The Phase 1 Avengers lineup (Robert Downey Jr, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Chris Hemsworth, Jeremy Renner) was added to in Phase 2 (Anthony Mackie, Elizabeth Olsen, Paul Bettany, Don Cheadle, Paul Rudd). We know that Phase 3’s additions include Chadwick Boseman, Tom Holland and Benedict Cumberbatch but Marvel’s new major female hero Captain Marvel has been elusive to cast.
Natalie Dormer (Game of Thrones), Katee Sackhoff (Oculus), Charlize Theron (Mad Max: Fury Road), Margot Robbie (The Wolf of Wall Street), Alice Eve (Star Trek Into Darkness) and Emily Blunt (Looper) had previously been mentioned or rumoured but now Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation and The White Queen’s Golden Globe nominated actress Rebecca Ferguson is reportedly in line for the role.
Sadly, Ava DuVernay (Selma) ruled out directing so there currently isn’t a serious candidate for directing. However, some rumours have included Angelina Jolie (Unbroken), Adam McKay (Anchorman) and Joss Whedon (Serenity).
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
A couple of months ago we released our top picks for the first half of the year but, with the summer season finishing, we’ll give an overview of the year’s films from a commercial and critical perspective.
Film: Taken 3 Director: Olivier Megaton Starring: Liam Neeson, Forest Whitaker, Famke Janssen, Maggie Grace, Dougray Scott IMDb/RT: 6.1/10 – 9% Budget: $48 million Opening weekend: $39 million Box-office: $325 million Summary: The second highest grossing outing in the series is thankfully the last. There’s been growth since Taken ($226 million) but less than Taken 3 ($376 million).
Film: Blackhat Director: Michael Mann Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Leehom Wang, Ritchie Coster, Holt McCallany, Viola Davis IMDb/RT: 5.4/10 – 34% Budget: $70 million Opening weekend: $4 million Box-office: $18 million Summary: The star of Thor ($644 million) and Rush ($90 million) and the director of Heat ($187 million) and Collateral ($217 million) should have been a match-up to enjoy but somehow Blackhat flopped.
Film: The Wedding Ringer Director: Jeremy Garelick Starring: Kevin Hart, Josh Gad, Kaley Cuco Sweeting, Alan Richson, Jorge Garcia IMDb/RT: 6.7 – 27% Budget: $23 million Opening weekend: $20 million Box-office: $79 million Summary: A slip up in comparison to Kevin Hart’s 2014 hit Ride Along ($154 million).
Film: Mortdecai Director: David Koepp Starring: Johnny Depp, Gwyneth Paltrow, Ewan McGregor, Olivia Munn, Paul Bettany IMDb/RT: 5.5/10 – 12% Budget: $60 million Opening weekend: $4 million Box-office: $30 million Summary: This disastrous caper is proof of former superstar Johnny Depp’s dwindling popularity outside of Pirates.
Film: Jupiter Ascending Directors: Andy and Lana Wachowski Starring: Mila Kunis, Channing Tatum, Eddie Redmayne, Sean Bean, Terry Gilliam IMDb/RT: 5.5/10 – 25% Budget: $176 million Opening weekend: $18 million Box-office: $182 million Summary: This effort from the creators of The Matrix ($463 million) suffered from its release delays and ridiculously overpriced budget.
Film: Fifty Shades of Grey Director: Sam Taylor Johnson Starring: Dakota Johnson, Jamie Dornan, Eloise Mumford, Jennifer Ehle, Marcia Gay Harden IMDb/RT: 4.2/10 – 25% Budget: $40 million Opening weekend: $85 million Box-office: $570 million Summary: Being critically reviled didn’t get in the way of this erotic drama.
Film: Kingsman: The Secret Service Director: Matthew Vaughn Starring: Taron Egerton, Colin Firth, Samuel L Jackson, Sophie Cookson, Mark Strong IMDb/RT: 7.8/10 – 75% Budget: $81 million Opening weekend: $35 million Box-office: $406 million Summary: The spy thriller from Kick-Ass ($96 million) Vaughn turned out to be his most acclaimed and profitable yet, even out grossing the likes of The Bourne Legacy ($276 million).
