Coming off the back of another huge year for big blockbuster franchises, as well as a whole host of unique and refreshing independent and international movies, it’s time to look ahead to the next 365 days at what films will be hitting cinemas and setting the world alight. So, here are my top 10 most anticipated movies of 2018.
UPDATE: Check out my picks for the best movies of 2018 here.
Or have a look at what’s coming up next year with my most anticipated movies of 2019.
Honourable Mentions
Black Panther (Feb 12), Early Man (Jan 26), Cloverfield Movie (Feb 2), Ready Player One (Mar 30), Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (Jun 8), Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes Of Grindlewald (Nov 16), Creed II (Nov 21)
10. Mulan
Disney have been on a roll with their live-action adaptations of beloved animated classics, and Mulan is my favourite Disney animation of them all.
In recent years, we’ve seen Cinderella, The Jungle Book and Beauty And The Beast move in an upward spiral, hopefully setting up the potential for Mulan to be their best modern live-action movie yet. Although I can’t imagine this film will be as brilliant as the original, I’m hugely excited to see this story told on the big screen again, as well as another rendition of the legendary song: I’ll Make A Man Out Of You.
US Release Date: 2 November
UK Release Date: TBC (No trailer yet…)
9. Ant-Man And The Wasp
As one of Marvel’s most obscure outings yet, Ant-Man was a delightful surprise, and worked really well as a fantastically silly comedy on a smaller scale to most of the big Avengers movies.
Three years later, its sequel, Ant-Man And The Wasp, will introduce us to another hero, played by Evangeline Lily alongside Paul Rudd. Inevitably, this film will be an out-and-out comedy, particularly given the huge success of the massively entertaining Thor: Ragnarok in 2017, but as with all Marvel movies, they’ll make that superhero formula work jsut as well, and make for yet another brilliant blockbuster.
US Release Date: 6 July
UK Release Date: 3 August (No trailer yet…)
8. Deadpool 2
No film came out of the blue like Deadpool did back in 2016, and now the insane merc with a mouth is back for what will inevitably be an absolute extravaganza of ridiculous R-rated humour and action.
I was hugely impressed last time out by how consistently entertaining Deadpool was, even if it wasn’t the most endlessly impressive or thrilling superhero movie, so I’m hoping that we’ll get the same from this sequel, and with what I’m sure will be another massively passionate and energetic lead performance from Ryan Reynolds, Deadpool 2 will once again surely be one of the year’s biggest hits.
US/UK Release Date: 1 June (Watch the trailer here).
7. Avengers: Infinity War
I came into the Marvel Cinematic Universe fairly late, only having started on the movies back in 2015, however even I’m excited to see how the franchise starts to wrap up with the seemingly epic finale, Avengers: Infinity War.
Although its trailer suggests that things won’t be quite as light-hearted and easy-going as some of the recent Marvel movies, Captain America: Civil War proved that Marvel can still make riveting stories to complement thrilling action, meaning that Infinity War, a film that has been built up since 2008, will undoubtedly go all out when it comes to delivering the ultimate superhero blockbuster, bringing heroes and villains from every corner of the meticulously crafted MCU to do battle once again.
US Release Date: 4 May
UK Release Date: 27 April (Watch the trailer here).
6. Solo: A Star Wars Story
Normally, I’m already giddy with excitement at the prospect of another Star Wars movie, even in January, but Solo: A Star Wars Story is a different case.
Personally, I’m very nervous as to how this film will turn out, as its already very troubled production (going through three directors), general lack of love from the fan community, and bizarre story choice in focusing on young Han Solo, yet without a young Harrison Ford, mean that it has a lot to prove when it’s released in May.
However, that doesn’t mean I’m still not excited for another Star Wars movie, and Disney proved with the brilliant Rogue One that they can create riveting and meaningful stories from outside the main saga with these Anthology movies. It may not be the year’s best, but I’m hopeful that Solo will be another very entertaining sci-fi adventure from Disney and Lucasfilm.
