UPDATED: January 7, 2022 to reflect the news that Pixar’s Turning Red will premiere on Disney+ instead of having a theatrical release.
Pixar’s Turning Red has become the latest victim of the coronavirus pandemic’s impact on Hollywood. The film, which is about a teen girl who “poofs” into a giant red panda when she’s excited, is skilling its theatrical release and will premiere March 11 exclusively on Disney+. Domee Shi, who is known for her work on the Oscar-winning short Bao, directed the film, which stars Rosalie Chiang as the confident — if dorky — 13-year-old Mei Lee and Sandra Oh as her smothering mother, Ming.
Turning Red is far from the only film that’s experienced some release changes due to the pandemic. The long-awaited fifth Indiana Jones movie, which was scheduled to be released in summer 2022, has shifted to a June 30, 2023 release. Other schedule changes include Thor: Love and Thunder, which moves to July 8, 2022 and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, which moves to November 11, 2022.
(Photo by Pixar)
This doesn’t mean that Walt Disney Studios or its subsidiaries (think Marvel, Lucasfilm and 20th Century Studios) don’t have plenty of other content coming soon. The Mouse House recently announced that Owen Wilson and Rosario Dawson would be joining the cast of director Justin Simien’s Haunted Mansion movie. And news also recently broke that there are plans for a second Jungle Cruise film after the box office success of the 2021 Emily Blunt-Dwayne Johnson film. In original properties not based on IPs, Free Guystar Ryan Reynolds has stated that the studio would be interested in a sequel to that summer 2021 hit.
Below, we’ve gathered details for some of the flashier Disney and Disney-associated films that are expected to hit in the next few years – it’s the most comprehensive new Disney movies list you’ll find. We’ll add to this list as more information becomes available, especially in regards to the speculation surrounding Marvel and Pixar movies still waiting release dates – and in some cases, titles – as well as other rumored and in-development films like the sixth Pirates of the Caribbean.
Below, you’ll find the Disney-produced projects that have locked release dates – for now. Among them are big-hitters like Black Panther 2 and Lightyear. Expect some of the dates later in the set to shift as announcements are made, and note that the situation with the coronavirus and theater openings remains fluid. We’ll keep this list updated so you’re always on top of what’s coming up. We’ve noted which of these are Twentieth Century Studios and Searchlight Pictures releases.
(20th Century Studios) Release Date: January 14, 2022 Director: Adrian Lyne Starring: Ana de Armas, Ben Affleck, Rachel Blanchard
This adaptation of Patricia Highsmith’s novel centers on a husband who allows his wife to have affairs to stave off a divorce, only to become a suspect when her lovers begin to disappear. Director Adrian Lyne has form here: He directed both Unfaithful and Fatal Attraction. But this will be his first film in 18 years.
(20th Century Studios) Release Date: February 11, 2022 Director: Kenneth Branagh Starring: Gal Gadot, Letitia Wright, Armie Hammer, Kenneth Branagh, Tom Bateman
Branagh, who directed and starred in the 2017 adaptation of Murder on the Orient Express, returns to the universe of Agatha Christie mysteries. This one finds his Belgian detective Hercule Poirot forced to cut his beach-side vacation short when a young heiress turns up murdered. The film was scheduled to be released in December 2020, but was rescheduled as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.
Release Date: February 18, 2022 Director: Elizabeth Allen Rosenbaum Starring: Chosen Jacobs, Lexi Underwood
A modern twist on the Cinderella story, this Disney+ film follows a budding sneaker designer who falls in love with the daughter of a basketball star. His best friend and a Fairy Godmother help me realize his dreams.
Release date: March 11, 2022 Director: Domee Shi Starring: Rosalie Chiang, Sandra Oh
Domee Shi, who won an Academy Award for her Pixar short Bao, is directing this film. It’s about a teenage girl named Mei who is experiencing all the awkwardness of that age — except she turns into a giant red panda every time she gets too excited. Although the film had planned to have a theatrical release, Disney announced in January 2022 that it would instead premiere exclusively on Disney+.
Disney confirmed during the December 2020 Walt Disney Company investors day that Black-ish creator Kenya Barris was penning the script for this film and that Gabrielle Union would star. It’s reported that Zach Braff will play opposite her and Gail Lerner is directing. It is described as a story about “a blended family of 12, navigating a hectic home life and their family business.” At the 2021 Disney+ Day, it was announced that the film would premiere in March 2022 on Disney+.
Release date: May 6, 2022 Director: Sam Raimi Starring: Benedict Cumberbatch, Elizabeth Olsen, Benedict Wong
Benedict Cumberbatch returns as the Sorcerer Supreme with Elizabeth Olsen joining him as the Scarlet Witch in what is being touted as the first scary MCU movie. Director Scott Derrickson left the project, and Sam Raimi – who helmed the Tobey Maguire Spider-Man films – confirmed in April 2020 that he was now overseeing it. However, the COVID-19 pandemic pushed the film’s release date from November 2021 to March 2022. It was moved again to May 6, 2022, replacing Thor: Love and Thunder (which moved to July 2022).
(20th Century Studios) Release Date: May 27, 2022 Director: Lauren Bouchard Starring: H. Jon Benjamin, John Roberts, Dan Mintz, Eugene Mirman, Kristen Schaal
Oh to imagine all the burger-related puns that could fit into a full-length movie. Hoping to rekindle the box-office magic that The Simpsons Movie did in 2007 (it grossed $183,100,000), the movie adaptation of this popular Fox sitcom is now officially a go after a lot of red tape in the Disney-Fox acquisition. The film was slated to be released in April 2021, but coronavirus-related concerns have temporarily bumped it off the schedule before it was rescheduled for May 2022.
Release date: June 17, 2022 Director: Angus MacLane Starring: Chris Evans
In a bit of brilliant meta filmmaking, Pixar offers this movie – an origin story not about the toy Tim Allen voices in the Toy Story movies, but about the movie character that inspired that doll. Chris Evans voices the hero who infamously (also) goes “to infinity and beyond.”
Release date: July 8, 2022 Director: Taika Waititi Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Tessa Thompson, Natalie Portman
Shortly before Comic-Con 2019, Thor: Ragnarok director Taika Waititi signed on to return for a fourth installment in the God of Thunder franchise. In a surprise move, Marvel revealed that Natalie Portman is returning to the series as the new Mighty Thor, a twist pulled from a Thor comic book series by Jason Aaron, Russell Dauterman, and others. Meanwhile, Tessa Thompson will return as Valkyrie, the king of New Asgard who must find a Queen. It was confirmed during The Walt Disney Company’s December 2020 investors day that Christian Bale would play villain, Gorr the God Butcher.
Disenchanted Release Date: Fall 2022 Director: Adam Shankman Cast: Amy Adams
The Variety article that announces Shankman’s ties to Hocus Pocus 2 also states that Shankman was in pre-production on Disenchanted – a sequel to 2007’s Enchanted – when that news broke. It was confirmed during the December 2020 The Walt Disney Company investors day that Amy Adams would be reprising her starring role from the first film.
Production on the sequel started in May 2021 and it was announced at the 2021 Disney+ Day that the film would premiere in fall 2022 on the streamer. James Marsden, Patrick Dempsey and Idina Menzel will also be reprising their roles while Maya Rudolph and newcomer Gabriella Baldacchino join the cast.
(Photo by Buena Vista courtesy Everett Collection)
Hocus Pocus 2 Release Date: Fall 2022 Director: Anne Fletcher Cast: Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy
In March 2020, Varietyreported that Hairspray director Adam Shankman was attached to direct this sequel while others reported in April 2021 that Anne Fletcher has taken over directing duties. Disney confirmed in May 2021 that the original film’s stars, Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy, would be returning for this movie and that the plot will follow “three young women [who] accidentally bring the Sanderson Sisters back to modern day Salem and must figure out how to stop the child-hungry witches from wreaking a new kind of havoc on the world.” It will air in fall 2022 on Disney+.
Pinocchio Live-Action Movie Release Date: Fall 2022 Director: Robert Zemeckis Starring: Tom Hanks
Continuing Disney’s trend of making live-action versions of fan-favorite films from its vault, it was announced in January 2020 that Robert Zemeckis had signed on to co-write and direct a version of Pinocchio in this format. It was announced during the December 2020 The Walt Disney Company investors day that Tom Hanks would star as woodworker Geppetto. In March 2021, it was announced that Benjamin Evan Ainsworth would play the title character, Cynthia Erivo would play the Blue Fairy, Keegan-Michael Key would play Honest John, and that Joseph Gordon-Levitt would play Jiminy Cricket. It will air in fall 2022 on Disney+.
Release Date: November 11, 2022 Director: Ryan Coogler Starring: Chadwick Boseman, Letitia Wright, Lupita Nyong’o, Winston Duke, Angela Bassett
Much is at stake for the second chapter of Black Panther – including how it will pay tribute to star Chadwick Boseman, who died of complications related to colon cancer in August 2020. It was announced during The Walt Disney Company’s December 2020 investors day that lead character T’Challa will not be recast and, instead, the film “will explore the world of Wakanda & the rich characters introduced in the first film.” The film was scheduled to be released in July 2022, but was pushed to that November.
Strange World Release Date: November 23, 2022 Director: Don Hall Starring: TBD
Formerly titled Searcher Clade, this action-adventure is an ode to pulp magazines and follows the legendary Clades, a family of explorers whose differences threaten to topple their latest and, by far most crucial, mission.
(20th Century Studios) Release Date: December 16, 2022 Director: James Cameron Starring: Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, Stephen Lang, Sigourney Weaver
The long-awaited sequel to director Cameron’s box-office hit and Best Picture nominee checks in with Worthington’s former human, Jake Sully, and his partner, Neytiri (Saldana), a member of Na’vi royalty. Weaver, whose character died in the first film, is back in a new role. Lang, whose character also died in the first film, is also back (somehow). New cast members include Kate Winslet, Michelle Yeoh and David Thewlis. Production was delayed on this film, as well as Avatar 3, 4, and 5 , due to coronavirus concerns.
A second animated film from the Diary of a Wimpy Kid book series will premiere in 2022 on Disney+. It is not to be confused with the 2011 live-action film with a similar name.
Release Date: February 17, 2023 Director: Nia DaCosta Starring: Brie Larson Captain Marvel star Brie Larson will return for the second film, which we will finally see in the summer of 2022. In January 2020, it was announced that WandaVision’sMegan McDonnell would write the script. it was announced at The Walt Disney Company’s December 2020 investor day that Nia DaCosta would direct and that Iman Vellani, who plays Ms. Marvel in that titular Disney+ TV show, will appear in this film.
(Photo by Leon Bennett/Getty Images)
The Little Mermaid Release Date: May 26, 2023 Director: Rob Marshall Starring: Halle Bailey, Awkwafina, Daveed Diggs
This remake of the Disney classic is one of the most anticipated releases the studio has coming – at least, if the feverishness of the rumor mill is anything to go by. We know that R&B star Halle Bailey will play Ariel, Daveed Diggs will play Sebastian, Awkwafina will play Scuttle, and Jonah Hauer-King will play Prince Eric.
The film will include music from the animated smash as well as new songs from Alan Menken and Lin-Manuel Miranda.
Untitled Indiana Jones Film Release date: June 30, 2023 Director: James Mangold Starring: Harrison Ford, Phoebe Waller-Bridge and Mads Mikkelsen
Ready your leather jackets and fedoras. After much waiting, the fifth installment of the Indiana Jones franchise will finally arrive in theaters in summer 2023. While plot details about the rugged archaeologist’s latest adventures have truly yet to be unearthed, star Harrison Ford is set to return, while Steven Spielberg has handed the directing reins over to Ford v Ferrari and Logan helmer James Mangold. The film had been scheduled to be released in July 2022, but it was announced in October 2021 that Disney was pushing its release to June 2023.
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania Release Date: July 28, 2023 Director: Peyton Reed Starring: Paul Rudd
The third chapter in the Rudd-starring superhero standalone “is going to be a much bigger, more sprawling movie than the first two,” director Reed said when visiting SiriusXM’s The Jess Cagle Show in August 2020. Reed also teased then that “it’s going to have a very different visual template.” It was confirmed during parent The Walt Disney Company’s December 2020 investor meeting that Kathryn Newton was joining the cast as Cassie Lang and Jonathan Majors would play Kang the Conqueror. In addition to Rudd, previous cast members Evangeline Lilly, Michael Douglas, and Michelle Pfeiffer will also return. In October 2021, it was announced that the film had been pushed from February 2023 to July 2023.
Star Wars: Rogue Squadron Release Date: December 23, 2023 Director: Patty Jenkins Starring: TBD
The first-ever Star Wars film to be directed by a woman follows a group of fighter pilots who band together to defend good from evil.
Avatar 3 (20th Century Studios) Release date: December 20, 2024 Director: James Cameron Starring: Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana
Avatar 4 (20th Century Studios) Release date: December 18, 2026 Director: James Cameron Starring: Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana
Avatar 5 (20th Century Studios) Release date: December 22, 2028 Director: James Cameron Starring: Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana
Awaiting Premiere Dates
Below are projects that have been announced, are in some state of development – we define “stalled” as a state of development – and whose dates we’re still awaiting for. A number are projects that are set to premiere on Disney’s new streaming service, Disney+, and a number were taken off the schedule following the coronavirus outbreak and have not been re-dated.
Nimona (20th Century Studios) Director: Patrick Osborne Starring: TBD
This animated film is based on the graphic novels by Noelle Stevenson – a.k.a. the creator of Netflix’s She-Ra and the Princesses of Power – and tells the story of a young shape shifter who happens to be the sidekick of a super-villain.
Fantastic Four Director: Jon Watts Starring: TBD
It was announced during The Walt Disney Company’s December 2020 investor day that Jon Watts was on board to helm a long-rumored new version of the Fantastic Four series. It’s been reported that the film will premiere in 2023.
Children of Blood & Bone Director: Rick Famuyiwa Starring: TBD
In 2019, Deadline reported that This is Us’s Kay Oyegun is adapting the film based on Tomi Adeyemi’s young adult fantasy novel about a young girl who attempts to restore magic to her kingdom. It was also reported that year that Rick Famuyiwa would direct.
New Pirates of the Caribbean Movie Director: TBD Starring: TBD
The ship that doesn’t ever seem to sink will keep sailing with Disney’s newest attempt to revive the franchise. Initially, Deadpool writers Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick were hired for the project, but in October 2019 it was announced that franchise vet Ted Elliott and Chernobyl writer Craig Mazin were taking over writing duties. No word on cast and director or on whether Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) will be a part of the new story.
New Pirates of the Caribbean Movie Director: TBD Starring: Margot Robbie
The above Pirates film should not be confused with the one set to star Margot Robbie. This film, which The Hollywood Reporter says will be penned by Birds of Prey screenwriter Christina Hodson, will reportedly be female-fronted and be its own story that will introduce new characters beyond those already part of Jack Sparrow’s orbit.
29 Dates Director: Richard Wong Starring: TBD
This young adult rom-com, which is based on the Melissa de la Cruz novel, will appear on Disney+. While no cast or writer has been announced, we know that this story centers on a 16-year-old Korean exchange student who meets a host of eligible bachelors from around the globe. It has been compared to author Jenny Han’s To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before series.
Peter Pan & Wendy Director: David Lowery Starring: Alexander Molony, Ever Anderson, Jude Law
Something to crow about? In March 2020, Variety reported that newcomer Ever Anderson would play Wendy and The Reluctant Landlord’s Alexander Molony will play Peter in this live-action version of the 1953 Disney animated classic. It was confirmed at the December 2020 The Walt Disney Company investors day that Jude Law would play Captain Hook and Yara Shahidi will play Tinker Bell. Pete’s Dragon’s David Lowery will direct.
