2015 is dead and gone and 2016 is rolling along. As Hypable gets stuck into a new year of fandom coverage, we let you know what we’re personally most excited for in the upcoming twelve months.
The Hypable team can’t stop talking about everything 2016 has to offer us as fans. As trailers come out and release dates draw closer, we’re already counting down for our most anticipated movies and books, the TV shows we can’t wait to welcome (or welcome back) onto our screens, and the unique new content or experiences that make being a fan that much more special — from upcoming merchandise we want to get our hands on to live events we’re desperate to attend. Here’s what some of our staff are most eagerly awaiting.
Andrew Sims – @sims
Movie Release? Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. I’m anticipating this not because “omg Harry Potter,” but because it’s going to be a big moment for J.K. Rowling and Warner Brothers. Will they be able to launch a new Wizarding World series? If it’s successful, you can bet that the two sequels will be a big deal, and that other spinoff series will be put into development. Yep, if WB can talk J.K. Rowling into it (remember, they trademarked Quidditch Through the Ages, its author Kennilworthy Whisp, and the Quidditch team names around the same time they took Beasts), the studio will make it happen.
Reading Experience? J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter: The Encyclopedia.*
*Extreme wishful thinking. I have no evidence that this is actually happening. And I have no real books that I’m currently anticipating.
TV Moment? Everything new on Netflix. I’ve become obsessed with binging TV. I know, who isn’t? But over the past year I’ve realized that Netflix really kills it with their original content, and one of my favorite fandom activities these days is becoming enraptured with a new TV show and binging it to my heart’s content. While there are plenty of “old” shows to catch up with via Netflix or Hulu, I’m a fan of jumping on the hype trains of new Netflix shows or seasons. Everyone watches them, everyone talks about them (see: Jessica Jones, Making a Murderer.) The new seasons of House of Cards and Daredevil are two I’m particularly pumped for in the months ahead.
Fannish Highlight? Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. I’ll be making my first visit to London in five years thanks to Harry Potter (yes, the last time I went to London was also for Harry Potter). So not only am I excited to have an excuse to go back to England, but I’m also excited to be one of the first people to see Cursed Child. We purposely purchased tickets to the earliest shows possible to ensure we can get some thoughts and details up on Hypable as soon as possible. Also, I’m impatient. So I’ll be seeing it in June with some awesome Hypable people, and I can’t wait. Hey J.K. Rowling, can you attend the preview week shows, please?
Ariana Quiñónez – @Ariana_Qz
Movie Release? Moana. It’s a movie about a brainy brown girl exploring the world with The Rock as her sidekick. Enough said.
Reading Experience? The Rose and the Dagger. I’ve ranted and raved about Renee Ahdieh’s stunning debut, The Wrath and the Dawn for ages, but I can’t wait to find out how this duology concludes in May.
TV Moment? The CW. All of it. The CW has really been rocking it this season, and the winter finales promised that it’s only going to get more exciting from here. How will Wally West fit into The Flash? What’s happening with The Vampire Diaries‘ five year flash forward? Will Jane finally come to her senses and choose Rafael? ALL OF THESE IMPORTANT QUESTIONS WILL BE ANSWERED SOON.
Fannish Highlight? Wizarding World opening up at Universal Studios in Hollywood!!! So that I can live at Hogwarts all day every day.
Brittany Lovely – @britlovely237
Movie Release? The Boss. For the past few years nothing has given me as much joy as picking a Melissa McCarthy led comedy and voicing my support as loudly as possible. 2016 is no different. Ghostbusters will have its day, but I’m not in for the popular choices. Instead I will be first in line with my recently purchased box of Girl Scout cookies to see The Boss. It has everything I need in a Melissa McCarthy flick. Wigs? Check. Physical comedy? Check. The promise of a heartfelt, life-changing moment? Check. Nothing will quite measure up to my love of Tammy, but The Boss certainly seems ready and able to surpass 2015’s Spy.
