Top 10 Most Exciting Movies of 2017

With 2016 now truly behind us and a whole new year ahead, it's time to look forward at what we can expect - and anticipate - about 2017.  In this post I'll give a list of the 10 movies we should all get excited for already coming later this year, starting with a couple honorable mentions to kick it off.  Most of these movies will not end up in my best of the year list in December, but they will all certainly create discussion and excitement over the next 12 months.

Honorable Mentions

Split (January 20th)

The first movie on my list is also the first one released.  Split stars James McAvoy as a crazed kidnapper with an overblown thriller's version of Multiple Personality Disorder along with Ana Taylor-Joy as the young girl unlucky enough to be snatched  up.  Mis infamous for being a fallen director gone from truly great hits to utter critical and commercial disasters, 2015's The Visit and his dive into TV with Wayward Pines both mark a potential turnaround for Shyamalan.  While Split will be far away from the award ceremonies, exciting trailers and a promising cast set it up to possible cement Shymalan back in good graces.

The God Particle (October 27th)

If rumors are true, The God Particle is in fact not The God Particle at all but actually a working title for the third movie in the Cloverfield franchise.  After 10 Cloverfield Lane surprised audiences by revealing its true nature only a couple months before release and ended up being an intense and driving thriller, excitement for where Cloverfield could go from here hit a new height, and with an extremely fresh lineup of director and writers and a vague but intriguing premise involving astronauts stranded as reality warps around them, God Particle could be the surprise of 2017.

Thor Ragnarok (November 3rd)

Disney was the unhaultable juggernaut of 2016, and their first entry on my list is Thor Ragnarok, the third entry in the Thor franchise.  Thor has been my least favorite of Marvel's interconnected franchises, but promising Comic Con footage focusing on trippy cosmic imagery,  the teasing of large MCU implications through the Infinity Stones, and the exciting addition of Hulk (and maybe Doctor Strange) make Thor Ragnarok ripe with potential to be a major turnaround for an otherwise lacking franchise.

TOP 10

10: Justice League (November 17th)

Zack Snyder once again directs as Batman recruits superheroes from around the globe, including The Flash, Aquaman, and Wonder Woman to form the new team of heroes not-so-subtly hinted at in Batman vs Superman.  This movie will be a significant turning point for the budding DC Movie Universe.  DC found itself pressed hard against the ropes in 2016, defending itself against a staggering onslaught of negative reception towards both Batman vs Superman and Suicide Squad.  If Justice League lives up to its potential, DC will be back on track.  If it continues in the path set last year and fails, DC will need to significantly rethink the future of the DCU, its characters, and the presence of Snyder behind the camera.  Justice League will dominate the discussion, which earns its place on my list, even if it is out of morbid curiosity.  

9: Ghost in the Shell (March 31st)

A live-action remake of the fantastic anime film of the same name, Ghost in the Shell stars Scarlett Johansson as an advanced cyborg agent who hunts down dangerous hackers in a technology-obsessed dystopian future.  The premise alone is intriguing and strangely timely with its portrayal of a society constantly connected through technology as well as the thematic exploration of gender and sexual identity.  This movie is most known for it's controversial casting of Scarlett Johansson into a role that was originally Asian.  The increasing outcry against white-washing, and the desire for more minority representation in blockbusters, has given this film a bad taste in the mouths of many for the past few months, and how the film performs because of this controversy will be an interesting moment for 2017.  

8: The Lego Batman Movie (February 10th)

This year sees a spin-off of The Lego Movie focusing on Batman and the cast list alone is something to laugh at. Will Arnett returns as Batman featuring appearances of several DC classics from Michael Cera as Robbin to Billy Dee Williams as Two-Face.  The trailers have been extremely fun an energetic with some truly hilarious moments.  The Lego Movie was one of the biggest surprises in years and if Lego Batman can live up to its predecessor, we could get the best comic book movie of the year in LEGO form, which is something I never thought I would be writing.

7: Beauty and the Beast (March 17th)

The tale as old as time retold in a live-action remake staring Emma Watson as Belle and Dan Stevens as The Beast along with Ewan McGregor doing his best talking french candle and Emma Thompson as Mrs. Potts.  Normally, a remake of such a classic would get me nervous, but with Jungle Book and Cinderella both being very well done and an all-star talented cast, Beauty and the Beast stands to be a truly faithful and welcome adaptation that will stand out in a crowded season.

