As a massive cinefile, movies are my lifeblood. I love stories and there an abundance of them coming in the next few years. As the second decade of the twenty-first century begins to wind down, I decided to organize a list of films that I’m excited to see before 2020.
1. Cars 3
Lightning McQueen finds himself in the same position as his late mentor Doc Hudson and must decide wether or not to return to the racing world and defeat his new rival, Jackson Storm.
Release Date: June 16, 2017
Director: Brian Fee
Screenwriters: Keil Murray, Bob Peterson, and Mike Rich
Starring: Owen Wilson, Cristela Alonzo, Chris Cooper, and Nathan Fillion
2. All Eyez on Me
The life story of rap legend Tupac Shakur.
Release Date: June 16, 2017
Director: Benny Boom
Screenwriters: Jeremy Haft, Eddie Gonzalez, and Steven Bagatourian
Starring: Demetrius Shipp Jr, Danai Gurira, Kat Graham, and Hill Harper
3. Transformers: The Last Knight
The most disappointing and action-packed franchise in Hollywood returns with the latest installment. Optimus Prime returns from space to lead an attack on Earth and faces opposition from Bumblebee and the rest of the Autobots.
Release Date: June 23, 2017
Director: Michael Bay
Screenwriters: Art Marcum, Matt Holloway, and Ken Nolan
Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Laura Haddock, Gemma Chan, and Isabela Moner
4. Despicable Me 3
After failing to catch the super villain Balthazar Bratt, Gru is fired from the superhero business and is enticed to return to super-villainy by his long lost twin brother: Dru.
Release Date: June 30, 2017
Directors: Kyle Balda, Pierre Coffin, and Eric Guillon
Screenwriters: Ken Daurio and Cinco Paul
Starring: Jenny Slate, Kristen Wiig, Steve Carell, and Julie Andrews
5. Baby Driver
A young getaway driver is recruited to work for a crime boss and finds himself taking part in a heist doomed to fail.
Release Date: June 30, 2017
Director: Edgar Wright
Screenwriter: Edgar Wright
Starring: Ansel Elgort, Lily James, Jon Hamm, and Jamie Foxx
6. Spider-Man: Homecoming
Following the events of Captain America: Civil War, Peter Parker returns to New York where he works for Tony Stark and takes on a new superbad: the Vulture.
Release Date: July 7, 2017
Director: Jon Watts
Screenwriters: Jonathan Goldstein, John Francis Day, Jon Watts, Christopher Ford, Chris McKenna, and Erik Sommers
Starring: Tom Holland, Robert Downey Jr, Marisa Tomei, and Michael Keaton
7. War for the Planet of the Apes
After years of a cold war between the apes and humans, Caesar seeks to make peace, but is forced to war by a new human faction lead by the Colonel.
Release Date: July 14, 2017
Director: Matt Reeves
Screenwriters: Mark Bomback and Matt Reeves
Starring: Judy Greer, Woody Harrelson, Andy Serkis, and Steve Zahn
8. Dunkirk
Allied soldiers from Belgium, the British Empire, Canada, and France are surrounded by the German army and evacuated during a fierce battle in World War II.
Release Date: July 21, 2017
Director: Christopher Nolan
Screenwriter: Christopher Nolan
Starring: Tom Hardy, Kenneth Branagh, Cillian Murphy, and Mark Rylance
9. Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets
Two intergalactic agents are tasked with protecting Alpha, a vast metropolis that houses a thousand planets.
RD: July 21, 2017
Director: Luc Besson
Screenwriter: Luc Besson
Starring: Dane DeHann, Cara Delevingne, Clive Owen, and Elizabeth Debicki
10. Atomic Blonde
A British special agent uncovers a plot within MI6 and finds everyone is now out to silence her.
RD: July 28, 2017
Director: David Leitch
Screenwriter: Kurt Johnstad
Starring: Sofia Boutella, Charlize Theron, James McAvoy, and Bill Skarsgård
11. Detroit
Following a police raid in 1967 Detroit, one of the largest riot in US history breaks out.
