35 Movies Everyone Will See This Year

Twenty-twenty-two was supposed to be the year that everything got back on track. When we’d all return to our normal lives and finally head back to a chilly cinema to watch that Top Gun sequel that has been sitting on the shelf for three years. Yessir. 2022, when it was all going to happen.

A note: All dates refer to current US wide releases, and are very much subject to change. The movies scheduled for 2022 that have yet to receive solid release dates are listed at the end.

Based on the 1897 play, which was itself based on the real-life Cyrano de Bergerac, this new musical version features Peter Dinklage in the title role, and is directed by Joe Wright (Atonement, The Darkest Hour). Dinklage has a shot at an Oscar nomination, and there’s every reason to believe that it’ll be the best Cyrano adaptation this side of Roxanne.

Streaming or in theaters? In theaters, so you can stage a sing-along.

So, yes, Roland Emmerich’s latest looks dumb…but maybe fun? A big, loud disaster movie might be a reasonably good distraction from the slightly more quiet disaster movie that is our lives these days.

Streaming or in theaters? A movie this dumb demands the big screen.

Kenneth Branaugh’s Murder on the Orient Express was a sumptuously entertaining throwback to the star-studded murder mysteries of yore. The follow-up has a similar vibe, though Covid delays have seen come major changes in the career fortunes of co-star Armie Hammer, and it’s unclear how much of a damper that’ll put on things.

Streaming or in theaters? Theaters, though I’m surprised Disney didn’t punt this to Hulu, given the controversy.

Following the box office blow-out that was Spider-Man: No Way Home, America’s loose-lipped sweetheart Tom Holland is set to return in the adaptation of the Indiana Jones-esque video game series.

Streaming or in theaters? Sony doesn’t have a homegrown streaming option, so this one is going to theaters.

But will it be dark?

Streaming or in theaters? In theaters, but on HBO Max 46 days later.

I will watch these things until I die, and I have no intention of defending myself.

Streaming or in theaters? If any movie seems made for streaming it’s this one, but it is aiming for theaters too.

OK, now this is a multiversal epic I’m down with. Michelle Yeoh stars as a very tired Chinese American woman who discovers that she can connect to versions of herself from other universes. Let the Michelle Yeoh domination continue.

Streaming or in theaters? Everywhere all at once but only in theaters.

The US release date for this one is still a little wobbly, but it should come around sometime early in 2022. This might be the year’s weirdest movie, and I’m here for it: the French-Candian film is an unauthorized, thinly veiled biopic about the life of Céline Dion. It’s directed by, and stars, Valérie Lemercier, who straight-facedly plays “Aline Dieu” from the age of five onward. It’s gotten some quite decent early reviews, though all acknowledge the WTF? factor.

Streaming or in theaters? In theaters (that’s the way it is).

“Anticipated” might be too strong a word at this point, given the mixed reception to the last film and some willfully ignorant and rather repugnant social media posturing from this one’s primary screenwriter—but I think the Potterverse can still be counted on to generate at least a few bucks.

Streaming or in theaters? In theaters, followed by HBO Max in 46 days, in case you don’t want to buy a ticket for some reason.

There’s nothing about this that doesn’t look like a stylistic extension of director Robert Egger’s previous films, The Witch and The Lighthouse. All the more reason to get excited about the glum and chilly-looking Viking revenge story.

Streaming or in theaters? Set sail for your local arthouse.

Not to be confused with Judd Apatow’s comedy The Bubble, also coming in 2022, this one is from Attack on Titan director Tetsurô Araki and an all-star creative team. It’s a story of a Tokyo cut off from the rest of the world when bubbles mysteriously rain down on the city. It’s a parkour-infused love story that looks gorgeous. It’s a Netflix debut, and therefore likely immune to Covid-related schedule changes.

Streaming or in theaters? Netflix, baby, so you can stay in your bubble.

Before the box office success of Spider-Man: No Way Home, I might have guessed at a mixed reaction to a film that will draw on not only that movie, but the first Doctor Strange and (at least) the WandaVision and Loki TV series. It seemed like a lot of prep work to ask of viewers…but literally everyone has seen those things, so I suppose it’ll be fine.

