If anything, 2022 promises to be one of the biggest years in the history of cinema. It’s primed to have arguably the biggest box-office year ever with some gigantic films on the horizon. So I’m running through the films that I can not wait to see this year.
We are going in chronological order here. Any movie that I didn’t do a little trailer post for I will attach the trailer with it! Over twenty movies on this list, so strap in, going to be one hell of a year!
Scream. Release Date: January 14th, 2022. Director: Matt Bettinelli-Olpin & Tyler Gillet.
Twenty-five years after the original series of murders in Woodsboro, a new killer emerges, and Sidney Prescott must return to uncover the truth.
Any time Ghostface shows up on screen you can count me in. One of the best horror movie franchises returns this year and it’s shaping up to be the best sequel yet. From the trailers, this just feels like it’s heading back to its roots and very less meta. “It’s always someone you know.” That’s the tagline for the upcoming flick and fans and even the cast alike are wondering just who on earth is behind that mask? It could be anyone and there are all sorts of theories floating around, but I think it will be some of the new blood rather than one of the OG’s returning. A great way to kick off 2022, because Scream truly promises to be one of the best slashers in recent memory.
Morbius. Release Date: January 28th, 2022. Director: Daniel Espinosa.Biochemist Michael Morbius tries to cure himself of a rare blood disease, but he inadvertently infects himself with a form of vampirism instead.
2022 has an insane amount of comic book movies and I’m here for every single one. Okay, this might end up being the weakest of the bunch, but I’ve enjoyed everything I’ve seen so far from Morbius. One of the main reasons I’m excited and I’m sure others are, the fact that this is going to belong to some sort of shared universe. Whether he confronts Tom Hollands Spider-Man or perhaps Andrew Garfield, it’s complicated but I’m sure this movie will have one hell of a stinger at the end of the credits. Maybe Venom shows up? Who knows but that excitement is just enough to have me seeing Morbius opening weekend and why it’s on this list.
The Batman. Release Date: March 4th, 2022. Director: Matt Reeves.
In his second year of fighting crime, Batman uncovers corruption in Gotham City that connects to his own family while facing a serial killer known as the Riddler.
The Batman the granddaddy of them all. The best movie of 2022 is approaching fast. Matt Reeves and Robert Pattinson the unlikely duo are about to deliver one of the best comic book movies of all time. Who would have guessed that, if you asked someone 5-6 years ago, someone would have laughed in your face. But here we are, a few short months away from the release and every single thing we have seen from this movie has been nothing short of amazing. From the tone, to the aesthetics of Gotham City, to the brilliant performances from both Pattison and Kravitz. This is my most anticipated movie in perhaps forever, I simply can not wait to watch this movie about 6 times in the first few days of its release. Masterpiece incoming folks.
Pixar’s Turning Red. Release Date: March 11th, 2022. Director: Domee Shi
A 13-year-old girl named Mei Lee turns into a giant red panda whenever she gets too excited.
I’m not lying when I say that this movie has had some of the best trailers of the past year. This looks so cute and hilarious and well it takes place in my neighbourhood of Toronto. The whole premise is so funny and the animation is so stylish and awesome to look at. With some amazing voice casting work and beautiful animation, Pixar has once again got my interested in a movie. A unique premise and you can’t help but smile every time you see a photo of this giant red panda.
Sonic The Hedgehog 2. Release Date: April 8th, 2022. Director: Jeff Fowler.
Sequel to the 2020 live-action feature film ‘Sonic the Hedgehog
Sequels are always bigger, bolder and always up the ante. The first Sonic movie didn’t get off to the greatest of starts, but ever since the course correction of the actual look and design of Sonic, things have been going great. Now the sequel is upon us and they are introducing us to his pals. We get both Tails and Knuckles, voiced by none other than Idris Elba, like come on, we are all sold. The design for Knuckles is also incredible and this looks like so much fun. There is so much they can do in with this franchise and bringing in these two iconic and loveable characters is a fantastic start.
Ambulance. Release Date. April 8th, 2022. Director: Michael Bay.
Two robbers steal an ambulance after their heist goes awry.
Michael Bay is back! So we know we are getting over the top explosions, performances and plot lines? Michael Bay is like that awful friend you have in your life that you have no idea why you hang out with them but every single time you do, you end up having an amazing time. Now we are tossing in Jake Gyllenhaal, Yahya Manteen and Eiza Gonzalez into the mix? I know Bay isn’t for everyone, but I certainly love to sit down and turn off my brain and enjoy his movies. I don’t know how he convinces some of the best working talent in Hollywood today to be in his movies, but here we are. This promises to be over the top, cheesy but in all the best ways imaginable. Definition of “Good times at the movies.”
The Northman. Release Date: April 22nd, 2022. Director: Robert Eggers.
