The Biggest Blockbusters Heading Your Way in 2022 & 2023

The movie line-up for the remainder of 2022 and 2023 is looking jam-packed with some big-name projects and exciting sequels to feast our eyes on. In anticipation for all that’s coming, we’ve rounded up the biggest blockbusters on the horizon.

The Black Phone

Release date: 24 June 2022

Fans of supernatural horror films will want to look out for The Black Phone. Starring Ethan Hawk, directed by Scott Derrickson and produced by Jason Blum, the movie is an adaptation of the 2004 short story of the same name by Joe Hill. The film stars Mason Thames as an abducted child who can communicate with the past victims of his kidnapper (Hawk). It looks weird, creepy, and we can’t wait to see it.

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness

Release date: 6 May 2022

After popping up in some other Marvel entries, Benedict Cumberbatch gets his full Doctor Strange sequel in 2022. Titled Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, the follow-up is directed by Sam Raimi (Spider-Man) from a script written by Jade Bartlett and Michael Waldron. It also stars Elizabeth Olsen as Scarlet Witch, Benedict Wong, Rachel McAdams, Chiwetel Ejiofor, and Xochitl Gomez. The story sees Doctor Strange unleash an unspeakable evil, which forces him to face a friend-turned-enemy.

Bullet Train

Release date: 29 July 2022

Bullet Train is Brad Pitt’s next big starring action spectacle, and follows 5 assassins who find themselves on a Japanese bullet train, realising that their individual assignments are all interconnected. Alongside Pitt is Joey King, Andrew Koji (Warrior, Snake Eyes), Aaron Taylor-Johnson (Kickass, Godzilla), and Brian Tyree Henry. It’s directed by Deadpool and Hobbs & Shaw director David Leitch, so expect an explosive affair.

Thor: Love and Thunder

Release date: 8 July 2022

The fourth standalone Thor movie sees the return of Chris Hemsworth as the God of Thunder and picks up following the event of Avengers: Endgame, with Thor now tagging along with the Guardians of the Galaxy. Chris Pratt (Star-Lord), Dave Bautista (Drax), Karen Gillan (Nebula), Vin Diesel (Groot), and Sean Gunn (mo-capping for Rocket Raccoon) are on board, along with Tessa Thompson, Natalie Portman, Christian Bale, Jaimie Alexander, Pom Klementieff, and Jeff Goldblum on the cast list.

Mission Impossible 7

Release date: 14 July 2023

The long-running IMF agency is on track for another daring espionage adventure in 2023, with Mission Impossible 7 set for release in May. Of course, Tom Cruise returns, alongside Ving Rhames, Henry Czerny, Simon Pegg, Rebecca Ferguson, Vanessa Kirby, and Frederick Schmidt, all of whom will reprise their roles from the previous films. Newcomers include Hayley Atwell, Pom Klementieff, Shea Whigham, Esai Morales, Rob Delaney, Charles Parnell, Indira Varma, Mark Gatiss, and Cary Elwes.

John Wick: Chapter 4

Release date: 24 March 2023

John Wick is returning for one final outing to settle the score with The High Table and its league of assassins, and will see Keanu Reeves and director Chad Stahelski reunite for one last time. Lawrence Fishburne and Ian McShane will return as the Bowery King and Winston respectively, and you can be certain that a whole host of bizarre and deadly hitmen will be lining up to take Wick down when it hits theatres in March 2023.

Jurassic World: Dominion

Release date: 10 June 2022

One of the biggest films set for a 2022 release is the next instalment in the beloved Jurassic Park (now, World) franchise, which will pick up following up the events of 2018’s Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom. Directed by Colin Trevorrow, Jurassic World: Dominion picks up in a world in which dinosaurs are now living among us following the events of Fallen Kingdom. The sequel also sees the return of Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Sam Neill, Laura Dern, Jeff Goldblum, Daniella Pineda, Isabella Sermon, Justice Smith, Omar Sy, and BD Wong, all reprising their roles from previous films in the franchise.