Reading Experience? A Study in Charlotte by Brittany Cavallaro. There is no hiding the fact that I am a Sherlock Holmes adaptation enthusiast. Intertwine that with the world of YA literature and I will drop about anything to read what you have to offer. Enter, A Study in Charlotte by Brittany Cavallaro. The great-great grandchildren of Watson and Holmes are about to meet at a Connecticut prep-school where a murder ripped from Doyle’s pages places the two descendants at the top of the suspect list. Great-great-grandson Watson and great-great-granddaughter Holmes must put aside their differences to solve the murder and clear their names. I cannot think of a better story to take the top spot on my 2016 reading list.
TV Moment? THE AMERICANS SEASON 4. Bold statement time. The best show on television is The Americans. Arguments can be made for other series on the air, but they will all fall to second place behind the FX series about Russian spies living in Washington, DC during the Cold War. From Matthew Rhys’ ever-changing covers, to Keri Russell’s stone-cold resistance to American life, to the tension built up as the FBI creeps closer and closer to discovering their identities The Americans has yet to deliver an episode that is anything but fantastic television. The conclusion of season 3 was the show’s tensest hour to date, the fallout from which has turned The Americans into 2016’s must watch series.
Fannish Highlight? The new musical Waitress. Broadway, here I come. Multiple shows have my bank account sobbing as the 2016 premieres draw closer and closer, but the show I am most excited for this season is Waitress. Based on the movie starring none other than the leading lady of my favorite TV series Keri Russell, this diner musical follows the life of, you guessed it, a waitress who uses her pies to escape her marriage and walled-in small town life. This musical brings together two enormous forces- Sarah Bareilles’ music and lyrics with Jessie Mueller’s incredible voice. Bareilles released a preview of the songs from Waitress a few months ago and already I can firmly state that my eyes will not be dry as Mueller takes the stage to sing “She Used to be Mine” this spring.
Caitlin Kelly – @purplehrdwonder
Movie Release? Deadpool is my most anticipated movie of 2016 out of the sheer excitement for something different in the superhero genre. As excited as I am for the other big name installments this year, those are, in many ways, expected. However, it’s clear that there’s something special about the irreverent, over-the-top sensibilities of Deadpool, both the character and the film itself. Daddy needs to express some rage, and I can’t wait to watch Ryan Reynolds — who was born to play this part — in the role.
Reading Experience? A Torch Against the Night by Sabaa Tahir. An Ember in the Ashes, a story set in a brutal empire and featuring a spy undercover as a slave and a reluctant soldier, was my favorite book of 2015, and I can’t wait for its sequel, coming out in April 2016. The first book ended with a cliffhanger, leaving the fates of its main characters on the precipice, and it will be exciting to see where fate takes Laia and Elias.
TV Moment? DC’s Legends of Tomorrow is the next installment in the Arrow-verse, featuring some fan-favorite characters from Arrow and The Flash as well as introducing some new faces. This would be my most anticipated show if only for the fact that my favorite Arrow character, Sara Lance, has been resurrected to appear on it, but the fact that it looks to be filled with time-traveling shenanigans, constant wise-cracking between characters with varying degrees of moral fortitude, and general craziness means that, since this week’s premiere, I can’t wait for Thursday nights.
Fannish Highlight? More comics from the Avatar: The Last Airbender universe. Comics have been exploring the large time gap between the end of Avatar: The Last Airbender and the beginning of The Legend of Korra. The fourth Avatar-focused trilogy, Smoke and Shadow will conclude in 2016. Comics exploring stories after the end of The Legend of Korra have also been announced, and though no release date was announced last summer, it’s likely they will make an appearance in 2016. As one of the superfans on Hypable’s ReWatchable podcast that covered Avatar and Korra, I can’t get enough of the Avatar world and eagerly await anything new coming out of that world in 2016.
Danielle Zimmerman – @Zimm102090
Movie Moment? The Disaster Artist. I’m saying it right now. The Disaster Artist is going to be the surprise hit of 2016. Based off of one of my favorite books (also called The Disaster Artist), this movie tells the story of the making of one of the best worst movies of all time, The Room. Not only that, but it’s about the unlikely friendship between two people who couldn’t be more different. I absolutely love Greg Sestero’s book and keep going crazy for each and every new casting announcement (like that of Zac Efron and Josh Hutcherson, for example). Oh, and did I mention that it’s being produced by Seth Rogen and James Franco? Yep, this movie is going to be amazing.