The film will air on Disney+.
Robin Hood Live-Action Movie Director: Carlos López Estrada Starring: TBD
Another classic animated Disney film to get the live-action/CGI treatment is 1973’s animated musical Robin Hood. In April 2020, Disney announced that Lopez Estrada would be directing a new adaptation of this movie with Lady and the Tramp’s Kari Granlund writing the script. The film will air on Disney+.
(Photo by Walt Disney Pictures)
Cruella 2 Director: Craig Gillespie Starring: Emma Stone
Soon after the 2021 release of Disney’s villain origin story, Cruella, news broke that a sequel was in early development. Variety reported at the time that director Craig Gillespie and screenwriter Tony McNamara were expected to return. A couple months later, Deadlineconfirmed that Emma Stone had a deal to be in the second film.
(Photo by Walt Disney Pictures)
Live-Action Snow White Movie Director: Marc Webb Starring: Rachel Zegler
After falling asleep for several years, the live-action remake of Snow White and the Seven Dwarves has risen with West Side Story’s Rachel Zegler set to lead.Varietyreported in 2021 that Marc Webb will direct and that production on the still-untitled film would begin in 2022.
(Photo by 20th Century Fox Films)
Deadpool 3 Director: TBD Starring: Ryan Reynolds
Cue the creative ad campaigns and Hugh Jackman insults. Ryan Reynolds’ sardonic super hero is back for another installment. The Great North and Bob’s Burgers’ Wendy Molyneux and Lizzie Molyneux-Loeglin are writing the script for the third movie, according to Deadline. The article also stated that David Leitch, who directed the second film, would likely not return for this movie due to scheduling conflicts. No word on if Celine Dion would appear.
Keeper of the Lost Cities Director: Ben Affleck Starring: TBD
Deadlinereported in 2021 that Oscar winner Affleck would direct this cinematic adaptation of Shannon Messenger’s best-selling book series. He’s also working with Kate Gritmon to adapt the script about “a telepathic girl [who] must figure out why she is the key to her brand-new world before the wrong person finds the answer first.”
Muppet Man Director: TBD Starring: TBD
Someday we’ll find it … this movie about Jim Henson, which has been in the works for some time. Deadline reported in 2021 that playwright and screenwriter Michael Mitnick was rewriting the script by Aaron and Jordan Kandell and that the film about the Muppets creator was in development.
(Photo by 20th Century Fox Films)
The Simpsons Movie 2 Director: TBD Starring: TBD
Comic Book Guy — and other Simpsons characters who care about details — would like you to know that the long-awaited second Simpsons movie is a standalone film and not a sequel. At least, that was the word from series producer Al Jean when he was asked about it in 2020.
Planet of the Apes 4 Director: Wes Ball Starring: TBD
Director Ball told Discussing Film in 2020 that he’d already been in pre-production on the film and working with writer Josh Friedman when the coronavirus pandemic shut down Hollywood and the rest of the world. He also said in that interview that “we have a take. We have a way of staying in the universe that was created before us, but we’re also opening ourselves up in being able to do some really cool new stuff.”
No Exit Director: Damien Power Starring: TBD
Deadline reported in 2019 that Killing Ground’s Power was directing this thriller. Not to be confused with the Jean-Paul Sartre play, this film is based on the Taylor Adams novel about strangers stranded at a rest stop during a snow storm. One of them discovers a kidnapped girl and the characters must find the kidnapper and plan their escape.
Rosaline Director: Karen Maine Starring: Kaitlyn Dever
This dark comedy is based on the “other” woman in the story of Romeo and Juliet — the ex Romeo is still pining after when he sets eyes on Juliet. Based on the novel When You Were Mine by Rebecca Serle, this modern take on the story will starBooksmart’s Dever and comes from a script by (500) Days of Summer’s Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber.
The Princess Director: TBD Starring: Joey King
Deadline reported in 2020 that The Act’s King is starring in the film and that the script, which is by Ben Lustig and Jake Thornton, is being kept under wraps but that it is “described as Rapunzel meets The Raid.”
Master and Commander Director: TBD Starring: TBD
Deadline reported in 2021 that 20th Century was charting a course for another Master and Commander movie with Patrick Ness writing the script. The first film, which starred Russell Crowe and was directed by Peter Weir, was set during the Napoleonic Wars and was a best picture Oscar nominee. A cast and director have not been announced for this film.
Poor Things Director: Yorgos Lanthimos Starring: Jerrod Carmichael, Emma Stone
Based on the Alasdair Grey novel, Variety describes the plot as a Victorian-set drama with a Frankenstein twist in which “Stone plays a young woman named Belle Baxter who is brought back to life by an eccentric and brilliant scientist.” The Favourite’s Tony McNamara wrote the script.
Not Okay Director: Quinn Shephard Starring: Zoey Deutch
According to Deadline, Deutch plays a young woman desperate for attention who “desperate for friends and fame, fakes a trip to Paris to up her social media presence. When a terrifying incident takes place in the real world and becomes part of her imaginary trip, her white lie becomes a moral quandary that offers her all the attention she’s wanted.”
Chevalier de Saint-Georges Director: Stephen Williams Starring: TBD
Variety reports that Atlanta and Fargo writer Stefani Robinson is penning the biopic about the man known as the “Black Mozart” — a.k.a. a musical prodigy born in the 1700s French Caribbean who was the child of an African slave and a French plantation owner and who rose to fame as both a violinist and composer but also a champion fencer (among other moments of notoriety).
See How They Run (Searchlight Pictures) Director: Tom George Starring: Saoirse Ronan, Sam Rockwell
A whodunnit set in the 1950s London theater scene about what happens when members of a production start dying. Rockwell plays a world-weary inspector assigned to the case with Ronan playing his ambitious gumshoe sidekick. The all-star cast also includes David Oyelowo, Adrien Brody, Ruth Wilson, and Harris Dickinson.
Empire of Light (Searchlight Pictures) Director: Sam Mendes Starring: Olivia Colman
Mendes is directing and writing the film, which Variety says is described as “a love story set in and around a beautiful old cinema on the South Coast of England in the 1980s.”
Fire Island (Searchlight Pictures) Director: Andrew Ahn Starring: Bowen Yang, Joel Kim Booster
Variety reports that the romantic comedy is a modern spin on Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice and “will center on two best friends embarking on a weeklong vacation to Fire Island — the historic gay escape off the southern shore of Long Island — with the help of cheap rosé and a cadre of eclectic friends.” Booster also wrote the script.
Greek Freak Director: TBD Starring: Uche Agada
Agada will portray NBA star Giannis Antetokounmpo in this biopic that is being developed for Disney+, according to a 2021 Variety report. Other cast members include Yetide Badaki and Dayo Okeniyi, who will portray Antetokounmpo’s parents.
Spooked Director: Peter Foott Starring: TBD
News came in 2020 that Irish filmmaker Foott was developing a Disney+ supernatural comedy that The Hollywood Reportersays “involves a Halloween night gone awry as trick or treaters are transformed into whatever costume they are wearing.”
The Return of the Rocketeer Director: TBD Starring: David Oyelowo
After some false starts, a live-action remake of the 1991 film The Rocketeer is in the works with David Oyelowo on board as an executive producer and a potential lead. Deadline reports that Ed Ricourt is writing the project, which will focus on a “retired Tuskegee airman who takes up the Rocketeer mantle.”
After the success of 2021’s Jungle Cruise, it shouldn’t be much of a surprise that plans were quickly in the works for a sequel film. Deadline reported in 2021 that original stars Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt were set to return for the second film and that director Jaume Collet-Serra and writer Michael Green were also returning.
Free Guy 2 Director: TBD Starring: Ryan Reynolds
Star Reynolds Tweeted soon after Free Guy’s summer 2021 premiere that Disney would be interested in doing a second film. What that film would look like and whether Shawn Levy would return as director are still TBD — especially since Disney itself hasn’t officially made any comment on the matter.
More Untitled Marvel, Live-Action Disney, Animated, and Pixar Films Also On the Way
That isn’t all. As per usual, there are a number of movies that are shrouded in mystery – some of which come to us from the next phases of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and from Pixar. Here is the full list of those.
Untitled Searchlight Film Release Date: April 8, 2022
Untitled Searchlight Film Release Date: June 10, 2022
Untitled Searchlight Film Release Date: August 12, 2022
Untitled 20th Century Film Release Date: September 23, 2022
Untitled Marvel Film Release Date: October 7, 2022
Untitled 20th Century Film Release Date: October 21, 2022
Untitled 20th Century Film Release Date: December 23, 2022
Untitled Disney Live-Action Film Release Date: March 10, 2023
Untitled Marvel Film Release Date: May 5, 2023
Untitled Pixar Animation Film Release Date: June 16, 2023
Untitled Disney Live-Action Release Date: August 11, 2023
Untitled 20th Century Film Release Date: September 15, 2023
Untitled 20th Century Film Release Date: October 20, 2023
Untitled Marvel Film Release Date: November 3, 2023
Untitled 20th Century Film Release Date: November 10, 2023
Untitled Disney Animation Film Release Date: November 22, 2023
Untitled Disney Live-Action Film Release Date: March 22, 2024
Untitled Marvel Film Release Date: May 24, 2024
Untitled Pixar Animation Film Release Date: June 14, 2024
Untitled Disney Live-Action Film Release Date: July 5, 2024
Untitled Marvel Film Release Date: July 26, 2024
Untitled Marvel Film Release Date: November 8, 2024
Untitled Star Wars Film Release Date: December 19, 2025
Untitled Star Wars Film Release Date: December 17, 2027
(Photo by @ Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures/courtesy Everett Collection. Thumbnail: 20th Century Fox Film Corp)
The 100 Best Movies on Disney+ (January 2022)
Disney+ covers over 100 years of its flagship studio’s history, from early animated shorts to groundbreaking full-length animated features to family live-action classics to the blockbuster triumvirate of superheroes, space operas, and 3D computer animation of today. It’s a big spread of time filled with classics, some middling stuff, and even a few disasters. Rotten Tomatoes is here to discover and present only the movies with the highest Tomatometer scores on Disney+!
Looking for classic Disney animated movies? Disney+ has them, and we’ve chosen the Freshest, like Cinderella, Fantasia, 101 Dalmatians, The Lion King, The Little Mermaid, and Beauty and the Beast. For more recent Disney animated movies, the best among that crop includes Zootopia, Moana, and Frozen. Of course, you can’t talk Disney animation these days without including Pixar, who are represented in Certified Fresh full with Toy Story, Inside Out, The Incredibles, and more.
But Walt Disney Studios also has a long, honored tradition of family-friendly live-action films, too, and the streaming service does not skimp out. Here, you’ll find those delightful animation/live-action hybrids (Mary Poppins, Pete’s Dragon), sports classics (The Rookie, Miracle, Remember the Titans), and some sweet sci-fi (TRON).
If you’re looking to get lost in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Disney+ is launching a few films short of a full Avengers line-up: Expect to see Guardians of the Galaxy and Iron Man and a several more, and expect us to update the list as more are added in the future. And, of course, Star Wars is here in full force: From A New Hope and Empire Strikes Back, to the modern era featuring The Force Awakens and spin-offs like Rogue One. Our only stipulation for inclusion in our guide is that each film featured here is Certified Fresh, which means it maintained a high Tomatometer score after meeting a minimum number of critics reviews.
As streaming continues to shake up the entertainment landscape, threatening to bury audiences under a deluge of viewing choices, we present a fast track into what you want to see with the 100 Best Movies on Disney+ to Watch Right Now!
Critics Consensus: Offering Monsters, Inc. fans a return visit with beloved characters, Monsters University delivers funny and thoughtful family entertainment for viewers of any age.
Synopsis: Ever since he was a kid monster, Mike Wazowski (Billy Crystal) has dreamed of becoming a Scarer. To make his... [More]
Critics Consensus: With plenty of pulpy action, a pleasantly retro vibe, and a handful of fine performances, Captain America is solidly old-fashioned blockbuster entertainment.
Synopsis: It is 1941 and the world is in the throes of war. Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) wants to do his... [More]
Critics Consensus: With Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, George Lucas brings his second Star Wars trilogy to a suitably thrilling and often poignant -- if still a bit uneven -- conclusion.
Synopsis: It has been three years since the Clone Wars began. Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor) and Jedi Knight Anakin... [More]
Critics Consensus:Black Widow's deeper themes are drowned out in all the action, but it remains a solidly entertaining standalone adventure that's rounded out by a stellar supporting cast.
Synopsis: Natasha Romanoff, aka Black Widow, confronts the darker parts of her ledger when a dangerous conspiracy with ties to her... [More]
Critics Consensus: Though failing to reach the cinematic heights of its predecessors, Return of the Jedi remains an entertaining sci-fi adventure and a fitting end to the classic trilogy.
Synopsis: Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) battles horrible Jabba the Hut and cruel Darth Vader to save his comrades in the Rebel... [More]
Critics Consensus: It might be more impressive on a technical level than as a piece of storytelling, but Avatar reaffirms James Cameron's singular gift for imaginative, absorbing filmmaking.
Synopsis: On the lush alien world of Pandora live the Na'vi, beings who appear primitive but are highly evolved. Because the... [More]
Critics Consensus: Led by a charming performance from Paul Rudd, Ant-Man offers Marvel thrills on an appropriately smaller scale -- albeit not as smoothly as its most successful predecessors.
Synopsis: Forced out of his own company by former protégé Darren Cross, Dr. Hank Pym (Michael Douglas) recruits the talents of... [More]
Critics Consensus: Unapologetically sweet and maybe even a little corny, The Sound of Music will win over all but the most cynical filmgoers with its classic songs and irresistible warmth.
Synopsis: A tuneful, heartwarming story, it is based on the real life story of the Von Trapp Family singers, one of... [More]
Critics Consensus:The Book of Life's gorgeous animation is a treat, but it's a pity that its story lacks the same level of craft and detail that its thrilling visuals provide.
Synopsis: In the Mexican town of San Angel, Manolo (Diego Luna), Maria (Zoë Saldana) and Joaquin (Channing Tatum) have been friends... [More]
Critics Consensus: Fast-paced and packed with dozens of pop culture references, Hercules might not measure up with the true classics of the Disney pantheon, but it's still plenty of fun.
Synopsis: Disney tackles Greek mythology in this animated feature. Hercules (Tate Donovan), a son of gods, was snatched as a baby... [More]
Critics Consensus: A heart-warming sports flick, The Rookie greatly benefits from understated direction and the emotional honesty Dennis Quaid brings to the role of Jim Morris.
Synopsis: A true story about a coach who discovers that it's never too late for dreams to come true. Jim Morris... [More]
Critics Consensus:Rogue One draws deep on Star Wars mythology while breaking new narrative and aesthetic ground -- and suggesting a bright blockbuster future for the franchise.
Synopsis: Former scientist Galen Erso lives on a farm with his wife and young daughter, Jyn. His peaceful existence comes crashing... [More]
Critics Consensus:Disneynature Born In China delivers more of the breathtaking footage the series is known for -- and more than enough cuddly anthropomorphic action to keep the kids entertained.
Synopsis: From frigid mountains to the heart of the bamboo forest, filmmaker Lu Chuan follows the adventures of three animal families... [More]
Critics Consensus: The Emperor's New Groove isn't the most ambitious animated film, but its brisk pace, fresh characters, and big laughs make for a great time for the whole family.
