2014 has been a great year at the movies, but 2015 has the potential to be even better.
After 2013 brought incredible smaller films but perhaps a lackluster number of quality blockbusters, 2014 was a change of pace that brought about incredibly satisfying blockbusters like Captain America: The Winter Soldier and Guardians of the Galaxy but maybe not as many smaller films that reached the heights of 2013 counterparts, though films like Boyhood and Gone Girl would play well in any year.
2015 looks like it will have high quality blockbusters and smaller films.
In years past, I’ve attempted to make this list a please-all and have been wholly unsuccessful in the process, so this year this will be a personal list of my 15 most anticipated films of the year. I invite you to take to the comments to contribute your own personal selections.
15. ‘Jurassic World’
I haven’t watched the Jurassic World trailer and have only heard mediocre things about it, but I’m still incredibly excited for the film.
Much of this is due to how much I enjoyed Safety Not Guaranteed, the first movie from director Colin Trevorrow, written by Derek Connolly. The film had a number of elements that will undoubtedly carry over quite well to this universe, but what truly made it special was its great use of character. Trevorrow and Connolly wrote the Jurassic World script together, so hopefully the much bigger film will be able to capture some of the smaller qualities of their prior film. And, of course, it’s a Jurassic Park sequel that looks to be very much in the vein of the original. It’ll be a success if it can avoid some of the other sequels’ pitfalls.
Jurassic World‘s promising cast includes Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Jake Johnson, Judy Greer, Nick Robinson, Ty Simpkins, Katie McGrath, Vincent D’Onofrio, Lauren Lapkus, Omar Sy, and Jurassic Park vet BD Wong. I’ll be interested in hearing Michael Giacchino’s score and see how much he borrows from John Williams’ iconic themes.
Be welcome to ‘Jurassic World’ on June 12
14. ‘Trainwreck’
Amy Schumer is hilarious, and her first film likely will be too.
Judd Apatow is a director, but first and foremost he’s a writer. That makes it very interesting that Trainwreck will be the first film he’s directing in which he’s not credited as a screenwriter. The sole credited screenwriter on Trainwreck is Amy Schumer, who also stars in the film. Not much is known about the film’s plot, but Apatow taking it on without working on the script himself is a sign that it’s sure to be hilarious. Given Inside Amy Schumer, this is a fairly safe bet. Schumer has said in interviews that the film is somewhat autobiographical, making it fitting for her to make her leading role big screen debut.
Bill Hader has Trainwreck‘s second lead role, LeBron James has a pivotal role, and the cast also includes Daniel Radcliffe, Brie Larson, Tilda Swinton, Marisa Tomei, Ezra Miller, Vanessa Bayer, Method Man, Mike Birbiglia, Katy Mixon, and Randall Park, among others.
Watch a major ‘Trainwreck’ on July 17
13. ‘Silence’
Martin Scorsese has been wanting to make Silence for more than a decade, and it’s finally happening.
This passion project of Scorsese’s is based on the novel of the same name written by Shusako Endo. It takes place in the 17th century and follows two Jesuit priests facing violence and persecution when they travel to Japan to locate their mentor and spread Christianity. It’s definitely a far cry from any of Scorsese’s recent projects like The Wolf of Wall Street, Hugo, Shutter Island, and The Departed. The film currently has no release date, but Paramount is tentatively planning to release the film in November, right in the heart of Oscar season where it will likely do very well.
Silence will have a terrific cast that includes Liam Neeson, Andrew Garfield, Ken Watanabe, and Adam Driver. The script is from Scorsese’s Gangs of New York scribe Jay Cocks. There’s currently no footage available from the film, so in lieu of a trailer I’ve included a completely unrelated but absolutely terrific video essay from the YouTube channel Every Frame a Painting about Scorsese’s use of silence throughout the years.
Experience the ‘Silence’ this fall
12. ‘Joy’
Jennifer Lawrence is re-teaming with David O. Russell again, and this project sounds very unexpected.
