This month’s report is packed with A-list stars and major franchises, including the newest “Scream” and “Creed” flicks
The movie that American viewers are most excited to see in March? That honor goes to Keanu Reeves vehicle “John Wick: Chapter 4,” according to Whip Media’s latest Anticipation Report based on the responses of users of TV Time, its TV and movie tracking app with more than 25 million global registered users.
The newest “John Wick” features the popular hitman making his return from a four-year absence to do what he does best — kick ass and look cool while doing it. And this sequel will see Wick take his battle against the High Table all around the world, with stops in Berlin, Paris, New York and Japan. “John Wick: Chapter 4” is set to hit theaters on March 24 in the States.
In addition to Reeves, the March report is packed with A-list stars and major franchises, including the newest “Shazam,” “Scream” and “Creed” flicks, as well as an Adam Sandler-Jennifer Aniston reunion in “Murder Mystery 2.”
The new “Wick” flick edged past “Shazam! Fury of the Gods,” the followup to 2019’s “Shazam!” Zachary Levi is back as the title character, and he’s joined by a pretty stacked cast that includes Adam Brody, Lucy Liu and Helen Mirren, among others. The latest DC film reportedly cost $125 million to make, but it should turn an easy profit if it can come close to how the first “Shazam” performed.
The bronze medal for March didn’t go to a sequel, but it’s tied to another huge brand: “Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves,” which is pegged to come out on the last day of the month. (Although if you’re at SXSW in Austin, you’ll be able to catch it a few weeks early.) The film, based on the classic fantasy table game, will star Chris Pine as Edgin the Bard and Michelle Rodriguez as Holga the Barbarian, two adventurers leading their misfit gang on a journey to obtain a lost relic.
From there, two big-name flicks with lots of history, “Scream VI” and “Creed III,” rounded out the top five.
Most anticipated movies, March 2023, U.S. (Whip Media)
“Scream VI” comes a little more than a year after the fifth installment of the iconic horror franchise — and why not? The 2022 “Scream” raked in more than $140 million on a $24 million budget, so you can see why Paramount wanted to get this out to the masses on March 10. Longtime fans should also be happy to see original “Scream” writer Kevin Williamson returning as executive producer for the sixth film, as well as Courteney Cox reprising her role as dogged reporter Gale Weathers.
“Creed III,” meanwhile, is the earliest movie on the list to hit theaters, with Adonis Creed (played by Michael B. Jordan) jumping back in the ring Friday. His latest rival? Damian Anderson (Jonathan Majors), who was like a brother to young Adonis when he was growing up in foster care. Now, just released from prison, Damian is looking to make his mark on the boxing world at the expense of Adonis.
Of course, anyone who has been following the drama-filled production of “Creed III” knows Sylvester Stallone’s Rocky Balboa will be noticeably absent from the film. For many old school fans, that will be a bit weird. One saving grace for “Creed III,” though, could turn out to be Jordan as director. As TheWrap’s William Bibbiani noted in his review, Jordan turns out to be an “excellent filmmaker” in his directorial debut, “pulling great performances out of his costars — and himself — while capturing the series’ iconic fights with strategic clarity.” Sounds like this one has a puncher’s chance of living up to its legacy.
Sean Burch is a marketing insights analyst at Whip Media, a WrapPRO partner. Click here for more from Whip Media.
Whip Media is a market-leading data provider and enterprise software platform. The company provides global consumer anticipation, viewership and engagement data and insights across all platforms for movies and television. This enables the world’s largest media and entertainment organizations to make more informed marketing, licensing, programming, and development decisions. For more information, visit www.whipmedia.com.
Whip Media
Whip Media is a market-leading data provider and enterprise software platform. The company provides global consumer anticipation, viewership and engagement data and insights across all platforms for movies and television. This enables the world’s largest media and entertainment organizations to make more informed marketing, licensing, programming, and development decisions. For more information, visit www.whipmedia.com.