With recent news of a vaccine being distributed and ministered, it is—with hopeful caution and cautious hope—safe to say that there is light at the end of the darkest tunnel many of us have seen.

Film studios certainly think so as the film slate for 2021 is bountiful and sure to make up for last year. So, without further ado, here are the, at the time of writing, projected film releases of 2021. Things, of course, are subject to change at a moment’s notice. (Remember: hopeful caution and cautious hope!)

JANUARY

One Night In Miami (dir. Regina King)

One Night in Miami is a fictional account of one incredible night where icons Muhammad Ali, Malcolm X, Sam Cooke, and Jim Brown gathered discussing their roles in the civil rights movement and cultural upheaval of the 60s.

The Little Things (dir. John Lee Hancock)

Deputy Sheriff Joe “Deke” Deacon joins forces with Sgt. Jim Baxter to search for a serial killer who’s terrorizing Los Angeles. As they track the culprit, Baxter is unaware that the investigation is dredging up echoes of Deke’s past, uncovering disturbing secrets that could threaten more than his case.

The Marksman (dir. Robert Lorenz)

A rancher on the Arizona border becomes the unlikely defender of a young Mexican boy desperately fleeing the cartel assassins who’ve pursued him into the U.S.

FEBRUARY

Cinderella (dir. Kay Cannon)

Based on the fairytale we all know and love, this musical romantic-comedy features Camila Cabello as the titular princess, Billy Porter as the Fab G (a genderless fairy godparent), and Idina Menzel the evil stepmother.

Minamata (dir. Andrew Levitas)

Based on the autobiography / photo essay of the same name by Aileen Mioko Smith and Eugene Smith, the film stars Johnny Depp as Smith, an American photojournalist who travels to Japan and documents what would become known as the first sightings of mercury poisoning in the city of Minamata.

The Mauritanian (dir. Kevin Macdonald)

This upcoming political thriller is based on the memoir Guantanamo Diary By Mohamedou Ould Salahi, which details Salahi’s unlawful and unsanctioned detention and torture at Guantanamo Bay. Tahar Rahim stars as Salahi. He is joined by Jodie Foster, Shailene Woodley, Benedict Cumberbatch, and Zachary Levi.

MARCH

Raya and the Last Dragon (dir. Paull Briggs, Dean Wellins)

Kelly Marie Tran and Awkwafina lend their voices as Raya and the last dragon (respectively) in Disney’s highly anticipated animated release that was inspired by Southeast Asian cultures.

The King’s Man (dir. Matthew Vaughn)

Vaughn returns to the Kingsman spy action-comedy universe with a prequel film that stars Ralph Fiennes, Gemma Arterton, Rhys Ifans, Matthew Goode, Tom Hollander, Harris Dickinson, Daniel Brühl, Djimon Hounsou, and Charles Dance. While plot details are scarce, the film, set in early 20th-Century, illustrates the formation of the Kingsman agency.

Morbius (dir. Daniel Espinosa)

Sony’s second film in the Sony Pictures Universe of Marvel Characters, Morbius stars Jared Leto as Michael Morbius who becomes a vampire after he fails to cure himself of a rare blood disease. This film is allegedly part of Sony’s plans for a shared universe of Spider-man characters (following Tom Hardy’s Venom), and stars Matt Smith, Adria Arjona, Jared Harris, Al Madrigal, and Tyrese Gibson in supporting roles.

Chaos Walking (dir. Doug Liman)

Based on the novel by Patrick Ness, Daisy Ridley and Tom Holland star in Chaos Walking which follows a dystopian world where there are no women and all living creatures can hear each others’ thoughts in a stream of images, words, and sounds called Noise.

APRIL

No Time to Die (dir. Cary Fukunaga)

After being delayed (twice) due to COVID-19, the twenty-fifth film in the James Bond franchise—and Daniel Craig’s final curtain call—is finally being released! In this film, Bond is pulled out of retirement to help rescue a kidnapped scientist, but the mission unearths the plot of a mysterious villain armed with dangerous technology. In addition to Craig, Ralph Fiennes, Naomie Harris, Ben Whishaw, Léa Seydoux, Christoph Waltz, and Jeffrey Wright all return, with Rami Malek, Ana de Armas, and Lashana Lynch in new roles.

BIOS (dir. Miguel Sapochnik)

Tom Hanks stars as one of the last men on Earth who builds an android (played by Caleb Landry Jones) to keep him and his dog company. Laura Harrier, Samira Wiley, and Skeet Ulrich also star.

A Quiet Place Part II (dir. John Krasinski)

The much anticipated sequel sees the return of Emily Blunt, Millicent Simmonds, and Noah Jupe as the Abbott family who must fight for survival in a world plagued by monsters with acute senses of hearing. Cillian Murphy and Djimon Hounsou play characters the Abbott family meets as they venture away from their home.

Last Night in Soho (dir. Edgar Wright)

Wright’s psychological-horror film stars Thomasin McKenzie as a young woman with a passion for fashion design, who mysteriously travels back in time to 1960s England. There, she sparks a connection with Anya Taylor-Joy’s character, but, as with all time-travel, dark consequences ensue. (Matt Smith, Diana Rigg, and Terence Stamp round out the cast.)

MAY

Black Widow (dir. Cate Shortland)

Scarlett Johansson first appeared as Natasha Romanoff in Iron Man 2 back in 2010. Much to the chagrin of many fans, it’s only now that the (arguably) most beloved original Avenger is finally getting her own solo movie. As with every MCU project, the plot details remain a mystery, but what we do know is that the film—which incidentally kicks of Phase 4 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe—takes place between Captain America: Civil War and Avengers: Infinity War and sees Natasha returning to Russia to deal with some unfinished business. Florence Pugh, David Harbour, and Rachel Weisz also join the adventure.

