2014 was a hell of a year for film, though after just glancing at 2015, this new year looks to be downright insane. With new franchise films like Star Wars, Mad Max, Bond, Hunger Games, Jurassic World, Furious 7 and Avengers and films from directors like Martin Scorsese, Quentin Tarantino, Alejandro González Iñárritu, Danny Boyle, David O’Russell, Ron Howard, Michael Mann, Richard Linklater, Ben Wheatley, Noah Baumbach, Denis Villeneuve and countless others, this could go down as the biggest year for film ever.

Last year, we ended up anticipating many of the treasures that the year was to hold, although some of its finest still managed to elude us. This year will certainly hold similar results but that’s half the fun of it anyways.

But for all the wonders to behold, 2015 certainly looks to hold some duds. So before we get onto what looks best, let’s air out some of those that did not make the list:

Even with Alan Taylor at the helm, Terminator: Genisys looks downright awful while Neill Blomkamp‘s Chappie is looking far too cheesy. Disney‘s Cinderella movie is all but destined to be bad. I have no idea what to think of Fifty Shades of Grey though I guess I can expect some “graphic nudity” so I guess that’s nothing to balk at. This Entourage movie looks incorrigible in all the wrong kind of ways. Magic Mike XXL losses Steven Soderbergh so it’s now just a male striper movie… At a distance, Ant-Man seems to be Marvel’s first flop.

I’m wary about the NWA biopic Straight Outta Compton for reasons I can’t quite put my finger on and similar things go for Robert Zemeckis’ The Walk, which could be good, could be bad but I just don’t really care enough to make a bet either way. The Vacation reboot with Ed Helms feels the same way, though I can’t imagine it’s great. Terrence Malick annoys me (yeah, I said it) so I don’t feel anything towards Knight of Cups or his yet untitled Austin music scene flick. And I’m not entirely convinced Werner Herzog‘s Queen of the Desert will actually be released this year but if it is, I’m definitely looking forward to it.

This year’s list included a whopping 11 titles from the 2015 Sundance slate (which I’ll be attnding in just under 2 weeks) so we should have a great working list of confirmations going within the onset of the month. Aside from that, I’m sure there will be many pleasant surprises along the way as well as bumps in the road (see Interstellar) but for now, all we can do is wish and wait…

50. PAN

This Peter Pan origin story looks very stupid but I cannot ignore the fact that Joe Wright – of Pride and Prejudice and Hannah fame – is at the helm. In Wright, I trust. With a scenery-chewing Hugh Jackman as the villainous Blackbeard and Rooney Mara as Tiger Lily, I’m hoping that this lives up to Wright’s reputation and isn’t the CGI-laden dullard-fest it looks to be. In theaters July 24.

49. JUPITER ASCENDING

The Wachowski‘s far-out Jupiter Ascending was originally slated for release at the end of last year, leaving the film with that troubling “delayed” taste in our mouths. Whether it was a financial decision; a ploy to move it out of a crowded December slate and take advantage of an oft underwhelming February season; or a creative one; perhaps the film just flat-out sucked and they wanted as much tinker time as possible; we’ll see if they’re able to deliver a sci-fi blockbuster worth writing home about. In theaters February 6.

48. JURASSIC WORLD

More a morbid curiosity pick, this long-awaited fourth installment to the Jurassic Park franchise hopes to hit the reboot button hard with a swashbuckling Chris Pratt at the forefront but if the first trailer is any indication, its quality is certainly not guaranteed. Blockbuster season June 12 release.

47. INSIDE OUT/THE GOOD DINOSAUR

How far Pixar has fallen since its long standing reign as animators supreme. It’s been since Up that Pixar has knocked an original idea out of the park and with not one but two films (with original concepts) releasing this year, the odds of them rising to the top of the animated studios looks better than it has in years. Inside Out is an odd saga told from the perspective of a little girl’s emotions – Joy, Fear, Disgust, Sadness, Anger, etc. – while The Good Dinosaur charters a friendship between a boy and his Apatosaurus. Respective June 19 and November 25 release.