In Joy, Lawrence will play the role of Joy Mangano, inventor of the Miracle Mop. It sounds like a very different project than Silver Linings Playbook and American Hustle, Lawrence and Russell’s previous two collaborations. Since The Fighter, Russell has used a small number of actors which will continue with Joy. Robert De Niro has signed on to play Lawrence’s father in the film and Russell is writing a role for Bradley Cooper as well. Russell has utilized them in three subsequent films now. With no footage from the film due for some time, I’ve included one of Lawrence’s great scenes in her Oscar winning performance.
“It’s the story of a certain woman, what’s going on inside her from a young girl, broke, to when she becomes a bit of a mogul, a bit of a power broker,” Russell explains of Lawrence’s Joy Mangano role. “And the people she’s surrounded by are extremely … she has very complicated, deep, personal family relationships, which are the bane of her and the reason she is who she is.”
Cry out in ‘Joy’ on December 25
11. ‘Inside Out’
After a year off, Pixar is back with Inside Out.
And it’s back with a film from Pete Docter, one of their best minds. Docter has directed Monster’s Inc. and Up, easily two of Pixar’s best, and contributed as a writer on Toy Story, Toy Story 2, and WALL·E. He’s the sole writer and director credited to Inside Out, so the film will be entirely a product of his imagination. And the film sounds really interesting. Set inside the mind of a girl who has just moved to San Francisco, the film follows the five emotions emotions – named Sadness, Joy, Fear, Disgust, and Anger – inside the control center of her mind where they conflict on how to best navigate through her new life.
As usual in Pixar films, Inside Out has a terrific voice cast. Amy Poehler voices Joy, Mindy Kaling voices Disgust, Bill Hader voices Fear, Phyllis Smith voices Sadness, Lewis Black voices Anger, and Kaitlyn Dias voices Riley, the girl whose head the emotions live in. It has yet to be confirmed, but John Ratzenberger will assuredly voice a character.
See a mind ‘Inside Out’ on June 19
On page 2: the films in Louie’s top ten most anticipated films of 2015
10. ‘Spectre’
When I was drafting the original version of this list, Spectre (then Bond 24) didn’t make the cut.
Given how great Skyfall was I was probably wrong to not include it, especially because any Sam Mendes movie deserves a spot on a most anticipated list. However, as more news about Spectre comes out the film just keeps sounding more and more awesome. The addition of Christoph Waltz is to me the most exciting, and it’ll be interesting to see if to see if he turns out to be Ernst Stavro Blofeld or if that role goes to new cast member Andrew Scott. They’ll be joined in the film by new cast members Lea Seydoux, Dave Bautista, Monica Bellucci, and returning cast Daniel Craig, Ralph Fiennes, Naomie Harris, and Ben Whishaw.
SPECTRE has been a common foe for Bond, and the ties back to past films while introducing those characters to a new audience will be one element making this a very exciting film. Also worth noting is that the film will feature cinematography by Hoyte Van Hoytema, perhaps best known for shooting Her and Interstellar. Mendes’ usual contributor Thomas Newman will score Spectre.
Will Bond take down ‘Spectre’ on November 6?
9. ‘Kingsman: The Secret Service’
Matthew Vaughn is an immensely talented director, and it will be very interesting to see what he does with Kingsman: The Secret Service.
Of all the X-Men films, X-Men: First Class is by far my favorite. For film reasons (as opposed to devotion to the franchise reasons), I think it’s most expertly crafted of the films in the series. It’s small yet big, visually gripping, and always exciting. Essentially, it’s everything Kingsman: The Secret Service should be. X-Men: First Class was Matthew Vaughn’s most recent film, and considering his previous films Kick-Ass, Stardust, and Layer Cake, Vaughn has strong track record that points to this being pretty great. A cast that includes Colin Firth, Samuel L. Jackson, Michael Caine, Mark Strong, and Jack Davenport looks promising.
Kingsman: The Secret Service was originally supposed to bow in October, but it got bumped up to February. I’m assuming that was a move that was made so Fox would have more time to market the film. Word of mouth that has come out of the few screenings so far has been incredibly strong, so I’m very hopeful.
Join the ‘Kingsman: The Secret Service’ on February 13
8. ‘The Hateful Eight’
The Hateful Eight is this high up on the list solely based on Quentin Tarantino’s name.
