Rise starred James Frano, Freida Pinto, Brian Cox, Tom Felton, John Lithgow and David Oyelowo Dawn reinvented the cast with Gary Oldman, Toby Kebbell, Keri Russell, Kodi Smit McPhee, Judy Greer and Jason Clarke. War of the Planet of the Apes has now signed on Woody Harrlelson as its lead villain.
The reboot trilogy’s cast has been bolstered by the signing two time Oscar nominee Woody Harrelson (No Country for Old Men, The Hunger Games, Zombieland, Cheers, Seven Psychopaths, True Detective) as a new human villain, currently being referred to as Colonel. This suggests that he will play the leader of the military forces that arrive at the end of Dawn. The other cast information we currently know is that Andy Serkis (The Lord of the Rings) will reprise his role as franchise figurehead Caesar. Its unclear if there will be a third new cast or Dawn’s main characters will return. Matt Reeves (Cloverfield) directs.
When Warner Bros and Disney both announced rivalling adaptations of The Jungle Book, it was the WB/Andy Serkis version that had far more hype. However, Disney’s version will be gaining some new fans from the surprisingly impressive first trailer. However much of the voice work isn’t shown alongside the on screen animals which makes us worry that the two will clash in the film.
Jon Favreau (Iron Man) directs while the cast includes Scarlett Johansson (Avengers Assemble, Lost in Translation), Idris Elba (Pacific Rim, Prometheus), Bill Murray (Ghost Busters, Moonrise Kingdom), Lupita Nyong’o (12 Years a Slave, The Force Awakens), Neel Sethi (Diwali), Giancarlo Esposito (Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials, The Usual Suspects), Ben Kingsley (Shutter Island, Gandhi) and Christopher Walken (Catch Me If You Can, The Deer Hunter).
There’s a good seven or so months until the Oscars really kick off but even now we might be able to make a few early predictions for some of the big hitters. This list will be rapidly changing over the coming months depending on the reception of some of these films. Gus Van Sant/Matthew MacConaughey drama The Sea of Trees seemed like a viable candidate until its Cannes flop. In some cases, we’re basing the predictions off their critical reception, festival buzz and hype and in other cases the popularity of a filmmaker involved. We’re ranking the selections in order of likelihood.
Best Picture:
40) The Good Dinosaur
Director: Peter Sohn (Partly Cloudy) Starring: Anna Paquin (True Blood), Steve Zahn (Dallas Buyers Club), Frances McDormand (Burn After Reading) Premise: An epic journey into the world of dinosaurs where an Apatosaurus named Arlo makes an unlikely human friend. Odds: Pixar’s second effort of the year may get overshadowed by their first but the studio’s good form might transfer into this look at an alternate history.
39) Creed
Director: Ryan Coogler (Fruitvale Station) Starring: Michael B Jordan (Chronicle), Tessa Thompson (Dear White People), Sylvester Stallone (First Blood) Premise: The former World Heavyweight Champion Rocky Balboa serves as a trainer and mentor to Adonis Creed, the son of his late friend and former rival Apollo Creed. Odds: The Rocky franchise had seriously drifted after the Best Picture winning original but, by shifting Stallone into and supporting role and bringing new hero Adonis Creed to the foreground, we might have a contender.
38) Secret in Their Eyes
Director: Billy Ray (Breach) Starring: Julia Roberts (Erin Brockivich), Chiwetel Ejiofor (12 Years a Slave), Nicole Kidman (The Hours) Premise: A tight-knit team of FBI investigators, along with their District Attorney supervisor, is suddenly torn apart when they discover that one of their own teenage daughters has been brutally murdered. Odds: The Argentinian adaptation of the same book won an Oscar for Foreign Language in 2009 but this might turn ought to be another unpopular remake.
37) By the Sea
Director: Angelina Jolie (Unbroken) Starring: Brad Pitt (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button), Angelina Jolie (Changeling), Melanie Laurent (Beginners) Premise: Set in France during the mid-1970s, Vanessa, a former dancer, and her husband Roland, an American writer, travel the country together. They seem to be growing apart, but when they linger in one quiet, seaside town they begin to draw close to some of its more vibrant inhabitants, such as a local bar/café-keeper and a hotel owner. Odds: Jolie hasn’t yet cemented her position as an accomplished director but last year’s Unbroken got three Oscar nods meaning that By the Sea might follow suit.
36) Trumbo
Director: Jay Roach (Meet the Parents) Starring: Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad), Helen Mirren (The Queen), John Goodman (Argo) Premise: The successful career of Hollywood screenwriter, Dalton Trumbo, comes to an end when he is blacklisted in the 1940s for being a Communist. Odds: The Oscars have a track record of stories about Hollywood and redemption and Bryan Cranston should shine in the role but communist sympathies might not sit too well with the Academy.
35) Spectre
Director: Sam Mendes (Road to Perdition) Starring: Daniel Craig (The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo), Lea Seydoux (Blue is the Warmest Colour), Christoph Waltz (Django Unchained) Premise: A cryptic message from Bond’s past sends him on a trail to uncover a sinister organization. While M battles political forces to keep the secret service alive, Bond peels back the layers of deceit to reveal the terrible truth behind Spectre. Odds: Prior to 2012’s Skyfall, Bond hadn’t had a Oscar win in nearly 50 years. If Spectre is an improvement, than the series may be on the way to a first ever Best Picture nomination.
34) Legend
Director: Brian Helgeland (42) Starring: Tom Hardy (The Dark Knight Rises), Taron Egerton (Kingsman), Paul Bettany (A Beautiful Mind) Premise: The film tells the story of the identical twin gangsters Reggie and Ronnie Kray, two of the most notorious criminals in British history, and their organised crime empire in the East End of London during the 1960s. Odds: The main Oscar buzz about the film surrounds Tom Hardy’s performance(s) but the crime biopic might be a dark horse in the contest.
33) The Martian
Director: Ridley Scott (Blade Runner) Starring: Matt Damon (Good Will Hunting), Chiwetel Ejiofor (12 Years a Slave), Jessica Chastain (Zero Dark Thirty) Premise: During a manned mission to Mars, Astronaut Mark Watney is presumed dead after a fierce storm and left behind by his crew. But Watney has survived and finds himself stranded and alone on the hostile planet. With only meager supplies, he must draw upon his ingenuity, wit and spirit to subsist and find a way to signal to Earth that he is alive. Odds: After back to back success with Gladiator and Black Hawk Down followed by the snubbing of American Gangster, acclaimed director Ridley Scott’s sci-fi epic The Martian may have the goods to put him back on top.
32) Beasts of No Nation
Director: Cary Fukanga (True Detective) Starring: Abraham Attah (Out of the Village), Ama K Abebrese (The Cursed Ones), Idris Elba (Pacific Rim) Premise: A drama based on the experiences of Agu, a child soldier fighting in the civil war of an unnamed African country. Odds: The Academy may take a big step by nominating a Netflix original production for the first time
31) Everest
Director: Baltasar Kormakur (Contraband) Starring: Jake Gyllenhaald (Nightcrawler), Josh Brolin (No Country For Old Men), Jason Clarke (Zero Dark Thirty) Premise: A climbing expedition on Mt. Everest is devastated by a severe snow storm. Odds: A traditional disaster flick will hopefully be elevated by the fantastic ensemble.
30) Concussion
Director: Peter Landesman (Parkland) Starring: Will Smith (Ali), Gugu Mbatha Raw (Belle), Alec Baldwin (The Hunt For Red October) Premise: The story of Dr. Bennet Omalu, the brilliant forensic neuropathologist who made the first discovery of CTE, a football-related brain trauma, in professional football players. Odds: It’s been years since Smith’s last major critical success but the more serious tone surrounding this true life thriller may lead it Oscar bound.
