Film critic Thor Diakow takes us through his most anticipated movies of the year, from big-budget blockbusters to, well, even bigger ones.
The LEGO Batman Movie
Starring Will Arnett, Ralph Fiennes
Directed by Chris McKay
Following the massive global success of 2014’s The Lego Movie – which featured a scene-stealing Caped Crusader – it was inevitable we would eventually get The Lego Batman Movie. Batman (Arnett) is struggling with his own loneliness, until he adopts a young boy who is destined to become his sidekick. With a solid cast including Michael Cera (Robin), Zach Galifianakis (The Joker), Mariah Carey (Mayor McCaskill), Rosario Dawson (Batgirl), and Ralph Fiennes as the stalwart butler Alfred, this family-friendly flick promises amazing vocal talents, top-notch animation, elaborate action sequences, and some well-pointed jabs at the franchise that should satisfy kids and adults alike.
Release Date: Feb. 10
Logan
Starring Hugh Jackman, Patrick Stewart
Directed by James Mangold
Taking a page from the massive success of 2016’s Deadpool, Hugh Jackman’s ninth and final kick at the can as the mutton-chopped mutant will be an adult-driven, R-rated Logan. Intended to be the 10th installment in the X-Men film series and the third solo film, the story is set in a bleak future where mutants are nearly wiped out, and follows an aged Wolverine as he tries to protect a young girl with similar powers. Inspired by the ‘Old Man Logan’ comic storyline and featuring Boyd Holbrook and Richard E. Grant as villains, Logan will hopefully provide a cinematic swan song befitting of the iconic fan-favourite character.
Release Date: Mar. 3
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 + Spider-Man: Homecoming + Thor: Ragnarok
2017 is sure to be a banner year for Marvel Studios with two sequels and a reboot on the way. Director James Gunn and the rest of the cast return for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (May 5), as the gang must unravel the mystery of Peter Quill’s (Chris Pratt) true parentage. We’ll be getting yet another web-slinging adventure on July 7 with Tom Holland’s solo feature debut in Spider-Man: Homecoming, with hot commodity Michael Keaton portraying the antagonistic Vulture and Robert Downey Jr. providing comic relief. Finally, the god of thunder (Chris Hemsworth’s third standalone movie) teams up with the Incredible Hulk (Mark Ruffalo) to protect his home world in Thor: Ragnarok (Nov. 3) with Taika Waititi at the helm. Let’s be totally honest, you’re gonna see at least one of them.
Alien: Covenant
Starring Katherine Waterston, Michael Fassbender
Directed by Ridley Scott
Following 2012’s ambitious but flawed prequel Prometheus, Ridley Scott returns to the 38-year-old Alien franchise and the terrifying universe that launched his career. This time around, the crew of the spaceship Covenant discovers a seemingly utopian world; however, its sole inhabitant – an android named David (Fassbender reprising his role) – carries a dire warning. Many supporters of the franchise were turned off by some of the hackneyed writing and religious allegory found in Prometheus, but early indications suggest Covenant could provide another Hitchcockian space thriller, more akin to the original with its ‘truckers in space’ motif and female lead (Waterston) reminiscent of Sigourney Weaver’s Ellen Ripley character from the previous films.
Release Date: May 19
Wonder Woman
Starring Gal Gadot, Chris Pine
Directed by Patty Jenkins
Forget this year’s crowded Justice League flick, because all eyes are on Wonder Woman as she finally graces the big screen to wield the golden lasso in her very own standalone flick. The plot sees Amazonian warrior Diana Prince (Gadot) leave the island of Themyscira in an attempt to end World War I. After the bitter disappointment of Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice and Suicide Squad, eyes are keenly fixed on this movie to see if Warner/DC can establish a truly credible superhero series to rival the likes of Disney/Marvel. An impressive cast (Chris Pine, Robin Wright, Danny Huston), dazzling visuals, an old school vibe and emphasis on butt-kicking give this upcoming comic-book adaptation a genuine sense of hope for fans.