Synopsis: Arrogant young Emperor Kuzco is transformed into a llama by his power-hungry advisor -- the devious diva Yzma. Stranded in... [More]
Critics Consensus: The warmth of traditional Disney animation makes this occasionally lightweight fairy-tale update a lively and captivating confection for the holidays.
Synopsis: Hardworking and ambitious, Tiana (Anika Noni Rose) dreams of one day opening the finest restaurant in New Orleans. Her dream... [More]
Critics Consensus: Tightly scripted, solidly acted, and impressively ambitious, X2: X-Men United is bigger and better than its predecessor -- and a benchmark for comic sequels in general.
Synopsis: Stryker (Brian Cox), a villianous former Army commander, holds the key to Wolverine's (Hugh Jackman) past and the future of... [More]
Critics Consensus:Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2's action-packed plot, dazzling visuals, and irreverent humor add up to a sequel that's almost as fun -- if not quite as thrillingly fresh -- as its predecessor.
Synopsis: Peter Quill and his fellow Guardians are hired by a powerful alien race, the Sovereign, to protect their precious batteries... [More]
Critics Consensus: Beautiful animation, an affable take on Russian history, and strong voice performances make Anastasia a winning first film from Fox animation studios.
Synopsis: The evil wizard Rasputin (Christopher Lloyd) puts a hex on the royal Romanovs and young Anastasia (Meg Ryan) disappears when... [More]
Critics Consensus: Exploring themes of family duty and honor, Mulan breaks new ground as a Disney film, while still bringing vibrant animation and sprightly characters to the screen.
Synopsis: Fearful that her ailing father will be drafted into the Chinese military, Mulan (Ming-Na Wen) takes his spot -- though,... [More]
Critics Consensus: Equally entertaining for both kids and parents old enough to catch the references, Wreck-It Ralph is a clever, colorful adventure built on familiar themes and joyful nostalgia.
Synopsis: Arcade-game character Wreck-It Ralph (John C. Reilly) is tired of always being the "bad guy" and losing to his "good... [More]
Critics Consensus:The Peanuts Movie offers a colorful gateway into the world of its classic characters and a sweetly nostalgic -- if relatively unambitious -- treat for the adults who grew up with them.
Synopsis: Life always seems complicated for good ol' Charlie Brown (Noah Schnapp), the boy who always tries his best against seemingly... [More]
Critics Consensus:Pete's Dragon continues Disney's current live-action winning streak with an update that gives the original a visual overhaul without overwhelming its sweet, soulful charm.
Synopsis: Mr. Meacham (Robert Redford), a woodcarver, delights local children with stories of a mysterious dragon that lives deep in the... [More]
Critics Consensus: It may suffer in comparison to Pixar's classics, but Onward makes effective use of the studio's formula -- and stands on its own merits as a funny, heartwarming, dazzlingly animated adventure.
Synopsis: Teenage elf brothers Ian and Barley embark on a magical quest to spend one more day with their late father.... [More]
Critics Consensus: This Disney dreamscape contains moments of grandeur, with its lush colors, magical air, one of the most menacing villains in the Disney canon.
Synopsis: Filled with jealousy, the evil witch Maleficent (Eleanor Audley) curses Princess Aurora (Mary Costa) to die on her 16th birthday.... [More]
Critics Consensus: Disney's Tarzan takes the well-known story to a new level with spirited animation, a brisk pace, and some thrilling action set-pieces..
Synopsis: In this Disney animated tale, the orphaned Tarzan (Tony Goldwyn) grows up in the remote African wilderness, raised by the... [More]
Critics Consensus: While far from Disney's greatest film, Tangled is a visually stunning, thoroughly entertaining addition to the studio's classic animated canon.
Synopsis: When the kingdom's most-wanted bandit, Flynn Rider (Zachary Levi), hides in a convenient tower, he immediately becomes a captive of... [More]
Critics Consensus:Doctor Strange artfully balances its outré source material against the blockbuster constraints of the MCU, delivering a thoroughly entertaining superhero origin story in the bargain.
Synopsis: Dr. Stephen Strange's (Benedict Cumberbatch) life changes after a car accident robs him of the use of his hands. When... [More]
Critics Consensus: Beautifully animated, smartly written, and stocked with singalong songs, Frozen adds another worthy entry to the Disney canon.
Synopsis: When their kingdom becomes trapped in perpetual winter, fearless Anna (Kristen Bell) joins forces with mountaineer Kristoff (Jonathan Groff) and... [More]
Critics Consensus: Suspenseful and politically astute, Captain America: The Winter Soldier is a superior entry in the Avengers canon and is sure to thrill Marvel diehards.
Synopsis: After the cataclysmic events in New York with his fellow Avengers, Steve Rogers, aka Captain America (Chris Evans), lives in... [More]
Critics Consensus:X-Men: Days of Future Past combines the best elements of the series to produce a satisfyingly fast-paced outing that ranks among the franchise's finest installments.
Synopsis: Convinced that mutants pose a threat to humanity, Dr. Bolivar Trask (Peter Dinklage) develops the Sentinels, enormous robotic weapons that... [More]
Critics Consensus: The beautifully stop-motion animated Isle of Dogs finds Wes Anderson at his detail-oriented best while telling one of the director's most winsomely charming stories.
Synopsis: When, by executive decree, all the canine pets of Megasaki City are exiled to a vast garbage-dump called Trash Island,... [More]
Critics Consensus:Captain America: Civil War begins the next wave of Marvel movies with an action-packed superhero blockbuster boasting a decidedly non-cartoonish plot and the courage to explore thought-provoking themes.
Synopsis: Political pressure mounts to install a system of accountability when the actions of the Avengers lead to collateral damage. The... [More]
Critics Consensus:Star Wars: The Last Jedi honors the saga's rich legacy while adding some surprising twists -- and delivering all the emotion-rich action fans could hope for.
Synopsis: Luke Skywalker's peaceful and solitary existence gets upended when he encounters Rey, a young woman who shows strong signs of... [More]
Critics Consensus: A perfectly light, warmly funny romantic comedy that's kept afloat by Ron Howard's unobtrusive direction and charming performances from Tom Hanks and Daryl Hannah.
Synopsis: A young boy saved from drowning by a beautiful mermaid, falls in love with her 20 years later when she... [More]
Critics Consensus: The arresting and dynamic visuals, offbeat details and light-as-air storytelling make James and the Giant Peach solid family entertainment.
Synopsis: Featuring stop-motion animation and live action, this inventive adaptation of Roald Dahl's beloved children's tale follows the adventures of James... [More]
Critics Consensus: Short, nostalgic, and gently whimsical, Winnie the Pooh offers young audiences -- and their parents -- a sweetly traditional family treat.
Synopsis: Three stories inspired by A.A. Milne add up to a very busy day for Winnie the Pooh (Jim Cummings) and... [More]
Critics Consensus: Thanks to a script that emphasizes its heroes' humanity and a wealth of superpowered set pieces, The Avengers lives up to its hype and raises the bar for Marvel at the movies.
Synopsis: When Thor's evil brother, Loki (Tom Hiddleston), gains access to the unlimited power of the energy cube called the Tesseract,... [More]
Critics Consensus:A Bug's Life is a rousing adventure that blends animated thrills with witty dialogue and memorable characters - and another smashing early success for Pixar.
Synopsis: Flik (Dave Foley) is an inventive ant who's always messing things up for his colony. His latest mishap was destroying... [More]
Critics Consensus: A legendarily expansive and ambitious start to the sci-fi saga, George Lucas opened our eyes to the possibilities of blockbuster filmmaking and things have never been the same.
Synopsis: The Imperial Forces -- under orders from cruel Darth Vader (David Prowse) -- hold Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher) hostage, in... [More]
Critics Consensus:Guardians of the Galaxy is just as irreverent as fans of the frequently zany Marvel comic would expect -- as well as funny, thrilling, full of heart, and packed with visual splendor.
Synopsis: Brash space adventurer Peter Quill (Chris Pratt) finds himself the quarry of relentless bounty hunters after he steals an orb... [More]
Critics Consensus: A nostalgic charmer, Lady and the Tramp's token sweetness is mighty but the songs and richly colored animation are technically superb and make for a memorable experience.
Synopsis: This Disney animated classic follows a pampered cocker spaniel named Lady (Barbara Luddy) whose comfortable life slips away once her... [More]
Critics Consensus:The Little Mermaid ushered in a new golden era for Disney animation with warm and charming hand-drawn characters and catchy musical sequences.
Synopsis: In Disney's beguiling animated romp, rebellious 16-year-old mermaid Ariel (Jodi Benson) is fascinated with life on land. On one of... [More]
Critics Consensus: Emotionally stirring, richly drawn, and beautifully animated, The Lion King is a pride within Disney's pantheon of classic family films.
Synopsis: This Disney animated feature follows the adventures of the young lion Simba (Jonathan Taylor Thomas), the heir of his father,... [More]
Critics Consensus:Fantastic Mr. Fox is a delightfully funny feast for the eyes with multi-generational appeal -- and it shows Wes Anderson has a knack for animation.
Synopsis: After 12 years of bucolic bliss, Mr. Fox (George Clooney) breaks a promise to his wife (Meryl Streep) and raids... [More]
Critics Consensus: Exciting, funny, and above all fun, Thor: Ragnarok is a colorful cosmic adventure that sets a new standard for its franchise -- and the rest of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Synopsis: Imprisoned on the other side of the universe, the mighty Thor finds himself in a deadly gladiatorial contest that pits... [More]
Critics Consensus: Packed with action and populated by both familiar faces and fresh blood, The Force Awakens successfully recalls the series' former glory while injecting it with renewed energy.
Synopsis: Thirty years after the defeat of the Galactic Empire, the galaxy faces a new threat from the evil Kylo Ren... [More]
Critics Consensus: Dark, sinister, but ultimately even more involving than A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back defies viewer expectations and takes the series to heightened emotional levels.
Synopsis: The adventure continues in this "Star Wars" sequel. Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), Han Solo (Harrison Ford), Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher)... [More]
Critics Consensus: Enchanting, sweepingly romantic, and featuring plenty of wonderful musical numbers, Beauty and the Beast is one of Disney's most elegant animated offerings.
Synopsis: An arrogant young prince (Robby Benson) and his castle's servants fall under the spell of a wicked enchantress, who turns... [More]
Critics Consensus:Queen of Katwe is a feel-good movie of uncommon smarts and passion, and outstanding performances by Lupita Nyong'o and David Oyelowo help to elevate the film past its cliches.
Synopsis: Living in the slum of Katwe in Kampala, Uganda, is a constant struggle for 10-year-old Phiona (Madina Nalwanga) and her... [More]
Critics Consensus: Powered by Robert Downey Jr.'s vibrant charm, Iron Man turbo-charges the superhero genre with a deft intelligence and infectious sense of fun.
Synopsis: A billionaire industrialist and genius inventor, Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.), is conducting weapons tests overseas, but terrorists kidnap him... [More]
Critics Consensus: Another gorgeously animated, skillfully voiced entry in the Disney canon, Raya and the Last Dragon continues the studio's increased representation while reaffirming that its classic formula is just as reliable as ever.
Synopsis: Long ago, in the fantasy world of Kumandra, humans and dragons lived together in harmony. But when sinister monsters known... [More]
Critics Consensus: Funny, poignant, and thought-provoking, Finding Dory delivers a beautifully animated adventure that adds another entertaining chapter to its predecessor's classic story.
Synopsis: Dory (Ellen DeGeneres) is a wide-eyed, blue tang fish who suffers from memory loss every 10 seconds or so. The... [More]
Critics Consensus: Exciting, entertaining, and emotionally impactful, Avengers: Endgame does whatever it takes to deliver a satisfying finale to Marvel's epic Infinity Saga.
Synopsis: Adrift in space with no food or water, Tony Stark sends a message to Pepper Potts as his oxygen supply... [More]
Critics Consensus: A landmark in animation (and a huge influence on the medium of music video), Disney's Fantasia is a relentlessly inventive blend of the classics with phantasmagorical images.
Synopsis: Released in 1940, represented Disney's boldest experiment to date. Bringing to life his vision of blending animated imagery with classical... [More]
Critics Consensus: A highly entertaining entry in Disney's renaissance era," Aladdin is beautifully drawn, with near-classic songs and a cast of scene-stealing characters.
Synopsis: When street rat Aladdin frees a genie from a lamp, he finds his wishes granted. However, he soon finds that... [More]
Critics Consensus:The Nightmare Before Christmas is a stunningly original and visually delightful work of stop-motion animation.
Synopsis: The film follows the misadventures of Jack Skellington, Halloweentown's beloved pumpkin king, who has become bored with the same annual... [More]
Critics Consensus: With strong performances and director David Lynch at the helm, The Straight Story steers past sentimental byways on its ambling journey across the American heartland.
Synopsis: A retired farmer and widower in his 70s, Alvin Straight (Richard Farnsworth) learns one day that his distant brother Lyle... [More]
Critics Consensus: Clever, charming, and heartfelt, The Muppets is a welcome big screen return for Jim Henson's lovable creations that will both win new fans and delight longtime devotees.
Synopsis: Walter, the world's biggest Muppet fan, is on vacation in Los Angeles with his brother Gary (Jason Segel) and Gary's... [More]
Critics Consensus:Wall-E's stellar visuals testify once again to Pixar's ingenuity, while its charming star will captivate younger viewers -- and its timely story offers thought-provoking subtext.
Synopsis: WALL-E, short for Waste Allocation Load Lifter Earth-class, is the last robot left on Earth. He spends his days tidying... [More]
Critics Consensus: With a title character as three-dimensional as its lush animation and a story that adds fresh depth to Disney's time-tested formula, Moana is truly a family-friendly adventure for the ages.
Synopsis: An adventurous teenager sails out on a daring mission to save her people. During her journey, Moana meets the once-mighty... [More]
Critics Consensus: A film as beautiful to contemplate as it is to behold, Soul proves Pixar's power to deliver outstanding all-ages entertainment remains undimmed.
Synopsis: Joe is a middle-school band teacher whose life hasn't quite gone the way he expected. His true passion is jazz... [More]
Critics Consensus: Irrefutable proof that gentle sentimentalism can be the chief ingredient in a wonderful film, Miracle on 34th Street delivers a warm holiday message without resorting to treacle.
Synopsis: In this Christmas classic, an old man going by the name of Kris Kringle (Edmund Gwenn) fills in for an... [More]
Critics Consensus: Clever, funny, and delightful to look at, Monsters, Inc. delivers another resounding example of how Pixar elevated the bar for modern all-ages animation.
Synopsis: Monsters Incorporated is the largest scare factory in the monster world, and James P. Sullivan (John Goodman) is one of... [More]
Critics Consensus: Fast-paced and stunningly animated, Ratatouille adds another delightfully entertaining entry -- and a rather unlikely hero -- to the Pixar canon.
Synopsis: Remy (Patton Oswalt), a resident of Paris, appreciates good food and has quite a sophisticated palate. He would love to... [More]
Critics Consensus:Black Panther elevates superhero cinema to thrilling new heights while telling one of the MCU's most absorbing stories -- and introducing some of its most fully realized characters.
Synopsis: After the death of his father, T'Challa returns home to the African nation of Wakanda to take his rightful place... [More]
Critics Consensus:Who Framed Roger Rabbit is an innovative and entertaining film that features a groundbreaking mix of live action and animation, with a touching and original story to boot.
