Merry Christmas!

It’s that time of year again, time to take a look forward at what movies should be on your radar for 2018.  Are you going to see them all?  Heck no.  These are the genre films we think borg.com readers will want to know about to make their own checklists for the coming year.  We pulled 55 of the hundreds of films that have been finalized or are in varying stages of final production for next year’s movie calendar.

What looks that it may top the list of most fanboys and fangirls?  How about Ready Player One in March?  Solo: A Star Wars Story and Avengers: Infinity War in May?  Sequels to Deadpool and The Incredibles in June?  X-Men: Dark Phoenix in November?  But don’t over look other films that look promising, like Winchester in February, Tomb Raider in March, and The Predator and The Equalizer sequels in August.

So grab your calendar and start making your plans for next year–here is the list of the movies you’ll want to see in 2018:

The Commuter – January 12 — Liam Neeson’s next action thriller finds him on a train with an offer he can’t refuse.  Co-starring Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson.

Proud Mary – January 12 — A hitwoman played by Teraji P. Henson (Hidden Figures, Empire) has her life go sideways when a mob hit goes bad.  With Neal McDonough and Danny Glover.

Ophelia – January 22 — Daisy Ridley stars as Ophelia in a twist on Shakepseare’s Hamlet told from her perspective.  Co-starring Naomi Watts and Tom Felton.

Please Stand By – January 26 — Dakota Fanning, Toni Collette, and Alice Eve star in a story about a young woman with autism who sets her sights on winning a Star Trek writing competition.

Winchester – February 2 — Inspired by true events, the story of the heir to the Winchester firearms fortune finds herself haunted by the deaths of all killed by the weapons, leaving her to try to avoid them in an incredible mansion.  Starring Helen Mirren and Jason Clarke.

Cloverfield 3 (yet to be titled) –  February 2 — A crew of astronauts fight for survival on a space station.  Starring Elizabeth Debicki, Daniel Brühl, and David Oyelowo.

Peter Rabbit – February 9 — Fox Studios brings a great cast of voice talent to their adaptation of the classic Beatrix Potter story.  With Daisy Ridley, Margot Robbie, Elizabeth Debicki, Rose Byrne, and Domhnall Gleeson.

Monster Family – February 9 — A family is turned into monsters in this animated romp.  Starring the voices of Jason Isaacs, Emily Watson, Nick Frost, and Catherine Tate.

Black Panther – February 16 — Ryan Coogler directs Marvel Comics’ king cat superhero Black Panther in his own standalone movie.  Starring Chadwick Boseman, Michael B. Jordan, Lupita Nyong’o, with a reunion of The Hobbit’s Martin Freeman and Andy Serkis.

Early Man – February 16 — Tom Hiddleston, Maisie Williams, and Eddie Redmayne voice characters in this new animated story from Aardman Animations.

Annihilation – February 23 — Natalie Portman stars in this Predator-esque sci-fi story of soldiers and visitors from beyond.  With Tessa Thompson, Oscar Isaac, and Jennifer Jason Leigh.

Game Night – February 23 — This mystery comedy looks pretty funny in its first previews.  Rachel McAdams, Jason Bateman, Kyle Chandler, and Lamorne Morris star as a group of friends take on a crime mystery that spills outside the game.

Death Wish – March 2 — Eli Roth directs Bruce Willis in a reboot of the action series made famous by Charles Bronson.  Also starring Vincent D’Onofrio and Elisabeth Shue.

Red Sparrow – March 2 — A ballerina is recruited to be a Russian agent in this spy thriller.  Starring Jennifer Lawrence, Joel Edgerton, Mary-Louise Parker, Ciarán Hinds, Joely Richardson, and Jeremy Irons.

Gringo – March 9 — A businessman is drawn into the world of drug lords in an action/comedy/drama starring Charlize Theron, David Oyelowo, Joel Edgerton, Amanda Seyfried, and Alan Ruck.

A Wrinkle in Time – March 9 — Fans of the children’s book have been waiting for this one, coming from Disney.  Starring Oprah Winfrey, Michael Peña, Mindy Kaling, and Chris Pine.

