Jason's Most Anticipated Movies of 2020

Robert always makes fun of me for saying “this year hasn’t been great for movies,” but he’s right, every year there are always a bunch of films worth watching. So, I’ll gladly eat my words and spit out a few as well. Here are my most anticipated films for 2020. We’ll add new COVID-19-influenced release dates and links to reviews as we see them!

After Yang (no release date yet)
Dir: Kogonada for A24 (distributor)
Cast: Haley Lu Richardson, Colin Farrell

We all love A24, and while I wasn’t as enamored by Columbus as Robert, I appreciated what it tried to accomplish. Adapted from a short story about humans living with robots, “Saying Goodbye to Yang,” Kogonada teams up with Haley Lu Richardson again, this time joined by the always-good Colin Farrell. The last time we got a film about robots with actors named Haley we got A.I., and the last time we got a film that adapted a sci-fi short story we got Arrival – sounds promising.

Antebellum (September 18)
Dir: Gerard Bush, Christopher Renz for Lionsgate

I’m not sure what this film’s cast and crew have anything to do with Get Out or Us, but it’s featured prominently on their posters and based on the trailer it seems to be a similar dystopian horror-thriller about American race relations. Janelle Monáe stars as her film career ramps up.

Ammonite (September 11)
Dir: Francis Lee for Lionsgate
Cast: Kate Winslet, Saoirse Ronan

Lee drew acclaim for God’s Own Country, a gay romantic drama about a sheep farmer who falls in love with a stranger, and could draw further acclaim with this lesbian romantic drama about a fossil hunter who falls in love a stranger.

Bill & Ted Face the Music (August 21) OUR REVIEW
Dir: Dean Parisot for United Artists

Alex Winter and Keanu Reeves reprise their roles as dimwitted rockers as the Wyld Stallyns must “create a song that will save all life on Earth.” Sounds more like a reunion tour than an actual movie but, hey, it’s got my attention.

Birds of Prey (February 7) OUR REVIEW
Dir: Cathy Yan for Warner Bros.
Cast: Margot Robbie, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Ewan McGregor

Hopefully it’s not as stupid as the official title (it’s just clever marketing), but Yan and Robbie have a chance to solidify DCEU’s girl power and overall presence at the box office. Robbie plays a violent psychopath and McGregor plays the infamous gangster Black Mask, who wants to take her head off, in another R-rated superhero flick.

Black Widow (May 7, 2021 - COVID-19)
Dir: Cate Shortland for Disney
Cast: Scarlett Johansson, Florence Pugh, David Harbour, Rachel Weisz

We’ve always complained about how the MCU does Black Widow a disservice, and this is their chance to make it right. The star power alone should drive this film into a pretty good box office showing. I look forward to bad Russian accents.

Blonde (no release date yet)
Dir: Andrew Dominik for Netflix
Cast: Ana de Armas as Marilyn Monroe

My love for The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford knows no bounds, and I consider it one of the best American films about America. I thought his follow-up, Killing Them Softly, was just okay, but I’m intrigued by this long-gestating project that once had Naomi Watts and Jessica Chastain attached to the lead role. This will be de Armas’ 10th (!!!) acting credit since last year and arguably her best opportunity for an Oscar.

Chaos Walking (no release date yet)
Dir: Doug Liman for Lionsgate
Cast: Tom Holland, Daisy Ridley

Based on the first book of a YA series, I guess this was supposed to be a sort of Harry Potter/Hunger Games/Divergent-type vehicle for its two stars, who have both moved on to do much bigger things. This reportedly $125-million sci-fi adventure film was supposed to have been completed in 2017 and seems primed for hate-watching. No less than seven people are listed for writing credits.

C’mon C’mon (no release date yet)
Dir: Mike Mills for A24

If Joaquin Phoenix wins for Joker, there will be a lot more attention on this film, given it’s one of his next performances. It’s based on an original story written by Mills, who was nominated for Best Original Screenplay for 20th Century Women in 2016, which I’m told is a very good film.