Reading Experience? Solutions and Other Problems by Allie Brosh. Allie Brosh’s blog, Hyperbole and a Half, had been one of my favorite things for a while before I found out that she was writing a book that compiled some of her best posts along with a few new ones. Her voice and style really connects with me and I can’t help but love everything that she writes. Even her piece about battling depression really struck a chord. I couldn’t be more excited to read her second book, Solutions and Other Problems. Seeing as she hasn’t updated her blog since 2013, I’m anticipating all new, never-before-seen pieces and couldn’t be more jazzed.
TV Moment? Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt season 2. Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt is like a relentless ray of light in my life. It makes me feel good about myself and unquestionably happy. The first season came out when I was going through a rough patch and I can’t even begin to describe how much just the theme song lifted my spirits and gave me confidence. Not that I’m expecting another rough patch like last year’s, but I am expecting season 2 of Kimmy Schmidt to have the same effect on me. I’m so ready for Kimmy and her blind optimism. And for Titus and his musical stylings. And for Xanthippe’s shenanigans. The whole shebang.
Fannish Highlight? twenty one pilots’ return to Chicago. I love twenty one pilots. They are one of the most honest, interesting, and refreshing bands out there today. I can’t believe how successful they’ve become over the last few years and I couldn’t be happier for them. However, with that success has come high demand for tickets for their concerts. Over the last six months or so, I’ve tried at least three or four different times to get tickets to a twenty one pilots show in Chicago. Every time, I’ve refreshed the event page the moment the tickets go on sale and get blocked out because their shows sell out immediately. As a result, I haven’t been able to see one of my favorite bands in about a year. I was finally able to snag tickets for their large arena show (before it sold out) and I’m so ready to rejoin the Skeleton Clique. In person. twenty one pilots, here I come!
Donya Abramo – @virtual_don
Movie Release? With Star Wars well and truly back on my radar in a big way, Rogue One has quickly jumped up my most-anticipated list of 2016. I’ve always loved the pilots of the Star Wars universe, offensively orange flight suits and all, so a film centered around a resistance squadron, headed up by Felicity Jones was always going to be a win for me. Is it also too much to hope that we might see a live-action version of complete and utter badass Shara Bey, mother of the beloved Poe Dameron, too? What? It’s entirely plausible!
Reading Experience? Hands down my most anticipated book of this year is Savage Creatures by Natalie Wilkinson. One of three books being published by Big Bang Press — the first of which, A Hero at the End of the World stole multiple Hypable writers’ hearts when it was released — it is exactly my cup of tea. Fantasy noir cum psychological thriller? Quasi-dystopian Europe? Sold. Natalie, for anyone unfamiliar with her writing from fandom, has an incredible gift for beautifully haunting imagery that is undoubtedly suited to exactly this kind of story. I’m eager and excited to see it turned to an original setting, in a world she’s crafted from the ground up — and she’ll probably never hear the end of it.
TV Moment?: I was unbelievably fortunate to catch the pilot episode of Lucifer during San Diego Comic-Con in 2015, and it quickly solidified itself as a must-watch from that moment on. The character has been one that has always fascinated me on the page, and Tom Ellis, who is playing the titular Lucifer, did an incredible job with transferring him to the screen. He’s all charm and wit with an edge, and the show was surprisingly funny. I’m looking forward to seeing more of it when it hits television this month — here’s hoping it’s not as short-lived as my other beloved occult adaption. Rest in peace, Constantine.
Fannish Highlight? This year is going to be a packed one for me — from conventions, to movies, new comics and shows. But one recent addition to my schedule has me getting both ridiculously excited, but also a little nervous. Star Wars Celebration is making its home in London this year, and I’ll be in attendance for the whole weekend. Being able to explore and enjoy a mainstay fandom of mine in the company of other fans, and friends, is certain to be a highlight of my year. I just can’t think too much about who will be there, or this potentially being the first time we’ll see any footage of Rogue One. I need to survive until San Diego Comic-Con.