Synopsis: Down-on-his-luck private eye Eddie Valiant (Bob Hoskins) gets hired by cartoon producer R.K. Maroon (Alan Tilvern) to investigate an adultery... [More]
Critics Consensus: Refreshingly sweet and undeniably funny, Big is a showcase for Tom Hanks, who dives into his role and infuses it with charm and surprising poignancy.
Synopsis: After a wish turns 12-year-old Josh Baskin (David Moscow) into a 30-year-old man (Tom Hanks), he heads to New York... [More]
Critics Consensus: A delightfully postmodern fairy tale, The Princess Bride is a deft, intelligent mix of swashbuckling, romance, and comedy that takes an age-old damsel-in-distress story and makes it fresh.
Synopsis: A fairy tale adventure about a beautiful young woman and her one true love. He must find her after a... [More]
Critics Consensus:Free Solo depicts athletic feats that many viewers will find beyond reason - and grounds the attempts in passions that are all but universal.
Synopsis: Alex Honnold completes the first free solo climb of famed El Capitan's 3,000-foot vertical rock face at Yosemite National Park.... [More]
Critics Consensus: Bringing loads of wit and tons of fun to the animated superhero genre, The Incredibles easily lives up to its name.
Synopsis: In this lauded Pixar animated film, married superheroes Mr. Incredible (Craig T. Nelson) and Elastigirl (Holly Hunter) are forced to... [More]
Critics Consensus:Coco's rich visual pleasures are matched by a thoughtful narrative that takes a family-friendly -- and deeply affecting -- approach to questions of culture, family, life, and death.
Synopsis: Despite his family's generations-old ban on music, young Miguel dreams of becoming an accomplished musician like his idol Ernesto de... [More]
Critics Consensus: Heartwarming, funny, and beautifully animated, Toy Story 4 manages the unlikely feat of extending -- and perhaps concluding -- a practically perfect animated saga.
Synopsis: Woody, Buzz Lightyear and the rest of the gang embark on a road trip with Bonnie and a new toy... [More]
Critics Consensus: Dumbo packs plenty of story into its brief runtime, along with all the warm animation and wonderful music you'd expect from a Disney classic.
Synopsis: A young circus elephant is born with comically large ears and given the cruel nickname Dumbo. One day at a... [More]
Critics Consensus: With plenty of pooches and a memorable villain (Cruella De Vil), this is one of Disney's most enduring, entertaining animated films.
Synopsis: In a Disney animation classic, Dalmatian Pongo is tired of his bachelor-dog life. He spies lovely Perdita and maneuvers his... [More]
Critics Consensus: A lavish modern fairy tale celebrated for its amazing special effects, catchy songs, and Julie Andrews's legendary performance in the title role.
Synopsis: When Jane (Karen Dotrice) and Michael (Matthew Garber), the children of the wealthy and uptight Banks family, are faced with... [More]
Critics Consensus: With its involving story and characters, vibrant art, and memorable songs, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs set the animation standard for decades to come.
Synopsis: The Grimm fairy tale gets a Technicolor treatment in Disney's first animated feature. Jealous of Snow White's beauty, the wicked... [More]
Critics Consensus:Jane honors its subject's legacy with an absorbing, beautifully filmed, and overall enlightening look at her decades of invaluable work.
Synopsis: Jane Goodall, a young and untrained woman, challenges the male dominated scientific consensus of her time with her chimpanzee research... [More]
Critics Consensus: Look around, look around at how beautifully Hamilton shines beyond Broadway - and at how marvelously Thomas Kail captures the stage show's infectious energy.
Synopsis: The original Broadway production of the award-winning musical that tells the story of Alexander Hamilton, first secretary of the treasury,... [More]
Critics Consensus: The brilliantly well-rounded Zootopia offers a thoughtful, inclusive message that's as rich and timely as its sumptuously state-of-the-art animation -- all while remaining fast and funny enough to keep younger viewers entertained.
Synopsis: From the largest elephant to the smallest shrew, the city of Zootopia is a mammal metropolis where various animals live... [More]
Critics Consensus: Inventive, gorgeously animated, and powerfully moving, Inside Out is another outstanding addition to the Pixar library of modern animated classics.
Synopsis: Riley (Kaitlyn Dias) is a happy, hockey-loving 11-year-old Midwestern girl, but her world turns upside-down when she and her parents... [More]
Critics Consensus: Breathtakingly lovely and grounded by the stellar efforts of a well-chosen cast, Finding Nemo adds another beautifully crafted gem to Pixar's crown.
Synopsis: Marlin (Albert Brooks), a clown fish, is overly cautious with his son, Nemo (Alexander Gould), who has a foreshortened fin.... [More]
Critics Consensus: Ambitious, adventurous, and sometimes frightening, Pinocchio arguably represents the pinnacle of Disney's collected works -- it's beautifully crafted and emotionally resonant.
Synopsis: When the woodworker Geppetto (Christian Rub) sees a falling star, he wishes that the puppet he just finished, Pinocchio (Dickie... [More]
Critics Consensus: Entertaining as it is innovative, Toy Story reinvigorated animation while heralding the arrival of Pixar as a family-friendly force to be reckoned with.
Synopsis: Woody (Tom Hanks), a good-hearted cowboy doll who belongs to a young boy named Andy (John Morris), sees his position... [More]
Critics Consensus: The rare sequel that arguably improves on its predecessor, Toy Story 2 uses inventive storytelling, gorgeous animation, and a talented cast to deliver another rich moviegoing experience for all ages.
Synopsis: Woody (Tom Hanks) is stolen from his home by toy dealer Al McWhiggin (Wayne Knight), leaving Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen)... [More]
The adventure is one of the hardest kinds of movie to define, but like certain other genres: “You know it when you see it.” Adventures are grand, exciting, and often epic tales, usually focused on people on a mission, whose purposes include fame, fortune, and glory. The best adventure movies can run on the thrill of exploration and discovery, treading deep into jungles, stalking across arid deserts, or sailing across open oceans. The casts of characters feature rambunctious pirates, lordly counts, mercenaries and bounty hunters, big whales, and even bigger apes. And adventure movies can invite their other genre buddies along for the ride, too, including fantasy and science-fiction.
Now we’re embarking on our own journey, plundering gem after gem for a guide to what we’re calling the essential adventure movies if you love the genre. Listing these best adventure movies in chronological order, we begin a century in the past, when the adventure genre was defined by the swashbucklers of Captain Blood and The Three Musketeers. At the same time, the fantastical elements introduced in King Kong and Wizard of Oz marked adventure movies as the spot to introduce the latest in dazzling special effects.
After World War II, the adventure genre entered its prestige era, with historical epics like Lawrence of Arabia and The Man Who Would Be King, and tales of derring-do in The African Queen and The Great Escape. Here it should be said there is a certain Western-centric viewpoint that cannot be denied as inherent to many adventure movies, one that ‘others’ different countries and cultures. And hopefully what elevates these movies above that are their swaggering sense of playful optimism and lighthearted fun.
That’s certainly evident in Raiders of the Lost Ark, whose retro serial action and intrigue established the adventure formula for a new generation, which marched on through Indiana Jones’ sequels, Romancing the Stone, National Treasure, and The Mummy. During the same ’80s Indy decade, the adventure genre opened itself back up to sci-fi and fantasy, along with spotlighting younger protagonists, leading to The Goonies, The NeverEnding Story, Labyrinth, and more.
Around the turn of the century, the adventure movie successfully aided the resurrection of other genres that common Hollywood wisdom had deemed box office poison: swashbucklers (The Mask of Zorro), high fantasy (The Lord of the Rings), and even the pirate movie (Pirates of the Caribbean), which had been sent to Davy Jones’ Locker after Cutthroat Island sank Carolco Pictures.
And since 2012’s Life of Pi, there’s been another adventure resurgence with The Jungle Book and more Kong and Jumanji movies.
Now, continue on and discover the 60 best adventure movies to watch now!
Critics Consensus:King Kong explores the soul of a monster -- making audiences scream and cry throughout the film -- in large part due to Kong's breakthrough special effects.
Synopsis: Actress Ann Darrow (Fay Wray) and director Carl Denham (Robert Armstrong) travel to the Indian Ocean to do location shoots... [More]
Critics Consensus: Errol Flynn thrills as the legendary title character, and the film embodies the type of imaginative family adventure tailor-made for the silver screen.
Synopsis: When King Richard the Lionheart is captured, his scheming brother Prince John (Claude Rains) plots to reach the throne, to... [More]
Critics Consensus: An absolute masterpiece whose groundbreaking visuals and deft storytelling are still every bit as resonant, The Wizard of Oz is a must-see film for young and old.
Synopsis: When a tornado rips through Kansas, Dorothy (Judy Garland) and her dog, Toto, are whisked away in their house to... [More]
Critics Consensus: Funny, suspenseful, and spectacularly entertaining, Gunga Din is an expertly calibrated adventure flick with some unfortunately outdated ideas about race.
Synopsis: British army sergeants Ballantine (Douglas Fairbanks Jr.), Cutter (Cary Grant) and MacChesney (Victor McLaglen) serve in India during the 1880s,... [More]
Critics Consensus: Remade but never duplicated, this darkly humorous morality tale represents John Huston at his finest.
Synopsis: In this classic adventure film, two rough-and-tumble wanderers, Dobbs (Humphrey Bogart) and Curtin (Tim Holt), meet up with a veteran... [More]
Critics Consensus: Perfectly cast, smartly written, and beautifully filmed, The African Queen remains thrilling, funny, and effortlessly absorbing even after more than half a century's worth of adventure movies borrowing liberally from its creative DNA.
Synopsis: After religious spinster's (Katharine Hepburn) missionary brother is killed in WWI Africa, dissolute steamer captain (Humphrey Bogart) offers her safe... [More]
Critics Consensus: One of Disney's finest live-action adventures, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea brings Jules Verne's classic sci-fi tale to vivid life, and features an awesome giant squid.
Synopsis: In 1866, Professor Pierre M. Aronnax (Paul Lukas) and his assistant Conseil (Peter Lorre), stranded in San Francisco by reports... [More]
Critics Consensus: It may favor spectacle in place of the deeper themes in Herman Melville's novel, but John Huston's Moby Dick still makes for a grand movie adventure.
Synopsis: Capt. Ahab (Gregory Peck) has a vendetta against Moby Dick, the great white whale responsible for taking his leg. He... [More]
Critics Consensus: A silly but fun movie with everything you'd want from a sci-fi blockbuster -- heroic characters, menacing villains, monsters, big sets and special effects.
Synopsis: A geologist (James Mason) and his assistant (Pat Boone) set off on an expedition to the center of the earth.... [More]
Critics Consensus: The epic of all epics, Lawrence of Arabia cements director David Lean's status in the filmmaking pantheon with nearly four hours of grand scope, brilliant performances, and beautiful cinematography.
Synopsis: Due to his knowledge of the native Bedouin tribes, British Lieutenant T.E. Lawrence (Peter O'Toole) is sent to Arabia to... [More]
Critics Consensus: Featuring bravura set pieces, sly humor, and white-knuckle action, Raiders of the Lost Ark is one of the most consummately entertaining adventure pictures of all time.
Synopsis: Dr. Indiana Jones, a renowned archeologist and expert in the occult, is hired by the U.S. Government to find the... [More]
Critics Consensus: It may be too "dark" for some, but Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom remains an ingenious adventure spectacle that showcases one of Hollywood's finest filmmaking teams in vintage form.
Synopsis: The second of the Lucas/Spielberg Indiana Jones epics is set a year or so before the events in Raiders of... [More]
Critics Consensus:Romancing the Stone reaches back to the classic Saturday morning serials of old with an action-filled adventure enlivened by the sparkling chemistry between its well-matched leads.
Synopsis: A dowdy romantic-adventure writer is hurled into a real-life adventure in the Colombian jungle in order to save her sister,... [More]
Critics Consensus: A magical journey about the power of a young boy's imagination to save a dying fantasy land, The NeverEnding Story remains a much-loved kids adventure.
Synopsis: On his way to school, Bastian (Barret Oliver) ducks into a bookstore to avoid bullies. Sneaking away with a book... [More]
Critics Consensus:The Goonies is an energetic, sometimes noisy mix of Spielbergian sentiment and funhouse tricks that will appeal to kids and nostalgic adults alike.
Synopsis: When two brothers find out they might lose their house they are desperate to find a way to keep their... [More]
Critics Consensus:Return to Oz taps into the darker side of L. Frank Baum's book series with an intermittently dazzling adventure that never quite recaptures the magic of its classic predecessor.
Synopsis: Dorothy discovers she is back in the land of Oz, and finds the yellow brick road is now a pile... [More]
Critics Consensus: Bolstered by impressive special effects and a charming performance from its young star, Flight of the Navigator holds up as a solidly entertaining bit of family-friendly sci-fi.
Synopsis: This 1978 Disney adventure tells the story of 12-year-old David (Joey Cramer) who lives with his family in Fort Lauderdale,... [More]
Critics Consensus: While it's arguably more interesting on a visual level, Labyrinth provides further proof of director Jim Henson's boundless imagination.
Synopsis: Teenage Sarah (Jennifer Connelly) journeys through a maze to recover her baby brother (Toby Froud) from a goblin king (David... [More]
Critics Consensus: A delightfully postmodern fairy tale, The Princess Bride is a deft, intelligent mix of swashbuckling, romance, and comedy that takes an age-old damsel-in-distress story and makes it fresh.
Synopsis: A fairy tale adventure about a beautiful young woman and her one true love. He must find her after a... [More]
Critics Consensus: Lighter and more comedic than its predecessor, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade returns the series to the brisk serial adventure of Raiders, while adding a dynamite double act between Harrison Ford and Sean Connery.
Synopsis: An art collector appeals to Jones to embark on a search for the Holy Grail. He learns that another archaeologist... [More]
Critics Consensus: Even as its special effects take center stage, Honey, I Shrunk the Kids still offers a charming, high-spirited sense of adventure for the whole family.
Synopsis: When kids sneak into inventor Wayne Szalinski's (Rick Moranis) upstairs lab to retrieve an errant baseball, his experimental shrink ray... [More]
Critics Consensus: The look of Hook is lively indeed but Steven Spielberg directs on autopilot here, giving in too quickly to his sentimental, syrupy qualities.
Synopsis: When his young children are abducted by his old nemesis, Capt. Hook (Dustin Hoffman), middle-aged lawyer Peter Banning (Robin Williams)... [More]
Critics Consensus: This glossy edition of White Fang shaves off the rough-hewn edges that made Jack London's epic story so distinct, but gorgeous photography and heartfelt performances make this an appealing adventure.
Synopsis: This adaptation of Jack London's wilderness tale focuses on young Jack Conroy (Ethan Hawke), who has arrived in Alaska to... [More]
Critics Consensus:Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves brings a wonderfully villainous Alan Rickman to this oft-adapted tale, but he's robbed by big-budget bombast and a muddled screenplay.
Synopsis: Nobleman crusader Robin of Locksley (Kevin Costner) breaks out of a Jerusalem prison with the help of Moorish fellow prisoner... [More]
Critics Consensus:The Last of the Mohicans is a breathless romantic adventure that plays loose with history -- and comes out with a richer action movie for it.
Synopsis: The last members of a dying Native American tribe, the Mohicans -- Uncas (Eric Schweig), his father Chingachgook (Russell Means),... [More]
Critics Consensus:Rudyard Kipling's The Jungle Book may not hew as closely to the book as its title suggests, but it still offers an entertaining live-action take on a story best known in animated form.
Synopsis: When his father is killed by a jungle tiger, Mowgli (Jason Scott Lee) is orphaned and grows up in the... [More]
Critics Consensus: A feast for the eyes with a somewhat malnourished plot, Jumanji is an underachieving adventure that still offers a decent amount of fun for the whole family.
