A new year holds new promise that we will finally beat the pandemic and return to movie houses to experience films the old fashion way. Yet, we also need to recognize that movie going as we know it has changed. Streaming new releases in the comfort of your home is likely here to stay. As we have done in years past, we have canvassed the most guy-worthy movies to see for 2022. 2022 looks to have stories that run the gamut. From gangster classics to superheroes reinvented and reborn, comedies, throwback nostalgia and above all stories that feature members of our communidad. Check em’ out here.
February
Godfather 50th Anniversary
Considered one of the greatest films of all time, The Godfather will receive a limited theatrical release beginning Feb. 25th. For those cinephiles that enjoy viewing films in a theater there is even more of a special treat. The re-release will take advantage of the recent 4K transfer supervised by writer-director Francis Ford Coppola. Now that’s an offer we can’t refuse.
Unchartered
This for the gamers out there. One of the biggest video games of the past 20 years gets the big screen treatment. With A-List talent filling the roles. The film is a prequel to the games, starring Spider-Man himself Tom Holland as a young Nathan Drake. The film delves into his origin story, including details of how he came to meet and befriend Sully, who is played by Mark Wahlberg.
March
The Batman
A reboot several years in the making delayed by the pandemic. The latest iteration of The Dark Knight is said to be noir inspired, darker and grittier than previous incarnations – a high bar to meet when you come after the Chris Nolan trilogy. Yet, Matt Reeves, director of The Batman promises just that. The man under the cowl this go around is Robert Pattinson.
The film is set to take place two years Wayne’s career as the Batman. When a killer targets Gotham’s elite with a series of sadistic machinations, a trail of cryptic clues sends the World’s Greatest Detective on an investigation into the underworld, where he encounters such characters as Selina Kyle/aka Catwoman (Zoë Kravitz), Oswald Cobblepot/aka the Penguin (Colin Farrell), Carmine Falcone (John Turturro), and Edward Nashton/aka the Riddler (Paul Dano).
April
Morbius
Initially set for release in 2021, the film was also delayed due to the pandemic. Starring Jared Leto in the titular role. Morbius: The Living Vampire is a lesser-known character in the MCU, but has a great story, nonetheless. The film tells the origin tale of biochemist Michael Morbius. As he tries to cure himself of a rare blood disease and inadvertently infects himself with a form of vampirism instead. Jared Leto looks perfect in the role. Fans of the MCU may also be pleased to see some world building going on. The trailer contains obvious and not so obvious Spider-Man Easter eggs, which considering the recent mega success of Spider-Man: No Way Home, takes on even greater meaning.
May
Top Gun: Maverick
Also delayed due to the pandemic is Top Gun: Maverick. The world’s most famous fighter pilot was set to return to the big screen in 2021, but star and studio felt it best to wait to get a proper theatrical release. Hey, for those waiting since1984 what’s another year? Tom Cruise returns to one of the roles that made him a star. Three decades later Pete Mitchell is where he belongs, pushing the envelope as a test pilot and dodging the advancement in rank that would ground him. When he finds himself training a detachment of Top Gun graduates for a specialized mission the likes of which no living pilot has ever seen, Maverick encounters Lt. Bradley Bradshaw call sign: “Rooster,” the son of Maverick’s late friend and Radar Intercept Officer Lt. Nick Bradshaw, aka “Goose.” Of course, some conflict and daddy issues are going to arise.
Dr. Strange Multiverse of Madness
We’re getting our second feature film focusing on Dr. Stephen Strange. Following his initial debut, there were several supporting roles in the Avengers films, as well as Spider-Man: No Way Home. This go around Dr. Stephen Strange casts a forbidden spell that opens the door to the multiverse and an alternate version of Strange, whose threat to humanity is too great for even the combined forces of Strange, Wong, and Wanda Maximoff / Scarlet Witch who are along for the ride. Rumor also has it that a certain OG Spider-Man will be making a cameo. Given his relationship with director Sam Raimi – this rumor has got some traction.