Small Town Crime – March 11 — Writer/director brothers Eshom and Ian Nelms’ story about an ex-cop played by John Hawkes who finds a dead body and teams up with Robert Forster, and Clifton Collins, Jr. to find her killer.  Could this be the next Hell or High Water?  With Octavia Spencer, Anthony Anderson, and Caity Lotz.

Tomb Raider – March 16 — Academy Award winning actress Alicia Vikander is video game star Lara Croft in a reboot of the film series.  With Hannah-John Kamen.

7 Days in Entebbe – March 16 — Rosamund Pike, Daniel Brühl, and Eddie Marsan star in director José Padilha’s look at the 1976 Air France hijacking.

Pacific Rim: Uprising – March 23 — Steven S. DeKnight directs the sequel to Peter Jackson’s battle of giant robots and Godzilla-inspired monsters.  Starring Star Wars’ John Boyega and The Great Wall’s Tian Jing.

Isle of Dogs – March 23 — Wes Anderson returns to The Fantastic Mr. Fox territory to follow a boy in Japan in search of his dog.  With a huge all-star cast of voice actors including Bill Murray, Scarlett Johansson, Jeff Goldblum, Bryan Cranston, Live Schreiber, Harvey Keitel, Bob Balaban, Tilda Swinton, F. Murray Abraham, Ken Watanabe, Courtney B. Vance, and Yoko Ono.

Sherlock Gnomes – March 23 — An animated adventure featuring the voices of Johnny Depp, Emily Blunt, James McAvoy, and Michael Caine.

Ready Player One –  March 30 —  Steven Spielberg’s look at the OASIS finally arrives to take us all back to the nostalgia of the 1980s.  Starring Tye Sheridan, Olivia Cooke, Hannah John-Kamen, Simon Pegg, and Ben Mendelsohn.

A Quiet Place – April 6 — Actor John Krasinski directs a supernatural horror thriller taking place in the woods.  Starring Emily Blunt and Krasinski.

The New Mutants – April 13 — The first Marvel Comics horror film featuring X-Men.  Starring Maisie Williams and Charlie Heaton.

Rampage – April 20 — Dwayne Johnson stars in this adaptation of the 1980s video game.

Duck Duck Goose – April 20 — Animated comedy about a goose that must befriend a pair of ducklings.  Starring the voices of Jim Gaffigan, Zendaya, and Greg Proops.

Avengers: Infinity War – May 4 — It all comes down to one epic clash: Avengers unite with the Guardians of the Galaxy, Doctor Strange, and more against Josh Brolin’s Thanos.  Kevin Feige’s team-up everyone has been waiting for.

Solo: A Star Wars Story – May 28 — Ron Howard directs the early adventures of Han Solo, Chewbacca, and Lando.  Starring Alden Ehrenreich, Donald Glover, Clint Howard, Paul Bettany, Emilia Clarke, and Woody Harrelson.

Deadpool 2 – June 1 — Ryan Reynolds is joined by Josh Brolin as Cable in the next chapter in the R-Rated X-Men superhero film series that made all sorts of box office records.

Ocean’s 8 – June 8 — Sandra Bullock takes the classic comedy heist action series forward.  Co-starring Dakota Fanning, Olivia Munn, Anne Hathaway, Mindy Kaling, Helena Bonham Carter, Katie Holmes, and more.

The Incredibles 2 – June 15 — Director Brad Bird finally brings the superhero family back to theaters in a new adventure.  No capes!

Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom – June 22 — Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard return in the second installment of the new films based on Michael Crichton’s novels.

Sicario 2: Soldado – June 29 — Benicio Del Toro and Josh Brolin return in this sequel to the illegal drug trade drama.

Ant-Man and the Wasp – July 6 — Paul Rudd returns as our favorite tiny superhero as Evangeline Lilly finally gets to don her supersuit to make the newest Marvel team-up. Co-starring Hannah John-Kamen, Michelle Pfeiffer, and Michael Douglas.

