The 2018 Movie Preview

Marvel's next superhero teamup, Avengers: Infinity War, neatly summarizes our feelings about the year in general: we're very excited but we don't know exactly what will happen! That hasn't stopped us from casting our eyes down the road and sharing our most anticipated movies. Won't you join us?

Further into The Further we go with this fourth installment of the popular horror series. ‘The Last Key’ follows the events of the previous movie, so it's also technically a prequel, as parapsychologist Elise Rainier (Lin Shaye) investigates a haunted house she lived in as a child.

Liam Neeson returns with his particular set of action hero skills for another movie by the director of ‘Unknown’ and ‘Non-Stop.’ This time he’s on a commuter train and mixed up in a criminal conspiracy plotted by Vera Farmiga.

The third chapter of the dystopian ‘Maze Runner’ series takes Thomas (Dylan O’Brien) and the other Gladers to their most challenging labyrinth yet in order to finally find a cure for "The Flare." Walton Goggins joins the cast for this one as a dangerous anarchist.

Previously known as ‘God Particle,” the third entry of the ‘Cloverfield’ anthology series is set on the International Space Station and follows a group of astronauts (including Elizabeth Debicki) dealing with the sudden, WTF disappearance of Earth.

Just in time for Valentine’s Day, everyone’s favorite erotic thriller franchise is back, with Anastasia Steele and Christian Grey now married and tied up with more drama from their pasts. Of course, this ‘Fifty Shades of Grey’ sequel will also have plenty of steamy moments, too.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe heads to Wakanda for a solo showcase for Black Panther (Chadwick Boseman) as the noble superhero must thwart a plot against his kingdom. Michael B. Jordan co-stars as the villain Erik Killmonger in this long-awaited comic book movie.

From the writer and director of ‘Ex Machina’ comes a more action-heavy sci-fi story about a mysterious place called “The Shimmer,” where explorers go in and don’t come out. Natalie Portman stars as a biologist who leads the next expedition to find out why.

Friends gathered for their regular night of fun find themselves in the middle of a real murder mystery in this wild comedy starring Jason Bateman and Rachel McAdams. From the duo behind ‘Horrible Bosses,’ it’s sure to be as outrageous as your favorite party game.

Bruce Willis takes the place of Charles Bronson in this remake of the 1974 classic involving vigilante justice. The ‘Die Hard’ star plays a doctor who seeks revenge for his wife’s murder and daughter’s assault during a robbery by taking matters into his own hands.

Jennifer Lawrence is a Russian ballerina turned special agent in this spy thriller reuniting the actress with Francis Lawrence, director of most of the ‘Hunger Games’ series. Also starring Joel Edgerton, the movie is based on a novel written by a former member of the CIA.

At last, a major motion picture has been made from Madeleine L’Engle’s classic YA sci-fi novel about a quest through time and space. The fantastical adventure is directed by acclaimed filmmaker Ava DuVernay (‘Selma’) and features Oprah Winfrey as one of the “Mrs. Ws.”

Alicia Vikander is the new Lara Croft in a reboot based on the best-selling video game franchise. Filled with action and adventure, the movie tracks the origins of the title hero as she investigates the disappearance of her father.  

It’s time to cancel the apocalypse once again as ‘Star Wars’ favorite John Boyega enlists in the battle between man and monster in this ‘Pacific Rim’ sequel. ‘Uprising’ sees him co-piloting the giant, robotic Jaegers as they go up against a new, oversized Kaiju threat.

Wes Anderson (‘Fantastic Mr. Fox’) delivers another stop-motion animated feature in his signature style, with this one set in a dystopian future. Featuring a voice cast that includes Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson, the movie is about a boy and a bunch of quarantined canines.

Steven Spielberg taps into the ‘80s and ‘90s nostalgia craze with this highly anticipated adaptation of Ernest Cline’s best-selling novel. Set mostly in a realm of virtual reality amidst a high-stakes treasure hunt, ‘Ready Player One’ promises lots of stunning visual effects. 

The ‘X-Men’ franchise goes horror in the latest entry based on Marvel’s mutant superheroes. Rising star Anya Taylor-Joy (‘Split’) and Maisie Williams of ‘Game of Thrones’ fame are among the ensemble of powerful teens confined to a secret facility where they face personal terrors.

Based on the classic multiplayer arcade game, this sci-fi disaster movie about giant skyscraper-smashing monsters --- an ape, a wolf, and a lizard --- reunites Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson with his ‘San Andreas’ director.

Almost two decades after the first ‘Super Troopers’ became a cult hit, the time for the sequel is ‘meow.’ Thanks to a fan-funded campaign, Vermont’s finest are finally back for more shenanigans and a clash with Canadian Mounties.

