My Most Anticipated Movies of 2017

2016 has come and gone, which means it's time to look ahead to see what films are coming in 2017. I'm aware of quite a few more than the ones on this list, and I'm sure that variety in what I see will only grow as I seek out new films. My most anticipated movies of the year are mostly blockbusters, but that's only because those movies build up so much hype around themselves. The smaller, quieter releases that come later in the year can get me just as excited, and I can't wait to see what surprises 2017 will bring.

So, without further ado, here are my most anticipated movies of 2017:

STAR WARS: EPISODE VIII

Of course this is at the top of the list. Despite Rogue One being a bit of a misstep, I have full faith in Rian Johnson for the next official entry in the Star Wars series. The Force Awakens was my favourite movie of last year, and the only thing that was a bit frustrating about it was all the questions left open at the end. Although, because JJ Abrams isn't directing Episode VIII, those questions are far more likely to have satisfying answers instead of frustrating ones. I really do love the new characters, and I'm excited to see where Episodes VIII and IX take them. What I really hope to see is some new developments with them; there are millions of fan theories floating around about what could happen to each character, but I just want something unexpected to happen. Do something completely out of left field, like make Rey turn to the dark side, or reveal some new aspects about the Force, or bring in some new species, vehicles, and weapons. The series has re-traced enough old ground, and they should use the creative minds that they have on-board to craft the definitive Star Wars story for a new generation. There's endless potential, and since I have no doubt that the Star Wars films aren't ending anytime in the foreseeable future, I hope that they can add some variety to keep the galaxy engaging. I'll always be excited about a Star Wars film to some degree, and after The Force Awakens brought the series back to quality with such efficiency, I hope Episode VIII can keep that level of quality high. Production is well underway now, and with such a tight lid being kept on everything, I hope that there are a lot of surprises when I finally see it.


LOGAN

I didn't expect this to be my most anticipated comic book movie of the year, but I have very high hopes for it. The first trailer generated a lot of hype, but the ideas behind the film itself are just as strong. They would never be able to make a straight adaptation of the Old Man Logan comic, because the rights for so many essential characters in that story belong to Marvel Studios. Instead, this film is going to ground the story, and give Hugh Jackman an R-rated, gritty, human superhero film is a great idea. An R-rating isn't any indicator of quality, but it does show that a very different approach is being taken with Logan, much like the direction that was taken with Deadpool. But I have a feeling that Logan will use its rating to much greater effect, because the goal of the film is much different. Given that this is also Hugh Jackman's last outing as the character, a character that he's been portraying for the last seventeen years, I have no doubt that a lot of effort was put into making sure that his last outing was his best. Though to be fair, the previous Wolverine films haven't set that high of a bar. The X-Men film franchise may be pretty shaky and inconsistent, but if they can give Wolverine the final adventure he deserves, then at least some of it will be made up for. Some of it. Not X-Men Origins: Wolverine, though.


SPIDER-MAN: HOMECOMING

Well, here we are with the third Spider-Man of the last decade, and I'm somehow still excited. Pretty much the only thing that gives me hope about this movie is that Spider-Man is now back at Marvel Studios where he belongs. Captain America: Civil War showed - even with limited screen-time - how naturally Tom Holland fits both sides of the character, and now that he's not a last-minute addition, the filmmakers will be able to craft his identity much more clearly. The film is clearly learning  from previous outings in the franchise and is now moving in a much different direction. They're going to be focusing on a teenage Peter Parker in high school, and the dynamic that Peter has with Tony Stark looks to be a lot of fun. There hasn't really been a bond like that in the Marvel films before, and I'm excited to see where it will lead. It looks like they're doing everything they can to connect Spider-Man to the MCU (presumably to eliminate all ties to the Amazing Spider-Man series), which is really the best direction to go in. Michael Keaton is also the lead villain - the Vulture - who we've never seen on-screen before, so at least they're not re-hashing as much as they could be, and they have an generally amazing cast on-board. Overall, I have immense faith that Marvel will be able to do what Sony failed to do; deliver a consistently good Spider-Man character and series. Everything looks solid so far, and hopefully the final product will deliver on all its potential.