From acclaimed director Robert Eggers, The Northman is an epic revenge thriller that explores how far a Viking prince will go to seek justice for his murdered father.
This just looks like pure cinema. The follow-up to The Lighthouse, which was one of my favourite movies a few years ago, Robert Eggers is one of the best new film-makers we have today. The scenery, the landscapes, the look and feel of this movie, screams EPIC. Not a single green screen in sight and this is just movie making at its finest. The Northman looks torturous and brutal, the combat looks barbaric and everyone involved is giving it their all. We have directors who can make fine blockbusters, you know a CGI-fest, but there is something about Eggers that lets you know, that true movie making is never going away. The Northman will be special.
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. Release Date: May 6th, 2022.
: Sam Raimi.
Dr. Stephen Strange casts a forbidden spell that opens the door to the multiverse, including an alternate version of himself, whose threat to humanity is too great for the combined forces of Strange, Wong, and Wanda Maximoff.
Doctor Strange really screwed the pooch when he cast that spell for Peter Parker. The whole universe and multi-verse is all messed up because of that kid and now Strange needs to fix it before everything he knows goes to shit. With a bunch of reshoots and rewrites of the script, no one knows what or who to expect in this. Seeing Tobey and Andrew come back was so emotional and rewarding that I’m sure the MCU wants to cash in on that even more. I’m not saying they will be back for this movie, but some others may pop up who knows. I think this is going to be the true launching pad for Phase 4 of the MCU with the stakes the highest they have ever been and will cement Dr. Strange as the key focal point in the MCU going forward. He could very well be the new leader of the Avengers after this. What I love most about this flick? The OG Sam Raimi of the original Spider-Man trilogy is back. He’s a master of horror as well, so I expect this to be scary and a little suspenseful at times. Don’t forget he has a certain and strong connection with a certain someone……
Top Gun: Maverick. Release Date: May 27th, 2022. Director: Joseph Kosinski.After more than thirty years of service as one of the Navy’s top aviators, Pete Mitchell is where he belongs, pushing the envelope as a courageous test pilot and dodging the advancement in rank that would ground him.
FINALLY!!! This movie was suppose to come ago what feels like ages ago. This is the year we get to see Tom Cruise back as Maverick and what a strong young cast he is bringing along with him. Top Gun holds a special place in my heart, it’s a great male bonding movie and just an all around unorthodox action movie. Who knows how they will up the ante for the sequel, but I expect some more shirtless Volleyball and karaoke in the bar. We have had to wait what seems like forever, so I hope this doesn’t fall flat on its face, but from what we have seen so far, this seems like a worthy sequel.
Pixar’s Lightyear. Release Date: June 17th, 2022. Director: Angus MacLane.The story of Buzz Lightyear and his adventures to infinity and beyond.
What people need to know, this isn’t about the toy Buzz Lightyear. This is about the man who the toy was based on! This could very well be the biggest movie of the year. Everyone in the world knows who Buzz Lightyear is and attach Chris Evans to voice him? That’s a recipe for success if you ask me. This is giving me First Man vibes, the Ryan Gosling movie that was released a few years ago, and Pixar is always creating emotional journeys and I’m sure this won’t be any different. The animation is a little more mature here, which I like, because this does give off the sense of a more mature animated film from Pixar. We are going to get the backstory to this beloved character and what made him so special they decided to make a toy based off him. We could very well have just an all time year from Pixar in 2022.
The Black Phone. Release Date: June 24th, 2022. Director: Scott Derrickson.
After being abducted by a child killer and locked in a soundproof basement, a 13-year-old boy starts receiving calls on a disconnected phone from the killer’s previous victims.
All you needed to show me for this movie is that image above. That’s Ethan Hawke rocking one of the coolest masks I’ve ever seen. One of the best actors playing an absolute psycho path serial killer? We don’t get that very often, so of course I’m excited. Horror movies are a dime a dozen, so when one comes along that truly catches your eye and looks unique and just not your typical hack and slash, I will be invested. The premise seems trippy to say the least, with all sorts of those classic horror elements at play. I’m here for Ethan Hawke, and it looks like he won’t disappoint.
Thor: Love & Thunder. Release Date: July 8th, 2022. Director: Taika Waititi
The sequel to Thor: Ragnarok and the fourth movie in the Thor saga
This movie is going to pack a serious punch. Going forward, the MCU is going to feel like a mini party with each new outing. It’s just not a solo film anymore. Each movie is going to be like an Avengers Mini. This is a Thor movie, but the Guardians are going to be involved and they are bringing in the big guns, Christian Bale will be playing the films villain, Gorr The God Butcher. Even Natalie Portman is back and this time she’s going to be wielding the hammer and will eventually become the new God of Thunder. Thor Ragnarok is one of the best all around MCU movies, with what seems like the perfect blend of humour and action. They have found the ideal foundation for the character and surrounding Thor with more heroes and a bigger story has only upped his story arc. Crazy we haven’t gotten anything for this movie yet, not even a poster. Could this be the end of Chris Hemsworth’s run as the God of Thunder? Time will tell, but I certainly hope not. He’s one of the strongest parts of the MCU and with Natalie Portman coming back that only adds fuel to his fire, and makes his progression as a character even more intriguing.