29) The Walk
Director: Robert Zemeckis (Cast Away) Starring: Joseph Gordon Levitt (Looper), Ben Kingsley (Shutter Island), Charlotte Le Bon (Mood Indigo) Premise: The story of French high-wire artist Philippe Petit’s attempt to cross the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in 1974. Odds: The fact that the same story was turned into an Oscar winning documentary (Man on Wire) several years ago proves that the premise is more Academy friendly than blockbuster cool but the fact that the story has been visited successfully before may also hinder it.
28) Freeheld
Director: Peter Sollett (Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist) Starring: Julianne Moore (Still Alice), Michael Shannon (Boardwalk Empire), Ellen Page (Juno) Premise: New Jersey police lieutenant, Laurel Hester, and her registered domestic partner, Stacie Andree, both battle to secure Hester’s pension benefits when she is diagnosed with terminal cancer. Odds: Moore is on fine form after her win for Still Alice but there hasn’t yet been a remarkable amount of Oscar buzz surrounding it.
27) 45 Years
Director: Andrew Haigh (Weekend) Starring: Charlotte Rampling (Melancholia), Tom Courtenay (Doctor Zhivago), Geraldine James (Gandhi) Premise: In the week leading up to their 45th wedding anniversary, a couple receive an unexpected letter which contains potentially life changing news. Odds: The low key British drama might prove to be a contender but given the recent snubbing of Mike Leigh’s Mr Turner, the Academy may have turned away from that genre the larger scale Brit flicks such as The Imitation Game
26) The Danish Girl
Director: Tom Hooper (The King’s Speech) Starring: Eddie Redmayne (The Theory of Everything), Alicia Vikander (A Royal Affair), Ben Whishaw (Skyfall) Premise: The remarkable love story inspired by the lives of artists Lili Elbe and Gerda Wegener. Lili and Gerda’s marriage and work evolve as they navigate Lili’s groundbreaking journey as a transgender pioneer. Odds: The Danish Girl has all the makings of a Best Picture winner – lavish period setting, Oscar friendly cast and director – but it’ll have to overcome its so far mixed-negative reception.
25) Straight Outta Compton
Director: F Gary Gray (Friday) Starring: Jason Mitchell (Contraband), Corey Hawkins (Non-Stop), Paul Giamatti (Sideways) Premise: The group NWA emerges from the mean streets of Compton in Los Angeles, California, in the mid-1980s and revolutionizes Hip Hop culture with their music and tales about life in the hood. Odds: Sharing its name with the rap sensation, this unlikely candidate surprised critics and was a smash hit with audiences but that won’t necessarily translate into Oscar success for the musical biopic.
24) Macbeth
Director: Justin Kurzel (Snowtown) Starring: Michael Fassbender (12 Years a Slave), Marion Cotillard (Inception), Paddy Considine (Dead Man’s Shoes) Premise: Macbeth, a duke of Scotland, receives a prophecy from a trio of witches that one day he will become King of Scotland. Consumed by ambition and spurred to action by his wife, Macbeth murders his king and takes the throne for himself. Odds: Kurzel might not be experienced with this scale of filmmaking but injecting a flavour of war epic to Shakespeare’s classic should shake things up, not to mention the roles Fassbender and Cotillard were born to play.
23) The Program
Director: Stephen Frears (The Queen) Starring: Chris O’Dowd (Calvary), Ben Foster (Lone Survivor), Dustin Hoffman (Rain Man) Premise: An Irish sports journalist becomes convinced that Lance Armstrong’s performances during the Tour de France victories are fueled by banned substances. With this conviction, he starts hunting for evidence that will expose Armstrong. Odds: The events depicted might be considered too recent to have a major effect on voters and O’Dowd (while talented) hasn’t yet reached Oscar appeal but Frears’ impressive back catalogue should accelerate hype.
22) Me and Earl and the Dying Girl
Director: Alfonso Gomez Rejon (The Town that Dreaded Sundown) Starring: Thomas Mann (Project X), Olivia Cooke (Bates Motel), Nick Offerman (The Kings of Summer) Premise: High schooler Greg, who spends most of his time making parodies of classic movies with his co-worker Earl, finds his outlook forever altered after befriending a classmate who has just been diagnosed with cancer. Odds: The Fault in Our Stars for the Kings of Summer audience. This charming romance with undoubtedly win the hearts of fans and critics but it might be too low key for the Academy.
21) Snowden
Director: Oliver Stone (JFK) Starring: Joseph Gordon Levitt (Inception), Nicolas Cage (Face/Off), Shailene Woodley (The Descendants) Premise: CIA employee Edward Snowden leaks thousands of classified documents to the press. Odds: Snowden’s story was told recently in the Oscar winning documentary Citizenfour meaning the source material has awards-friendly buzz but all of Oliver Stone’s recent work (Alexander, Money Never Sleeps, Savages) has been a let down. However, anti-American undertones didn’t do Zero Dark Thirty any harm.
20) Star Wars: The Force Awakens
Director: JJ Abrams (Stark Trek Into Darkness) Starring: John Boyega (Attack the Block), Oscar Isaac (Inside Llewyn Davis), Lupita Nyong’o (12 Years a Slave) Premise: New heroes must fight the rising threat of the New Order. Odds: While the reboot of a franchise that hasn’t been good since 1983 may make the Oscars treat The Force Awakens as Bantha fodder, it seems to possess the game changing level of effects that brought Avatar to success and made the original Star Wars a Best Picture nominee.
19) Hail Caesar
Directors: Joel and Ethan Cohen (The Big Lebowski) Starring: Josh Brolin (No Country For Old Men), George Clooney (Gravity), Tilda Swinton (Michael Clayton) Premise: A Hollywood fixer in the 1950s works to keep the studio’s stars in line. Odds: With four Oscar wins, the Coens are probably the most acclaimed screenwriters of our time but Inside Llewyn Davis’ snubbing might mean trouble for the pair’s more quirky efforts.
18) Silence
Director: Martin Scorsese (The Aviator) Starring: Andrew Garfield (The Social Network), Tadanobu Asano (Thor). Liam Neeson (Schindler’s List) Premise: In the seventeenth century, two Jesuit priests face violence and persecution when they travel to Japan to locate their mentor and to spread the gospel of Christianity. Odds: Silence seems Oscar bound but production delays and rumours that it’ll debut in Cannes 2016 suggest that the film might not be in competition until the 2017 Oscars.
17) The End of the Tour
Director: James Ponsoldt (The Spectacular Now) Starring: Jason Segel (Forgetting Sarah Marshall), Anna Chlumsky (In the Loop), Jesse Eisenberg (The Social Network) Premise: A magazine reporter recounts his travels and conversations with author David Foster Wallace during a promotional book tour. Odds: The new Almost Famous? Segel and Eisenberg’s pairing will undoubtedly pick up a cult following but might be a bit abrasive for the Oscar crowd.
16) In the Heart of the Sea
Director: Ron Howard (Apollo 13) Starring: Chris Hemsworth (Rush), Cillian Murphy (28 Days Later), Brendan Gleeson (In Bruges) Premise: Based on the 1820 event, a whaling ship is preyed upon by a sperm whale, stranding its crew at sea for 90 days, thousands of miles from home. Odds: Ron Howard has experienced mass success with the disaster thriller genre but the merciless snub of his brilliant racing drama Rush hints at an anti-Howard agenda.
15) Mad Max: Fury Road
Director: George Miller (The Road Warrior) Starring: Tom Hardy (The Dark Knight Rises), Charlize Theron (Monster), Nicholas Hoult (Warm Bodies) Premise: In a stark desert landscape where humanity is broken, two rebels just might be able to restore order: Max, a man of action and of few words, and Furiosa, a woman of action who is looking to make it back to her childhood homeland. Odds: This bold action sequel received rave reviews but the fact that its plot can be sketched out on a napkin might put off some of the more traditional Academy voters.