Free Guy (dir. Shawn Levy)

Ryan Reynolds plays Guy, a non-playable character, in a video game called Free City. As a result of new programming, Guy realizes that he is a background character and learns that the video game is set to be turned offline indefinitely. Taking upon the role of hero, Guy races against time to save the day (and the game). Reynolds is joined by Jodie Comer and Taika Waititi.

Spiral (dir. Darren Lynn Bousman)

This is the ninth instalment of the Saw franchise, starring Chris Rock and Samuel L Jackson as a detective and police veteran (respectively) who, as they investigate a string of murders, find themselves trapped in the killer’s twisted game.

Cruella (dir. Alex Timbers and Craig Gillespie)

Set in 1970s London, this film serves as a origin story of the beloved villainess and a prequel to the live-action remakes that starred Glenn Close. This time around, Emma Stone is set to play a young Estella de Vil, a fashion designer whose obsession with dogs’ skins—particularly that of Dalmatians—turns her into the Cruella we all know and love to hate.

Infinite (dir. Antoine Fuqua)

Mark Wahlberg, Chiwetel Ejiofor, and Dylan O’Brien star in this sci-fi film about a man who discovers that his hallucinations are actually memories from his past lives.

F9 (dir. Justin Lin)

It’s a family affair within the ninth film of the Fast & Furious series: Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel) and his family must face off against Jakob Toretto (John Cena) who teams up with Cipher (Charlize Theron). Michelle Rodriguez, Tyrese Gibson, Ludacris, Nathalie Emmanuel, and Helen Mirren all return in their respective roles.

JUNE

The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It (dir. Michael Chaves)

This film serves as the sequel to The Conjuring (2013) and The Conjuring 2 (2016) and sees the return of Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga as paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren.

In the Heights (dir. Jon M Chu)

Based on the 2007 stage musical by Lin-Manuel Miranda and Quiara Alegría Hudes, the film adaptation stars Anthony Ramos as a charismatic bodega owner who dreams (and sings) of a better life.

Luca (dir. Enrico Casarosa)

A Disney-Pixar original, the film tells the story of a young boy on the Italian Riviera whose friendship with a newfound friend is jeopardised by the fact that he is actually a sea monster from another world that exists just beneath the water’s surface.

Venom: Let There Be Carnage (dir. Andy Serkis)

Tom Hardy returns as the titular Venom who, this time around, faces off against serial killer Carnage (Woody Harrelson). Michelle Williams and Reid Scott also return, and Naomie Harris is set to play Shriek, Carnage’s love interest.

JULY

Top Gun: Maverick (dir. Joseph Kosinski)

A sequel to the 1986 film Top Gun, Tom Cruise and Val Kilmer return as Maverick and Iceman (respectively). Plot details are scarce, but after decades of flying, Maverick finds himself training a new squad of graduates for a dangerous mission. Cruise and Kilmer are joined by Miles Teller, Jennifer Connelly, Jon Hamm, and Glen Powell.

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (dir. Destin Daniel Cretton)

This is Marvel’s first film with an Asian lead, with Simu Liu playing the titular character, a skilled martial artist, who must face off against the Mandarin (played by Tony Leung), leader of the terrorist Ten Rings organisation. The film also features Awkwafina and Michelle Yeoh.

Space Jam: A New Legacy (dir. Malcolm D Lee)

A sequel to Space Jam (1996), this film stars LeBron James who finds himself trapped in a video game with young son Dom (Ceyair J Wright) by a rogue AI (played by Don Cheadle). With the help of the Looney Tunes gang, James must find a way out.

Jungle Cruise (dir. Jaume Collet-Serra)

Emily Blunt and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson star in this adventure-fantasy film that sees Blunt’s character, Dr Lily Houghton, enlisting the help of Frank Wolff (Johnson) to take her down the Amazon in search of ancient healing tree that holds the key to changing the future of medicine.

Uncharted (dir. Ruben Fleischer)

Based on the video game of the same name, Uncharted stars Tom Holland as fortune hunter Nate Drake. Mark Wahlberg plays Sully, Nate’s mentor and father figure. The film also features Antonio Banderas in an undisclosed role.

The Green Knight (dir. David Lowery)

AUGUST

The Suicide Squad (dir. James Gunn)

Serving as a soft reboot and standalone sequel to 2016’s Suicide Squad, the film stars Margot Robbie, Idris Elba, John Cena, Joel Kinnaman, Peter Capaldi, Viola Davis, Jai Courtney, and more as imprisoned convicts who are sent to the island of Corto Maltese to destroy a Nazi-era prison and laboratory.

The Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard (dir. Patrick Hughes)

This action-comedy is a sequel to the 2017 film The Hitman’s Bodyguard and sees the return of Ryan Reynolds as the bodyguard, Samuel L Jackson as the hitman, and Salma Hayek as the wife (who, this time around, finds herself as the one in danger).

Candyman (dir. Nia DaCosta)

Starring Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Teyonah Parris, Nathan Stewart-Jarrett, and Colmon Domingo, and written by Jordan Peele, Win Rosenfeld, and DaCosta herself, Candyman is a direct sequel to the 1992 film of the same name.

Respect (dir. Liesl Tommy)

Jennifer Hudson stars as Aretha Franklin in this biopic (a casting choice made by Franklin herself). Forest Whitaker, Mary J Blige, Audra McDonald, Marlon Wayans, and Titus Burgess also star.

SEPTEMBER

Death on the Nile (dir. Kenneth Branagh)

A follow-up to Murder on the Orient Express (2017), Branagh returns as the legendary Hercule Poirot to investigate a murder aboard the S.S. Karnak, featuring an all-star ensemble cast that includes Annette Bening, Russell Brand, Gal Gadot, Armie Hammer, Rose Leslie, Sophie Okonedo, Jennifer Saunders, and Letitia Wright.

