The Top 10 Most Anticipated Upcoming Movies in 2022

There are plenty of exciting movies to look forward to in 2022, even if no one knows what to expect from the next year of cinema.

Listed below are the most anticipated upcoming movies scheduled for release in 2022. In the past 12 months, there have been sure signs of box office recovery following a torrid time in 2020. As a result, Shang-Chi & The Legends of The Ten Rings, No Time To Die, and Spider-Man: No Way Home all performed strongly in a difficult market, proving that rumors of the movie theater's demise were greatly exaggerated. The playing field leveled somewhat in 2021, as most blockbusters received theatrical exclusive premieres after streaming platforms were allowed free rein in 2020. In the meantime, uncertainty still reigns, and pre-pandemic audience habits show little sign of returning anytime soon.

2021 at least proved that there will always be quality movies to watch in theaters or at home, no matter what goes on behind the scenes. The year's best movies included Dune, The Green Knight, and CODA, and even Nicolas Cage made a good movie with Pig. While some films we had high hopes for suffered mixed fortunes - Eternals hype faded into mixed reviews, while The Last Duel and The Many Saints of Newark sit among many high-profile flops.  

It's impossible to predict what the movie landscape will look like in another year, but at least there's a long list of reasons to be excited as the movie industry hangs a new cinematic calendar upon the wall. As we head into 2022, these will be the movies that are getting the most buzz.

10. Thor: Love & Thunder (July 8)

Chris Hemsworth's charismatic Asgardian won't run out of lightning juice just yet in his fourth MCU movie. Thor: Love & Thunder's biggest draw is undoubtedly the supporting cast led by Taika Waititi (who resurrected the franchise after Thor: The Dark World's failure). In Mighty Thor, Natalie Portman reprises her comic book role as Jane Foster while Christian Bale becomes Gorr the God-Butcher, a Marvel villain. Marvel movie fans can expect the same kind of sideways humor and intense insanity that Thor: Ragnarok brought to the MCU, alongside cameos from the Guardians of the Galaxy and a more serious, meaningful message about love, as Jane may be fighting cancer.

9. Nope (July 22)

Jordan Peele has become a master of modern horror by writing, directing, producing, and probably catering Get Out and Us, beautifully subverting the tropes fans have loved for decades. Nope, which stars Daniel Kaluuya, Keke Palmer, and Steven Yeun, could be considered the spiritual third movie in that trilogy. Nope's plot remains unknown, but the film's first poster shows a strange cloud hovering over a small, isolated village in the mountains, dragging a creepy banner behind it. It's up to you how you interpret that. Nope is getting major buzz ahead of 2022 thanks to Peele's reputation, the project's intense secrecy, and an exceptionally bizarre title. Could lightning strike three times for Jordan Peele?

8. Turning Red (March 11)

There is a certain level of anticipation surrounding every Pixar movie based purely on studio prestige, and Turning Red is no exception. Turning Red marks Pixar's next original project following a strong year for the Disney-owned animation house thanks to Luca. In this coming of age story directed by Domee Shi and starring Sandra Oh, 13-year-old Mei Lee transforms into a giant red panda whenever she gets overwhelmed. Pixar's Turning Red combines the introspective themes of Inside Out with authentic Chinese influences, with music composed by Billie Eilish and her songwriter brother for a fictional in-movie band named 4*Town. In 2022, will Turning Red be able to turn a decent profit?

7. Jurassic World: Dominion (June 10)

Colin Trevorrow successfully breathed new life into the Jurassic Park franchise in 2015, transforming Jurassic World into a next-generation sequel to the original movies. Despite critical and commercial acclaim, 2018's sequel, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, received mixed reviews. Nevertheless, Jurassic World: Dominion, the third and final film in Trevorrow's trilogy, is expected to deliver high expectations. As well as Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard, Jurassic Park fans can also look forward to seeing dinosaur disaster veterans Sam Neill, Laura Dern, and Jeff Goldblum. The title's apocalyptic promise is fulfilled in Jurassic World: Dominion, which takes place in a fantasy world where dinosaurs roam free across Earth.

6. Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness (May 6)

There are three MCU films scheduled for release in 2022, but Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness holds the most promise. As Benedict Cumberbatch's supreme-ish sorcerer, Strange must fix the deteriorating multiverse with the help of Elizabeth Olsen's Scarlet Witch and Xochitl Gomez's America Chavez, fresh from his disastrous experiences in Spider-Man: No Way Home. In addition to them, franchise regulars Benedict Wong (Wong), Rachel McAdams (Christine Palmer), and Chiwetel Ejiofor (Mordo) will also be appearing in the upcoming film. Having Sam Raimi in the director's chair is part of the appeal of Doctor Strange 2. Even though Scott Derrickson's (original Doctor Strange director) exit from the MCU was unfortunate, Raimi's return to the superhero genre for the first time since Spider-Man 3 and adding a horror element to Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is undoubtedly exciting. Moreover, the MCU's multiverse mechanic creates sheer unpredictable outcomes. What will happen next? Which franchises may become canon? How will we encounter alternate character variants?