Karen Rought – @Karen_Rought
Movie Release? Deadpool is shaping up to be quite the incredible looking movie. Not only is their marketing completely on track, but it just looks like it’s going to be a damn good movie. In a world inundated with superhero movies, this one promises to give us something different. And though I will always love what the MCU gives us, I’m ready to see Wade Wilson on screen.
Reading Experience? Calamity by Brandon Sanderson comes out in just about a month, and I couldn’t be more excited. This is the final book in the Steelheart series, and it promises to answer the many burning questions we’ve had since the first book was released. Firefight only ramped up the action and surprises, so we can’t wait to see what happens in Calamity.
TV Moment? I’m definitely looking forward to Daredevil season 2, if only to get some more Foggy in my life. I loved everything about season 1, and I hope they build on everything the brought us in the show’s initial season. The fight scenes were some of my favorite parts of the show, especially that one fight scene everyone was talking about. More of that, please!
Fannish Highlight? Funkos. I just want more Funkos. I don’t need more, but I want more. Especially since the announcement of the Civil War pops. I’m already planning on buying nearly all of them. Merry early Christmas to me?
Kristen Kranz – @kranzie85
Movie Release? There are a lot of movies to be excited about in 2016. A few weeks ago I might have told you that my most anticipated was Captain America: Civil War or Star Trek: Beyond, or even Ghostbusters, but after seeing the first trailer for The BFG, I can assure you my mind has changed. The BFG was one of the first chapter books I read as a kid, and I remember being completely overtaken by the story. That same fascination overcame me once again when I got my first glimpse at the film adaptation. Excited doesn’t even begin to describe
Reading Experience? Kylie Scott’s Dirty (Dive Bar series #1) and Cora Carmack’s All Closed Off (Rusk University series #4). The list of books I’m anticipating this year is too numerous to list here, so I’ll just go with a couple of my top picks. Those that have read Kylie Scott’s Stage Dive series know exactly why I’m ready and waiting for the Dive Bar series to begin in Dirty. Even though it’s in the same world, we may not see the Stage Dive boys much (especially my favorite, Jimmy, since he’s a year or more sober), but it’s a thrill just to get back into that world. The second title I absolutely cannot wait for in 2016 is All Closed Off by Cora Carmack. Since the beginning of the Rusk University series, Stella has been a constant and consistent character. She’s been the light to others’ darkness more times than you can count. At the end of All Broke Down, something truly heinous happened to her. Ever since, fans have been clamoring for her story. We had to wait through All Played Out because Stella wasn’t quite ready to tell her story, but the day is drawing near when we learn how and who will help Stella find her footing in the world.
TV Moment? The rest of The 100 season 3. The wait for more episodes of The 100 has been long and arduous. We survived the drought, and were graced with a superb and fantastic season 3 premiere. Now we begin the weekly waiting. The long 167 hours between episodes where we debate and discuss what we think is next for the Sky people. There are too many great characters to worry about, and too many things that can go wrong for us to have any idea what to anticipate from the rest of season 3. All we can do is hold on and enjoy the ride. Oh, and worry like mad. Nothing can keep us from our worries.
Fannish Highlight? Interesting DVD/Blu-ray commentaries. DVD commentary is an under-appreciated art form. There is something incredibly intimate about hearing the stories behind the movies and television we love so much. It’s especially exciting when our favorite actors and actresses get in on the action. With so many good movies coming out on DVD and Blu-ray in 2016, I am holding out hope for some truly enlightening insights from my favorite casts and directors. With Blu-rays like The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2, The Good Dinosaur, Steve Jobs, and eventually Star Wars: The Force Awakens expected in 2016, there are more than a few possibilities to get excited about.
Laura Byrne-Cristiano – @newyorkerlaura
Movie Release? Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. I am a Jane Austen fanatic. I even wrote a Best Of Jane Austen movies for Hypable that is still being commented on two and a half years after I published it, so it may surprise you to find out that I wasn’t keen on seeing Pride and Prejudice and Zombies until I saw the trailer. I’m not always into super campy movies, and I was afraid that that was the road Pride and Prejudice and Zombies was going to take. Judging from the trailer, though, it seems like they are playing it really straight, which makes me want to watch it. I mean Lizzie Bennett: badass zombie killer — what is there not to love?