The Man From Toronto (dir. Patrick Hughes)

Kevin Hart and Woody Harrelson star in this action-comedy about a screw-up who is forced to team up with an assassin after the two are mistaken for one another while staying at an Airbnb.

OCTOBER

Dune (dir. Denis Villeneuve)

Arguably one of the most anticipated films of 2021, after being pushed back (twice) from an initial 2020 release, this sci-fi film stars Timothée Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, Oscar Isaac, Stellan Skarsgård, Dave Bautista, and Zendaya.

Halloween Kills (dir. David Gordon Green)

Jamie Lee Curtis returns as Laurie Strode in this sequel to 2018’s Halloween and the twelfth film in the Halloween franchise. With her family and new and old allies, Strode must face off against Michael Myers (Nick Castle) who is still loose and murderous in Haddonfield.

Snake Eyes: G.I. Joe Origins (dir. Reobert Schwentke)

Henry Golding plays the titular character in this spin-off of the G.I. Joe film series alongside a cast that features Andrew Koji, Iko Uwais, Peter Mensah, Úrsula Corberó, and Samara Weaving.

The Last Duel (dir. Ridley Scott)

A historical drama-thriller set in 14th-Century France detailing the last legally sanctioned duel, this film reunites Matt Damon and Ben Affleck (both of whom co-wrote the script together along with Nicole Holofcener) and features Adam Driver and Jodie Comer in principal roles.

NOVEMBER

Eternals (dir. Chloe Zhao)

The Marvel Cinematic Universe’s third film of 2021 (and Phase 4), the story centres around an immortal alien race called the Eternals, who have lived on Earth, hiding in plain sight, for over 7000 years, and must band together to protect the world from their evil counterparts, the Deviants. Angelina Jolie leads an epic cast that includes Richard Madden, Kumail Nanjiani, Kit Harington, Salma Hayek, and Gemma Chan. (A spot of trivia: this film will also feature the MCU’s first openly gay superhero.)

Elvis (dir. Bad Luhrmann)

Austin Butler stars as the titular rockstar alongside Tom Hanks in this biopic of the legendary artist.

Mission: Impossible 7 (dir. Christopher McQuarrie)

Tom Cruise returns as the legendary Ethan Hunt in the seventh instalment of the Mission: Impossible franchise. Set to return as well are: Simon Pegg, Ving Rhames, Rebecca Ferguson, Vanessa Kirby, and Angela Bassett. Joining the cast are: Shea Whigham, Henry Czerny, Esai Morales, Pom Klementieff, and Hayley Atwell.

King Richard (dir. Reinaldo Marcus Green)

Will Smith plays Richard Williams—father and coach of tennis royalty Serena and Venus Williams—in this biopic that details how the tennis superstars came to be.

Encanto (dir. Byron Howard, Jared Bush, Charise Castro Smith)

This Disney animated film, featuring music by Lin-Manuel Miranda, tells the story of a Colombian girl named Mariana who grows up as the only non-magical person in her family.

Gucci (dir. Ridley Scott)

Based on the book The House of Gucci: A Sensational Story of Murder, Madness, Glamour, and Greed by Sara Gay Forden, the murder-dram film stars Jeremy Irons opposite Lady Gaga with a supporting cast that includes Adam Driver, Jared Leto, Al Pacino, Jack Huston, and Reeve Carney.

DECEMBER

West Side Story (dir. Steven Spielberg)

This latest film adaptation of the 1957 Broadway musical of the same name tells the love story between two teenagers, Tony and Maria (Ansel Elgort and Rachel Zegler, respectively), who belong to rival gangs in 1950s New York.

The Matrix 4 (dir. Lana Wachowski)

Keanu Reeves, Carrie-Anne Moss, Jada Pinkett Smith, Lambert Wilson, and Daniel Bernhardt all return in the fourth instalment of The Matrix franchise. Joining the cast in new roles are: Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Jessica Henwick, Neil Patrick Harris, Jonathan Groff, Max Riemelt, Brian J Smith, and Priyanka Chopra.

Sherlock Holmes 3 (dir. Dexter Fletcher)

Robert Downey Jr returns as the titular Holmes, alongside Jude Law as Watson and Rachel McAdams as Irene Adler, in this sequel to 2011’s Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows.

Babylon (dir. Damian Chazelle)

Chazelle’s directorial follow-up to La La Land (2016) stars Margot Robbie opposite Brad Pitt in a film that is set in old Hollywood when the industry transitioned from silent films to talkies.

What 2021 release are you looking forward to seeing or at least hoping to see this year? Tell us in the comments below!

The post The Most Anticipated Movie Releases of 2021 appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Ah, spooky season. The best time of the year. (Fight me, Christmas.)  One of the reasons October is the best month of the year is the surplus of horror movies. You can’t change the channel without seeing a grisly murder or demonic possession, and it’s beautiful.

We all know those old classics: Halloween, Nightmare on Elm Street, The Exorcist, all those overblown 80s creations that all have a gazillion sequels and remakes. With this list, and in no particular order, I’m choosing movies exclusively from the year 2000 or later, and none of them are remakes. (Well, one of them is an Americanised remake of a Japanese classic, but that’s it.)

Get Out

I’m writing this before watching Antebellum, so I can’t form an opinion on that particular Jordan Peele film. However, Get Out will always be one of my favourite horror movies.

If you’ve somehow managed to avoid hearing about it, Get Out is the story of a Black man going to visit his White girlfriend’s parents for the first time. Turns out, they plan to harvest his body. The whole thing is a commentary on race in America and the insidious nature of White moderates, and it’s got a whole creepy factor that gets under your skin. 

