50 movies to get excited about in 2023

Paramount Pictures While 2022 brought the much-anticipated “Avatar” sequel and superhero fare like “The Batman,” a new “Doctor Strange” film, and the fan favorite “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” 2023 boasts similar soon-to-be blockbusters. Stacker researched hotly slated 2023 movies and highlighted 50 across genres and countries that are worth the anticipation. You’ll find the latest Ant-Man, Mission: Impossible, and Spider-Verse films, as well as new entries in the Indiana Jones, Magic Mike, and Creed franchises. Timothée Chalamet stars in a new adaptation of Willy Wonka and reprises his role in the sequel to 2021’s sci-fi hit “Dune,” also starring Zendaya, who will appear in an upcoming tennis rom-com this year. Moreover, actors like Jonathan Majors, Joaquin Phoenix, Austin Butler, Julianne Moore, Margot Robbie, and others star in more than one notable 2023 film. Greta Gerwig directs Robbie in the much-hyped “Barbie,” while Emerald Fennell, Rose Glass, and Kelly Fremon Craig are also helming anticipated films, along with Marielle Heller, who’s adapting the celebrated 2021 novel “Nightbitch,” about a woman (Amy Adams) who might be transforming into a dog. Storied directors Martin Scorsese, Francis Ford Coppola, and Hayao Miyazaki each have films forthcoming in the new year, with Michael B. Jordan also set to make a directorial debut. Read on for arty dramas with plotlines that are still under wraps, as well as comedies, thrillers, and horrors you’ll love. Cinephiles, plan accordingly. You may also like: Incredible filming locations from popular movies Oppenheimer Universal Pictures Christopher Nolan (“Memento,” “Interstellar”) writes and directs this biopic about the man who spearheaded the invention of nuclear weapons, including those that would eventually kill more than 200,000 civilians in Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945. The movie adapts the Pulitzer Prize-winning biography “American Prometheus” and stars Cillian Murphy in the title role. Emily Blunt, Robert Downey Jr., Matt Damon, Florence Pugh, and Josh Hartnett round out the ensemble cast. Barbie Mattel Films Greta Gerwig directs and co-writes alongside Noah Baumbach this comedy about the titular Mattel toy. Margot Robbie plays the famous fashionista who gets exiled from her own land and begins adventures in the human world. Ryan Gosling plays Ken, with Will Ferrell, Kate McKinnon, America Ferrera, and Rhea Perlman in the supporting cast. The Color Purple Momodu Mansaray // Getty Images Steven Spielberg, who directed the 11-time Oscar-nominated 1985 adaptation of Alice Walker’s award-winning novel, produces the second version, adapted from the stage musical about Celie, a young woman coming of age in the South during the early 1900s. Blitz Bazawule directs Fantasia in the lead role, with H.E.R., Halle Bailey, Ciara, Taraji P. Henson, David Alan Grier, and Louis Gossett Jr. also on board. John Wick: Chapter 4 Lionsgate Keanu Reeves returns as the intrepid assassin John Wick in the fourth installment of the popular series about a killer with whom you can empathize. In this installment, directed by Chad Stahelski, Wick faces betrayal from frenemies in the action caper that also stars Laurence Fishburne, Ian McShane, Clancy Brown, and Donnie Yen. Air Jordan Bellocqimages/Bauer-Griffin // Getty Images Ben Affleck directs and stars in the story of the Nike sales exec (Matt Damon, who also co-writes) who landed the endorsement deal with basketball legend Michael Jordan. Viola Davis stars as the famous athlete’s mom, with Julius Tennon as his dad. Jason Bateman, Chris Messina, Chris Tucker, and Marlon Wayans also star in the film. You may also like: Biggest box office bombs of all time Infinity Pool 4 Film Body horror maestro David Cronenberg’s son, Brandon Cronenberg, directs this thriller set on an island resort. Alexander Skarsgård stars with Cleopatra Coleman and Mia Goth (of the recent “Pearl” and “X”). The plot concerns a wealthy, vacationing couple who find themselves embroiled in freaky mayhem after an accident. Challengers Emma McIntyre // Getty Images Zendaya (“Euphoria,” “Dune”) plays a tennis coach looking to inspire her Grand Slam-winning husband (Mike Faist) to bounce out of a slump. In this rom-com, directed by Luca Guadagnino, the coach finds her husband facing off with her ex-boyfriend, played by Josh O’Connor. Killers