Synopsis: A magical board game unleashes a world of adventure on siblings Peter (Bradley Pierce) and Judy Shepherd (Kirsten Dunst). While... [More]
Critics Consensus: It's difficult to make a persuasive argument for The Mummy as any kind of meaningful cinematic achievement, but it's undeniably fun to watch.
Synopsis: The Mummy is a rousing, suspenseful and horrifying epic about an expedition of treasure-seeking explorers in the Sahara Desert in... [More]
Critics Consensus: Full of eye-popping special effects, and featuring a pitch-perfect cast, The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring brings J.R.R. Tolkien's classic to vivid life.
Synopsis: The future of civilization rests in the fate of the One Ring, which has been lost for centuries. Powerful forces... [More]
Critics Consensus: Angelina Jolie is perfect for the role of Lara Croft, but even she can't save the movie from a senseless plot and action sequences with no emotional impact.
Synopsis: This live action feature is inspired by the most successful interactive video-game character in history -- Lara Croft. Beautiful and... [More]
Critics Consensus: Featuring state-of-the-art special effects, terrific performances, and a majestic sense of spectacle, Peter Jackson's remake of King Kong is a potent epic that's faithful to the spirit of the 1933 original.
Synopsis: Peter Jackson's expansive remake of the 1933 classic follows director Carl Denham (Jack Black) and his crew on a journey... [More]
Critics Consensus: A faithful interpretation that captures the spirit of whimsy, action, and off-kilter humor of Neil Gaiman, Stardust juggles multiple genres and tones to create a fantastical experience.
Synopsis: To win the heart of his beloved (Sienna Miller), a young man named Tristan (Charlie Cox) ventures into the realm... [More]
Critics Consensus: Modern visuals and an old fasioned storyline make this family adventure/comedy a fast-paced, kitschy ride.
Synopsis: During an expedition to Iceland, professor Trevor Anderson (Brendan Fraser), his nephew Sean (Josh Hutcherson) and their guide, Hannah (Anita... [More]
Critics Consensus: Despite good intentions, Nim's Island flounders under an implausible storyline, simplistic stock characters, and distracting product placement.
Synopsis: Life is an adventure for a courageous youngster named Nim (Abigail Breslin), who lives on an exotic island with her... [More]
Critics Consensus: Tim Burton's Alice sacrifices the book's minimal narrative coherence -- and much of its heart -- but it's an undeniable visual treat.
Synopsis: A young girl when she first visited magical Underland, Alice Kingsleigh (Mia Wasikowska) is now a teenager with no memory... [More]
Critics Consensus: A 3D adaptation of a supposedly "unfilmable" book, Ang Lee's Life of Pi achieves the near impossible -- it's an astonishing technical achievement that's also emotionally rewarding.
Synopsis: After deciding to sell their zoo in India and move to Canada, Santosh and Gita Patel board a freighter with... [More]
Critics Consensus: As lovely to behold as it is engrossing to watch, The Jungle Book is the rare remake that actually improves upon its predecessors -- all while setting a new standard for CGI.
Synopsis: Raised by a family of wolves since birth, Mowgli (Neel Sethi) must leave the only home he's ever known when... [More]
Critics Consensus: Offering exhilarating eye candy, solid acting, and a fast-paced story, Kong: Skull Island earns its spot in the movie monster's mythos without ever matching up to the classic original.
Synopsis: Scientists, soldiers and adventurers unite to explore a mythical, uncharted island in the Pacific Ocean. Cut off from everything they... [More]
Critics Consensus:Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle uses a charming cast and a humorous twist to offer an undemanding yet solidly entertaining update on its source material.
Synopsis: Four high school kids discover an old video game console and are drawn into the game's jungle setting, literally becoming... [More]
Critics Consensus:The Lost City of Z's stately pace and visual grandeur hearken back to classic exploration epics, and Charlie Hunnam turns in a masterful performance as its complex protagonist.
Synopsis: At the dawn of the 20th century, British explorer Percy Fawcett journeys into the Amazon, where he discovers evidence of... [More]
Critics Consensus:A Wrinkle in Time is visually gorgeous, big-hearted, and occasionally quite moving; unfortunately, it's also wildly ambitious to a fault, and often less than the sum of its classic parts.
Synopsis: Meg Murry and her little brother, Charles Wallace, have been without their scientist father, Mr. Murry, for five years, ever... [More]
Critics Consensus: Led by a winning performance from Isabela Moner, Dora and the Lost City of Gold is a family-friendly adventure that retains its source material's youthful spirit.
Synopsis: Having spent most of her life exploring the jungle, nothing could prepare Dora for her most dangerous adventure yet --... [More]
Critics Consensus:The Kid Who Would Be King recalls classic all-ages adventures -- and repurposes a timeless legend -- for a thoroughly enjoyable new addition to the family movie canon.
Synopsis: Old-school magic meets the modern world when young Alex stumbles upon the mythical sword Excalibur. He soon unites his friends... [More]
How to Watch Pirates of the Caribbean Movies In Order
The Pirates of the Caribbean franchise launched Johnny Depp into megastardom and put pirates back on the cultural treasure map, all beginning with 2003’s The Curse of the Black Pearl. If you want to watch the Pirates of the Caribbean movies in order, set sail with Captain Jack Sparrow and his two lovely assistants Elizabeth Swann and Will Turner (Keira Knightley, Orlando Bloom) towards Dead Man’s Chest and At Worlds End.
With that trilogy closed, the series continued on with the further adventures of Jack with On Stranger Tides and Dead Men Tell No Tales. In the years since, a sixth film remains in the works, while in June 2020, Disney announced a spin-off to star Margot Robbie. For now, see our guide on how to watch the Pirates of the Caribbean movies in order.
Critics Consensus:POTC: AWE provides the thrilling action scenes, but mixes in too many characters with too many incomprehensible plot threads.
Synopsis: Will Turner (Orlando Bloom) and Elizabeth Swann (Keira Knightley) join forces with Capt. Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush) to free Jack Sparrow... [More]
Critics Consensus: It's shorter and leaner than the previous sequel, but this Pirates runs aground on a disjointed plot and a non-stop barrage of noisy action sequences.
Synopsis: The checkered past of Capt. Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) catches up to him when he encounters Angelica (Penélope Cruz), a... [More]
Critics Consensus:Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales proves that neither a change in directors nor an undead Javier Bardem is enough to drain this sinking franchise's murky bilge.
Synopsis: Thrust into an all-new adventure, a down-on-his-luck Capt. Jack Sparrow feels the winds of ill-fortune blowing even more strongly when... [More]
Welcome to the end of summer, friends. As the big blockbuster movie season winds to a close, and whispers of upcoming horror flicks, holiday films, and awards contenders float on the breeze, it’s nice to know you can settle in at home and catch some quality entertainment. With that in mind, here are 22 films, TV series, and originals newly available on Netflix in September that might be worth your time.
Critics Consensus: The Breakfast Club is a warm, insightful, and very funny look into the inner lives of teenagers.
Synopsis: Five high school students from different walks of life endure a Saturday detention under a power-hungry principal (Paul Gleason). The... [More]
Critics Consensus: Featuring state-of-the-art special effects, terrific performances, and a majestic sense of spectacle, Peter Jackson's remake of King Kong is a potent epic that's faithful to the spirit of the 1933 original.
Synopsis: Peter Jackson's expansive remake of the 1933 classic follows director Carl Denham (Jack Black) and his crew on a journey... [More]
Critics Consensus: It struggles with the balance between fact-based biopic and taut political thriller, but Fair Game brims with righteous anger -- and benefits from superb performances by Naomi Watts and Sean Penn.
Synopsis: Wife and mother Valerie Plame (Naomi Watts) has a double life as a CIA operative, hiding her vocation from family... [More]
Critics Consensus: Though there are more characters and plotlines, and the action sequences still dazzle, Spider-Man 3 nonetheless isn't quite as refined as the first two.
Synopsis: Peter Parker (Tobey Maguire) and M.J. (Kirsten Dunst) seem to finally be on the right track in their complicated relationship,... [More]
Critics Consensus: The Emperor's New Groove isn't the most ambitious animated film, but its brisk pace, fresh characters, and big laughs make for a great time for the whole family.
Synopsis: Arrogant young Emperor Kuzco is transformed into a llama by his power-hungry advisor -- the devious diva Yzma. Stranded in... [More]
Critics Consensus:Black Panther elevates superhero cinema to thrilling new heights while telling one of the MCU's most absorbing stories -- and introducing some of its most fully realized characters.
Synopsis: After the death of his father, T'Challa returns home to the African nation of Wakanda to take his rightful place... [More]
Critics Consensus:Sierra Burgess Is a Loser, but her movie's okay - largely thanks to Shannon Purser's work in the title role, which is strong enough to counter an uneven narrative.
Synopsis: A case of mistaken identity leads to an unexpected romance when a teen joins forces with a popular student to... [More]
Critics Consensus:BoJack Horseman continues confidently down the thematic rabbit hole with a fresh and poignant season that's as devastating as it is hilarious.
Critics Consensus:American Vandal trades one type of potty humor for another in an ambitious second season that manages to double down on the explicit gags while subtly addressing serious social issues.
Critics Consensus:American Horror Story: Cult intrigues with timely, over-the-top creepiness - and lots of clowns - despite being hampered by broad political generalizations and occasional holes in the narrative's logic.
Critics Consensus:The Walking Dead's eighth season energizes its characters with some much-needed angst and action, though it's still occasionally choppy and lacking forward-moving plot progression.
Critics Consensus:A Wrinkle in Time is visually gorgeous, big-hearted, and occasionally quite moving; unfortunately, it's also wildly ambitious to a fault, and often less than the sum of its classic parts.
Synopsis: Meg Murry and her little brother, Charles Wallace, have been without their scientist father, Mr. Murry, for five years, ever... [More]
The 2018 Electronic Entertainment Expo offered some promising new titles inspired by our favorite films and television shows when it hit the Los Angeles Convention Center June 12-14. Games based on movies and serialized TV are nothing new, but the genre has a history of pushing out products more focused on promoting an IP than offering a quality interactive experience.
That’s changing. Game developers, passionate about the same titles as the rest of us, are shelving the marketing-spun schlock in favor of crafting ambitious projects that put us in our favorite fictional worlds.
Here are 10 we can’t wait to play!
JURASSIC WORLD EVOLUTION
Developer: Frontier Developments Publisher: Frontier Developments Systems: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC Release Date: Available now
As fans of the Jurassic Park franchise films are well aware, the movies are primarily action-ratcheting affairs focused on dinos unleashing all kinds of hell on unsuspecting park-goers. Jurassic World Evolution, however, trades epic destruction for careful construction, as it tasks players with planning, building, managing, and monitoring their very own prehistoric theme park. While the game’s more of a cerebral stimulation, it’ll still spike your adrenaline when, say, your burgeoning management skills accidentally let a velociraptor loose in the food court.
LEGO THE INCREDIBLES
Developer: TT Games Publisher: Warner Bros. Systems: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch Release Date: Available now
If seeing Incredibles 2 hasn’t completely satisfied your craving for the superhero family’s unique brand of crime-fighting fun, you may want to suit-up for LEGO The Incredibles. Brimming with block-y bad guys, brick-based puzzles, and the LEGO series’ signature personality and humor, this latest plastic toy-packed adventure lets fans relive the best moments from both entries in the popular Pixar franchise. Tons of playable characters – including fan-favorite Edna Mode – and special moves, requiring the entire Parr crew to participate, round out this family-friendly romp.
MARVEL’S SPIDER-MAN
Developer: Insomniac Games Publisher: Sony Systems: PlayStation 4 Release Date: September 7, 2018
Set in a sprawling, open-world New York City, this original Spider-Man tale – from veteran developer Insomniac Games – forgoes the origin story slog in favor of putting players behind the shooting webs, acrobatic combat, and wisecracking sense of humor of a more seasoned Spidey. An eye-popping visual presentation, adrenaline-spiking set pieces, fluid action, and more iconic villains than you can cram into Raft prison complement the cinematic wall-crawling, web-spinning action.
WORLD WAR Z
Developer: Saber Interactive Publisher: Paramount Pictures Systems: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC Release Date: 2018
Plenty of games task players with shooting zombies, scavenging for supplies, and generally doing whatever it takes to survive the undead apocalypse. World War Z – which borrows more from the Brad Pitt film than Max Brooks’ book – breaths some fresh life into the rotting corpse genre, however, by putting up to 500 flesh-eating freaks on screen simultaneously. Of course, these hungry hordes can also form horrifying zombie pyramids, making it more difficult for you and your co-op partners to fend them off and live another day.
SHADOW OF THE TOMB RAIDER
Developer: Crystal Dynamics Publisher: Square Enix Systems: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC Release Date: September 14, 2018
Fans of the Tomb Raider films and games can expect to meet a very different Lara Croft in this trilogy-capping entry. More Predator than Indiana Jones, Shadow of the Tomb Raider sees a confident, capable, vengeance-craving Croft camouflaged in mud and employing brutal combat tactics to turn exotic jungle locales into goon graveyards. Though Shadow isn’t your typical relic-hunting romp, players can still expect seat-of-the-pants storytelling, cinematic set pieces, and, yes, plenty of tombs to raid.
LEGO DC SUPER-VILLAINS
Developer: TT Games Publisher: Warner Bros. Systems: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC Release Date: October 16, 2018
TT Games has no less than three Batman-starring installments in their stable of brick-busting LEGO adventures, but their latest DC entry is taking a decidedly different approach to the iconic comic book universe. As its title suggests, LEGO DC Super-Villains is all about the bad guys, from Harley Quinn and Lex Luthor to Poison Ivy and the Crown Prince of Crime himself, the Joker. Rather than playing as these iconic foes though, players will join them as their very own, fully customizable and upgradeable evildoer.
OVERKILL’S THE WALKING DEAD
Developer: Overkill Software Publisher: Starbreeze Studios/505 Games Systems: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC Release Date: November 6, 2018
Hundreds of games have pitted players against hordes of foot-shuffling foes, and a handful of those have even unfolded in Robert Kirkman’s walker-infested world. Overkill’s The Walking Dead separates itself from the brain-craving bunch, however, by translating the unforgiving world of the comic books into thumb-blistering gameplay. For fans, this means strategically cooperating with three other players to not only survive brutally difficult encounters with the undead, but also joining forces to fight the game’s most challenging enemies, a human faction dubbed “The Family.”
HITMAN 2
Developer: IO Interactive Publisher: WBIE Systems: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC Release Date: November 13, 2018
We haven’t seen the bald, bar-coded assassin on the big screen since Rupert Friend wore his signature sharp suit and red tie in 2015’s Hitman: Agent 47. Fans needn’t wait for a film sequel to be reunited with their favorite hired killer, however, as Hitman 2 is headed to game consoles this fall. Assuming the role of the titular professional, stealthy players will travel to stunningly-realized exotic locales, don disguises, and incorporate improvised weapons – such as rat poison, frying pans, and frozen fish – to permanently silence high-level targets.
RESIDENT EVIL 2
Developer: Capcom Publisher: Capcom Systems: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC Release Date: January 25, 2019
Long before zombie shooters and apocalypse survival sims spread through the video game world like a population-wiping plague, players were fighting virally-infected canines and gobbling up green herbs in Resident Evil. Now, Capcom is inviting fans back to Raccoon City to relive what’s widely considered the seminal survival horror series’ best entry. More than a mere remaster though, Resident Evil 2 is a completely rebuilt re-imagining, featuring brand new visuals, audio, controls, and a nerve-fraying narrative to rival any contemporary take on the walking corpse genre.