Film: Focus Director: Glenn Ficara, John Requa Starring: Will Smith, Margot Robbie, Rodrigo Santoro, Gerald McRaney, BD Wong IMDb/RT: 6.6/10 – 57% Budget: $50 million Opening weekend: $19 million Box-office: $159 million Summary: A strong performance from Smith renews his popularity after the mediocre After Earth ($243 million).
Film: Chappie Director: Neill Blompkamp Starring: Sharlto Copley, Dev Patel, Hugh Jackman, Sigourney Weaver, Die Antwoord IMDb/RT: 7.0/10 – 30% Budget: $49 million Opening weekend: $13 million Box-office: $102 million Summary: A let down in comparison to Blomkamp’s more lucrative works – District 9 ($210 million) or Elysium ($286 million).
Film: Cinderella Director: Kenneth Branagh Starring: Lily James, Cate Blanchett, Richard Madden, Stellan Skarsgard, Helena Bonham Carter IMDb/RT: 7.1/10 – 85% Budget: $95 million Opening weekend: $68 million Box-office: $542 million Summary: Branagh’s lavish take on the period fantasy romance has successfully found a new following for the fairy tale.
Film: Insurgent Director: Robert Schwentke Starring: Shailene Woodley, Theo James, Miles Teller, Ansel Elgort, Kate Winslet IMDb/RT: 6.4/10 – 30% Budget: $110 million Opening weekend: $53 million Box-office: $295 million Summary: The Divergent series has quickly turned out to be the inferior of The Hunger Games.
Film: Home Director: Tim Johnson Starring: Jim Parsons, Rihanna, Jennifer Lopez, Matt Jones, Steve Martin IMDb/RT: 6.7/10 – 45% Budget: $135 million Opening weekend: $52 million Box-office: $387 million Summary: Dreamworks are struggling to stand out with their new properties in a market dominated by the likes of Warner Bros’ The Lego Movie or Disney’s Frozen.
Film: Get Hard Director: Etan Cohen Starring: Will Ferrell, Kevin Hart, Alison Brie, Tip Harris, Craig T Nelson IMDb/RT: 6.1/10 – 29% Budget: $40 million Opening weekend: $34 million Box-office: $106 million Summary: The combination of these celebrated comics ought to have been special but didn’t come close.
Film: Furious 7 Director: James Wan Starring: Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Dwayne Johnson, Michelle Rodriguez, Jason Statham IMDb/RT: 7.4/10 – 81% Budget: $190 million Opening weekend: $147 million Box-office: $1.512 billion Summary: The blockbuster sequel made seven times more than the original did 14 years ago ($207 million) but the series might not have much room to grow into for film eight.
Film: The Avengers: Age of Ultron Director: Joss Whedon Starring: Robert Downey Jr, Mark Ruffalo, Scarlett Johansson, Chris Evans, James Spader IMDb/RT: 7.8/10 – 74% Budget: $280 million Opening weekend: $191 million Box-office: $1.401 billion Summary: A slight slip up from 2012’s Avengers Assemble ($1.520 billion), the sequel still delivered the goods for the fans.
Film: Pitch Perfect 2 Director: Elizabeth Banks Starring: Anna Kendrick, Rebel Wilson, Brittany Snow, Hailee Steinfeld, Elizabeth Banks IMDb/RT: 6.7 – 67% Budget: $29 million Opening weekend: $69 million Box-office: $285 million Summary: Pitch Perfect is quickly rivaling Jump Street and Bridesmaids to be the best comedy of the decade so far, while growing from the original’s $115 million.
Film: Mad Max: Fury Road Director: George Miller Starring: Tom Hardy, Charlize Theron, Rosie Huntington Whitely, Zoe Kravitz, Nicholas Hoult IMDb/RT: 8.3/10 – 98% Budget: $150 million Opening weekend: $45 million Box-office: $374 million Summary: A stunningly successful return from the road warrior.