Transformers: Rise of the Beasts

Release date: 9 June 2023

The Transformers movie franchise seems to have been under the assessment of Paramount and Hasbro regarding the direction the ‘robots-in-disguise’ series was going to take going forward. Reboots, sequels, and reinvigorations were all on the cards, but it’s now confirmed that the next Transformers film will be a prequel within the main universe. Transformers: Rise of the Beasts will be set in 1994, after the events of Bumblebee but before the first Transformers film, and follow Optimus Prime and the rest of the Autobots’ encounter with the Maximals, a similar race of robot lifeforms who transform into giant animals. While the Autobots have to constantly battle the Decepticons, the Maximals bring enemies of their own in the form of the Predacons and Terracons. The film will be directed by Steven Caple Jr. (Creed II) with franchise producer Lorenzo Di Bonaventura returning to the series, with Anthony Ramos and Dominique Fishback in the starring roles.

Indiana Jones 5

Release date: 30 June 2023

Yeah, it’s a big franchise, but it’s slipping under the radar. The next instalment in the beloved Indiana Jones series is in the works, with 79-year-old Harrison Ford returning to reprise the titular role. Boyd Holbrook (The Predator) and Mads Mikkelson (Hannibal) also star, although not too much is known about the plot, but it is being directed by Logan‘s James Mangold. It’ll obviously entail a globe-spanning adventure surrounding some myth or another, so expect that and a lot of one-liners, whip cracking, and shootouts.

Black Adam

Release date: 21 October 2022

Everyone has been wanting to see Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson in a superhero movie role, and the time has finally come, as Black Adam hits cinemas in July 2022. The film is intended to be a spin-off from 2019’s Shazam! and the eleventh film in the DC Extended Universe (DCEU). Directed by Jaume Collet-Serra from a screen story and screenplay by Adam Sztykiel, Rory Haines, and Sohrab Noshirvani, the film stars Johnson as the titular character alongside Noah Centineo, Aldis Hodge, Sarah Shahi, Quintessa Swindell, and Pierce Brosnan.

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (Part 1)

Release date: 7 October 2022

After the smash success that was the animated Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, the sequel will see the light of day in October 2022. Across the Spider-Verse (Part 1) will continue Miles Morales’ journey as Spider-Man, while also once again featuring Hailee Steinfeld’s Gwen Stacy / Spider-Woman, Jake Johnson as Peter B. Parker / Spider-Man, and include Oscar Isaac as Miguel O’Hara / Spider-Man 2099, an alternate version of Spider-Man from the future.

The Flash

Release date: 23 June 2022

After Zack Snyder’s original cut of Justice League reinvigorated the franchise, The Flash will get his own standalone movie to continue the ongoing world-building of the DCEU. The film is directed by IT‘s Andy Muschietti and stars Ezra Miller as Barry Allen / The Flash alongside Ben Affleck, Michael Keaton, Sasha Calle, Kiersey Clemons, Maribel Verdú, and Ron Livingston. The story sees The Flash travels back in time to prevent his mother’s murder, which brings unintended consequences.

Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom

Release date: 17 March 2023

Director James Wan and Jason Mamoa return for the sequel to 2018’s Aquaman, which also sees the return of Amber Heard, Patrick Wilson, Dolph Lundgren, and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II. Also appearing are Randall Park as Dr. Stephen Shin, a marine biologist obsessed with finding Atlantis; Vincent Regan as Atlan, the first king of Atlantis; Jani Zhao as Stingray; Indya Moore as Karshon; and Pilou Asbæk in an undisclosed role.

Avatar 2

Release date: 16 December 2022

It’s been a long wait since Avatar‘s original release 13 years ago, but the sequel is on track for a December 2022 release. James Cameron directs once again, and the wait is said to be due to Cameron filming the second and third movies back-to-back. Avatar 2 will pick up with Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) living with his newfound family formed on the planet of Pandora. Once a familiar threat returns to finish what was previously started, Jake must work with Neytiri and the army of the Na’vi race to protect their planet.

Oppenheimer

Release date: 16 December 2022

Christopher Nolan, the acclaimed director behind The Dark Knight Trilogy, Inception, and Tenet, is working on an Oppenheimer project, telling the story of American scientist J. Robert Oppenheimer and his role in the development of the atomic bomb. The cast is jam-packed with some serious talent, including the likes of Kenneth Branagh, Cillian Murphy, Florence Pugh, Robert Downey Jr., and Gary Oldman.

Dune: Part 2

Release date: 16 December 2022

Zendaya, Rebecca Ferguson, Timothée Chalamet all return for the second part of the sci-fi epic Dune, which will pick up after the events of the first film. Black Widow‘s Florence Pugh also joins the cast. Expect a big finale from director Denis Villeneuve.

Which movies are you most looking forward to in 2022? Let us know by tweeting @MenStuffZA, posting on our Facebook page, or commenting below.