‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’
Director: James Gunn
Starring: Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, Karen Gillan
The Marvel Cinematic Universe pop-culture behemoth shows no signs of slowing its pace in 2023, with five releases planned throughout the year, including a new outing for Ant-Man and the Wasp, as well as “Captain Marvel.” Another ensemble effort is included with. Sequel “The Marvels.” Topping our list, however, is the return of the beloved rogues known as the Guardians of the Galaxy, led by Star Lord/Peter Quill (Chris Pratt). Last time out, the Guardians managed to purchase Nowhere with the intention of turning it into their headquarters and a safe haven for alien refugees. Details are sketchy, but the plot will reportedly involve the team embarking on a risky mission to rescue one of their members. And maybe even the universe. James Gunn directs (as he has with the two previous “Guardians” films). There are rumors that a love interest in Rocket – the raccoon bounty hunter – will be introduced: Lyla the Otter.
‘Flash’
Director: Andy Muschietti
Starring: Ezra Miller, Ron Livingston, Michael Keaton, Kiersey Clemons
Marvel’s superhero rivals DC, meanwhile, are pinning their hopes on some major new releases including Jason Momoa reprising his titular role in “Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom” and this movie about the fastest superhero alive. Given the controversy currently swirling around lead actor Ezra Miller, DC will be hoping for the old cliché that no publicity is bad publicity and that the film is not DOA at the box office. Argentinian director Andy Muschietti, who helmed the “It” film series, has been assigned to helm the show. Inspired by the comic book storyline “Flashpoint”, the film follows Barry Allen/The Flash traveling through time in an attempt to prevent his mother’s murder. Time travel, as you’d think the allegedly “highly intelligent” Alan would know, turns out to be an intriguing affair with lots of unexpected consequences. One of the good ones is that we get to see multiple versions of Batman, with both Ben Affleck and Michael Keaton reprising their versions of the Caped Crusader.
‘Barbie’
Director: Greta Gerwig
Starring: Margot Robbie, Ryan Gosling, Will Ferrell, Simu Liu
Yep, a movie about the iconic Mattel doll — which over the years has come to symbolize society’s unrealistic ideals for women’s bodies — sounds like a terrible idea. but. This particular movie sounds like a terrible idea, co-written by Noah Baumbach (“Marriage Story”) and Greta Gerwig (“Lady Bird”), who also directs. And it stars two of Hollywood’s brightest stars, Robbie and Gosling, as Barbie and Ken. Expect lots of ironic humour. Suddenly, it starts to look like – despite the awfully cynical marketing scheme that undoubtedly funded the movie – it could be a lot of fun.
‘The Super Mario Bros. Movie’
Director: Aaron Horvath, Michael Jelnick
Voice Cast: Chris Pratt, Anya Taylor-Joy, Charlie Day, Jack Black
It took Nintendo a while to get over the disastrous 1993 movie “Super Mario Bros.” Thirty years later, the Japanese video game giant has finally handed Hollywood another license, this time for a voice-over animated adventure comedy based on its iconic games about two Italian brothers who are plumbers. The often spectacular “Teen Titans Go!” Horvath and Jelnick’s pedigree as producers. Good sign for the film. Apparently, even the actors weren’t aware of the full plot, so the story remains unknown, but it’s reasonable to expect that it will involve Mario and Luigi rescuing Princess Peach from some sort of maze. It might be worth watching to judge Chris Pratt’s tone for yourself.
‘John Wick: Chapter 4’
Director: Chad Stahelski
Starring: Keanu Reeves, Donnie Yen, Bill Skarsgård, Laurence Fishburne
The first three installments in the “John Wick” film series excelled at giving audiences adrenaline-rush fight scenes with minimal (by today’s standards) special effects, so we’re excited to see that in number four. What a new surprise Stahelski has. Reeves returns as the less-than-talkative great assassin who’s desperately trying to retire and live in peace. But the shadowy organization overseeing our anti-hero contract killers once besting him won’t let go. Now, Vic believes he has found a way to defeat the High Table forever. But many obstacles stand in the way of his escape, including a well-connected new foe and old friends turned foes.
‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse’
Director: Joaquim Dos Santos, Kemp Powers, Justin K. thompson
Voice Cast: Shameik Moore, Hailee Steinfeld, Jake Johnson, Issa Rae
Anticipation is sky-high for this sequel to the 2018 animated hit “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.” Its predecessor was a fantastic, thrilling, funny journey into alternate universes that introduced us to a host of different incarnations of Spider-Man, which of course included Brooklyn teen Miles Morales. In this follow-up, Morales and his girlfriend Gwen Stacy (the Spider-Woman of his universe) team up to combat a new foe that threatens the lives of all Spider-people. He is helped by the Spider-Force team, which includes a British punk version of Spider-Man and a pregnant version of Spider-Woman.
‘Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny’
Director: James Mangold
Starring: Harrison Ford, Phoebe Waller Bridges, Mads Mikkelsen, Antonio Banderas
OK, so Steven Spielberg isn’t directing it, and George Lucas didn’t write it, but it’s still Indiana Jones (and the pair are both executive producers). The film is set in 1969 and finds an aging Dr. Jones searching for the Titanic object with his granddaughter Helena (Waller-Bridge). Jones is also wary of former Nazis working with the US government to take on the Soviet Union in the space race, particularly the sinister Jürgen Völler (Mikkelsen).
‘Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One’
Director: Christopher McQuarrie
Starring: Tom Cruise, Ving Rhames, Simon Pegg, Rebecca Ferguson
The COVID-19 pandemic played havoc with its schedule, but the seventh installment of the “Mission: Impossible” franchise is finally upon us. Cruise is now 60, but continues to pull off many of his own stunts, including the spectacular motorcycle-dismount-in-parachute-jump seen in the trailer. Esai Morales is the as-yet-unknown main villain of the piece. The details have been kept secret, but it’s a fair bet that Cruise’s Special Agent Ethan Hunt and his IMF team will still have members of The Syndicate/The Apostles, despite defeating their leader, and we know that Vanessa Kirby will be at gunpoint. Coming back as Dealer Alana Mitsopolis.
‘The Dune: Part Two’
Director: Denis Villeneuve
Starring: Timothée Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, Josh Brolin, Zendaya
Frank Herbert’s “Dune” novels were long considered ‘un-filmable,’ but Villeneuve debunks that theory with 2021’s “Part One,” Herbert’s vision for creating a fantastic sci-fi epic Married to Part two will see Chalamet’s Paul Atreides seek revenge against those who wiped out his family with some help from Chani and her new allies, the Fremen. Along the way, he must somehow stop the nightmare he just imagined.
‘The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes’
Director: Francis Lawrence
Starring: Tom Blythe, Rachel Ziegler, Hunter Schafer, Jason Schwartzman
Exactly a decade ago, the first “Hunger Games” movie propelled Jennifer Lawrence into mainstream stardom and cemented Susan Collins’ novels as genuine cultural phenomena. “The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes” takes us back to that dystopian universe, but serves as a prequel to the four films released so far. Blythe stars as a young Coriolanus Snow (the future president of Panem and the villain of the previous films), serving as a mentor for the upcoming Hunger Games and District 12: With Homage from Lucy Gray Baird. form a bond. Expect revelations about what happened to turn Snow into the monster.