Movies are big business, and major studios earmark their spots on the release schedule
years ahead of time.
As such, it isn't too early to start making box office predictions for 2018.
There are dozens of promising projects slated for release, so here are some of the movies
that are going to blow everyone away in 2018.
Han Solo
Now that Rogue One has proven that the Star Wars galaxy is viable even without Jedi, the
Han Solo prequel, with Alden Ehrenreich taking over the role from Harrison Ford, has sturdier
legs than R2D2.
The film, co-directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, co-stars TV's Emilia Clarke and Donald
Glover, and looks to shed light on how Han became such a swaggering space scoundrel in
the first place.
Han Solo's faithful fans should be eager to see a story from his younger days.
But the big question remains — will we finally get to meet Chewy's family on the big screen?
(Wookie roars)
Hopefully, the answer's a resounding "no."
We'll find out on May 25, 2018.
Avengers: Infinity War
If we had to pick a shoe-in for smash of the summer, it'd have to be Infinity War.
The MCU has really all been building up to this moment.
Iron Man and his Avengers, the Guardians of the Galaxy, Spider-Man, Doctor Strange, and
Captain Marvel — everyone's gonna be there for the big battle's beginning.
This is the blockbuster of the year, no doubt about it, and it launches on May 4, 2018.
The Predator
Kicking off a new round of interplanetary big game hunting, The Predator finds writer-director
Shane Black — who was one of Arnold's fellow soldiers in the 1987 original — making a
long-overdue return to the franchise.
Black's promised to make it "the biggest Predator yet" on February 9, 2018, with the help of
sci-fi savvy stars Boyd Holbrook and Olivia Munn.
Bad Boys for Life
By the time Bad Boys for Life hits theaters, a full 15 years will have passed since Bad
Boys 2, when detectives Mike Lowrey, played by Will Smith, and Marcus Burnett, played
by Martin Lawrence, decided that they were, well...
"Bad boys for life."
It's a bromantic sentiment which is obviously true if they've survived another decade and
a half together.
Little is known about what the duo will be getting into this time, but if it's anything
like the first two films, it's bound to escalate quickly.
"Now back up, put the gun down, and give me a pack of Tropical Fruit Bubblicious."
"And some Skittles."
Pacific Rim: Uprising
The domestic receipts for 2013's Pacific Rim were a bit of a disappointment, but the Guillermo
del Toro film was well-liked by those who actually ventured out to see the stylish sci-fi
showcase.
Even though the lackluster North American ticket sales of the first film seemed to put
the idea of a follow-up in the "unlikely" column, international audiences, always ready
for a monster fight, gave producers enough motivation to justify greenlighting a second
round of the Kaiju smackdown.
John Boyega joins the cast as the son of Idris Elba's character from the first installment.
Expect a release on February 23, 2018.
Ant-Man and the Wasp
For many, Ant-Man was one of the most enjoyable entries in the MCU to date.
The tiny title character, played by Paul Rudd, was as earnest as they come, and the Honey
I Shrunk the Kids-esque visual spectacle of the movie was just pure fun.
The final act set the stage for Hope van Dyne, played by Evangeline Lilly, to finally suit
up alongside our hero.
So for those who've relished the Wasp's adventures in the comics, it's about time we get to see
her fly.
And at least we know that Ant-Man survives Infinity War, right?
We'll find out on July 6, 2018.
Wreck-It Ralph 2
Disney's Wreck-It Ralph was a commercial and critical success that found a way to entertain
kids and parents nostalgic for the 8-bit era.
We know John C. Reilly and Sarah Silverman will return to voice their unlikely heroic
duo, but all that's been revealed so far is that it'll be released on March 9, 2018, and
Ralph will be "wreaking havoc on the web" this time around.
And we already know that Reilly is an Internet expert, so we're in good hands.
"In 1971, Bill Grates invented Michaelsoft.
Wouldn’t it be cool if I could remember my DINGUS password for my email?
That would be cool!"