Film: Tomorrowland Director: Brad Bird Starring: Britt Robertson, George Clooney, Raffey Cassidy, Tim McGraw, Hugh Laurie IMDb/RT: 6.6/10 – 50% Budget: $190 million Opening weekend: $33 million Box-office: $208 million Summary: While it polarized critics, concealing many secrets during marketing may have been the financial downfall of the underrated sci-fi adventure and another disappointment for Disney after John Carter ($284 million) and The Lone Ranger ($260 million).
Film: San Andreas Director: Brad Peyton Starring: Dwayne Johnson, Carla Gugino, Alexandra Daddario, Ioan Gruffudd, Paul Giamatti IMDb/RT: 6.4/10 – 50% Budget: $110 million Opening weekend: $55 million Box-office: $469 million Summary: The disaster thriller was a success but not a 2012 ($769 million) style smash hit.
Film: Spy Director: Paul Feig Starring: Melissa McCarthy, Jason Statham, Rose Byrne, Miranda Hart, Jude Law IMDb/RT: 7.3/10 – 94% Budget: $65 million Opening weekend: $29 million Box-office: $236 million Summary: After striking big with Bridesmaids ($288 million) and The Heat ($229 million), Paul Feig is continuing to put himself on a good track for the Ghost Busters reboot.
Film: Jurassic World Director: Colin Trevorrow Starring: Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Irrfan Khan, Omar Sy, Vincent D’Onofrio IMDb/RT: 7.3/10 – 71% Budget: $150 million Opening weekend: $208 million Box-office: $1.642 billion Summary: With a sequel coming in 2018, the franchise (dormant for fourteen years) is now set for big things.
Film: Inside Out Directors: Pete Docter, Ronaldo Del Carmen Starring: Amy Poehler, Phyllis Smith, Richard Kind, Bill Hader, Kyle MacLachlan IMDb/RT: 8.6/10 – 98% Budget: $175 million Opening weekend: $90 million Box-office: $701 million Summary: Inside Out has become Pixar’s third biggest original feature.
Film: Ted 2
Director: Seth MacFarlane Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Seth MacFarlane, Amanda Seyfried, Giovanni Ribisi, Patrick Stewart IMDb/RT: 6.6/10 – 46% Budget: $68 million Opening weekend: $33.5 million Box-office: $180 million Summary: A very disappointing follow up to 2012’s Ted ($549 million). After the mediocre performance of MacFarlane’s western A Million Ways to Die in the West ($86 million), there’s increasing doubt in the Family Guy creator’s popularity.
Film: Terminator Genisys
Director: Alan Taylor Starring: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Emilia Clarke, Jai Courtney, Jason Clarke, JK Simmons IMDb/RT: 6.9/10 – 26% Budget: $155 million Opening weekend: $27 million Box-office: $352 million Summary: While it was a healthy opening but the franchise has long lost its previously stellar hype. Still not an improvement on 2009’s Terminator Salvation ($371 million).
Film: Magic Mike XXL
Director: Gregory Jacobs Starring: Channing Tatum, Matt Bomer, Joe Manganiello, Amber Heard, Jada Pinkett Smith IMDb/RT: 6.3/10 – 65% Budget: $14 million Opening weekend: $123 million Box-office: $117 million Summary: The progressive stripper comedy sequel has decreased from Steven Soderbergh’s 2012 original ($167 million) and other raunchy blockbusters have been more profitable – for example Fifty Shades of Grey ($569 million) – but it’s still an impressive tally.
Film: Minions
Directors: Pierre Coffin, Kyle Balda Starring: Sandra Bullock, Pierre Coffin, Jon Hamm, Michael Keaton, Geoffrey Rush IMDb/RT: 6.7/10 – 54% Budget: $74 million Opening weekend: $115 million Box-office: $1.004 billion Summary: This triumphant spin off managed to surpass and compete with the previous instalments of the beloved Despicable Me franchise ($543 million – $970 million).