Coming 2 America (December 18)
Dir: Craig Brewer for Paramount

Eddie Murphy and Arsenio Hall reprise their roles as fictional African kings who return to America 32 years after the original. Brewer and Murphy were dynamite in Dolemite is My Name and it’ll be interesting to see them navigate new fish-out-of-water moments for King Akeem’s return to New York.

Da 5 Bloods (June 12) OUR REVIEW
Dir: Spike Lee for Netflix
Cast: Chadwick Boseman, Paul Walter Hauser, Delroy Lindo

Spike Lee teams up with BlacKkKlansman co-writer Kevin Willmott again about four African-American war veterans who return to Vietnam in search of buried treasure. Production has reportedly been difficult due to the harsh conditions in the Vietnam jungles.

Death on the Nile (September 17, 2021)
Dir: Kenneth Branagh for 20th Century Fox

Branagh directs and stars as Hercule Poirot again in this sequel to the rather underwhelming Murder on the Orient Express. With Daniel Craig’s Benoit Blanc stealing the show last year, I’d be surprised if this franchise gets a third film, but we shall have to see how this one does first.

Dune (October 1, 2021 - COVID-19)
Dir: Denis Villeneuve for Warner Bros.
Cast: Timothée Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, Oscar Isaac, Josh Brolin

This adaptation of Frank Herbert’s novel will be one of the most anticipated films after the year and, so far, Villeneuve has yet to make a bad film. This sci-fi epic will be split into two parts due to the dense source material, and will also spin off a TV series.

Emma (February 21)
Dir: Autumn de Wilde for Focus Features
Cast: Anya Taylor-Joy, Bill Nighy, Josh O’Connor, Mia Goth

A new adaptation of the Jane Austen classic, this is also the feature debut of De Wilde, who’s previously been a music video director for Beck and other artists. The trailer suggests this will have some spring in its step, with plenty of self-aware comedy, which could help make it a worthwhile iteration on the literary period drama.

Eternals (November 5, 2021 - COVID-19)
Dir: Chloe Zhao for Marvel
Cast: Angelina Jolie, Richard Madden, Kumail Nanjiani, Lauren Ridloff, Salma Hayek

This opening chapter of Marvel’s Phase 4 lacks current-day star power, but maybe that’s a good thing after Guardians of the Galaxy became a surprise hit. The MCU has built up enough clout with its loyal fans that it’s difficult to see this not make money, but a poor showing might heighten superhero fatigue and dampen excitement for the next phase.

Fast & Furious 9 (April 2, 2021 - COVID-19)
Dir: Justin Lin for Universal

Lin returns to the franchise that he helped turn around and also helped launched his career, and the hope is that he can inject some new life to a dying franchise. Expect this installment to end on a cliffhanger since Lin is returning for the 10th, which will be released the year after. 

The French Dispatch (no release date - COVID-19)
Dir: Wes Anderson for Fox Searchlight

This one’s for Robert, who’s the biggest Wes Anderson fan I know. It stars Frances McDormand, along with a litany of Anderson regulars: Murray, Swinton, Schwartzman, O. Wilson, Balaban… and heavy hitters: Del Toro, Seydoux, Ronan, Winslet, Waltz and Dafoe… See? I don’t even need to type out their full names.

The Glorias (September 30)
Dir: Julie Taymor (Amazon Prime)

Julianne Moore and Alicia Vikander and two other actresses will share the role of Gloria Steinem in this biopic from Taymor, who is making just her fourth film in the past 15 years. Her last biopic, Frida, was critically acclaimed. The different Glorias reminds me of I’m Not There, with different characters embodying different aspects of Bob Dylan’s life.

Godzilla vs. Kong (May 21, 2021 - COVID-19)
Dir: Adam Wingard for Warner Bros./Toho
Cast: Alexander Skarsgård, Millie Bobby Brown, Rebecca Hall, Kyle Chandler

I thought Godzilla: King of the Monsters was rather boring, but hopefully the franchise realizes that no one cares about the human characters, only the big monsters. However, only Pacific Rim was really able to pull it off, so count me as a skeptic. The visuals, however, will probably be stunning.

