With the Oscar selections coming out on Feb. 26, the cinematic focus is currently on the best movies of 2016. While the 2016 slate of movies was strong, 2017 could be even better with another heavy dosage of superhero movies and the eighth installment in the Star Wars saga. The following films probably won’t win many Oscars next year but will be must-watch material.
After Suicide Squad and Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice disappointed in 2016, the heroes of the JLA are set to hit the screen again in two highly anticipated films, Justice League and Wonder Woman. Superman and Batman return in Justice League on Nov. 17, while The Flash and Aquaman have their debut on the big screen. One of the members of the Justice League, Wonder Woman, will also be featured in her own movie, which comes out on June 2.
If those superhero movies aren’t enough, Marvel Studios will deliver two more big titles- a sequel to the wildly popular Guardians of the Galaxy and a reboot of the Spiderman franchise. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 will be the first major superhero movie to come out this year on May 5 and stars Chris Pratt and Vin Diesel, among other stars. In July, Spiderman: Homecoming marks the third Spiderman movie series to hit theaters and will be the first Spiderman movie to feature the Vulture (Michael Keaton) as a villain.
For fans of computer animation, Pixar will release two movies, first Cars 3 on June 16 and then Coco on Nov. 22. Coco, Pixar’s first musical, focuses on a young boy’s journey with his ancestors and music and centers on aspects of Mexican culture, such as the Day of the Dead. Not much is known about Coco as it isn’t a sequel, but this feature has the potential to be spectacular and rank among the best animated films of all-time, both from an artistic and technical perspective and a story perspective. A fourth Diary of a Wimpy Kid installment will also be a must-watch for younger audiences.
Last but not least, the movie that everyone’s been waiting for- Star Wars Episode VIII: The Last Jedi. The newest Star Wars episode, coming out on Dec. 15, could smash box office records and will make or break the third Star Wars trilogy. Heroes Rey and Finn return to battle the evil Kylo Ren and the First Order, and based on speculation and the end of The Force Awakens, Rey will learn from Luke Skywalker, played by his original actor, Mark Hamill. The Empire Strikes Back, the 1980 sequel to the original Star Wars movie, is considered among the best movies of all-time, so the pressure is on director Rian Johnson to deliver another classic sequel.
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