KINGDOM HEARTS III
Developer: Square Enix Publisher: Square Enix Systems: PlayStation 4, Xbox One Release Date: January 29, 2019
The Kingdom Hearts series has always been defined by its appealing, if unlikely, mash-up of Disney and Final Fantasy characters. Its long-awaited sequel though, is doubling down on the Disney – and Pixar – content, inviting fans to explore worlds and interact with heroes and villains from a variety of favorite films from Walt’s vault. From Frozen, Tangled, and Toy Story to Hercules, Wreck-It Ralph, and Pirates of the Caribbean, this fan-servicing sequel has something for Disney and Pixar enthusiasts of all stripes.
Aye yo, it be Talk Like a Pirate Day on Rrrotten Tomatoes! We have plundered the internet for pictures of our fellow piratanical hearties for yer sole entertainment! Let’s crack open the barrel and see what crawls out of the bung hole, savvy?
Johnny Depp in The Pirates of the Caribbean series
Dustin Hoffman in Hook (1991)
Penelope Cruz in Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (2011)
Colin O’Donoghue in Once Upon a Time (2011-present)
Toby Stephens, Toby Schmitz, and Clara Paget in Black Sails (2014-present)
Geena Davis, Matthew Modine in Cutthrrroat Island (1995)
Peter Pan (1953)
Antonio Banderas in The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Warrrter (2015)
Robert Urich, Michael D. Roberts in The Ice Pirates (1984)
TaleSpin (1990-1991)
The Goonies (1985)
Hugh Jackman in Pan (2015)
John Malkovich in Crossbones (2014)
Tim Curry in Muppet Treasure Island (1996)
Cary Elwes in The Princess Bride (1987)
Metal Beard in The Lego Movie (2014)
Walter Matthau in Pirates (1986)
Robert DeNiro in Stardust (2007)
Dennis Hopper in Waterworld (1995)
Futurama (1999-2003, 2000-2013)
The Simpsons (1989-present)
The Pirates of Dark Water (1991-1993)
Robert Newton in Treasure Island (1950)
Errol Flynn in Captain Blood (1935)
Mad Jack the Pirate (1998-1999)
Douglas Fairbanks in The Black Pirate (1926)
Henry Daniell, Errol Flynn in The Sea HawkOne Piece (1999-present)
Jake and the Never Land Pirates (2011-present)
The Pirates! Band of Misfits (2012)
Tom Kenny in SpongeBob SquarePants (1999-present)
Animal Treasure Island (1971)
Tyrone Power in The Black Swan (1942)
Powarrr Rangers Super Megaforce (2014)
Treasure Planet (2002)
Sinbad: Legend of the Seven SeasPorco Rosso (1992)
Michael O’Keefe and Tommy Lee Jones in Nate and Hayes (1983)
Alan Tudyk in Dodgeball: Arr True Underdog Story
Graham Chapman in Yellarrbeard (1983)
Inspired by Disney’s reimagining of The Jungle Book, get ready to set your heart cockles to “warmed” because here comes 24 Certified Fresh live-action Disney movies!
Critics consensus: “A lavish modern fairy tale celebrated for its amazing special effects, catchy songs, and Julie Andrews’s legendary performance in the title role.”
The Santa Clause
Year: 1994
Tomatometer: 75%
Critics consensus: “The Santa Clause is utterly undemanding, but it’s firmly rooted in the sort of good old-fashioned holiday spirit missing from too many modern yuletide films.”
James and the Giant Peach
Year: 1996
Tomatometer: 93%
Critics consensus: “The arresting and dynamic visuals, offbeat details and light-as-air storytelling make James and the Giant Peach solid family entertainment.”
The Parent Trap
Year: 1998
Tomatometer: 86%
Critics consensus: “Writer-director Nancy Meyers takes the winning formula of the 1961 original and gives it an amiable modern spin, while young star Lindsay Lohan shines in her breakout role.”
The Straight Story
Year: 1999
Tomatometer: 96%
Critics consensus: “Slow-paced but heart-warming.”
The Rookie
Year: 2002
Tomatometer: 83%
Critics consensus: “A heart-warming sports flick, The Rookie greatly benefits from understated direction and the emotional honesty Dennis Quaid brings to the role of Jim Morris.”
Freaky Friday
Year: 2003
Tomatometer: 88%
Critics consensus: “Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan charm in Mark Waters’ nicely pitched — and Disney’s second — remake of the 1976 hit.”
Holes
Year: 2003
Tomatometer: 77%
Critics consensus: “Faithful to its literary source, this is imaginative, intelligent family entertainment.”
Ghosts of the Abyss
Year: 2003
Tomatometer: 80%
Critics consensus: “The underwater footage is both beautiful and awe-inspiring.”
Miracle
Year: 2004
Tomatometer: 80%
Critics consensus: “May leave you exhausted like the theme park ride that inspired it; however, you’ll have a good time when it’s over.”
Aliens of the Deep
Year: 2005
Tomatometer: 84%
Critics consensus: “With first-rate special effects and compelling storytelling, this adaptation stays faithful to its source material and will please moviegoers of all ages.”
Enchanted
Year: 2007
Tomatometer: 93%
Critics consensus: “A smart re-imagining of fairy tale tropes that’s sure to delight children and adults, Enchanted features witty dialogue, sharp animation, and a star turn by Amy Adams.”
Bridge to Terabithia
Year: 2007
Tomatometer: 85%
Critics consensus: “Bridge to Terabithia is a faithful adaptation of a beloved children’s novel and a powerful portrayal of love, loss, and imagination through children’s eyes.”
Earth
Year: 2009
Tomatometer: 87%
Critics consensus: “With its spectacular and extensive footage, Earth is both informative and entertaining.”
Oceans
Year: 2010
Tomatometer: 81%
Critics consensus: “Oceans adds another visually stunning chapter to the Disney Nature library.”
The Muppets
Year: 2011
Tomatometer: 96%
Critics consensus: “Clever, charming, and heartfelt, The Muppets is a welcome big screen return for Jim Henson’s lovable creations that will both win new fans and delight longtime devotees.”
Chimpanzee
Year: 2012
Tomatometer: 74%
Critics consensus: “Chimpanzee often anthropomorphizes its subjects, but it’s a beautifully filmed, remarkably intimate look at the lives of a family of primates.”
Saving Mr. Banks
Year: 2013
Tomatometer: 79%
Critics consensus: “Aggressively likable and sentimental to a fault, Saving Mr. Banks pays tribute to the Disney legacy with excellent performances and sweet, high-spirited charm.”
Bears
Year: 2014
Tomatometer: 89%
Critics consensus: “Sweet, beautifully filmed, and admirably short on sugarcoating, Bears continues Disneynature’s winning streak.”
The Muppets Most Wanted
Year: 2014
Tomatometer: 78%
Critics consensus: “While it may not reach the delirious heights of The Muppets, Muppets Most Wanted still packs in enough clever gags, catchy songs, and celebrity cameos to satisfy fans of all ages.”
McFarland USA
Year: 2015
Tomatometer: 80%
Critics consensus: “Disney’s inspirational sports drama formula might be old hat, but McFarland, USA proves it still works — especially with a talented director and eminently likable star in the mix.”
Cinderella
Year: 2015
Tomatometer: 84%
Critics consensus: “Refreshingly traditional in a revisionist era, Kenneth Branagh’s Cinderella proves Disney hasn’t lost any of its old-fashioned magic.”
Not a whole lot of new choices for those of you looking to stay home and stream something this week, but we do have a rock solid documentary, a recent action-adventure favorite, and a Revolutionary War epic. On the new release front, Spike Lee’s latest film and a western thriller. Read on for details:
This Certified Fresh documentary focuses on the early days of AIDS activism, when a pair of activist groups helped raise awareness and change how the disease was managed.
Johnny Depp, Keira Knightley, Orlando Bloom, and Geoffrey Rush star in the first chapter of Gore Verbinski’s Disneyland ride-based adventure megafranchise.
Ever wanted to watch the longer, director’s cut of Roland Emmerich’s Mel Gibson-powered Revolutionary War epic? Well, now you can, thanks to Amazon Prime!
Black Mass explores the real life unholy alliance between the FBI and Irish Mob, namely that of gangster James ‘Whitey’ Bulger who’s played by Johnny Depp. Depp is known as the actor with a thousand faces, a title earned after the end of his star-making TV show 21 Jump Street led to his obsession in seeking out bizarre and dynamic roles he could fully disappear into. His part in Black Mass — which manipulates his voice, eye color, and hairline — is no exception.
In this week’s 24 Frames gallery, we stare straight into the faces of Depp with some of his craziest acting transformations.
The 21 Jump Street TV show threatened to pigenhole Depp as a fading teenage
heartthrob early in his career. So he lampooned his pin-up status (playing a
greaser rebel who can drive girls wild by shedding a single tear) before
setting off in search of weird movie roles.
Edward Scissorhands(1990, 91%)
The first in a long and fruitful artistic partnership with director Tim
Burton saw Depp playing an unfinished mad science creation.
Benny & Joon (1993, 75%)
Playing neither Benny nor Joon, Depp is Sam, a movie nut with a talent for
doing Chaplin/Keaton/Lloyd routines.
Ed Wood (1994, 92%)
An endearing portrayal of a beloved director (who just happens to make the
worst movies of all time).
Dead Man (1995, 71%)
William Blake (the accountant, not the poet) takes an allegorical,
occasionally violent business trip in Jim Jarmusch’s postmodern Western.
The Brave (1997, 33%)
Native American figures and culture frequently figure into Depp’s career
(Benny & Joon was directed by Sherman Alexie, while Dead Man was lauded for
its accurate portrayal of Native Americans). Depp plays one in his
directorial debut, The Brave, but after negative reviews at its Cannes
premiere, he prevented the film from ever showing in America.
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998, 49%)
The beginning of Depp’s on-screen association with gonzo writer Hunter S.
Thompson (to be followed with Rango and The Rum Diary).
Sleepy Hollow (1999, 67%)
As Ichabod Crane, “Johnny Depp is an actor able to disappear into
characters,” Ebert wrote, “Never more readily than in one of Burton’s films.”
The Man Who Cried (2000, 35%)
Depp as a Romani performer. He would later show up in the 2006 Roma
documentary When the Road Bends: Tales of a Gypsy Caravan.
Before Night Falls (2001, 73%)
First of four (and counting) movie appearances as Captain Jack Sparrow,
setting off Depp’s great commercial and artistic run of the aughts.
Once Upon a Time in Mexico (2003, 68%)
Depp shows up in Robert Rodriguez’s closer to the Mexico Trilogy as a
corrupt CIA agent.
Secret Window (2004, 46%)
Resembling an unmade bed, Depp plays a troubled novelist in this adaptation
of the Stephen King short story.
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005, 83%)
As a barber flying in the face of the Better Business Bureau, Depp earned
his third Oscar acting nomination (after 2005’s Finding Neverland and 2004’s
Pirates of the Caribbean).
Public Enemies (2009, 68%)
For the first time in decades, Depp played to his handsome traits in
creating his version of gangster John Dillinger.
The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus (2009, 64%)
After Heath Ledger passed away in the middle of filming Terry Gilliam’s
fantasy, Depp, Jude Law, and Colin Farrell stepped in to play physical
variations on the character.
Alice in Wonderland (2010, 51%)
Wearing all the colors of the rainbow as the Mad Hatter in this adaptation
of the Lewis Carroll stories.
Dark Shadows (2012, 37%)
Depp as 200-year old vampire Barnabas Collins in this adaptation of the late
’60s soap opera.
The Lone Ranger (2013, 31%)
Back in Native American garb as Tonto, though the movie bombed financially
and critically.
Into the Woods (2014, 71%)
In this ensemble re-working of classic fairy tales, Depp appears as The Big
Bad Wolf.
Tusk (2014, 39%)
Guy Lapointe, a frazzled detective whom Depp portrays with a purposefully
obnoxious French-Canadian accent. Kevin Smith is releasing a sequel called
Yoga Hosers, with Depp reprising the character (and co-starring with both
their daughters).
Mortdecai (2015, 12%)
Depp produced and starred in this vehicle, drawing some of the worst reviews
of his career and necessitating a “comeback” role, which Black Mass
seems to fill out quite nicely.
Black Mass (2015)
Depp’s last majorly lauded role was as Dillinger in Public Enemies, so it’s
fitting he’s getting those critical mash notes again with his portrayal as
true-life crook Whitey Bulger.
This week in streaming video, we’ve got one of the biggest surprise hits of the year in the form of a Marvel blockbuster, as well as a family friendly sing-along version of Disney’s latest hit. Then we’ve got a Certified Fresh music doc, a swashbuckling adventure, and some solid choices on Netflix. Read on for details:
Peter Quill (Chris Pratt), a devil-may-care space adventurer, teams with a group of oddballs to transport and sell a mysterious and valuable orb. However, the evil Ronan the Accuser wants to harness the orb for his own nefarious purposes, so it’s up to our heroes to save the universe.
In Disney’s hit animated musical, Elsa (Idina Menzel) is cursed with the power to turn everything she touches to ice. She’s forced into exile after plunging the kingdom into a deep freeze; it’s up to her sister Anna (Kristen Bell) and some newfound friends to rescue her. Now with more singing!
This eccentric portrait of Australian cult rocker Nick Cave is a witty hybrid of documentary and fiction, showing the singer’s working process while giving face time to celebrity friends like Kylie Minogue and Ray Winstone.
This adventure movie about an archaeologist on the trail of a lost Viking ship is something of a Norwegian hybrid of Indiana Jones-style swashbucklers and monster movie thrills.
Scientists for the CDC deploy to the Arctic to investigate an unexplained disease that could mean the potential destruction of mankind in this creepy Syfy series.
Based upon an amusement park ride, this wild and wacky adventure movie featured Johnny Depp doing a Keith Richards impression alongside rising stars Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightley; the result was massive box office success, three sequels, and super-duper stardom for Depp.
Dustin Hoffman directs this Certified Fresh dramedy about the arrival of a famous opera star at a residence for retired musicians starring Maggie Smith, Tom Courtenay, Billy Connolly, and Michael Gambon.
This week’s Ketchup covers a week that saw news for an unusual number of animated projects (including an R-rated comedy cowritten by Seth Rogen) and a movie version of the Disney Channel’s Phineas and Ferb. Franchise entries The Hobbit and Pirates of the Caribbean 5 also had news, as well as movies based on Pippi Longstocking, the TV series Dynasty and the Missile Command videogame.
THIS WEEK’S TOP STORY
DISNEY’S PLANS FOR PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN 5 STILL SAILING FORTH
Last month, there was a story online that Walt Disney Pictures was telling the crew of Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides to make room in their schedule for both #5 and #6 in the franchise. This week, at least half of that story was apparently confirmed, as the studio has hired screenwriter Terry Rossio to start working on the fifth Pirates movie. Disney is also in talks with Rob Marshall (Chicago, Memoirs of a Geisha) to direct his second Pirates movie (On Stranger Tides was his first, after Gore Verbinski directed the first three). The Terry Rossio news is particularly interesting because it means the fifth movie will be the first that he will write without his longtime writing partner Ted Elliott. As for who might star in Pirates of the Caribbean 5 (as if this is really much of a question), Johnny Depp addressed the fifth movie in this week’s Entertainment Weekly (which has him as Jack Sparrow on the cover). “As long as we can put all the puzzle pieces together, I would most definitely consider it,” Depp said.
