2022 is nearly upon us, and next year brings a bevy of new films headed our way. Blockbusters, indies, comedies, dramas, horror films and everything in between will be making their way to theaters and streaming services all throughout the year, and there’s much to be excited about.
Below, TheWrap staffers Adam Chitwood, Dessi Gomez, Harper Lambert, Andi Ortiz and Drew Taylor have rounded up a robust list of some of the most compelling films set for release in 2022 – with the caveat that there’s plenty more beyond this list to be excited about, including those films that aren’t even yet on our radar.
So let’s kick off the excitement for another year of great films with our list of anticipated titles, in order of release date.
“Scream” – Jan. 14
The world doesn’t necessarily need another “Scream” sequel, but if this fifth film in the franchise – simply titled “Scream” – is anything like the Radio Silence filmmaking team’s previous effort, “Ready or Not,” we’re in for a treat. Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox and David Arquette reprise their legacy roles from the original films in this Paramount Pictures and Spyglass Media Group release alongside a new cast of young talent that includes Jack Quaid, Jenna Ortega and Jasmin Savoy Brown. – Adam Chitwood
“The Batman” – Mar. 4
Yes, it’s another new Batman movie. Wait, wait, don’t run away … “The Batman” is co-written and directed by Matt Reeves, who helmed the latter two “Planet of the Apes” reboots and is one of the most exciting filmmakers working today. (Judging by the early promotional materials it might be an even more grounded, rain-slicked version of Gotham than the one Christopher Nolan brought to the screen.) Plus, none other than Robert Pattinson is in the cape and cowl, playing a young Batman in his second year of operation who is already facing off against the Riddler (Paul Dano), the Penguin (Colin Farrell), and Catwoman (Zoë Kravitz). – Drew Taylor
“Turning Red” – Mar. 11
Get ready to meet your latest Pixar obsession. “Turning Red,” directed by Domee Shi (“Bao”) follows young Mei (Rosalie Chiang), a 13-year-old girl who transforms into a giant red panda when she gets excited. While this might initially seem familiar (Pixar loves a good magical transformation), what sets “Turning Red” apart is its setting (Toronto in the early 2000s), tone (it features new boy band songs written by Billie Eilish and Finneas), art style (borrowing heavily from afternoon anime like “Sailor Moon”) and the fact that Shi, at 32, is one of the youngest Pixar filmmakers we’ve had in a while (and the first female director to helm her project solo). Plus the supporting cast includes Sanda Oh and James Hong. Sounds like “Turning Red” could be a fizzy blast but, knowing this is Pixar, it’ll probably still make you sob. – DT
“Everything Everywhere All At Once” – Mar. 25
A24’s first stab at the action genre stars Michelle Yeoh as Evelyn Wang, a middle-aged office worker whose world turns upside down when she discovers that she exists across infinite multiverses. A mysterious force of evil is spreading across the multiverses, and she may be humanity’s only hope for stopping it. Yeoh is already a sci-fi and action screen legend, with recent roles in “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” and “Star Trek: Discovery” continuing her hot streak. Jamie Lee Curtis, Ke Huy Quan and Stephanie Hsu co-star and “Swiss Army Man” duo the “Daniels” (Dan Kwan and Daniel Scheinert) wrote and directed the film. Check out the trailer here. – Harper Lambert
“Bullet Train” – Apr. 8
How’s this for a premise? Brad Pitt, Joey King, Andrew Koji, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Brian Tyree Henry, and Zazie Beetz play six assassins with silly codenames (Pitt is Ladybug), who find themselves on a Japanese bullet train, with targets that are interconnected. (It’s based on the novel by Kōtarō Isaka, which was recently published in English.) If that wasn’t enough, the additional supporting cast includes Michael Shannon, Logan Lerman, Hiroyuki Sanada, Bad Bunny and Sandra Bullock. And the mayhem is being orchestrated by David Leitch, who is one of the more exciting voices in modern day action filmmaking (thanks to his work on “Atomic Blonde” and “John Wick”). If it’s half as cool as the logline makes it out to be, it’ll still be pretty friggin cool. – DT
“Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore” – Apr. 15