Film: Ant-Man Director: Peyton Reed Starring: Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lilly, Corey Stoll, Michael Pena, Michael Douglas IMDb/RT: 7.8/10 – 79% Budget: $130 million Opening weekend: $57 million Box-office: $363 million Summary: It’s an underperformance in comparison to Marvel’s fellow Phase 2 superhero flicks such as Iron Man 3 ($1215 million), Thor: The Dark World ($644 million), Captain America: The Winter Soldier ($714 million) or Guardians of the Galaxy ($774 million) but is a worthy reception for the kings of summer blockbusters.
Film: Trainwreck Director: Judd Apatow Starring: Amy Schumer, Bill Hader, Brie Larson, John Cena, Tilda Swinton Budget: $35 million Opening weekend: $30 million Box-office: $123 million Summary: A traditional fooled-around-and-fell-in-love rom-com might have sank but the presence of rising star Amy Schumer has elevated this to the likes of Apatow’s The 40 Year Old Virgin ($177 million) or Knocked Up ($219 million).
Film: Pixels Director: Chris Columbus Starring: Adam Sandler, Kevin James, Josh Gad, Michelle Monaghan, Peter Dinklage IMDb/RT: 5.6/10 – 17% Budget: $88 million Opening weekend: $24 million Box-office: $174 million Summary: This sci-fi adventure’s financial reception didn’t live up to the premise but a budget half the size of Tomorrowland’s means that it may actually breakeven at the box-office.
Film: Southpaw Director: Antoine Fuqua Starring: Jake Gyllenhaal, Forest Whitaker, Oona Laurence, Naomie Harris, Rachel McAdams IMDb/RT: 7.8/10 – 60% Budget: $25 million Opening weekend: $17 million Box-office: $67 million Summary: This sport drama failed to rekindle the mass popularity of boxing flicks such as Rocky ($225 million).
Film: Paper Towns Director: Jake Schreir Starring: Nat Wolff, Cara Delevingne, Halston Sage, Jaz Sinclair, Austin Abrams IMDb/RT: 6.9/10 – 55% Budget: $12 million Opening weekend: $13 million Box-office: $75 million Summary: A decent opening for the young adult romantic drama but well off the other John Green adaptation The Fault in Our Stars ($307 million).
Film: Vacation Directors: Jonathan Goldstein, John Francis Daley Starring: Ed Helms, Christina Applegate, Leslie Mann, Chris Hemsworth, Chevy Chase IMDb/RT: 6.3/10 – 26% Budget: $31 million Opening weekend: $15 million Box-office: $69 million Summary: The comedy reboot of the adored Chevy Chase franchise didn’t inspire a great amount of nostalgia for fans of the originals.
Film: Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation Director: Christopher McQuarrie Starring: Tom Cruise, Jeremy Renner, Rebecca Ferguson, Simon Pegg, Alec Baldwin IMDb/RT: 7.8/10 – 93% Budget: $150 million Opening weekend: $56 million Box-office: $445 million Summary: The Cruise action vehicle builds off the wobble of Edge of Tomorrow ($369 million). The spy series returned in style and will grow throughout the summer.
Film: Fantastic Four Director: Josh Trank Starring: Miles Teller, Michael B Jordan, Jamie Bell, Kate Mara, Toby Kebbell IMDb/RT: 4.0/10 – 8% Budget: $120 million Opening weekend: $26 million Box-office: $134 million Summary: A superhero reboot full of hope and promise morphed into the year’s most depressing car crash. It was even a decrease from the 2005 film ($330 million) and its sequel ($289 million).
Film: Straight Outta Compton Director: F Gary Gray Starring: O’Shea Jackson Jr, Corey Hawkins, Jason Mitchell, Aldis Hodge, Paul Giamatti IMDb/RT: 8.4/10 – 89% Budget: $28 million Opening weekend: $60 million Box-office: $125 million Summary: The musical biopic has become one of August’s biggest hits but did smaller numbers than 2002’s Eminem effort 8 Mile ($242 million).