It’s all been building up to this! The 19th entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe will feature all the superheroes we've come to know and love over the past decade. We're particularly excited to see the Avengers finally meet the Guardians of the Galaxy. They’re going to need all the help they can get in the fight against Thanos!

Bradley Cooper makes his directorial debut with a remake of the 1937 musical of the same name. Lady Gaga stars as a singer/actress who navigates her blossoming career with the help of an alcoholic movie star (Cooper) trying to fix his own life. 'La La Land' breathed new life into showbiz musicals and we’re hungry for more.

With fans currently rejoicing over the release of 'Star Wars: The Last Jedi,' it seems almost too good to be true that we’ll be getting a new one in a matter of months. Han Solo is one of the saga’s most beloved characters, and we can’t wait to see his adventures before meeting Luke Skywalker in a dubious cantina on Tatooine.

The first 'Deadpool' was a smashing success at the box office, with the critics and for the fans. 20th Century Fox is giving us a second, hard-R serving of the Merc with the Mouth, a role Ryan Reynolds has already perfected. Expect to see some familiar faces in addition to newcomers Cable (played by Josh Brolin) and Domino (played by Zazie Beetz).

Here are eight reasons to be excited for the female-led 'Ocean's Eleven' spin-off: Sandra Bullock. Cate Blanchett. Helena Bonham Carter. Anne Hathaway. Rihanna. Mindy Kaling. Sarah Paulson. Awkwafina.

If there’s one Pixar movie that we’ve long been craving a sequel to, it’s 'The Incredibles,' an adventure that introduced us to a family of superheroes. Marvel and DC have been keeping the genre well-stocked, but there’s always room for more. 'Incredibles 2' will be Pixar’s sole release in 2018, but we expect it to be one of their biggest debuts yet.

2015’s 'Jurassic World' was a huge success that guaranteed a sequel would be on the way. Stars Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard return with series favorite Jeff Goldblum along for the ride. This time they will be rescuing the island’s dinosaurs from a volcano that could bring about a second extinction. Expect this to be one of biggest and loudest films of the year.

'Sicario' (Spanish for “hitman”) was one of the best films we saw in 2015, but we were surprised when its sequel 'Soldado' (Spanish for “soldier”) was announced. Benecio del Toro and Josh Brolin return with Italian director Stefano Sollima stepping in for Denis Villeneuve. The film continues to explore the escalating drug war along the U.S.-Mexico border.

This is the third and final MCU film of 2018 after 'Black Panther' and 'Infinity War.' 2015’s 'Ant-Man' managed an impressive blend of comedy and action with Paul Rudd center stage. Now he’ll be sharing the spotlight with Evangeline Lilly’s character, who has the distinct honor of being Marvel’s first female superhero with her name in the title.

After two entries in Sony Pictures Animation’s successful franchise, it’s prime time for Count Dracula and family to climb aboard the Monster Cruise Ship for a summer vaycay. Adam Sandler, Andy Samberg, Selena Gomez, Kevin James, David Spade, Steve Buscemi and Molly Shannon all return to voice their respective monsters. Let’s just hope the Count remembers to pack his sunscreen!

It’s hard to believe it’s been 10 years since 'Mamma Mia!,' a film adapted from the ABBA stage musical of the same name, but now fans can celebrate the anniversary with a sequel. Meryl Streep, Amanda Seyfried, Pierce Brosnan and Colin Firth are all returning for this musical comedy. Lily James and Jeremy Irvine will be playing young versions of Donna and Sam, with the one and only Cher reported to make a special appearance.

Plot details are scarce for the sixth outing in Paramount’s action spy franchise, but we do know that Tom Cruise, Rebecca Ferguson, Ving Rhames, Simon Pegg, Michelle Monaghan, and Alec Baldwin are all returning. New additions include Henry Cavill, Vanessa Kirby and Angela Bassett. Christopher McQuarrie is now the first returning director in the franchise after helming the positively-received 'Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation.' Also, this will be the first film in the series to be released in 3D.

This marks the fourth installment in the Predator series and reportedly takes place between 'Predator 2' and 2010’s 'Predators.' Shane Black, best known for crime comedies like 'Kiss Kiss Bang Bang' and 'The Nice Guys,' is an interesting choice for director, but he has roots in the franchise, having played Hawkins in the original. Our curiosity is further piqued by the talented onscreen line-up: Boyd Holbrook, Olivia Munn, Trevante Rhodes, Keegan-Michael Key, Sterling K. Brown and Jacob Tremblay.

