US release date: July 11
Fantastic Four: first steps
Could the third time be a charm for the Fantastic Four? That’s what fans are wondering about this superhero team, which seems cursed when it comes to adapting their work for film. In 2005 we had Jessica Alba, Ioan Gruffudd, Michael Chiklis and a pre-Captain America Chris Evans in the quartet; 10 years later, it was Kate Mara, Miles Teller, Michael B. Jordan and Jamie Bell. For Fantastic Four: first stepsthe cast is undoubtedly impressive: Vanessa Kirby as Sue Storm/Invisible Woman, Pedro Pascal as Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic; Joseph Quinn as Johnny Storm/Human Torch and Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Ben Grimm/The Thing. But perhaps the missing ingredient in previous iterations has been the creative force behind the camera, which in this case is Matt Shakman, best known for his career in television, where he directed episodes of Game of Thrones, WandaVision, The Greatand – more prolifically – more than 40 payments of It’s always sunny in Philadelphiaincluding the fan favorite “The Nightman Cometh”.
US release date: July 25
The Battle of Baktan Cross
Just because we have no idea what Paul Thomas Anderson’s new film is about doesn’t mean we’re not dying to know more. Especially based on what we TO DO know it. Namely: that this will be Anderson’s first film released in IMAX and will feature an all-star cast including Leonardo DiCaprio, Regina Hall, Sean Penn, Wood Harris and Alana Haim.
US release date: August 8
The Bride!
Like a more independent Greta Gerwig, actress-turned-filmmaker Maggie Gyllenhaal has quietly built an impressive filmography behind the camera. Five years after landing an Oscar nomination (his second) in 2022 for best adapted screenplay for The lost girlGyllenhaal follows that film – and jumps on the Universal Monster Movie bandwagon – with this remake of Bride of Frankensteinwhich the writer-director wishes to imbue with a strong feminist sensitivity. The film will reunite Gyllenhaal with Jessie Buckley, whom she directed and nominated for Best Supporting Actress. The lost girl and here plays the eponymous wife of Frankenstein’s monster, who will be played by Christian Bale, reuniting Gyllenhaal with his former Batman costar. Maggie’s brother Jake and her husband Peter Sarsgaard will also appear. Although this is an official release date for Guillermo del Toro’s film Frankensteinstarring Oscar Isaac, Jacob Elordi and Mia Goth, has yet to be announced, it looks like these two films could make for one big mini-marathon.
US release date: September 26
Bugonia
Would it really be a true year for cinema if we didn’t have at least one absurdist comedy from Yorgos Lanthimos? (The answer: no.) Will Tracy (The Menu) will write the screenplay for this English-language remake of Jang Joon-hwan’s film Let’s save the green planet! The film will reunite Lanthimos with his current muse Emma Stone, who will play the CEO of a major pharmaceutical company kidnapped by conspiracy theorists (one of them played by Jesse Plemons, now another member of the regular stable of Lanthimos) who believe her to be an extraterrestrial with plans to conquer planet Earth.
US release date: November 7
Avatar: Fire and Ash
No matter how much time passes or how long the original is Avatar seems to be disappearing from the cultural conversation, there’s no denying that James Cameron’s blue people know how to put butts in seats. Even though it seems like the second film in the series didn’t generate much buzz after its release, nor was it met with an overwhelming amount of positive discussion, The way of water somehow, it still made enough money ($2.3 billion and some change) to secure its place as the third highest-grossing film of all time – a resounding success . Titanic up to number 4 and sitting just below the original Avatar (2009) and Avengers: Endgame (2019). From what we know of the film, the “Ash” of the title refers to a much less benevolent group of Na’vi who change everything we know about Pandora.
US release date: December 19
Peaky Blinders
One year later Oppenheimer (and the Barbenheimer phenomenon) made Cillian Murphy one of the biggest movie stars on the planet, the Irish actor is returning to his roots. For over a decade, Murphy played gangster-turned-politician Tommy Selby on the Steven Knight-created period crime series, Peaky Blinders. Soon, he will reprise the role in the big screen version of Knight’s series. He will be joined by several familiar faces, including Stephen Graham, Sophie Rundle and Paul Anderson, with a list of exciting additions to the cast including Barry Keoghan, Rebecca Ferguson and Tim Roth. Although we may not be able to see the big screen version of Peaky Blinders until early 2026, recording our anticipation certainly can’t hurt. Who knows, maybe it can even help?
US release date: 2025/2026