RD: August 4, 2017
Director: Kathryn Bigelow
Screenwriter: Mark Boal
Starring: John Boyega, Anthony Mackie, Algee Smith, and Jacob Latimore
12. It
In small town Maine, seven friends come face to face with their greatest fear in the form of Pennywise, a clown that lives beneath the city.
RD: September 8. 2017
Director: Andrés Muschietti
Screenwriters: Chase Palmer, Cary Joji Fukunaga, and Gary Dauberman
Starring: Bill Skarsgård, Jaeden Lieberher, Finn Wolfhard, and Sophia Lillis
13. Battle of the Sexes
The true story of the 1973 Tennis match between Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs.
RD: September 22, 2017
Directors: Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris
Screenwriter: Simon Beaufoy
Starring: Emma Stone, Steve Carell, Sarah Silverman, and Elisabeth Shue
14. American Made
The story of a pilot turned CIA drug runner during the 1980s.
RD: September 29, 2017
Director: Doug Liman
Screenwriter: Gary Spinelli
Starring: Tom Cruise, Caleb Landry Jones, Jesse Plemmons, and Sarah Wright
15. Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
After a murder case becomes cold, the mother of the victim paints three billboards leading into town with a controversial message for the sheriff, leading to clash between law enforcement.
RD: October 13, 2017
Director: Martin McDonagh
Screenwriter: Martin McDonagh
Starring: Frances McDormand, Woody Harrelson, Sam Rockwell, and Peter Dinklage
16. Marshall
The true life story of Thurgood Marshall.
RD: October 13, 2017
Director: Reginald Hudlin
Screenwriters: Jacob and Michael Koskoff
Starring: Dan Stevens, Josh Gad, Chadwick Boseman, and Kate Hudson
17. Geostorm
I can’t even justify my excitement for this besides it’s Gerard Butler fights global warming.
RD: October 20, 2017
Directors: Dean Devlin and Danny Cannon
Screenwriters: Dean Devlin and Paul Guyot
Starring: Gerard Butler, Abbie Cornish, Ed Harris, and Robert Sheehan
18. Thor: Ragnarok
Hela destroys Thor’s hammer and sends him to alien planet where he fights in gladiatorial combat against his fellow Avenger The Hulk. Meanwhile, Loki is left to defend Asgard and find Thor as the two team together with Doctor Strange to locate Odin, the last hope for Asgard.
RD: November 3, 2017
Director: Taika Waititi
Screenwriter: Eric Pearson
Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston, Mark Ruffalo, and Benedict Cumberbatch
19. Suburbicon
A home invasion shakes up a suburban community.
RD: November 3, 2017
Director: George Clooney
Screenwriters: George Clooney, Joel Coen, Ethan Coen, and Grant Heslov
Starring: Matt Damon, Oscar Issac, Julianne Moore, and Noah Jupe
20. Justice League
Inspired by Superman’s sacrifice, Bruce Wayne and Diana Prince assemble the world’s greatest heroes to protect against an imminent threat of annihilation.
RD: November 17, 2017
Director: Zack Snyder
Screenwriters: Chris Terrio and Joss Wheadon
Starring: Ben Affleck, Gal Gadot, Ezra Miller, and Jason Momoa
21. Murder on the Orient Express
Thirteen strangers are stranded on the lush Orient Express when a murder occurs. Lucky for the innocents, the world’s greatest detective Hercule Poirot is also on board.
RD: November 24, 2017
Director: Kenneth Branagh
Screenwriter: Michael Green
Starring: Kenneth Branagh, Johnny Depp, Daisy Ridley, Penélope Cruz, Michelle Pfeiffer, Josh Gad, Judi Dench, Lucy Boynton, Willem Dafoe, Derek Jacobi, and Leslie Odom Jr
22. Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi
Rey has found the last Jedi master Luke Skywalker and seeks training, meanwhile Kylo Ren and the First Order hunt General Leia Solo and the remaining members of the Resistance.
RD: December 15, 2017
Director: Rian Johnson
Screenwriter: Rian Johnson
Starring: Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Mark Hamill, and Carrie Fisher
23. Pitch Perfect 3
The Barden Bellas return as alumni return to coach the failing acapella team.
