With 2016 behind us, it’s time to explore the slate of exciting movies opening in theaters over the next 12 months – some that we’ve waited a very long time for and can’t wait to see! There's a new Star Wars, more high profile superhero movies than ever before, several long-awaited adaptations and sequels, and much, much more making up our list of the most anticipated movies of 2017.
Some interesting quick observations: Dwayne Johnson's name keeps popping up, there are six hotly anticipated movies in March, before the traditional summer blockbuster season even begins, and there are more DC branded and Marvel Studios movies in theaters than any other year.
How the list was generated: Five of the Screen Rant team listed their top 30 movies currently confirmed for wide theatrical release in 2017 at the time of writing (end of 2016) and is based on their interests at that time. Films listed by each staffer get points for being listed in their personal top 30 and additional points for where they were ranked. The scores by movie for all participants were tallied up to provide us the below listed ranking.
Keep in mind, most of these films have barely begun marketing at the time of publication and the starting list began at 100. This is a tally of five separate lists and no doubt yours will be different so before you ask "why is or isn't _____ on this list?!" you know why. Share your most anticipated movies in the comments so we can compare! And here's last year's list of our 30 most anticipated movies of 2016.
30. Jumanji
Release Date: December 22, 2017
Director: Jake Kasdan
Cast: Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart, Karen Gillan, Jack Black, Alex Wolff, Bobby Cannavale, Nick Jonas, Rhys Darby, Tim Matheson
Studios: Columbia Pictures, Sony
While it keeps the same title as the Robin Williams classic from the '90s, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson promises that the 2017 version is not a reboot, and could very well be a sequel. Reports indicate the new Jumanji follows four kids who find an old video game console and get sucked into the game to find a precious jewel, and their in-game Avatars are the big name celebs we know (Johnson, Hart, Gillan, and Black). This might be the ultimate family movie for holidays 2017, and the studio has so much confidence in it that it's going up against Star Wars: Episode VIII.
29. King Arthur: Legend of the Sword
Release Date: May 12, 2017
Director: Guy Ritchie
Cast: Charlie Hunnam, Annabelle Wallis, Jude Law, Katie McGrath, Hermione Corfield, Eric Bana. Astrid Bergès-Frisbey, Aidan Gillen, Djimon Hounsou
Studios: Safehouse Pictures, Warner Bros.
A highly stylized retelling of the classic King Arthur story, Guy Ritchie is back in the director's chair for this epic period piece starring Charlie Hunnam (Sons of Anarchy, Pacific Rim) and Ritchie regular, Jude Law. This one's been in development a while and the trailer mixes some interesting genres but this director and this cast rarely disappoints so we're in for this fantastic period epic - one of few coming in 2017.
28. Baywatch
Release Date: May 26, 2017
Director: Seth Gordon
Cast: Dwayne Johnson, Zac Efron, Priyanka Chopra, Alexandra Daddario, Kelly Rohrbach, Ilfenesh Hadera, Jon Bass, Hannibal Buress, David Hasselhoff
Studios: Paramount
Baywatch brings back the television phenomenon of the '90s and puts it on the big screen with a story that follows devoted lifeguard Mitch Buchannon (Johnson) as he butts heads with a brash new recruit (Efron). Together, they uncover a local criminal plot that threatens the future of the Bay. The marketing isn't afraid to dig into the over-the-top nature of the supermodel, cleavage-focused cast, but with these characters, we can expect a big and fun adventure.
27. Kingsman: The Golden Circle
Release Date: October 6, 2017
Director: Matthew Vaughn
Cast: Taron Egerton, Colin Firth, Mark Strong, Channing Tatum, Jeff Bridges, Julianne Moore, Pedro Pascal, Halle Berry, Vinnie Jones, Sophie Cookson, Elton John
Studios: Marv Films, Fox
Eggsy (Egerton), Merlin (Strong) and Roxy (Sophie Cookson ) head to the United States to forces with Statesman, Kingsman's American counterpart, after the HQ is destroyed by Poppy (Moore), a nefarious criminal mastermind. We suspect this American heavy plot is where Tatum, Bridges, and Berry all show up and we couldn't be more excited to see a followup to the surprise hit that director Matthew Vaughn left the X-Men franchise for. It was worth it.
26. The Mummy
Release Date: June 9, 2017
Director: Alex Kurtzman
Cast: Tom Cruise, Sofia Boutella, Russell Crowe, Annabelle Wallis, Jake Johnson, Chasty Ballesteros, Courtney B. Vance, Javier Botet
Studios: Secret Hideout, Universal
Thought safely entombed in a tomb deep beneath the unforgiving desert, an ancient princess (Sofia Boutella of Kingsman: The Secret Service and Star Trek Beyond) whose destiny was unjustly taken from her is awakened in our current day, bringing with her malevolence grown over millennia and terrors that defy human comprehension.
From the sweeping sands of the Middle East through hidden labyrinths under modern-day London, The Mummy brings a surprising intensity and balance of wonder and thrills in an imaginative new take that ushers in a new world of gods and monsters. The Mummy aims to launch a shared cinematic Monsters universe for Universal Pictures that sadly does not include Dracula Untold.