Bullet Train. Release Date: July 15th, 2022. Director: David Leitch.
Five assassins aboard a fast moving bullet train find out their missions have something in common.
Bullet Train is about to be bonkers. From the man that reinvented the action genre in some sense with John Wick, Atomic Blonde and Deadpool. We now get a star-studded movie about assassins on a train that I’m sure will feature close quarters bat-shit crazy action sequences. Sandra Bullock, Brad Pitt, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Zazie Beetz and Michael Shannon, among so many others. This is the kind of movie that flies under the radar until that first trailer drops and it blows everyone away. There’s so much goodness, it seems like there’s something for everyone. The vast cast of characters, the director who knows how to shoot action and a premise that makes you drool upon reading it. This legit could have the best/coolest sequence of any movie this upcoming year – minus The Batman obviously.
Nope. Release Date: July 22nd, 2022. Director: Jordan Peele
Nobody and I mean nobody got us more excited to see white folks get killed than Jordan Peele. I can’t even put the plot blurb from IMDB above this paragraph because no one and I mean no one knows a single thing about this movie. Except that it stars the 3 people on the poster above. When Peele followed up Get Out with US the world was waiting for the news of his next project. Well, this is the year. More than likely it will be another psychological horror that will push the boundaries on the genre and Peele will once again try to reinvent this genre in some way shape or form. Can’t really say much, other than how can you not be pumped for another movie from Peele?
Black Adam. Release Date: July 29th, 2022. Director: Jaume Collet-Serra.
A spin-off from ‘Shazam!’ centering on the film’s anti-hero, Black Adam.
We heard it for years and years. That ‘the hierarchy of power in the DC Universe was about to change.” Dwayne Johnson has been saying it for what feels like a decade. Well, this year we will finally see his Black Adam in action. From the quick glimpse we got of this movie, it does seem it fits more of Zack Synder’s DC Universe than what we currently have been getting. That’s a good thing, because Black Adam is a darker character and I’m happy they are going that route. So much is at stake with this because if it’s successful I see Black Adam popping up in the Shazam sequel the following year, they would be stupid not to do that. But the bigger question will be, who will be Superman when they ultimately throw down? Not even DJ knows, which at this point is mind blowing, I have a good feeling about this movie.
Mission Impossible 7. Release Date: September 30th, 2022. Director: Christopher McQuarrie
The one franchise that some how keeps getting better. It’s like a fine wine, the older it gets the better it tastes. Coming off arguably the best in the entire series, M.I 7, code name still not known, will certainly have big shoes to fill. We know very little, but what we do know is that this franchise is going all the way back to the beginning, to its roots. None other than Henry Czerny who played Eugene Kittridge in the original Mission Impossible is returning. That leaves a lot of doors to be opened and Ethan Hunt could be confronting something from his past that he certainly is not ready to handle. Cruise has a massive year ahead of himself and I can’t wait to see the just bat-shit crazy stunts he performs in his movies.
Spider-Man Across The Spider-Verse Part 1. Release Date: October 7th, 2022. Director: Joaquim Dos Santos, Kemp Powers & Justin K. Thompson
Miles Morales returns for the next chapter of the Oscar®-winning Spider-Verse saga, an epic adventure that will transport Brooklyn’s full-time, friendly neighborhood Spider-Man across the Multiverse to join forces with Gwen Stacy and a new team of Spider-People to face off with a villain more powerful than anything they have ever encountered.
Animation is not messing around in 2022. In fact it’s going to have some of the biggest and best movies of the entire year. This will be no exception. The follow-up to the ever growing in popularity of Spider-Man into the Spider-Verse, a movie that is so good, I can’t even fathom how they plan on topping it. What I do know, they will top it and this promises to truly be something unique, special and full of so much heart. Miles is a bit older, so I expect the maturity level of just not the characters but the material at hand to be upped a bit. Which I’m really looking forward to, the relationship between Miles and Gwen should feel a little more mature this time around. Recruiting even more star power to voice Spider-People, including Oscar Isaac, we have no idea just what is in store for our hero Miles. It could literally be anything, the realm of possibilities is actually endless and that’s what makes this movie so appealing and intriguing to audiences. You don’t know who is going to show up, it could be anyone and the emotional baggage that comes along with this movie is palpable. This is just Part 1 as well, so you know it’s finishing with an all time cliff hanger. I hope we get a really cool animated Venom or Carnage, that’s all I’m saying.