of the Flower Moon Apple Studios Jesse Plemons, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Robert De Niro star in this period Western directed by Martin Scorsese and adapted from David Grann’s true crime book of the same name. The story follows the murders of members of the Osage Nation after oil was discovered on their land, but the story centers on the federal investigators who brought their killers to justice. Brendan Fraser, John Lithgow, and Tantoo Cardinal also star. Dune: Part Two John Shearer // Getty Images Timothée Chalamet and Zendaya return in the sequel to the space epic directed again by Denis Villeneuve and adapted from the 1965 novel by Frank Herbert. Villeneuve’s first installment, “Dune,” was acclaimed for its stunning visual design capturing a futuristic desert planet, and “Part Two” brings back the same production team. Most of the original cast returns including Dave Bautista and Javier Bardem, with Florence Pugh and Austin Butler joining as new characters. Knock at the Cabin Universal Pictures M. Night Shyamalan reappears with another thriller, this time an adaptation of a novel by Paul G. Tremblay. Set around the threat of an apocalypse, the story centers on a family taken hostage in a rural cabin. Shyamalan rewrote the initial script for this horror film starring Dave Bautista, Jonathan Groff, and Rupert Grint. You may also like: 50 best movies about the Vietnam War Napoleon Future Publishing // Getty Images Joaquin Phoenix plays Napoleon Bonaparte, the notorious French general, in this sprawling epic directed by Ridley Scott. Vanessa Kirby stars as Empress Josephine, and the movie reportedly centers on her intense love affair and marriage to the ruthless leader. Magic Mike’s Last Dance Axelle/Bauer-Griffin // Getty Images Michael Shannon appears in each of writer-director Jeff Nichols’ films, including “Midnight Special” and “Loving” in 2016. Nichols’ fifth film follows a motorcycle gang in the 1960s. The cast includes Tom Hardy, Austin Butler, Jodie Comer, and Norman Reedus. Hitman Matt Winkelmeyer // Getty Images Richard Linklater directs this true story caper filmed in New Orleans about a cop who poses as a hitman for hire. Glen Powell plays the undercover police officer who becomes embroiled with an abused woman (Adria Arjona). Maestro Amblin Entertainment Bradley Cooper co-wrote, directed, and also starred in this upcoming drama, a biopic about the iconic American composer Leonard Bernstein. Cooper plays Bernstein, who composed the music for “West Side Story” and several other play and movie scores, as well as multiple symphonies across his career. Steven Spielberg and Martin Scorsese produce with Carey Mulligan as Felicia Montealegre, Bernstein’s wife. You may also like: Classic movie quotes that have broken into our daily vocabulary Blitz Jeff Spicer/BAFTA // Getty Images “Blitz” depicts the World War II bombing of London, known as the Blitzkrieg. Oscar-winning director Steve McQueen (“Hunger,” “12 Years a Slave”) writes, directs, and produces the historical drama. Saoirse Ronan leads the cast which also includes Harris Dickinson and Stephen Graham. Poor Things Gilbert Flores // Getty Images Yorgos Lanthimos directs and produces this adaptation of Alasdair Gray’s 1992 novel “Poor Things.” The premise follows an abused woman’s ploy to replace her brain with her unborn child’s. The cast brings together a frequent collaborator with Lanthimos, Emma Stone, along with Willem Dafoe, Mark Ruffalo, and Margaret Qualley. Stone Mattress Michael Kovac // Getty Images Julianne Moore plays a well-to-do retiree and widow who embarks on an arctic cruise where she meets a man she remembers from her past. Sandra Oh plays another woman onboard in this thriller drama adapted from a short story by Margaret Atwood, author of “The Handmaid’s Tale.” Lynne Ramsay (“You Were Never Really Here,” “We Need to Talk About Kevin”) directs. Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning: Part One Paramount Pictures The seventh film in the Mission: Impossible franchise continues the story from 2018’s “Fallout,” also directed by Christopher McQuarrie. “Dead Reckoning: Part One” features star Tom Cruise as super spy Ethan Hunt, with Ving Rhames, Simon Pegg, Hayley Atwell, and Esai Morales rounding out the supporting cast. “Dead Reckoning: Part Two” is slated for release in 2024. Asteroid City Jeff Spicer // Getty Images Wes Anderson directs a script by Roman Coppola that features a huge ensemble cast of stars–one of the director’s stylistic signatures. The film is set in the 1950s at a convention for space cadets, or astronomy enthusiasts, and features unexpected events. Some cast members include Scarlett Johansson, Tom Hanks, Tilda Swinton, Bryan Cranston, Ed Norton, Jeffrey Wright, and Margot Robbie. You may also like: 100 best international movies of all time Priscilla Emma McIntyre // Getty Images While 2022 brought Austin Butler as the famous rock star in Baz Luhrmann’s “Elvis,” 2023 has Sofia Coppola’s take on the story with a focus instead on Elvis’ wife, Priscilla Presley. The film, told from Priscilla’s point of view, is adapted from her 1985 memoir “Elvis and Me.” Cailee Spaeny stars as Priscilla with Jacob Elordi as Elvis. May December Axelle/Bauer-Griffin // Getty Images David Fincher’s latest movie, adapted from a graphic novel series written by Alexis Nolent, stars Tilda Swinton and Michael Fassbender. The French comics on which the film is based track an assassin’s adventures, and the action thriller will be shot in a noir style. Ferrari Forward Pass Adam Driver, who recently played Maurizio Gucci in 2021’s “House of Gucci,” will star as Enzo Ferrari, who founded the iconic sports car brand. Co-writer Michael Mann also directs the script that primarily takes place surrounding a 1957 car race. Penélope Cruz and Shailene Woodley also star. The Way of the Wind Babelsberg Film Mark Rylance plays Satan in Terrence Malick’s movie about the life of Jesus, previously titled “The Last Planet.” The epic has been in postproduction for several years and also features Joseph Fiennes, Ben Kingsley, Sarah Greene, and Numan Acar. Röhrig Géza plays Jesus. You may also like: Top 25 LGBTQ+ films, according to critics How Do You Live? Nippon Television Network (NTV) The latest from Japanese anime company Studio Ghibli is written and directed by the legendary director Hayao Miyazaki. The animated film is an adaptation of a 1937 novel of the same name, a popular classic in Japan about a teenager who bonds with his uncle over their philosophies of everyday life. Strange Way of Life Dimitrios Kambouris // Getty Images Acclaimed director Pedro Almodóvar (pictured) directs what he calls a “queer Western” set to premiere at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival. The short, 30-minute film follows a gunslinger and a sheriff to a final showdown. The men are played by Ethan Hawke and Pedro Pascal. Nightbitch Gareth Cattermole // Getty Images Ellen Kuras directs this biopic about a model and photographer who became a World War II reporter for Vogue magazine. Kate Winslet stars with Marion Cotillard, Alexander Skarsgård, and Jude Law. You may also like: 15 controversial Oscar wins–and how they’ve aged You People Netflix Jonah Hill co-stars in a script that he co-wrote with director Kenya Barris. Nia Long and Eddie Murphy play the parents of the woman Hill’s character wants to marry. The cast also includes Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Lauren London, and Molly Gordon. Saltburn Joe Maher // Getty Images Emerald Fennell (pictured), who previously wrote and directed the acclaimed “Promising Young Woman,” returns with another thriller she’s writing and directing. Set amid the English aristocracy, the film stars Rosamund Pike, Jacob Elordi, and Barry Keoghan. And Pascal Le Segretain // Getty Images The plot is under wraps for Yorgos Lanthimos’ new film starring Emma Stone and Joe Alwyn, who previously co-starred in his award-winning “The Favourite” in 2018. Lanthimos also writes and produces as he did with his 2015 surreal love story “The Lobster.” “And” also stars Jesse Plemons, Margaret Qualley (pictured), Hong Chau, and Willem Dafoe. You Hurt My Feelings FilmNation Entertainment Nicole Holofcener writes and directs this comedy starring Julia Louis-Dreyfus, with whom she previously worked on “Enough Said.” Louis-Dreyfus plays a successful novelist whose marriage falls into disarray after she accidentally overhears her husband dissing her writing. Strangers Jerod Harris // Getty Images Claire Foy and Jamie Bell play a screenwriter’s long-dead parents who are somehow still young and living in his childhood home. Andrew Haigh directs this thriller, which also stars Andrew Scott and is adapted from a Japanese novel by Taichi Yamada. You may also like: Can you guess which iconic movie these scenes are from?