Streaming or in theaters? In theaters, with Disney+ to follow shortly thereafter, if Eternals is any indication.

35 years after leading one of the definitive 80s action dramas, Maverick is back. Maybe. Originally scheduled for release in summer of 2019, this movie’s spent a fair bit of time on the shelf at this point…here’s hoping that Top Gun fans will finally get a chance to see it.

Streaming or in theaters? In theaters, followed by Paramount+, which you definitely subscribe to.

If you’re onboard with the modern Chris Pratt/Bryce Dallas Howard iteration of the franchise (and it’s dinosaurs, so why not?) then there’s every reason to be excited about the latest. I doubt we’ll have seen the last of the ill-conceived theme park, but the movie appears to be a conclusion to a Jurassic World trilogy and is also pulling in original series stars Sam Neill, Laura Dern, BD Wong, and Jeff Goldblum.

Streaming or in theaters? This movie wouldn’t exist if the previous two hadn’t made more than $1 billion each so, yeah, theaters.

I’m still not 1000% sure I get the premise (it’s the origin story for the fictional Buzz Lightyear who would be the basis for the Toy Story action figure, I think) but it’s Pixar, it’s Toy Story-related, and it’s Chris Evans.

Streaming or in theaters? Though it screams “direct-to-video spinoff,” this one will be the first Pixar movie to hit theaters since Onward. Like Encanto, probably will arrive on Disney+ a few weeks later, however.

I’m not sure that the world is dying for an Elvis biopic in 2022, but this one’s got a couple of names attached that make things a little more interesting: Tom Hanks is starring as Colonel Tom Parker, and Baz Luhrmann (Moulin Rouge) is returning to the director’s chair for the first time in nearly a decade.

Streaming or in theaters? Baz on the big screen.

Taika Waititi’s Thor: Ragnarok was top-tier Marvel, loaded with personality and its own distinct flavor. That’s reason enough to be excited for the follow-up, which brings back much of the cast from Thor 3 and adds Christian Bale and Natalie Portman—returning to the series to, very likely, take on the power of Thor herself.

Streaming or in theaters? This one might even get me to go to a theater.

John Wick’s David Leitch directs the action thriller that teams up Sandra Bullock and Brad Pitt for the very first time. The clever premise finds five assassins (Pitt, Bullock, Zazie Beetz, Brian Tyree Henry, and Aaron Taylor-Johnson, joined by Michael Shannon) an a Japanese bullet train, wondering how and why they were all given assignments in the same place and time.

Streaming or in theaters? Theatrical-only for now.

Not a clue what Jordan Peele’s latest is about, and yet still it’s among the year’s most anticipated films. The poster features a mountain town with an ominous cloud overhead and what appears to be a kite tail hanging from it. So do with that what you will. It stars Daniel Kaluuya, Steven Yuen, and Keke Palmer.

Streaming or in theaters? Yup, this one is also aiming for theaters.

Believe it or not, there’s never been a gay romantic comedy from a major studio…until this August, with the Judd Apatow-produced Bros, directed by Nicholas Stoller and co-written by Billy Eichner. Eichner also stars alongside Luke MacFarlane and an almost entirely queer cast.

Streaming or in theaters? In theaters.

Stephen King adaptations were having a bit of a moment there circa 2019 with It, Pet Sematery, Doctor Sleep, etc. Let’s see if the can keep it rolling in 2022. This third go at Salem’s Lot (following a pretty good 70s miniseries and a less-good one from 2004) is produced by James Wan and includes Alfre Woodard in the cast.

Streaming or in theaters? Theaters, but then rising from the dead on HBO Max 46 days later.

The great Viola Davis stars in this historical epic as the general of the Dahomey Amazons, the all-female military regiment in the powerful African kingdom. Inspired by true events, Davis is joined by Thuso Mbedu, Lashana Lynch, and John Boyega and the film is directed by The Old Guard’s Gina Prince-Bythewood. More African epics, please.