14) Joy
Director: David O. Russell (American Hustle) Starring: Jennifer Lawrence (Silver Linings Playbook), Bradley Cooper (American Sniper), Robert De Niro (Casino) Premise: The story of a family across four generations and the woman who rises to become founder and matriarch of a powerful family business dynasty. Odds: Russell has a surprising three consecutive Best Picture nominees but the flop of his abandoned rom-com Accidental Love earlier this years prevents Joy from being his fourth.
13) Brooklyn
Director: John Crowley (Is Anybody There) Starring: Saoirse Ronan (Atonement), Domhnall Gleeson (About Time), Julie Walters (Billy Elliot) Premise: In 1950s Ireland and New York, young Ellis Lacey has to choose between two men and two countries. Odds: This star studded effort could be a major contender so long as it avoids the pitfalls of a procedural romantic drama (IE Anna Karenina).
12) The Lobster
Director: Yorgos Lanthimos (Dogtooth) Starring: Colin Farrell (In Bruges), John C Reilly (Chicago), Rachel Weisz (Enemy at the Gates) Premise: In a dystopian near future, single people are obliged to find a matching mate in 45 days or are transformed into animals and released into the woods. Odds: Merging comedy, romance and sci-fi with a bonkers concept from a Greek director making his English language debut. The Gilliam-esque level of weirdness will attract a lot of attention but may also backfire.
11) Youth
Director: Paolo Sorrentino (The Great Beauty) Starring: Michael Caine (The Dark Knight), Harvey Keitel (Reservoir Dogs), Rachel Weisz (The Constant Gardener) Premise: Fred and Mick, two old friends, are on vacation in an elegant hotel at the foot of the Alps. While Mick scrambles to finish the screenplay for what he imagines will be his last important film, Fred has no intention of resuming his musical career. But someone wants at all costs to hear him conduct again. Odds: Sorrentino’s The Great Beauty picked up a triple with Oscar, BAFTA and Golden Globes in the Foreign Language category so Youth should continue form but Sorrentino’s only other English language feature, This Must Be the Place, was one of his weakest.
10) Suffragette
Director: Sarah Gavron (Brick Lane) Starring: Carey Mulligan (Drive), Meryl Streep (The Iron Lady), Helena Bonham Carter (Sweeney Todd) Premise: The foot soldiers of the early feminist movement, women who were forced underground to pursue a dangerous game of cat and mouse with an increasingly brutal state. Odds: The all-female writing directing team may face the snubs that Ava DuVernay suffered with Selma last year but the feminist story may tie into the Academy’s own changing times.
9) Black Mass
Director: Scott Cooper (Crazy Heart) Starring: Johnny Depp (Public Enemies), Joel Edgerton (Zero Dark Thirty), Benedict Cumberbatch (The Imitation Game) Premise: The true 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. Odds: A dark and intense modern gangster thriller akin to The Departed and Donnie Brasco. Hopefully, Pirates star Johnny Depp will prove his worth for the first time in years. The massively positive early response is greatly promising.
8) Crimson Peak
Director: Guillermo Del Toro (Pan’s Labyrinth) Starring: Mia Wasikowska (Stoker), Tom Hiddleston (War Horse), Jessica Chastain (Zero Dark Thirty) Premise: In the aftermath of a family tragedy, an aspiring author is torn between love for her childhood friend and the temptation of a mysterious outsider. Trying to escape the ghosts of her past, she is swept away to a house that breathes, bleeds…and remembers. Odds: A lavish Gothic mood will elevate Crimson Peak from repetitive formulaic horror (The Conjuring, Insidious, Sinister, Annabelle) or even hits like the Carpenter-esque It Follows and indie smash The Babadook. Del Toro might exceed Pan’s Labyrinth’s three Oscar wins while busting the myth that horrors are Oscar immune (see Jaws, The Exorcist, Rosemary’s Baby, Aliens, The Silence of the Lambs).
7) The Hateful Eight
Director: Quentin Tarantino (Pulp Fiction) Starring: Samuel L Jackson (Jurassic Park), Kurt Russell (The Thing), Bruce Dern (Nebraska) Premise: In post-Civil War Wyoming, bounty hunters try to find shelter during a blizzard but get involved in a plot of betrayal and deception. Will they survive? Odds: Tarantino’s three Best Picture nominations may well be added to with this Western thriller. It’d be unlikely for this not to be an seventh consecutive hit for the filmmaker.
6) Carol
Director: Todd Haynes (I’m Not There) Starring: Rooney Mara (The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo), Cate Blanchett (Blue Jasmine), Kyle Chandler (Super 8) Premise: Set in 1950s New York, a department-store clerk who dreams of a better life falls for an older, married woman. Odds: Carol has been the bookies’ favourite from the start but more recently more praise has gone towards its stars than the film itself.
5) Sicario
Director: Denis Villeneuve (Prisoners) Starring: Emily Blunt (Edge of Tomorrow), Benicio Del Toro (Traffic), Josh Brolin (No Country for Old Men) Premise: An idealistic FBI agent is enlisted by an elected government task force to aid in the escalating war against drugs at the border area between the U.S. and Mexico. Odds: American Sniper, Argo, Captain Phillips, District 9, Gravity, The Hurt Locker, Inception and Zero Dark Thirty have redefined the Oscar’s favour for the action thriller genre.
4) Inside Out
Directors: Pete Docter (Up), Ronaldo Del Carmen Starring: Amy Poehler (Parks and Recreation), Bill Hader (Trainwreck), Kyle MacLachlan (Twin Peaks) Premise: After young Riley is uprooted from her Midwest life and moved to San Francisco, her emotions – Joy, Fear, Anger, Disgust and Sadness – conflict on how best to navigate a new city, house and school. Odds: The animation has gained the best reception of any of Pixar’s work since 2010’s Toy Story 3 but it has been five years since the studio has had a major nomination besides Animated Feature.
3) Bridge of Spies
Director: Steven Spielberg (Schindler’s List) Starring: Tom Hanks (Captain Phillips), Amy Ryan (Birdman), Mark Rylance (Wolf Hall) Premise: An American lawyer is recruited by the CIA during the Cold War to help rescue a pilot detained in the Soviet Union. Odds: Spielberg’s career has had nine Best Picture films (including Jaws, The Colour Purple, Saving Private Ryan, War Horse and Lincoln) and 118 Oscar nods are most likely to be added to but the acclaimed director isn’t immune to snubs (Catch Me if You Can, Jurassic Park). Also, Hanks hasn’t had an Oscar nod since 2001’s Cast Away and even his career best in Captain Phillips didn’t sway the Academy.
2) The Revenant
Director: Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu (Birdman) Starring: Leonardo Di Caprio (Inception), Domhnall Gleeson (About Time), Tom Hardy (The Dark Knight Rises) Premise: The frontiersman, Hugh Glass, who in the 1820s set out on a path of vengeance against those who left him for dead after a bear mauling. Odds: Considering the grueling shoot and huge budget, the civil-war era epic could be the new Dances With Wolves (multi-Oscar winner with Kevin Costner) or the new Heaven’s Gate (world renowned flop with Jeff Bridges). Either way, the footage is incredible.
1) Steve Jobs
Director: Danny Boyle (Slumdog Millionaire) Starring: Michael Fassbender (12 Years a Slave), Seth Rogen (Knocked Up), Kate Winslet (Titanic) Premise: The true story of the life of visionary Apple CEO Steve Jobs. Odds: While it suffered major development issues – loss of cast members (Christian Bale, George Clooney, Matt Damon, Bradley Cooper, Leonardo Di Caprio, Ben Affleck, Tom Cruise, Matthew MacConaughey, Charlize Theronl, Jessica Chastain, Scarlett Johansson, Natalie Portman) and director David Fincher – we reckon Steve Jobs is your next Best Picture winner.
Here’s a quickfire of the directors and stars we reckon will make the cut.
