Hello fellow movie goers from around the globe. Today’s editorial is about my personal picks of movies coming out in the current year. 2019 is over, it’s time to start the new one by listing 12 specific movies I’ve selected. Whether it’s a follow up to a beloved franchise or a standalone story, allow me to present my Top 12 Anticipated Films Of 2020. Why Top 12? Because I don’t want an extra number giving me a bad case of bad luck.
Nick’s Top 12 List
12. Black Widow
After Avengers: Endgame concluded an eleven year story arc, Marvel Studios confirmed a stand alone prequel set before Infinity War involving Black Widow’s solo film with Scarlett Johansson reprising her role as the title character. Black Widow isn’t an origin story, it focuses on Natasha reuniting with her old comrades from the past. Together they face an enemy known as Taskmaster.
David Harbour, Florence Pugh, Rachel Weisz & Ray Winstone are confirmed to play pivotal roles in the upcoming solo movie. Black Widow is set before Avengers: Infinity War. I have to come clean, Black Widow is my least anticipated movie of the year alongside another marvel movie due to Avengers: Endgame concluding on a high note. One more thing, I’m least interested in Scarjo’s movie because of what happened to her in Endgame. If you haven’t seen Endgame I won’t give away anything.
11. The Eternals
Besides Black Widow coming out this year, The Eternals will come out during Thanksgiving month. This movie is set after Avengers: Endgame focusing on the titular race of aliens tasked to protect humanity from The Deviants. Plot details haven’t been revealed so far, Marvel Studios is trying to maintain focus on stand alone movies until a complex story arc will cross old and new faces together.
Angelina Jolie, Kumail Nanjiani, Brian Tyree Henry, Gemma Chan, Kit Harrington, Richard Madden & Salma Hayek signed on to play members of The Eternals. The Primary Antagonist of the movie hasn’t been announced.
10. Birds Of Prey
After Suicide Squad earned negative reactions, (I actually enjoyed Suicide Squad) WB & DC decided to focus on solo movies set in the DC Extended Universe. Aquaman & Shazam proved to be big hits both critically & financially. Margot Robbie reprises her role as Harley Quinn in Birds Of Prey, this time she’s teaming up with a titular group organized by female vigilantes including Black Canary, (Green Arrow’s love interest) and Huntress. They must protect a girl who has a price on her head by a crime boss known as Roman Sionis/Black Mask.
Inspired by R-rated movies like Deadpool, Logan and Best Picture nominee Joker, Birds Of Prey will be a hard R film refusing to flinch away. If it does a decent job earning revenue and positive reception, a Birds Of Prey trilogy might happen with Margot signing up for more entries. Birds Of Prey is slated to come out on February 7th.
9. Wonder Woman 1984
In 2017, Wonder Woman managed to make a lot of money and critics praised WB for properly making a DC movie. Like the first film set in World War I, Wonder Woman 1984 will take place in a different time period set in 1984 (obviously) back when Clark Kent was a baby, Alfred taking care of Bruce Wayne and a year before Arthur Curry was born. Don’t forget Cyborg & Flash before they were born. Also not sure about Hal Jordan’s current whereabouts.
Gal Gadot reprises her role as Diana known as Wonder Woman, Patty Jenkins returns to direct and Chris Pine comes back as Diana’s love interest Steve Trevor. Diana will battle her archenemy known as Cheetah with Kristen Wiig portraying the main villain. Wonder Woman 1984 will be released on June 4th.
8. A Quiet Place Part II
An unexpected hit in 2018, A Quiet Place solidified John Krasinski’s role as a respected filmmaker and playing against type as a survivalist trying to protect his family from blind creatures who can sense their prey using their ears if anybody makes a sound. John alongside his real life spouse Emily Blunt were the main highlights of the movie which earned them numerous praise.
A sequel set after the first will focus on Emily’s character trying to keep her kids safe from the creatures. If you wanna know where John’s character is, watch the first movie. Can’t give anything away. Cillian Murphy & Djimon Hounsou are set to play new characters who will factor into the sequel. As of right now, plot details are kept under wraps, until it comes out on March 20th.
7. Fast & Furious 9
The Fast & The Furious franchise hasn’t been running outta gas since Fast Five, the ninth chapter in the main series or tenth if you count Hobbs & Shaw, will once again involve Dominic Toretto and his crew coming out of retirement for yet another high octane mission. No plot details have been confirmed as of January. Vin Diesel and the entire cast will come back. Dwayne Johnson & Jason Statham won’t come back this time. Maybe the ninth film will address their absence.