5. The Flash (November 4)

Wonder Woman 1984 failed to impress critics, Zack Snyder's Justice League blew audiences away on HBO Max, and The Suicide Squad did well with critics but failed at the box office in 2020 and 2021. A busy year for DCEU movies with Black Adam, Aquaman & The Lost Kingdom, but The Flash comes in as DC's most exciting movie (but not necessarily DC's most exciting...). Ezra Miller's Flash in a solo movie isn't particularly buzz-worthy. However, combine him with Andy Muschietti's directing, Ben Affleck's return as DCEU Bruce Wayne, Supergirl's triumphant DCEU debut, and Michael Keaton's 30 year-long return as Batman from the Tim Burton movies, and you have the recipe for superhero greatness. Despite the potential surprises hiding within the multiverse, it's the clash of old and new combined with the anticipation of a cinematic sequel to Burton's Batman that makes The Flash so intriguing.

4. Lightyear (June 17)

Is it possible to make a Toy Story movie without making a Toy Story movie? Yes, apparently, by making a Star Wars animated adventure with Buzz Lightyear. Disney and Pixar announced Lightyear in late 2020, and the concept of the film was unclear initially (and, in many ways, is still unclear). Chris Evans replaces Tim Allen as the voice of the Space Ranger, but this Pixar tale stars an in-universe character - known as Buzz Lightyear - who director Angus MacLane describes as the movie Andy might have seen before he succumbed to Buzz fever. With a premise that's hard to comprehend, Pixar veteran Pete Docter's Lightyear certainly hasn't been affecting its hype. Upon its release, the trailer for Lightyear became Pixar's second most-watched promo, behind only Incredibles 2. In addition to a stunning animation, this film has an interesting sci-fi theme that Pixar fans haven't seen since WALL-E. Though Pixar struggles to create original features these days, Hollywood continues to demand sequels. Does Lightyear offer the best of both worlds?

3. Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse (Part One) (October 7)

Spidey: Into The Spider-Verse, although it didn't get the mainstream attention of its live-action counterparts, was widely considered one of 2018's best movies, regarded as among the best superhero stories ever told. Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse's unexpected success in reimagining Miles Morales' origin story means high hopes for Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse (Part One). Shameik Moore is returning as Spider-Man 2099 along with Hailee Steinfeld and Jake Johnson as Spider-Gwen and Spider-Peter Parker. Oscar Isaac will play Spider-Man 2099 and Issa Rae will play Spider-Woman. We still don't know much about the plot, and a teaser only promises more reality-breaking adventures (which we could have predicted), but they series' reputation is enough to keep us interested. In splitting the story into two parts, Philip Lord and Christopher Miller are demonstrating their ability to create an even more ambitious, ground-breaking story and will be given the time and space to carry out their visions.

2. Avatar 2 (December 16)

What could be more challenging for a filmmaker than releasing a sequel to the highest-grossing film of all time? James Cameron's sci-fi opus, Avatar, premiered in 2009 to critical acclaim and unprecedented financial success, but opinion of the film has soured over the intervening 11 years, leaving Cameron with the unenviable task of not only living up to, but also improving, Avatar's concept for a modern audience. An underwater filming technology was developed in order to capture the new locales in the sequel, where Sam Worthington as Jake and Zoe Saldana as Neytiri will guard their family from an invasion by the RDA by allying with the water-based Metkayina tribe. Avatar actress Sigourney Weaver reprises her role as Dr. Grace Augustine, while Kate Winslet portrays Ronal, one of the leading Metkayina Na'vi characters. Though we have only seen concept art thus far, would you put it past James Cameron to make watery box office magic once again despite Avatar's less favorable retrospective reviews? Either way, there's plenty more Avatar to come.  

1. The Batman (March 4)

As part of the DCEU, The Batman was directed by and starred Ben Affleck. Robert Pattinson plays Bruce Wayne in this non-DCEU movie, which is arguably the most eagerly anticipated movie of 2022. The movie is directed by Matt Reeves and stars Robert Pattinson. Using a grungy noir aesthetic that feels familiar and refreshing at the same time, The Batman replaces the urban grit of Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight trilogy. A no-holds-barred fusion of brooding detective work and brutal violence, as Pattinson's Batman enters only his second year on the streets of Gotham, The Batman boasts an impressive supporting cast including Paul Dano as Riddler, Zo* Kravitz as Catwoman, Jeffrey Wright as Jim Gordon, Andy Serkis as Alfred, and Colin Farrell as Penguin. As we near the release date of Batman, the trailers have been a big hit on the Internet, and speculation over the plot has gotten out of hand. It's clear that Hollywood's infatuation with superheroes won't wane, but if The Batman lives up to all the hype, the genre still has some surprises up its sleeve in 2022.