If I knew anything about what the movie really was, it might be even higher. When Tarantino revealed The Hateful Eight as his next project, it was very exciting news. Then the script was leaked and Tarantino said he wasn’t going to make the film. Later Tarantino cooled off and continued to work on the script, staged a live read of a draft, and continued to refine the script. Eventually he confirmed that it would be his next film. It’s still not clear exactly what the movie will be. It will be set “six or eight or twelve years after the Civil War,” and be another Western, a setting that worked will for Tarantino in Django Unchained.
The Hateful Eight cast officially includes Kurt Russell, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Samuel L. Jackson, Walton Goggins, Tim Roth, Bruce Dern, Michael Madsen, Demian Bichir, and Channing Tatum in a small but pivotal role. The plot is said to force them all into one location while a snowstorm passes which sounds a lot like a play. Why then is Tarantino making this the biggest 70mm film release in years? There’s likely a reason that’s currently unknown, and that reason probably will support this being a huge spectacle event film. It doesn’t yet have an exact release date, but it’s expected to premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival in September. With no footage from the film available, I’ve elected to feature this classic scene from Pulp Fiction because Samuel L. Jackson’s The Hateful Eight role is said to be just as meaty.
Take a ride with ‘The Hateful Eight’ this fall
7. Untitled Christmas Eve movie
Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Seth Rogen, and their 50/50 director Jonathan Levine are reteaming for a movie set on Christmas Eve.
Of the movies released in the last few years, there are very few that have I’ve loved as much as 50/50. Will the trio of Gordon-Levitt, Rogen, and Levine be able to recapture some of that same magic? This movie leaves the serious subject of cancer behind and instead tackles the idea of three friends, the other played by the hilarious Lizzy Caplan, reuniting in New York City for what might be the last time, seeking the “Holy Grail of Christmas parties.” Unfortunately 50/50 screenwriter Will Reiser didn’t make the return journey, but the screenplay was written by Ariel Shaffir, Kyle Hunter, Levine, and Rogen’s producing partner Evan Goldberg.
It’s been a while since a really great Christmas movie was released, and it’s possible this movie could be the one. Leaving aside his first movie All the Boys Love Mandy Lane, Levine hasn’t made a bad movie yet. Hopefully that streak should continue with this film, and with a cast that includes Gordon-Levitt, Rogen, Caplan, Anthony Mackie, and Gillian Bell, this should be a great movie.
Prepare for ‘Christmas Eve’ on November 25
6. Steven Spielberg’s untitled Cold War spy thriller
Steven Spielberg is the most financially and critically successful filmmaker of all time, and his new film sounds pretty good.
Spielberg has utilized Tom Hanks’ acting skills to great effect in three movies: Saving Private Ryan, Catch Me If You Can, and The Terminal. That list will another film in 2015 with the film with this film, the story of the famed 1960 U-2 Incident where lawyer James Donovan (Hanks) is forced to become a player in the Cold War when he is given a mission to negotiate the release of Francis Gary Powers after Powers’ plane is shot down in the Soviet Union. The script was originally written by Matt Charman, but Joel and Ethan Coen have since come in to rewrite it. A Steven Spielberg/Coen brothers/Tom Hanks trio sounds very promising.
No trailer is available yet from the film with the working title St. James Place, but the above video is unofficial footage from the set that should give you a set of what the look and feel of the film will be like. The film will presumably feature the first of two scores from John Williams in 2015. Williams hasn’t been confirmed as composer yet, but there hasn’t been a Spielberg film without a Williams score since 1985’s The Color Purple.
Snoop around ‘St. James Place’ on October 16
On page 3: the films in Louie’s top five most anticipated films of 2015
5. ‘Midnight Special’
Indie director Jeff Nichols will look to make a successful transition to studio filmmaking with Midnight Special.
After making the great Shotgun Stories, Take Shelter, and Mud, Nichols will take on a much different project in Midnight Special. He’s compared it to a 1980s John Carpenter film like Starman and that “Midnight Special is going to be a genre film put through whatever bizarre filter is me.” Exact plot details are being kept under wraps, but it has been called a present day sci-fi chase film, and it’s supposed to center around a father and son who go on the run when the father learns his son has special powers. Boardwalk Empire star Michael Shannon has appeared in all of Nichols’ films, and this might be his big breakout film.
