The 25 Most Anticipated Movies of 2017
From 'Baywatch' to 'Fate of the Furious' to 'Get Out,' these are the movies you should be looking forward to this year.
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Welcome to the universe. The universe of universes. Just looking at the box office calendar for 2017, no year before has seemed more packed with tentpole movies, productions that either continue and add to a well-established brand or aim to act as the Big Bang explosion that births a universe. In 2016, you had the MCU, the Star Wars galaxy, and whatever DC was trying to build; those franchises are returning guns blazing this year, and they’re joined by even more. The Fast franchise is back; Kong: Skull Island is kicking off a movie world centered on monstars. And then there’s Baywatch.
You might think this sounds bleak. I remember the days when moving pictures stood for something, the old man in you may be uttering. But as the universe-building strategy of moviemaking grows another year older and takes full form, at least its execution is improving. The MCU is good! Star Wars is killing it! Yes, big studios have figured out how to minimize risk, squeezing out the underdogs in the process, but the results of this paradigm shift are really improving. (And let’s be honest: indie film is doing just fine. Just ask La La Land.) So yeah, 2017’s entire calendar is packed with blockbusters, but that might be a good thing.
Here’s what we’re most looking forward to this year.
25. Annihilation
Release Date: TBD
Director: Alex Garland
Starring: Natalie Portman, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Tessa Thompson, Oscar Isaac, Gina Rodriguez
If you have any image from any 2015 film burned into your brain, it’s likely Oscar Isaac’s dance routine in Ex Machina. The heavily GIF’ed moment was all over Twitter, launched Oscar Isaac into internet boyfriend territory, and even inspired first wedding dances. But beyond inspiring internet fandom, screenwriter Alex Garland’s directorial debut was a legitimately thrilling piece of science fiction with two other breakout performances from Alicia Vikander and Domhnall Gleeson.
Lucky for us, in 2017, Garland will be making his return to the director’s chair with Annihilation, which he also wrote. Based on the novel by Jeff VanderMeer, Annihilation follows a group of four women of various fields who are sent to Area X, a section of the U.S. that has been quarantined because of some strange shit that’s going on there. The movie has a stacked cast full of super talented women like Natalie Portman, Tessa Thompson, Jennifer Jason Leigh, and Gina Rodriguez (and Oscar Isaac!). It also promises to have a plot that plays to Garland’s strengths and confirms how great this cast is. —Kerensa Cadenas
24. Rock That Body
Release Date: June 16, 2017
Director: Lucia Aniello
Starring: Scarlett Johansson, Ilana Glazer, Kate McKinnon, Zoe Kravitz, Demi Moore
Do you like Broad City? Okay, cool, then you should be on board for Rock That Body. This movie is straight from the skulls of Lucia Aniello and Paul Downs, the duo who have just as big a hand in Broad City as Abbi and Ilana. Aniello and Downs have already created so much magic on Comedy Central, and I’m salivating thinking about what they can accomplish with a cast as loaded as this one. Pairing comedic stalwarts like Ilana Glazer and Kate McKinnon with Hollywood treasures like Scarlett Johansson, Zoe Kravitz and Demi Moore makes Rock That Body a frontrunner for comedy of the year. And if the pedigree alone isn’t enough to sell you, how about the plot, about a bachelorette party that goes completely left when a male stripper ends up dead? Bachelorette meets The Hangover meets Weekend at Bernie’s? Sign me the fuck up. —Andrew Gruttadaro
23. Kong: Skull Island
Release Date: March 10, 2017
Director: Jordan Vogt-Roberts
Starring: Samuel L. Jackson, Brie Larson, Tom Hiddleston, John Goodman, Toby Kebbell