Film: The Man From UNCLE Director: Guy Ritchie Starring: Henry Cavill, Armie Hammer, Alicia Vikander, Elizabeth Debicki, Hugh Grant IMDb/RT: 7.6/10 – 67% Budget: $75 million Opening weekend: $13 million Box-office: $57 million Summary: The star studded spy thriller from the director of the Sherlock Holmes films ($524 million – $545 million) has struggled to find a home with fans.
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!
Tobey Maguire had an impressive five year run playing Spider-Man from 2002 to 2007 in three films directed by Sam Raimi. Following him was Andrew Garfield who starred in two films of two years from 2012 to 2014 under the supervision of Marc Webb. The latest pairing of director and star to be bringing Spidey to the screen have just been revealed.
Nineteen year old Brit Tom Holland will take on the role of Peter Parker in the new reboot for the Marvel Cinematic Universe and there’s various pros and cons for the casting. While Garfield was at least a decade over the preferred age for the role, Holland fits the bill for a teen Peter and he impresses in The Impossible and TV’s Wolf Hall. However, considering the other candidates (Asa Butterfield, Nat Wolff, Timothee Chalamet, Liam James) there wasn’t one black actor in the mix. Holland makes his debut as Spider-Man in next year’s Captain America: Civil War.
The director whose been appointed is Jon Watts, who is behind the upcoming thriller Cop Car. He may not seem like the candidate most suited to the job but Marvel made unexpected talents out of newbies such as The Winter Soldier’s Anthony and Joe Russo and underrated filmmakers such as Avengers’ Joss Whedon (Serenity) and Guardians’ James Gunn (Slither) while directing veterans The First Avenger’s Joe Johnston (The Wolfman), The Incredible Hulk’s Louis Leterrier (Red Dragon) or Thor’s Kenneth Branagh (Hamlet).
For the supporting cast, we’d propose rumours about Matthew MacConaughey (Interstellar, Dallas Buyers Club) as Green Goblin or Maisie Williams (Game of Thrones) as Mary Jane Watson – replacing the abandoned Shailene Woodley casting. Or perhaps Vincent D’Onofrio (Jurassic World) will step up from Netflix’s Daredevil to play Kingpin on the big screen.
Civil War also stars Chris Evans (Snowpiercer), Scarlett Johansson (Lucy), Robert Downey Jr (Sherlock Holmes), Elizabeth Olsen (Godzilla), Jeremy Renner (The Hurt Locker), Anthony Mackie (The Adjustment Bureau), Paul Bettany (A Beautiful Mind), Daniel Bruhl (Rush), William Hurt (Humans) and Martin Freeman (The Hobbit).
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.”
Back in 2014’s Captain America: Winter Soldier, HYDRA’s double agent Brock Rumlow was crushed and severely burned but still alive and he’s returning for the sequel, Civil War. Frank Grillo (Warrior, The Grey) is back in his menacing armour with these on-set photos we can also see new looks at Chris Evans (Snowpiercer, The Iceman) as Captain America/Steve Rogers and Anthony Mackie (The Adjustment Bureau, Real Steel) as Falcon, Sam Wilson.
Civil War also stars Robert Downey Jr (Sherlock Holmes) as Iron Man, Scarlett Johansson (Lucy) as Black Widow, Jeremy Renner (The Hurt Locker) as Hawkeye, Paul Bettany (A Beautiful Mind) as Vision, Elizabeth Olsen (Godzilla) as Scarlet Witch, Don Cheadle (Boogie Nights) as War Machine, Daniel Bruhl (Rush) as Baron Zemo, Emily Van Camp (Revenge) as Agent 13, Sebastian Stan (Black Swan) as Winter Soldier, Chadwick Boseman (Get on Up) as Black Panther, Paul Rudd (Anchorman) as Ant-Man, William Hurt (Artificial Intelligence) as General Ross and Martin Freeman (The Hobbit).
Warning: The following article contains major spoilers for Avengers: Age of Ultron.