The Midnight Sky (December 23)
Dir: George Clooney for Netflix

Clooney and Felicity Jones star in this sci-fi post-apocalyptic drama. Let’s be honest: Clooney’s got a lot of name recognition but just about every film he’s ever made has been middling. It’s based on a book by Lily Brooks-Dalton, in case you get confused about the source material because two other books share the exact same title.

Greyhound (May 8)
Dir: Aaron Schneider for Sony

Tom Hanks stars in this WWII drama about a U.S. Navy commander who has to lead a convoy across the Atlantic and avoid German U-boats. This is the second time Hanks is playing a captain of a ship after Captain Philips and his first WWII film since Saving Private Ryan.  

The King’s Man (August 20, 2021 - COVID-19)
Dir: Matthew Vaughn for 20th Century Fox

Ralph Fiennes headlines this origin story and prequel to the Kingsman films. The material’s not always interesting, but Vaughn can usually at least make it look visually interesting.

King Richard (November 19, 2021 - COVID-19)
Dir: Reinaldo Marcus Green for Warner Bros.

Will Smith plays Richard Williams, the father of tennis stars Serena and Venus, in this sports biopic. Smith regularly makes horrible movies, but when it comes to dramas, he’s surprisingly okay if he keeps his pouting face to a minimum. His performance in Ali remains one of the most underrated ever.

The Last Duel (October 15, 2021 - COVID-19)
Dir: Ridley Scott for Disney
Cast: Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Adam Driver

Affleck and Damon team up again as screenwriters for this historical war film about Sir Jean de Carrouges during the Hundred Years War. It sounds great, but we’ll have to pre-emptively assume that French accents will be eschewed by the actors.

Last Night in Soho (April 23, 2021 - COVID-19)
Dir: Edgar Wright for Focus Features
Cast: Thomasin McKenzie, Anya Taylor-Joy

His follow up to Baby Driver, you wonder what kind of editing trick Wright has in store for this psychological thriller based on a story by Krysty Wilson-Cairns, who most recently helped write 1917.

The Last Thing He Wanted (January 27)
Dir: Dee Rees for Netflix
Cast: Anne Hathaway, Ben Affleck, Willem Dafoe, Toby Jones

In this adaptation of Joan Didion’s book, Anne Hathaway stars as a journalist covering the 1984 presidential election between Reagan and Mondale and unwittingly becomes involved in a government arms deal with Costa Rica.

Mank (December 4) OUR REVIEW
Dir: David Fincher for Netflix

Hollywood historians will like this biopic about Herman J. Mankiewicz, played by Gary Oldman, based on the stories about the conflicting versions of who actually wrote Citizen Kane. It’s Fincher, so you know it’s going to be dark and brooding with tons of interesting little details.

The Many Saints of Newark (March 12, 2021 - COVID-19)
Dir: Alan Taylor for Warner Bros.

Former The Sopranos TV director Alan Taylor is back into familiar territory with a prequel about the titular crime family. Michael Gandolfini will play a young Tony, a role played by his late father, James. While I don’t expect this to be a big hit, the show has a strong and loyal following.

Minari (February 26, 2021 - COVID-19)
Dir: Lee Isaac Chung for A24

Steven Yeun didn’t get enough love for Burning but he gets another chance to show off his acting chops in this drama about Korean immigrants living in rural Arkansas. South Korean TV legend Youn Yuh-jung makes her North American film debut.

Morbius (2022 - COVID-19)
Dir: Daniel Espinosa for Sony
Cast: Jared Leto, Matt Smith, Jared Harris, Adria Arjona

You think Jared Leto drank blood for this role? Leto plays a vampire, who has traditionally been a foe of Spider-Man. Sony’s hoping to build up a Spider-Verse that eventually leads to a showdown with Carnage, played by Woody Harrelson in Venom, another antihero comic book origin story. The biggest revelation to come out of the recently released trailer is its tie-in to the MCU with a Michael Keaton cameo.