FRESH DEVELOPMENTS THIS WEEK
#1 THE STARS ONCE THOUGHT TO BE THE FIRST TO SIGN ON FOR THE HOBBIT MAY BE NEARLY THE LAST
Back before any official casting had been done for Peter Jackson’s two movies adapting J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit, the common expectation was that the first two announcements would be Andy Serkis as Gollum and Sir Ian McKellen as Gandalf. The reason for this is because both actors played those characters in the three Lord of the Rings movies, seemed to enjoy doing it, and after Bilbo Baggins himself, are probably the most memorable characters in The Hobbit. Instead, the last few months have seen over twenty people cast in the movies, and McKellen and Sirkis have remained “in talks.” That all changed this week, as Andy Serkis was confirmed as having signed on, followed soon after (seemingly an hour later!) by Sir Ian McKellen. Two other actors seen in the Lord of the Rings movies were also revealed to now be in talks. Sir Christopher Lee would return as the wizard Saruman (despite not appearing in the novel The Hobbit, but he joins characters like Galadriel and Legolas in that regard). Sir Ian Holm is also in talks to reprise his role as the older Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman will play the character for most of the movies), most likely in the same introductory scenes in which Elijah Wood will be playing his younger cousin Frodo Baggins. As for why there was such a delay in the official casting of Gandalf, Sir Ian posted on his blog this week that the reason was not money, but scheduling, so his time spent on set over the 18 months of filming would allow him to work on other projects.
#2 WILL MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR’S FINAL DAYS IN MEMPHIS BECOME A MOVIE?
Civil rights movement leader Martin Luther King, Jr. is one of the most influential figures of the 20th Century who has not yet been the focus of a major Hollywood movie. That is not without trying, however. In 2009, Steven Spielberg and DreamWorks acquired the full rights to King’s life story from his estate (but there has been little news for that project ever since). More recently, director Lee Daniels (Precious) nearly started filming a movie called Selma about the relationship between MLK and LBJ, but Daniels had to move on in 2010 over financing issues. Now, director Paul Greengrass (United 93, The Bourne Ultimatum) is reported to be borrowing the titular theme of Selma for his own MLK project called Memphis. Greengrass reportedly wrote the Memphis script based upon his own research, and the movie will focus on the final months of King’s life during early 1968 when he was trying to organize the city’s sanitation workers, and his new focus on unions and protecting Vietnam was costing him support among civil rights activists. Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee on April 4, 1968.
#3 SETH ROGEN WANTS YOU AND YOUR FRIENDS TO COME JOIN HIS SAUSAGE PARTY
This week, as part of the publicity for The Green Hornet, Seth Rogen’s frequent screenwriting partner Evan Goldberg talked about some of the other projects they are trying to get made. This includes the previously announced comedy with Jay Baruchel called Jay and Seth Vs. the Apocalypse. Jay Baruchel also recently wrapped a hockey movie in Canada called The Goon. What’s particularly interesting is that how that title leads us to the big news in Goldberg’s interview. Goldberg’s The Goon is not the R-rated animated adaptation that director David Fincher is trying to get made. But Goldberg and Seth Rogen are trying to get an R-rated animated comedy greenlit, just not that one. First mentioned at Comic-Con last year as their secret project, we now know that Seth Rogen and Jonah Hill hope to provide the voices for Sausage Party, “a Rated-R, super dirty, mockery of a Pixar movie about sausages in a supermarket that need to get back to their aisle before the fourth of July.” Goldberg doesn’t specifically say so, but this writer is guessing that the Sausage Party script may have at least one penis joke.
#4 PHINEAS AND FERB: AN ADAPTATION OF A CARTOON MADE AFTER TODAY’S KIDS’ PARENTS WERE BORN
There have obviously been a lot of live action/animated movies in the last several years based upon cartoon television series. However, what are a lot less common are such movies based upon shows that are actually as young as their audience (unless you count older skewing action movies like The Last Airbender). This week, an executive at the Disney Channel announced that Walt Disney Pictures is in the early stages of planning a theatrical feature film based upon the network’s hit show Phineas and Ferb. The animated musical comedy follows the adventures of a pair of stepbrothers who each episode come up with a new invention or adventure, and also features their pet duck-billed platypus (who is actually a secret agent) and an evil scientist named Doctor Doofenshmirtz. Although there are not yet any other details about this theatrical movie, it follows Disney’s other Phineas and Ferb expansion plans, which include the talk show Take Two with Phineas and Ferb and the upcoming made-for-TV movie Phineas and Ferb Across the 2nd Dimension.
#5 DREAMWORKS IS PLANNING SOME MONKEY BUSINESS IN BOLLYWOOD
The month of December, 2010 was very active for DreamWorks Animation, as the studio has announced several new projects. First, there were the ambitious sequel plans for Kung Fu Panda, Madagascar and How to Train Your Dragon franchises. These were soon followed by the original concept Me and My Shadow and the comic book adaptationMaintenance. Now, the animation studio has announced another semi-original project called Monkeys of Bollywood (which is a working title). Inspired by the Indian epic story called The Ramayana, Monkeys of Bollywood will tell the story (set in modern day Mumbai) of “two common monkeys who become unlikely heroes in a last ditch effort to stop an ancient, thought-to-be-mythical demon from conquering the world.” The Bollywood-style animated musical will be a collaboration between lyricist Stephen Schwartz (Wicked, Enchanted, Prince of Egypt), Indian composer A. R. Rahman (Slumdog Millionaire, 127 Hours) and screenwriters Gurinder Chadha and Paul Berges (Bride & Prejudice, Bend It Like Beckham).
#6 THE DIRECTOR OF INDIE HIT WINTER’S BONE GOING MAINSTREAM WITH PIPPI LONGSTOCKING
Usually, when we find out movie development news, it comes in the form of an article or press release written entirely around the news. Sometimes, however, journalists “bury the lead” and what another writer would have made a big deal about, you find only referred to in passing, and in brief. That is how the world found out this week about the plans for a new adaptation of the Swedish children’s book series Pippi Longstocking. Author Astrid Lindgren’s popular character was a 9-year-old girl with braids that stuck off the side of her head and who often played pranks on adults using her amazing super strength. The new Pippi Longstocking project is being developed by a surprising director, as Debra Granik (Winter’s Bone, Down to the Bone) has to date mostly made independent movies that are not at all similar to the expected tone of a Pippi Longstocking movie. It’s easy however to imagine how a modern take on Pippi Longstocking could be reimagined to make her a quasi-superheroine like Hit Girl from Kick-Ass (but probably with a lot less swear words). That is of course, just a guess, because the article didn’t go on to say anything specific about what Granik plans to do with Pippi Longstocking.
ROTTEN IDEAS OF THE WEEK
#3 ADAM SANDLER AND ANDY SAMBERG MAY PLAY FATHER AND SON
Adam Sandler and Andy Samberg are in talks with Columbia Pictures to star as father and son (despite there only 12 years between them) in the comedy I Hate You, Dad. Sandler’s “negotiations” are extrenely likely to go through, as his Happy Madison production company is actually producing the comedy. Adam Sandler and Andy Samberg also both got their careers started on Saturday Night Live (Samberg is still on the show). Sandler will play a father who moves in with his son on the night before his wedding, and quickly begins fighting with his daughter-in-law-to-be, threatening their marriage before it even begins. The original script was written by David Caspe (creator of the upcoming ABC series Happy Endings), and has since been rewritten by The State alumni David Wain (cowriter of Wet Hot American Summer) and Ken Marino, who also cowrote Role Models. Andy Samberg also made the news this week as one of the potential (but not yet confirmed) stars of the Farrelly Brothers’ The Three Stooges. Samberg was reported to be in talks to play Larry, with Johnny Knoxville considered as Moe and Australian comic Shane Jacobson up for the role of Curly. However, Peter Farrelly quickly got online and debunked that news, saying that the casting of the movie is still “wide open to everybody.” Going back to I Hate You, Dad, this is one of this week’s Rotten Ideas only as a borderline selection, based mostly on the tendency for Adam Sandler’s movies to do poorly with critics. Many comedy fans, on the other hand, often disagree with them, and so Adam Sandler continues to have one of the most successful comedy track records in Hollywood.
#2 THIS WEEK IN 1980S TV SERIES ADAPTATIONS: DYNASTY
Something that was somewhat unusual about last year’s movie version of The A-Team was that instead of being a direct adaptation, the entire movie took place before the original 1980s TV series. Basically, that entire movie was an adaptation of the thirty five words that made up the first two sentences of The A-Team‘s opening narration. Now, the creators of another popular 1980s TV show are planning their own prequel movie. Richard and Esther Shapiro were the creators of Dynasty, a prime time soap opera that aired on ABC from 1981 to 1989, following the personal dramas of the members of the family of oil tycoon Blake Carrington. It is arguably not at all a coincidence that Dallas premiered three years earlier on CBS, was also a prime time soap opera about the family of a oil tycoon, and was one of the most successful series in television history (a Dallas movie has also been in development for several years). The Shapiros are planning their Dynasty movie as a prequel set in the 1960s (which leads to a comparison to Mad Men). “It’s fun, because the fans of the show will know from the series where each of the characters end up, eventually, but what they won’t know is how they get there. There will be some very unlikely twists and situations, and people will not be expecting a lot of what we’re planning. We’re going to do a lot of coloring outside the lines,” Richard Shapiro said. The Shapiros hope to start production on the Dynasty prequel movie in 2012, but as yet, there is no studio attached to actually produce and release the movie. This is one of the week’s Rotten Ideas mostly because it is both a TV series adaptation and a prequel that no one seems to be clamoring for. Dynasty was indeed a very popular show in the 1980s (especially after Joan Collins joined the cast in the second season), but for the most part, Dynasty seems to have faded into relative pop culture obscurity. What’s next, Falcon Crest, the movie musical?
#1 MISSILE COMMAND: AN UNBEATABLE VIDEO GAME BECOMES A HOPEFULLY DEFEATABLE MOVIE PROJECT
Nearly a year ago, there was a story that Atari was shopping around a movie project based upon the classic videogame Missile Command. 20th Century Fox was mentioned as a possible destination, but nothing was confirmed. With the passing of time, it seemed like perhaps the idea of a Missile Command movie would just fade away into irrelevance as just another one of those silly ideas that thankfully never came to be. Yes, that’s one possibility. The other is that 20th Century Fox has started development on a Missile Command movie, and has hired two screenwriters to adapt the game which has no ostensible narrative other than the goal of shooting missiles out of the sky. Screenwriters Burk Sharpless and Matt Sazama don’t yet have a released movie to their credit, but they did sell their scriptDracula: Year Zero to Universal last year, which Sam Worthington is attached to star in. Although there have obviously been many movies based on video games, Missile Command has more in common with board game adaptations like next summer’s Battleship because it precedes the time in which video games started having an actual story to them. That lack of any narrative story to base the script upon is why Missile Command is this week’s Most Rotten Idea.
This week’s Ketchup features news about two very different biopics, casting news for Sherlock Holmes 2, and the usual assortment of remakes, video game adaptations (though just one this week) and movies that continue ongoing trends like alien invasions and fairy tale reimaginings.
THIS WEEK’S TOP STORY
MAGIC KINGDOM: MICKEY MOUSE, JACK SPARROW & SNOW WHITE, TOGETHER AT LAST?
In 2002, Disney teamed up with Square Enix (the videogame company behind the popular Final Fantasy franchise) for Kingdom Hearts, the first in a new franchise of role-playing games that teamed up classic Disney characters with Final Fantasy characters. Now, the studio has announced plans for Magic Kingdom, a movie project that would do something similar for Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, Goofy, the various “Princess” characters and other favorites from their many movies and theme park attractions. And the somewhat bizarro theme that they would unite them is the idea of Magic Kingdom being like the Disney version of Marvel’s The Avengers or DC’s Justice League of America. It should definitely be mentioned that Marvel Studios is now under the corporate aegis of Disney, so it’s easy to see a corporate synchronicity there as well. The original Magic Kingdom script was written by Ronald D. Moore, creator of the TV shows Battlestar Galactica and Caprica (Moore also cowrote Star Trek: Generations and Star Trek: First Contact), and took place at Disneyland. Disney reportedly considers Magic Kingdom a “low priority” (meaning it’s probably a few years from happening), but the studio is currently looking for a new writer to build upon Moore’s original script. Other upcoming Disney movies that may tie into Magic Kingdom (or not) include Cinderella, Guillermo del Toro’s The Haunted Mansion, Jungle Cruise and Tomorrowland movies, Maleficent, Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides and Snow White and the Seven.
FRESH DEVELOPMENTS THIS WEEK
#1 NOT A SURPRISE: CHRISTOPHER NOLAN TO DIRECT THE NEXT BATMAN MOVIE
Although the news has shown up everywhere, it shouldn’t really be a surprise to anyone that Christopher Nolan is going to direct the next Batman movie. Speaking to Empire this week, he finally confirmed that it would be his next project, and that there is actually a script now (from Nolan’s brother Jonathan). Although the villain (or villains) in Batman 3 are not yet known, actor Edward Norton spoke out this week about his desire to work with Nolan on the project. Norton was asked about whether he would want to play a villain, or specifically the Riddler, and he was positive about either possibility. Edward Norton made news over his parting of ways from Marvel Studios over his starring role in The Incredible Hulk and the subsequent decision to recast Mark Ruffalo as Dr. Bruce Banner in The Avengers. Edward Norton’s enthusiasm for working with Christopher Nolan is also interesting, considering that the two were once competing for theater space when the two magician movies The Illusionist (starring Norton) and The Prestige (directed by Nolan) came out quite close to each other. In other DC her news, two more names emerged as potential directors for the Superman reboot. First, there is Ben Affleck, who has apparently already met with producers about the job and turned it down. Still in the running (in addition to other directors mentioned last week) is Darren Aronofsky (The Wrestler, The Fountain, Requiem for a Dream). Aronofsky is an especially interesting candidate, as there was a point much earlier in his career where Aronofsky was actually adapting a Batman “reboot” project for Warner Bros, based upon Frank Miller’s Batman: Year One. That project was eventually shelved, and was eventually replaced by Christopher Nolan’s Batman Begins. Now, it appears Aronofsky is back in the running to possibly reboot DC Comics’ other most popular superhero.
#2 SAM RAIMI JOINING THE ALIEN INVASION FAD WITH EARTH DEFENSE FORCE?
One of the hot new trends coming to theaters in the next few years is the “alien invasion” movie, which includes next month’s Skyline, as well as Battle: Los Angeles and the Battleship movie. Now, Sam Raimi, in his role as producer (not director), is in talks with Warner Bros for an alien invasion movie of his own, tentatively titled EDF, which stands for Earth Defense Force. The script has already been leaked, and the premise starts off with U.S. and Chinese fighter pilots engaged in a dogfight, who are then attacked by three alien ships that then go on to destroy various global landmarks and military installations. NASA soon discovers signs of a much larger invasion force coming from another galaxy in ten months, forcing the goverments of the world to band together to fend off the incoming invasion. The script by Andrew Marlowe (End of Days, Air Force One) is said to combine elements of Top Gun, Independence Day and The Last Starfighter. The next step for EDF will be for Sam Raimi to find a director who can tackle what is potentially a big-budget “event” movie.
