Most Anticipated Films of 2018 (20 to 14)

As is tradition, I like to share my most anticipated films of the coming year, but given how much big films there are in my radar, I will have to resort to Top 20 this time...



Honourable Mentions:

A quick shout-out to the films that didn't make my list. In order of release:

- A Wrinkle in Time (March 9) 
- Robin Hood (September 21)
- Venom (October 5)
- Jungle Book (October 19)
- Bumblebee: The Movie (December 21)


20. Ocean's Eight (June 8)

              A spin-off of the Ocean's Trilogy but with a whole female crew this time. Hell yes! I like the overall idea (though the quality of the execution will be another matter entirely) and you just have to look at the cast to get excited. Cate Blanchett, Anne Hathaway, and one of my favourite actresses of all time, Sandra Bullock - among many. Mind you, this film could very well fail, but it sure looks like a fun idea.

19. The New Mutants (April 13)

              This film should be high in this list...like 'maybe cracking Top 10' high. I like the way Fox is operating with their Marvel properties, playing with many different genres (like the very comedic fourth-wall breaking Deadpool or the western drama Logan) and not pulling any punches with any of them. They're doing the same with this one....but why oh why it has to be horror/thriller. Damn. Don't get me wrong, I am so excited to see how this goes, but whether I'm that excited to step into a dark, loud theatre to watch this is a different question altogether.

18. Soldado (June 29)

               A sequel to the brilliant crime-drama Sicario. Unfortunately, director Denis Villeneuve is not returning, but the fact that writer Taylor Sheridan is back to write the script gives me confidence. His recent work has been brilliant, brilliant & brilliant (Sicario, Hell or High Water, Wind River). One can cautiously hope this next one to be similarly so...

17. The Predator (August 3)

               I am just a little bit unsure of this. I am excited to see a new Predator film, and moreover I am also very excited to see a new Shane Black film. His last film The Nice Guys is extremely good & funny, and is a must watch. But what he is really good at versus what I think a Predator film will be like are two quite different things. I suppose now the question becomes how much of his style/vision will be stamped into this new Predator movie and what the outcome will be.

16. Creed 2 (November 21)

              Creed was one of the best film of that year, and it's the film that got me liking Ryan Coogler as a director. Of course, Ryan Coogler is not returning because he is working on another film that is very high in this list (you'll see). But when you have someone like Sylvester Stallone taking over, with the love & passion he has for this franchise, and with some great people returning, including Dolph Lundgren, this is definitely one film I am very much looking forward to.

15. Deadpool 2 (June 1)


              I really appreciate & like what they did with the first Deadpool film, but I maintain that I still don't find it that great. It's funny (to a certain extent), but the rest of it is still quite standard. The story, the action, etc. So, if I am to really be excited with this sequel, they better kick it up a notch, especially in terms of the quality of storytelling.

14. Ready Player One (March 30)

               A Steven Spielberg big-budget science-fiction blockbuster. Probably should've easily made my Top 10, but the trailer that has been released didn't really get me much excited, unfortunately. I mean, I would never bet against this film in any way, but my anticipation level for this film isn't particularly that high either.