2020 Q3 & Q4: Top Ten Most Anticipated Films
- Heather German
- Jul 2, 2020
- 4 min read
With the first half of 2020 being a weird, tumultuous experience, the second half looks to be returning to more of a sense of normalcy - for better or worse. Theaters are planning to re-open (maybe), and big blockbusters make their return. I'm not particularly looking forward to Hollywood continuing their normal corporate shenanigans, but I am excited for a return of high concept genre fiction, and I can't say that there aren't at least a couple Blockbusters I'm looking forward to.
With many of my personal anticipated films from the first half of 2020 being pushed back to the second half, the next few months should be - if all goes to plan - pretty stacked with important releases. While I can't say for sure what's going to happen, as the pandemic is really far from over, I can at least say that there should be some interesting titles to choose from.
With that in mind, here are the ten I'm looking forward to the most.
10. The New Mutants
Release Date: April 3, 2020
After years of endless delays, and the ending of its entire franchise, we're finally set to be treated to The New Mutants this summer. Will it actually come out, or just get delayed again? Who knows, but if it does get released, I'm definitely going to see it. It looks like a fresh and creative horror twist on the tired X-Men formula.
9. Saint Maud
Release Date: July 17, 2020
One of the many anticipated films that was supposed to be released over the last quarter, only to be delayed due to the Coronavirus pandemic. Saint Maud is finally getting its theatrical debut this month, and I can't wait. It looks like a truly disturbing, engaging horror/thriller about religion and femininity, and I always love to give A24 support.
8. Dune
Release Date: December 18, 2020
The 80's adaptation of Dune was, to put it bluntly, terrible - and that's coming from a David Lynch fan. I've heard many suggestions that Frank Herbert's classic novel could never be done justice, but if anybody could do it, it's Denis Vilenueve, the man behind 2016's Arrival and 2017's Blade Runner 2049. He's more than proven himself to be an intelligent, capable filmmaker, particularly in the world of sci-fi, and I'm excited to see his most ambitious project yet.
7. Boys State
Release Date: July 31, 2020
Another A24 film, this one a documentary. The trailer for Boys State only just dropped, but it already looks wonderful; a microcosmic look at the American political system wrapped up in a drama about teenage boys at summer camp. As someone who is fascinated by the current political climate, and who is growing more interesting in innovative documentary filmmaking, this one looks to be a must watch on my radar.
6. Candyman
Release Date: September 25, 2020
The newest descendant of Jordan Peele's revolutionary 2016 horror comedy Get Out is Candyman (yet another film delayed by Covid). Peele is actually directly involved with this one, not directing it but writing the script. It's a sequel to the 90's slasher film Candyman, and while I haven't actually seen that one, this one looks to be an excellent slice of slasher horror.
5. Tenet
Release Date: August 12, 2020
Christopher Nolan was once my favorite filmmaker, and while that's changed as I've grown and matured and broadened my tastes, I still find his work to be a cause for anticipation, and he's never made anything I truly disliked. Tenet looks to be a fascinating sci-fi action film, doing to the spy thriler genre what Inception did to the heist film. While maybe not as immediately exciting as projects like Interstellar or Dunkirk, I'm definitely looking forward to it.
4. The Green Knight
Release Date: TBA 2020
A24's most intriguing upcoming picture is, to me, the medieval fantasy The Green Knight, based on the legend of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight from the Arthurian legends. It's refreshing to see a story not directly about King Arthur adapted, and it also looks to be a fascinating mix of medieval fantasy and horror, with the trailer boasting a cloying atmosphere of dread that pervades every frame. Once again, this one was supposed to have been released by now, but I'm excited to see it whenever it does eventually get its run in theaters.
3. Wolfwalkers
Release Date: TBA 2020
This is probably the least likely film on this list to actually come out this year, as it's been in development for several years now and still doesn't have a release date, but I wanted to include it because it just looks so beautiful. Tomm Moore's previous film, 2014's Song of the Sea, was one of my favorite animated films of the last decade, and this looks to continue his streak of rich animated fables based on Irish mythology.
2. Soul
Release Date: November 20, 2020
The last decade was somewhat tumultuous for Pixar - for every hit like Coco or Inside Out, there was a flop like The Good Dinosaur, or a lukewarm sequel like The Incredibles 2. This year, after allegations against John Lasseter caused him to leave the company, Pixar is fully operating under new leadership, and has announced they are refocusing their efforts on original stories once again. While this year's Onward was a strong start, Soul looks to be the film that will truly set Pixar back on track, with the trailer promising a philosophical and emotional story about life and death and one of the most vibrant and lively portrayals of the real world I've seen in animation to date.
1. The Fandom
Release Date: July 3, 2020
I know that this literally is coming out tomorrow - and yes, I will be watching it then and yes, I will be posting a review on Saturday - but I can't help but state my sheer excitement at its very existence. Directed by independent filmmaker Ash Kreis (also known as Ash Coyote in the fandom) this is the answer to the vacuum of honest and informative media about the furry fandom with a documentary made from inside the fandom. My place in the furry fandom means everything to me, and I'm so proud that we're finally getting a spotlight like this, and from what I've heard from those who have seen it already, it's something truly special.
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