6: Logan (March 3rd)

Logan brings Hugh Jackman once again to the lead as the metal-clawed mutant Wolverine, this time in a futuristic Western where all other mutants have died and Logan must protect a young girl, the fist mutant he has seen in  years. I have never considered myself a fan of the X-Men movies.  I've enjoyed many of them, but I am not a follower of the franchise.  However this trailer alone has turned Logan into a movie that I am extremely excited to see.  A powerful tone akin to The Last of Us teases something truly special in a genre that has taken over our blockbusters.  Logan has the potential to be the shake-up that comic movies need, especially with Jackmann reporting this as his last film in the role. Only my personal disconnect from the franchise and my own slow-growing superhero fatigue holds me back from pushing this even higher.

5: Alien Covenant (May 19th)

Ridley Scott makes his directorial return to the Alien franchise proper with Alien: Covenant, which follows the crew of a space ship arrive at a seemingly-uninhabited planet only to find themselves in a cat and mouse fight for survival against the always-slaughtering aliens.  Ridley Scott has been a mix recently, but returning to the franchise that launched him could be just the shot he needs to get back on the top of his game.  The plot does feel conventional for the franchise, but if this film manages to walk the line if tribute and originality, we could be looking at the return to form of a franchise that has never truly hit the mark it set for itself nearly 40 years ago.  With so many franchises returning to life, it will be very exciting to see if Alien can be the next one. 

4: Spider-Man Homecoming (July 7th)

I am once again blindly walked into possibly-wasted excitement for a comic book movie as Spider-Man returns once again, this time played by Tom Holland as the same newly-powered Peter Parker seen in Captain America Civil War last year.  They thankfully ditch the origin story to tell the story of Peter Parker, struggling to find his identity, not only as a superhero, but as a high school teenager. Both the Comic Con footage and the official trailer tease a John Hughes tone that could make this movie stand out from the pack.  

The most interesting element from a film nerd's perspective is the unprecedented behind the scenes collaboration.  Sony and Disney, working together!  Mass hysteria!  The two giants came to a complex agreement to allow Spider-Man's inclusion in the Marvel Cinematic Universe despite Marvel not owning the character.  Which studio truly pulls the strings now is entirely unconfirmed, so it will be fascinating to see how this movie turns out.  Its success could lead to further collaborations in Hollywood, but its failure could leave everyone pointing fingers and yet another failed Spider-Man reboot.  

  3: Dunkirk (August 25th)

My top 3 begins with a World War 2 war film from one of the best directors working today: Christopher Nolan.  This film follows the true story of the Battle of Dunkirk where Allied forces were surrounded by Axis powers, causing a desperate evacuation and the death of thousands.  Dunkirk marks both Nolan's first historical piece and his first exit from genre since 2002.  This movie is already receiving Oscar buzz and with Nolan's acclaim on top of it, Dunkirk could be a massive hit when it lands at the end of the summer.  It also features the acting debut of One Direction's Harry Styles, but something tells me it's not suitable for young tweens.

2: Blade Runner 2049 (November 22nd)

If any director tops Nolan, it's Denis Villeneuve.  While his name is not as well-known casually as Nolan's, this movie along with this year's Arrival could very well be what puts him deeply in every cinema-loving household.  While the plot is still surrounded in mystery, Blade Runner 2049 is a sequel to the fantastic 1982 Sci-Fi noir, and stars Ryan Gossling along with Harrison Ford, returning as his original character, Deckard.  With Villeneuve behind the camera, Roger Deakins working photography, and a great cast, Blade Runner 2049 is an all-star list of film-making talent and incredibly exciting for the blockbuster-lovers and film snobs together.

1: Star War Episode 8 (December 15th)

Was I ever going to pick anything else? Everything in this movie is adding up to not just a great movie, but a huge social event.  Director Rian Johnson of Breaking Bad and Looper fame makes his blockbuster debut.  The questions and setup of Force Awakens, including Rey's origin, Luke Skywalker's return, and Kylo Ren's future, all hang in the balance.  

The future of Star Wars critically is at stake as well.  Force Awakens suffered from feeling somewhat repetitive of Star Wars past.  If Episode 8 can feel new and fresh, it'll quench the flames of doubt.  If it feels like a retread once again, it will cause even the most adoring fans (like myself) to ask questions of how much we really need this new trilogy.  The film will feel consistently bitter-sweet after the shocking death of Carrie Fisher late last year, with this being her final acting role.  It is tragically fitting that her finale as an actress will be a return to the role that she is adored for.  Star Wars Episode 8 is going to be the center of conversation even before its release, and once it is out in the world we will be surrounded by it.  It's undeniably my top anticipated movie of 2017 and every day will feel like one step closer to a larger world.

Thanks for reading my list of the top 10 movies I'm looking forward to in 2017.  Let me know in the comments what you're excited for or what I missed.  If you want to check out more of my work, including a list of the best movies of 2016, you can follow me here on Blogspot at The Film Fan Awakens or on Facebook.  Thanks for reading and have a fantastic year! 

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