THOR: RAGNAROK

I have absolutely no idea what to expect from this movie. While the previous two entries in the Thor series haven't given me a whole lot of hope, the fact that Taika Waititi is directing this one is very intriguing. This film will be on a much larger scale than anything he's done before, but I think that Waititi will bring a very unique sense of humour to it. Humour has always been a strong suit of Thor's character, and given that this film is going to be very apocalyptic, some lightness will be needed to keep things balanced. But this film is also going to be a team-up of sorts; Mark Ruffalo is returning as the Hulk, and seeing Thor and him battle together is sure to be a lot of fun. I don't know how much influence the comic storylines will have on this film, but hopefully they're light enough that the film can mostly do its own thing. No matter how well this movie turns out, I think it'll be a fun ride based on Waititi's directorial skills and the talented cast alone. Jeff Goldblum is in it too, so that's an enormous plus.


GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL. 2

Guardians of the Galaxy is one of my favourite of the Marvel films, mostly because of how it stands alone in the overall universe. With James Gunn directing the sequel and bringing in more insane, obscure characters and elements from old Marvel comics, I'm sure that this sequel will be just as good as - if not better than - the first. Now that the characters are established, they can be developed in new, interesting ways, and I hope that there will be some real emotional depth added. That Star-Lord's father - who is also Ego the Living Planet, somehow - is an important part of the plot has great dramatic potential, but I'm sure that the general tone of the film will be fairly light. At this point, I don't know what the plot's going to be and I don't really care. I have the utmost faith in James Gunn and Marvel Studios, and I'm sure that this film will be a great time. Baby Groot alone is fantastic, and this movie is sure to make a billion dollars off merchandise for him alone.


THE LEGO BATMAN MOVIE

The Lego Movie took everyone by surprise simply by not being a shallow advertisement disguised as a film. For me, the standout character was Lego Batman, and making a spin-off for him actually makes a lot of sense. There's a lot of potential here, mainly to have a sense of self-awareness about the more ridiculous aspects of the Batman character. As a huge Batman fan, I love to see a good satirical look at him as well, and the extreme degree of this film's humour isn't missing any opportunity. I'm especially looking forward to it because the rest of the DC cinematic universe is so dark and serious. It'll be nice to have a film that's just able to take these characters on a fun adventure, without having to worry about being dark and gritty. It's also got a fantastic voice cast, so everything about it seems set for great success.


WAR FOR THE PLANET OF THE APES

I absolutely loved the last film in the re-booted Planet of the Apes series, and this latest film looks to be following in that film's footsteps more than any other. While there was certainly a lot of conflict between the humans and apes in Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, this film is going into all-out war. I'm not sure if this will be the final film in the series, because they could very easily go into the original series' stories. However they choose to wrap up the story will certainly lead into the original film in some way. For now, the motion-capture still looks fantastic, and I'm still surprised by how invested I've gotten in the story of a bunch of CGI apes. I am excited to see how Caesar's story will continue - or possibly resolve - and Woody Harrelson looks to be an imposing villain. The effects seem to be getting better and better, and the way that the world of this series is evolving is fascinating. I just can't wait to get back into that world and see where this adventure takes me, although I'm sure it won't be to a happy ending.


DUNKIRK

I love Christopher Nolan. His films aren't all perfect, but the way that he crafts them pretty much guarantees an entertaining experience for me. This is a bit different than what I've seen from him before, especially since he's tackling a true story. I'm sure he'll inject the events with a huge sense of cinematic scale, while still being respectful of what really happened. The only problem that ever really arise in Nolan's films is that there's usually some sort of weird plot element, but sticking with historical events should help that problem. Really, I'll be very excited to see whatever Nolan does, especially since he's approaching new material with such variety. His attention to detail and reality is sure to make this film as engaging as possible.


PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: SALAZAR'S REVENGE

I didn't realize how much I missed the Pirates of the Caribbean series until now. While it is deeply silly, and the scale of good films to bad is tilted pretty far in one direction, I still love the world, and at this point I just want to see what weird direction they'll take the story in. Orlando Bloom is returning as Will Turner, which will probably give me more of a nostalgia boost than it should. I am getting tired of Johnny Depp's shtick as Jack Sparrow, and I know that he'll definitely be overused, but it's fun for a while. I know that I shouldn't be excited for this movie at all, but I just am. The Pirates of the Caribbean series defies logic, in my life and in the movies themselves.


