Following up on Part 1 of our pick of Top 10 films we're eagerly anticipating to watch in a year filled with exciting sequels, here are our top 5 movies we can't wait to catch in 2018.
5. Ocean's 8
What’s It About? It’s a heist film featuring an all-women band of thieves and con artists. Their target? The annual Met Gala in New York City, since it’s filled with loads of rare jewels and such. Essentially Ocean’s 11 but without a Y chromosome.
Why We’re Hyped About It: The star-studded list says it all: we have Sandra Bullock, Cate Blanchett, Rihanna, Mindy Kaling, Anne Hathaway, Helena Bonham Carter, Sarah Paulson, and YouTube singer-type person Awkwafina. There are just so many possible dynamics and interactions that can go on with these personalities, it’ll be in danger of being too charming.
It may not be helmed by Ocean’s 11 director Steven Soderbergh, but this sequel of sorts has its own flair and style to it.
Release Date: June 7
4. A Wrinkle In Time
What’s It About? Following the discovery of space travel and the disappearance of a scientist, his daughter and brother, and a friend, must head out to space in order to find him. They’ll be assisted by three peculiar beings: Mrs Which, Mrs Who, and Mrs Whatsit. A Wrinkle in Time is based on Madeleine L’Engle’s young adult novel of the same name.
Why We’re Hyped About It: Because Disney would like nothing more than to bank on a potential franchise. With an esoteric space-travelling story and a star-studded cast like Oprah Winfrey, Reese Witherspoon, and Mindy Kaling, expect the effects budget to skyrocket for this potentially whimsical sci-fi tale that could be the next young adult fiction franchise under the House of Mouse.
Oh, and it’s directed by Ava DuVerney, who is responsible for a lot of period & contemporary pieces like Selma, Queen Sugar, and 13th. Hard to believe that these sort of risk-heavy tales would have been relegated to direct-to-DVD fares ten years ago...
Release Date: March 8
3. Pacific Rim: Uprising
What’s It About? Set many years after the first Pacific Rim, the story is now told through the perspective of one Jake Pentecost (played by John Boyega), the son of the first film’s mentor archetype Stacker Pentecost and half-sister to the first film’s other main character Mako Mori. There’s a new kaiju threat on the loose, so it’s up to Jake and his co-pilot to gear up their giant Jaeger mechas and defend the Earth once again.
Why We’re Hyped About It: Sci-fi fans have been clamouring for a sequel to the first Pacific Rim, which is a love letter to anime and mecha fans out there. Now under a new director, Steve S. DeKnight, it remains to be seen if the film will adhere to the same vision set by its original director Guillermo del Toro. It’s a huge undertaking, sure, but the trailer and promise of more Jaeger action should satiate even the most jaded.
Release Date: March 22
2. Deadpool 2
What’s It About? Not much, since Twentieth Century Fox is tight-lipped about it and decides to put up a false description of it on IMDB just for laughs (allegedly). Stars Ryan Reynolds as Deadpool, Josh Brolin as grumpy gun-wielding time-traveller Cable, and Zazie Beetz as luck-altering mutant mercenary Domino.
Why We’re Hyped About It: If it’s anything like the first Deadpool film, expect lots of laughs, R-rated humour, violence, and fourth-wall breaking.
Release Date: June 1
1. Black Panther, Avengers: Infinity War, Ant-Man and the Wasp
What’s It About? A trifecta of Marvel films that will no doubt rake in the Disney money. Black Panther is about our title character, also known as King T’Challa, preventing his technologically-advanced country of Wakanda from being torn apart by various Wakandan factions.
Avengers: Infinity War is about the Avengers (consisting of Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.), Thor (Chris Hemsworth), Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), Captain America (Chris Evans), & various other heroes) defending Earth from a mad purple titan named Thanos (Josh Brolin), who is searching for Infinity Stones to power up his world-ending gauntlet.
Ant-Man & The Wasp is part life story from size-altering hero Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) as he balances his role as a superhero and father and part espionage thriller where he and the new Wasp heroine Hope van Dyne (Evangeline Lilly) uncover secrets of their past.
Why We’re Hyped About It: Simply put, the Marvel Cinematic Universe does not fail to entertain. The three of these films will bring in their own unique flavour to stand alone as feature films while also maintaining some semblance of continuity for the fandom.
Black Panther features an entirely African and African-American cast like Chadwick Boseman and Michael B. Jordan. Avengers: Infinity War the culmination of all the Marvel Cinematic films since Robert Downey Jr. made Iron Man and Tony Stark relevant again beginning in 2008. Ant-Man & The Wasp will bring in the small-and-large-size-altering action-comedy like its predecessor, now with Michelle Pfeiffer in the fray playing Hank Pym’s wife Janet Van Dyne (aka the original Wasp).
Release Date:
Black Panther - February 15
Avengers: Infinity War - April 26
Ant-Man & The Wasp - June 28
Honorable Mentions:
Isle Of Dogs - A Wes Anderson stop-motion animated flick set for March 22.
Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald - The next Harry Potter prequel film starring Eddie Redmayne and Johnny Depp as the criminal Grindelwald. Hits November 15.
Mary Poppins Return - The official Disney sequel to the 60s hit starring Emily Blunt as the titular maid. Flies in on December 24.
Mission: Impossible 6 - Tom Cruise ’s secret agent persona Ethan will be on another top-secret mission, which also stars Henry Cavill’s moustache and beard. Out July 26.