Best Director:
Steven Spielberg – Bridge of Spies
Denis Villeneuve – Sicario
Danny Boyle – Steve Jobs
Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu – The Revenant
George Miller – Mad Max: Fury Road
Oliver Stone – Snowden
Guillermo Del Toro – Crimson Peak
JJ Abrams – Star Wars: The Force Awakens
Scott Cooper – Black Mass
F Gary Gray – Straight Outta Compton
Paolo Sorrentino – Youth
Ron Howard – In the Heart of the Sea
Sarah Gavron – Suffragette
David O. Russell – Joy
Quentin Tarantino – The Hateful Eight
Best Actor:
Michael Fassbender – Steve Jobs – Steve Jobs
Michael Caine – Fred Ballinger – Youth
Leonardo Di Caprio – Hugh Glass – The Revenant
Johnny Depp – Whitey Bulger – Black Mass
Tom Hanks – James Donovan – Bridge of Spies
Jason Segel – David Foster Wallace – The End of the Tour
Bryan Cranston – Dalton Trumbo – Trumbo
Eddie Redmayne – Lili Elbe – The Danish Girl
Ian McKellen – Sherlock Holmes – Mr Holmes
Jake Gyllenhaal – Billy Hope – Southpaw
Tom Hardy – Ronald/Reginald Kray – Legend
Joseph Gordon Levitt – Edward Snowden – Snowden
Colin Farrell – David – The Lobster
Tom Hardy – “Mad” Max Rockatansky – Mad Max: Fury Road
Tom Hiddleston – Hank Williams – I Saw the Light
Best Actress:
Rooney Mara – Therese Belivet – Carol
Marion Cotillard – Lady Macbeth – Macbeth
Alicia Vikander – Gerda Wegener – The Danish Girl
Emily Blunt – Kate Macer – Sicario
Jennifer Lawrence – Joy Mangano – Joy
Cate Blanchett – Carol Aird – Carol
Charlotte Rampling – Kate Mercer – 45 Years
Saoirse Ronan – Ellis Lacey – Brooklyn
Juliette Binoche – Maria Enders – Clouds of Sils Maria
Carey Mulligan – Maud – Suffragette
Mia Wasikowska – Edith Cushing – Crimson Peak
Charlize Theron – Imperator Furiosa – Mad Max: Fury Road
Julianne Moore – Laurel Hester – Freeheld
Angelina Jolie – Vanessa – By the Sea
Amy Schumer – Amy – Trainwreck
Best Supporting Actor:
Seth Rogen – Steve Wozniak – Steve Jobs
Harvey Keitel – Mick Boyle – Youth
Benedict Cumberbatch – Bill Bulger – Black Mass
Benicio Del Toro – Alejandro – Sicario
Mark Rylance – Rudolf Abel – Bridge of Spes
Jesse Eisenberg – David Lipsky – The End of the Tour
Robert De Niro – Rudy Mangano – Joy
Christoph Waltz – Hans Oberhauser – Spectre
Samuel L Jackson – Marquis Warren – The Hateful Eight
Tom Hardy – John Fitzgerald – The Revenant
Chris O’Dowd – David Walsh – The Program
Josh Brolin – Matt – Sicario
Tom Hiddelston – Thomas Sharpe – Crimson Peak
Will Poulter – Jim Bridger – The Revenant
Harrison Ford – Han Solo – Star Wars: The Force Awakens
Best Supporting Actress:
Rachel Weisz – Lena Ballinger – Youth
Kate Winslet – Joanna Hoffman – Steve Jobs
Shailene Woodley – Lindsay Mills – Snowden
Amy Ryan – Mary Donovan – Bridge of Spies
Ellen Page – Stacie Andree – Freeheld
Jessica Chastain – Lucille Sharpe – Crimson Peak
Jane Fonda – Brenda Morel – Youth
Kristen Stewart – Valentine – Clouds of Sils Maria
Julie Walters – Mrs Kehoe – Brooklyn
Melissa Leo – Laura Poitras – Snowden
Rachel McAdams – Maureen Hope – Southpaw
Helen Mirren – Hedda Hooper – Trumbo
Anna Chlumsky – Sarah – The End of the Tour
Helena Bonham Carter – Edith New – Suffragette
Jennifer Jason Leigh – Daisy Domergue – The Hateful Eight
Best Original Screenplay:
Youth – Paolo Sorrentino
The Hateful Eight – Quentin Tarantino
Inside Out – Pete Docter, Ronald Del Carmen, Meg LeFauve, Josh Cooley
Bridge of Spies – Joel Cohen, Ethan Cohen, Matt Charman
Ex Machina – Alex Garland
Joy – David O. Russell, Annie Mumulo
Sicario – Taylor Sheridan
Hail Caesar – Joel Cohen, Ethan Cohen
Demolition – Bryan Sipe
The Good Dinosaur – Enrico Casarosa, Bob Peterson
Suffragette – Abi Morgan
Trainwreck – Amy Schumer
Southpaw – Kurt Sutter
Crimson Peak – Guillermo Del Toro, Matthew Robbins
Irrational Man – Woody Allen
Best Adapted Screenplay:
Steve Jobs – Aaron Sorkin
Carol – Phyllis Nagy
The End of the Tour – Donald Marguiles
Me and Earl and the Dying Girl – Jesse Andrews
The Revenant – Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, Mark L Smith
Mad Max: Fury Road – George Miller, Brendan McCarthy, Nick Lathouris
Silence – Jay Cocks
Snowden – Oliver Stone, Kieran Fitzgerald
Brooklyn – Nick Hornby
The Danish Girl – Lucina Coven
Spectre – John Logan, Neil Purvis, Robert Wade
Macbeth – Jacob Koskoff, Todd Louiso
Black Mass – Scott Cooper, Mark Mallouk
The Martian – Drew Goddard
Star Wars: The Force Awakens – JJ Abrams, Lawrence Kasdan
If you felt that Comic-Con didn’t lift the lid on Disney’s upcoming works enough than D23 is for you. The expo of all things Disney enlightened us on all of their properties from Star Wars to Pixar to Marvel and all of the studio’s very own animated and live action features. Sadly there’s been no word on the likes of in the works projects such as Wreck-It Ralph 2, Frozen 2 or proposed remakes of Dumbo and Pinocchio. Firstly…
Pixar!
After critical and commercial triumph of Inside Out, the studio is rolling out its slate of six upcoming movies. The Good Dinosaur will tell the story of an alternate reality where humans are the Earth’s secondary species and dinosaurs still rule. It comes from director Peter Sohn (Partly Cloudy) and stars Anna Paquin (X-Men), Jeffrey Wright (Casino Royale), Steve Zahn (Dallas Buyers Club) and Frances McDormand (Burn After Reading). November 25th 2015
Thirteen years after Finding Nemo, Finding Dory will pick up with the characters of the previous instalment when Dory finds herself in a marine study institute. Newly announced cast members include Hayden Rolence (Whom I Fear), Ed O’Neill (Modern Family) and Kaitlin Olson (It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia). Andrew Stanton (Wall-E) and Angus MacLane (Toy Story of Terror) direct the cast of Ellen DeGeneres (Ellen), Albert Brooks (Drive), Diane Keaton (The Godfather), Eugene Levy (American Pie), Ty Burrell (Modern Family), Dominic West (The Wire), Idris Elba (Pacific Rim) and Willem Dafoe (Spider-Man). June 17th 2016
Toy Story 4 is also on the way and a teaser poster graced and it was revealed that it will focus on a love story between Woody and Bo Peep. John Lasseter (Toy Story 1-2) and Josh Cooley (George and AJ) direct while we expect Tom Hanks (Forrest Gump), Joan Cusack (Say Anything) and Tim Allen (Galaxy Quest) to star. June 16th 2017
Lee Unkrich (Toy Story 3) has long been developing a film centred on the Mexican celebration of The Day of the Dead. It has finally been given a release date and a title, Coco. No casting announcements have yet been made. November 22nd 2017
Another sequel on the way is Cars 3. No plot details were offered but we do know that John Lasseter (Cars 1-2) will write and we’d expect Owen Wilson (Wedding Crashers) and Larry the Cable Guy (Larry the Cable Guy: Health Inspector) to reprise their roles as Lightning McQueen and Mater respectively. June 15th 2018
The sequel Pixar fans have actually asking for will finally come out, 15 years after they asked for it. Assuming that the studio don’t want two sequels in the same year, The Incredibles 2 will head for a 2019 release. Brad Bird (Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation) will direct while we’d expect Craig T Nelson (Poltergeist), Holly Hunter (The Piano) and Samuel L Jackson (Avengers Assemble) to star.
