 6th