KONG: SKULL ISLAND

This movie has a lot of potential to be really good or really bad. It looks gorgeous, and Kong himself has been very well-realized with effects. The real quality will lie in the characters and story, and I don't know if the cast will be enough to elevate what could be very weak material. On the other hand, it looks like an entertaining enough monster movie, and that's the only thing it really needs to be. I'm also excited about the fact that this movie is leading to a Godzilla/King Kong crossover, and that's something we haven't seen on the big screen in quite a while. Hopefully this movie will set Kong up well, and the crossover becomes something to look forward to beyond the idea itself.


BEAUTY AND THE BEAST

Although I know exactly what to expect from this film - because it's likely going to be an exact re-tread of the original - I'm still interested to see what this reboot will do. Disney's live-action remakes of their classic animated work has turned out pretty well so far (except for Maleficent), and I have no doubt that Beauty and the Beast of all things will be handled with a lot of care. The cast is solid, the visuals look great, all that remains to be seen now is if it can capture the same magic as the original.


JOHN WICK: CHAPTER 2

The first John Wick was one of my favourite movies of 2014. My favourite part about it was the world that it crafted around the characters, and this sequel just offers up more opportunity to explore that world. I have a feeling that the catalyst for John Wick to get back into action will be a tad forced this time around, but it'll be worth it to see more incredible action. The first film had a sense of self-awareness, but never so much that it became comedy or self-parody. Rather, the movie just had a lot of fun with its story and characters, and I'm sure the sequel will be able to do the same. It seems like it's not hard to screw up, but it really is. As long as they can keep the tone consistent and the action good, it should be a solid sequel.


KINGSMAN: THE GOLDEN CIRCLE

The first Kingsman was just so much fun. It was a clever and hilarious parody of the Bond films, but it also stands on its own as a solid action movie and comedy. Matthew Vaughn is back on board as writer/director, and new additions to the cast like Channing Tatum, Jeff Bridges and - weirdly - Elton John makes it look like they might lean into humour a bit more this time around, which should be great. I don't know much about the plot at this point, but unless they go off in a really strange direction, it should be well put-together. Matthew Vaughn's work is generally great, and this is the first sequel that he's ever done before, so hopefully he'll be able to deliver the same hilarious, exciting spy adventure as he did the first time around.


T2: TRAINSPOTTING

Trainspotting is an absolutely fantastic film. While this sequel might at first seem unnecessary, it is based on a sequel to the original book, so the material is there. That, and the fact that the director and original cast are all returning, makes me feel like this movie will feel anything but forced. Based on the trailer - which might have been my favourite of the year - the insane visual style is very much still a part of this film, and the cast all look to be working at their best, and keeping the energy of the original film alive. Above all else, it's just going to be nice to see these characters together again, and although I am prepared for a lot of darkness, I'm also prepared for a lot of fun.


BABY DRIVER

Anything Edgar Wright touches turns to gold. He's one of my favourite working directors, with a brilliant vision for both writing and directing. Though he's done his best work when collaborating with Simon Pegg and Nick Frost, the quality of his other work speaks for itself, and I'm beyond excited to see some new original work from him. With cast members like Kevin Spacey, Jaime Foxx, and Jon Hamm, there's definitely a lot of potential for comedic gold. This film is also apparently going to be darker than Wright's previous work, which is very interesting. It won't be clear exactly what tone he's going for until we see some footage, but I can't wait to see what it's like. Whatever it is, it's sure to be distinct and a lot of fun.


BAYWATCH

Something about Dwayne Johnson just makes we want to see any movie he's in. He's just so charismatic, and he's proven in the past that he can be hilarious. While this movie definitely looks stupid, I never expected anything else. The self-aware approach is a good direction to take with this film, and if they just go for a straight comedy, it should be okay at least. Although, when comedies fall, they fall hard. And if this movie ends up being terrible, then at least you can appreciate a lot of shirtless Zac Efron, if that's your thing.