Streaming or in theaters? Another Sony release aiming for theaters.

I could do without the excessively verbose title, but 2018’s Into the Spider-Verse was a joyous standout in the world of superhero films. Even more of the same would be welcome, but I somehow doubt that the creative team behind the first film intends to rest on those laurels.

Streaming or in theaters? Does whatever a spider can, but only in theaters—at least in this universe.

Will it though? The 2018 (sorta) reboot was way better than it had any right to be, in large part because of the multigenerational core trio played by Jamie Lee Curtis, Andi Matichak, and Judy Greer. This year’s Halloween Kills was definitely a middle chapter leading into a finale. So we’ll see if the creative team sticks the landing, and how long it takes for the next Hallo-reboot.

Streaming or in theaters? In theaters for now, though Halloween Kills ended up debuting simultaneously on Peacock, so who knows?

Ezra Miller’s Flash is fun (though the actor is problematic), and Michael Keaton’s back as Batman, so there’s at least a curiosity factor here.

Streaming or in theaters? In theaters in every dimension we can access.

Marvel has been (not unusually) tight-lipped about Ryan Coogler’s Black Panther followup, and it’s unclear how the movie will address Chadwick Boseman’s untimely death in 2020. There have been some holdups in filming related to an injury suffered by Letitia Wright (and, allegedly, due to complications brought about by her anti-vax status)…so it might not be too surprising if the movie winds up getting pushed back again.

Streaming or in theaters? In theaters for now, assuming it actually comes out.

Michelle Williams, Seth Rogan, and Paul Dano are set to star in the latest Steven Spielberg movie, this one a semi-autobiographical tale of the director’s childhood co-written by Tony Kushner.

Streaming or in theaters? Given how well West Side Story didn’t do, no way is Spielberg going to let this one hit streaming first.

Kasi Lemmons (Eve’s Bayou, Talk to Me, Harriet) returns to the director’s chair for this musical biopic about the life of Whitney Houston. We don’t know much more than that, but The End of the Fing World’s Naomi Ackie stars, and Lemmons is a consistently impressive, if underrated, director.

Streaming or in theaters? Lots of questions about this one, but it’s aiming for theaters for now.

This year’s Mank? La La Land and First Man’s Damien Chazelle directs the all-star period drama about the transition from silent to sound during the early days of Hollywood. Margot Robie (as Clara Bow), Brad Pitt, and Li Jun Li are at the top of the cast list.

Streaming or in theaters? In theaters.

Richard Linklater returns to the rotoscope-style animation that he employed for Waking Life and A Scanner Darkly. Set during the 1969 moon landing, the movie explores children’s fantasies about the event.

Streaming or in theaters? Theaters.

Killers of the Flower Moon (TBD)

Leonardo DiCarprio and Martin Scorsese team up again for the true story of the Osage Indian murders of the 1920s, when dozens of wealthy Osage Native Americans were murdered under mysterious circumstances, presumably as a means of taking over their land. It’s expected to be released on AppleTV+.

Streaming or in theaters? Gotta use Apple TV+ for something in-between Ted Lasso seasons.

Pinocchio (TBD)

The stop-motion movie is reliably imaginative director Guillermo del Toro’s first animated feature, and it includes an all-star voice cast headlined by Ewan McGregor, David Bradley, Ron Perlman, Tilda Swinton, Christoph Waltz, and Cate Blanchett. It’s expected late in 2022.

Streaming or in theaters? Netflix.

Rustin (TBD)

From Michelle and Barack Obama’s production company, and directed by George C. Wolfe (Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom), there’s every indication that the biopic will be prestigious, but also good? Colman Domingo stars as the openly gay title activist, a key figure in the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s and organizer of the 1963 march on Washington.

Streaming or in theaters? Another Netflix-Obama joint.

Wendell and Wild (TBD)

Henry Selick (The Nightmare Before Christmas, James and the Giant Peach, Coraline) is set to bring his signature style to this new stop-motion animated film, starring and co-written by Jordan Peele and Keegan-Michael Key.

Streaming or in theaters? Netflix ftw.