The slightly delayed third film in the “Fantastic Beasts” franchise will finally arrive in April. Titled “The Secrets of Dumbledore,” this film focuses on Albus Dumbledore’s past in defeating dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald. Jude Law stars as younger Albus Dumbledore, while Mads Mikkelsen takes over Johnny Depp’s role as Grindelwald. Eddie Redmayne stars as magizooligist Newt Scamander, who brings life and light to the dark films along with his crew of Jacob Kowalski (Dan Fogler), Tina Goldstein (Katherine Waterston) and Queenie Goldstein (Alison Sudol) in addition to brother Theseus Scamander (Callum Turner). – Dessi Gomez
“The Northman” – Apr. 22
Filmmaker Robert Eggers has twice now made films that are utterly surprising and masterful from a craft perspective, and for his next effort the “The Witch” and “The Lighthouse” director is tackling a Viking epic. Alexander Skarsgard leads “The Northman” as a Viking prince who sets out to avenge his father’s murder, with Nicole Kidman, Ethan Hawke, Anya Taylor-Joy and Björk along for the ride. The first trailer for the Focus Features release promised a muddy, bloody and cinematic affair. – AC
“Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” – May 6
The sequel to 2016’s “Doctor Strange” elaborates on the story of Dr. Stephen Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) by adding Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olson) and America Chavez (Xochitl Gomez) into the mix, while delving into a story that involves the multiverse. Original stars Benedict Wong and Rachal McAdams will reprise their roles as Wong and Christine Palmer, respectively. Sam Raimi takes over as director for Scott Derrickson, who directed the first film, while “Loki” showrunner Michael Waldron wrote the screenplay. – DG
“DC’s League of Super Pets” — May 20
The latest DC theatrical animated feature is “DC League of Super Pets,” which follows Superman’s dog Krypto (voiced by Dwayne Johnson), as he joins forces with a bunch of misfit animals that also gain superpowers (including Kevin Hart, Vanessa Bayer, Natasha Lyonne, and Diego Luna). Together, the pets team up to help save the heroes from villainy. (Keanu Reeves voices a mystery character, we’re guessing he’s a baddie!) The animation comes courtesy of Animal Logic, who provided WB with the animation for “The LEGO Movie,” and co-writer/director Jared Stern is a veteran of the LEGO franchise. The last time Warner Bros. made one of these weird WB animated offshoots, the result was “Teen Titans Go! To the Movies,” which was hugely enjoyable. Hopefully lightning strikes twice. – DT
“Legally Blonde 3” – May 20
“Legally Blonde” is one of the most beloved comedies of the early 2000s, spawning sequels and a Broadway musical. The third “Legally Blonde” film picks up almost two decades after the second installment, with original stars Reese Witherspoon, Jennifer Coolidge, Jessica Cauffiel and Alanna Ubach reprising their roles. Mindy Kaling and comedy writer Dan Goor will team up with original screenwriters Karen McCullah and Kirsten Smith for the script. – HL
“Top Gun: Maverick” – May 27
Consider that “Top Gun: Maverick” was originally dated for June 12, 2019. Since then it has had four more release dates that have come and gone (the last was December 23, 2020). Hopefully this last release date sticks. Because we have been feeling the need (the need for speed) quite badly. Tom Cruise returns to the role as the titular Maverick, a loose cannon who is put in charge of a new generation of flight trainees (including Miles Teller as “Rooster,” Goose’s son). With direction from Cruise’s “Oblivion” director Joseph Kosinski and much of the key personnel behind the latest “Mission: Impossible” movies (including editor Eddie Hamilton and co-writer/producer Christopher McQuarrie) back for aerial insanity, “Top Gun: Maverick” looks to pull some serious G’s. Also, the footage screened at CinemaCon this past fall was genuinely mind-blowing. Bring it on. – DT
“Jurassic World: Dominion” – June 10
Director and co-writer Colin Trevorrow wraps up his own “Jurassic” trilogy with the Universal Pictures summer blockbuster “Jurassic World: Dominion,” which follows in the footsteps of other legacy sequels by bringing back the stars of Steven Spielberg’s original film. The expertise of Sam Neill, Laura Dern and Jeff Goldblum is needed alongside that of Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard, as dinosaurs are now roaming free across the planet. – AC
“Lightyear” – June 17