POWER RANGERS

I don't have any particular nostalgic attachment to Power Rangers, but I am interested to see how this new interpretation of the story will play out. Tonally, it's certainly trying to be darker and a lot more grounded than the show, and that almost makes it feel like a parody. But that new tone may prove to be refreshing, and it gives the filmmakers and studio an opportunity to reinvent how the public views the Power Rangers. I'm sure that this film will have most of the same elements as the TV series, but as long as they're not all made even more ridiculous by trying to be darker - which is a common side effect of reboots like these - it should be fine. The side cast, including Elizabeth Banks, Bill Hader, and Bryan Cranston, is fantastic, and hopefully the film can find a consistent tone and rhythm. If it wants to be fun and goofy, go for it, and the same thing if they want to be dark and serious. It is possible to strike a balance between the two tones, and hopefully this film manages to find that balance.


IT

I'm a big fan of Stephen King's work, and although I've never read the entirety of the It book, what I did read was pretty great. I'm also very familiar with the iconic TV mini-series adaptation from 1990, and I don't like it very much. Although it's pretty badly made, there's no denying how great Tim Currey is in the role of Pennywise, so Bill Skarsgård certainly has his work cut out for him. I don't know if they'll be able to capture the novel's sprawling story in only one movie, and maybe another mini-series would have been the way to go. Then again, other adaptations of King's work have ended up terrible, but terrible in a very interesting, hilarious way. So with this version of It, I'm hoping for genuine goodness or unbelievable awfulness.


THE MUMMY

This movie looks ridiculous. Absolutely ridiculous. Despite the fact that it'll almost certainly end up being bad, and it's basically been turned into another vehicle for Tom Cruise to make money, it looks so goofy and weird that I can't help but be intrigued. It's also the first step in establishing a shared universe for the classic Universal monsters, which is almost certainly going to fail. Dracula Untold fell flat on its face, and I really see no reason to believe that The Mummy won't end up being bad as well. But if it's entertainingly bad, then that's something. An immortal Tom Cruise fighting a mummy princess, with Russell Crowe playing Dr. Jekyll? This movie will certainly be an experience, even if it doesn't end up being a good one.


THE MASTERPIECE

The Room is one of my favourite movies of all time, but it exists on another list from movies that are actually good. Because of my love for it, I really enjoyed the behind-the-scenes book The Masterpiece, written by Greg Sestero. While I don't know that a film adaptation of the book is entirely necessary, the fact that James Franco is behind it adds such a unique layer of "why?" to the whole thing. Franco is a talented comedic actor, and playing Tommy Wiseau is no small feat, since it's arguable that Wiseau himself is even capable of seeming human. A comedic approach is pretty much the only way this material can be handled, and even if Franco's previous work isn't flawless, he at least has a grasp on ridiculousness. But if this movie is promoted widely and The Room enters mainstream conversation, that would be fantastic. I think everyone should see The Room anyway, so hopefully more people can discover its brilliance.


GOD PARTICLE (or CLOVERFIELD 3)

There was already a lot of chatter about this movie before it was revealed that it was going to be the next film in the Cloverfield anthology series. I hope that this next film manages to create a connection between all the films, since there's no clear link present now. Beyond that, I know absolutely nothing about it; an airtight lid is being kept on production, much like most of what Abrams works on. The cast is pretty great, but we'll have to wait for any sign of promotional material to get some sort of idea of where this film is going. I couldn't even find a real production still. That image up there might not even be from God Particle. It's just what showed up when I Googled the title.


FREE FIRE

Although Ben Wheatley's last film, High-Rise, didn't make my Top 10 of 2016, it was very close. As a result, I'll look forward to whatever he brings his very stylized vision to next. By all accounts, this is another fantastic film by him, and I can't wait to see it. Cast members like Brie Larson, Cillian Murphy, and Sharlto Copley are all great, and the story sounds like it has the possibility to be a tense, exciting action movie. I just hope that Wheatley can bring the same flair to this film, and I'm sure he'll deliver.

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Well, we've got a big year ahead of us. There's quite a bit of variety to what I already know about, but I have no doubt that a bunch of new films will appear on my radar later in the year. I'm very excited to see what the year will bring, and what will end up great, terrible, a surprise or a disappointment. I'm sure I'll see lots that fit those categories.

One thing's for sure, though. Justice League will probably suck.