Now that everything has a cinematic universe, you could choose to be all Ridley Scott about it, or you could shut the fuck up and enjoy the highs of Hollywood's new business model...like a franchise building to a fucking Godzilla-King Kong showdown. If the trailer of Skull Island is a worthy indicator, then this first step in the “Ahh, Real Monsters” universe (or whatever the boys in Warner marketing are calling it) is a very strong one. We've got a supremely stacked cast doing their best Lost World impression. There are dinosaurs, ambiguous creatures, and a King Kong as casual observer, freed from the mythological constraints of getting fatally caught up over a blonde, since this is a prequel. (Although I'm sure he'll moon over Brie at some point, my man does have a type). This is a ready-made summer popcorn blockbuster, despite its March release date. My inner eight-year-old is already tweaking with anticipation. —Frazier Tharpe
22. Baywatch
Release Date: May 26, 2017
Director: Seth Gordon
Starring: Dwayne Johnson, Alexandra Daddario, Zac Efron, Priyanka Chopra
Is the plot of Baywatch anything other than boobs, sand, and slow motion? Is Hollywood fresh out of new, original ideas? Does it matter when the cast looks this sexy? I don’t have all the answers, but the classic red swimsuit TV series is being given the movie treatment this year and it’s hard to find a reason to complain. Case and point: this photo from Zac Efron’s Instagram. Judging from the trailer, the movie seems relatively self-aware and tongue in cheek—and Hannibal Buress is in it—which should pave the way for a genuinely funny, lighthearted summer flick. And because I know you’re wondering, the Hoff and Pamela Anderson will have cameos. All things considered, Baywatch is shaping up to be a movie that will give the people what they want, and we should all be damn grateful for that. —Julia Pimentel
21. Jumanji
Release Date: Dec. 22, 2017
Director: Jake Kasdan
Starring: Dwayne Johnson, Karen Gillan, Kevin Hart, Jack Black
The Rock sure has been busy. Besides Baywatch, Dwayne is also starring in this year’s reimagining of the 1995 classic Jumanji. It’s not a sequel per se, instead taking elements from the traditional story and fast forwarding them into the modern era in which Jumanji is a video game rather than board game. The film will be a tribute to late Robin Williams, who starred in the original. Other than that, plot details have been scarce, as director Jake Kasdan (Bad Teacher, Sex Tape) hopes we’ll be hooked on star power alone. Besides Dwayne Johnson, we’ll also see his Ride Along co-star Kevin Hart as well as Jack Black, Karen Gillan, and Nick Jonas. They’ve been filming on location in Honolulu, and the whole set was #blessed by a Hawaiian priest, and while I have no idea whether that will affect the quality of the movie, at least it’s better than what JLaw did when she was there. —Julia Pimentel
20. War for the Planet of the Apes
Release Date: July 14, 2017
Director: Matt Reeves
Starring: Judy Greer, Woody Harrelson, Andy Serkis
Amidst all the white noise of cinematic universes is the Little Franchise That Could, the one that manages to still feel fresh and self-contained while tackling Big Ideas™—The Planet of the Apes. Rounding out the trilogy that began in 2011, Matt Reeves' War for the Planet of the Apes finds the hyper-realistic CGI Apes—mobilized by the hero-primate Caesar—in all-out war against a militarized human militia led by a big bald baddie colonel played by Woody Harrelson. The trailer looks gorgeous, complete with sweeping action sequences and a morality tale that promises to be both intense and emotionally rich. It also looks like Reeves is leaning into the darker elements of the subtext this time which, given our current climate, will hit even closer to home. —Erik Abriss
19. I Am Not Your Negro
Release Date: Feb. 3, 2017
Director: Raoul Peck
Starring: Samuel L. Jackson, James Baldwin
