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The 25 most anticipated movies of 2023
Walt Disney Pictures

The 25 most anticipated movies of 2023

There are thousands of movies coming out in 2023. After delays and pandemic shutdowns, studios are firing on all cylinders, and festivals are back to normal. There's no shortage of things to see this year — from indies to blockbusters, superheroes to aliens. The release slate has something for everyone, and our list is here to give you the best of the best. 

 
1 of 25

'Operation Fortune' (March 3)

'Operation Fortune' (March 3)
Lionsgate

Guy Ritchie is back with a murderers' row of actors. Along with Jason Statham as a secret agent, Operation Fortune sees Hugh Grant as Simmonds, a villain who sounds like Michael Caine and looks like Al Pacino. What more could you want? Maybe Aubrey Plaza as a Bond girl? Or Carey Elwes as a gunman? It's all here...and it's all fantastic. 

 
2 of 25

'65' (March 17)

'65' (March 17)
Sony Pictures

Adam Driver has starred in Star Wars and Marriage Story and worked with some of the greatest directors in the world. So the only thing left for him to do is save the world. In this sci-fi epic, Driver takes on a bunch of aliens who came to earth 65 million years ago. The premise speaks for itself, though we want to mention that there aren't enough movies like this nowadays.  

 
3 of 25

'John Wick: Chapter 4' (March 24)

'John Wick: Chapter 4' (March 24)
Summit Entertainment

John Wick has been through a lot in the past three movies, but he finally sees a way out. That means killing a bunch of people in the most impressive fight scenes of the year. There's a reason this movie is directed by a stuntman. No one comes here for the storytelling. 

 
4 of 25

'Beau is Afraid' (April 21)

'Beau is Afraid' (April 21)
A24

Ari Aster is back after making two of the most terrifying movies ever. The man who gave us Hereditary and Midsommar returns with another spooky vision, this time with Joaquin Phoenix as a man on his last legs. We don't know anything else right now, but that's probably for the best. 

 
5 of 25

'Peter Pan and Wendy' (April 28)

'Peter Pan and Wendy' (April 28)
Walt Disney Pictures

Just when you think this story has been done to death, Disney comes along to remind you that it has. Just kidding. We don't actually know if this live-action reboot is any good, but the posters look promising, and there's a solid cast on board. 

 
6 of 25

'Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3' (May 5)

'Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3' (May 5)
Disney Studios

Just when you get tired of Marvel movies, James Gunn brings the gang back for one last ride. The whole crew is here, and Star-Lord is here to save the day. Fights, dances, and catchy songs ensue. 

 
7 of 25

'Fast X' (May 19)

'Fast X' (May 19)
Universal Pictures

Speaking of last rides, it's time to (fast)en your seatbelts for the last installment in the Fast and Furious franchise. After two decades of races, fights, and family, the gang is back to take on Jason Momoa and Charlize Theron and drive their cars in ways no human being ever could. Vin Diesel has assembled a cast that rivals the one in Avengers and thrown together more chases than most movies have characters. 

 
8 of 25

'Elemental' (June 16)

'Elemental' (June 16)
Walt Disney Pictures

Pixar's latest takes place in a world where all the characters are elements: Fire, water, land, and air. Yes, it sounds like a riff on the characters in Inside Out, but it's Pixar!  How could we not include it on our list? 

 
9 of 25

'Asteroid City' (June 16)

'Asteroid City' (June 16)
Focus Features

Wes Anderson's latest takes place during the '50s when a world-changing event interrupts a Stargazer convention. A cast of stars is on board, including Tom Hanks, Tilda Swinton, Edward Norton, and Margot Robbie. And a production team that will bring Anderson's vision to life. 

 
10 of 25

'Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning Part One' (July 14)

'Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning Part One' (July 14)
Paramount Pictures

Ethan Hunt is back! This means Tom Cruise is back to jumping off buildings, trains, and planes. Make sure to see this one on a big screen since no one does spectacle quite like Cruise. 

 
11 of 25

'Barbie' (July 14)

'Barbie' (July 14)
Warner Bros.

The movie we've all been waiting for. The cinematic event of 2023 hits theaters in July when Margot Robbie puts on the bikini and takes on the role of Barbie. Along with Ryan Gosling as Ken, this movie seems primed to win Meme of the Year. And with Greta Gerwig on board, it also seems primed to take home statues. 

 
12 of 25

'Oppenheimer' (July 21)

'Oppenheimer' (July 21)
Universal Pictures

The actual cinematic event of the year. Oppenheimer  is the latest from Christopher Nolan to hit theaters like an atom bomb. Expect audiences to be blown away by this operatic spectacle, which sees Cillian Murphy as Oppenheimer, who invented the atom bomb during World War II. 