#3 CAPTAIN SULLY’S HIGHEST DUTY INSPIRES A BIOPIC
When Captain Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger landed his passenger jet in the Hudson River in January, 2009, saving the lives of all 155 people on board, he was instantly hailed as a true American hero (and rightly so). Sullenberger has since penned his memoirs, entitled Highest Duty: My Search for What Really Matters, which was released earlier this year in May. Flashlight Films and the Kennedy/Marshall Company have now secured the rights to Highest Duty. The producers are eyeing Highest Duty as either a feature film or a TV movie. Sullenberger was hesitant about selling his life story rights was encouraged by fellow pilot Harrison Ford, who suggested “Sully” talk to producers Kathleen Kennedy and Frank Marshall. Their company’s credits include Munich, Seabiscuit and the Bourne movies, and their upcoming releases include Clint Eastwood’s Hereafter and Steven Spielberg’s War Horse. There’s no word yet as to any other creative people involved with Highest Duty, including a screenwriter, director or potential star (though one has to wonder if perhaps Harrison Ford might be in the running for the role).
#4 THE MANKIND BIOPIC IS REALLY JUST ABOUT ONE WRASSLER
Mick Foley is one of the most successful professional wrestlers of the last 20 years, best known as “Mankind” (among other names he’s used) and for performing for several wrestling promotion companies, including the WWE, WCW, NWA, ECW and currently Total Nonstop Action Wrestling. Foley has also written several books, including novels, children’s books and four memoirs. Now, Mick Foley is teaming up with producer Jeff Katz (Shoot ‘Em Up, Snakes on a Plane) for a biopic based upon his life story. The untitled biopic will be directed by extreme sports documentarian Christopher J. Scott (Snowblind) from a script Scott is cowriting with Mick Foley. There’s no word yet as to whether Mr. Socko will also make an appearance in the film.
#5 BIG TIME HOLLYWOOD PRODUCERS SAY PLAY MYST FOR ME
Last summer, an independent production company called Mysteria Film Group announced that they had acquired the film rights to the 1996 science fiction novel Myst: The Book of Ti’ana, which was a prequel to the popular PC/Mac video game franchise Myst. Now, the Mysteria Film Group has found new film producers partners in the form of Hunt Lowry (Donnie Darko, The Last of the Mohicans) and Mark Johnson (Galaxy Quest and the Chronicles of Narnia franchise). Lowry and Johnson are also working together on the adaptation of the John Grisham novel The Testament. First introduced in 1993, the various Myst games are interactive puzzle games in which the player explores environments and unlocks the secrets of an extensive game mythology, which is expanded upon in the trilogy of prequel novels. Adapting Myst to the big screen is arguably a daunting challenge (especially since the game’s most popular days are now over 10 years in the past), but the involvement of two Hollywood heavy hitters like Hunt Lowry and Mark Johnson is a promising (and surprising) development for the project. The next step for the Myst adaptation is to find a suitable screenwriter.
#6 SHERLOCK HOLMES SOLVES THE MYSTERY OF MORIARTY’S IDENTITY
Last year, during the production of Sherlock Holmes, there were reports and rumors that Brad Pitt may have provided the voice of the detective’s great nemesis Professor Moriarty, which would then lead to Pitt costarring in Sherlock Holmes 2. There were also rumors that director Guy Ritchie was possibly trying to get Daniel Day-Lewis to sign on for the role. Now, the actor who will be playing Professor Moriarty has been revealed, and instead of a major film star, the role has instead gone to Jared Harris. Harris (who is also the son of the late actor Richard Harris) has had dozens of film and TV roles, which include appearances in Happiness, Resident Evil: Apocalypse, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button and his supporting role as Lane Pryce in recent seasons of Mad Men. Additionally, this week Stephen Fry (Wilde, V for Vendetta) was also cast as Mycroft Holmes, Sherlock’s older brother. Mycroft Holmes was depicted by Arthur Conan Doyle as a British government agent with superior detective skills to Sherlock, but lacking the ambition or interest in pursuing cases to the physically demanding extent that his younger brother does. Warner Bros has scheduled Sherlock Holmes 2 for a release date of December 16, 2011.
ROTTEN IDEAS OF THE WEEK
#3 ANOTHER WEEK, ANOTHER REVISIONIST FAIRY TALE MOVIE: SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMAN
Since the blockbuster release of Disney’s Alice in Wonderland earlier this year, 2010 has seen a new wave of plans for movies based on various fairy tales and classic children’s stories. The list is really too long to thumbnail at this point, but perusing the archives of The Weekly Ketchup will surely bring at least one up nearly every week. The latest such project is called Snow White and the Huntsman, and this live-action retelling of the Brothers Grimm fairy tale will, as the title suggests, feature an enhanced role for the Huntsman. Not to be confused with a romantic role (which will still be Prince Charming, although not necessarily called that), the Huntsman will start the film as being ordered to kill Snow White in the woods, but he instead will end up chained to Snow White, on the run, and teaching her how to survive. There’s no word yet what role the seven dwarves will play in this version. Video game commercial director Rupert Sanders (Halo, X-Men Origins: Wolverine) will make his feature film debut, working from a script from Evan Daugherty, also a newcomer to feature films. Snow White and the Huntsman first made the news this week as the object of a studio bidding war, but Universal Pictures quickly emerged as the winner. This is one of this week’s Rotten Ideas because, as mentioned above, it is just the latest of a wave of similar projects, and it’s not even the only revisionist take on Snow White in the works. Also, the “newbie” status of both the screenwriter and director makes their abilities to effectively reinvent a classic tale highly up in the air.
#2 STAR WARS: SAME TIME, SAME GALAXY, BUT A NEW DIMENSION
George Lucas has been talking for a while now about his plans to revisit the Star Wars movies with a conversion to 3D, but this week was when the announcement was made official. Releasing the six movies according to story chronology, Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace will be the first 3D conversion, in theaters in 2012. The other five movies will follow at unspecified dates, with the frequency of the re-release of each film (once a year? every six months?, etc) not yet known. This is one of the week’s Rotten Ideas, first of all because The Phantom Menace is considered by many fans to be a blemish to the reputation of the original franchise. There is also the very concept of 3D post-conversion, and the question of whether the technical problems (dim lighting, blurry objects or backgrounds) can be overcome by the benefit of 3D. Finally, there remains the spectre of potential changes that could be made by George Lucas and Lucasfilms as they revisit the original trilogy (yet again). Will Greedo shoot first at Han Solo twice the next time through?
#1 TEEN REMAKE FEVER STRIKES ALFRED HITCHCOCK
The films of director Alfred Hitchcock have long been the subject of remakes. Notable examples include the 1998 films A Perfect Murder and Gus Vant’s Psycho remake, as well as 2007’s Disturbia, which was a remake of Rear Window. There have also long been plans to remake The Birds, and many other remake plans that were eventually abandoned. The latest project bears the particularly atrocious title of Teens on a Train, and it is (of course) a remake of 1951’s Strangers on a Train, which was itself an adaptation of the novel by Patricia Highsmith. The teen thriller will be produced by BBC Films and independent British company Slingshot Productions (Tormented, Sugarhouse). Like the source material, Teens on a Train will be about strangers that meet on a train and agree to murder someone for each other. Where this version will depart from the source material (besides the obvious ways) is that one of the two people will be a girl who is also a “raving psychopath.” Teens on a Train was written by Joshua St. Johnson (creator of the UK TV series Material Girl). Filming of Teens on a Train is expected to start in the UK in 2011. The reason for Teens on a Train being the most Rotten Idea of the week should be fairly evident in just the title alone. If there is any good news here, it is that as a British production, there is the possbility that it will never actually be released in the USA.
This week’s Ketchup features a surprising low dosage of remakes (just one newly announced one), as a week that was shortened by Labor Day sees an emphasis more on casting news for existing projects than newly announced movies. Among the names in all the casting news are Mandy Moore, Nicolas Cage, Halle Berry and… Barry Manilow.
#1 PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN 4 GETS A TITLE
Walt Disney Pictures has announced that the fourth movie in their lucrative Johnny Depp franchise will be titled Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, and the studio is scheduling it for a summer, 2011 release date. The details of the story aren’t yet known, but it is expected to focus more on the Jack Sparrow character, with Keira Knightley and Orlando Bloom not expected to return, in what is expected to also start a second trilogy of movies. On Stranger Tides will be directed by Rob Marshall (Chicago, Memoirs of a Geisha) from a script by the writing team of Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio, who also wrote the first three movies.
#2 THE A-TEAM CAST CONTINUES TO COME TOGETHER: B.A. AND MURDOCK
Former UFC Light Heavyweight champion Quentin “Rampage” Jackson has signed to take over the role of B.A. Baracus in the movie version of The A-Team. With Liam Neeson and Bradley Cooper already on board as Hannibal Smith and Faceman Peck, this leaves just the role of Howling Mad Murdock to be officially confirmed. The latest rumor this week the role has been offered to Sharlto Copley, one of the stars of District 9. Filming is scheduled to start in Vancouver later this fall, as Fox hopes to get The A-Team in theaters by June 11, 2010.
#3 CHILDREN OF THE CORN TO GET REPLANTED
Dimension Films has hired screenwriter Ehren Kruger (Reindeer Games, The Brothers Grimm) to work on a new movie based upon the Stephen King short story that inspired a 1984 horror film and led to six more sequels. Children of the Corn was the story of a married couple that discovers a strange small town in Nebraska where there are no adults, and all of the children worship a sort of corn god. Calling the original movie a “missed opportunity,” Dimension’s Bob Weinstein said, “if you read the short story, it’s got such a strong feeling to it and there’s this religious overtone to it as well.” Perhaps Weinstein has seen different Children of the Corn movies than I have, but it seems like the religious overtones are quite common in them. Or maybe he means his movie will take the corn cult seriously, sort of like a Passion of the Christ for the much-overlooked grain worship community.
#4 THE DUDE ABIDES IN THE COEN BROS’ TRUE GRIT REMAKE
Jeff Bridges is in talks with Paramount Pictures to star in the Coen Brothers’ remake of 1969’s True Grit. Bridges would be starring as as U.S. Marshall Rooster Cogburn, the role that won John Wayne an Oscar, and this would be Bridges’ first project with the Coen Brothers since The Big Lebowski. True Grit is the story of a 14 year old girl who teams up with two lawmen to track down the outlaw who killed her father. The Coen Brothers plan that their version will more closely follow the story of the original Charles Portis novel. That means the story will focus more on the young girl, as opposed to the 1969 film that focused more on Wayne’s character. There’s no production start date for True Grit yet, but it is expected to be the Coen Brothers’ next film.
#5 RAINN WILSON TO STAR IN SUPER HERO COMEDY
Rainn Wilson (NBC’s The Office), Liv Tyler and Ellen Page have signed to star in Super, an independent comedy that is the latest to take on the superhero genre. The indie take on superheroes follows movies like Mystery Men, Superhero Movie, an upcoming movie called Defendor (starring Woody Harrelson) and The Specials, a 2000 movie from the same writer as Super. That writer is James Gunn, who will also be directing, making this his second movie as director after 2006’s Slither. Wilson will be starring as a guy who takes on the superhero alter ego of the Crimson Bolt after watching his wife (Tyler) fall under the spell of a charming drug dealer. The Crimson Bolt doesn’t have any super powers, but he is handy with a wrench (“if you can dodge a wrench, you can dodge a ball”). Filming of Super is scheduled to start in December.
#6 GREEN ARROW MOVIE SUPER MAX GETS COMPETITION FROM SUPERMAX
The Warner Bros project called Super Max, which stars Green Arrow as a wrongly convicted superhero in a prison full of DC Comics super villains now has direct competition from a movie that not only has a somewhat similar concept, but a similar title as well. Supermax is a Columbia Pictures project set in a special prison for supernatural beings, as a guard must team up with an inmate as a riot ensues. This Supermax was written by makeup artist Christopher Allen Nelson and screenwriter Mitch Rouse (cowriter of Strangers with Candy, Without a Paddle). Filming is scheduled to start in early 2010, which means that this movie will probably beat WB’s Green Arrow script to production, potentially either causing it to get shelved, or at least get a title change.
#7 STEVEN SODERBERGH FINDS A KNOCKOUT FOR HIS KNOCKOUT
After being bumped from plans to direct the baseball movie Moneyball, director Steven Soderbergh (Traffic, Ocean’s Eleven) has found another project. With a story Variety compared to La Femme Nikita and Kill Bill, Knockout is the story of a girl from the wrong side of the tracks who is given a chance to use her skills for constructive purposes. Knockout will star Gina Carano, a mixed martial arts circuit fighter who will be making her big screen debut. Knockout also marks the third time that Soderbergh will be collaborating with screenwriter Lem Dobbs, who also wrote The Limey and Kafka. Filming is expected to start in late January, 2010 at locations in Ireland, Turkey and the USA.
#8 MANDY MOORE TO LET HER HAIR DOWN WITH RAPUNZEL
Mandy Moore has signed on for the lead voice role in Walt Disney Pictures’ 3D CGI animated movie Rapunzel, based upon the classic fairy tale by the Brothers Grimm. In Disney’s version of the story, a teenage Rapunzel (with 70 foot long hair) escapes from the castle where she’s been imprisoned since infancy. She’s aided by a bandit (to be voiced by Zachary Levi, star of NBC’s Chuck) as they are both chased by Rapunzel’s captor. Now scheduled for late 2010, Rapunzel is a project Disney has been trying to make for several years, receiving new life in 2006 when Pixar’s John Lasseter came aboard Disney, throwing out the old ideas for this new one. Rapunzel will be codirected by Byron Howard (codirector of Bolt) and Nathan Greno (Disney’s direct-to-DVD animated movie Super Rhino). Rapunzel will also be a musical, with Alan Menken (Aladdin, Enchanted) working on the songs.
#9 HALLE BERRY SWIMMING IN A DARK TIDE
Halle Berry is in talks to star in an independent action thriller called Dark Tide, which will be directed by Clark Johnson (S.W.A.T., The Sentinel). Although the exact premise of the movie hasn’t been revealed yet, Halle Berry will be starring as a diving instructor who returns to the deep following a near-fatal encounter with a great white shark. This has nothing to do with the movie, really, but in the Variety article, the words “great white” are capitalized and linked to an entry for the 1980s rock band Great White. Filming is scheduled to start on Dark Tide in South Africa later this year.
#10 NICOLAS CAGE TO STAR IN THE RIDICULOUSLY-TITLED THE HUNGRY RABBIT JUMPS
Nicolas Cage has signed on to star in an independent thriller called The Hungry Rabbit Jumps, taking over the role that was first announced in 2008 as going to the much younger Tobey Maguire (who will still be producing). The Hungry Rabbit Jumps is the story of a man whose wife is the victim of a brutal crime, leading to him becoming entangled in an underground vigilante organization. The film will be directed by Roger Donaldson (Cocktail, Dante’s Peak) from a script by Robert Tannen (2006’s Even Money). Filming of this revenge thriller will start in January, 2010 in New Orleans, with Cage then moving on to the April, 2010 filming of the other revenge thriller he signed on for last week, Drive Angry (which will be filmed in 3-D.
ROTTEN IDEA OF THE WEEK: BARRY MANILOW THE MOVIE
The production companies of Tom Hanks and R.E.M. lead singer Michael Stipe are teaming up to develop a romantic comedy that will “exploit” the songs of singer/songwriter Barry Manilow. Although for someone who’s being exploited, Manilow has “pledged his support” to the project. The project, which is being compared to Love Actually, will revolve around a group of Barry Manilow fans who are all in Las Vegas for a weekend to see him headline at the Mandalay Bay. His music will be heard throughout the film, and Manilow will also perform a song or two in the movie. The movie will first go to Universal, where Hanks’ Playtone has a first look deal.
