This upcoming year looks like a great one for movies. There are a few superhero ones, a few sequels, a few remakes, and some comedies, too. I'm excited to see how they all turn out and to see if they'll live up to the hype. Here is a list of the most popular movies people are looking forward to this year.
1. "X-Men: Apocalypse"
Release date: May 27
Starring Oscar Isaac and favorites Jennifer Lawrence and Evan Peters, the newest X-Men movie looks to be bigger and badder than the last from the looks of the trailer. The director, Bryan Singer, also did "X-Men," "X2," and "X-Men: Days of Future Past."
2. "The Jungle Book"
Release date: April 15
If you haven't yet seen the preview for this movie, stop and watch it right now. From director Jon Favreau, big names like Scarlett Johansson, Bill Murray, and Lupita Wyong'o, and the timeless Disney story, this film couldn't possibly disappoint.
3. "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice"
Release date: March 25
It's finally the year of the long-awaited battle of supers. We've seen Marvel's superheroes come together for "The Avengers," but it won't be anything like this. Batman (Ben Affleck) going head-to-head with Superman (Henry Cavill) looks to be an equal battle of strength, power and devastatingly good looks, and I'm interested to see the result. (Team Superman over here.)
4. "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them"
Release date: November 18
Harry Potter fans will recognize this title. This movie comes from J.K. Rowling's book about the magical creatures in the Harry Potter universe. It is set in New York 70 years before the books and movies we know. Rowling wrote the screenplay for the movie, so we can guarantee it won't stray far from the book!
5. "Ghostbusters"
Release date: July 15
"Bill Murray is back!" is what I first thought when I saw the cast for this movie. However, in a closer look, he's not the main dude. Although the plot is unknown, it looks like Kristin Wiig, Melissa McCarthy, and Kate McKinnon (SNL) are the new front-runners. I'm wary to see how the movie turns out just because the original will be impossible to live up to.
6. "Captain America: Civil War"
Release date: May 6
Chris Evans is always a good reason to watch Captain America movies, but now Robert Downey Jr. stepping in to fight against our hero is all the more reason to watch. Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), Bucky (Sebastian Stan), and Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) will be making appearances along with Ant-Man (Paul Rudd) and Spider-man (Tom Holland). I know right -- another Spider-man? The match-up looks good, though. Another interesting outcome to look forward to.
7. "Dirty Grandpa"
Release date: January 22
This comedy with Zac Efron and Robert De Niro looks to be lightweight but not lighthearted. De Niro, as the title suggests, is not your average Grandpa, and paired with the embarrassed grandson, things will get weird as they venture to Florida for Spring Break.
8. "Independence Day: Resurgence"
Release date: June 24
The end of the world has come again for payback for last time. I'm definitely excited for this sequel being a fan of "Independence Day," but it looks like it will be a great summer movie whether you've seen the first or not. Jeff Goldblum and Bill Pullman are some of the original cast returning. They'll be joined with stars Liam Hemsworth and Joey King this time.
9. "Alice Through The Looking Glass"
Release date: May 27
Starring, of course, Johnny Depp, Anne Hathaway, and Mia Wasikowska, the "Alice in Wonderland" sequel looks to be even more whimsical than the first. Alice travels through wonderland and through time to once again save the day.
10. "Suicide Squad"
Release date: August 5
The trailer for "Suicide Squad" was released over a year before the movie is set to come out and fans are anxious to see how this DC movie will turn out. Big names Jared Leto as The Joker, Cara Delevingne as Enchantress, and Will Smith as Deadshot will also be joined by an expected appearance of Batman (Ben Affleck).
11. "Star Trek Beyond"
Release date: July 22
The third Star Trek movie with Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto is the first to not be directed by J.J. Abrams. Since Abrams took on "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" this year, Justin Lin stepped in to direct "Star Trek Beyond." Though the plot is unknown, the trailer is available to watch on IMDB.