6. Halloween Kills
Halloween 2018 was a surprise hit recapturing the original John Carpenter masterpiece not numerous sequels or Rob Zombie’s remake. Right now, no fully detailed premise has been confirmed. All I know is Jamie Lee Curtis will reprise her role as Michael Myers’ archenemy Laurie Strode. Danny McBride will write the script as he did with Halloween 2018. David Gordon Green is also set to direct the third chapter of the main series. Halloween 2018 counts as the second chapter. How will this connect to 2018’s ending? We shall see in the future.
5. Godzilla VS King Kong
What do you get when you bring two giant monsters together on the big screen? An epic battle with a radiated dinosaur and an ape duking it out mono e mono. Like I said with some movies lacking specific plot details, this one didn’t spill the beans just yet. I can’t wait for them to fight.
4. The Many Saints Of Newark
The Sopranos ended in 2007 resulting in a disappointing finale. A film based on the critically acclaimed series started development with David Chase back on board alongside familiar cast members like James Gandolfini. Unfortunately, Jim died of a heart attack in 2013 canceling a potential film. A few years later a prequel centering around a teenaged Tony Soprano, his father Johnny Boy, Uncle Junior and Christopher Moltisanti’s father Dickie, taking us back in time to witness the beginning.
Jim’s real life son Michael will portray a young Tony while Jon Bernthal, Corey Stoll & Vera Farmiga will play Johnny Boy, Uncle Junior & Livia. As of January 2019, plot details are kept under wraps until the prequel comes out on September 25th. As a fan of The Sopranos, I’m eager to see how Tony became a gangster, his troubled childhood and young Uncle Junior.
3. Top Gun: Maverick
It’s been thirty-four years since Top Gun propelled Tom Cruise as a bankable A-List star. A sequel to the classic film was in Development Hell since 2010. Tony Scott (Ridley Scott’s real life brother) was scheduled to come back and direct the sequel alongside Tom reprising his role as Maverick. Sadly, Tony killed himself suspending production. Despite a tragic loss, Jerry Bruckheimer managed to hire Christopher McQuarrie, Ehren Kruger & Eric Warren Singer to write the script together. Tom approved the script as they can finally make the sequel Tony would’ve loved and honor the late director’s legacy.
The sequel will center around Maverick now a flight instructor who teaches Goose’s son how to fly a jet. He becomes protective of his best friend’s son as we all know what happened to Goose in the original. Miles Teller will play Goose’s son Rooster. Jon Hamm, Jennifer Connelly and Ed Harris will factor in as new characters. Val Kilmer will also come back as Iceman. Not the one from X-Men.
2. No Time To Die
After Spectre came out in 2015, MGM was having a hard time trying to get Daniel Craig back as James Bond due to scheduling conflicts and his age affecting his physicality. Phoebe Waller-Bridge signed on the write the script for Daniel’s last hurrah as Bond. The story is about a retired Bond who is tasked to finish a close friend’s job, during his mission, he also meets his female replacement. They band together to get the job done and face off against a mysterious bad guy.
Rami Malek will play the villain, Lashana Lynch will also play Bond’s protégé similar to Terry McGinnis (from Batman Beyond) & Miles Morales. (from Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse) Billy Eilish is officially the youngest singer to contribute to a James Bond theme song. I’m psyched for Daniel’s last hurrah as Bond.
Honorable Mentions
Impractical Jokers: The Movie
Secret Society Of Second Born Royals
Ghostbusters: Afterlife
Bill & Ted Face The Music
Morbius
The King’s Man
Dune
1. Tenet
Ladies & Gentlemen, my number pick is none other than Christopher Nolan’s Tenet. A trailer for the upcoming movie has some clues it involves time travel, a possible nuclear war which may trigger World War III and John David Washington (Denzel Washington’s real life son) will play a spy sent to prevent a the possible future from happening using time travel. No crucial plot points were given away.
I am very excited to see my favorite director’s movie coming out on my birthday month. Which is July. Christopher Nolan is also born on July as well. His birthday is on the 30th, while mine is the 23rd. Chris definitely needs an Oscar in the future, he is overdue since 2008.
That’s all I got for my list.
Nickthemoviecritic.com 