When the trailer for Pixar’s “Lightyear” hit (delicately set to the tune of David Bowie’s “Starman”), it caused a sensation on social media: what was this movie exactly? Well, the answer is pretty simple – “Lightyear” is the big budget hardcore sci-fi movie that ultimately inspired the Buzz Lightyear toy that Andy (and later Bonnie) treasured so dearly in the “Toy Story” movies. So. Instead of Tim Allen, the character will be voiced by Chris Evans (and Taika Waititi voices an unknown character). “Lightyear” is directed by Angus Maclane, a Pixar vet who has a great handle on the “Toy Story” universe (he directed the short “Small Fry” and the Halloween special), with a script that was worked on by “Soul” filmmaker (and Pixar bigwig) Pete Docter. It’ll be interesting to see if “Lightyear” is a one-off or if the borders of the “Toy Story” universe have forever been altered (and expanded). To infinity and beyond indeed. – DT
“Elvis” – June 24
“The Great Gatsby” filmmaker Baz Luhrman is back with his first film in nine years, which chronicles the life of Elvis Presley. Austin Butler will fill the role of the revolutionary rock star, and Tom Hanks will co-star as Colonel Tom Parker. Olivia DeJonge joins them on screen as Priscilla Presley, as does Luke Bracey as Jerry Schilling, Dacre Montgomery as Steve Binder and David Wenham as Hank Snow. – DG
“Thor: Love and Thunder” – July 8
“Thor: Ragnarok” is unequivocally one of the highlights of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, so it makes sense that Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige would bring director Taika Waititi back to the fold (this time he also wrote the script), who joins franchise regulars Chris Hemsworth, Tessa Thompson, and Natalie Portman. The man formerly known as Batman, Christian Bale, is the baddie this time around, and the Guardians of the Galaxy (including Chris Pratt and Dave Bautista) will show up, paying off the gag at the end of “Avengers: Endgame.” With Portman as a new Thor and Waititi promising an even more unhinged vision, “Thor: Love and Thunder” could shake up the MCU in all the right ways. – DT
“Nope” – July 22
“Nope” is the third high concept genre film from Oscar-winning writer/director Jordan Peele. It stars Daniel Kaluuya, Keke Palmer, Steven Yeun, Barbie Ferreira and Michael Wincott. The poster features an ominous cloud (is there a UFO in there?) And that’s about all we know! But honestly that is more than enough to make it one of the most anticipated movies of 2022.
“Black Adam” – July 29
Dwayne Johnson finally makes his comic book movie debut with Warner Bros. and DC’s “Black Adam,” an anti-hero story that spans an epic amount of time to introduce the world to a character who deals out justice on his own (extremely violent) terms. Johnson reunites with his “Jungle Cruise” director Jaume Collet-Serra on the project, which also stars Pierce Brosnan, Noah Centineo and Aldis Hodge. – AC
“Bros” – Aug. 12
Universal Pictures’ “Bros” marks the first romantic comedy from a major studio about two gay men, which makes it remarkable in and of itself. But add in the fact that it stars Billy Eichner, who co-wrote the screenplay with “Forgetting Sarah Marshall” and “The Five-Year Engagement” filmmaker Nicholas Stoller (who also directs) and this is certainly one of the year’s most anticipated films. – AC
“Don’t Worry Darling” – Sept. 23
Olivia Wilde’s follow-up to her 2019 directorial debut “Booksmart” has been attracting buzz since its all-star cast was announced. Wilde stars alongside Florence Pugh, Gemma Chan, Chris Pine, and Harry Styles in this thriller about a 1950s housewife who starts to suspect that her husband’s company may be harboring dark secrets. Controversy surrounding the film – Shia LaBeouf was fired and replaced by Styles, whose relationship with Wilde went public after filming wrapped – is only fanning the flames. A ten-second teaser dropped earlier this year, revealing a first look at Pugh and Styles as couple Alice and Jack. – HL
“Mission: Impossible 7” – Sept. 30
2018’s “Mission: Impossible – Fallout” was arguably the highlight of the entire franchise, a whip smart, balls-to-the-wall entry that made you appreciate just how special this Tom Cruise-led franchise is. It also made a ton of money. So, when Paramount announced that it would be following “Fallout” with not one but two installments, it made perfect sense.
Initially targeted for a summer 2021 release, a complicated shoot, mixed with multiple COVID-related setbacks, the first of the two as-yet-unnamed sequels will now see release this fall. Details for the movie have been fuzzy, although an appropriately intriguing sizzle reel was screened at CinemaCon alongside behind-the-scenes footage of the movie’s big stunt that sees Cruise jumping a motorcycle into a ravine and then parachuting down. True insanity.