RD: December 22, 2017
Director: Trish Sie
Screenwriter: Kay Cannon
Starring: Anna Kendrick, Rebel Wilson, Hailee Steinfeld, and Elizabeth Banks
24. The Current War
The race to create a marketable and sustainable system for electricity between Thomas Edison and George Westinghouse.
RD: December 22, 2017
Director: Alfonso Gomez-Rejon
Screenwriter: Michael Mitnick
Starring: Benedict Cumberbatch, Tom Holland, Nicholas Hoult, and Michael Shannon
25. The Greatest Showman
The story of P.T. Barnum and his rise to becoming an international sensation.
RD: December 25, 2017
Director: Michael Gracey
Screenwriters: Michael Arndt, Jenny Bicks, and Bill Condon
Starring: Hugh Jackman, Rebecca Ferguson, Zac Efron, and Zendaya
26. Black Panther
T’Challa defends his nation of Wakanda from physical threats and political challengers in a post-Civil War world.
RD: February 16, 2018
Director: Ryan Cooler
Screenwriters: Joe Robert Cole and Ryan Coogler
Starring: Chadwick Boseman, Michael B. Jordan, Lupita Nyong’o, and Martin Freeman
27. Pacific Rim: Uprising
Following 2013’s surprise smash Pacific Rim, the world builds more defenses for an imminent kaiju return.
RD: February 23, 2018
Director: Steven S. DeKnight
Screenwriters: Emily Carmichael, Steven S. DeKnight, T.S. Nowlin, and Kira Snyder
Starring: John Boyega, Scott Eastwood, Charlie Day, and Tian Jing
28. A Wrinkle in Time
After her scientist father disappears, Meg and her brother and friend are sent to space to find him by three peculiar beings.
RD: March 9, 2018
Director: Ava DuVernay
Screenwriter Jennifer Lee
Starring: Chris Pine, Reese Witherspoon, Zach Galifianakis, and Michael Peña
29. Sherlock Gnomes
When other gnomes go missing, Gnomeo and Juliet recruit Sherlock Gnomes, the world famous detective to solve the case.
RD: March 23, 2018
Director: John Stevenson
Screenwriters: Kevin Cecil, Andy Riley, and Ben Zazove
Starring: Johnny Depp, James McAvoy, and Emily Blunt
30. Ready Player One
A world suffering from an energy crisis serves as the backdrop for a virtual rollercoaster ride about a massive hunt for an easter egg within the open world of the OASIS, in which a high school senior makes the first progress towards winning the inventor Halliday’s fortune in five years.
RD: March 30, 2018
Director: Steven Spielberg
Screenwriters: Ernest Cline, Zak Penn, and Eric Eason
Starring: Tye Sheridan, Olivia Cooke, Mark Rylance, and Simon Pegg
31. X-Men: The New Mutants
A team of heroes composed of graduates from Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters embark on their first mission.
RD: April 13, 2018
Director: Josh Boone
Screenwriters: Josh Boone, Kante Gwaltney, and Knate Lee
Starring: Anya Taylor-Joy, Maisie Williams, Rosario Dawson, and Henry Zaga
32. Avengers: Infinity War
The Avengers face their greatest threat yet as they prepare for impending doom at the hands of Thanos and the Infinity Gauntlet.
RD: May 4, 2018
Directors: Joe and Anthony Russo
Screenwriters: Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely
Starring: Robert Downey Jr, Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, Chris Pratt, Pom Klementieff, Karen Gillian, Zoe Saldana, Tom Holland, Benedict Cumberbatch, Brie Larson, Dave Bautista, Cobie Smulders, Vin Diesel, Sebastian Stan, Bradley Cooper, Elizabeth Olsen, Tessa Thompson, Samuel L. Jackson, Josh Brolin, Chadwick Boseman, Paul Rudd, Peter Dinklage, Paul Bettany, Benicio Del Toro, Sean Gunn, Benedict Wong, Anthony Mackie, and Winston Duke
33. Han Solo: A Star Wars Story
The story of the young smuggler Han Solo leading up to his involvement in the original Star Wars.
