It’s that time once again. We’ve come to where I got to on my previous list and now we look forward to the late summer/autumn/winter movies that will dominate the box office! It’s been a big year for cinema so far and could it get even bigger with these hits coming up. Films are subject to change for a variety of reasons including reshoots (not just Covid, touch wood).
BULLET TRAIN (August 3rd)
We start with one that ended the last preview I did. Bullet Train is now just a couple of weeks away. An exciting action film, that mostly takes place on a Bullet Train, as Brad Pitt’s character looks to get his hands on a brief case, but he isn’t the only person wanting it. The film is directed by David Leitch (Deadpool 2, Atomic Blonde, Hobbs & Shaw) and stars Brad Pitt, Sandra Bullock, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Michael Shannon, Joey King, Karen Fukuhara, Zazie Beets, Logan Lerman, Brian Tyree Henry and Bad Bunny.
NOPE (August 12th)
Another film that was originally on the last preview list I did that got pushed a few weeks to August. Nope is the next film from Jordan Peele (Get Out, Us), the man that got the Oscars to sit up and pay attention to horror films. The film reunites Peele with Daniel Kaluuya, as well as starring Keke Palmer, Brandon Perea, Steven Yeun and Keith David.
ORPHAN: FIRST KILL (August 19th)
Orphan was a memorable horror film of 2007. There were questions left, but I don’t think anyone was here asking for a sequel or prequel, and yet here we are. Isabelle Fuhrman returns as Ester; now she isn’t a 10 year old girl playing a 30 year old woman, but a 25 year old playing younger. De-aging is the rage at the moment, with recent de-aging in The Mandalorian and Stranger Things going down well.
BEAST (August 26th)
Idris Elba vs a lion. I can’t think of any actors who have thought an animal in a while, so it’s good to see this niche genre getting a film.
THREE THOUSAND YEARS OF LONGING (September 2nd)
Oh look it’s Idris Elba again. George Miller is obviously a busy man. It’s been 7 years since his last film, Mad Mad: Fury Road, was a huge success with critics and audiences, as well as when it got to award season, and is often still talked about. This time his unique mind, pairs Idris Elba as a genie with Tilda Swinton.
BODIES BODIES BODIES (September 2nd)
An A24 film always makes my list. A stellar cast of talented upcoming actresses Amandla Stenberg, Maria Bakalova, Rachel Sennott and Chase Sui Wonders, alongside Pete Davidson and Lee Pace. I don’t know if I need to sell you more, it’s a horror comedy.
SEE HOW THEY RUN (September 9th)
This is an intiguing one. I’m not aware of director, Tom George or writer, Mark Chappell or any of their previous work, but they managed to assemble a fantastic cast for this murder mystery, out to steal Glass Onion‘s thunder as best murder mystery of the year. The cast includes Sam Rockwell, Saorise Ronan, Adrien Brody, Ruth Wilson and David Oyelowo.
TICKET TO PARADISE (September 16th)
One I wasn’t aware of until my last trip to the cinema. Director, Ol Parker previously directed Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again! (the superior Mamma Mia film) and Ticket to Paradise certainly has the same vibe, I would even have put it on the schedule slightly earlier and had it as an August hit. The film reunites George Clooney with Julia Roberts along with Kaitlyn Dever and Billie Lourd.
DON’T WORRY DARLING (September 23rd)
Perhaps my most anticipated film of the second half of the year. Katie Silverman and Olivia Wilde team up after giving us Booksmart, to this time give us a creepy thriller set in the 1950’s, inspired by Inception, The Truman Show and The Matrix, all mindbending films, to get you excited as to what this could be. The film stars Florence Pugh, Harry Styles, Chris Pine, Olivia Wilde, Gemma Chan and Nick Kroll.
THE WOMAN KING (October 7th)
Viola Davis is a powerhouse, no matter the film, she turns up and delivers a performance of the highest level. This historical epic about the Kingdom of Dahomey is set to be gripping, powerful and action packed! The Woman King stars Viola Davis, Lashana Lynch, John Boyega, and Hero Fiennes Tiffin.
