In many ways, 2023 was a return to form for Hollywood. It was the first year of the decade left largely unaffected by the COVID-19 pandemic; films whose productions were delayed or, in some cases, halted back in 2020 were completed and released; Greta Gerwig’s “Barbie” and Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer,” collectively referred to as “Barbenheimer” on the internet, broke box-office records and proved original, blockbuster filmmaking is alive and well. However, just as films originally planned for 2020, 2021 or 2022 finally hit movie theaters and streaming services, current and future productions were put in limbo by an industry-wide shutdown, the result of writers and actors’ joint efforts to right the wrongs of today’s studio system.
Although last year was, in my opinion, a great year for movies, many highly anticipated releases — namely “Dune: Part Two” — were delayed; this year has the potential to be just as big, if not bigger, of a year in film.
Here are my 10 most anticipated movies of the year:
- “Weapons” (dir. Zach Cregger)
Zach Cregger’s Airbnb nightmare “Barbarian” was one of the breakout horror hits of 2022 — and a breath of fresh air in a long-oversaturated genre. Renate Reinsve, the star of “The Worst Person in the World,” and Brian Tyree Henry, one of the stars of “Atlanta” are attached. “The Worst Person in the World” is one of my favorite movies of the decade so far; “Atlanta” might be my favorite show. Additionally, early word is essentially a horror spin on “Magnolia,” which is my favorite movie.
- “Mother Mary” (dir. David Lowery)
Last year, Hunter Schafer, one of the stars of “Euphoria,” made her film debut in “The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes” — in a minor role. This year, she will appear in Tilman Singer’s “Cuckoo,” a horror movie, and David Lowery’s “Mother Mary,” a melodrama set in the music and fashion worlds; both parts appear to be significant. Lowery’s last film, “The Green Knight,” a quiet fantasy-adventure based on a 14th-century poem, is a dark-horse candidate for the most aesthetically pleasing movie of the decade; you could frame every single shot. Oh, and Anne Hathaway, one of our great actresses, is starring alongside Schafer.
- “Joker: Folie à Deux” (dir. Todd Phillips)
Todd Phillips’s “Joker” is one of the most divisive movies of the past decade. It feels like it exists in the same unfortunate space as David Fincher’s “Fight Club”: the hands of edgy “sigma males” on the internet. “Fight Club” is one of my favorite movies; I liked, but did not love, “Joker.” You may be wondering why it is so high on this list. The answer is Lady Gaga, my favorite artist. What is the worst that could happen?
- “Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga” (dir. George Miller)
I will be honest; I have not seen “Mad Max: Fury Road,” one of the most highly acclaimed movies of the 2010s. It is a major blind spot for me. But it would be an understatement to say I am excited for “Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga.” The trailer looks incredible, as do Chris Hemsworth and Anya Taylor-Joy. I will definitely be finally getting around to the previous film — and maybe even the other “Mad Max” movies — before “Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga” arrives in May.
- “Civil War” (dir. Alex Garland)
Alex Garland has established himself as a big name in sci-fi, seamlessly transitioning from a for-hire screenwriter to a director. And he came out of the gates swinging. “Ex Machina,” his directorial debut, might be the best of the three movies he has made so far. “Annihilation” and “Men” felt a little bit like back-to-back steps down for Garland, but I still thoroughly enjoyed both films. “Civil War,” as the title implies, is about a civil war — an American civil war, to be precise. However, this is not the story of the Union and the Confederacy and Abraham Lincoln; this is set in the present and, if not the present, the near future. And it stars power couple Kirsten Dunst and Jesse Plemons.
- “Kinds of Kindness” (dir. Yorgos Lanthimos)
I will never forget watching “The Killing of a Sacred Deer,” Yorgos Lanthimos’s horror movie starring Colin Farrell, Nicole Kidman and a young Barry Keoghan, and one of the most disturbing films I have ever seen, for the first time. I have been a fan of his ever since, and “Poor Things,” his previous movie, is probably my favorite film of last year. All I know about his new project, “Kinds of Kindness,” is that it is an anthology, and its cast is incredible: Emma Stone, Jesse Plemons, Hong Chau, Willem Dafoe, Joe Alwyn, Margaret Qualley and Hunter Schafer.
- “Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse” (dir. Joaquim Dos Santos, Justin K. Thompson and Kemp Powers)
Even before superheroes’ reign over Hollywood started to wane, I had jumped ship. However, I have — and always will — have a soft spot in my heart for “Spider-Man” movies. I enjoy nearly all of the live-action films, and the “Spider-Verse” movies are two of my favorite films, not just animated films, of the last decade. I genuinely believe this past summer’s “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” is a near-perfect movie, and it ended on a cliffhanger; “Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse” is made by the same team and the conclusion to the trilogy. Maybe I am naïve, but I feel like it could be even better than the previous film.
- “Challengers” (dir. Luca Guadagnino)
In my opinion, “Call Me by Your Name” is about as close as any other movie to a Gen-Z classic. And while I did not see that movie until a couple of years ago, I absolutely love it. In the lead-up to 2022’s “Bones and All,” one of my favorite films of not just last year but the decade so far, I watched the rest of Guadagnino’s filmography and fell for “A Bigger Splash” and “Suspiria.” He has quickly become one of my favorite directors. His latest project, “Challengers,” is a tennis drama starring Zendaya, Mike Faist and Josh O’Connor. The trailer is unreal. And it comes out three days before my birthday. I cannot wait.
- “Dune: Part Two” (dir. Denis Villeneuve)
I have a copy of, but have still not read, “Dune,” Frank Herbert’s seminal sci-fi novel. But Denis Villeneuve’s adaptation — or the first half of Denis Villeneuve’s adaptation — is, in my opinion, by far the best blockbuster of the decade so far. “Dune: Part Two” was one of my most anticipated movies, if not my most anticipated movie, of last year. Unfortunately, it got delayed, but it is almost here; we only have to wait one more month. I have watched the trailer once or twice, but I have seen all I need to see. I will probably end up seeing it three, four or five times in theaters before all is said and done.
- “Mickey 17” (dir. Bong Joon-ho)
By the time “Mickey 17,” Bong Joon-ho’s new movie, is released, it will have been five years since “Parasite,” his last film, which is widely regarded as a masterpiece. The director, who won the Best Director and Best Picture Oscars for the movie, is teaming up with Robert Pattinson, who might be the best movie star we have today. I cannot lie. I am a little worried, as Warner Bros. undated the movie. It was going to come out in March; now, we do not know when we are getting it. However, “Dune” is also a Warner Bros. film and, finally, comes out in March. Maybe the studio did not want to market two films — two big films — at the same time. Despite my anxiety, I think it is safe to assume we will see Joon-ho’s long-awaited return sometime this year; hopefully, that sometime is sooner rather than later.
