14 DAY TRIAL // Happy New Year! Two days into 2015, we’re getting ready for an amazing year at the box office, and hopefully, even fewer bombs than we had in the previous one. 2015 will be the year of reboots and sequels, the year when we revisit beloved characters in new incarnations or say goodbye to long-standing favorites.
Sure, Hollywood seems to be running on an empty tank in terms of creativity / originality, but that doesn’t mean that the movies coming out in 2015 won’t be worth our time. Depending on your taste in cinema, you have plenty to choose from.
Below are some of the most anticipated releases of the year, in no particular order.
“Fifty Shades of Gray”
Don’t laugh! Even if you’re not among the target audience for this flick, that doesn’t mean that there aren’t millions of people dying with anticipation to see it. As luck would have it, they don’t have to wait that long because it is scheduled for release on Valentine’s Day, so mark the date in your calendars because that’s when the charismatic, troubled, and handsome Mr. Christian Grey finally comes to life on the big screen.
Based on the adult novel by E.L. James, “Grey” has been mocked and criticized more than any other popular work of fiction. It is basically the story of a rich man whose only understanding of romance implies a whip and handcuffs, who falls for a virgin / ingénue graduate, Anastasia Steele. The film stars Jamie Dornan and Dakota Johnson, and is directed by Sam Taylor-Johnson.
“Mission: Impossible 5”
There was a time when people would have bet good money that Tom Cruise was done for as an action star. Still, he remains one of the most bankable stars of this kind, and he continues making solid action flicks, regardless of the negative media attention he’s constantly getting for his involvement with the Church of Scientology.
“Mission Impossible 5” will probably not be an exception, though there’s a chance it might fall flat because the franchise is what you might call “uneven.” Still, hype around the film is considerable: did you know that Cruise still does his own stunts, even if that means hanging onto a flying plane hundreds of feet in the air?
Directed by Christopher McQuarrie, the film will be out in December 2015 – and possibly have Alec Baldwin as the villain.
“The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2”
All good things come to an end, and this also holds true to Katniss Everdeen’s amazing journey towards saving Panem from the clutches of President Snow and his army, and freeing the people from the Districts. “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2,” the fourth and final installment in one of the biggest franchises of our times, comes out in November 2015.
Filming for it has already wrapped, as it was shot back-to-back with “Part 1,” which came out this year. “Part 2” is now in post-production, and industry estimates say that it will probably be the best seller at the box office from the 4 installments.
“Furious 7”
The seventh “Fast & Furious” film would have been a much hyped release even without the tragedy that threatened to make it impossible for it to be completed. Last year, Paul Walker, one of the leads in the franchise, was killed in a one-car crash, just as production was taking a Thanksgiving break.
The studio initially considered pulling the plug on the film because Walker had yet to shoot the most important scenes, but a workaround was eventually found in his brothers, who stood in for him. His face was applied to their body with CGI, so the only “obstacle” still left was to figure a way to say goodbye to his character.
“Furious 7” is Paul Walker’s final film and millions of fans are expected to pay their respects to the late actor by seeing it. It will be out in April.
“Ant-Man”
We’re yet to see a trailer for Marvel’s “Ant-Man,” but on-set photos and a couple of official ones were enough to build up hype around the project. Starring Paul Rudd as the famous superhero, Evangeline Lilly, and Michael Douglas, this pic first got attention online because of the production hell it went through before it started shooting.
It is directed by Peyton Reed and will be out in July. The first footage from the film was shown at San Diego Comic-Con 2014 but never made its way online. However, reaction to it was positive, so right now, we have no other choice but to sit back and patiently wait for the actual trailer to come out.
“Jurassic World”
Dinosaurs! It might seem like the life has been drained out of the “Jurassic Park” franchise and that audiences have lost interest in all prehistoric creatures (and movies about them), but bringing Chris Pratt on board does tend to make the story look more appealing again.
So does the promise of amazing VFX: face it, even if “Jurassic World” ends up like a copy of “Jurassic Park” (1993), the kind of special effects possible today would still make it worth the while, especially in 3D and a big screen. It will be out in theaters in June.
