Prepare to eat lots of popcorn this year.
2020 is shaping up as another big year for film-lovers. Bad Boys For Life somehow topped the box office, despite its ludicrous plot and terrible acting, while Birds Of Prey has received critical acclaim, but that’s just the beginning of what’s in store for film fanatics this year.
After casting our eye over the films slated to hit cinemas this year, here are the releases we’re most excited for in 2020.
A Quiet Place: Part II
Horror continues to be one of the few genres that consistently delivers, with A Quiet Place: Part II sure to be another edge-of-your-seat thriller. Jim from The Office – aka John Krasinski – is once again writing and directing this one, with original cast members Emily Blunt, Millicent Simmonds and Noah Jupe joined by Dijmon Hounsou and Peaky Blinders’ Cillian Murphy. This time, the Abbott family are on the move and must deal not only with the deadly creatures hunting them, but other threats lurking in the shadows. If this flick is half as compelling as the first, it’ll be a hit.
Release date: March 19
No Time To Die
Daniel Craig’s final outing as 007 is rumoured to be a three-hour thrill ride chock full of action and a fitting end to Bond’s story arc, which began with Casino Royale. Enjoying retirement, Craig’s Bond is lured back by CIA agent and good friend Felix Leiter to find a missing scientist. The film sees the return of many characters from previous films, along with new big, bad Rami Malek as the scarred Safin. The film will also introduce the first female 00 agent Nomi, played by Lashana Lynch, hinting at a changing of the guard.
Release date: April 8
Fast & Furious 9
Vin Diesel has made a career out of the Fast & Furious franchise and, if the trailer for the ninth instalment is anything to go by, things don’t seem to be slowing down. Not only is Diesel’s Dom Toretto a father, but he’s forced to get the gang back together when his past once again catches up with him – this time in the form of his brother, played by John Cena. Not only is the 16-time WWE World Champion on board, but so is Sung Kang as Han Lue, who apparently didn’t die in Tokyo Drift and is still living and breathing. Justin Lin also returns as director for a high-octane action extravaganza that also includes newcomers Cardi B and Michael Rooker.
Release date: May 21
Wonder Woman 1984
The one DC film besides Nolan’s Batman trilogy that actually works, Wonder Woman is not only a celebration of the classic comic book character, but an empowering film about feminism and the role of women in the superhero world. An inevitable sequel to 2017’s Wonder Woman, Wonder Woman 1984 will keep the momentum going as Gal Gadot’s Amazon warrior must take on Pedro Pascal’s conniving Maxwell Lord in, you guessed it, 1984. The film will also see the return of Chris Pine’s Steve Trevor (spoiler alert: he’s meant to be dead) and promises to be another action-filled box office hit.
Release date: June 4
Top Gun: Maverick
In the category of ‘sequels nobody asked for’, I present Top Gun: Maverick. It’s been over 30 years since Tom Cruise roared onto screens as the cocky fighter pilot Pete “Maverick” Mitchell. The unlikely sequel finds Cruise at a crossroads of his career, as he must confront his fears and the ghosts of his past. Miles Teller is sure to cause some commotion as the son of Maverick’s former partner Goose, while Val Kilmer returns as Iceman. My faith in this film is low, particularly when looking at director Joseph Kosinski’s previous efforts (Oblivion anyone?), but here’s hoping Cruise can use some of his Scientology magic to make this a hit.
Release date: June 25
Tenet
Christopher Nolan returns with another mindfuck in the form of Tenet. While details are scarce, we do know John David Washington (Denzel’s son) stars as a secret agent who must prevent World War III through time travel. It sounds like Nolan is once again going for a high-concept blockbuster that many believe is an unofficial sequel to his mind-bending hit Inception. Whatever the case, this looks spectacular, with a cast including Robert Pattinson, Kenneth Branagh, Elizabeth Debicki and, Nolan favourite, Michael Caine.
Release date: July 16
Dune
David Lynch’s adaptation of Frank Herbert’s Dune never quite hit the mark, so Blade Runner 2049 director Denis Villeneuve is having a crack at the sci-fi epic. The first of two movies (if this one is a success), Dune is a political thriller set in the future about the drug ‘spice’. There’s something for everyone, with Shakespearean elements and giant sandworms. The cast is stacked, with Timothee Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, Oscar Isaac, Josh Brolin, Zendaya and Dave Bautista, all featuring in this epic tale of betrayal and redemption.
Release date: some time in December
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