In the end of Age of Ultron, Captain America and Black Widow have assembled a team we’ll be referring to as the New Avengers (Vision, Scarlet Witch, War Machine, Falcon) while the Original Avengers (Iron Man, Thor, Hulk, Hawkeye) have gone their separate ways but various cast members from across the Marvel Cinematic universe are uniting. Here’s the lineup of Civil War:
Name: Captain America/Steve Rogers Star: Chris Evans (Snowpiercer, The Iceman) Appearances: Captain America: The First Avenger (2011), Avengers Assemble (2012), Thor: The Dark World (2013), Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014), The Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)
Name: Iron Man/Tony Stark Star: Robert Downey Jr (Chaplin, Sherlock Holmes) Appearances: Iron Man (2008), The Incredible Hulk (2008), Iron Man 2 (2010), Avengers Assemble (2012), Iron Man 3 (2013), Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)
Name: Black Widow/Natasha Romanoff Star: Scarlett Johansson (Lost in Translation, Lucy) Appearances: Iron Man 2 (2010), Avengers Assemble (2012), Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014), The Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)
Name: Hawkeye/Clint Barton Star: Jeremy Renner (The Hurt Locker, American Hustle) Appearances: Thor (2011), Avengers Assemble (2012), The Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)
Name: Falcon/Sam Wilson Star: Anthony Mackie (The Adjustment Bureau, The Hurt Locker) Appearances: Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014), The Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)
Name: Scarlet Witch/Wanda Maximoff Star: Elizabeth Olsen (Martha Marcy May Marlene, Godzilla) Appearances: The Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)
Name: Vision/JARVIS Star: Paul Bettany (A Beautiful Mind, Master and Commander: Far Side of the World) Appearances: Iron Man (2008), Iron Man 2 (2010), Avengers Assemble (2012), Iron Man 3 (2013), The Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)
Name: War Machine/James Rhodes Star: Don Cheadle (Crash, Boogie Nights) Appearances: Iron Man (2008), Iron Man 2 (2010), Iron Man 3 (2013), The Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)
Name: Agent 13/Sharon Carter Star: Emily Van Camp (Revenge, The Girl in the Book) Appearances: Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)
Name: Ant-Man/Scott Lang Star: Paul Rudd (Anchorman, Knocked Up) Appearances: Ant-Man (2015)
Name: Black Panther/T’Challa Star: Chadwick Boseman (Get on Up, 42) Appearances: Black Panther (2018)
Name: Winter Soldier/Bucky Barnes Star: Sebastian Stan (Black Swan, Ricki and the Flash) Appearances: Captain America: The First Avenger (2011), Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)
Name: Crossbones/Brock Rumlow Star: Frank Grillo (The Purge: Anarchy, The Grey) Appearances: Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)
Name: Thaddeus Ross Star: William Hurt (Artificial Intelligence, A History of Violence) Appearances: The Incredible Hulk (2008)
Name: Baron Zemo Star: Daniel Bruhl (Rush, The Bourne Ultimatum) Appearances: 0
Name: ??? Star: Martin Freeman (Fargo, The Hobbit trilogy) Appearances: 0
The upcoming retelling of William Shakespeare’s Macbeth is already gathering the potential to be a prime Oscar candidate. The latest set of stills have been released and show what’s expected of the Scottish period drama. Justin Kurzel (Snowtown) directs the cast of Michael Fassbender (Prometheus, X-Men, Frank, 12 Years a Slave), Marion Cotillard (Inception, Rust and Bone, Two Days One Night, The Dark Knight Rises), Paddy Considine (The World’s End, Dead Man’s Shoes, Pride, The Bourne Ultimatum), Sean Harris (Harry Brown, ’71), Elizabeth Debicki (The Great Gatsby, The Man From UNCLE), Jack Reynor (What Richard Did, Delivery Man) and David Thewlis (Harry Potter, Kingdom of Heaven, War Horse, The Theory of Everything).
The second instalment of the Avengers film franchise, Age of Ultron, debuted recently and plans for the third are already underway. Infinity War will release in two parts of 2018 and 2019 and the details of the filming has emerged. Directed by Anthony and Joe Russo (who replace Joss Whedon after impressing with The Winter Soldier, the films will shoot back to back over a course of nine months starting in late 2016.