The New Mutants (August 28) OUR REVIEW
Dir: Josh Boone for 20th Century Fox
Cast: Anya Taylor-Joy, Maisie Williams, Charlie Heaton

Completed in 2017, this film was in post-development hell with Fox asking Boone to make changes to the story and scale back on the horror elements, only to reportedly have Disney reinstate some of his original vision after they acquired the film and the rest of the X-Men IP from Fox. Perhaps this cast can elevate this film with low expectations. Bold prediction: this film becomes a surprise hit.

News of the World (December 25)
Dir: Paul Greengrass for Universal

Tom Hanks stars as a newsreader during the American Civil War who is tasked with transporting a young indigenous woman back to her home, based on the book by Paulette Jiles. I’m pretty sure Hanks has portrayed a character in just about every single American armed conflict.

Nightmare Alley (no release date yet)
Dir: Guillermo del Toro for Fox Searchlight
Cast: Bradley Cooper, Rooney Mara, Cate Blanchett, Toni Collette, Willem Dafoe

Based on a 1940’s novel about sleazy showbiz people, we don’t expect del Toro to make a movie that’s anything less than terrifying, yet still so good you can’t look away. 

Nomadland (September 11) OUR REVIEW
Dir: Chloe Zhao for Fox Searchlight
Cast: Frances McDormand, David Strathairn

Nomadland is based on a non-fiction book about people who were hit hard by the financial crises in the late 2000s and forced to live in campers while travelling the country. Hard-hitting drama about hardy people who rely on nothing but wits and guile to stay alive and starring McDormand? Sign me up! This will be her first on-screen appearance since Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri.

No Time To Die (October 8, 2021 - COVID-19)
Dir: Cary Fukunaga for United Artists, Universal
Cast: Daniel Craig, Rami Malek, Lea Seydoux, Ana de Armas, Christoph Waltz

Disfigured villain? Check. Femme fatales? Check. Possible betrayals? Check. Crazy stunts? Check. Cool gadgets? Check… NOW INJECT THIS INTO MY VEINS.

On the Rocks (October 23)
Dir: Sofia Coppola for A24, Apple
Cast: Bill Murray, Rashida Jones

This one will generate buzz if only because Murray and Coppola are teaming up again for after Lost in Translation and that Netflix Christmas special. This new dramedy will see a daughter, probably played by Jones, who returns to New York to reconnect with her difficult father, probably played by Murray.

A Quiet Place Part II (September 17, 2021 - COVID-19)
Dir: John Krasinski for Paramount
Cast: Emily Blunt, Cillian Murphy, Djimon Hounsou

A Quiet Place was tense but didn’t age well on second viewing (too many dumb decisions), and you hope this doesn’t fall into the trap of making a sequel for the sake of it. 28 Days Later was a similarly small-budget surprise hit whose sequel didn’t quite live up to the original. 

Red, White and Water (no release date set)
Dir: Lila Neugebauer for A24

The title remains tentative, but Jennifer Lawrence stars as a war veteran who tries to adjust to life back home. This is writer Elizabeth Sanders’ first credit, and it’ll be interesting to see if this explores any new avenues about PTSD in what sounds like a female version of The Hurt Locker and American Sniper.

Rock Solid (no release date yet)
Dir: Zhang Yimou

Very little is known about Zhang’s newest project (there’s no IMDb link). He makes some very visually arresting films, though none have really garnered as much international attention as 2002’s Hero. Some of his follow up works have been more flash than substance (Curse of the Golden Flower) but this gangster film has some promise, and Shanghai Triad remains a personal favourite.

Sonic the Hedgehog (February 14) OUR REVIEW
Dir: Jeff Fowler for Paramount

If only because I’m curious about the audience reaction, who responded so negatively toward the trailer that the studio went back to the drawing board. Sonic looks way better now, and you wonder if audiences will be a little kinder going into the theatre with a little less negativity. James Marsden and Jim Carrey presumably got paid pretty well for this, I hope.