Alita: Battle Angel – July 20 — Robert Rodriguez directs Rosa Salazar, Jennifer Connelly, Jeff Fahey, Jackie Earle Haley, and Christoph Waltz in a James Cameron story as a robot finds her way in a modern twist on Pinocchio.

Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again – July 20 — Pride and Prejudice and Zombies star Lily James joins Amanda Seyfried and most of the original cast for this sequel/prequel to the ABBA musical.

Mission: Impossible 6 – July 27 — Tom Cruise returns in the action series’ next installment.

The Predator – August 3 —  Director Shane Black’s eagerly awaited return to the classic sci-fi head hunter.  Starring Lochlyn Munro, Yvonne Strahovski, Jake Busey, Keegan-Michael Key, Olivia Munn, and Edward James Olmos.

Barbie – August 8 — The famous doll gets her own movie.  Starring Anne Hathaway.

The Equalizer 2 – August 10 — Antoine Fuqua returns to direct Denzel Washington in the sequel to the 2014 remake of the 1980s television series.  With Pedro Pascal and Bill Pullman.

The Meg – August 10 — Jason Statham’s next action movie, this time facing off against a 70-foot shark.

Robin Hood – September 21 — Yet another look at the Robin Hood tale updated for modern audiences.  Starring Taron Egerton, Paul Anderson, Ben Mendelsohn, and Jamie Foxx.

Smallfoot – September 28 — A yeti is determined to prove the elusive creatures known as “humans” actually exist in this animated film.  Starring Zendaya, Channing Tatum, and Gina Rodriguez.

Venom – October 5 — Todd McFarlane’s horror story is slated to be heading your way.  Starring Tom Hardy and Michelle Williams.

First Man – October 12 — Ryan Gosling plays astronaut Neil Armstrong in biopic of the Apollo mission that made him famous.  With Jason Clarke, Claire Foy, and Jon Bernthal.

The Jungle Book – October 19 — Live action version of the Rudyard Kipling classic.  With Cate Blanchett, Andy Serkis, Christian Bale, Benedict Cumberbatch, Naomie Harris, and Eddie Marsan.

Halloween – October 19 — Jamie Lee Curtis is back again as Laurie Strode in the role that made her famous.  Directed by David Gordon Green.

X-Men: Dark Phoenix – November 2 — Jessica Chastain joins the Marvel universe of X-Men as Sophie Turner, James McAvoy, Jennifer Lawrence, and the gang see Jean Grey meet her destiny.

Holmes and Watson – November 9 — Men in Black III writer Etan Cohen directs a comedy version of the famous detective.  Starring Will Farrell, John C. Reilly, Hugh Laurie, Kelly MacDonald, and Ralph Fiennes.

Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindlewald – November 16 — Johnny Depp’s bad guy takes center stage in the next J.K. Rowling story of Newt Scamander.  With Ezra Miller, Jude Law, Eddie Redmayne, Katherine Waterston, and Zoë Kravitz.

Mortal Engines – December 14 — Christian Rivers directs a Peter Jackson screenplay of a post-apocalypse Earth.  With Hugo Weaving.

Bumblebee – December 21 — A Transformers prequel set in 1987 as Bumblebee is discovered in a small beach town.  Starring Hailee Steinfeld and John Cena.

Aquaman – December 21 — Jason Momoa and Amber Heard star in the undersea superhero’s first solo adventure.

Mary Poppins Returns – December 25 — Rob Marshall brings back the classic character a modern generation only knows from Guardians of the Galaxy 2 and Star Wars: The Last Jedi.  Starring Emily Blunt as everyone’s favorite nanny.  Said to have a cameo by Dick Van Dyke.

Bohemian Rhapsody – December 25 — Rami Malek plays Freddie Mercury in biopic of Queen’s lead singer.

Some films don’t have locked-in release dates yet.  From Sylvester Stallone we expect to see Tough as They Come with Adam Driver, plus Creed II, and Escape Plan 2 all in 2018.  Chris Pratt, Vincent D’Onofrio, and Dane DeHaan are expected to star in D’Onofrio’s Western genre film The Kid.  Amazon Prime and Netflix will no doubt premier some late announced films, too.

C.J. Bunce
Editor
borg.com