Next up…
Disney Animation!
Disney’s latest animation Zootopia will portray a metropolis populated by mammals. Jason Bateman (Arrested Development), Ginnifer Goodwin (Once Upon a Time) and Alan Tudyk (Serenity) were already set to star but the latest addition is pop star/actress Shakira. The directors are Byron Howard (Tangled), Rich Moore (Wreck-It Ralph) and Jared Bush (behind the creative team of Big Hero 6). March 4th 2016
Next, the team behind Aladdin, Hercules and The Princess and the Frog arrived to unveil more from their latest work, Moana. Dwayne Johnson (Fast Five) and Alan Tudyk (Serenity) will star in the story of a plucky young woman who is assisted by a demi-god to reach a fabled island. November 23rd 2016
The newest announcement was Gigantic. Tangled‘s Nathan Greno will collaborate with Frozen’s songwriters, Robert and Kristen Lopez to bring the story of Jack and the Beanstalk to Spain in the age of exploration. March 9th 2018
Following that was…
Disney live action (aka Worlds, Galaxies and Universes)
True life disaster thriller The Finest Hours will depict the struggle for survival of a group of sailors in 1952. Craig Gillespie (Million Dollar Arm) directs with a cast including Chris Pine (Star Trek Into Darkness), Ben Foster (Lone Survivor), Casey Affleck (Gone Baby Gone), Holliday Grainger (Cinderella) and Eric Bana (Munich). January 29th 2016
The latest adaptation of Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book was promoted by director Jon Favreau (Iron Man) as well as Oscar winning stars Ben Kingsley (Gandhi) and Lupita Nyong’o (12 Years a Slave) and newcomer Neel Sethi. The classic story of an orphan raised by the animals of the jungle also stars Scarlett Johansson (Avengers Assemble), Idris Elba (Pacific Rim), Bill Murray (Ghostbusters), Giancarlo Esposito (The Usual Suspects) and Christopher Walken (The Deer Hunter). April 15th 2016
Alice Through the Looking Glass will build upon the established world built in the Lewis Carroll books and the Tim Burton’s 2010 billion dollar hit. James Bobin (The Muppets) directs a cast featuring Mia Wasikowska (Crimson Peak), Johnny Depp (Pirates of the Caribbean), Anne Hathaway (The Dark Knight Rises), Helena Bonham Carter (The King’s Speech), Alan Rickman (Die Hard), Sacha Baron Cohen (Borat), Michael Sheen (Frost/Nixon), Andrew Scott (Pride), Rhys Ifans (Notting Hill), Toby Jones (Captain America: The Winter Soldier), Lindsay Duncan (About Time), Stephen Fry (The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug) and Timothy Spall (Mr Turner). May 27th 2016
Next up was the family fantasy adventure Pete’s Dragon, about a young boy who seeks refuge from his family with a dragon. David Lowery (Ain’t Them Bodies Saints) directs while the film stars Bryce Dallas Howard (Jurassic World), Wes Bentley (Interstellar), Karl Urban (Dredd) and Robert Redford (Captain America: The Winter Soldier). August 12th 2016
Two films delivered no material as such but were teased or mentioned. Firstly, Queen of Katwe – a drama about a girl from Uganda who trains to become a world chess champion. Lupita Nyong’o (12 Years a Slave) and David Oyelowo (Selma) will star with director Mira Nair (The Namesake). 2016
Also, Disney’s new iteration of Beauty and the Beast was present. The reboot (telling the story of a relationship between a monstrous prince and a young woman) is directed by Bill Condon (Mr Holmes) and stars Emma Watson (Harry Potter), Dan Stevens (Downton Abbey), Luke Evans (The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug), Josh Gad (Frozen), Gugu Mbatha Raw (Belle), Ewan McGregor (Trainspotting), Stanley Tucci (The Hunger Games), Kevin Kline (A Fish Called Wonda), Emma Thompson (Saving Mr Banks) and Ian McKellen (The Lord of the Rings). March 17th 2017
Finally, there was news from the fifth instalment of a legendary franchise, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales. This one will see Captain Jack in search of the trident of Poseidon. Orlando Bloom (The Lord of the Rings) was announced to be returning as Will Turner for the first time since 2007. The duo of Joachim Ronning and Espen Sandberg (Kon-Tiki) direct an ensemble including Johnny Depp (Edward Scissorhands), Geoffrey Rush (The King’s Speech), Kaya Scodelario (The Maze Runner), Brendon Thwaites (Maleficent), David Wenham (300), Stephen Graham (This is England) and Javier Bardem (No Country For Old Men). July 17th 2017
Marvel
We won’t include Marvel’s full extensive line up but two of their instalments next year. Because of the studio’s infamous secrecy, none of the material shown has made it to the public. Captain America: Civil War showed off its trailer to the D23 audience. Anthony and Joe Russo (The Winter Soldier) direct with a cast including Chris Evans (Snowpiercer), Anthony Mackie (The Adjustment Bureau), Scarlett Johansson (Lucy), Daniel Bruhl (Rush), Sebastian Stan (Black Swan), Frank Grillo (The Purge: Anarchy), Emily VanCamp (Revenge), Robert Downey Jr (Sherlock Holmes), Jeremy Renner (The Hurt Locker), Elizabeth Olsen (Godzilla), Paul Bettany (A Beautiful Mind), Don Cheadle (Hotel Rwanda), Tom Holland (The Impossible), William Hurt (Artificial Intelligence) and Martin Freeman (The Hobbit). April 29th 2016
Doctor Strange is another of Marvel’s latest. Scott Derickson (Sinister) directs the supernatural thriller of which the recent concept art many likened to Inception. Marvel head Kevin Feige (Iron Man trilogy) could neither confirm or deny the rumours of Rachel McAdams joining the film but we do know that Benedict Cumberbatch (The Imitation Game), Tilda Swinton (Michael Clayton) and Chiwetel Ejiofor (12 Years a Slave). November 4th 2016
Star Wars
Star Wars: The Force Awakens was heralded by this stunning poster from Drew Struzan – the legendary poster designer who craft iconic works for Back to the Future and Blade Runner. JJ Abrams (Star Trek Into Darkness) directs a cast including Harrison Ford (Blade Runner), Mark Hamill (Kingsman: The Secret Service), Carrie Fisher (When Harry Met Sally), Andy Serkis (Dawn of the Planet of the Apes), John Boyega (Attack the Block), Daisy Ridley (Toast of London), Oscar Isaac (Ex Machina), Lupita Nyong’o (12 Years a Slave), Domhnall Gleeson (About Time), Gwendoline Christie (Game of Thrones), Adam Driver (Frances Ha) and Max Von Sydow (Shutter Island). December 18th 2015
The first spin-off has had a full title announcement, cast reveals and first still. Rogue One: A Star Wars Story has added to its ranks Alan Tudyk (Serenity), Donnie Yen (Ip Man), Wen Jiang (Devils on the Doorstep) and Mads Mikkelson (Casino Royale). Gareth Edwards (Godzilla) will direct with the cast of Felicity Jones (The Theory of Everything), Ben Mendelsohn (Killing Them Softly), Diego Luna (Elysium), Jonathan Aris (Sherlock), Riz Ahmed (Nightcrawler) and Forest Whitaker (The Last King of Scotland). December 16th 2017
There wasn’t any news on Star Wars: Episode VIII – directed by Looper’s Rian Johnson and coming out May 26th 2017 – or the Han Solo spin off – directed by 21 Jump Street’s Phil Lord and Chris Miller and coming out May 25th 2018.
