So many films have hit the big screen in 2015 and we have been nothing short of spoilt from STAR WARS to SPECTRE to JURASSIC WORLD. The box-office tills have been ringing and cinema-goers have been raving about their favourite films of the year. With 2015 now at a close, it is time to take a look at the top movies heading our way in 2016 – which ones will be the top blockbusters? Well, that is anyone’s guess, but one thing that is for certain, is that it was hard work whittling down the barrage of releases to just 25.
So here, it is… A list of the Top 25 films of 2016 that we are excited about feasting our eyes on and whetting our appetite this year…
1) The Revenant – January 15th, 2016
How could we not be excited about this film?! It has generated so much Oscar-buzz already and with the likes of Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hardy on board, it will certainly bring acting of the best quality to the screen. Alejandro G. Iñárritu’s star-studded period epic is pure old-school Eastwood Western. Leonardo DiCaprio plays Hugh Glass, the leader of the frontiersman whose struggle against a growing mutiny is complicated when he’s mauled by a grizzly bear. His injuries allow John Fitzgerald (Tom Hardy) to take over, and that includes murdering’s Glass’s “half-breed son” right in front of him and abandoning Glass in a shallow grave to die. “We did what we had to do,” Hardy lies to his boss (Domhnall Gleeson) back in civilization. “He was buried right.” We are counting down the days until its release already…
2) Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice – March 25th, 2016
The eagerly anticipated, long-delayed face-off between the Caped Crusader and the Man of Steel. With Wonder Woman and Lex Luthor also along for the ride, Zack Snyder’s film is a powerful statement of intent from DC Comics. It’s taken them years, but finally DC Comics are catching up with the Marvel’s interlinked-stories concept as applied to cinema. The latest in the franchise is the sequel to MAN OF STEEL, which sees the Caped Crusader (Ben Affleck) make his way to Superman’s Metropolis, there to confront the phone-box-bothering superhero (Henry Cavill) who he suspects may wreak chaos if left unchecked. The trailers make it look action-packed and it all sets up future movies, such as the long pined for Wonder Woman, whose lead actor Gal Gadot is getting a prominent cameo here – we are just keeping our fingers and toes crossed that it really does live up to the hype!
3) Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them – November 18th, 2016
JK Rowling’s first screenplay – a Harry Potter spin-off – is escorted to the big screen by regular Hogwarts wrangler David Yates, so we know it will be in safe hands. It stars the man of the moment who can do no wrong with his cover movie choices – Eddie Redmayne, who plays Newt Scamander, a scholar whose studies are complicated by the escape of a menage of magical creatures from his briefcase. Ezra Miller, Katherine Waterson and Colin Farrell are among those joining Eddie on the hunt through 1920s New York.
4) Deadpool – February 4th, 2016
As this year’s FANTASTIC FOUR reboot showed, though, superhero films are no longer a sure thing – especially in a marketplace where they are increasingly becoming the rule rather than the exception. With fans forever bemoaning the sanitised adaptations of edgy comic book fare, DEADPOOL might be a refreshing throw into the mix with this adult take on the sweary antihero fan favourite, which could catapult Ryan Reynolds into a successful franchise if its well received.
5) Zoolander 2 – February 19th, 2016
Second helping of Derek’n’Hansel, which is a good thing – even if Zoolander’s adoption by humourless fashionista types wore out the welcome mat. This time around the author of Le Tigre, Blue Steel and Magnum is out of fashion, but in-demand as he’s the only dim bulb who can shed light on a spat of celebrity deaths linked to his signature look. Owen Wilson, Penelope Cruz, Kristen Wiig and Ben Stiller all star in the movie and in addition to headlining, Stiller is directing the much anticipated comedy sequel. He also co-wrote the script with Justin Theroux (Tropic Thunder) and is producing ZOOLANDER 2 alongside Stuart Cornfeld.
6) Suicide Squad – August 5th, 2016
The film is based on the DC comic of the same name by John Ostrander and focuses on a secret government agency led by Amanda Waller (Viola Davis) who hire imprisoned super villains, otherwise known as the ‘Suicide Squad’. The force carry out dangerous tasks in return for shortened prison sentences. SUICIDE SQUAD is written and directed by David Ayer and features an ensemble cast of; Will Smith as Dead shot, Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn, Cara Delevingne as Enchantress, Jai Courtney as Boomerang, Joel Kinnaman as Rick Flag, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje as Killer Croc and Karen Fukuhara as Katana. The film also marks the return of the fan-favorite villain The Joker, portrayed by Jared Leto.