July
Black Adam
This one has been a long time coming but Dwayne Johnson’s highly anticipated DCU debut is finally happening in the form of Black Adam. Johnson stars as the titular antihero a powerful being on par with Superman and the original champion of the wizard Shazam. But unlike his heroic counterpart played by Zachary Levi, Adam’s sense of morality is often a bit more like Batman. Black Adam will tell the story of the character’s return to the mortal world after spending a long time in a magical prison. We can only guess what terrible vengeance or can of whupass he’ll be brining to the big screen.
September
MI-7
Tom Cruise is looking to make 2022 what 2021 was not. As the seventh installment in his Mission Impossible franchise is set for release. Currently, the biggest thing we know about this film is Cruise’s onset COVID-19 rant.
Moviemaking drama aside, Christopher McQuarrie back to direct. Cruise is back with his IMF team, including Simon Pegg, Ving Rhames and Rebecca Ferguson. On the spoilery tip, Vanessa Kirby is back as White Widow and Esai Morales will be playing the villain. Were super psyched to see Morales, a great veteran actor, get some marquee billing. Let’s hope he brings some of that villainy we saw in Ozark to the role.
October
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
Miles Morales and his spider-friends are back and not just for one, but two additional installments. Sony announced that Spider-Verse follow-up is going to be split into two separate features with a Part One, and a Part Two. The official synopsis for the film.
Miles Morales returns for the next chapter of the Oscar®-winning Spider-Verse saga, an epic adventure that will transport Brooklyn’s full-time, friendly neighborhood Spider-Man across the Multiverse to join forces with Gwen Stacy and a new team of Spider-People to face off with a villain more powerful than anything they have ever encountered.”
November
The Flash
One of the most anticipated films of the DCEU for 2022 is The Flash. The scarlet speedster makes his solo big film debut and he’s got some company. Argentine director Andy Muschietti is at the helm and the film is said to be based on the famous Flash Point story line which find Allen travelling to different timelines and worlds where he encounters multiple versions of friends and foe alike. Said to be a new jumping off point for the DCEU the film will also feature Michael Keaton reprising his role as Batman, Ben Affleck appearing as his version of the Dark Knight, as well as Latina ingenue Sasha Calle as Supergirl.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
If ever there were a sequel that is being made with a heavy heart it is Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. The sequel to the 2018 mega smash Black Panther will go on without its star Chadwick Boseman who died in 2020 of colon cancer and played the titular hero also known as T’Challa.
Returning to director’s chair is phenom Ryan Coogler as is the remainder of the cast from the first film. In terms of story line, not much is known. MCU execs have stated that role of T’Challa would not be recast and said the sequel would explore the world and characters of the first film to honor the legacy that Boseman helped build and the primary focus of the sequel will be to further explore the characters and “different subcultures” of Wakanda. With Coogler at the helm we have faith the sequel will tell a new story while honoring its anchor.
Creed III
With a year filled superhero films, it’s great to see a film where the hero is not discovering new powers or donning a cape to fight crime. In this case, the cape is replaced by boxing gloves. As Adonis Creed returns for a third outing in Creed III. Not much is known about the storyline, but the talent in front and behind the camera has garnered significant attention. Michael B. Jordan is returning as Adonis Creed, as is Tessa Thompson and Phylicia Rashad as his wife and mother. Yet, notably missing in this outing is Sylvester Stallone – his Rocky Balboa will not be in the third segment. Jonathan Majors of Love Craft Country has been cast as the antagonist. Yet perhaps the biggest development is Michael B. Jordan will also be directing this installment.
December
Avatar 2
A sequel over 10 years in the making Avatar 2 is finally set to hit the screen in December.
The sequel finds Jake Sully and Neytiri having formed a family and doing anything they can to stay together. However, when an old threat returns to finish what they started, they are forced to leave their home and explore the different regions of Pandora.
Cast members Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, Stephen Lang, Giovanni Ribisi, Joel David Moore, Dileep Rao, CCH Pounder, and Matt Gerald are all reprising their roles from the original film, with Sigourney Weaver returning in a different role.
We’ve also got some new heavyweight additions in terms of talent and tech. New cast members including Kate Winslet, Cliff Curtis, Edie Falco, and Vin Diesel. And it’s said, the delay in making the sequel was due to director James Cameron need to develop new tech film performance capture scenes underwater.