While it had a one-week Oscar-qualifying run in 2016, Raoul Peck’s critically-acclaimed documentary I Am Not Your Negro is one of the most must-see films coming out at one of the most critical times in our nation. Donald Trump, a walking Cheeto who used to be a reality TV star, finagled his way into the most powerful job in the free world. In an era where open-faced racism is alive and well on Twitter and IRL, Peck found a way to bring the words of author James Baldwin to life via the vocal work of Samuel L. Jackson and Baldwin’s last manuscript, Remember This House. The 30-page work-in-progress was tying the history of racism in America with the lifes (and deaths) of Malcolm X, Martin Luther King, Jr., and Medgar Evers. It touches the same nerve that 2016 stand-out documentaries 13th and O.J.: Made In America did, highlighting racial ills in the country through different tales, and should be required viewing for anyone trying to understand how the nation ended up in the racial predicament it’s in today. —khal
18. Under the Silver Lake
Release Date: TBD
Director: David Robert Mitchell
Starring: Riley Keough, Andrew Garfield, Jimmi Simpson, Topher Grace
One of the 2015's best discoveries was David Robert Mitchell, the director who delivered one of the best horror films in the last 10 years with It Follows. A new take on the Scream Queen, It Follows reinvented and reinvigorated the genre by subverting tried and true horror tropes (remaining virginal anyone?). 2017 will hopefully see Mitchell reinvigorating another genre with the noir-sounding Under the Silver Lake. The Los Angeles-set film revolves around a man who becomes obsessed with the murder of a billionaire and the kidnapping of a girl, and the strange circumstances that seem to connect them. Starring Andrew Garfield, Riley Keough (2016’s MVP), and Topher Grace (huh?), it’s already easy to imagine how Mitchell’s third feature could be a stylized, creepy look at the underbelly of Los Angeles. I mean, imagine an updated Chinatown from the guy who brought you 2015’s scariest film. We can’t wait. —Kerensa Cadenas
17. The Circle
Release Date: April 28, 2017
Director: James Ponsoldt
Starring: Emma Watson, John Boyega, Tom Hanks, Karen Gillan
There’s never been any doubt that Emma Watson is a star. We’ve seen her star quality in the Harry Potter films, and it’s only grown with leading roles in Perks of a Wallflower and The Bling Ring, and an active role in the feminist movement. But 2017 might just propel Watson even further into the stratosphere with two big movies: Beauty and the Beast, and more interestingly, The Circle.
Based on literary darling Dave Eggers’ novel, The Circle is a sci-fi thriller about Mae, a new employee at a internet company that seems very Facebook/Google/Apple-esque and is headed by a man clearly inspired by Steve Jobs (played by Tom Hanks). John Boyega plays a mystery man who shows Mae what’s happening under the too-perfect surface of a company that promises to solve any problem that could plague humanity, including illness and hunger. Written and directed by the incredibly talented James Ponsoldt (watch The Spectacular Now ASAP), The Circle looks like an episode of Black Mirror—and with Watson leading, that’s a terrifyingly good thing. —Kerensa Cadenas
16. The Dark Tower
Release Date: July 28, 2017
Director: Nikolaj Arcel
Starring: Matthew McConaughey, Idris Elba, Katheryn Winnick, Tom Taylor
This movie has been in the works for literally a decade. Back in 2007, JJ Abrams first spoke about adapting the Stephen King novel before his plans eventually fell through. Three years later, Ron Howard tried again with Universal to no avail. Only Nikoaj Arcel was able to get the adaptation going with Sony. Despite the rocky start, the wait seems like it’ll be worth it, especially with Idris Elba and Matthew McConaughey attached. As the story goes, Jake Chambers (Tom Taylor), a 10-year-old boy, stumbles upon a new, strange dimension called Mid-World. It is on the brink of extinction and swarming with dangerous monsters and vicious sorcerers like Walter Padick (McConaughey), who will go to any length to rule the kingdom. Guided by a knight named Roland Deschain (Elba), Jake must find the Dark Tower in End-World to ensure this dimension doesn’t disappear. It’s like Westworld meets Game of Thrones meets The Lord of the Rings, with some authentic Stephen King horror to spice things up. Oh, and Junkie XL, the guy who worked on Deadpool, Fury Road, and 300, is scoring it. Sounds awesome. —Julia Pimentel
15. Alien: Covenant
Release Date: May 19, 2017
