My Most Anticipated Films of 2022
A summary of what I am looking forward to this year and why
As we rattle at a breakneck speed towards the end of January, 2022 is undeniably well underway. I have been having a look at what forthcoming releases are planned for the year and anticipation builds of what lies ahead. This article is a list of short appraisals of what we know about each, what we can expect, and my own reasons as to why I am looking forward to them. I have excluded a few films that come under science fiction as I wrote about those here.
The Batman (expected release: 4th March)
The blockbuster studio system is currently obsessed with reboots. It can be difficult not to succumb to exaggerated eye-rolls and sighing apathetically at yet another tilt at DC’s most loved character. However, this does hold some promise. I like Robert Pattinson and feel that his casting alone indicates a new direction here.
Whilst I am certain nothing will ever touch what Christopher Nolan did with the Caped Crusader, this iteration is being touted as particularly gritty and dark. Involving quite a few familiar characters from the world, the cast is also fairly tantalising with Andy Serkis playing butler Alfred, Zoe Kravitz as Catwoman, and even some early development of The Penguin played by Colin Farrell.
The bulk of the narrative though will focus on Batman’s earlier days of vigilantism which sees him chasing down serial killer The Riddler (Paul Dano). The trailer shows echoes of Tim Burton’s aesthetic and a healthy dose of Nolan’s mood. With this cast and Matt Reeves in the director’s chair (his previous work includes Cloverfield, Let Me In, and the first two movies of the Planet of the Apes reboot) I am quietly intrigued.
Nope (expected release: 22nd July)
Firstly, I shamefully am yet to see either Us or Candyman. I will endeavour to rectify that soon and may write about those in my new format of batched reviews. Get Out was such a rare original though that it is reason enough for me to look forward to more of Jordan Peele’s output this year.
Very little is known about the project other than some cast and crew, the title, and a cryptic-looking poster. Picturing an ominous cloud over a town surrounded by fields with what looks like the tail of a kite flowing from it, this is all we have to go on. Some have speculated that it may be about alien visitation as the cloud appears somewhat disc-shaped. More details will be revealed ahead of release no doubt, but I would not be surprised if those details are scant and few as Peele would likely relish the idea of keeping his fans guessing.
I would love to see his take on such a subject but am intrigued by this project whatever the case. Starring Daniel Kaluuya, Keke Palmer, and Steven Yuen, it is again written and directed by Peele so will no doubt be original and contain some top performances.
Spiderman: Across the Spiderverse: Part One (expected release: 7th October)
Our friendly neighbourhood Spiderman has had so many versions now it’s hard to keep track! The unsuccessful Andrew Garfield/Emma Stone era has come and gone, to be replaced with the runaway triumph of Tom Holland’s. Neither came close to what I feel is the best and that is Sam Raimi’s effort with Toby Maguire as the titular hero. I would make a case for this being objectively so but for now, I shall simply call it my personal favourite.
It probably still holds that place for me but the animated version of the character in Spiderman: Into the Spiderverse came very close to trumping it. With its original ideas and artful animation style, it took a number of ideas and combined them coherently into a pleasing plot with a spectacular visual style. No mean feat given the multiverse implications of several alternate versions of Spiderman.
In a time when not only comic book adaptations but stories concerning the multiverse seem to dominate, I look forward to returning to a world that handles those concepts in such an engaging way. The premise we have is straightforward, Miles Morales/Spiderman will join forces again with Spider-Woman as they head into the multiverse to battle an evil villain. No doubt that will come with embellishments and we can expect some new versions of Spiderman to appear alongside these familiar ones. Part one of a two-part sequel, so perhaps some will decry that as half a story, like Dune: Part One. For me, the first generated enough promise to look forward to this one.
Killers of the Flower Moon (expected release: TBC)
This one is the latest Scorsese project and once again sees him teaming up with familiar cohorts Robert De Niro and Leonardo DiCaprio. Based on a book of the same name but with the subtitle ‘The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI’, the story concerns the killing of several Native American Osage people who found oil on their land and who were ‘removed’ by neighbouring landowners who sought to profit from these deposits themselves. As the title of the book suggests, this will also explore the beginnings of the FBI in the 1920's.
Scorsese’s last film, The Irishman, was a critical and commercial success but it did have a few detractors. I enjoyed the film a lot but it is not my favourite and have to admit it has its drawbacks, chiefly that of being a little too long. There are a few late-era Scorsese films that also feel they could do with losing half an hour (Wolf of Wall Street springs to mind ). However, I can never fail to be excited when a new Scorsese film is on the horizon!