In addition to Shannon, Midnight Special will also star Joel Edgerton, Kirsten Dunst, Adam Driver, Sam Shepard, Jaeden Lieberher, Wendy Clarice Jordan, and Paul Sparks, among others. With not footage from the film available, I’ve elected to feature a scene from Take Shelter terrifically acted by Shannon.
Have a ‘Midnight Special’ on November 25
4. ‘Tomorrowland’
Brad Bird is a director with an impeccable track record, and Tomorrowland sounds like a very fascinating project.
Bird is a director whose new projects are worth getting excited for no matter the subject. He’s one of the most critically successful filmmakers working today. On Rotten Tomatoes, Bird’s films have received ratings of 97% (The Iron Giant), 97% (The Incredibles), 96% (Ratatouille), and 93% (Mission: Impossible Ghost Protocol). The latter proved Bird’s directing talents translated to live-action filmmaking, and that’s what Tomorrowland will be. It’s also an original sci-fi story, something worth supporting in the age of remakes and sequels. And it sounds pretty cool too, though Disney is keeping the plot fairly under wraps.
“Bound by a shared destiny,” the official synopsis reads, “former boy-genius Frank (George Clooney) — jaded by disillusionment — and Casey (Britt Robertson), a bright, optimistic teen bursting with scientific curiosity, embark on a danger-filled mission to unearth the secrets of an enigmatic place somewhere in time and space known only as Tomorrowland. What they must do there changes the world — and them — forever.” It’s known that part of the film takes place at the 1964 New York World’s Fair.
Unearth the hidden secrets of ‘Tomorrowland’ on May 22
3. ‘Avengers: Age of Ultron’
2015 will see the release of Ant-Man, but Avengers: Age of Ultron is the Marvel film really worth caring about.
Avengers: Age of Ultron will change everything in Marvel Cinematic Universe, and that’s a big deal. Everything was changed in Captain America: The Winter Soldier and everything will change again in Captain America: Civil War, and the MCU needs these must-see chapters to keep everything fresh. In what may possibly be Joss Whedon’s final chapter with Marvel, Avengers: Age of Ultron will be a big spectacle reuniting our favorite heroes and introducing a few more. The teaser trailer to the right gave us an epic tease at what Ultron has in store for the Avengers, and it will be great to see his plan unfold in May.
The Avengers: Age of Ultron cast is pretty incredible. We’ve seen most of them in the Marvel Cinematic Universe before, but it will be amazing to see them all together. The cast includes Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Mark Ruffalo, Samuel L. Jackson, Jeremy Renner, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Elizabeth Olsen, Paul Bettany, Hayley Atwell, Tom Hiddleston, James Spader, Cobie Smulders, Andy Serkis, Stellan Skarsgård, Don Cheadle, Idris Elba, and maybe Anthony Mackie.
‘Avengers: Age of Ultron’ will reassemble the team on May 1
2. ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’
Is there a bigger movie coming out in 2015 than Star Wars: The Force Awakens?
Not really. Star Wars is the property I’ve been a fan of for the longest time. Even before I was a fan of Harry Potter, I was a massive fan of Star Wars. I’ve got the action figures and binders of StarWars.com database printouts to prove it. So for me, I couldn’t be any more excited for Star Wars: The Force Awakens, the first of many new Star Wars films. I really liked what J.J. Abrams did with Star Trek (especially his first one), so I’ve got nothing but high hopes for this return journey to a galaxy far, far away that will breathe new life into the dormant franchise and see how the new era of Star Wars films begins.
It’s going to be pretty incredible to see Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill, and Carrie Fisher back in their roles of Han Solo, Luke Skywalker, and Princess Leia, to hear hear more Star Wars music by John Williams, and to see new cast members John Boyega, Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, Oscar Isaac, Andy Serkis, Domhnall Gleeson, Max von Sydow, Lupita Nyong’o, Gwendoline Christie, Christina Chong, Crystal Clarke, and Pip Andersen. I can’t wait.