The Cabin in the Woods

A horror movie that makes fun of horror movies, written by the guy who wrote Buffy the Vampire Slayer, with Sigourney Weaver as the villain. There is nothing I don’t love here. This is one of those films that you either put on your Top 10 Modern Horror Movies list or think it’s the dumbest thing ever. There is no in-between, like with pineapple on pizza.  

The basic premise is that five twenty-somethings go to a Cabin in the Woods, where a group of government-type people send zombified monsters to kill them. Except the “villains” are a lot more morally complex than we’re initially led to believe—and hilarious. Think of those goofballs who work at the office, constantly making jokes and having fun, except their office environment includes brutally murdering the guy who plays Thor.

It

I never read the book. Or any of Stephen King’s classic horror books. Don’t judge. I personally preferred Part One over Part Two, although they were both great. I can’t tell who’s scarier: Pennywise the clown, or the creepy abusive adults.

Both? Both. Both. 

Before I Wake

An eight-year-old boy’s dreams—and nightmares—become reality.

The boy is an orphan and gets taken in by a foster family, two parents whose own son drowned. At first, when they realise the boy’s gift, they use him to try to get their own son back (the dreamer sees a picture of the dead son, dreams of the dead son; the dreamer watches a video of a past Christmas, and the dead son can now talk), but they quickly realise that that’s A Bit Not Good, right around the time the dreamer has a nightmare.

This movie is genuinely creepy, building dread and suspense until the boy’s personal monster comes to life and starts killing people. But it’s also weirdly uplifting, with a hopeful ending. 

Resident Evil

The first rated R movie I’ve ever seen. Good times. Based on the video game, Resident Evil is a zombie action franchise. We follow Alice as she unravels the secrets of the Umbrella Corporation. In the first movie, she and a SWAT team of sorts go into the Umbrella Corporation’s underground lab, where the computer program murdered everyone after they were exposed to a virus. Turns out, this virus brings them back to life as zombies.

In the sequel, Resident Evil: Apocalypse, the zombies have escaped the lab and gotten into Racoon City, where officials desperately try to keep it contained. In the next movies…you don’t have to watch the next movies. Let’s just pretend there are only two.

The Ring

An American remake of a Japanese classic, The Ring is about a haunted videotape that kills people in seven days. Our main character is a reporter who catches wind of this, watches the tape, and then spends the next seven days unraveling its secrets.

Unlike most horror movies, this one is rated PG-13. Meaning it doesn’t rely on blood and gore for horror effects. It uses suspense and dread to rachet up the tension until the true horror is revealed.

A Quiet Place

Some sort of aliens/monsters that hunt by sound show up and kill any humans they find. The story follows a small family as they struggle to survive in this post-apocalypse, made complicated by the fact that the mom is pregnant, the eldest daughter is deaf, and everyone’s blaming themselves for the death of the youngest child in the opener.

Fun fact: the deaf daughter is played by an actually deaf actress. Which is great, because Hollywood has a hard time hiring actors with disabilities, even if they’re portraying those actual disabilities on screen.

Train to Busan

A 2016 Korean zombie movie about family and fatherhood. A zombie outbreak in Korea prompts the government to herd the refugees to a train leading to the fortified city of Busan. Except the zombies get on the train, so the refugees struggle to survive as they creep from car to car. It doesn’t help that a lot of the refugees are self-centered assholes who are happy to sacrifice their fellow humans for a slightly greater chance of survival.

It’s one of those “humans are the real monsters” metaphor, but also highlights some of our greater qualities, too. 

Ready or Not

This one’s a horror comedy about a bride who marries into a…very unusual, rich family. This family has achieved great fortune through a deal with a demonic figure. Every time someone else marries into the family, they have to play a game on their wedding night. Most of them are harmless. But if the game is Hide and Seek, that’s the cue for the family to kill them. If the family doesn’t kill the bride before sunrise, they all die.

The family is totally dysfunctional, and darkly funny. Think Cabin in the Woods, but without the explicit commentary on horror movies. 

The Boy

An American woman takes a nannying job in England, where she’s told she’ll be taking care of a porcelain doll. At first, she thinks it’s a joke, and then after some Paranormal Activity-style shenanigans, quickly realises that this is a deadly situation.

What’s interesting here (other than the third-act twist) is that the woman is a domestic abuse survivor. That’s the whole reason she’s in England in the first place: she’s running from her ex. Once she realises the danger of the haunted doll, she immediately switches to survival mode, creating stark parallels between the story and domestic violence.

(So, uh, trigger warning for that.)

Know any other great modern horror movies? Let us know in the comments!

The post 10 Modern Horror Movies For You To Enjoy This Halloween appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Read on to discover what movies are coming out this month and tell us in the comments below what you’re looking forward to!

Onward

Set in a suburban fantasy world, two teenage elf brothers embark on a quest to discover if there is still magic out there. Featuring the voices of Tom Holland (Spider-Man: Homecoming) and Chris Pratt (Guardians of the Galaxy).

Mulan

A live-action feature film based on Disney’s ‘Mulan’ follows a young Chinese maiden disguises herself as a male warrior in order to save her father. Starring Yifei Liu, Li Gong, and Jet Li.

A Quiet Place Part II

Following the events at home, the Abbott family now face the terrors of the outside world. Forced to venture into the unknown, they realise the creatures that hunt by sound are not the only threats lurking beyond the sand path. Starring Emily Blunt and Cillian Murphy (Peaky Blinders).

I Still Believe

The true-life story of Christian music star Jeremy Camp and his journey of love and loss that looks to prove there is always hope. Starring KJ Apa (Riverdale) and Britt Robertson (Tomorrowland).