7) Creed – January 15th, 2016
The film is being brought to the big screen by Ryan Coogler, who helmed Michael B. Jordan in the critically acclaimed (and utterly brilliant – you can read our review here) 2013 drama FRUITVALE STATION. CREED focuses on the grandson of the late former heavyweight champ Apollo Creed, who perished way back in ROCKY III. Adonis finds a father figure in Sylvester Stallone’s Rocky, who has no interest in adding further titles to his collection or stepping into the ring to fight once more. However, the Italian Stallion is ready to be put out to pasture: he takes his friend’s son under his wing as a trainer — one who clearly remembers some of Mickey’s fortune cookie wisdom.
Joining Stallone and Jordan in the film are Tessa Thompson and Phylicia Rashad.
8) Ghostbusters – July 15th, 2016
Paul Feig’s female-fronted reboot of the adventures of the ghoul-squishing quartet has not been received with great enthusiasm and has been met with great pessimism before it has even hit the big screen, but the film may yet silence the critics. Melissa McCarthy and Kristen Wiig are among those donning a jumpsuit, plus cameos from almost all the original crew.
9) Bridget Jones’s Baby – September 16th, 2016
Renée Zellweger is making a triumphant return to her most beloved role in BRIDGET JONES’S BABY, the third film based on Helen Fielding’s bestselling book series. Zellweger reprising the title role along with Colin Firth as love interest Mark Darcy and Patrick Dempsey taking on a new role in Jones’s life. Zellweger and Firth previously appeared in both of the preceding films, BRIDGET JONES’S DIARY in 2001 and BRIDGET JONES: THE EDGE OF REASON in 2003. The films have both been great global successes at the box office, banking over $540 million worldwide. Will the latest outing be as popular? We have a funny feeling it will be…
10) Doctor Strange – November 28th, 2016
Teased as a “mind trip action film” it boasts one of the year’s greatest casts. It is Benedict Cumberbatch who has taken the titular role in the film and is joined by Chiwetel Ejiofor as Baron Mordo, Rachel McAdams, Michael Stuhlbarg, Mads Mikkelsen, and Tilda Swinton as The Ancient One. Other cast members previously reported to be in the film include Scott Adkins and Amy Landecker. DOCTOR STRANGE follows the story of neurosurgeon Doctor Stephen Strange who, after a horrific car accident, discovers the hidden world of magic and alternate dimensions.
Scott Derrickson is in the director’s chair for this one based on Jon Spaihts script.
11) Warcraft: The Beginning – June 10th, 2016
Legendary’s Warcraft is a 3D epic adventure of world-colliding conflict based upon Blizzard Entertainment’s globally-renowned universe. The film adaptation of the popular game is being brought to the big screen by director Duncan Jones (MOON, SOURCE CODE), based on the screenplay by Charles Leavitt with a rewrite by Duncan Jones. WARCRAFT: THE BEGINNING stars Travis Fimmel, who is largely known for his sword-wielding, battling character in the brilliant TV series VIKINGS. It looks as though the Australian actor has slipped into the shoes of Anduin Lothar with ease and is once again prepared for battle and to fight to the death if need be.
Joining Fimmel on the big screen adaptation of WARCRAFT is Dominic Cooper as King Llane Wrynn, Ben Foster as Medivh, Ben Schnetzer as Khadgar, and Ruth Negga as Lady Taria, and on the side of The Horde is Clancy Brown as Blackhand, Toby Kebbelas Durotan, Robert Kazinsky as Ogrim, and Daniel Wu as Gul’Dan, with Paula Patton’s Garona caught in the middle.
12) The Jungle Book – April 15th, 2016
So far, very little has been seen of the film, aside from a short teaser trailer and a few images. The trailer, although only 1:42 seconds long, delivers on almost every aspect of what to expect from the upcoming big budget live action version of THE JUNGLE BOOK.
The film itself looks to be absolutely breathtaking and more action packed than the 1967 animated original, with Mowgli (played by newcomer Neel Sethivast) running climbing and dodging various dangerous elements within a wide variety of varied jungle landscapes.
Idris Elba plays the villainous Shere Khan an Indian Tiger who is set out to hunt and kill Mowgli who fears he will grow up and threaten his place as ruler of the jungle. 12 YEARS A SLAVE star Lupita Nyong’o will play Raksha a parental figure for the young Mowgli who looks after him during his early years in the jungle and teaches him how to survive.