This entry sees the return of Ving Rhames, Simon Pegg, Rebecca Ferguson, Vanessa Kirby, and Henry Czerny (returning to the franchise for the first time since the original film), alongside newcomers Esai Morales, Pom Klementieff, Shea Whigham and Cary Elwes. “Fallout” favorites like writer/director Christopher McQuarrie, editor Eddie Hamilton and composer Lorne Balfe are also accepting this latest mission. – DT
“Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse – Part One” – Oct. 7
The second chapter of the Spider-Verse saga comes four years after “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” wowed audiences with its unique animation style, nabbing the Oscar for Best Animated Feature Film. A first-look teaser revealed that Miles Morales (Shameik Moore), Gwen Stacy (Hailee Steinfeld) and Peter B. Parker (Jake Johnson) will return for the sequel. New characters voiced by Issa Rae and Oscar Isaac promise to add even more star power, with further casting announcements yet to be made. – HL
“Halloween Ends” – Oct. 10
This past fall “Halloween Kills,” the second chapter in a new trilogy directed by David Gordon Green and starring series vet Jamie Lee Curtis, opened in theaters and on Universal’s streaming service Peacock on the same day. And it still made a killing at the box office. “Halloween Ends,” which will supposedly involve a time jump, looks to conclude this most recent trilogy and the franchise that began in 1978 with John Carpenter’s original. Green has said that the third chapter will be more “intimate,” eschewing the large-scale chaos of the sequel. There will be blood. – DT
“The Flash” – Nov. 4
Warner Bros. has spent the better part of a decade trying to develop a feature film version of “The Flash,” and after a revolving door of directors that included Rick Famuyiwa and John Francis Daley & Jonathan Goldstein, the film finally came to fruition with “It” filmmaker Andy Muschietti at the helm. Ezra Miller stars as Barry Allen, reprising his role from “Justice League” in a story that spans the multiverse and finds Barry crashing into multiple Batmen (Ben Affleck and Michael Keaton, to be exact) and Supergirl (Sasha Calle, making her DC debut). – AC
Untitled David O. Russell – Nov. 4
Little is known about the five-time Oscar nominee’s first project since 2015’s “Joy,” except that it’s a period piece stuffed to the gills with famous names. The cast includes Anya-Taylor Joy, Margot Robbie, Rami Malek, Christian Bale, Robert De Niro, Zoe Saldana, Timothy Olyphant, Michael Shannon, Chris Rock, Mike Myers, Andrea Riseborough, John David Washington and Taylor Swift. That alone should be enough to drive people to theaters, or at least to pique their interest when the trailer debuts. – HL
“Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” – Nov. 11
The sequel to 2018’s Oscar-winning “Black Panther,” which starred the late Chadwick Boseman, is due for release this November despite a number of setbacks. Bringing back Shuri (Letitia Wright), Nakia (Lupita Nyong’o) Ramonda (Angela Bassett), Okoya (Danai Guirira), W’Kabi (Daniel Kaluuya) and more, this sequel will continue to explore the world of Wakanda and the characters that make it home. Although it will undoubtedly feel incomplete without Chadwick Boseman starring as T’Challah (the character is not being recast), this film promises another artistic work from writer/director Ryan Coogler. – DG
“She Said” – Nov. 18
All eyes will be on Universal’s dramatic adaptation of “She Said,” the 2019 book by Jodie Kantor and Megan Twohey that documents their investigation into Harvey Weinstein’s history of sexual abuse. Zoe Kazan and Carey Mulligan play Kantor and Twohey, respectively, and Emmy-winning “Unorthodox” director Maria Schrader is behind the camera. – AC
“Strange World” – Nov. 23
Walt Disney Animation Studios’ 61st animated feature is “Strange World,” a rousing sci-fi adventure that is a tribute to the pulpy stories of early 20th century America. Directed by the great Don Hall, who directed “Winnie the Pooh,” “Big Hero 6” and “Raya and the Last Dragon,” returns to direct “Strange World,” with writing and co-directing duties being handled by Qui Nguyen (another “Raya and the Last Dragon” veteran). Not much is known about the plot, although it shares some aesthetic and narrative sensibilities with “Atlantis: The Lost Empire,” an ahead-of-its time animated feature that had a similarly old-school adventure vibe. In the words of that production, expect fewer songs and more explosions. – DT
“The Fabelmans” – Nov. 23
Alfonso Cuarón pulled from his childhood for “Roma”; Kenneth Branagh did it for “Belfast”; and now Steven Spielberg is digging into his own past for his new coming-of-age film “The Fabelmans.” The screenplay, written by Spielberg and Tony Kushner, is loosely based on Spielberg’s own childhood and stars Michelle Williams as his mother, Paul Dano as his father and Seth Rogen as his uncle. – AC
“Avatar 2” – Dec. 16
It is finally upon us. Keep in mind that the original release date for the first in a series of “Avatar” sequels was 2014. But hey, you can’t rush art. Co-writer/director James Cameron returns, along with original “Avatar” stars Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, Stephen Lang, Giovanni Rabisi and Sigourney Weaver, this time joined by newcomers Edie Falco, Michelle Yeoh, Jemaine Clement, Cliff Curtis and Kate Winslet. That’s a lot of star power for a movie that is 95% CGI. Considering the end of the original movie (which opened back in 2009), saw marine Jake Sully reborn as a kind of half-Na’vi hybrid (underlying a fatalistic theme that humankind is pretty much doomed), it’s safe to assume that there will be some drama in his acclimating to his new life, as well as the ongoing threat of colonization from the evil mega-corporation RDA. – DT
“Babylon” – Dec. 25
Oscar-winning “La La Land” and “First Man” filmmaker Damien Chazelle returns with his own take on the golden age of Hollywood in Paramount Pictures’ R-rated drama “Babylon.” The robust ensemble cast includes Brad Pitt, Margot Robbie, Olivia Wilde, Tobey Maguire, Jean Smart, Katherine Waterston, Jovan Adepo and Li Jun Li. – AC
“Batgirl” – Release Date TBA
Between getting our first live action iteration of Batgirl and Michael Keaton returning once more as Batman, it’s hard to not be hyped for ‘Batgirl.’ And, after seeing a stellar on-screen debut from Leslie Grace in “In The Heights,” we can’t wait to see what she does in Gotham. “Batgirl” doesn’t have an official release date yet, but is slated for 2022.