Black Panther
The Marvel Cinematic Universe is expanding even further in Phase Three, with Ryan Coogler's
Black Panther branching out to Wakanda to focus on Chadwick Boseman's T'Challa, who
made his debut in 2016's Captain America: Civil War.
With an all-star cast that includes Oscar-winner Lupita Nyong'o and Danai Gurira, along with
frequent Coogler collaborator Michael B. Jordan, Black Panther is poised to continue the MCU's
streak of box office domination on February 16, 2018.
Aquaman
The brief introduction of Arthur "Aquaman" Curry in Dawn of Justice was but a taste of
what's to come from Game of Thrones' Jason Momoa as the trident-wielding hero, who'll
embrace his destiny as the heir to the kingdom of Atlantis.
Director James Wan helms the wet and wild action film, set for release on October 5,
2018, with Amber Heard, Patrick Wilson, and Willem Dafoe also on deck to star.
Thankfully, there are no green stretch pants in sight.
Tomb Raider
Even without Angelina Jolie back for another round of archaeological badassery as Lara
Croft, the Tomb Raider reboot-slash-prequel should fare nicely with recent Oscar winner
Alicia Vikander stepping into the lead role.
On March 16, 2018, the new film will take viewers back in time into an earlier chapter
from the character's history...
"Well...kill her!"
"Hey!"
Okay, maybe not that early.
Croft will on a search for her father and Walton Goggins is coming on to play the villain.
The Incredibles 2
Disney-Pixar's The Incredibles was a blast, but writer-director Brad Bird took a long
break before getting down to work on a second installment.
Details on the sequel are slim, but with our live-action comic heroes mostly just fighting
with each other lately, it might be prime time to offer up a return to good old-fashioned
villain-fighting.
If you're looking for a semi-sequel before the film's release on June 15, 2018, you can
always dig out your GameCube and play Rise of the Underminer.
Jurassic World Sequel
After what happened in 2015's Jurassic World, it might be hard to envision a scenario that
would allow the world's deadliest theme park to legally reopen for business.
But the film's box office domination made a sequel a legal requirement.
While we can't even guess what they'll get up to this time around, we know stars Chris
Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard are expected to reprise their roles on June 22, 2018.
That, and there'll be a lot of action figures.
"And a pteranodon battles a spitting dilophosaurus!
Each sold separately!"
Mission: Impossible 6
Tom Cruise's Ethan Hunt is at it again.
Director Christopher McQuarrie returns to helm a sixth installment of the covert ops
action-adventure series.
While details are minimal as to what the actual storyline will be, Cruise has promised that
some bonkers new stunts he's spent years training for will be among the many set pieces.
Get ready for action on July 27, 2018.
A Wrinkle In Time
Amazingly, the cherished sci-fi-fantasy children's classic has yet to be adapted to death by
Hollywood, and we're not counting the 2003 Disney Channel movie.
So for director Ava DuVernay, the sky itself isn't even a limit as to what she can do with
this beloved tale.
She's brought in a boatload of A-listers to help her bring the saga to the silver screen,
including Reese Witherspoon, Chris Pine, and professional weirdo Zach Galifianakis.
Put some time aside on April 6, 2018.
The Flash
The DC Extended Universe gives Ezra Miller his turn to shine here in a standalone turn
as Barry "The Flash" Allen, after the character was introduced in Batman V Superman: Dawn
of Justice.
The small screen has been kind to the speedy hero with The CW's The Flash, but maybe not
so kind to 1990's Flash…
...so there's really no way to know which kind of Flash we'll get, especially now that
the creative team on the film has changed multiple times, and the script has returned
for a complete rewrite.
Still, there's a good chance fans will race to the ticket stand in 2018 for this one.
Jungle Book
Not to be confused with Disney's animated 1967 classic, or the 1994 live-action film,
or even Jon Favreau's live-action version from 2016, or the slew of other adaptations
inspired by Rudyard Kipling's book about a boy who's raised by jungle animals…
Andy Serkis' version of The Jungle Book, anticipated for release on October 19, 2018, will feature
him in prime motion-capture form, alongside sci-fi fantasy mainstays Benedict Cumberbatch,
Christian Bale, and Cate Blanchett.
Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them 2
J.K.
Rowling's Harry Potter spinoff series Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is on deck for
its second installment, following Eddie Redmayne's Newt Scamander and his pals on another leg
of his adventure through American Witchcraft and Wizardry.
Following the first film's introduction of Gellert Grindelwald, played by Johnny Depp,
and a mention of Albus Dumbledore, the second film is expected to begin the battle for the
ages between the esteemed professor and his former bestie-gone-rogue.
The film launches on November 16, 2018.
Mary Poppins Returns
Author P.L.
Travers might be rolling in her grave over this one, but there's reason to believe the
new installment of the Mary Poppins story could recapture some of the magic of the supercalifragilisticexpialidocious
nanny and her now-grown charges.
Emily Blunt stars in the title role, with Emily Mortimer, Ben Whishaw, Colin Firth,
and Lin-Manuel Miranda supporting.
Dick Van Dyke is also expected to appear in the film, but at over 90 years old, he won't
be climbing up any rooftops or cleaning chimneys anytime soon.
Get ready for a spoonful of Poppins on Christmas, 2018.
Avatar 2
James Cameron has buzzed about a sequels to his 2009 alien adventure Avatar for ages,
and after years of much hype and delay, it's finally, probably, maybe actually happening.
Sam Worthington and Zoe Saldana are expected to reprise their roles as the formerly interspecies
romantic partners Jake and Neytiri, and somehow Sigourney Weaver is also going to be involved,
despite the death of her character.
But she's also hinted that the pic might just get pushed back again beyond its expected
December 21, 2018 release date.
Maze Runner: The Death Cure
Production on the third Maze Runner installment was significantly delayed back in April 2016
due to a gruesome injury suffered by lead actor Dylan O'Brien on the set.
Despite that setback and a middling domestic box office return on the first sequel, The
Scorch Trials, the series' third run at the big screen should kick off on January 12,
2018 — nearly a year after its planned release date.
But its promise to finally give those gladers their big showdown with WCKD should be enough
to give audiences their second wind and get them out for the franchise's finish line.
Ready Player One
While young adult dystopias haven't all done well at the box office lately, Ernest Cline's
bestselling novel has all the components to make it a solid success.
Combine an engrossing Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory-meets-Hackers narrative,
with a strong cast including Ben Mendelsohn, T.J. Miller, and Olivia Cooke, and blockbuster
director Steven Spielberg, and you have a recipe for success.
Start getting ready on March 30, 2018.
If it's anything like the book, it'll be an amazing trip back to the '80s.
(whipping it good)
Rampage
Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson just can't seem to miss lately.
So with him on deck to star in this adaptation of the classic arcade game about giant monsters
destroying city skylines for the heck of it, it doesn't actually matter that it's a ridiculous
concept.
Johnson will reunite with director Brad Peyton — the same pairing that brought box office
glory to 2012's Journey 2: The Mysterious Island and 2015's San Andreas.
Get ready for giant apes and killer lizards on April 20, 2018.
How The Grinch Stole Christmas
Apparently, we haven't seen the last of Dr. Seuss' Christmas-stealing character.
While Jim Carrey's turn as the holiday-hating beast was enough to satisfy the live-action
crowd, Universal Pictures is rebooting the original on November 9, 2018, with Benedict
Cumberbatch lending his vocals to the title role, because the first two movies on this
list starring Cumberbatch just weren't enough.
Ladies love the Cumberbatch.
"He was so close that had he been wearing cologne, I think I would have been able to
tell.
Just the lightest Cumbermusk in the Boston sunshine."
Deadpool 2
Ryan Reynolds made a triumphant return as Wade "Merc with a Mouth" Wilson in Deadpool
after appearing as the mutilated character in X-Men Origins: Wolverine.
The unexpected departure of director Tim Miller is a little troubling, but Reynolds remains
dedicated to the franchise, and he's indicated that the sequel might bring a mutant mercenary
named Domino on board for the next round of action, as well as one more early reveal…
"The sequel?
We're gonna have Cable."
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