GeekFeed’s Top 10 Most Anticipated Films of 2017

GeekFeed’s Top 10 Most Anticipated Films of 2017

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Last year was something of a curveball in terms of politics and 2017 is the time in which we need to step up and take a swing at it. What possibly comes of Donald Trump’s presidency, nobody can know for sure, but if he does ever feel tempted to press that big red button, we here at GeekFeed would implore him to at least wait until the year is out so we can sample what looks to be a truly fantastic line-up of cinema releases.

Here are the ten that have us most excited.

10. The LEGO Batman Movie (words by Brianna Reeves)

the lego batman movie batcave teaser trailer screen shot h 2016 GeekFeed's Top 10 Most Anticipated Films of 2017
The real Justice League (Image: Warner Bros.)

Batman has been a mainstay of the big screen for the past three decades, and the Dark Knight’s cinematic appearances have seen the vigilante proudly don his dark and brooding persona. But what if the dark and brooding is dialed up to eleven with a tad of absurdity thrown in for good measure? The LEGO Movie offered a taste of the hilarious possibilities, but the The LEGO Batman Movie, which is supposedly “vastly superior,” is set to explore them even further.

The spinoff will introduce Joker and Robin to the fold and from the trailers alone, Michael Cera’s take on Robin has already warmed the hearts of millions — interestingly, so has Zach Galifianakis’ Joker. Kind of. What’s most exciting about the film is seeing how it makes fun of its titular character and his long history. Again, the trailers have been excellently driving the hype on that front and several others. In them, we’ve seen a familiar yet different Dark Knight, one who plays the straight man in a sea of humor, somewhat akin to his animated counterparts. Even better is knowing that only months after the LEGO Movie release, the Bat will take to the screen once more.

9. Kingsman: The Golden Circle (words by Tom Acres)

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Reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated (Image: 20th Century Fox)

As 007’s assignments become increasingly fueled by grit, and the Mission: Impossible films begin to feel somewhat cookie-cutter after five entries, it’s great to know that we’re getting a sequel to a film that provided a major shot in the arm to the spy genre. Kingsman: The Secret Service was a delightful surprise, not because it was good, but simply because of how good it was. Director Matthew Vaughn and screenwriter Jane Goldman had plenty of pedigree thanks to their work on StardustKick-Ass, and X-Men: First Class, but Kingsman bettered all of them.

Taron Egerton will return as our unlikely hero Eggsy, who will assume the role of Galahad in the titular spy network as they confront Julianne Moore’s villainous Poppy. She’s got big boots to fill after Samuel L. Jackson’s star turn in the first film, but we’re expecting good things. Vaughn and Goldman haven’t done a sequel before, having vacated Kick-Ass 2 and X-Men: Days of Future Past, so it’s a real show of faith in the material from them to have stayed on. Mark Strong will also be back, and somehow it looks as though the presumed dead Harry Hart (Colin Firth) will be too. Among the other newcomers are Halle Berry, Pedro Pascal, Channing Tatum, and Jeff Bridges. It’s some cast – let’s hope they deliver.

8. Logan (words by Tom Acres)

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The Last of Us (Image: 20th Century Fox)

The X-Men series has been about as consistent as mobile phone reception in the countryside, with audiences walking into each entry unsure if they’re going to be rapturously entertained or driven to contemplations of suicide. Last year’s Apocalypse was an absolutely rotten follow-up to the brilliant Days of Future Past, and – despite being one of the highlights of the franchise – Hugh Jackman has starred in two Wolverine-focused spin-offs that rank among the worst of the lot.

Quite incredible, then, that another of those has made it’s way onto this list. Logan is here because of a frankly astonishing debut trailer, showcasing a tone and style unlike anything you’ve ever seen in any other cinematic superhero romp, let alone an X-Men film. Johnny Cash’s Hurt is the perfect soundtrack for this brooding and atmospheric two-minute tease, which boasts intense violence blended with what looks to be further exploration of the heartfelt relationship between the titular hero and Charles Xavier, plus Dafne Keen’s X-23.

The latter’s appearance alongside Logan has drawn comparisons with Ellie and Joel in The Last of Us – if Logan even approaches that level of storytelling quality, it could be something very special indeed.

7. Wonder Woman (words by Brianna Reeves)

wonder woman 2017 movie wide GeekFeed's Top 10 Most Anticipated Films of 2017
Some kind of Suicide Squad? (Image: Warner Bros.)

It’s hard to believe Wonder Woman hits theaters in only six months; even more difficult to comprehend is that it’s the character’s first live-action film. There have been several attempts to bring the Amazon to theaters in the past, including one from Joss Whedon, but it seems the timing wasn’t right until now. Monster’s Patty Jenkins is at the helm, with Gal Gadot’s Wonder Woman taking lead in a film packed with an impressive cast.

The trailers we’ve seen, thus far, have teased a bit of the humor and action we should expect to witness come June and little else. Official synopsis aside, which offers scant details, hardly anything about the film’s plot is public knowledge. However, after months of the big bad being speculated to Themyscira and back, Ares has finally been confirmed as the film’s main villain.

In Batman v Superman, DC’s Trinity appeared together for the first time on the big screen. Wonder Woman may have stolen the show then, but her solo will truly give the character a chance to shine. Besides the historical precedent the film is setting, the anticipation is especially geared towards how Diana’s tale, both past and present, will further expand the DCEU. 2017 is going to be a great year for superhero movies and Wonder Woman is poised to be a stand out.

6. Dunkirk (words by Thomas Lynch)

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A day at the beach (Image: Warner Bros.)