46. MACBETH

One of the Bard’s most harrowing sagas of unchecked ambition, MacBeth tells the story of an army general who conspires with his seductive wife to become King. Starring Michael Fassbender and Marion Cotillard as Macbeth and his Lady, this looks to be one of the rare Shakespeare adaptations that sticks. Release TBA.

45. SLOW WEST

Michael Fassbender, Ben Mendelsohn, Rory McCann and Kodi Smit-McPhee star in a old west road movie from first time director John Maclean and little more has to be said than Michael Fassbender, Ben Mendelsohn, Game of Thrones‘ The Hound and Western and I’m sold on the concept. We’ll see shortly if this is one worth talking about later down the line as it premieres in little more than two weeks. Slow West debuts at Sundance.

44. CRIMSON PEAK

Guillermo del Toro is definitely an acquired taste and one that I’m not sure I can stomach much more of. Battlebots (er, Pacific Rim) was lost on me and his FX horror show, The Strain, failed to capture my attention for more than a few episodes, leaving me wanting for the del Toro of old; the del Toro who made Pan’s Labyrinth. Crimson Peak looks like an odd little haunted house flick and will certainly benefit from the casting of Tom Hiddleston and Jessica Chastain, though Charlie Hunnam in the leading spot leaves much to be desired. Halloween-inspired October 16 release.

43. THE LOBSTER

To say you fully understood Yorgos Lanthimos‘ Dogtooth is a lie but that doesn’t make the film any less interesting. The Lobster looks a little more straight-forward – a  dystopian love story where single people are forcibly matched up in a weird hotel – and has an unrelenting cast including Léa Seydoux, Rachel Weisz, Colin Farrell, and John C. Reilly. Unspecified March 2014 release.

42. THE HUNGER GAMES: MOCKINGJAY: PART 2

The name might not be catchy but its box office conflagration is sure to be. Though the first few hours of this two-parter failed to live up to many’s expectations (I enjoyed it) the second action-filled finale is sure to bring the noise. While we’ll have to wait to see if critics are willing to warm up to its fires after being burned by the last one, audiences are sure to turn this into one of the year’s most profitable films. Release on November 20.

41. FURIOUS 7

After the tragically ironic death of Paul Walker, this seventh take on the Fast and Furious franchise took a long break from production, returning to sub in Walker’s unfilled scenes with CGI and brotherly body doubles. With horror aficionado James Wan working as director, Furious 7 promises to take a detour from the vehicular heists for a throwback revenge flick. Here’s hoping that the untimely passing of Walker wasn’t a decisive finishing blow to the only franchise he thrived in. Coming to theaters April 3. 

40. STANFORD PRISON EXPERIMENT

Anyone who took Psychology 101 in college remembers the Stanford Prison Experiment – where men were randomly assigned the role of prisoner or guard and begin to preternaturally assimilate with their relegated role. After taking on David Sedaris with the somewhat winning C.O.G., director Kyle Patrick Alvarez hopes to weave the cautionary tale of humanity’s darker tendencies into a compelling narrative. Sundance premiere. 

39. MISSION IMPOSSIBLE 5

I adored Brad Bird‘s Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol and loved J.J. Abram‘s MI:3 and was more than ready for another dose of the MI series. However, when Christopher McQuarrie (Jack Reacher) stepped into the director’s chair, I was exceedingly disappointed. Though Tom Cruise‘s breezy charm and the series seriously-not-serious tone can hopefully elevate the film to blockbuster perfection, I’m still admittedly nervous about McQuarrie’s involvement. Christmas ’15 release. 

38. FANTASTIC FOUR

A knock-out cast – Miles Teller, Kate Mara, Michael B. Jordan, Jamie Bell – and director Josh Trank are enough to win over the curiosity of this series skeptic. After all, the most recent renditions of this quadron of supers was a certifiable dud so it has very little to live up to and so long as Trank can match the emotional heft and wowing spectacle of Chronicle, we should be in good shape. August 7 wide release.