Director: Ridley Scott
Starring: Noomi Rapace, Billy Crudup, Katherine Waterston, Guy Pearce, Danny McBride
To this day, I really don't even know what the vast amount of Prometheus detractors were really detracting about. The film is as taut, wondrous, unnerving (what up, Fassbender) and squirm-inducing (that C-section, bro???) as anyone could've possibly wanted from a film in the Alien franchise. I suppose, for the sake of argument though, it was noticeably lacking in actual aliens. So far, then, Covenant should check every box. Ridley Scott and the xenomorph are officially reunited for the first time since '79 and it looks terrifying in the most fun way. Promising signs include: the self-awareness that the original's tagline—"In space, no one can hear you scream"—can never be topped, with the new tagline getting straight to the point: "Run." Prometheus went a little abstract, but here Ridley seems like he's done with the heady pontificating. Savage aliens, snarky robot, stunning visuals, decimated chest cavities, protruding mouth dripping slime. Save the date. —Frazier Tharpe
14. John Wick: Chapter 2
Release Date: Feb. 10, 2017
Director: Chad Stahelski
Starring: Keanu Reeves, Ian McShane, Ruby Rose, Bridget Moynahan, Laurence Fishburne
Keanu is entering his Liam Neeson phase so beautifully; I could easily argue that John Wick is a better movie than Taken. Who else but the man who played Neo to perfection could sell us on a revenge blackout spurred by a murdered dog? What other B-list action flick in recent years had sequences so artfully choreographed that I'm still convinced they just cast ballet dancers as the endless swath of redshirts who fall under Wick's gun? John Wick didn't need a sequel but let's be honest, surprise hits inevitably get a sequel greenlight whether the story warrants one or not. Now instead of one great film, we stand on the precipice of John(athan?) Wick earning his credentials to enter the action pantheon. All this sequel has to do is key into what made its predecessor so great: simplicity and flawless execution(s). It's already ahead of the curve for staging a Neo-Morpheus reunion. —Frazier Tharpe
13. Creed 2
Release Date: TBD
Director: Ryan Coogler
Starring: Michael B. Jordan, Tessa Thompson
Now, let’s first preface this by saying that there’s no confirmation on when the sequel to the $173 million-earning Creed will hit theaters, but early talk has been that it will appear some time in 2017. If so, we can’t wait. The spin-off to the legendary Rocky series found Michael B. Jordan playing Apollo Creed’s son in the Ryan Coogler-directed and written flick, and is ripe to have a run similar to it’s predecessor...if they let it. Coogler’s on a hot streak, Sylvester Stallone gave an amazing (and Oscar-nominated) performance in the previous film; Jordan and Tessa Thompson’s on-screen rapport set the stage for a relationship that will be the Rocky and Adrian of this series. Truth be told, no matter when this movie drops, it’ll be one of the hotter tickets in the box office. Let’s just hope that day comes in 2017. —khal
12. Dunkirk
Release Date: July 21, 2017
Director: Christopher Nolan
Starring: Tom Hardy, Cillian Murphy, Mark Rylance, Harry Styles
Look, look, look—I will be the first to tell you that we probably don’t need any more World War II movies. Only Tom Hanks is more interested in this time period than Hollywood. BUT! If there’s a director I trust to not make some basic schlock that just runs on Saving Private Ryan’s fumes, it’s Christopher Nolan. After a superhero trilogy and a sci-fi movie, Nolan is finally coming back to earth with a bottled up story about the Battle of Dunkirk, in which Allied soldiers were surrounded by the German army. Placing the focus on a seemingly losing effort for the good guys should allow the movie to ask some more complicated questions about the nature of war, rather than carrying that “Rah! Rah!” attitude that feels so outdated. And judging by the trailer, the subject matter will let Nolan deliver a suffocating amount of tension, a good thing. Shot by Hoyte van Hoytema (Interstellar, Her), Dunkirk looks absolutely beautiful, which is the cherry on top for a movie I’m getting more excited about by the day. —Andrew Gruttadaro