Reading Experience? Book 5 in the Throne of Glass series. Fantasy is pretty much my wheelhouse. Give me a castle, bows and arrows, a bunch of horses and I am good to go. There are so many awesome fantasy books coming out this year it’s way hard for me to choose. If I have to pick one, it has to be the as of yet unnamed Throne of Glass Series Book 5 (Book 6 if you count the prequel novellas) by Sarah Maas. Celaena Sardothien has grown so much as a heroine and protagonist over the series of books it’s been fantastic. So often, characters aren’t affected enough by circumstance. This is not the case with Celaena. She’s made major decisions, some good and some bad, but she’s learned from it all. She’s certainly not perfect, but she’s becoming the kind of person you’d follow through hell and back. Given where Book 5 left off, Celaena will have to be a warrior, a diplomat, and a collaborator, which is a very tall order.
TV Moment? An Outlander season 3 greenlighting announcement. Droughtlander is almost over. The smart money says April is when Outlander is back with season 2. Now as much as I want season 2 to happen, what I really want is Starz to greenlight the series for seasons 3 and season 4. For reasons I won’t spoil, season 2 is inevitably going to end on a horrific cliffhanger. We need seasons 3 and 4 at a minimum to make viewing complete. Critics are finally starting to notice with Outlander being nominated for several Golden Globe Awards. Let’s hope this translates into more addicted viewers.
Fannish Highlight? Stevie McCrorie’s debut album. This is confession time. I’m an American who is addicted to British reality TV. The Great British Bake-Off, Britain’s Got Talent, X-Factor UK, and let’s not forget the UK version of The Voice. Every so often there is someone who you see on one of these shows and your gut just says, “star.” The first time I had that reaction was in following Ella Henderson, and having my jaw drop when she covered Cher’s “Believe.” I was mesmerized and couldn’t wait for her album, which took forever to come out. I had a similar reaction this past season on the UK version of The Voice. This year, Stevie McCrorie had me within 6 bars of his cover of Kodaline’s “All I Want.” Then I followed him all season and, unlike Ella, he won. His first album, Big World, came out January 8.
Marama Whyte – @maramawhyte
Movie Release? Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them (like everyone). As a historian, Harry Potter nerd, and devout Eddie Redmayne fan, sometimes I feel like Fantastic Beasts was created entirely with me in mind. I have my reservations about the film, but my level of anticipation is still uncharacteristically high for someone who is basically a walking Daria impersonation. I really, really didn’t like the Harry Potter films, so the fact that J.K. Rowling is actually writing this one is enough to make me love it before even having seen it. And as I’m doubling up on movies anyway, let me rep my excitement for Captain America: Civil War for a second; if I started talking about why I can’t wait for this movie, this article would never end.
Reading Experience? Shaming the Devil by Melina Marchetta. Everyone has an author whose grocery lists they’d read; Marchetta is mine. Shaming the Devil is a crime thriller and different from her usual Young Adult offerings — but like I said, I’d read the grocery lists. Regardless of plot, Marchetta depicts characters and relationships that feel so real, no matter in what genre she is writing. Her words get under my skin and into my soul, and I imagine Shaming the Devil, which is due for release in September, is going to be no different.
TV Moment? Agent Carter season 2. I know, I know, boring choice. But I truly adore Peggy Carter. I bought her lipstick, I bought her nail polish, I’m in this for the long run. The combination of music, styling, feminism, and the glorious Hayley Atwell made Agent Carter easily the most enjoyable show of 2015. The season 2 premiere had everything I wanted, and I can’t wait for more in the coming weeks. Not even Chad Michael Murray can ruin this for me.