37. KNOCK KNOCK

The perma-wooden Keanu Reeves unexpectedly won audiences over with last year’s ultra-violent John Wick while Eli Roth‘s latest, the Amazon horror homage The Green Inferno, went unseen when Open Road pulled the film from release. A combination of these two mighty hit-or-missers is a strangely inspired formula and when you mix in a pair of femme fatales, more than just our curiosities are piqued. Premieres at Sundance.

36. LAST DAYS IN THE DESERT

Ewan McGregor plays a fasting, hard praying Jesus on a forty day desert bender in Rodrigo Garcia‘s ambitiously arthouse Last Days in the Desert. It’s fair to assume the dialogue will be slim but with Gravity and Birdman cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki working the camera, I can’t help but imagine the picture is stunning to behold. Premieres at Sundance.

35. EVEREST

Jake Gyllenhaal has been on a tear of late and his latest is a loose retelling of the events of Jon Krakauer‘s “Into Thin Air” with a hell of a list of co-stars – including Keira Knightley, Robin Wright, Josh Brolin, Jason Clarke, John Hawkes, and Sam Worthington. Expect a high-octane, well-acted romp. September 18th release. 

34. MISSISSIPPI GRIND

Ryan Fleck‘s Half Nelson was a big hit in the indie scene so it was a bit of a letdown when his follow-up, the Zack Galifianakis-starring dramedy It’s Kind of a Funny Story, failed to deliver more goods. Mississippi Grind looks to win back his goodwill with a Southern gambling drama starring the always winning Ben Bendelsohn and Ryan Reynolds. Debuts at Sundance.  

33. JANE GOT A GUN

Famously troubled production Jane Got a Gun has been through the wringer. This Natalie Portman passion project was originally in the competent hands of Lynee Ramsay – who quit Day One of production – and with an entirely different male cast (Michael Fassbender, Jude Law and Bradley Cooper were all attached at different times) but the changes haven’t made me less interested (even if they do invite a touch of wariness.) With Joel Edgerton and Ewan McGregor now in the male roles and Warrior‘s Gavin O’Connor behind the camera, this could wind up as fetid as its making but has the distinct possibility of being quite wonderful. Release September 4.

32. SOUTHPAW

Another Jake Gyllenhaal film, this time from director Antoine Fuqua with a screenplay from Sons of Anarchy helmer and scribe Kurt Sutter, Southpaw tells the story of a boxer clawing his way to the top. Though Fuqua isn’t a guarantee behind the camera and Sutter has a knack for over-writing, the presence of Gyllenhaal alone may be enough to make this mighty entertaining. Release TBA.

31. RESULTS

Part of Sundance’s US Dramatic Competition, Results pairs Guy Pearce and Cobie Smulders as an unlikely pair of personal trainers. Many fawned over director Andrew Bujalaski’s odd Computer Chess so expectations are high. Sundance premiere.

30. ’71

Many expected Angelina Jolie‘s Unbroken to propel Jack O’Connell into international stardom (it didn’t) but that doesn’t mean the young actor hasn’t proven his worth before. He was a powerhouse in Starred Up and had nothing to do with the problems of Unbroken. Already nominated for a BAFTA for Best British Film, ’71 tells the story of “a young and disoriented British soldier who’s accidentally abandoned by his unit.” It sounds awesome and I’ll be seeing it shortly at Sundance. ’71 plays Sundance and then is onto a limited release February 27.

29. BLACK MASS

I don’t love the casting – Johnny Depp, Sienna Miller, Benedict Cumberbatch – but Scott Cooper‘s underrated directorial status (Out of the Furnace) is enough to have me thinking this might be a surprise winner. Black Mass tells the story of Whitey Bulger, infamous criminal and brother to a senator who flipped to become an FBI informant to take down a rival Mafia family. September 18 wide opening.

