By Ed Sum
(The Vintage Tempest)
Assuming movie theatres resume operations in 2021, the films I’m excited to see include part of my 2020 list. Any work that was in production and slowed down due to the pandemic striking early 2020 are not all going to be out this new year, but instead are pushed to 2022. Whatever the case, interests can shift and priorities on what to see can be pared down to the following.
The works on this list could easily be doubled, but I’m going to take the knife to essential geek viewing. Yes, Black Widow has gotten the axe. The excitement is just not there anymore for Marvel’s next phase. I’m not blaming the pandemic but rather the unfamiliarity with the various new teams to emerge, setting up perhaps a Secret War.
On the list (organized alphabetically) are:
Black Adam
Dec 22, 2021
Dwayne Johnson as the anti-hero is the best piece of casting news for any decade! The origins of this character (along with Shazam) are changed so that the Ancient Egyptian mystique is gone. I hope that the new origin story will at least offer some archeological angle to bring this anti-hero to the fore, and landing on Earth to deal with his nemesis.
Ghostbusters: Afterlife
June 11, 2021
There may well be no life at all with the delays and the hype on the away train. One key milestone anniversary has come and gone. I’ll still want to see this work, just to erase the past release, and see what the official canon is doing with the team. Do they still have it, or is everyone past their prime?
Godzilla vs Kong
May 21, 2021
The only people who know who won are the stars and filmmakers behind this movie. Whichever beast will come out on top is certain to have fans of the opposite arguing, but in this case of modern special effects digital technology, to see this in action is still having me excited to see this work, however which way it may come.
I’m also certain the MONARCH organization is invested in deciding who will win, since the fate of the planet Earth is at stake!
Matrix 4
Dec 22, 2021
Just how Neo (Keanu Reeves) will come back is on the minds of many fans of this series. When considering the leaps in special effects technology since the last set of films, this latest better break or come up with new trends!
Spider-Man 3
Dec 17, 2021
All I can guess for this film is that the Sinister Six is expected and the multiverse is going to be a lot more crowded! Sony may have been building on the idea since Sam Raimi’s introduced the wall crawler to the big screen–and consciously rebooting as an excuse to feature a new villain than old. Over time, we have all the key villains–Doctor Octopus, Sandman, Vulture, Mysterio and Electro–now in place. Instead of being from one universe, it’s many!
The only missing bad guy is Kraven the Hunter.
When considering people will want Peter Parker’s head in the last film, it makes sense to have a “bounty hunter” go after him. The only other heroes who can successfully hide this boy is the Sorcerer Supreme himself, Doctor Strange!
The King’s Men
February 26, 2021
This prequel to the Kingsmen series may well seem to be an odd way to finish a series (assuming this work is the last), but I’m loving the cast! Ralph Fiennes, Gemma Arterton, Rhys Ifans, Matthew Goode, Tom Hollander, Harris Dickinson, Daniel Brühl, Djimon Hounsou and Charles Dance make up the period team, and as for how it leads to the present, only the release (or Duke of Oxford) knows…
The Suicide Squad
Aug 6, 2021
I suspect that James Gunn will inject a bit of that Guardians of the Galaxy style humour into this soft reboot of the franchise. Returning is Harley Quinn and the survivors from that first mission, but as for who is new–John Cena is sure to excite! I also feel former Doctor, Peter Capaldi, is also going to excel as the Brianiac of the group. The list of stars is huge, and just how the heck this director has managed to give everyone equal time on the screen certainly has me curious. Or, as we all know, a lot of heads are going to explode as they fail in this mission to liberate a Nazi controlled prison.
Top Gun: Maverick
July 2, 2021
To see Tom Cruise return to the role over thirty years later says something about the longevity and why this film is still being loved. I’m hoping the soundtrack is updated to reflect this era instead of being the sign of the times.
Monster Hunter
Dec 25, 2020
Milla Jovovich can take down zombies and to see what she can handle next is perhaps the only reason any video game and cinema enthusiast wants to see this work. Well, there’s Paul Anderson too because he’s made a name for himself with many adaptations of video games (Resident Evil and Mortal Kombat). His understanding of violence makes them a bloodbath worthy to splash on a big screen, and lets hope this film gets the proper treatment than be put to streaming service.
Morbius
March 19, 2021
From one pale faced villain to an anti-hero, I’m fascinated with the casting choice of making Jared Leto the protagonist in this vampire cum superhero flick. This origin story can stay faithful to the source material without ever referencing the Spider, but as for what he can do without Peter Parker around means either this doctor having a different obstacle to beat up or there’s more to who Loxias Crown (played by Matt Smith) than meets the eye.
