Most Anticipated Films of 2015
The Reign of the Nerd continues into 2015, which despite lacking a sequel to Pacific Rim, may just be the best year in film for nerds yet. With the return of fan favorite franchises and new films from favored directors, Hollywood is pulling out all the stops to get our butts in the seats. With so many movies vying for our valuable cash, we’re here to help you decide what flicks to see in the theater and which can wait for Redbox rental.
Trailers have been attached, so feel free to watch the Jurassic World trailer for the 3rd time today. For your convenience, the movies are in order of release date, so yes, Star Wars is at the bottom, but that just means we’re saving the best for last.
Predestination – January 9th
Ethan Hawke, Sarah Snook, Noah Taylor
Already released, Predestination is a time traveling story based off the short story “All You Zombies” by Robert A Heinlein and looks to be a real mind f***. If that’s not enough to get you in the theater, it’s certified Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes, which is a blessing in the cinematic dry spell that usually affects January.
Jupiter Ascending – February 6
Mila Kunis, Channing Tatum, Sean Bean
A sci-fi/fantasy epic from the Wachowski siblings, Jupiter Ascending promises mind blowing visuals, fast paced action sequences, and a somewhat silly plot, if the trailer is to be believed. I’m on the fence with this one, but I’m optimistic that if nothing else, this movie will be beautifully shot and action packed.
Seventh Son – February 6
Jeff Bridges, Julianne Moore, Ben Barnes
After being pushed back multiple times, Seventh Son will finally grace us with its presence in theaters this February. Originally set for a 2013 release date, this film has been plagued by multiple reshoots, which is typically not a good sign. Heavy on monsters, action and fantasy, the films hope to bring Joseph Delaney’s The Wardstone Chronicles to life. With any luck, we’ll get a fun fantasy romp and not a repeat of the previous Jeff Bridges flop RIPD.
Kingsman: Secret Service – February 13
Colin Firth, Samuel L Jackson,
The tale of a secret society of spies that takes in and trains a young boy who’s the latest member of a legacy in that society. Kingsman: Secret Service sounds like a rehashing of the 2008 film Wanted, which makes sense, as both were written by Mark Millar. However, Kingsman: Secret Service is directed by nerd favorite, Matthew Vaughn, and shows potential to be more memorable than the 2008 film with the similar premise.
Chappie – March 6
Hugh Jackman, Sharlto Copley, Sigourney Weaver, Dev Patel
From Director Neil Blomkamp, Chappie looks like a delightful mix of Robocop and Short Circuit. Along with raising questions about artificial intelligence, this film looks to have the director’s gritty feel, ultra-violent action, and social commentary. It also features the South African rap-rave group, Die Antwoord and Blomkamp alum Sharlto Copley. I can’t wait.
Insurgent – March 20
Shailene Woodley, Theo James, Kate Winslet
Pleasantly surprised by Divergent, I’m looking forward to the sequel based on the young adult novel of the same name. While Shailene Woodley gives a bland performance, the dystopian future setting was interesting enough for me to visit a second time.
It Follows – March 27
Maika Monroe, Keir Gilchrist, Dave Weary
A teen horror flick with a new, but instantly recognizable premise that sounds absolutely horrifying, I can’t stop thinking about this film. A throwback to 80’s horror that adds elements of the Slenderman mythos to an allegory for STD’s, paranoia, mistrust, and nail biting terror makes this film look to be the breakout horror hit of 2015.
Ex Machina – April 10
Oscar Isaac, Domhnall Gleeson, Alicia Vikander
Another film exploring the implications of artificial intelligence, Ex Machina follows a programmer running a robot through the Turing Test and slowly going insane. This film looks to be another head trip with the protagonist questioning who’s AI and who’s human.
Kill Me Three Times – April 10
Simon Pegg, Teresa Palmer, Alice Braga, Luke Hemsworth
Okay, so it’s not a genre film, but Kill Me Three Times looks to have the crime comedy feel of some of Smoking Aces, which was a very fun if forgettable flick. Bonus points for Simon Pegg, who I honestly can’t get enough of.
Avengers: Age of Ultron – May 1
Robert Downey Jr., James Spader, Scarlett Johansson, Chris Hemsworth, Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Jeremy Renner, Don Cheadle, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Elizabeth Olsen, Paul Bettany, Samuel L Jackson
Phase 2 of Marvel’s cinematic universe ends with a horde of time traveling robots, new heroes, and a giant Iron Man fighting The Hulk. What else could we ask for?
Mad Max: Fury Road – May 15
Tom Hardy, Charlize Theron
One of my most anticipated films of the year, Mad Max: Fury Road is a 110 minute car chase across the deserts of Australia from a director who has given the world Happy Feet, Babe: Pig in the City, Happy Feet 2, and the Mad Max franchise. Starring Bane, Charlize Theron with a robot arm, the elemental force of Fire, and a Cirque du Soleil troop, is it any wonder why I’m so excited about this film?
Tomorrowland – May 22
George Clooney, Britt Robertson, Hugh Laurie
Though the teaser doesn’t tell us much about the film, Tomorrowland looks to be an imaginative romp through a fantastic future city of Tomorrowland while George Clooney watches CNN coverage of the Ferguson Riots.
Want to see what June through December has in store? Check out Part 2