RD: May 25, 2018
Directors: Phil Lord and Christopher Miller
Screenwriters: Jon and Lawrence Kasdan
Starring: Alden Ehrenreich, Donald Glover, Emilia Clarke, and Woody Harrelson
34. Deadpool 2
Deadpool returns with Cable for more shenanigans and chimichangas.
RD: June 1, 2018
Director: David Leitch
Screenwriters: Rhett Resse and Paul Wernick
Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Josh Brolin, T.J. Miller, and Morena Baccarin
35. The Incredibles 2
The Incredibles return 15 years later.
RD: June 15, 2018
Director: Brad Bird
Screenwriter: Brad Bird
Starring: Samuel L. Jackson, Holly Hunter, Sarah Vowell, and Raymond Ochoa
36. Jurassic World 2
Jurassic Park meets Jurassic World.
RD: June 22, 2018
Director: J.A. Bayona
Screenwriters: Derek Connolly and Colin Trevorrow
Starring: Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Jeff Goldblum, and BD Wong
37. Hotel Transylvania 3
The monsters are back, and better than the Dark Universe.
RD: July 13, 2018
Director: Genndy Tartakovsky
Screenwriters: Genndy Tartakovsky and Michael McCullers
Starring: Adam Sandler, Andy Samberg, and Selena Gomez
38. M:I6 – Mission Impossible
Ethan Hunt teams with MI6 once again.
RD: July 27, 2018
Director: Christopher McQuarrie
Screenwriter: Christopher McQuarrie
Starring: Tom Cruise, Rebecca Ferguson, Henry Cavill, and Simon Pegg
39. Scarface
A Mexican immigrant’s rise up the ladder in the drug trade.
RD: August 10, 2018
Director: David Ayer
Screenwriters: Joel Coen, Ethan Coen, Jonathan Herman, and Terence Winter
Starring: Diego Luna
40. Venom
Eddie Brock, a disgraced journalist for the Daily Bugle, discovers an alien symbiote that grants him superpowers similar to the hero who ruined his life: Spider-Man.
RD: October 5, 2018
Director: Ruben Fleischer
Screenwriters: Jeff Pinkner and Scott Rosenberg
Starring: Tom Hardy
41. Jungle Book
An orphan boy is raised in the wild by animals and hunted by a tiger.
RD: October 19, 2018
Director: Andy Serkis
Screenwriter: Callie Kloves
Starring: Benedict Cumberbatch, Christian Bale, Cate Blanchett, and Andy Serkis
42. X-Men: Dark Phoenix
The X-Men face a betrayal from within their ranks and fight an unexpected war.
RD: November 2, 2018
Director: Simon Kinberg
Screenwriter: Simon Kinberg
Starring: Sophie Turner
43. Mulan
A young woman rises up to save China.
RD: November 2, 2018
Director: Niki Caro
Screenwriters: Lauren Hynek, Rick Jaffa, Elizabeth Martin, and Amanda Silver
44. How the Grinch Stole Christmas
Animated; The Grinch plots to ruin Christmas for the town of Whoville.
RD: November 9, 2018
Directors: Peter Candeland and Yarrow Cheney
Screenwriter: Michael LeSieur
Starring: Benedict Cumberbatch
45. Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them 2
Dumbledore and Newt Scamander work together to stop the dark wizard Grindelwald.
RD: November 16, 2018
Director: David Yates
Screenwriter: J.K. Rowling
Starring: Johnny Depp, Eddie Redmayne, Jude Law, and Ezra Miller
46. Ralph Breaks the Internet: Wreck-It Ralph 2
Ralph’s adventures move from the arcade world to worlds of mobile and internet gaming.
RD: November 21, 2018
Directors: Phil Johnston and Rich Moore
Screenwriters: Phil Johnston and Pamela Ribon
Starring: Sarah Silverman, John C. Reilly, Jane Lynch, and James Cordon
47. Untitled Animated Spider-Man Film
Following the death of Peter Parker at the hands of the Sinister Six, a young boy named Miles Morales dons the mantle of Spider-Man after gaining superpowers.