The Flash. Release Date: November 4th, 2022. Director: Andy Muschietti
The Flash is without a doubt one of the bigger stories being told this year. There is a lot on the line for the future of the DCEU with its release. Some are saying it could erase everything Zack Snyder has built, I highly doubt that. Is this the last time we will see Ben Affleck suit up as Batman? We get the return of Michael Keaton. We all know how much nostalgia can bring people together and sell movie tickets. The Flash is a complex character that is bringing a lot to the table for his first ever solo movie. Adding in Sasha Calle as Supergirl and who knows what else, this movie promises to be bold and unpredictable. This could be a game changer for the DCEU and without a doubt the biggest movie to date for the franchise. I love the character and I’m really curious to see where Muschietti takes it. Coming off the IT movies, he proved he can do large ensembles but he lacks certain qualities to make an all around great blockbuster. Fans are certainly divided and only time will tell. WB needs a big box-office year from their movies and this needs to hit home and be a success or the future of the DCEU could go down in flames as we know it.
Black Panther 2: Wakanda Forever. Release Date: November 11th, 2022. Director: Ryan Coogler
The most difficult 2022 movie to talk about. For multiple reasons. First and foremost the tragic passing of Chadwick Boseman and the void that is felt with not only this character of Black Panther, but within the MCU. I think as things ramp up with marketing and promotion the weight of his absence will be felt so tremendously. Secondly, the movie itself has had its fair share of problems. Leititia Wright who plays Shuri who is the person who will most likely be filling in for Chadwick has been causing all sorts of problems on set due to vaccination problems. She is anti-vax and has been causing delays and even making the production to be switch to new locations. Not much is known about the plot or how they will handle the death of Chadwick, but I’m sure it will be handled with grace and care. The first one was revolutionary and I can’t wait to see what Coogler has in store for us next.
I want them to kick Wright to the curb and bring in Michael B Jordan.
Creed III. Release Date: November 23rd, 2022. Director: Michael B Jordan
I’m not saying right now this is my most anticipated, but after The Batman comes out, I will need to latch onto another movie. I’m thinking it’s going to be Creed III. We have Michael B Jordan stepping into the directors chair, telling us another Adonis story. This time without Sly Stallone because he is officially stepping away from this franchise. Can you believe it? The torch has finally been passed and all eyes will be on MBJ when this movie is released. We all know he will make a great director, he’s been in the industry for so long and has worked with some of the most talented people in the business. Creed I and Creed II were both home runs and it feels like its been FOREVER since we got any Creed news. The only news we have gotten is a dozy, Jonathan Majors who is having himself a year or two is joining the Creed world. Probably playing the films villain, and we are all dying to know who is he. Maybe Clubber Lang has a son………….
Aquaman and The Lost Kingdom. Release Date: December 16th, 2022. Director: James Wan
Aquaman is kind of a big deal now eh? Coming off a billion dollar first outing, the King of the Sea is back in action this year and James Wan promises more fun, bigger action, and wants to change the game once again. I can see this movie moving to 2023 because of a movie that I will be doing next, either one of them will move its release date, and it could just come down to a game of chicken. Remember how beautifully bonkers the 3rd act of Aquaman was? I expect nothing short of that this time around, and I feel like everyone involved as only grown as actors since and this will be such a wild ride. Again, we just don’t know what kind of state the DCEU will be in at this time. Does this movie course correct once again, or will they treat this very successful franchise as its own thing? All I know is Jason Momoa was born to play Aquaman and I can’t wait to see what James Wan cooks up next.
Avatar 2. Release Date: December 16th, 2022. Director: James Cameron.
Jake Sully lives with his newfound family formed on the planet of Pandora. Once a familiar threat returns to finish what was previously started, Jake must work with Neytiri and the army of the Na’vi race to protect their planet.
When you share a release date with James Cameron you move your fucking movie. It’s plain and simple. The man made a movie about a boat and it was the biggest thing this world had ever seen at the time. You can hear it now, people stating how they don’t care about the next Avatar, but sure enough everyone and their Mom will go see this movie. It’s James Cameron, the man is a legend and when he makes a movie, it’s just not a release date, it’s an event. Say what you want about Avatar, but it changed how we viewed movies and what could be done in a technological sense. He’s been working on these next few movies for over a decade, you don’t think this is going to shatter all expectations and blow our minds? Again, it’s James FUCKING Cameron, get on board folks! I can’t wait to see what he has in store for us and what this movie can be. It could literally change how we view movies once again, my god this year is going to be epic.
Looks like I’ll be breaking my record of 62 trips to the movies this year. Giddy up!