HALLOWEEN ENDS (October 14th)
The third and final installment of this Reboot-quel trilogy of Halloween films. Halloween Kills might’ve been a bit of a disappointment after the big success of the first one, but it felt like it was setting up what we all wanted to see of Jason taking on the whole town before getting back to his focus of killing Laurie Strode.
BLACK ADAM (October 21st)
This one has been a long time in the making! Another one that was originally on my previous list, before The League of Superpets was pushed to the end of July, delaying this one until October. Dwayne Johnson has been attached to this film and tried to get it going for over a decade and now it’s finally here. Can DC bring some normality back to their universe as we see a new anti-hero/villain.
AMSTERDAM (November 4th)
The latest film from director David O. Russell (American Hustle, Joy, Silver Linings Playbook) has assembled a strong cast including Christian Bale, Anya Taylor-Joy, Margot Robbie, Robert De Niro, Zoe Saldana, Rami Malek, Timothy Olyphant, Michael Shannon, Mike Myers, John David Washington, Taylor Swift and Chris Rock. The film follows three friends in the 1930’s witness a murder before they become suspects themselves.
BLACK PANTHER: WAKANDA FOREVER (November 11th)
We got our first emotional look at Black Panther: Wakanda Forever just over a week ago at SDCC ’22. It’s not known who will takeover the role of Black Panther in this, but it seems there will be a fight for a throne, and Namor is certainly going to be involved. Director, Ryan Coogler is returning to write and direct the sequel, with cast members Letitia Wright, Martin Freeman, Lupita Nyong’o, Angela Bassett, Winston Duke and Danai Gurira being joined by Michaela Coel and Tenoch Huerta.
THE FABELMANS (November 23rd)
Steven Spielberg was mostly praised for his last film, an adaptation of West Side Story, where some felt like it topped the original. The legendary filmmaker’s next film is another personal one, but this time the story is based on his own childhood. The film stars Michelle Williams, Seth Rogen and Paul Dano.
STRANGE WORLD (November 23rd)
Disney hit big with this slot last year thanks to the catchy songs of Encanto. Director, Don Hall had success with Big Hero 6 and Raya and the Last Dragon and will be looking to find the same success with this animated sci-fi adventure. The cast includes Jake Gyllenhaal, Dennis Quaid, Alan Tudyk, Lucy Liu, Gabrielle Union and Jaboukie Young-White.
MATILDA (December 2nd)
Emma Thompson and Lashana Lynch star in this telling of the classic Roald Dahl, but instead this time it’s an adpatation of the hugely success musical version. It may have a Netflix release in some countries but it’s scheduled for a cinematic release in the UK and Ireland at the very least.
AVATAR: THE WAY OF WATER (December 16th)
The only film that might be able to give Top Gun: Maverick a run for it’s money at the box office. There’s a lot of very excited people about the second Avatar film. It’s been 13 years since the first one, technology has come a long way and we know what James Cameron is like with his films, at the very least it’s going to look incredible and be a must watch in IMAX. Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, Sigourney Weaver and Stephen Lang all return and are joined by Kate Winslet and Michelle Yeoh.
SHAZAM! FURY OF THE GODS (December 21st)
The final big release of the year will be Shazam! Fury of the Gods, the only film that is willing to put itself up against Avatar. The first film was a lot of fun, and did well at the box office, capitalising on the family fun it provided, making it a perfect fit for Christmas time! Helen Mirren and Lucy Liu are the villains and star alongside Zachary Levi, Grace Caroline Currey, Adam Brody, Ross Butler, Meagon Good, DJ Cotrona, Rachel Zegler and Djimon Hounsou.
And that’s all the big releases for the year to watch out for and add to your diary. I’m hoping for a release as well for Glass Onion on the big screen, a potential given that it could well be up for some Academy Awards if it follows Knives Out‘s success and with Netflix subscribers dwindling, they might have to try something new.
What’s your most anticipated for the rest of 2022?
Let me know in the comments and follow me on social media below to keep up to date with reviews for all of these and news and more.
Flooders Films 
Leave a comment