Bloodshot

Based on the bestselling comic book, Ray Garrison is a soldier recently killed in action and brought back to life as the superhero Bloodshot by the RST corporation. With an army of nanotechnology in his veins, he’s an unstoppable force –stronger than ever and able to heal instantly. But in controlling his body, the company has sway over his mind and memories, too. Now, Ray doesn’t know what’s real and what’s not – but he’s on a mission to find out. Starring Vin Diesel (The Fast and the Furious), Sam Heughan (Outlander), and Eiza González (Baby Driver).

Stargirl

Stargirl from Disney+ is a tender and offbeat coming-of-age story based on the critically-acclaimed, New York Times’ best-selling young adult novel about an unassuming high schooler who finds himself inexplicably drawn to the free-spirited new girl, whose unconventional ways change how they see themselves…and their world. Starring Grace VanderWaal, Graham Verchere (The Good Doctor), and Giancarlo Esposito (Breaking Bad).

Spenser Confidential

When two Boston police officers are murdered, ex-cop Spenser teams up with his no-nonsense roommate, Hawk, to take down criminals. Starring Mark Wahlberg (Ted) and Winston Duke (Black Panther).

The Hunt

Twelve strangers wake up in a clearing. They don’t know where they are, or how they got there. They don’t know they’ve been chosen – for a very specific purpose – The Hunt. Starring Betty Gilpin (GLOW), Emma Roberts (We’re The Millers), Justin Hartley (This Is Us), and Hilary Swank (Million Dollar Baby).

My Spy

A hardened CIA operative finds himself at the mercy of a precocious 9-year-old girl, having been sent undercover to surveil her family. Starring Dave Bautista (Guardians of the Galaxy), Chloe Coleman (Big Little Lies), and Ken Jeong (Community).

Finding The Way Back

A former HS basketball phenom, struggling with alcoholism, is offered a coaching job at his alma mater. As the team starts to win, he may have a reason to confront his old demons. But will it be enough to set him on the road to redemption? Starring Ben Affleck (Gone Girl) and Janina Gavankar (True Blood).

What March movie are you most excited about? Tell us in the comments below!

The post March 2020 Movie Releases appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

So, if you’re after a sequel or new instalment, you can pick from Bad Boys For Life, A Quiet Place II, Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway, Fast & Furious 9, Wonder Woman 1984, Top Gun: Maverick, Ghostbusters: Afterlife, Minions 2, Bill and Ted Face The Music, Death On The Nile, Halloween Kills, Godzilla vs Kong, and Coming 2 America… Phew, and this isn’t even all the 2020 movie releases, plus there’s also a few prequels scattered throughout the year too!

Read on to discover a few of 2020’s movie releases and tell us what you’re looking forward to in the comments below!

JANUARY

The Voyage of Doctor Dolittle

After losing his wife seven years earlier, the eccentric Dr. John Dolittle, famed doctor and veterinarian of Queen Victoria’s England, hermits himself away. But when the young queen falls gravely ill, a reluctant Dolittle is forced to set sail on an epic adventure to a mythical island in search of a cure. Starring Robert Downey Jr. (Iron Man), Tom Holland (Spider-Man: Homecoming), Emma Thompson (Love Actually), and Michael Sheen (Masters of Sex).

The Gentlemen

A very British drug lord tries to sell off his highly profitable empire to a dynasty of Oklahoma billionaires. Starring Matthew McConaughey (Dallas Buyers Club), Charlie Hunnam (Sons of Anarchy), Michelle Dockery (Downton Abbey), and Jeremy Strong (Succession).

Bad Boys For Life

Marcus Burnett is now a police inspector and Mike Lowery is in a midlife crisis. They unite again when an Albanian mercenary, whose brother they killed, promises them an important bonus. Starring Will Smith (Bad Boys), Martin Lawrence (Bad Boys), Vanessa Hudgens (High School Musical), and Alexander Ludwig (Vikings).

The Rhythm Section

FEBRUARY

Birds of Prey: And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn

After splitting with the Joker, Harley Quinn joins superheroes Black Canary, Huntress and Renee Montoya to save a young girl from an evil crime lord. Starring Margot Robbie (Suicide Squad), Ewan McGregor (Moulin Rouge), and Mary Elizabeth Winstead (Scott Pilgrim vs. the World).

Sonic The Hedgehog

A cop in the rural town of Green Hills will help Sonic escape from the government who is looking to capture him. Starring Ben Schwartz (Parks and Recreation), Jim Carrey (Bruce Almighty), Tika Sumpter (mixed-ish), and James Marsden (X-Men).

Bloodshot

Based on the bestselling comic book, Vin Diesel stars as Ray Garrison, a soldier recently killed in action and brought back to life as the superhero Bloodshot by the RST corporation. With an army of nanotechnology in his veins, he’s an unstoppable force –stronger than ever and able to heal instantly. But in controlling his body, the company has sway over his mind and memories, too. Now, Ray doesn’t know what’s real and what’s not – but he’s on a mission to find out. Starring Vin Diesel (Fast & Furious), Sam Heughan (Outlander), and Eiza González (Baby Driver).

The Invisible Man

When Cecilia’s abusive ex takes his own life and leaves her fortune, she suspects his death was a hoax. As a series of coincidences turn lethal, Cecilia works to prove that she is being hunted by someone nobody can see. Starring Elisabeth Moss (The Handmaid’s Tale), Oliver Jackson-Cohen (The Haunting of Hill House), and Aldis Hodge (City On A Hill).

MARCH

Mulan

A young Chinese maiden disguises herself as a male warrior in order to save her father. A live-action feature film based on Disney’s ‘Mulan.’ Starring Yifei Liu, Li Gong, and Jet Li.

Onward

Set in a suburban fantasy world, two teenage elf brothers embark on a quest to discover if there is still magic out there. Featuring the voices of Tom Holland (Spider-Man: Homecoming) and Chris Pratt (Guardians of the Galaxy).