Bill Murray will also appear as everyone’s favourite chilled out bear Baloo, which is by far and away the best casting announcement of recent memory. Also included within the cast list is Ben Kingsley as Bagheera, Christopher Walken as King Louie and Scarlett Johansson as the devilishly mischievous Kaa, whose character narrates the trailer.
13) Jason Bourne (Bourne 5) – July 29th, 2016
Yes, there is another film in the BOURNE franchise! Both Paul Greengrass and Matt Damon are back after the Jeremy Renner side story, THE BOURNE LEGACY. Damon will play the titular super-spy, who appears to have gotten over the manipulation of the government, which caused him so many problems and upheaval of a rather grand scale in his life. Joining him on screen is franchise regular Julia Stiles and new cast member Alicia Vikander. Viggo Mortensen and Vincent Cassel will be on the other side of a new conflict.
14) Captain America: Civil War – April 29th, 2016
CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR stars Chris Evans and Robert Downey Jr. CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR picks up where AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON left off, as Steve Rogers leads the new team of Avengers in their continued efforts to safeguard humanity. After another international incident involving the Avengers results in collateral damage, political pressure mounts to install a system of accountability and a governing body to determine when to enlist the services of the team. The new status quo fractures the Avengers while they try to protect the world from a new and nefarious villain.
Completing the casting ensemble for the movie is Scarlett Johansson, Anthony Mackie, Paul Bettany, Jeremy Renner, Don Cheadle, Elizabeth Olsen, Sebastian Stan, Chadwick Boseman and Emily VanCamp.
15) The Legend of Tarzan – July 8th, 2016
The film is being helmed by David Yates, the man responsible for bringing the last four HARRY POTTER films to the big screen. IN THE LEGEND OF TARZAN, it has been years since the man once known as Tarzan, played by Alexander Skarsgård left the jungles of Africa behind for a gentrified life as John Clayton III, Lord Greystoke, with his beloved wife, Jane (Robbie) at his side. Now, he has been invited back to the Congo to serve as a trade emissary of Parliament, unaware that he is a pawn in a deadly convergence of greed and revenge, masterminded by the Belgian, Captain Leon Rom (Waltz). But those behind the murderous plot have no idea what they are about to unleash.
Completing the casting ensemble is Samuel L. Jackson, Christoph Waltz and Djimon Hounsou.
16) Silence – 2016
A new film by Martin Scorsese is always an event, and this looks intriguing. It is based on the prizewinning 1966 novel by Japanese author Shusaku Endo (filmed twice before, by Japanese director Masahiro Shinoda in 1971 and Portuguese director João Mário Grilo in 1996 as The Eyes of Asia). It is the true story of a 17th-century Christian missionary in Japan, played here by Liam Neeson, who was forced to recant his faith. Two younger priests, played by Adam Driver and Andrew Garfield, come looking for him and themselves face the same ordeal.
17) Nocturnal Animals – Late, 2016
Fashion designer Tom Ford is back making movies in 2016 and he will be looking to build on his success from his movie-directing debut A SINGLE MAN back in 2009, which starred Colin Firth. He follows this up with NOCTURNAL ANIMALS, starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Amy Adams and Armie Hammer. The movie is based on the cult 1993 novel Tony & Susan by Austin Wright. A divorced and remarried woman receives the manuscript of a novel entitled Nocturnal Animals, written by her first husband, who has become a writer since they split. It appears to be a strange melodramatic thriller, composed in a coded way to disturb and upset his ex-wife.
18) Star Trek Beyond – July 22nd, 2016
NOCTURNAL ANIMALS, is fashion designer Tom Ford’s follow-up to his acclaimed debut feature A SINGLE MAN. The fashion designer-turned-director’s new film is based on Austin Wright’s 1993 novel, Tony & Susan and it is a story that is told in two parts. Jake Gyllenhaal, Amy Adams and Armie Hammer are all cast in the movie. Part one centres on a woman (Adams) who receives a mysterious package form her ex-husband, whom she divorced 20 years ago. The package contains a book manuscript written by her ex, who wants her opinion on the story.
The second part is the story from the manuscript, which centres on a man (Gyllenhaal) whose blissful family vacation abruptly turns violent.
With Gyllenhaal involved, it certainly makes the film that bit more intriguing as he has done well over recent years in his diverse and rather daring choice of films – many of which have required astonishing physical transformations.