 
13 of 25

'Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem' (August 4)

'Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem' (August 4)
Paramount Pictures

The TMNT reboot is produced by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, which is enough to give us hope for the franchise moving forward. And let's be honest, it can't be worse than the last trilogy. 

 
14 of 25

'Next Goal Wins' (September 22)

'Next Goal Wins' (September 22)
Searchlight Pictures

Taika Waititi does his best Ted Lasso impression in this soccer drama about a coach who rallies his team to the World Cup, which sounds like a rehash of a million other films. But it's also from the guy who gave us Hunt for the Wilderpeople, so we know not to bet against this underdog.

 
15 of 25

'Dune: Part Two' (November 3)

'Dune: Part Two' (November 3)
Warner Bros.

Dune was a big enough success for director Denis Villeneuve to get  Dune: Part Two greenlit. With a massive budget and actors like Austin Butler, Florence Pugh, and Christopher Walken joining the cast, we can't wait to see where this franchise leads. 

 
16 of 25

'The Killer' (November 10)

'The Killer' (November 10)
Netflix

Michael Fassbender stars in the newest outing from Seven and Fight Club director David Fincher. Based on the graphic novel from Alexis Nolent, you can expect lots of shadows, murders and plot twists, and all the pieces that come with a Fincher puzzle. There's gonna be more in this box than just padding, one can assume. 

 
17 of 25

'Wish' (November 22)

'Wish' (November 22)
Walt Disney Pictures

Remember when Disney told us to wish upon a star? Disney's latest finds its lead character wishing upon a literal star, bringing her magical powers. The studio set aside its live-action remakes to do something original for once, and we can't wait to see where that journey takes us.  

 
18 of 25

'Poor Things' (TBD)

'Poor Things' (TBD)
Searchlight Pictures

One of our most anticipated movies of 2023 sees Emma Stone re-teaming with The Favourite director Yorgos Lanthimos for another twisted adventure. This time, the two are taking on Frankenstein , which has been remade a thousand times but never perfected. The cast includes Mark Ruffalo, Willem Dafoe, and Margaret Qualley — all trying to bring this monster back to life. 

 
19 of 25

'How to Blow Up a Pipeline' (TBA)

'How to Blow Up a Pipeline' (TBA)
Neon

A heist movie with an ecological twist. How to Blow Up a Pipeline was a major hit at the Toronto International Film Festival, where it premiered to deafening applause. 

 
20 of 25

'Dumb Money' (TBA)

'Dumb Money' (TBA)
Sony Pictures

Based on the Game Stop scandal, Dumb Money is basically The Big Short without any stakes. The cast includes Paul Dano and Seth Rogen, and the story has all the promise of a long-term stock. Let's just hope it delivers. 

 
21 of 25

'The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar' (TBA)

'The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar' (TBA)
Netflix

Another Wes Anderson movie? Why not! The director seems to have colorful ideas rattling in his head like pieces of gum in a gumball machine, and all we have to do is put in a quarter to try each flavor. The director's latest is based on a Roald Dahl novel and stars Benedict Cumberbatch in the title role. 

 
22 of 25

'Killers of the Flower Moon' (TBA)

'Killers of the Flower Moon' (TBA)
Apple TV+

Martin Scorsese. Leonardo DiCaprio. Robert De Niro. Is there anything more promising than these three teaming up on a movie? Not since Silence have we been this excited about a Scorsese film, a drama about white people taking over Osage Nation.

 
23 of 25

'Maestro' (TBA)

'Maestro' (TBA)
Netflix

Bradley Cooper's first directorial turn since 2018's A Star is Born, Maestro is a biopic about the music legend Leonard Bernstein. The film stars Carey Mulligan and Jeremy Strong and should be hitting Netflix just in time for this year's award season. 

 
24 of 25

Untitled Spielberg (TBA)

Untitled Spielberg (TBA)
Universal Studios

If we know anything about Spielberg, it's that he likes to make a movie every year. In the past decade, he's been cranking out a steady stream of interesting stuff, and this year should be no different. While we aren't sure what that project is yet, he usually announces his next release in the summer and releases the pic in December. 

 
25 of 25

Untitled Miyazaki (TBA)

Untitled Miyazaki (TBA)
Studio Ghibli

One of the greatest directors in movie history is releasing a movie this year. And no, it's not Scorsese. It's the Japanese animator behind such masterpieces as Spirited Away and My Neighbor Totoro. It will be the last time we get to see a Miyazaki picture anew, as the director announced this would be his final film. But we cherish the chance to see one of the great artists take a bow, his legacy already cemented in movie history. 

Asher Luberto is a film critic for L.A. Weekly, The Playlist, The Progressive and The Village Voice.

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