A Quiet Place: Part II

The sequel to the 2018 movie, A Quiet Place. Currently the plot of the movie is unknown. Starring Emily Blunt and Cillian Murphy (Peaky Blinders).

I Still Believe

The true-life story of Christian music star Jeremy Camp and his journey of love and loss that looks to prove there is always hope. Starring KJ Apa (Riverdale) and Britt Robertson (Tomorrowland).

APRIL

No Time To Die

Bond has left active service. His peace is short-lived when his old friend Felix Leiter from the CIA turns up asking for help, leading Bond onto the trail of a mysterious villain armed with dangerous new technology. Starring Daniel Craig, Léa Seydoux, Rami Malek (Bohemian Rhapsody), and Lashana Lynch (Captain Marvel).

The New Mutants

Five young mutants, just discovering their abilities while held in a secret facility against their will, fight to escape their past sins and save themselves. Starring Anya Taylor-Joy (Split), Maisie Williams (Game of Thrones), Antonio Banderas (The Mask of Zorro), and Charlie Heaton (Stranger Things).

The Secret Garden

When Mary Lennox’s parents suddenly die, she is sent to live with her uncle, Archibald Craven, on his remote country estate deep in the Yorkshire moors. While exploring, she discovers a hidden magical garden. Starring Dixie Egerickx, Colin Firth (Kingsman), and Julie Walters (Harry Potter).

Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway

Despite his efforts, Peter can’t seem to shake his reputation for mischief among the other rabbits. Once he adventures out of the garden Peter finds himself in a world where mischief is appreciated, but soon his family come to bring him home.

MAY

Black Widow

A film about Natasha Romanoff in her quests between the films Civil War and Infinity War. Starring Scarlett Johansson, Florence Pugh (Outlaw King), Rachel Weisz (The Favourite), and David Harbour (Stranger Things).

The Woman In The Window

An agoraphobic woman living alone in New York begins spying on her new neighbours only to witness a disturbing act of violence. Starring Amy Adams (Sharp Objects), Gary Oldman (The Dark Knight), and Julianne Moore (Still Alice).

Artemis Fowl

Artemis Fowl II, a young Irish criminal mastermind, kidnaps the fairy LEPrecon officer Holly Short for ransom to fund the search for his missing father in order to restore the family fortune. Starring Josh Gad (Beauty and the Beast), Hong Chau (Watchmen), and Judi Dench (Skyfall).

Fast & Furious 9

The ninth instalment of the Fast & Furious franchise. Starring Vin Diesel, John Cena, Helen Mirren, Michelle Rodriguez, and Nathalie Emmanuel.

JUNE

Wonder Woman 1984

Wonder Woman squares off against the Cheetah, a villainess who possesses superhuman strength and agility. Starring Gal Gadot, Chris Pine, Pedro Pascal (Game of Thrones), and Kristen Wiig (Bridesmaid).

In The Heights

A feature version of the Broadway musical, in which a bodega owner has mixed feelings about closing his store and retiring to the Dominican Republic after inheriting his grandmother’s fortune. Starring Anthony Ramos (A Star Is Born), Dascha Polanco (Orange Is The New Black), Stephanie Beatriz (Brooklyn Nine-Nine), and Lin-Manuel Miranda (Mary Poppins Returns).

Top Gun: Maverick

Pete “Maverick” Mitchell mentors a new generation of U.S. Navy fighter pilots. Starring Tom Cruise, Monica Barbaro (UnREAL), Miles Teller (Fantastic Four), and Glen Powell (Scream Queens).

Soul

A musician who has lost his passion for music is transported out of his body and must find his way back with the help of an infant soul learning about herself. Featuring the voices of Jamie Foxx (Django Unchained), Tina Fey (30 Rock), and Daveed Diggs (Black-ish).

JULY

Ghostbusters: Afterlife

Ghostbusters: Afterlife is an upcoming American fantasy comedy film directed by Jason Reitman from a screenplay by Reitman and Gil Kenan. Starring Paul Rudd (Ant-Man), Finn Wolfhard (Stranger Things), and Mckenna Grace (Designated Survivor).

Jungle Cruise

Based on Disneyland’s theme park ride where a small riverboat takes a group of travellers through a jungle filled with dangerous animals and reptiles, but with a supernatural element. Starring Dwayne Johnson (Jumanji), Emily Blunt (Mary Poppins Returns), and Jack Whitehall (Good Omens).

Minions: The Rise of Gru

The continuation of the adventures of the Minions, always in search of a tyrannical leader.

Free Guy

A bank teller discovers that he’s actually an NPC inside a brutal, open world video game. Starring Ryan Reynolds (Deadpool), Jodie Comer (Killing Eve), Channing Tatum (Magic Mike), and Taika Waititi (Thor: Ragnarok).

AUGUST

Bill & Ted Face the Music

Once told they’d save the universe during a time-travelling adventure, 2 would-be rockers from San Dimas, California find themselves as middle-aged dads still trying to crank out a hit song and fulfil their destiny.

Infinite

A man discovers that his hallucinations are actually visions from past lives. Starring Mark Wahlberg (Ted), Jason Mantzoukas (The Good Place), and Chiwetel Ejiofor (12 Years A Slave).

The One and Only Ivan

A gorilla named Ivan tries to piece together his past with the help of an elephant named Stella as they hatch a plan to escape from captivity. Featuring the voices of Angelina Jolie, Helen Mirren, Danny DeVito, and Sam Rockwell.

SEPTEMBER

The King’s Man

As a collection of history’s worst tyrants and criminal masterminds gather to plot a war to wipe out millions, one man must race against time to stop them. Starring Ralph Fiennes (Harry Potter), Harris Dickinson (Maleficent: Mistress of Evil), and Gemma Arterton (Prince of Persia).