28. THE SEA OF TREES

Gus Van Sant‘s trippy-premised The Sea of Trees has Matthew McConaughey playing a suicidal man who becomes lost in a forest and must find his way out with a newfound Japanese friend. The whole thing sounds otherworldly and strange, something of a Rust Cohle existential nightmare, and Van Sant’s track record screams quality so what’s not to like? Release TBA.

27. DARK PLACES

Gillian Flynn‘s last adaptation went on to fill my number two spot of the Top Ten Best Movies of the Year so to say I’m anticipating her next flick is a bit of an understatement. Having just finishing reading the novel on which the film will be based, the potential is great though the casting and director’s choice (Gilles Paquet-Brenner) have left me a little cold. Release TBA.

26. HIGH RISE

Ben Wheatley is a monster. Kill List is one of the best horror movies of the past few decades while Sightseers is a searingly hilarious dark comedy. A Field in England wasn’t quite my cup of tea – a bit of a madcap experiment gone wrong – but High Rise looks to be a return to form for the maniacal director. Starring Tom Hiddleston, Elizabeth Moss, Sienna Miller, James Purefoy, Luke Evans and Jeremy Irons, it seems Wheatley can finally attract a real cast, who will all assemble to tell the story of a high-rise apartment gone terribly wrong. US release TBA.

25. BEASTS OF NO NATION

Idris Elba suits up as a commandant who takes young Agu under his wing as a child solider in an unnamed African civil war. Elba’s a treasure (see Luther) even though he isn’t always gifted the most rewarding material so to see him take the tutelage of True Detective writer and director Cary Fukunaga will hopefully be a pairing most special. Release TBA.

 24. Z FOR ZACHARIAH

Proffered as a love triangle for the intelligentsia, Z for Zachariah sees a post-apocalyptic future where two men fight for the affection of the only woman they know to be left standing. Starring Margo Robbie, Chris Pine and Chiwetel Ejiofor, director Craig Zobel‘s follow-up to the winning Compliance debuts in just a few weeks at Sundance. Debuting at Sundance.

23. THE MARTIAN

Ridley Scott‘s first return to original sci-fi fare in too long, The Martian boasts screenwriter Drew Goddard (The Cabin in the Woods) and a cast that features Jessica Chastain, Kate Mara, Matt Damon and Sean Bean. Whether Scott will continue on his streak of near misses or really knock it out of the park is yet to be seen but we can still hope can’t we? Opens wide November 25.

22. THE LIGHT BETWEEN OCEANS

Derek Cianfrance is a gorgeous storyteller and his next film tells the tale of “a lighthouse keeper and his wife living off the coast of Western Australia who raise a baby they rescue from an adrift rowboat.” From a distance, it sounds kinda quirky and sentimental but I have overwhelming faith in Cianfrance’s good taste. Starring Michael Fassbender and Rachel Weisz, this could be an emotional powerhouse. Release TBA.

21. UNTITLED SPIELBERG/HANKS COLD WAR FILM

Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg are more often than naught lucky pennies for one another. Their successes have been varied, though largely war-driven and their latest looks to add to that list of wins. Going on to receive awards attention is a distinct possibility though it may hem too closely to 2012’s Argo to be a real contender. Opens October 16.

20. KINGSMAN: THE SECRET SERVICE

If there’s one guy working in Hollywood who is the anti-Christopher Nolan, it’s Matthew Vaughn. The guy just came out and said that people are sick of Nolan’s relentlessly dark take and I think he might just be right. Vaughn’s style is unapologetically just that: style. He imbues his films with an irresistible sense of gleeful violence, elevating comic book fare into truly thrilling blockbuster engagements. The reviews for his latest have been positively glowing and I can’t wait to see his spy product. February 13 release stateside.