“Black Mass”
Or the story of Whitey Bulger, “the brother of a state senator and the most infamous violent criminal in the history of South Boston, who became an FBI informant to take down a Mafia family invading his turf.”
Starring Johnny Depp as the lead but also featuring performances by Benedict Cumberbatch, Joel Edgerton, Sienna Miller, June Temple, Kevin Bacon, and Dakota Johnson, this film promises to break Depp’s cycle of box office flops because it will finally see him play a real character, as opposed to a caricature.
Hollywood and the fans have been waiting for years to see Depp finally return to solid acting – and Bulger might turn out to be the perfect role for him to do that.
“The Hateful Eight”
Quentin Tarantino has a very loyal following, and these past few years, he also got to see his work embraced by more mainstream audiences. “The Hateful Eight” aims to capitalize on that, delivering pure Tarantino style / visuals to a wider public with the help of a star-studded cast and a story of “deception and betrayal” like no other.
As strange as it might seem, the fact that an early draft of the script leaked online, prompting Tarantino to cancel all plans for the movie, ended up helping because it made even more people aware of the film.
“The Hateful Eight” comes out in November and stars Channing Tatum, Michael Madsen, Demian Bichir, Tim Roth, Kurt Russell, Jennifer Jason Leigh, and Samuel L. Jackson.
“James Bond: SPECTRE”
The Sony hack has revealed that studio bosses consider the third act in the 24th James Bond film, officially called “SPECTRE,” underwhelming and anticlimactic, a complete bore. Moreover, it’s already working on an overinflated budget, which means pressure for it to fare well at the box office is huge – even more so now that there are signs it will disappoint.
Still, Daniel Craig returns in his Tom Ford designer suits as 007 and Sam Mendes returns in the director’s chair. Ralph Fiennes will be taking over as M from Dame Judi Dench, and Christoph Waltz will be bringing his villain A-game to the table as well.
“Skyfall” was a spectacular James Bond film, a real cinematographic accomplishment, so people want to know if the team has what it takes to deliver another one with “SPECTRE.” It will be out in November.
“Mad Max: Fury Road”
Speaking of cinematographic accomplishments, we should talk about “Mad Max: Fury Road.” This film should have been out a long time ago, but production issues and an ever-expending budget saw its release date pushed back several times.
With all that, what we’ve seen from it in trailers so far promises a ride like no other: this isn’t just a “Mad Max” reboot, but an insane journey that will probably stand on its own, thanks to the skilled work of director George Miller. Add to that the fact that it stars Tom Hardy, Charlize Theron, and Nicholas Hoult, and you will understand why so many are excited for this May release.
If this film flops, it will probably be the most visually daring flop of the year.
“The Avengers: Age of Ultron”
Marvel is like Leonardo DiCaprio in “Titanic” (“the king of the world!”) right now, thanks to his Avengers superhero franchise, which it has managed to turn into a virtual money-making machine. All Marvel superhero pics are anticipated releases, but even so, hype around “Age of Ultron” seems to be even bigger than usual.
Not only will this sequel to “The Avengers” bring all those beloved superheroes together again, but it will also see them fighting the most dangerous enemy ever, Ultron – and his army.
Joss Whedon returns in the director’s chair, and the star-studded cast (Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, Mark Ruffallo, Samuel L. Jackson, Tom Hiddleston) is all back. James Spader voices Ultron and Andy Serkis is up for a surprise cameo, and we’ll also be welcoming new superheroes. “Age of Ultron” is Marvel’s idea of “throwing everything into one picture.” Out in May.
“Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens”
Disney has acquired the rights for the “Star Wars” franchise and is already working on plans to expand it: there will be new installments coming out in the next few years, but also spinoffs and related merchandise.
It all starts with “The Force Awakens,” which comes out in December and will introduce a new cast to loyal fans, but also feature cameos from franchise regulars Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, and Carrie Fisher.
Directed by J.J. Abrams, “The Force Awakens” will take place 30 years after the events in “Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi” (1983), but we have a feeling it will be just as welcoming to newcomers to the franchise as it will be a treat for loyal fans.
Which of these movies are you most excited about? Drop us a line in the comments with your thoughts – and here’s to an amazing 2015 in cinema!