Last Night In Soho

A young girl, passionate in fashion design, is mysteriously able to enter the 1960s where she encounters her idol, a dazzling wannabe singer. But 1960s London is not what it seems, and time seems to fall apart with shady consequences. Starring Anya Taylor-Joy (The Witch), Thomasin McKenzie (The King), and Matt Smith (Doctor Who).

Monster Hunter

When Lt. Artemis and her loyal soldiers are transported to a new world, they engage in a desperate battle for survival against enormous enemies with incredible powers. Feature film based on the video game by Capcom. Starring Milla Jovovich (Resident Evil), Tony Jaa, and Ron Perlman (Hellboy).

The Many Saints of Newark

A look at the formative years of New Jersey gangster, Tony Soprano. Starring Michael Gandolfini, Vera Farmiga, Jon Bernthal, Billy Magnussen, Ray Liotta, Corey Stoll, and Alessandro Nivola.

OCTOBER

Death On The Nile

While on vacation on the Nile, Hercule Poirot must investigate the murder of a young heiress. Starring Kenneth Branagh (Murder on the Orient Express), Gal Gadot (Wonder Woman), Armie Hammer (Call Me By Your Name), Rose Leslie (Game of Thrones), and Letitia Wright (Black Panther).

The Witches

Based on Roald Dahl’s 1983 classic book ‘The Witches’, the story tells the scary, funny and imaginative tale of a seven year old boy who has a run in with some real life witches! Starring Anne Hathaway (The Devil Wears Prada), Octavia Spencer (Hidden Figures), and Stanley Tucci (Easy A).

Halloween Kills

The saga of Michael Myers and Laurie Strode continues in the next thrilling chapter of the Halloween series.

BIOS

On a post-apocalyptic earth, a robot, built to protect the life of his dying creator’s beloved dog, learns about life, love, friendship and what it means to be human. Starring Tom Hanks (Forrest Gump), Samira Wiley (Orange Is The New Black), and Skeet Ulrich (Riverdale).

NOVEMBER

Eternals

The saga of the Eternals, a race of immortal beings who lived on Earth and shaped its history and civilisations. Starring Gemma Chan (Crazy Rich Asians), Angelina Jolie (Maleficent), Kit Harington (Game of Thrones), and Richard Madden (Game of Thrones).

Godzilla vs Kong

As the gigantic Kong meets the unstoppable Godzilla, the world watches to see which one of them will become King of the Monsters. Starring Millie Bobby Brown (Stranger Things), Eiza González (Baby Driver), and Alexander Skarsgård (True Blood).

Red Notice

An Interpol agent tracks the world’s most wanted art thief. Starring Gal Gadot (Wonder Woman), Dwayne Johnson (Jumanji), and Ryan Reynolds (Deadpool).

Raya and the Last Dragon

In a realm known as Lumandra, a re-imagined Earth inhabited by an ancient civilization, a warrior named Raya is determined to find the last dragon. Starring Awkwafina (Crazy Rich Asians) and Cassie Steele.

DECEMBER

Uncharted

The story is a prequel to the games, starring Holland as a younger Drake, showing us details of how he came to meet and befriend Sully. Starring Tom Holland (Spider-Man: Homecoming) and Mark Wahlberg (Ted).

West Side Story

An adaptation of the 1957 musical, West Side Story explores forbidden love, and the rivalry between the Jets and the Sharks, two teenage street gangs of different ethnic backgrounds. Starring Ansel Elgort (The Fault In Our Stars) and Rachel Zegler.

Coming 2 America

Akeem learns he has a long-lost son in the United States and must return to America to meet the unlikely heir to the throne of Zamunda. A sequel to the 1988 comedy ‘Coming to America’. Starring Eddie Murphy, Tracy Morgan, and Leslie Jones.

Dune

Feature adaptation of Frank Herbert’s science fiction novel, about the son of a noble family entrusted with the protection of the most valuable asset and most vital element in the galaxy. Starring Rebecca Ferguson (Mission: Impossible – Fallout), Timothée Chalamet (Call Me By Your Name), Jason Momoa (Game of Thrones), and Oscar Issac (Star Wars: The Force Awakens).

What 2020 movie are you looking forward to the most? Tell us in the comments below!

The post The Most Anticipated Movies of 2020 appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Comedian-turned-director John Krasinski has made this question a lot easier to answer. In A Quiet Place we feel terrified for our central characters who must literally tread lightly every second of their lives to stay alive. We feel deeply uncomfortable each time a character audibly breathes or carelessly bumps something, knowing that everything could come crashing to an end because of the tiniest mistake. Even the simple but constant imagery of a nail jutting out of a floorboard serves as a reminder of how fragile our human lives are.

But perhaps this is part of what we find so compelling about the genre. If comedy and drama elevate humans to be heroes of their own stories, horror raises the stakes by exposing us as nothing more than survivors attempting to hold onto our lives and sanity. There is something refreshingly honest about that.

A Quiet Place takes its own unusual spin on this, setting its action in a post-apocalyptic wasteland that has been run over by blind monsters that hunt their prey through sound. The few survivors left must live in silence, adapting every facet of their lives to avoid speaking, crying, laughing, screaming, walking on hard surfaces, clinking cutlery, and the list goes on. With some adjustments, these can be worked around. But when it comes to certain tasks like giving birth, staying silent is easier said than done.

By hinging the film on a premise that cuts out frequent dialogue or needless exposition, Krasinski imposes a number of restrictions on himself—and yet these limitations only serve to spur on his creativity. Most significantly, he experiments with sound design outside of conventional guidelines. Each new setting introduces a new kind of silence that differentiates itself from the rest: a deadly quiet farmhouse, a deserted grocery store, and even the true silence that can only be understood by a deaf person. Each silence carries its own menace in a different way, forcing us to become hypersensitive to every potential threat.