US/UK Release Date: 25 May (No trailer yet…)
5. Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse
Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse is a film that really excites me, even just from a two-minute teaser, and it’s shaping up to be my most anticipated superhero movie of the year.
Apparently not related to 2017’s Spider-Man: Homecoming or the Marvel Cinematic Universe in general, Into The Spider-Verse is an animated movie that focuses on a world where more than one Spider-Man exists.
So, not only do we have the thrilling breath of fresh air in the form of an animated Marvel movie (not to mention what looks like an absolutely gorgeous animation style), but we get a completely different and isolated story that will hopefully have a completely independent and original feel, and should offer up a brilliantly entertaining action movie, as well as a visually stunning animation.
US/UK Release Date: 14 December (Watch the trailer here).
4. Mission: Impossible 6
Ever since the release of Ghost Protocol back in 2011, the Mission: Impossible series has been through a thrilling resurgence, peaking with the exceptional action extravaganza in 2015’s Rogue Nation.
Sure, it won’t be 2018’s most world-changing film, but with the return of director Christopher McQuarrie (Rogue Nation, Jack Reacher), Tom Cruise in his element as an action star, and the prospect of more and more thrilling action set-pieces and stunts, I’m sure Mission: Impossible 6 will be the most entertaining movie of 2018, and will continue the series’ incredible form throughout this decade.
US/UK Release Date: 27 July (No trailer yet…)
3. Ralph Breaks The Internet: Wreck-It Ralph 2
Alongside their live-action adaptations, Disney have also been through another renaissance in the form of their animated movies, and the best of all of those has undoubtedly been 2012’s Wreck-It Ralph.
Although we don’t yet know what there is to come from this sequel, the wonderfully original premise of Wreck-It Ralph, set in the land of a video game arcade, and the prospect of yet another visually delightful and emotionally enthralling family movie to put a smile on your face and a song in your heart.
US Release Date: 21 November
UK Release Date: 30 November (No trailer yet…)
2. Isle Of Dogs (犬ヶ島）
Wes Anderson has been one of the 21st Century’s most flawless directors, bringing us a whole range of thrillingly original, brilliantly hilarious and endlessly quirky and characterful comedies.
His most recent film, 2014’s The Grand Budapest Hotel, received high acclaim from across the world, and although I personally didn’t love it quite as much, I’m hugely excited to see him take on Isle Of Dogs this year, the story of a group of dogs living on a junkyard island off the south coast of Japan.
Another animated film, Isle Of Dogs is Anderson’s second go at animation after the brilliant Fantastic Mr. Fox. It may not be a family animation, but knowing Anderson’s talent for using the medium to his advantage, and with an already enthralling trailer, I’m sure that Isle Of Dogs will be yet another step up for the director, and of course another excellently funny watch.
US Release Date: 23 March
UK Release Date: 30 March (Watch the trailer here).
1. The Incredibles 2
In the end, there’s no film that competes for my anticipation this year more than The Incredibles 2, a sequel FOURTEEN years in the making from the legendary studio Pixar.
I remember seeing The Incredibles back in 2004 a couple of times in cinemas, and adoring it, to the point where it remains not only my favourite Pixar film, but my favourite superhero film, and my favourite animated film of all time. The last film had a great setup for a sequel, and despite the release of a video game and all sorts of merchandise for a second film in and around 2006, it never came.
However, over a decade later, Pixar are finally giving the people what they want in the form of The Incredibles 2. Although the studio have had a bit of a hit-or-miss run with sequels over the last 8 years, recent returns to form including the brilliant Inside Out and Coco show that the talent still remains at Pixar, and with the return of writer-director Brad Bird from the last movie, The Incredibles 2 has all the hallmarks to be just as good as its predecessor, as well as yet another legendarily entertaining movie from Pixar, and that’s why it’s my most anticipated movie of 2018.
US Release Date: 15 June
UK Release Date: 13 July (Watch the trailer here).