Fannish Highlight? I Ship It series from CW Seed and New Form Digital. In 2014 the wizard rock romcom short film I Ship It from director Yulin Kuang captured the hearts of many in the fandom world. Kuang’s work bypasses that slight condescension I often feel when fandom goes mainstream, instead going for complete celebration. It also helps that her film aesthetic — cheerful nerd meets Wes Anderson meets Tumblr Romanticism — is downright gorgeous. The news that Kuang is working on an I Ship It musical series based off her short has me all kinds of curious, even if it isn’t a direct continuation of the original. It’s always encouraging to see fandom people achieving on a larger scale (it happens all the time with authors, why not filmmakers), but I’ll admit my excitement is mostly selfish; after seeing another short last year, Angie and Zahra, all I want in life is a feature film directed by Yulin Kuang and the I Ship It series means we’re one step closer. I don’t even know when the series will premiere, but I am so ready for it.
Natalie Fisher – @nataliefisher
Movie Release? Captain America: Civil War is my most anticipated movie not only of 2016, but possibly of all time. I don’t get too thrilled over a lot of movie franchises – the Harry Potter and Hunger Games films didn’t excite me as much as their book counterparts – but Captain America: The Winter Soldier was a game changer for my emotional investment in the MCU. I’m in a Whatsapp group that has been talking literally every day for the past two years about Bucky Barnes, and the trailer showed that it’s going to be more than I could have ever hoped for, both for that particular character, for Steve, and for and the adaptation of the comic event as a whole.
Reading Experience? The Raven King by Maggie Stiefvater. Discovering the vivid, evocative, irreverent, way-too-real Raven Cycle was one of the most important things to happen to me in 2015 – as soon as I read them, it felt like I’d known these characters and their world my entire life. This final book was initially due out in September of last year. Due to publishing delays, it’s pushed to April 2016 (within two days of Captain America: Civil War, help me!) and given what’s already promised (#savegansey) I’m both longing for it and dreading it. This is Deathly Hallows-level anxiety for me – maybe worse. Have mercy on my soul, Stiefvater.
TV Moment? As always, my biggest TV obsession — the only show I get mad seeing spoilers for — is The Great British Bake-Off, and I eagerly await its return, but after last season’s magnificent Tamal/Nadiya brotp, I’m scared no new group of contestants will ever compare. My real answer, however, is any news at all about American Gods. Last year we sadly said goodbye to Hannibal, one of television’s cleverest and riskiest shows, but I’m thrilled that the uncompromising Bryan Fuller is handling the TV adaptation of American Gods, by my favorite author Neil Gaiman. American Gods isn’t due out until 2017 at LEAST, but I’m praying that we get some casting announcements and general hype this year and that the Fannibals — one of the best groups of people on the internet — follow Fuller to this project with the same amount of good-hearted insanity.
Fannish Highlight? Doing San Diego Comic-Con as a Star Wars fan. I cannot even allow myself to think about all the amazing Star Wars experiences I missed out on at SDCC 2015. I was in attendance, but it was before my, ahem, awakening. I am an extremely new Star Wars fan, but I’ve gone from zero to sixty in the space of about a month, and I cannot WAIT to stock up on toys, comics, collectibles and t-shirts, and shriek every time I see a Poe Dameron cosplayer.
Sonya Field – @SonyaField
Movie Release? Without a doubt the movie I’m most excited about is Suicide Squad. I’ve watched the trailer pretty regularly since it came out and I can’t wait until we get to see more as the premiere draws closer. While a lot of people are anticipating seeing Jared Leto as the Joker, I’m most excited to see Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn.
Reading Experience? How about we just go with anything and everything that Christina Lauren publishes this year. I’ve already read the review copy of Wicked Sexy Liar but I’ll picking up a copy when it comes to stores for the short story of Not-Joe that I haven’t seen yet. Even though it’s only a novella, I can’t wait for Beautiful Boss to see my favorite couple Hanna and Will again. I’m also sad but excited to see how the Beautiful series will come to a close.
TV Moment? I can’t wait to see what Gotham has in store for the second half of season 2, especially with Mr. Freeze, Indian Hill, and Penguin’s father coming. I’m also pretty excited for new original content coming to Netflix. Especially Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt season 2 and Grace and Frankie season 2 which I binged back-to-back last summer.
Fannish Highlight? New York Comic-Con 2016, since I didn’t get to go last year I’m excited to get back this year! Especially with all the amazing comic book movies coming out this year it should be a great one!