11. It
Release Date: Sept. 8, 2017
Director: Andres Muschietti
Starring: Bill Skarsgard, Finn Wolfhard, Jaeden Lieberher, Nicholas Hamilton
It was the movie that scared me most as a kid. It was something about the drains, I think. Oh, and that freaking clown. Also, the careful, empathetic way Stephen King writes children makes it impossible not to relate; so suddenly, a fairy tale about a killer clown becomes the realest shit you’ve ever seen. This very strong foundation is getting a reboot in 2017, and it’s hard not to be tentatively excited about it. While I would’ve loved to see how Cary Fukunaga—who bailed as director after creative differences—tackled this story, Andres Muschietti (Mama) is a valid, interesting replacement. The cast is full of promising young actors, notable among them Finn Wolfhard, who delivered a solid performance as Mike in Stranger Things. And the story of It is just so good and scary; this modern makeover has serious potential. —Andrew Gruttadaro
10. Justice League
Release Date: Nov. 17, 2017
Director: Zack Snyder
Starring: Ben Affleck, Gal Gadot, Ezra Miller, Jason Momoa, Amy Adams, Amber Heard, Kiersey Clemons, Henry Cavill
We're all masochists here. We have no earthly reason for optimism with this one. Zack Snyder made a dreary, slog of a Superman film that somehow had us longing for the days of Kevin Spacey's vaudevillian Lex Luthor and that Brandon Routh guy. Then Snyder made Dawn of Justice, and any sense of narrative or visual competence within DC's Cinematic Universe plummeted. That same man is in charge of uniting Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman along with first-ever big-screen iterations of The Flash, Aquaman and Cyborg to create the Justice League. Arguably a more A-list team-up than The Avengers. Certainly my preferred squad. And yet, the chances of this movie being halfway as coherent and entertaining as that Marvel film are so low. But we will all see it. Even if it’s a critical flop, it'll make Taylor Swift's net worth at the box office. All we can do is admit we're willing spectators of a very large train crash and grab some popcorn. And with that long disclaimer out of the way, let me say: I honestly cannot wait to see it. —Frazier Tharpe
9. Blade Runner 2049
Release Date: Oct. 6, 2017
Director: Denis Villeneuve
Starring: Ryan Gosling, Harrison Ford, Jared Leto, Ana de Armas, Mackenzie Davis
Do we really need a sequel to Blade Runner? No, we really do not. But let me explain why I can’t help but look forward to this movie. The original Blade Runner, Ridley Scott’s third film, is such a stylistically adventurous wonder. Its world is so well rendered, it makes you want to wander away from the main plot and spend hours in dystopian Los Angeles, as if it’s a Grand Theft Auto game. The prospect of returning to that world—with Denis Villeneuve, a director with a magnetic, strong sense of style, now at the helm—is too enticing to turn down. And now that we sort of are in the future (Blade Runner dropped in 1982), the film’s questions about sentience and consciousness when it comes to technology are even more relevant. If, like me, you just spent months diving into Westworld, well then do I have a movie for you. —Andrew Gruttadaro
8. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2
Release Date: May 5, 2017
Director: James Gunn
Starring: Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Vin Diesel, Bradley Cooper, Karen Gillan
While you can’t argue that the first Guardians film is one of the best movies in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, many feel like the sequel could be even greater. It makes sense why, even if no one could have gauged how much of a success the original ended up being. The MCU braintrust managed to take a B-level squad like the Guardians of the Galaxy and make them just as cool as Robert Downey, Jr.’s Iron Man. Chris Pratt was an awesome leading man, with a squad that included a murderous raccoon, Vin Diesel saying one word as a walking tree, a green AF Zoe Saldana, and former WWE heavyweight champion Batista speaking properly. A true recipe for amazingness. Vol. 2 has all of that, plus a baby version of Groot. This will NOT lose. —khal