Christopher Nolan has established himself as one of the most prominent directors around. Memento put him on the map as an innovative and eloquent storyteller, whereas The Dark Knight Trilogy and Interstellar demonstrated his mastery of narrative on a large scale. His latest project, Dunkirk, is going to channel and test both those traits. Not only will Nolan have to present the magnitude of the historic battle, but tell it in such a way that keeps audiences in suspense despite knowing the outcome.

Every film Nolan has made deals with some sort of high-value concept, but Dunkirk will mark the first that is based on actual events. It will be exciting to see then how his style of filmmaking translates to a film of that nature. No doubt it will be grand, authentically produced and supported by a hair-raising score – a spectacle that draws on every ounce of the cinematic experience and one we can’t wait to see later this year.

5. War for the Planet of the Apes (words by Tom Acres)

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Ape got dandruff (Image: 20th Century Fox)

If War for the Planet of the Apes is good, we could be looking at one of the greatest trilogies in recent history. So often the third film fails to stick the landing and it would be incredibly tragic if this followed suit after the success of 2011’s Rise and 2014’s Dawn.

Woody Harrelson is leading humanity in a final stand against Andy Serkis’ Caesar this time round, with some intense battle sequences already teased by the recently released first trailer. What’s always been more impressive about than the action with these films, however, is just how excellent the stories and character work are. Both come to the fore and – so far – the series has done a great job of enticing audiences to take sides. The humans nor the apes are perfect, but only one species can come out on top and we can’t wait to find out which.

4. Justice League (words by Thomas Lynch)

justice league movie cast GeekFeed's Top 10 Most Anticipated Films of 2017
Please be good (Image: Warner Bros.)

Whenever there is a conversation about the recent DC movies, it is hung on the divisive responses and that the cinematic universe is in a bit of a rough spot. Batman v Superman didn’t resonate with some – whether that be because of its tone or bloated plot – and Suicide Squad was panned by critics, but prospered at the box office. However, people are quick to forget that we got to see two of the most prolific superheroes duke it out on the silver screen for the first time, and a movie revolved entirely around a team of B-list villains. Summer blockbusters predominantly feature dudes in capes nowadays, but for comic book fans alike, this was still a pretty big deal.

This is precisely the reason why we’re itching to see Justice League in 2017. Sure it would be great to have a DC movie be as beloved as the majority of Marvel’s offerings, but the fact we are seeing the JLA unite on screen is enough to have us bouncing off the walls with excitement. There is a lot riding on it, Snyder could completely balls it up, but give us the money shot and spectacular final third of them all kicking ass, and that will go down a treat.

3. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (words by Geo Peño)

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Vin Diesel for Best Actor (Image: Walt Disney Studios)

If people had told me five years ago that a talking tree, a bad-mouthing raccoon, Han Solo, a WWE fighter, and Neytiri from Avatar were going to star in one of my favorite Marvel films to date, I’d tell them that sounded nuts. James Gunn brought us the funnest movie in the MCU, with the best soundtrack anybody could fathom, so what negativity can you bring to the table after that?

I’m expecting the same amount of fun and heart with Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 2. It’s interesting that the first movie had so much entertainment value that a lot of us are not even crying out for the ante to be upped. We just want another great chapter in the story of these wonderful characters.

2. Spider-Man: Homecoming (words by Geo Peño)

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The definitive cinematic Spidey? (Image: Sony Pictures/Disney/Marvel)

Marvel Comics’ flagship superhero is once again headlining his own movie and instead of complaining about the apparent Spider-Man overhaul, fans are excited. Spider-Man’s appearance in Captain America: Civil War last year marked a historic MCU moment. It also showed us how Sony and Marvel Studios could successfully get along. Spider-Man: Homecoming will peak the possibilities of that relationship by straying from an origin story and delving into Peter Parker’s life in an Avengers world. In turn, it will also setup the future of the newest version of our friendly neighborhood teen hero.

In fear of Peter being upstaged during his own movie, hopefully what we got to see of Tony Stark in the released first trailer will be it. As one of the many who grew up wishing he could don the webs in real life, my excitement knows no bounds. The desired John Hughes tone that Jon Watts is aiming for is just the icing on top of the nostalgically relatable cake that will hopefully be Spider-Man: Homecoming.

1. Star Wars: Episode VIII (words by Tom Acres)

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What will Luke’s first line be?! (Image: Walt Disney/Lucasfilm)

It had to be Star Wars, didn’t it? We know pretty much nothing about the plot of the eighth episode in the main saga and not even its title has yet been revealed, but after The Force Awakens and Rogue One knocked it out of the park, expectations couldn’t be higher for the Episode VIII.

Experiencing the next step in the journeys of the new generation of characters introduced in 2015’s film has us chomping at the bit, with Rey, Finn, Poe and Kylo Ren proving to be instant hits with audiences in their debut outing. While we’re all going to miss Harrison Ford’s Han Solo terribly, we’re confident that Mark Hamill’s full-blown return as our childhood Jedi hero Luke Skywalker will more than make up for his absence.

What’s most intriguing, though, is that it’s Rian Johnson in the director’s chair. His work on Breaking Bad and Looper shows what different pedigree has to J.J. Abrams, who everyone knew would be a safe pair of hands after his work on Star Trek and how well he captured the spirit of the era the original Star Wars was born from with Super 8. Johnson’s direction will likely strike a very different tone. The Force Awakens was criticised for its similarities to A New Hope, so we don’t want Episode VIII to be a retread of Empire, but we’re certainly hopeful of seeing Supreme Leader Snoke and The First Order show just why they’re a force to be reckoned with this time round.

And lest we forget, Episode VIII will also feature the final appearance of Carrie Fisher as the iconic Leia Organa. Let’s hope it’s a fitting send-off.

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Newspaper journalist by day, GeekFeed staff writer by night. In an abusive relationship with Arsenal at weekends.
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