19) Assassin’s Creed – December 21st, 2016
MACBETH director Justin Kurzel reunites with his stars Michael Fassbender and Marion Cotillard for this adaptation of the blockbusting video game, which concerns itself with the descendants of a secret society (The Assassins) who over the centuries must confront those of another (The Knights Templar). Fassbender plays Callum Lynch, a character created especially for the film, which, like the game, is part of a series of interlocking stories set in a larger game universe. The ASSASSIN’S CREED movie follows a character by the name of Callum Lynch who, through a revolutionary technology that unlocks his genetic memories, is able to experience the adventures of his ancestor, Aguilar, in 15th Century Spain. Callum discovers he is descended from a mysterious secret society, the Assassins, and amasses incredible knowledge and skills to take on the oppressive and powerful Templar organization in the present day.
20) The Divergent Series: Allegiant – March 11th, 2016
The third film in the DIVERGENT franchise, sees Tris and Four venture over the wall to discover what remains of the rest of the world. Shailene Woodley, Theo James, Naomi Watts, Jeff Daniels, Ansel Elgort and Zoe Kravitz. ALLEGIANT begins where the saga’s penultimate film left off – leaving fans with more questions than ever, and finding the film’s protagonists being taken into protective custody, courtesy of a mysterious agency that has been tracking their every move while also providing battle training.
21) Hail, Caesar! – 26th February, 2016
Back in October, we got our first glimpse at the film, HAIL, CAESAR! after the release of the trailer and it certainly didn’t disappoint. We might have been hoping for an actual Roman epic from the Coen brothers, with George Clooney as Caesar. The movie takes place in good old Old Hollywood, and centres around a major star (Clooney) being kidnapped by a group called “The Future.” Josh Brolin plays legendary spin doctor and fixer Eddie Mannix (Bob Hoskins played him in the movie HOLLYWOODLAND) who has to cover up various crises, including the kidnap of the pampered leading male – played by Clooney.
22) Rogue One – December, 2016
Warner Bros are so confident of the spin-off’s success that it has already green-lit two sequels, set for release in 2018 and 2020 respectively.
Star Wars will have a spin-off of its own in December with the release of Rogue One, a prequel of sorts that will dramatise events briefly referred to in the 1977 film that started the franchise. Gareth Edwards’ spin-off stars Felicity Jones, Diego Luna and Ben Mendelsohn. Set before the original trilogy, we’ll be following a bunch of resistance fighters plotting to steal plans to the Death Star.
23) Ben Hur – August 12th, 2016
Director, Timur Bekmambetov is helming the remake of the film BEN HUR. The film returns to the heart of Lew Wallace’s epic novel focusing on the nature of faith. The story follows a falsely accused nobleman who survives years of slavery to take vengeance on his best friend who betrayed him. Both must come to choose between retribution or forgiveness. Jack Huston plays the titular character and he is joined on the big screen by Morgan Freeman, Nazanin Boniadi, Ayelet Zurer, Rodrigo Santoro, Toby Kebbell, Olivia Cooke, Sofia Black-D’Elia, Moises Arias and Pilou Asbæk.
24) Independence Day: Resurgence – June 24th, 2016
Roland Emmerich’s direct sequel to his 1996 blockbuster, INDEPENDENCE DAY: RESURGENCE boasts a rather impressive cast with Liam Hemsworth, Jeff Goldblum, Bill Pullman, Judd Hirsch, Vivica A. Fox, Brent Spiner, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Jessie Usher, Maika Monroe and Sela Ward all on board the next movie in the franchise.
Twenty-two years in the making, INDEPENDENCE DAY: RESURGENCE brings to life a script by Emmerich and Dean Devlin and James Vanderbilt, James A.Woods and Nicolas Wright. Will it be as popular as the first film? Who knows. However, we don’t have long to wait until the release of the movie to see if it lives up to expectations.
25) The BFG – July 22nd, 2016
THE BFG brings together the talents of two of the world’s greatest storytellers – Roald Dahl and Steven Spielberg finally unite to bring Dahl’s beloved classic The BFG to life. The BFG stars three-time Tony Award and two-time Olivier Award winner Mark Rylance, newcomer Ruby Barnhill, Penelope Wilton, Jemaine Clement, Rebecca Hall, Rafe Spall and Bill Hader.
So what an exciting year of cinema we have ahead – and there are so many other brilliant films to look forward to. Which one are you most excited about? Share your thoughts in the comment box below!
