With the release schedule still recovering from quarantine delays, 2022 offers some very interesting movies headed to theaters. For a look at what to expect in January and February, check out our Winter Movie Preview. Beginning in Spring, it’s a non-stop mix of superheroes, animated blockbusters, horror and biopics. There’s something for family outings and date night. Grab an overpriced popcorn and way too big soda, and make plans for these 2022 movies we can’t wait to see.
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The Batman March 4
Yes, it’s another Batman movie. The ninth featuring the Dark Knight as the primary hero. This time around Robert Pattinson plays Bruce Wayne/Batman in his second year as Gotham’s savior. He is joined by Zoe Kravitz as Selina Kyle/Catwoman, and judging by the most recent trailer, the film will showcase the relationship between “The Bat and the Cat.” If we’re being honest, it’s not really Batman that’s drawing us to the theater, it’s Catwoman. We know Bruce’s story, it’s Selina’s we want to see explored. Seriously, if this movie opens with his parents getting killed outside that theater again, we will become one of Batman’s supervillains.
Fear March 11
We can’t say we’re running to the theater to see a horror movie about an airborne threat, but Fear does have an interesting cast. Joseph Sikora, Annie Ilonzeh, King Bach, Terrance J and T.I. star. You know T.I. is getting killed early right? Being released a week after The Batman doesn’t bode well for Fear’s box office, but the good news is it will probably be available to stream before summer starts.
DC League of Super Pets May 20
There’s something magic about Kevin Hart and The Rock together. Even in animated pet form, the duo are hilarious. Dwayne Johnson is Superman’s dog Krypto, who teams up with super-powered shelter pets to save the Justice League. Most of the time, kids’ movies are painful to sit through, but every once in a while, we’re blessed with something the adults can enjoy too. DC’s League of Super Pets looks like it could be one of those lucky moments.
Black Adam July 29
It’s been years since DC and Dwayne Johnson first announced he would be playing Black Adam. Now the movie is finally being released, and the first footage indicates it was well worth the wait. If anyone was ever meant to play a superhero, it’s Johnson. The Rock is Teth-Adam an antihero/villain with the same powers as Shazam, though he’s a lot more confident and powerful in using them. Aldis Hodge co-stars as Carter Hall/Hawkman, an archaeologist/reincarnated Egyptian prince who leads the Justice Society of America (JSA). Yes, we’re getting the JSA in a feature film. It’s always fascinating to see new heroes debut on the big screen, and watch as audiences discover them for the first time. We predict Hodge as Hawkman will be the breakout star.
Beast Aug. 19
If the poster was just Idris Elba sitting on a stool reading a phone book, we’d absolutely be first in line for a ticket. Fortunately, Beast’s tagline, “Sometimes the rustle in the bushes actually is a monster,” is a lot more interesting. Elba plays a father who finds he and his daughter’s being hunted by a lion during a trip to South Africa. We love action hero Idris Elba, and we love sweet, emotional dad Idris Elba. Imagine how excited we are to get both in the same movie?
The Woman King Sept. 16
Honestly, directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood, and starring Viola Davis, Thuso Mbedu, Lashana Lynch and John Boyega is all we need to hear. In case you need more, the movie features Davis as Dahomey warrior general Nanisca and Mbedu as young recruit Nawi, fighting to protect their kingdom. This film feels like someone’s been reading our dream journals. At this point, we expect the world from Davis, so we can’t get more excited about the idea of her working with Prince-Bythewood. We haven’t seen a single second and we’re ready to give Davis another Oscar. Ok, maybe we should manage expectations just a bit.
Till Oct. 7
The story of Emmett Till’s murder and his mother Mamie Till-Mobley’s fight to get justice for her son will always be a hard story to tell. Sadly, it’s a story that continues to stay relevant. Danielle Deadwyler stars as Mamie and Jalyn Hall as Emmett. October isn’t traditionally a great month for serious dramatic fare, so we hope this doesn’t get lost in the pre-Halloween horror offerings, because it’s too important.
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (Part One) - Oct. 7
It’s been a long wait, but we’re finally getting the sequel to Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. Miles Morales is once again drawn into multiverse craziness by Gwen, and we’re 100% ready for it. Shameik Moore and Hailee Steinfeld return to voice Miles and Gwen, along with Oscar Isaac as Spider-Man 2099 and Jake Johnson as Peter Parker. Issa Rae will voice Jessica Drew/Spider-Woman. The first film was a game-changing Oscar winner, so no pressure this time around. Now that we’re finally getting a follow up, let’s talk about Miles showing up in the live-action multiverse.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever Nov. 11
What can we say about Black Panther: Wakanda Forever that we’ve haven’t already said? Here are the questions we need answered in no particular order. Who is the Black Panther? Will Shuri or Ramonda be the Queen of Wakanda? Will M’Baku make a serious play for the throne? Will we possibly see a Killmonger variant who isn’t evil? How will Riri Williams be introduced? What shape is Wakanda in post-blip? Has Bucky been forgiven? Will he appear? Will any other heroes appear to honor T’Challa?
Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom Dec. 16
Jason Momoa is back as Arthur Curry/Aquaman. The first thing we need to know is, what kind of king is he? We get the feeling he’s not one for rules and regulations. Yahya Abdul-Mateen II returns as Black Manta and Patrick Wilson is Orm, which means we’re getting the same villains, but hopefully not the same story. Unlike Marvel, the DC films don’t have a connected throughline, so feel free to enjoy this if you haven’t seen any of the other ones. Though, they’re on TNT all the time, so we don’t know how you could avoid them.
I Wanna Dance With Somebody Dec. 23
Naomi Ackie (Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker) is walking a high wire with no net here. She’s playing Whitney Houston in a biopic set to cover her rise to fame and turbulent life. Houston’s estate is involved in the film, which means her music can be used. It also means that, despite her family’s claims, this may not be a warts and all style biopic. Ashton Sanders is playing Bobby Brown and Nafessa Williams (Black Lightning) is Robyn Crawford. We’re going to reserve judgment on this one until we at least see a trailer.
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