Also starring Brendan Fraser (who has all but disappeared from our screens), Jesse Plemons, and John Lithgow among others, both the story and the cast are alluring. Hopefully, the source material here will lend itself to more focus on the drama and the characters, requiring less detailed exposition of the facts and figures as was the case in The Irishman.
The Northman (expected release: 22nd April)
This new film from Robert Eggers (The Witch, The Lighthouse) is a period piece following a revenge plot during the Viking era. Already, this sounds more conventional than his first two movies, both of which can broadly be categorised as supernatural horror.
Starring Alexander Skarsgaard as Prince Amleth, the supporting cast includes Nicole Kidman, Ethan Hawke, Anna Taylor-Joy, Bjork, and Willem Defoe. It is billed as a historical epic revenge thriller, exploring how far the Viking Prince will go in his quest for justice. Given that the director’s previous movies have both been preoccupied with themes of the supernatural and psychological it is reasonable to assume this will be more than the sum of its parts as revealed so far.
In this 10th century Viking setting, co-written with Icelandic poet and author Sjon, and with this cast, I am excited to see how this all turns out. I greatly enjoyed Eggers’ previous two films which, whilst they tackled similar themes and moods, were each unique. My attention is usually caught by the subject of Vikings so the chance to see this cast and this director tackle it is one I look forward to.
Elvis (expected release: 24th June)
It has been a while since Baz Luhrman has taken to the director’s chair. His return this year comes in the form of a biopic about Elvis Presley. Attempts have been made before, few of which are memorable. I am hoping therefore that Luhrman will bring something altogether more visually fantastic and accomplished to the table. I have mixed feelings about his output. I am not a fan of Moulin Rouge (and aware I am in the minority), my favourites are his earlier films Strictly Ballroom and Romeo+Juliet. That said, I am happy to see a director like him take a bold and creative approach to their work, even when I find it not to my taste overall.
Starring Austin Butler as ‘The King’, performing opposite is Tom Hanks as long-time manager Colonel Tom Parker. As this was a pivotal relationship in Elvis’ life, the on-screen chemistry of this has to be right. Luhrman himself has said that the film is viewed through the prism of the Colonel, so this is clearly where the focus lies. Tom Hanks is a known quantity but Butler is a relative newcomer with lots of promise. It also stars Olivia DeJonge as Priscilla and an ensemble of others who will come and go through the span of his career. This is one worth looking out for I feel.
The Fabelmans (expected release: 23rd November)
Time for a Spielberg film now and this is billed as a semi-autobiographical coming-of-age drama. Told from the perspective of Sammy (a stand-in for Spielberg played by Gabriel LaBelle), it also stars Michelle Williams as his mother, Paul Dano as his father, and Seth Rogen as his Uncle. The film and its characters are loosely based on Spielberg’s real life and family, providing a more creative interpretation and a little distance too. Spielberg has been hesitant about the project for his fears of how his parents will perceive it.
Despite this, it looks set to be even more personal than his previous films. This is the first film Spielberg has also written on for some time and may even be based on an original version written by his sister Anne Spielberg. At the time the project was titled I’ll Be Home, but as that dates back as far as 1999, this might have evolved into something quite different. I love much of Spielberg’s back catalogue, so this does sound like a fascinating prospect and one I will look forward to seeing.
Knives Out 2 (expected release: TBC)
The first Knives Out film was an unexpected hit. Though once you watch it, that ought to be less surprising. There is no need to be a fan of murder mysteries, the film was funny, clever, and contained charming performances from a cast stuffed with talent. There were of course heavy influences worn on its sleeve, some of the most obvious being Agatha Christie and perhaps even Sherlock Holmes. Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) is like Hercule Poirot from an alternate dimension. Rian Johnson’s take on the genre was highly original however and completely engaging.
The sequel (which will hopefully have a more original name than Knives Out 2) will be an unrelated story with a new cast, save for Craig as Blanc. Among the roster are David Bautista, Ed Norton, Kathryn Hahn, Kate Hudson, and Ethan Hawke. It takes place on an island holiday destination (principal photography took place mostly in Greece) but details are few currently. Personally, I need no details at all to be excited about this! Other than perhaps the continuation of Benoit Blanc as a sleuth. Daniel Craig clearly had a lot of fun in the first one and the cast around him, the writing, and the direction were all first class. Let’s see if Johnson can cement his place as a maestro of the whodunnit.
There we have it, the films I am most looking forward to this year. Hopefully, I can keep my new year’s resolution and see all of them in the cinema! What films are you looking forward to and why? Perhaps drop a comment with the ones that have you interested.