RD: December 12, 2018
Directors: Bob Persichetti and Peter Ramsey
Screenwriters: Phil Lord, Christopher Miller, and Rodney Rothman
Starring: Liev Schreiber and Shameik Moore
48. Aquaman
Arthur Curry returns to Atlantis following his escapades with the Justice League to find his brother Orin has stolen the throne.
RD: December 21, 2018
Director: James Wan
Screenwriters: Will Beall, Geoff Jahn, and James Wan
Starring: Jason Momoa, Amber Heard, Willem Dafoe, and Patrick Wilson
49. Mary Poppins Returns
The now adult Jane and Michael Banks and his three children are treated to a return from the ageless treasure Mary Poppins, who is accompanied by Jack, a young colleague of her old friend Bert.
RD: December 25, 2018
Director: Rob Marshall
Screenwriter: David Magee
Starring: Emily Blunt, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Dick Van Dyke, and Meryl Streep
50. Bohemian Rhapsody
The story of Queen leading up to their Live Aid concert in 1985.
RD: December 25, 2018
Director: Bryan Singer
Screenwriter: Anthony McCarten
Starring: Rami Malek
51. Glass
A sequel to Unbreakable and Split; David Dunn returns to superhero duty at the news that a new villain called The Horde has surfaced, and is revealed to be manipulated by Mr. Glass himself.
RD: January 18, 2019
Director: M. Night Shyamalan
Screenwriter: M. Night Shyamalan
Starring: Bruce Willis, James McAvoy, Samuel L. Jackson, and Anya Taylor-Joy
52. The Lego Movie Sequel
A sequel…nothing is really known yet.
RD: February 8, 2019
Director: Mike Mitchell
Screenwriters: Phil Lord and Christopher Miller
Starring: Chris Pratt
53. Bride of Frankenstein
The second installment I’m Universal’s Dark Universe.
RD: February 14, 2019
Director: Bill Condon
Screenwriters: Neil Burger, Dirk Wittenborn, Davon Koepp, Alex Kurtzman, and Chris Morgan
Starring: Javier Bardem
54. How to Train Your Dragon 3
The conclusion to Hiccup’s trilogy.
RD: March 1, 2019
Director: Dean DeBlois
Screenwriter: Dean DeBlois
Starring: Jay Baruchel, Cate Blanchett, Jonah Hill, and Gerard Butler
55. Fast and Furious 9
The family returns.
RD: April 19, 2019
Screenwriter: Chris Morgan
Starring: Vin Diesel, Lucas Black, and Tyrese Gibson
56. Avengers 4
The continuation of Infinity War.
RD: May 3, 2019
Directors: Joe and Anthony Russo
Screenwriters: Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely
Starring: Everyone from Infinity War + Evangeline Lily
57. Star Wars: Episode IX
The epic conclusion to sequel trilogy that involves Rey, Kylo, Poe, and Finn.
RD: May 24, 2019
Director: Colin Trevorrow
Screenwriters: Derek Connolly and Colin Trevorrow
Starring: Daisy Ridley, Mark Hamill, John Boyega, and Andy Serkis
58. Minecraft
I’ll admit.. I just wanna see how they pull this off…
RD: May 24, 2019
Director: Rob McElhenney
Screenwriters: Rob McElhenney and Jason Fuchs
Starring: Steve Carell
59. The Lion King
A young lion prince runs away following the assassination of his father and returns to find his kingdom in disarray under the rule of his uncle.
RD: July 19, 2019
Director: Jon Favreau
Screenwriters: Jeff Nathanson
Starring: Donald Glover, James Earl Jones, Seth Rogan, and Billy Eichner
60. Wicked
An aspiring young sorcerer uncovers a plot by the devious Wizard of Oz and rises up against him despite being branded the Wicked Witch of the West.
RD: December 20, 2019
Director: Stephen Daldry
Screenwriter: Winnie Holzman