It was revealed that the third and final instalment of the new sequel trilogy (Star Wars: Episode IX) will be directed by Colin Trevorrow (Jurassic World) but the returning cast members are yet to be announced!
Starring: Robert Downey Jr, Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Mark Ruffalo, James Spader, Elizabeth Olsen, Jeremy Renner, Chris Hemsworth, Paul Bettany, Don Cheadle, Aaron Taylor Johnson, Samuel L Jackson, Cobie Smulders, Andy Serkis, Stellan Skarsgard, Claudia Kim, Thomas Kretschmann, Linda Cardellini, Anthony Mackie, Julie Delpy
It’s fair to say that Joss Whedon’s 2012 superhero smash hit Avengers Assemble has reached phenomenon status. With $1.5 billion hauled in at the international box office, the film paved the way for a massive cult following as well as consecutive hits in the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s second phase including The Winter Soldier and Guardians of the Galaxy. Whedon is now reassembling the team for a sequel that has anticipation and dread at fever pitch.
The Avengers – arms dealer Tony Stark (Downey Jr), war veteran Steve Rogers (Evans), ex-spy Natasha Romanoff (Johansson), split-personality scientist Bruce Banner (Ruffalo), expert archer Clint Barton (Renner) and alien prince Thor (Hemsworth) – return to combating Earth’s biggest threats their days may be numbered. When Stark and Banner harness the power of the Infinity Stone from Loki’s sceptre, they use as the basis of an advanced AI to shield Earth from extra-terrestrial threats. However, the machine they create, Ultron (Spader), sees evil in humanity and views them as the threat in need of extinction.
The highest compliment one can give Age of Ultron is that Whedon revives the character-driven, quotable dialogue that makes spies, robots, monsters and gods as human and grounded as possible. Each and every ingenious gag and one liner fleshes out the Avengers from mere heroes to a band of characters as iconic, engaging and lovable as his previous creations such as Buffy and her vampire slaying troop or the crew of the Serenity.
His directorial flair also comes to light in some fantastically constructed action sequences with the excellent special effects we’ve come to expect from Marvel, even if they don’t quite reach the epic or thoroughly detailed levels of Godzilla or Dawn of the Planet of the Apes. Sadly the finale resorts to the series’ cliche of the heroes defending a city from an aerial threat but at least this applies the twist of the city itself being the threat. Overall the ridiculousness of the action only serves as an uncanny reflection of the comic’s brash, adventurous tone.
Reinforcing the incredible character dynamic is a brilliantly acted ensemble that may be the films curse as well. We get to witness Stark’s decaying assurance as his own brainchild becomes his downfall in a series best performance from Sherlock Holmes star Robert Downey Jr. Snowpiercer’s Chris Evans and Lucy’s Scarlett Johansson excellently revive their likeable charisma to roles that could easily be annoying as Captain America and Black Widow respectively. There’s nothing wrong with Rush’s Chris Hemsworth performance but the character of Thor struggles with a lack of purpose without his brother Loki driving the plot.
The standouts really are Shutter Island’s Mark Ruffalo (who harnesses the power of donning motion capture to make his Hulk the best and most emotional depicted on screen) and The Hurt Locker’s Jeremy Renner. The latter finally brings in the wise-cracking class that Hawkeye missed out on last time and re-establishes him as the everyman who rallies the team in their time of need.
There’s of coarse some new blood to shake up the lineup. The Blacklist star James Spader brings menace, malice and unnerving showmanship to Ultron, a villain distinguishing himself by being taken far more seriously. Ultron resembles and manifests every Avengers’ fear of an opponent who is more of a frightening concept of their hopelessness rather than a straight forward villain. His recruits are twins Wanda and Pietro Maximoff (AKA Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver). Accents aside, Wanda is an engaging, powerful character to watch tanks to the agency of Elizabeth Olsen’s first rate performance but Aaron Taylor Johnson’s Quicksilver is far less fun or interesting than the Evan Peters incarnation seen in last year’s X-Men: Days of Future Past, and the filmmakers know this.
The roster doesn’t end there. Paul Bettany expands his long running role as Stark’s digital personal assistant JARVIS into Vision, a synthetic android whose deeds will have fans raving for months to come. The likes of Samuel L Jackson, Don Cheadle, Cobie Smulders, Anthony Mackie and Stellan Skarsgard all reprise their roles from various MCU films while Andy Serkis, Thomas Kretschmann, Linda Cardellini and Claudia Kim join the fun plus there’s blink-and-you’ll-miss-’em cameos from Julie Delpy, Idris Elba and more. With fifteen plus principal characters, there’s a clear flaw in messy overcrowding.
There’s a possibility that the Marvel Cinematic Universe is getting too big for its shoes with overpopulation and the increasing pressure to go even bigger than last time. And so its fitting that (alongside bonkers comic book spectacle) Age of Ultron thrives in its smaller moments, It’s a hilarious, extravagant, worthy sequel to a film whose cult status is only boosted by the follow up.
8/10
“The gates of Hell are filled with the screams of his victims! But not the screams of the dead, of course. No, no…wounded screams…mainly whimpering, a great deal of complaining and tales of sprained deltoids and… gout.”
The JJ Abrams reboot of the Star Trek franchise in 2009 and the 2013 follow up Into Darkness are two of the most acclaimed films in the series but Abrams had to sit out on the third due to the arrival of Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Justin Lin (Fast Five) has replaced him as director while Simon Pegg writes. The latest rumour states that the film’s title is Star Trek Beyond and will see the team go into deep unexplored space.
The cast includes Chris Pine (Jack Ryan, Into the Woods), Zoe Saldana (Guardians of the Galaxy, Avatar), Zachary Quinto (Heroes, Margin Call), Karl Urban (Dredd, The Lord of the Rings), Simon Pegg (Shaun of the Dead, Mission: Impossible), Sofia Boutella (Kingsman: The Secret Service, Monster: Dark Continent), Anton Yelchin (Like Crazy, Fright Night), John Cho (Harold and Kumar, American Beauty) and Idris Elba (Prometheus, Thor, Pacific Rim.
We were worried that The Social Network star Jesse Eisenberg’s performance as the supervillain Lex Luthor (yet another billionaire tech entrepreneur) would be a case of the typecasting that halted Dane DeHaan in The Amazing Spider-Man 2 and why great performances such as Heath Ledger’s or Tom Hardy’s come out of the blue and excel. This first look at him in the role is something to get us hopeful however.
Batman V Superman is directed by Zack Snyder (300, Watchmen, Man of Steel) and stars Ben Affleck (Argo, Gone Girl), Henry Cavill (The Man From UNCLE), Amy Adams (American Hustle, Big Eyes), Gal Gadot (Fast and Furious), Jason Momoa (Game of Thrones), Laurence Fishburne (The Matrix, Hannibal), Scoot McNairy (Monsters), Holly Hunter (The Piano, The Incredibles), Diane Lane (Hollywoodland, The Perfect Storm) and Jeremy Irons (The Lion King, Reversal of Fortune).