7. Logan
Release Date: March 3, 2017
Director: James Mangold
Starring: Hugh Jackman, Boyd Holbrook, Patrick Stewart, Doris Morgado, Richard E. Grant
How can you not be excited for Hugh Jackman’s final run as Wolverine, brought to us in all of its R-rated glory? Did you see that international trailer? Comic fans had seen Wolverine SNIKTing fools straight through the skull for years; why did it take this long for him to do that on the big screen? But I digress. While Fox has mostly failed with what they’ve done with the X-Men, Wolverine has been all most people wanted to see. With Logan, we get to witness Wolverine’s swan song. In a distant future, an old AF Logan has to take care of an even older Charles Xavier and a little girl named Laura who mysteriously has Logan’s powers. This will obviously turn into a battle that Logan will have to overcome, filled with all kinds of blood, guts, and gore. Essentially, Logan will be Johnny Cash singing “Hurt” as a mutant with claws coming out of his hands, and we’re totally here for it. —khal
6. Star Wars: Episode VIII
Release Date: Dec. 15, 2017
Director: Rian Johnson
Starring: Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Adam Driver, Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Oscar Isaac
Star Wars: Episode VIII is already one of the most anticipated movies of 2017, and we don’t even know what it is about, nor have we seen a single picture from it. Coming hot off the heels of the record breaking The Force Awakens in 2015, Episode VIII (still no official title) has been shrouded in mystery for a better part of its filming in 2016. But here are things that we do know: Luke Skywalker will more than likely be a huge presence, we’ll probably find out what happened to Kylo Ren after he got bodied by Rey, and Finn will probably wake up from his coma. Oh, and BB-8 will definitely be back and cuter than ever. All jokes aside, we’re most excited to see what director Rian Johnson will bring to the Star Wars Universe—especially compared to the bang up job that J.J. Abrams did two years ago. His comments about Episode VIII being very much a “war movie” implies that there are dark days ahead for our protagonists, and given the events of the last episode—there may be more losses to come. Finally, Episode VIII marks the last time we'll be able to see Carrie Fisher as Princess Leia, after the actress passed away suddenly at the end of December. For that reason alone, this movie is a must-see. —Justin Davis
5. Fate of the Furious
Release Date: April 14, 2017
Director: F. Gary Gray
Starring: Vin Diesel, Dwayne Johnson, Charlize Theron, Jason Statham, Michelle Rodriguez, Tyrese Gibson, Ludacris, Helen Mirren
If the appropriately absurd first trailer of F8 is to be believed, the eighth installment in the Fast franchise is about betrayal. It appears that Dom “MY FAMILY” Toretto becomes a bad guy (possibly because Charlize Theron is a witch who puts a hex on him), so the rest of the squad has to fight him/win him back. Let it be said that this plot, as a successor to seven movies, MAKES NO GODDAMN SENSE. There is nothing in any of the Fast movies to suggest that Dom would ever turn against his family. But therein lies the beauty and genius of this franchise: its lack of logic is its greatest strength. Did we ask questions when Vin Diesel and The Rock went through multiple walls during a fight in Fast Five? Did we take out calculators to figure out the real-life physics of jumping a car through skyscrapers when you saw Furious 7? Hell no. We watched with huge smiles on our faces. And there’s no doubt in my mind we’ll all do the same on April 14 when this movie comes out. —Andrew Gruttadaro
4. Spider-Man: Homecoming
Release Date: July 7, 2017
Director: Jon Watts
Starring: Tom Holland, Robert Downey Jr., Michael Keaton, Zendaya, Marisa Tomei, Donald Glover