This high-concept premise could have potentially unfolded in a grander scope, but the choice to focus on the life of a family creates a more intimate, genuinely emotional connection to the narrative. The teenage daughter of this family, Regan, is deaf, so it is only fitting that the actress who plays her, Millicent Simmonds, is as well. Regan’s deafness works within the film on multiple levels. Most obviously, her deafness allows for more opportunities to play with sound design, emphasising the terror of not knowing when there is danger lurking just out of sight.

But Regan’s deafness also works symbolically, highlighting the dichotomy between humanity and the monsters. She can see but not hear; the monsters can hear but not see. As such, the gap between the two sides widen, making the monsters seem not only more threatening, but also more foreign.

And lastly, her deafness acts as a brilliantly original plot device at many points throughout the film, recognising both its setbacks and situational benefits. It allows for easy explanation as to why the family is fluent in sign language, it puts Regan in danger more than once, and most importantly, it is significant to her discovery of the monsters’ fatal weakness.

Lee, played by Krasinski, is the stoic protector of the family, willing to give up anything for their survival. He fulfills an important role in keeping them alive, and yet it is Emily Blunt’s role of Evelyn, the mother, who offers hope for a future beyond the current apocalyptic crisis. She doesn’t just want her family to survive – she wants to see them thrive, and to see her children becoming “fully-formed, fully-thinking people” who don’t forget the small joys in life that are part of their humanity. In these moments of lightness we let our guard down and grow to genuinely care for the family. This eventually pays off in the final moments of the film when we see how their persistence, ingenuity, and kindness may potentially pave a way to a better future.

So next time someone asks why horror is such a popular genre, pointing them towards A Quiet Place would be a decent response. While its brilliant technical creativity is absolutely captivating in its own right, the cast and the depth they instill into their characters are what sell this movie. They are intelligent survivors, but they are also compassionate humans determined to make the most of their lives that they fight so hard to keep. It is undeniably a scary movie that is supposed to make us uncomfortable, but that is exactly the point of horror. In our fear we can learn to appreciate not just our lives, but the lives of others as well. In A Quiet Place Krasinski manages to tie all of this together beautifully, creating a horror film that will surely be remembered in years to come.

What did you think of The Quiet Place? Tell us in the comments below!

The post Movie Review: A Quiet Place appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

The new Avengers film will see almost every MCU character appear from the last ten years worth of movies as they fight together to come against Thanos. Joining the April films are several comedies including Blockers starring John Cena and I Feel Pretty starring Amy Schumer. If you’re after something a little darker, John Krasinski directs his first film which he also stars in along with his wife Emily Blunt. Plus there’s also a new Dwayne Johnson film!

Read on to discover what movies are coming out this month and tell us in the comments below what you want to see!

Avengers: Infinity War

The Avengers and their allies must be willing to sacrifice all in an attempt to defeat the powerful Thanos before his blitz of devastation and ruin puts an end to the universe. Starring Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johannson, Chris Pratt, Robert Downey Jr, Elizabeth Olsen, Chris Evans, Karen Gillan, Tom Hiddleston, Tom Holland, Benedict Cumberbatch and the list goes on.

Blockers

Julie, Kayla and Sam are three high school seniors who make a pact to lose their virginity on prom night. Lisa, Mitchell and Hunter are three overprotective parents who flip out when they find out about their daughters’ plans. They soon join forces for a wild and chaotic quest to stop the girls from sealing the deal — no matter what the cost. Starring John Cena (Trainwreck), Leslie Mann (The Other Man), Ike Barinholtz (The Mindy Project), and Kathryn Newton (Supernatural).

I Feel Pretty

A woman struggling with insecurity wakes from a fall believing she is the most beautiful and capable woman on the planet. Her new confidence empowers her to live fearlessly, but what happens when she realises her appearance never changed? Starring Amy Schumer, Michelle Williams (The Greatest Showman), Emily Ratajkowski (Gone Girl), Busy Philipps (Cougar Town), Naomi Campbell (Empire), and Tom Hopper (Black Sails).

A Quiet Place

A family of four must navigate their lives in silence after mysterious creatures that hunt by sound threaten their survival. If they hear you, they hunt you. Starring Emily Blunt (The Girl on the Train), John Krasinski (The Office), Noah Jupe (Wonder), and Millicent Simmonds (Wonderstruck).

Rampage

Primatologist Davis Okoye shares an unshakeable bond with George, the extraordinarily intelligent gorilla who has been in his care since birth. But a rogue genetic experiment gone awry transforms this gentle ape into a raging monster. As these newly created monsters tear across North America, destroying everything in their path, Okoye teams with a discredited genetic engineer to secure an antidote, fighting his way through an ever-changing battlefield, not only to halt a global catastrophe but to save the fearsome creature that was once his friend. Starring Dwayne Johnson (Jumanji 2), Jeffrey Dean Morgan (The Walking Dead), Will Yun Lee (Altered Carbon), Malin Akerman (Billions), and Joe Manganiello (True Blood).

Spinning Man

A happily married professor, known for having many affairs with students, becomes the prime suspect when a young woman has gone missing. Starring Pierce Brosnan (Tomorrow Never Dies), Guy Pearce (Memento), Clark Gregg (Agents of SHIELD), Odeya Rush (The Giver), and Alexandra Shipp (Love, Simon).

Truth or Dare

A harmless game of Truth or Dare among friends turns deadly when someone — or something — begins to punish those who tell a lie or refuse the dare. Starring Lucy Hale (Pretty Little Liars), Tyler Posey (Teen Wolf), Violett Beane (The Flash), Nolan Gerard Funk (Awkward), and Sophia Ali (Faking It).

What movie are you most excited for this month? Tell us in the comments below!

The post April Movie Releases appeared first on The Nerd Daily.