It’s been a quiet opening few months to the 2022 movie season, unless you’re Scream. Most major releases have either been pushed to later in the year or sent straight to streaming. But that doesn’t mean that 2022 has no great films up its sleeve. Here’s PopWire’s list of our most anticipated films coming soon to theaters.
“Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” | At this point the question is what doesn’t the long-awaited “Doctor Strange” sequel have? Not only does this film feature the return of Benedict Cumberbatch, Benedict Wong, Chiwetel Ejiofor, and Rachel McAdams, but it adds Elizabeth Olsen’s Scarlet Witch, fresh off the success of “WandaVision,” a second Strange who seems to be evil, and most excitedly, Xochitl Gomez as canonically queer superheroine America Chavez! And you thought “Spider-Man: No Way Home” was packed!
“Ambulance” | It’s hard to say no to a balls-to-the-wall Michael Bay action flick. This one features Jake Gyllenhaal and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as bank robbers who are forced to steal an ambulance and take it and the EMT inside on a very destructive joyride through Los Angeles. Expect plenty of Bayhem, car crashes, and drone shots galore.
“Bullet Train” | Brad Pitt’s been a busy bee since winning an Academy Award in 2020. He’s got multiple films on this list releasing this year, the first of which is “Bullet Train” from “Atomic Blonde” director David Leitch. Focusing on multiple assassins converging on a, you guessed it, bullet train, the action-thriller also stars Sandra Bullock, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, and Zazie Beetz.
“The Lost City” | Speaking of Pitt/Bullock duos, they’re also reuniting in this comedy, in which Bullock’s romance novelist is forced into an epic trek through the jungle for hidden treasure. Channing Tatum must rescue her from Daniel Radcliffe’s clutches in what looks to be a laugh-out-loud fun time at the movies.
“Babylon” | But the most prestigious and exciting film Pitt has releasing this year is “Babylon,” the latest from Academy Award-winning director Damien Chazelle of “La La Land” fame. While plot details are threadbare for now, the real draw is the most stacked cast in recent memory. Just to name a few, it’s got Pitt, Margot Robbie, Tobey Maguire, Olivia Wilde, Jean Smart, Samara Weaving, Eric Roberts, Max Minghella, and Phoebe Tonkin! Do I smell Oscars on the horizon?
“Uncharted” | Let’s face it: Video game movies aren’t always good. But hopefully, “Uncharted,” the first film from Playstation Productions based on the video game series, can break that mold with Tom Holland as treasure hunter Nathan Drake and Mark Wahlberg as his mentor/partner/pain in the rear end Sully. If it’s anything like the games it’s based on, moviegoers are in for a wild ride.
“Lightyear” | While Pixar hasn’t had good luck lately, with most of their films being sent straight to Disney+, hopefully, the sci-fi prequel focusing on the “Toy Story” character of Buzz Lightyear will break that streak. Oh, and Chris Evans is the voice of Buzz. Nuff said.
“Everything Everywhere All At Once” | The best way to describe this A24 indie action flick is to just watch the trailer. It’s batcrap insane, mind-boggling and nobody has a clue what’s going on in it. That said, it’s easily one of the most anticipated films of the year. Just watch the trailer and see for yourself.
“The Northman” | Director Robert Eggers has given viewers lots to talk about with his previous films, “The Witch” and “The Lighthouse.” With his latest film, he’s posed to do it again with this revenge tale of a viking played by Alexander Skarsgard who teams up with Anya Taylor-Joy on an epic quest. It looks stunning, thought-provoking, and potentially Oscar-worthy.
“Halloween Ends” | How the hell do you kill Michael Meyers? That’s the question Jamie Lee Curtis must answer in the conclusion to the rebooted “Halloween” continuity. After the shocking ending to “Halloween Kills,” this film has a lot to answer for as Laurie Strode and her granddaughter Allyson seek revenge against the boogeyman.
Which 2022 film are you most looking forward to? Let us know in the comments.