25. Transformers: The Last Knight
Release Date: June 23, 2017
Director: Michael Bay
Cast: Mark Wahlberg, Josh Duhamel, Peter Cullen, Anthony Hopkins, Laura Haddock, Isabela Moner, Stanley Tucci, John Turturro, Tyrese Gibson, Liam Garrigan, Santiago Cabrera, John Goodman, Ken Watanabe, John DiMaggio, Frank Welker, Jess Harnell
Studios: Platinum Dunes, Hasbro, Paramount
Optimus Prime is back, Josh Duhamel is back, Megatron is back, and Michael Bay is back. Transformers 5 (Transformers: The Last Knight) is aimed to be a continuation of the mega Hasbro movie franchise but also a fresh start for newcomers that will launch - you guessed it - a share cinematic universe Marvel style) with the first spinoff coming in 2018 based on Bumblebee.
Official plot details have yet to be revealed, but piecing together the marketing materials and reports, it seems Optimus Prime is searching through the cosmos for the Quintessons, the beings believed to be responsible for the creation of the Transformers race. Meanwhile back at home, Wahlberg's Cade Yeager will be facing a new alien threat that brings Lennox back into duty. We visited the set of this one last summer so check out our features and articles here.
24. Untitled Cloverfield Anthology Movie (God Particle)
Release Date: October 27, 2017
Director: Julius Onah
Cast: Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Elizabeth Debicki, Daniel Brühl, Chris O'Dowd, Aksel Hennie, Ziyi Zhang, David Oyelowo, John Ortiz
Studios: Bad Robot, Paramount
A team of astronauts aboard a space station find themselves alone after a scientific experiment causes Earth to disappear. When a space shuttle appears, the space station crew must fight for survival following their horrible discovery. This intriguing sci-fi movie seemingly wasn't intended to be a Cloverfield movie but it certainly is one now, potentially converted into one similar to how Dan Trachtenberg's 10 Cloverfield Lane was made into a successful Cloverfield anthology spinoff in 2016. Either way, Cloverfield or not, we're psyched about this sci-fi space thriller from J.J. Abrams' Bad Robot production company.
23. Coco
Release Date: November 22, 2017
Directors: Lee Unkrich, Adrian Molina
Cast: Gael García Bernl, Benjamin Bratt, Renee Victor, Anthony Gonzalez
Studios: Pixar, Disney
Despite his family’s baffling generations-old ban on music, Miguel (voice of newcomer Anthony Gonzalez) dreams of becoming an accomplished musician like his idol, Ernesto de la Cruz (voice of Benjamin Bratt). Desperate to prove his talent, Miguel finds himself in the stunning and colorful Land of the Dead following a mysterious chain of events. Along the way, he meets charming trickster Hector (voice of Gael García Bernal), and together, they set off on an extraordinary journey to unlock the real story behind Miguel's family history.
22. Beauty and the Beast
Release Date: March 17, 2017
Director: Bill Condon
Cast: Emma Watson, Dan Stevens, Luke Evans, Ewan McGregor, Emma Thompson, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Josh Gad, Ian McKellen, Stanley Tucci, Kevin Kline
Studios: Mandeville Films, Disney
The story and characters audiences know and love come to spectacular life in the live-action adaptation of Disney’s animated classic “Beauty and the Beast,” a stunning, cinematic event celebrating one of the most beloved tales ever told. “Beauty and the Beast” is the fantastic journey of Belle, a bright, beautiful and independent young woman who is taken prisoner by a Beast in his castle. Despite her fears, she befriends the castle’s enchanted staff and learns to look beyond the Beast’s hideous exterior and realize the kind heart of the true Prince within. The film stars: Emma Watson as Belle; Dan Stevens as the Beast; Luke Evans as Gaston, the handsome, but shallow villager who woos Belle; Kevin Kline as Maurice, Belle’s father; Josh Gad as Le Fou, Gaston’s long-suffering aide-de-camp; Ewan McGregor as Lumière, the candelabra; Stanley Tucci as Maestro Cadenza, the harpsichord; Audra McDonald as Madame De Garderobe, the wardrobe; Gugu Mbatha-Raw as Plumette, the feather duster; Hattie Morahan as the enchantress; and Nathan Mack as Chip, the teacup; with Ian McKellen as Cogsworth, the mantel clock; and Emma Thompson as the teapot, Mrs. Potts.
21. Baby Driver
Release Date: August 11, 2017
Director: Edgar Wright
Cast: Ansel Elgort, Lily James, Kevin Spacey, Eiza González, Jon Hamm, Jamie Foxx, Jon Bernthal, Flea, Sky Ferreira, R. Marcos Taylor, Jeff Chase, Wilbur Fitzgerald
Studios: Big Talk Productions, TriStar Pictures, Sony
Plot follows a talented, young getaway driver who relies on the beat of his personal soundtrack to be the best in the game. But after being coerced into working for a crime boss, he must face the music when a doomed heist threatens his life, love and freedom. The style of the movie however, is challenging to put into words since all the film's action is timed with the beat of the music the protagonist (Elgort) is listening to, even the windshield wipes of the car he drives. There are multiple heists in the film with over-the-top characters, each with their own color of clothing. We visited the Atlanta set of Baby Driver so stay tuned for more on this one in the coming months on Screen Rant.