Stillwater (no release date yet)
Dir: Tom McCarthy for Focus Features/Universal

Matt Damon stars as a father trying to clear her daughter’s name from murder, and McCarthy showed he has the necessary chops to craft dramas with Spotlight and TV shows The Wire and Boston Public.

Tenet (August 26 in Canada) OUR REVIEW
Dir: Christopher Nolan for Warner Bros.
Cast: John David Washington, Robert Pattinson, Elizabeth Debicki, Michael Caine

I have no idea what’s going to happen but my mind is already blown away.

Tesla (August 21)
Dir: Michael Almereyda for IFC Films

Ethan Hawke stars as Nikola Tesla and Kyle MacLachlan is Thomas Edison in this biopic that is reportedly still looking for a distributor. At a brisk 96 minutes, you wonder how much historical and emotional ground it can cover. Hawke was overlooked for First Reformed and gets another chance when this film premieres at Sundance.

Those Who Wish Me Dead (no release date yet)
Dir: Taylor Sheridan for Warner Bros.
Cast: Angelina Jolie, Nicholas Hoult, Jon Bernthal, Tyler Perry

Sheridan heads back into the harsh wilderness after Wind River in this adaptation of a book about a survival expert (Jolie) who is tasked with protecting a murder witness while battling a forest fire. Sheridan is a “serious” director in that there’s almost no joy in his films at all, so expect something tense and violent.

Top Gun: Maverick (July 2, 2021 - COVID-19)
Dir: Joseph Kosinski for Paramount
Cast: Tom Cruise, Jennifer Connelly, Ed Harris, Val Kilmer, Jon Hamm, Miles Teller

“Cruise”in’ into twilight
Spreadin’ out his wings tonight
He’s got you jumpin’ off the seat
And shovin’ into overdrive
Highhh-wayyy to the DANGER ZONE!!!

The Trial of the Chicago 7 (October 16)
Dir: Aaron Sorkin for Paramount
Cast: Sacha Baron Cohen, Eddie Redmayne, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Frank Langella, Mark Rylance

When Sorkin gets the right content, he can knock it out of the park. Expect a lot of conversations about history and politics – Sorkin’s bread and butter – as he brings the story of the Chicago Seven to the screen.

West Side Story (December 18)
Dir: Steven Spielberg for 20th Century Fox

Ansel Elgort and Rachel Zegler, who beat out 30,000 for the female lead, star in this film adaptation of the popular Broadway musical. Spielberg, who also produced Cats, should fare much better in this one. No furries, I hear.  

The Witches (October 22)
Dir: Robert Zemeckis for Warner Bros.

Anne Hathaway and The Devil Wears Prada co-star Stanley Tucci headline this adaptation of Roald Dahl’s beloved novel, which was in development for over a decade and now being made with some help from the legendary The Jim Henson Company and produced by Guillermo del Toro and Alfonso Cuaron.

Wonder Woman 1984 (December 25) OUR REVIEW
Dir: Patty Jenkins for DC Films
Cast: Gal Gadot, Chris Prine, Pedro Pascal, Kristen Wiig

How does it feel / To treat me like you do? / When I laid my eyes upon you / And showed me what you are? This has been the biggest surprise hit for a studio that couldn’t make one for the longest time. Gal Gadot looks better than ever as Diana Prince and the crowd-pleasing Chris Pine also returns. The real bonus? Watching Pedro Pascal ham it up ‘80s style and giving Kristen Wiig a twirl as the villainous Cheetah.

Zola (no release date yet)
Dir: Janicza Bravo for A24

I’ll watch anything with Riley Keough, but this story is just so utterly bizarre, I can’t miss it. Bravo is a veteran TV director and photographer by trade, so at the very worst I’m looking forward to a visually arresting film. There’s just something about Florida that lends itself to a lot of crazy.