“Blonde” – Release Date TBA
It’s been far too long since we’ve had a new movie from Andrew Dominik, the talented filmmaker behind “The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford” and “Killing Them Softly.” Thankfully the drought is about to end. “Blonde,” based on the novel by Joyce Carol Oates, is a narrative version of the life of Marilyn Monroe (played by Ana de Armas). Long-rumored, “Blonde” finally filmed back in 2019, with a cast that includes Adrien Brody (as Arthur Miller), Bobby Cannavale (as Joe DiMaggio) and Caspar Phillipson (as JFK). We’ll finally get to see what all the fuss is about when Netflix releases the film this year. – DT
“Disappointment Blvd.” – Release Date TBA
Writer-director Ari Aster amassed a cult following from his first two films, “Hereditary” (2018) and “Midsommar” (2019), so it’s safe to say his third effort is eagerly anticipated. With Joaquin Phoenix, Parker Posey and Amy Ryan heading up a cast of stars and newcomers, “Disappointment Blvd.” is likely to draw even more interest. Few details are known about the horror-comedy film, which is described as “a decades-spanning portrait of one of the most successful entrepreneurs of all time.” – HL
“The Gray Man” – Release Date TBA
“Avengers: Infinity War” and “Avengers: Endgame” filmmakers Joe and Anthony Russo return to action directing after their drama “Cherry” with the Netflix release “The Gray Man.” The long-in-the-works adaptation of Mark Greaney’s novel stars Ryan Gosling as a CIA veteran who is betrayed by his agency and forced to go on the run. Chris Evans plays his former colleague tasked with hunting him down, while the cast also includes Ana de Armas and Jessica Henwick.
“Killers of the Flower Moon” – Release Date TBA
Martin Scorsese jumps from Netflix (where he made “The Irishman”) to Apple TV+ for his latest, “Killers of the Flower Moon.” Based on the nonfiction page turner by New Yorker science writer David Grann, “Killers of the Flower Moon” takes place in Oklahoma in the 1920s, when a series of indigenous murders leads J. Edgar Hoover to send an enterprising FBI agent to solve the mystery. The production hit a minor hiccup when frequent Scorsese collaborator Leonardo DiCaprio decided that he no longer wanted to play the FBI agent but instead wanted to essay one of the more complex characters (Jesse Plemons was then cast as the FBI agent). With a screenplay by Eric Roth, a $200 million production budget, and a host of Scorsese regulars in front of (hello Robert De Niro) and behind the camera (cinematographer Rodrigo Prieto, editor Thelma Schoonmaker, composer Robbie Robertson), this could be a prestige home run. – DT
“Knives Out 2” – Release Date TBA
Writer/director Rian Johnson follows up his Oscar-nominated 2019 murder mystery “Knives Out” with a new Benoit Blanc story. Daniel Craig returns as the detective with a curious accent, and a new roster of performers lead the ensemble this time around: Madelyn Cline (“Outer Banks”) to Kathryn Hahn, Ethan Hawke, Kate Hudson, Edward Norton, Dave Bautista, Leslie Odom Jr. and Janelle Monae are among those in the ensemble. This is the first of two “Knives Out” sequels that Netflix will distribute. – DG
“Prey” – Release Date TBA Summer
The “Predator” franchise takes a left turn with “Prey,” a movie set in early America that follows the killer Predator alien’s first trip to earth. The cast is almost completely Indigenous, led by Amber Midthunder, who plays a young Comanche warrior who defends her people against the deadly alien. Not much else is known about the upcoming film, although it is clearly an attempt to go back to basics after the bloated 2018 sequel “The Predator.” In an odd arrangement, “Prey” will premiere directly on Hulu. – DT