12. "The Legend of Tarzan"
Release date: July 1
The classic story of Tarzan takes a new spin. Tarzan has now acclimated to life in London and is called back to the jungle to save the day. Alexander Skarsgård is starring as Tarzan and Margot Robbie as Jane while the movie also includes Samuel L. Jackson and Christoph Waltz.
13. "Kung Fu Panda 3"
Release date: January 29
Po (Jack Black) continues his adventures of awesomeness while also using his kung fu powers to once again defeat bad guys and save the world. It's great that these movies are rated PG for kids but still entertaining for everyone.
14. "Deadpool"
Release date: February 12
You've probably seen the preview for this movie a couple times. Ryan Reynolds is the goofy character who gets turned into a superhero. This movie is definitely not your average superhero movie. From the trailer, it's trying really hard to be funny, so I'm not so sure about it, personally. This is Tim Miller's first movie ever to be directing so it could be a hit or miss.
15. "Zoolander 2"
Release date: February 16
Boolander (Ben Stiller) and Hansolo (Owen Wilson) are back (and older than ever) tackling their second venture in the male modeling world. "Zoolander" is another example of a classic movie that will be difficult to live up to. I'll probably go see the movie for Hansel, though. He's so hot right now.
16. "The Divergent Series: Allegiant"
Release date: March 18
Like most book/movie series these days, "Allegiant" will be split into two parts. So this will be the first part of the third book and "The Divergent Series: Ascendant" (2017) will be the second part. I'm not sure why they added a totally new name, but for the sake of fans everywhere, I hope these next two movies are (for once) better than the book.
17. "Finding Dory"
Release date: June 17
Thirteen years, we have waited! The "Finding Nemo" sequel will finally be here this summer, and I can pretty much guarantee there will be more adults and teenagers seeing it than little ones. This movie will be sweet, funny and nostalgic and I can't wait to dive back in.
18. "Doctor Strange"
Release date: November 4
We don't know much about this movie yet other than Benedict Cumberbatch is Dr. Strange and Rachel McAdams is the female lead. This movie will introduce the Marvel Cinematic Universe to magic and sorcery, unlike Thor or Enchantress. Scott Derrickson's other movies are all horror films like "Sinister," so this should be interesting.
19. "The Secret Life of Pets"
Release date: July 8
From the creators of "Despicable Me," this movie looks like it will be really cute and genuinely funny. The trailer shows all kinds of animals in an apartment and what they do while their owners are gone during the day. Voices Lake Bell, Kevin Hart, Ellie Kemper, Jenny Slate, and C.K. Louis are not likely to disappoint either.
20. "The Purge 3"
Release date: July 1
There is no other information on this movie yet other than Elizabeth Mitchell and Frank Grillo will be the lead roles, and it has the same director as the first two (James DeMonaco).
21. "The BFG"
Release date: July 1
There is only a teaser trailer right now, but "The BFG" is about a little girl who meets the Big Friendly Giant. It's a Disney film and Steven Spielberg directed, so it's likely to be a good movie for children and adults. Bill Hader stars as the Giant (not a joke).
22. "The Nice Guys"
Release date: May 20
Starring Ryan Gosling, Russell Crowe and Matt Bomer, "The Nice Guys" is about private investigators in the 70s. The trailer looks like it will be a mystery thriller with lots of humor and plenty entertaining. The writer and director also wrote "Iron Man 3" and the "Lethal Weapons."
23. "Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates"
Release date: July 8
This movie is mainly exciting for the cast: Zac Efron, Adam DeVine, Anna Kendrick, and Aubrey Plaza -- all very funny and talented actors. The movie is about two guys who place an ad online to find dates to a wedding. It sounds like it will be another dumb funny movie (my favorite).
I know what we're all really waiting for is an Incredibles sequel. But sadly, it will not be out for three more years, so check back with me then. For now, we'll have to settle for these.
