10 Most-Anticipated Movies Still Coming in 2021

Despite the disruptions as a result of everything going on in the world, the 2021 movie release schedule has been chugging along, delivering some truly great movies over the past couple months. Well, we’re at about the halfway point of the year, and there’s still a whole lot more to enjoy; so here are some of the most exciting movies you can still look forward to in 2021:

Candyman

Release date: 27 August 2021

A “spiritual successor” to the 1992 horror film of the same name, Candyman is a reenvisioning from Jordan Peele (Get Out, Us), who co-wrote the screenplay, and which is directed by rising star Nia DaCosta. The new film dives into the bizarre origins of the myth which inspired the first movie, and how the nightmarish horror began. The film stars Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Teyonah Parris, Nathan Stewart-Jarrett and Colman Domingo, along with Tony Todd and Vanessa Estelle Williams reprising their roles from the original film.

Ron’s Gone Wrong

Release date: 22 October 2021

Ron’s Gone Wrong is an endearing-looking animated film that pairs some great talent. The film follows a socially awkward teenager named Barney who gets a a B-Bot (AI-controlled bots which are used as friends), but Barney’s ‘Ron’ isn’t exactly working as specified. The film is directed by Jean-Philippe Vine and Sarah Smith and written by Peter Baynham and Sarah Smith. Zach Galifianakis, Jack Dylan Grazer, Olivia Colman, Ed Helms, Justice Smith, and Rob Delaney all lend their voices.

Gunpowder Milkshake

Release date: 23 July 2021

Guardians of the Galaxy‘s Karen Gillan heads up this action flick about female assassins, who have to team up in order to take on a gang who aren’t too fond of the past actions of the hitwomen. Gillian (Sam) has to partner with her estranged mother (played by Carla Gugino) in order to survive the onslaught of cold-blooded killers trying to eliminate them. It looks like a fun spin on the genre and the action set-pieces look cleverly put together.

Snake Eyes

Release date: 23 July 2021

Whether you loved them or hated them, the two G.I. Joe movies were action-packed popcorn extravaganzas, despite some cheesy goodness thrown in too (what did you expect, it was based on an action-figure line). There were some interesting characters in there, and Paramount Pictures always had a desire to explore them a bit more… and, they have. Snake Eyes: G.I. Joe Origins is the first in the proposed line-up, focusing primarily on the fan-beloved sword-wielding ninja, who popped up in both G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra (2009) and G.I. Joe: Retaliation (2011). However, this is said to be a reboot for the franchise, rather than a prequel. The movie stars Henry Golding as Snake Eyes, a tenacious loner who is welcomed into an ancient Japanese clan called the Arashikage after saving the life of their heir. The film also stars Andrew Koji as Storm Shadow, Úrsula Corberó as The Baroness, Samara Weaving as Scarlett, Haruka Abe as Akiko, Tahehiro Hira as Kenta and Iko Uwais as Hard Master.

Demonic

Release date: 20 August 2021

South African director Neill Blomkamp, who helmed District 9 and Elysium, has been working on a horror flick for the past year, and one which looks pretty darn terrifying. Titled Demonic, the movie’s synopsis says “a young woman unleashes terrifying demons when supernatural forces at the root of a decades-old rift between mother and daughter are revealed.” Very vague. While not too much else can be said about the film’s plot, Blomkamp has shown his love for horror with the web film Zygote, which we highly recommend giving a watch if you’re a monster fan. Carly Pope, Chris William Martin, and Nathalie Boltt star.

Venom: Let There Be Carnage

Release date: 24 September 2021

Spider-Man villain spin-off Venom was a standout success for Sony and Marvel upon its release in 2019, and the sequel, which has been in production over the past year, is finally seeing the light of day in 2021. Venom: Let There Be Carnage picks up after the events of the first film, with Eddie Brock (Tom Hardy) now learning to live with his symbiote attachment, Venom. However, a new threat in the form of Cletus Kasady (played by Woody Harrelson) emerges, who goes on to become iconic Spider-Man villain, Carnage. Directed by Andy Serkis, the film also stars Michelle Williams and Naomie Harris.

Shang-Chi

Release date: 3 September 2021

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is set to continue in a new direction for the fourth phase of the expanded interconnected film franchise, with a whole bunch of lesser-known heroes stepping into the limelight. The first of which getting a solo movie is Shang-Chi, a martial arts master with some exciting powers, such as the ability to channel his own chi that allows his martial arts skills to be almost superhuman in their ability to dole out damage and power. The film was written and directed by Destin Daniel Cretton, with David Callaham and Andrew Lanham also contributing to the screenplay, and stars Simu Liu as Shang-Chi, alongside Awkwafina, Tony Leung, Michelle Yeoh, Fala Chen, Meng’er Zhang, Florian Munteanu, and Ronny Chieng. In the film, Shang-Chi is forced to confront his past after he is drawn into the Ten Rings organisation.

The King’s Man

Release date: 20 August 2021

A prequel to the Kingsman franchise, The King’s Man jumps back in time to the 1960s, whereby we witness the formation of the super-agent secret service.  The film features an ensemble cast that includes Ralph Fiennes, Gemma Arterton, and Rhys Ifans; and is directed by Mathew Vaughn, who helmed the past two entries.

Ghostbusters: Afterlife

Release date: 10 November 2021

After the underwhelming response to the 2016 reboot, Ghostbusters is getting a third instalment to the original GB timeline. The film follows a single mom and two kids who arrive in a small town and begin to discover their connection to the original Ghostbusters, along with the secret legacy that their grandfather left behind.

The Suicide Squad

Release date: 6 August 2021

After the lacklustre 2016 Suicide Squad, Guardians of the Galaxy director James Gunn has been called in to soft-reboot the DC supervillain outing, which he is simply calling The Suicide Squad. Margot Robbie returns as Harley Quinn, along with Joel Kinnaman (Rick Flag), Viola Davis (Amanda Waller), Jai Courtney (Captain Boomerang) returning from the first film, with Idris Elba, John Cena, and a host of other actors joining what is to be a huge outing for the DC universe.

Which movie release are you most excited for? Let us know by tweeting @MenStuffZA, posting on our Facebook page, or commenting below.