It’s that time again. I’m not sure if all of these movies will be releasing this year. But whenever they land, I’ll be there to gawk.
I didn’t see as many movies as I wanted to last year. That said, there are some amazing ones set to land in 2022 that I definitely won’t miss.
Note that none of the below films are franchise tentpoles. If that’s what we’re talking about, sure—I’m game for Jurassic World: Dominion or The Batman. But generally speaking, I’m always on the lookout for original storytelling not burdened by the weight of franchise building.
On to my list of the most anticipated movies of 2022, presented in reverse order.
5. Everything Everywhere All At Once (dir. Daniel Kwan & Daniel Scheinert) – Mar 25
According to A24, Everything Everywhere is “a hilarious and big-hearted sci-fi action adventure about an exhausted Chinese American woman (Michelle Yeoh) who can’t seem to finish her taxes.” You’ve seen the trailer, right? Kooky premise, wild action, baddies disintegrating into confetti—sign me up.
4. Canterbury Glass (dir. David O. Russell) – Nov 4
Want to know who’s in this? Try Christian Bale, Margot Robbie, John David Washington, Rami Malek, Zoe Saldana, Robert De Niro, Mike Myers, Chris Rock, Anya Taylor-Joy, and Taylor Swift. Want to know the cinematographer? The legendary Emmanuel Lubezki. I love the composer as well (Hildur Guðnadóttir scored Joker and Chernobyl). I don’t need to know much else to get excited about this one. There’s very little info released anyway, so I’ll take what’s available (“a doctor and a lawyer form an unlikely partnership”).
3. Nope (dir. Jordan Peele) – Jul 22
Would I dare miss this? Has Jordan Peele missed yet? Do we know what it’s about? You know the answer. Nope stars Daniel Kaluuya, Keke Palmer, and Steven Yeun.
2. The Way of the Wind (dir. Terrence Malick) – TBA
It was bound to happen. Terrence Malick has explored biblical themes for decades, so a movie about moments in the life of Christ as told through parables doesn’t seem far-fetched. Apparently Mark Rylance is playing four different versions of Satan. Color me intrigued.
1. Babylon (dir. Damien Chazelle) – Dec 25
One of my favorite modern filmmakers is back with a vengeance. After Whiplash and La La Land delivered a solid one-two punch, First Man was a bit shakier for me—and I’m not just talking about that hurl-inducing shaky cam. Babylon looks set to stun though, especially when you consider this cast: Brad Pitt, Margot Robbie (for the second time on this list), Olivia Wilde, Tobey Maguire, Samara Weaving, Spike Jonze, and more. The movie is apparently centered around Hollywood’s transition from silent films to “talkies.” The buzz is growing and that awards season release date looks promising.
What movies are you looking forward to this year? I’d love to know!
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