2018 is fast approaching and after The Shaun Wren Blog looked back with the Top 10 films of 2017.
It’s time to look forward to the upcoming 12 months with the top 30 most anticipated films of 2018. Part 1 will focus on the notable mentions that just missed out all the way down to 21.
Notable Mentions
Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom – Universal (Friday 8th June)
I’m going to be saying this a lot but it’s the talent that interests me more than the film itself as director J.A Bayona gets his chance to helm a big budget film and I’m hoping he’s able to embed the love and heart from A Monster Calls as well as making it a bit scarier for this reboot sequel. Plus who doesn’t love Chris Pratt?
Bumblebee – Paramount (Friday 28th October)
Up to this point, Michael Bay’s Transformer films have been shit. Luckily Paramount turned to Travis Knight who directed the incredible Kubo and the Two Strings and I think he’ll be able to connect with the audience better then Bay could. Additionally, adding a young talent of Hailee Steinfeld’s standard could only be a good thing.
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| IMAGE VIA EMPIRE MAGAZINE |
Pacific Rim: Uprising – Universal (Friday 23rd March)
The first Pacific Rim is a better Transformers movie than anything Michael Bay has done and even though it didn't do amazingly in theatres I’m glad to see it get a sequel. I’m glad Steve S DeKnight is getting a chance to helm a big budget film and hopefully, this will be a launching pad for more things. Meanwhile, it’ll be interesting to see who well John Boyega leading this new generation.
However, they have massive competition in the form of Disney’s A Wrinkle in Time.
Mowgli – Warner Bros (Friday 19th October)
After the massive success of Disney’s live-action/CG Jungle Book its interesting how the Andy Serkis directed live-action/CG Jungle Book film will do for Warner Bros. However, it does have a lot going for it, the cast is incredible it includes Christian Bale, Cate Blanchett and Benedict Cumberbatch then add the king of CG directing to the mix it’s going to be fascinating what this film will look like.
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| IMAGE VIA EMPIRE MAGAZINE |
Fighting With My Family – N/A (TBC)
As a wrestling fan, this film interests the crap out of me and it's the same for all wrestling fans as this is film centres on the backstory and rise of WWE wrestler Paige aka Raya Knight. The cast is packed with Hollywood talent like Lena Headey, Nick Frost, Vince Vaughn and Dwayne Johnson. Plus upcoming British talents like Florence Pugh, who won rave reviews and movie indie awards for Lady Macbeth, and Jack Lowden, who’s got a big year ahead post-Dunkirk.
It’ll also be interesting how Stephen Merchant does as a director.
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| IMAGE VIA SEVEN BUCKS PRODUCTIONS |
With the notable mentions sorted it’s time to get into the proper list:
30. Rampage – Warner Bros (Friday 13th April)
"From the team that brought you San Andreas" already sold me on this film. Rampage (based on the arcade game) is about Dwayne Johnson befriending an ape called George who turns massive and destroys a city with other monsters and it's down to Johnson to save the day and his friend.
If this doesn’t scream, big, stupid, entertaining, forget your brain at the door fun, I don’t know what does. Johnson and director Brad Peyton did a great job on San Andreas I’m sure they’ll do so again.
29. Robin Hood – Lionsgate (Friday 21st September)
I’m predicting Robin Hood will be this year’s Power Ranger, disliked by large number critics but I’m going to find highly enjoyable. The cast isn’t too bad either with Taron Egerton (Kingsman), Jamie Foxx and Ben Mendelsohn. Elsewhere, I think Lionsgate is hoping this a success and becomes their next big franchise after failing with Power Rangers.
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| IMAGE VIA EW/ LARRY HORRICKS/ LIONSGATE |
28. A Wrinkle In Time – Disney (Friday 23rd March)
A Wrinkle in Time has everything going for it. This is the film director Ava DuVernay chose this over Black Panther (though that’s worked out brilliantly for Disney) as well as being a passion project for Frozen director/writer Jennifer Lee. It has an incredible cast including Reese Witherspoon, Oprah Winfrey, Chris Pine, Gugu Mbatha-Raw and Mindy Kaling.
Even though it’s going up against Pacific Rim: Uprising, I can’t see anything but this film being a massive worldwide success.
27. Skyscraper – Universal (Friday 13th July)
Another Dwayne Johnson movie and it see him re-team with his Central Intelligence director Rawson Marshall Thurber. The plot is kept under wraps at the moment, but by the look of things via Johnson’s Instagram, it’s basically Die Hard in China.
Much like Rampage, this could be a fantastically entertaining action film.
26. Annihilation – Netflix/Paramount (Friday 23rd February)
This is an interesting film because Annihilation is the follow-up from Ex Machina helmer Alex Garland and it’s unknown if Paramount will be releasing the film worldwide or just the US and Netflix has the worldwide rights and it’ll be a shame because it looks like a film to see on the big screen and then talk about afterwards.
The trailer fascinates me and the cast looks great with Oscar Isaac, Natalie Portman and I’d see anything with Tessa Thompson in.
25. Alita: Battle Angel – 20th Century Fox (Friday 20th July)
This film came out of the blue for me. Based on the highly loved manga and anime with Fox hoping it doesn’t do a Ghost in the Shell and be successful for the studio. What got me interested was the trailer with the cyberpunk feel, the song and even though the big eyes my put off some people I found myself liking them! This could be a refreshing blockbuster this summer, but it’ll need a great word of mouth to help it.
The cast is decent with Christoph Waltz, Jennifer Connelly, Mahershala Ali, Jackie Earle Haley, Eiza Gonzalez and Rosa Salazar as Alita.
24. Mary, Queen of Scots – Universal (Friday 14th September)
This movie as Margot Robbie and Saoirse Ronan, I’m sold. The film centres on Mary (Ronan) trying to overthrow her cousin Elizabeth I (Robbie) before being condemned to years of imprisonment before getting executed.
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| IMAGE VIA EW/ LIAM DANIEL/ FOCUS FEATURES |
This film will likely be a super early Oscar/awards contender and should show off the acting talents of two of the brightest young Hollywood actresses. The film also includes David Tennant, Jack Lowden and Gemma Chan.
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| IMAGE VIA EW/ LIAM DANIEL/ FOCUS FEATURES |
23. Mary Poppins Returns – Disney (Friday 21st December)
I love Mary Poppins, it’s the perfect film. So I was a bit annoyed Disney announced they were going to do a sequel as there doesn’t need to be one.
The only things that are giving me hope is the perfect casting of Emily Blunt as Poppins and Lin-Manuel Miranda as Jack with the hope Miranda was able to write and perform a number of songs.
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| IMAGE VIA USA TODAY/ DISNEY/ JAY MAIDMENT |
22. The Happytime Murders – STX International (Friday 17th August)
It’s been a long time since we've seen anything original from the Jim Henson Company and what a way to return with this adult puppet/live action with Brian Henson at the helm, first time directing since Muppets Treasure Island. The film includes Melissa McCarthy, Elizabeth Banks and Maya Rudolph.
When the puppet cast of a ‘80s children’s TV show called The Happytime Gang begins to get murdered one-by-one, a disgraced LAPD detective-turned-private eye puppet takes on the case.
This could be a perfect film to end the summer.
21. Bohemian Rhapsody – 20th Century Fox (Friday 28th December)
Just missing out on the top 20 is the Freddie Mercury/Queen biopic Bohemian Rhapsody with Rami Malek playing the iconic frontman.
Malek looks incredible as the charismatic rock legend and even with the recent issues with their change of director late on hopefully it’ll still make its end of year release date.
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| IMAGE VIA 20TH CENTURY FOX/ NEW REGENCY |
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