We have no idea which characters will actually survive Phase 3 but we can expect the cast list to include Robert Downey Jr (Chaplin) as Iron Man, Mark Ruffalo (Shutter Island) as Hulk, Scarlett Johansson (Her) as Black Widow, Chris Hemsworth (Rush) as Thor, Jeremy Renner (The Town) as Hawkeye, Chris Evans (Snowpiercer) as Captain America, Elizabeth Olsen (Godzilla) as Scarlet Witch, Paul Bettany (A Beautiful Mind) as Vision, Don Cheadle (Crash) as War Machine, Anthony Mackie (The Hurt Locker) as Falcon, Karen Gillan (Oculus) as Nebula, Paul Rudd (Anchorman) as Ant-Man, Evangeline Lilly (Lost) as Wasp, Chadwick Boseman (Get on Up) as Black Panther, Benedict Cumberbatch (Sherlock) as Doctor Strange, Tom Hiddleston (Crimson Peak) as Loki and Josh Brolin (No Country For Old Men) as Thanos.
Macbeth – 2015
The Avengers: Infinity War – Part 1 – April 27th 2018
The Avengers: Infinity War – Part 2 – April 29th 2019
As X-Men: Apocalypse takes the series into the eighties as the First Class graduates (Professor X, Magneto, Mystique, Beast, Havok, Quicksilver) combine with the team of the future (Jean Grey, Cyclops, Storm, Angel, Psylocke, Jubilee). One of the many mutants to feature in this instalment is Nightcrawler, a blue teleporter played on screen by Alan Cumming in 2003’s X2. The new incarnation (revealed below) is to be played by Kodi Smit McPhee (The Road, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes).
Apocalypse is directed by Bryan Singer (The Usual Suspects, Days of Future Past) and stars Michael Fassbender (Prometheus, 12 Years a Slave) as Erik Lensherr, Jennifer Lawrence (The Hunger Games, Silver Linings Playbook) as Raven Darkholme, James McAvoy (Atonement, Filth) as Charles Xavier, Oscar Isaac (A Most Violent Year, Inside Llewyn Davis) as En Sabah Nur, Evan Peters (American Horror Story) as Pietro Maximoff, Rose Byrne (Bridesmaids, Bad Neighbours) as Moira MacTaggart, Nicholas Hoult (Warm Bodies) as Hank McCoy, Channing Tatum (Foxcatcher, 21 Jump Street) as Remy LaBeau, Sophie Turner (Game of Thrones) as Jean Grey, Tye Sheridan (The Tree of Life) as Scott Summers and Hugh Jackman (The Prestige, Prisoners, Les Miserables) as Logan.
Marvel (the makers of Iron Man, Thor, Captain America and Guardians of the Galaxy) have set their eyes on brand new projects including Doctor Strange, Captain Marvel, Inhumans and Black Panther but the famed archer Clint Barton/Hawkeye will undoubtedly be a new fan favourite in the upcoming Age of Ultron. Star Jeremy Renner (The Hurt Locker, The Town, American Hustle) has talked about the possibilities of a spin off for the hero. “There are always talks about things, but that doesn’t ever mean they’ll become a reality. All these things can still happen. They just pave some road and plant some seeds for future things, if they choose to go down that road.”
Hawkeye will next feature in Captain America: Civil War and may also star Chris Evans (Snowpiercer) as Steve Rogers, Scarlett Johansson (Under the Skin) as Natasha Romanoff, Anthony Mackie (The Adjustment Bureau) as Sam Wilson, Don Cheadle (Boogie Nights) as James Rhodes, Paul Bettany (A Beautiful Mind) as Vision, Elizabeth Olsen (Godzilla) as Wanda Maximoff, Sebastian Stan (Black Swan) as Bucky Barnes, Frank Grillo (The Purge) as Brock Rumlow, Chadwick Boseman (Get on Up) as T’Challa and Robert Downey Jr (Chaplin) as Tony Stark and is directed by Anthony and Joe Russo (Welcome to Collinwood).
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