Release Date: June 2
War for the Planet of the Apes
Starring Andy Serkis, Woody Harrelson
Directed by Matt Reeves
Since the release of 2011’s Rise of the Planet of the Apes and 2014’s Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, the franchise has never been so revered or perhaps relevant. In the third installment of the (locally shot) rebooted sci-fi saga, the apes and humanity are at war as Caesar (Serkis) is drawn into battle with a ruthless colonel (Harrelson). It’s still early to make a call but, judging from its predecessors, this movie promises bar-raising motion capture technology and state-of-the-art visual effects mixed with thought-provoking themes, convincing performances, and a downright chilling premise. The end result will surely be a far cry from the visual of Charlton Heston screaming on a beach in a loincloth.
Release Date: July 14
Dunkirk
Starring Kenneth Branagh, Cillian Murphy
Directed by Christopher Nolan
Filmmaker Christopher Nolan (of The Dark Knight trilogy and Interstellar fame) is never one to shy away from ambitious projects. The acclaimed director gets historical with the story of the Dunkirk evacuation in 1940, where civilian ships helped evacuate over 300,000 men from France as Allied forces began to withdraw in the Second World War. Nolan has never actually been nominated for an Academy Award for directing but that could all change soon. Shot on IMAX 65mm film and featuring a strong ensemble cast, Dunkirk is sure to deliver a gripping dose of historical drama, intensely realistic battle scenes, a signature aesthetic and some larger-than-life production design.
Release Date: July 21
The Dark Tower
Starring Idris Elba, Matthew McConaughey
Directed by Nikolaj Arcel
The long-awaited big screen version of Stephen King’s dystopian sci-fi/fantasy novels – stuck in development hell for years with various directors, including JJ Abrams, jumping on and off the project – finally comes to fruition this year. A young boy is transported to another dimension called Mid-World, where he aids a gunslinger named Roland (Elba) on a dangerous quest to the enigmatic Dark Tower as they’re pursued by a malevolent sorcerer known as The Man in Black (McConaughey). Described by many avid readers as “unfilmable”, the production team’s biggest challenge will be to streamline a complex series while offering a satisfying adaptation for extremely devoted fans.
Release Date: July 28
Blade Runner 2049
Starring Ryan Gosling, Harrison Ford
Directed by Denis Villeneuve
The buzz surrounding the follow-up to Ridley Scott’s 1982 cyberpunk classic is palpable. French Canadian director Denis Villeneuve (Arrival) takes the helm along with lead star and fellow Canuck, Ryan Gosling; Harrison Ford (reprising his role from the first one); original writer Hampton Fancher; composer Johan Johansson; and veteran cinematographer Roger Deakins. Few details are known about the plot at this time but the main story focuses on an LAPD blade runner (Gosling) on a mission to find Deckard (Ford), who has been missing for 30 years, and prevent a major catastrophe. Blade Runner 2049 looks great on paper; the true test will be whether the film will be a worthy companion to its predecessor.
Release Date: Oct. 6
Star Wars: Episode VIII
Starring Mark Hamill, Daisy Ridley
Directed by Rian Johnson
Still untitled as of press time, Episode VIII will hopefully answer many lingering questions from the box office juggernaut that was The Force Awakens. Questions like: ‘Who are Rey’s parents?’, ‘Will Kylo Ren stay on the Dark Side?’ and ‘Will Mark Hamill actually get some dialogue?’. The still-secretive plot involves Rey (Ridley) teaming up with Luke Skywalker (Hamill) to continue her epic journey. With auteur director Rian Johnson (Looper) behind the camera and cast additions including Laura Dern, Kelly Marie Tran, and Benicio Del Toro, the next installment in the beloved space-opera saga will hopefully dispense with the abundance of fan service and take the series in a bold new direction.
Release Date: Dec. 15