As the Marvel Cinematic Universe has taken shape, the one thing true fans wished for is that the properties Marvel didn’t have the rights to would somehow be brought under their umbrella. That wish came true when the union between Sony and Marvel was made in early 2015, which led not only to Spider-Man making waves in Captain America: Civil War, but also the first of many new Spider-Man films, Spider-Man: Homecoming. Based on how he was presented in Civil War, this Spider-Man is closer to the superpowered teen of the Marvel Comics than ever before, matching his sense of responsibility with his nerdy, awkward teenage years. With a young, diverse cast, Robert Downey, Jr. on board as Iron Man to smooth over the transition, and everyone from Michael Keaton to Donald Glover on hand, this could be one of the greatest Spider-Man films, ever. Hopefully Marvel’s able to beef up what Sony fumbled in their previous outings. —khal
3. Wonder Woman
Release Date: June 2, 2017
Director: Patty Jenkins
Starring: Gal Gadot, Robin Wright, Chris Pine, Connie Nielsen
Is there any movie that has more pressure on its plate than Wonder Woman? It’s the first big tentpole comic book film helmed by a woman director, the first high-profile superhero movie led by a woman, and the latest in DC’s so far futile attempts to make a Marvel-level good film. On a more personal and earnest note, seeing a Wonder Woman film finally hit the screens will be hugely important.
Gal Gadot will reprise the Wonder Woman/Diana Prince role and Monster's Patty Jenkins will direct. Judging from the trailers, it’ll be an origin story about Wonder Woman leaving her island of Themyscira after Steve Trevor washes ashore and tells her about World War I, hoping that she can end it. Gadot appears fully badass in the role, with other awesome ladies like Connie Nielsen and Robin Wright by her side. It looks like the action-packed, lady-fueled, dream comic book heroine movie we’ve been clamoring for for years. Let’s just hope that DC’s dismal run so far doesn’t fuck it up. —Kerensa Cadenas
2. The Belko Experiment
Release Date: March 17, 2017
Director: Greg McLean
Starring: Josh Brener, Adria Arjona, Michael Rooker, Tony Goldwyn, John C. McGinley
What would you do if, while at work, you heard someone over the loudspeaker say, “You need to kill three of your coworkers or we will kill six people of our choosing?” That question gets answered in The Belko Experiment, which takes this wild premise and turns it into what feels like a suspense-filled black comedy, flush with mad blood and even madder office workers. What’s even better is that James Gunn, a.k.a. the man behind Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy series, has both written and produced this modern masterpiece. With an intriguing cast that features everyone from Fruitvale Station’s Melonie Diaz to 10 Cloverfield Lane’s John Gallagher, Jr., this feels like it has all of the tools it needs to become a sleeper hit. Or at the very least, make for one bloody great time. —khal
1. Get Out
Release Date: Feb. 24, 2017
Director: Jordan Peele
Starring: Daniel Kaluuya, Allison Williams, Bradley Whitford, Catherine Keener, Keith Stanfield
After dropping a trailer so batshit insane that it had everyone talking last year, Jordan Peele’s so-on-the-nose-that-it’s-triggering horror movie Get Out is poised to be the one of the most talked about films of 2017. Peele, who is making his directorial debut here as well, has already proven to be very good at comedic timing, but none of us were prepared to see the heat he’s bringing in this subversive thriller. Mixing the strangeness and paranoia of the Stepford Wives with the awkwardness of movies like Guess Who’s Coming To Dinner, Get Out is framed around a young African-American man who visits the parents of his white girlfriend at their estate. Things immediately aren’t what they seem: there are black servants present dressed like it’s the 1800s. The uneasiness grows as the truth behind her family becomes crystal clear, and the latent horror of casual racism becomes very, very real. Get Out has the potential to be a horror movie that serves as a biting commentary on America’s not so hidden, shitty past while also keeping you on the edge of your seat at the same damn time. —Justin Davis