As Avengers Assemble and Age of Ultron’s Joss Whedon ruled himself out from Infinity War. Now the two parted concluder to Phase 3 will be helmed by Anthony and Joe Russo, the sibling team who behind the Captain America instalments The Winter Soldier and Civil War. We still don’t know ant of the characters that’ll be surviving until the third and fourth Avengers films but we can expect the likes of Mark Ruffalo (Foxcatcher), Chris Hemsworth (Rush), Josh Brolin (No Country For Old Men) and Benedict Cumberbatch (The Imitation Game).
Eric Bana and Benedict Cumberbatch will be a tough act to follow but the newest Star Trek instalment is looking to cast Idris Elba. The star of Prometheus, Pacific Rim and Luther is in talks for the lead villain role for director Justin Lin (Fast Five). The cast includes Chris Pine (Jack Ryan, Into the Woods), Zoe Saldana (Guardians of the Galaxy, Avatar), Zachary Quinto (Heroes, Margin Call), Karl Urban (Dredd, The Lord of the Rings), Anton Yelchin (Fright NIght, Like Crazy), John Cho (American Beauty, Harold and Kumar) and Simon Pegg (Shaun of the Dead, Mission: Impossible).
Finally today we’ve got our hands on the brand new posters for the thriller Child 44. The film depicts a detective in Soviet Russia who investigates a series of grim child murders. Daniel Espinosa (Safe House) directs the amazing ensemble of Tom Hardy (Inception, Locke), Noomi Rapace (Prometheus, The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo), Jason Clarke (Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, Public Enemies), Paddy Considine (The Bourne Ultimatum, Pride), Joel Kinnaman (The Killing, RoboCop), Vincent Cassel (Black Swan, Trance), Charles Dance (Game of Thrones, The Imitation Game) and Gary Oldman (The Dark Knight, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy).
Child 44 – Apirl 17th
Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice – March 25th 2016
Star Trek 3 – July 8th 2016
The Avengers: Infinity War – Part 1 – April 27th 2018
The Avengers: Infinity War – Part 2 – Apirl 16th 2019
In 2015’s plethora of blockbuster sequels (Avengers 2, Hunger Games 4, Fast and Furious 7, Terminator 5, Jurassic Park 4, Mission: Impossible 5, Ted 2, Star Wars 7, Minions), the reinvention of Peter Pan that’s to be released that year may well get washed away. It’s ramming in the marketing early with these new shots. Joe Wright (Atonement, Anna Karenina, Pride & Prejudice, Hanna) directs the cast of Hugh Jackman (The Prestige, X-Men), Rooney Mara (The Social Network, The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo), Amanda Seyfried (Les Miserables, Dear John), Garrett Hedlund (Tron: Legacy, Inside Llewyn Davis), Nonso Anozie (Ender’s Game, The Grey) and newcomer Levi Miller as Pan.
Guatemalan star Oscar Isaac is one of the decades’ biggest rising stars and yet is now getting the recognition of Hollywood royalty. Following supporting roles in Robin Hood and Drive, he’s blown big as the lead of Coens’ Inside Llewyn Davis as well as this year’s The Two Faces of January and A Most Violent Year before cropping up in the new Star Wars (more on that soon). His next major mainstream role will be as the central villain of the next X-Men film, Apocalypse. Idris Elba and Tom Hardy were rumoured to be in the running but Isaac, a Golden Globe nominee, has beaten them off.
Apocalypse is directed by Bryan Singer (The Usual Suspects, Days of Future Past, Valkyrie) while Michael Fassbender (12 Years a Slave, Prometheus), Jennifer Lawrence (The Hunger Games, Silver Linings Playbook), James McAvoy (Atonement, Trance), Evan Peters (Kick-Ass, American Horror Story), Nicholas Hoult (Warm Bodies, A Single Man), Channing Tatum (Foxcatcher, 21 Jump Street) and Hugh Jackman (again).
Finally, we know when we’ll get on hands on the very first footage from 2015’s most anticipated release: Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens. This Thanksgiving weekend, it’s reported that the teaser will be attached to most screenings in the holiday box office boost. JJ Abrams (Super 8, Star Trek Into Darkness) directs the returning cast of Harrison Ford (Blade Runner), Mark Hamill (Arkham), Anthony Daniels, Kenny Baker, Peter Mayhew, Warwick Davis (Willow) and Carrie Fisher (When Harry Met Sally) with the new batch Domhnall Gleeson (About Time), Oscar Isaac (Inside Llewyn Davis), Lupita Nyong’o (12 Years a Slave), Max Von Sydow (Minority Report), Adam Driver (Lincoln), Gwendoline Christie (Game of Thrones) and John Boyega (Attack the Block) with newcomer Daisy Ridley in a lead role and Andy Serkis (Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, King Kong, The Lord of the Rings).
Pan – July 17th 2015
Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens – December 18th 2015
This week was one dominated by the stellar announcement of Marvel’s Phase Three lineup and we were thrilled by the confirmation of Thor 3. Following the success of The Winter Soldier, Kevin Feige and co were quick to confirm Captain America 3, now titled Civil War, but seemed hesitant with the thunder god, despite The Dark World’s grand takings, but Thor: Ragnarok is now scheduled for a Summer 2017 release.
The presence of Chris Hemsworth (Rush) as Thor and Tom Hiddleston (War Horse) as Loki was immediately announced. The cast is now looking to be expanded as Idris Elba will reprise his role as Asgardians watchmen Heimdall. Elba’s career was built on supporting roles on The Wire, American Gangster and RockNRolla before leads in the likes of Prometheus and Pacific Rim. I’d expect further additions to include Natalie Portman (Leon, Black Swan), Stellan Skarsgard (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Good Will Hunting) and Anthony Hopkins (The Elephant Man, The Silence of the Lambs) as Odin.
The likes of Ultron (James Spader), Ulysses Klaw (maybe Andy Serkis) and Thanos (Josh Brolin) will soon be dominating Marvel’s villain screentime but their beloved Loki is not forgotten. In addition to Ragnarok, the god of mischief’s on screen life has been extended to The Avengers: Infinity War, a two part event beginning in 2018 and likely directed by Serenity’s Joss Whedon.