The eleventh entry in the other MCU (Madea Cinematic Universe) will follow Madea and family reuniting in Georgia to plan a funeral, which inadvertently digs up some “unsavory family secrets.” There is no shortage of entries in this diary of a mad black woman.

Sony Pictures and Mattel have been trying to get a live-action Barbie movie off the ground for a number of years and it sounds like it’s finally happening! Anne Hathaway was announced to play the titular role, specifically, a doll who is exiled from Barbie world and enters the real world with all her imperfections in tow. Alethea Jone ('Fun Mom Dinner') is slated to direct.

In 'The Equalizer,' Denzel Washington played a hardware store employee turned vigilante in order to save a young girl from Russian mobsters. Now, Denzel is re-teaming with director Antoine Fuqua for a second outing. We don’t know the plot yet, but we’re expecting more creative kills and a possible villain role from 'Narcos' star Pedro Pascal.

Universal has a 'Scarface' reboot in the works, a moniker that was first used in a 1932 gangster picture starring Paul Muni and then famously re-imagined in 1983 with Al Pacino. The Coen Brothers have been working on the script about a U.S. immigrant who rises to the top of a criminal underworld. Diego Luna is attached to star.

Taron Egerton, Jamie Foxx, Eve Hewson, Jamie Dornan and Ben Mendelsohn star in a new version of the classic tale that promises to be dark, gritty and, judging from the leading players, quite unexpected.

Kevin Hart cowrote the script and stars in this ensemble comedy about a group of adults who seek to finally finish high school. But trouble-makers like Tiffany Haddish abound, ensuring that these are lessons that will definitely not be boring.

Sony's new superhero franchise kicks off with this adventure in which Tom Hardy stars as a Marvel antihero who has been a frequent foe of Spider-Man the past. Michelle Williams, Jenny Slate and Riz Ahmed also star; Ruben Fleischer ('Zombieland') directs.

Ryan Gosling and Oscar-winning director Damien Chazelle ('La La Land') reunite to tell the true story of astronaut Neil Armstrong, the first man to walk on the moon. Jon Bernthal, Claire Foy and Jason Clarke also star in what is sure to be an intense, thorougly absorbing drama.

The first screen adaptation of author R.L. Stine's book series for young adults was a lot of fun, an engaging mixture of teen hijinks and spooky monsters, so we can't wait to see what new surprises the sequel might scare up.

Horror fans are holding their collective breath in hopes that filmmaker David Gordon Green and cowriter Danny McBride will deliver a satisfying sequel about legendary serial killer Michael Myers. Jamie Lee Curtis will reprise her classic 'final girl' character.

Director Andy Serkis aims to stick closer to Rudyard Kipling's famed story in this 'Jungle Book' sequel, filming on location in South Africa and featuring a distinguished cast -- led by Christian Bale, Cate Blanchett and Benedict Cumberbatch -- as the performance-captured animals.

A more faithful adaptation of the classic comic book series has been teased, so we're very eager to see Jean Grey (Sophie Turner, reprising her 'X-Men: Apocalypse' role) develop incredible powers that corrupt her heroic status and threaten the entire world.

Disney's recent live-action adaptations of their animated classics have been very successful, raising our expectations for this story of a young Chinese maiden who disguises herself as a warrior so she can save her father.

Ginger soldiers? An army of mice? Young Clara (Mackenzie Foy, from 'Interstellar') is transported into a magical world of wonder, where she encounters legendary characters embodied by Morgan Freeman, Keira Knightley, Helen Mirren and more.

Voiced by Benedict Cumberbatch, the Grinch lives again in a new animated adventure. Really, just the idea of seeing that lovably grouchy character spring back onto the big screen sounds delightful.

What has 'Harry Potter' author J.K. Rowling cooked up this time? The heroic Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne) returns, but we're hoping to learn much more about the titular Gellert Grindelwald (Johnny Depp) and Albus Dumbledore (Jude Law) in his younger years.

Six years after their memorable first adventure together, Ralph (voiced by John C. Reilly) and Vanellope (Sarah Silverman) team up to explore a wild new world, far beyond their video arcade experiences: the Internet!

From the creative talent that brought us 'The Lego Movie' (featuring Batman and Wonder Woman) comes a fresh new vision of Marvel's Spider-Man, in the person of Miles Morales.

Arthur Curry (Jason Momoa) must come to grips with the knowledge that he is heir to an undersea kingdom. Known for horror movies like 'The Conjuring,' director James Wan now masterminds a watery new adventure. The possibilities are endless!

In 1987, a teenage mechanic (Hailee Steinfeld) discovers that an old, broken, compact car is far more powerful than appearances may suggest. We're thrilled about the potential offered by the first spin-off in the 'Transformers' franchise.