19. TOMORROWLAND

Damon Lindelof is one of the most divisive creative minds working in Hollywood today (I love him) so anything with his name attached typically draws a dichotomy of fanfare. He really is the ultimate crowd splitter. But whether or not you love or hate him, Tomorrowland looks mighty intriguing. With Brad Bird (Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol) at the helm, a cast that pairs up George Clooney and Britt Robertson and a Disney-sized budget, this ride-turned-movie looks to be one big – hopefully beautiful – mystery. In theaters May 22.

18. BLACKHAT

Michael Mann‘s hacker thriller has the fact that it’s a hacker thriller working against it but if Mann’s name means anything (it does) it’s that he should be able to mount insurmountable odds. Starring Chris Hemsworth, Blackhat hopes to break the record of sh*tty January releases. Hits theaters January 16.

17. DIGGING FOR FIRE

Joe Swanberg is the feather in the cap of the terribly-named mumblecore sub-genre, delivering hit after hit of pertinent indie fare. His latest, co-written by Jake Johnson, looks to continue the streak. With a great cast – Anna Kendrick, Brie Larson, Sam Rockwell, Sam Elliot – to boot and an intriguing premise about a husband and wife who find a bone and a gun, Digging for Fire could start off the year right. Premieres at Sundance.

16. IN THE HEART OF THE SEA

Another Hemsworth-starrer, Ron Howard‘s In the Heart of the Sea tells the events that inspired Moby Dick – a sperm whale preys upon a ship full of whalers. Howard’s last (Rush) was an underrated win and this looks to mix similar amounts of narrative ingenuity and big screen spectacle. Opens March 13. 

15. MISTRESS AMERICA

Greta Gerwig and Noah Baumbach reunite for this dramedy about a college freshman thrown for the loop by a new step-sister. Baumbach and Gerwig’s last union resulted in the most excellent Frances Ha so anticipation is almost stiflingly high for their next product. Premieres at Sundance.

14. THE AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON

To say that Marvel is on a roll is the understatement of the year. Only they could turn a relatively unknown quantity such as Guardians of the Galaxy into the most profitable (domestically) film of the year. The Avengers: Age of Ultron will look to topple the box office records of its predecessor while upping the stakes and (hopefully) imparting that these Avengers are not as death proof as they’ve been so far. Expect it to destroy box office records on May 1.

13. GREEN ROOM

Jeremy Saulnier, of Blue Ruin fame, returns to the color wheel for his film’s namesake to tell another twisted tale of circumstance gone wrong. Starring Imogen Poots, Alia Shawkat, Anton Yelchin and Patrick Stewart as a white supremacist, Green Room seems like just the kind of mystery I cannot wait to see unfold. Release TBA.

12. THE END OF THE TOUR

Jason Segel and Jesse Eisenberg join director James Ponsoldt (The Spectacular Now) to tell the true story of a reporter’s journeys with David Foster Wallace (of “Infinite Jest” acclaim) during a book tour. Ponsoldt delivered a surprise hit with The Spectacular Now and with compelling source material and a knack for earnestness, looks to do it again. Debuts at Sundance.

11. DEMOLITION

A man struggles with the unexpected death of his wife in Jean-Marc Vallee‘s Demolition. The third film on this list to star Jake Gyllenhaal (are you spotting a trend?) Demolition also features Naomi Watts and Chris Cooper and could just be the kind of film to earn serious awards attention for it. Release TBA.

10. MAD MAX: ROAD FURY

I’m gonna go ahead and admit that I’ve never seen the original Mad Max films (consternation aplenty). It’s just one of those flicks that no-one ever inducted me into and I’ve never really wanted to just watch by myself. So yeah, now that that’s off my chest, I have to admit that the new Mad Max movie looks pretty freakin’ rad. Tom Hardy in the spotlight and George Miller behind the camera looks to make for one bang-up dystopia. May 15 release date.