In the summer, Marvel confirmed a series of release dates without a name to them but, at a recent presentation, the Phase 3 line up was at last revealed. It begins in 2015 with Ant-Man although that wasn’t mentioned today. What did steal focus was the third solo outing for Captain America which is now officially titled Civil War. It’ll be directed by Anthony and Joe Russo (The Winter Soldier) and will star Chris Evans (Snowpiercer) as Cap’ and Robert Downey Jr (Chaplin, Sherlock Holmes) as Iron Man while there are rumoured appearances from Scarlett Johansson (Lost in Translation, The Other Boleyn Girl) as Black Widow and Anthony Mackie (The Adjustment Bureau, The Hurt Locker) as Falcon. There’s new title artwork for the film. Captain America: Civil War – May 6th 2016
Next up was Doctor Strange. Benedict Cumberbatch (Sherlock, Star Trek Into Darkness, The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug) recently signed on to star with Scott Derickson (Sinister) directing but the harrowing casting process has pushed the film’s release back a few months. Doctor Strange – November 4th 2016
The smash hit Guardians of the Galaxy has now taken over $750 million worldwide and its sequel will be released sooner than expected. Director James Gunn (Slither) returns with the cast of Chris Pratt (The Lego Movie, Moneyball) as Star Lord, Bradley Cooper (Limitless, Silver Linings Playbook) as Rocket, Zoe Saldana (Avatar, Star Trek) as Gamora, Vin Diesel (Saving Private Ryan, Pitch Black, Fast and Furious) as Groot, Dave Bautista (Riddick, Bond 24) as Drax, Karen Gillan (Doctor Who, Oculus) as Nebula and Josh Brolin (No Country For Old Men) as Thanos (probably). Guardians of the Galaxy 2 – May 5th 2017
Thor’s second adventure, The Dark World, wasn’t consider the box office success of Cap’ 2 or the Iron Man films but it still grossed far north of $600 million globally. This has prompted the confirmation of Thor: Ragnarok, in which Asgard trembles at the threat of apocalypse. Chris Hemsworth (Rush, The Cabin in the Woods) and Tom Hiddleston (War Horse, Only Lovers Left Alive) will star as Thor and Loki respectively while I’d expect Natalie Portman (Black Swan, Leon) as Jane Foster, Idris Elba (Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom, Pacific Rim) as Heimdall and Anthony Hopkins (The Silence of the Lambs, The Remains of the Day) as Odin. A director is yet to be found. Thor: Ragnarok – July 28th 2017
Black Panther was the first of three new properties to be announced. Again no director is signed on but a writer is present in the form of documentary maker Mark Bailey. More excitingly 42 and Get on Up’s Chadwick Boseman was confirmed to be playing the tribal hero. We reckon Andy Serkis (Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, The Prestige, The Lord of the Rings) will play villain Ulysses Klaw. Black Panther – November 3rd 2017
The title itself is going to be tricky to sell but Marvel have at last invested in a female led film, following suit from DC’s Wonder Woman. There’s still no word on a director or star (is Longmire’s Katee Sackhoff still on the cards?) but a release date is in place. Captain Marvel – July 6th 2018
New franchise Inhumans was also conceived is similar circumstances in that we know almost nothing but there are faint rumours that Vin Diesel (already voicing Groot) will play team leader Black Bolt. Inhumans – November 2018
The most exciting announcement of all was that the third instalment of the central Avengers series will be split into two parts. Infinity War Part 1 and 2 will be released across 2018 and 2019. I sincerely hope that Serenity’s Joss Whedon will direct. The Avengers: Infinity War Part I – May 4th 2018 The Avengers: Infinity War Part II – May 3rd 2019
Let’s just recap on the story so far in Kevin Feige’s Marvel Cinematic Universe:
Phase One:
Iron Man – 2008 – Jon Favreau – Robert Downey Jr, Gwyneth Paltrow, Jeff Bridges, Terrence Howard, Clark Gregg, Paul Bettany, Samuel L Jackson
The Incredible Hulk – 2008 – Louis Leterrier – Edward Norton, Liv Tyler, Tim Roth, William Hurt, Tim Blake Nelson
Iron Man 2 – 2010 – Jon Favreau – Robert Downey Jr, Gwyneth Paltrow, Mickey Rourke, Don Cheadle, Scarlett Johansson, Sam Rockwell, Clark Gregg, Paul Bettany, Samuel L Jackson
Thor – 2011 – Kenneth Branagh – Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston, Natalie Portman, Anthony Hopkins, Stellan Skarsgard, Clark Gregg, Jaimie Alexander, Idris Elba
Captain America: The First Avenger – 2011 – Joe Johnston – Chris Evans, Hugo Weaving, Hayley Atwell, Sebastian Stan, Tommy Lee Jones, Dominic Cooper, Stanley Tucci, Toby Jones, Samuel L Jackson
The Avengers – 2012 – Joss Whedon – Robert Downey Jr, Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston, Mark Ruffalo, Scarlett Johansson, Chris Evans, Jeremy Renner, Samuel L Jackson, Cobie Smulders, Clark Gregg, Paul Bettany
Phase Two:
Iron Man 3 – 2013 – Shane Black – Robert Downey Jr, Don Cheadle, Gwyneth Paltrow, Guy Pearce, Rebecca Hall, Ben Kingsley, Paul Bettany
Thor: The Dark World – 2013 – Alan Taylor – Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Tom Hiddleston, Christopher Eccleston, Anthony Hopkins, Jaimie Alexander, Stellan Skarsgard, Idris Elba
Captain America: The Winter Solder – 2014 – Anthony and Joe Russo – Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Anthony Mackie, Robert Redford, Samuel L Jackson, Sebastian Stan, Cobie Smulders
Guardians of the Galaxy – 2014 – James Gunn – Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Bradley Cooper, Vin Diesel, Dave Bautista, Lee Pace, Karen Gillan, Michael Rooker, Benicio Del Toro
The Avengers: Age of Ultron – 2015 – Joss Whedon – Robert Downey Jr, Chris Evans, James Spader, Scarlett Johansson, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Jeremy Renner, Samuel L Jackson, Cobie Smulders, Elizabeth Olsen, Aaron Taylor Johnson, Paul Bettany, Andy Serkis
Phase Three:
Ant-Man – 2015 – Peyton Reed – Paul Rudd, Michael Douglas, Evangeline Lilly, Judy Greer, Michael Pena, Corey Stoll
Captain America: Civil War – 2016 – Anthony and Joe Russo – Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr, (unconfirmed) Anthony Mackie
Doctor Strange – 2016 – Scott Derickson – Benedict Cumberbatch
Guardians of the Galaxy 2 – 2017 – James Gunn – (unconfirmed)
Thor: Ragnarok – 2017 – (unconfirmed) – Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston
Black Panther – 2017 – (unconfirmed) – Chadwick Boseman, (unconfirmed) Andy Serkis
The Avengers: Infinity War Part I – 2018 – (unconfirmed) Joss Whedon – (unconfirmed) Robert Downey Jr, Mark Ruffalo, Josh Brolin
Captain Marvel – 2018
Inhumans – 2018
The Avengers: Infinity War Part II – 2019 – (unconfirmed) Joss Whedon – (unconfirmed) Robert Downey Jr, Mark Ruffalo, Josh Brolin
The Third Phase of the Marvel Cinematic Universe has been unleashed so tell us which of the ten new instalments you are most excited about. For us, it has got to be both parts of Infinity War. Bye for now!
Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy have become the undisputed kings of the summer, as oppose to last year’s equally brilliant The Kings of Summer. This week its reign may come to an end as its faces thriller No Good Deed and family sequel Dolphin Tale 2, the first real competition for the top spot since last month’s action comedy Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Meanwhile in the UK, miners strike drama Pride and animated fantasy The Boxtrolls are going head to head. Last week, we predicted that the aquatic drama would triumph but lets find out what really went down.
US:
No Good Deed – Director: Tim Miller – $24.5 million
Dolphin Tale 2 – Charles Martin Smith – $16.5 million
Guardians of the Galaxy – James Gunn – $8 million
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles – Jonathan Liebesman – $4.8 million
Let’s Be Cops – Luke Greenfield – $4.3 million
UK:
The Boxtrolls – Graham Annable, Anthony Stacchi – £2 million
Lucy – Luc Besson – £0.8 million
Pride – Matthew Warchus – £0.7 million
Sex Tape – Jake Kasdan – £0.7 million
A Most Wanted Man – Anton Corbijn – £0.6 million
Idris Elba’s thriller vehicle No Good Deed has overcome a generally negative critical response for a decent box office debut. Dolphin Tale has regressed from the first films takings although its hardly a flop. Guardians of the Galaxy has of course slipped up from its place atop the box office but it was certainly fun while it lasted. The Boxtrolls has made a sizeable stab at success in the UK although it’ll be hoping for better in the US. Pride hasn’t won any great financial gains but it is delighting its audiences. I wouldn’t be surprised to see it creep back around by next year’s (UK based) awards season. The late great Philip Seymour Hoffman’s final lead performance in spy drama A Most Wanted Man rounds off the top 5. This week I’ve scored 4/10.
US:
The Maze Runner – Wes Ball
A Walk Among the Tombstones – Scott Frank
No Good Deed – Tim Miller
Dolphin Tale 2 – Charles Martin Smith
Guardians of the Galaxy – James Gunn
UK:
The Boxtrolls – Graham Annable, Anthony Stacchi
The Riot Club – Lone Scherfig
A Walk Among the Tombstones – Scott Frank
Magic in the Moonlight – Woody Allen
Pride – Matthew Warchus
Idris Elba in No Good Deed, this week’s US number one.
Isaac Hempstead Wright in The Boxtrolls, this week’s UK number one.
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