Be there when ‘The Force Awakens’ on December 18
1. ‘That’s What I’m Talking About’
With Bernie, Before Midnight, and Boyhood, Richard Linklater is on quite the roll.
There’s probably no filmmaker whose films I consistently enjoy more than Linklater’s. His next film That’s What I’m Talking About is being referred to as a spiritual successor to Dazed and Confused, a film that is in my personal top five favorite films of all time. Dazed and Confused centered around high school football players in the 70s, and That’s What I’m Talking About will similarly be the story of college baseball players in the 80s. This is a movie Linklater has been wanting to make for a long time, and with the success of Boyhood, the best movie of 2014, he’s finally going to be able to.
Now That’s What I’m Talking About stars Wyatt Russell, Glen Powell, Zoey Deutch, Ryan Guzman, Tyler Hoechlin, Blake Jenner, Adriene Mishler, Kyla Burke, Jessi Mechler, and Jonathan Breck, among others. None are currently huge stars but neither were Matthew McConaughey and Ben Affleck when they starred in Dazed and Confused. Tyler Hoechlin of course has the Teen Wolf fandom behind him and was great in Road to Perdition as a child. The film currently does not have a release date.
Join me in saying ‘That’s What I’m Talking About’ this fall
Again, this is only my own personal list of most anticipated movies for 2015. Which are you most looking forward to? Please vote in the poll and post your list in the comments below!
Narrowing down a list is always tough, and there were films I was sad to leave off. Damien Chazelle’s La La Land is a film that I would have included if I knew it would be released in 2015. I’m suspecting that it will have a 2015 release date, but it could just as easily be bumped to 2016.
I’m very interested in seeing the Wachowski’s Jupiter Ascending and if it will survive its bump to typically barren February. If Edgar Wright were still directing Ant-Man it would definitely make the top five of this list, but I’m still excited to see how turns out under Peyton Reed’s direction.
If A Million Ways to Die in the West hadn’t been so atrocious Ted 2 would probably make the list, and I’m hoping it recaptures the Ted magic. Another I’m hesitant on is Terminator Genisys, but I love Arnold Schwarzenegger, so I’m really hoping it’s good.
A new Terrence Malick movie is always something worth getting excited about, and I’m interested in seeing Knight of Cups, especially with its cast that includes Christian Bale, Cate Blanchett, and Natalie Portman. I’m regrettably forced to admit that I didn’t love Pitch Perfect as much as I wanted to, and I’m hoping that Pitch Perfect 2 makes me change my tune.
Mission Impossible 5 should be a lot of fun with Tom Cruise, Simon Pegg, and the gang back in tow. Another that looks quite exciting is High Rise, a thriller from Ben Wheatley about a society contained in a high rise building, and it stars Tom Hiddleston.
A new Noah Baumbach film is exciting, and I’m happy to see that While We’re Young will see the return of his Frances Ha star Adam Driver. Cameron Crowe’s yet to be titled new film will see its release this year, and with a cast that includes Bradley Cooper, Rachel McAdams and Emma Stone, it looks promising.
Matthew McConaughey starring in Gus Van Sant’s The Sea of Trees will definitely be something to watch, and Ian McKellen starring as an older Sherlock Holmes in Mr. Holmes sounds great.
After Birdman, I’m very excited to see Alejandro González Iñárritu’s next film The Revenant, especially since it stars Tom Hardy, Leonard DiCaprio, and Domhnall Gleeson. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t looking forward to Pride and Prejudice and Zombies.
I’m really hoping Peanuts is good, I have extremely high hopes for Mad Max: Fury Road, and The Good Dinosaur was a painful cut from this list.
This list’s final cut was a painful one. The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2 deserves a spot on this list, I just didn’t have the room. The whole Hunger Games franchise is just about as good as adaptations of popular book series’ get, and as a big fan of both the books and the films, I’m very excited to see this conclusion. Seeing Philip Seymour Hoffman’s final acting role will be heartbreaking, and seeing the action packed, metaphorically resonant conclusion to this series should be immensely satisfying.
Knowing that you the reader likely won’t agree with all my choices, I’ve included some in the poll that I expect will some of the more popular picks for your most anticipated film of the year.
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