9. SPECTRE

Continuing down the path that Sam Mendes‘ Skyfall set Bond upon, Spectre looks to firm up the beginning of the end of Daniel Craig‘s 007. With Christoph Waltz joining the cast as the infamous Blofeld and Léa Seydoux hopping in as the femme fatale, the formula for success looks to be all calculated and in place. If they can edge a touch more fun into the proceedings (see Casino Royal) Spectre could be one of the best Bonds yet. Hits theaters November 6.

8. JOY

Sizing up David O. Russell‘s latest takes little more than noting the cast list – Jennifer Lawrence, Bradley Cooper, Robert De Niro. If you were to place a cold bet on Oscar odds at the end of the year, putting all three up for nominations would likely win you money as O. Russell’s track record of late has been nothing short of meteoric. Joy tells the true story of a Long Island single mom (Lawrence) who pioneered such inventions as the Miracle Mop. Christmas Day release.
 

7. THAT’S WHAT I’M TALKING ABOUT

Richard Linklater promises that That’s What I’m Talking About is a spiritual follow-up to Dazed and Confused, that picks up right where Boyhood left off. No, it doesn’t feature any of the same characters but it plants us right in the throes of the onset on college, where some of the Dazed kids were heading and where Mason had just arrived. Assuming that Linklater is able to keep up his hot streak, That’s What I’m Talking About hopes to be one of the best indies of 2015. Release TBA.

6. STEVE JOBS

This movie should have been David Fincher‘s. It should have starred Christian Bale. But it doesn’t and it won’t. Its future, in fact, is hazy at best. But with Danny Boyle (Trainspotting, 127 Hours) now in the director’s chair and Michael Fassbender filling in for Bale, the turnaround could have been much, much worse. I’m gambling a lot on Aaron Sorkin with this pick and perhaps even more on Sony to not f*ck it up but I’m left hoping that Sorkin’s long awaited telling of Steve Job’s tale is well worth the wait…and the drama. Release TBA…if at all.

5. SICARIO

Denis Villeneuve delivered a one-two knockout with Prisoners and Enemy (both of which debuted at the 2013 TIFF) and now returns to tell a feminist survivalist cartel story. Count me in.  Starring Emily Blunt, Josh Brolin and Jon Bernthal, Sicario has my expectation of landing super-sunny-side up, as anything short of a masterpiece would sully Villeneuve’s fast rising star. Release TBA.

4. SILENCE

Martin Scorsese has been talking about Silence for decades. Two 17th century Jesuit priests embark to Japan to plant the seed of the good book and not all goes according to plan. The fact that Silence has been Scorsese’s long time passion project is reason enough to anticipate its release even though I’m saddened to see Daniel Day Lewis (who was long expected to be attached) not included amongst the cast list. Release TBA. 

3. THE REVENANT

Alejandro González Iñárritu‘s Birdman was my favorite movie of the year and his follow-up looks equally out-of-this world. Starring two of the best living actors – Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hardy – The Revenant takes us back in time to 1820 where a man is mauled by a bear and must take vengeance on those who left him for dead. Sound excellent to you? Yup, me too. Christmas Day limited release.

2. THE HATEFUL EIGHT

Every year Quentin Tarantino makes a film, it’s my favorite of the year so there’s no hemming and hawing about why his latest is so high up on this list. Though its getting to the screen has been somewhat of a dramatic tale in and of itself (cast, leaked, canceled, revived) Tarantino’s story of blizzard-bound bounty hunters is sure to be an invariable winner. We must wait until November 13 to finally see it.

1. STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS

It’s been a lifetime of waiting for most of us younger generation Star Wars fans. I grew up on the original trilogy, attended the premiere of Episode 1 and my distain for George Lucas‘ turd-filled prequels has multiplied like a cancer over the years. We deserved more. J.J. Abrams aims to renew hope in one of the most loved franchises of all time and the Christmas-released trailer had me buzzing in excitement. Though I go into it with reservations, this is without a doubt the film I’m most anxious to see in 2015. Releases wide on December 18.

So there we have it, all 50 most anticipated films of 2015. Go ahead and weigh in: what did we miss? what are you most excited for?

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