2014 is almost gone, and no, you don’t get to take a break. 2015 is going to be one of the most bloated years in movie history, with tons of enormous franchises releasing new sequels, being rebooted or trying to get a foothold for the first time with audiences all over the world.
What’s more, the biggest releases of the year are pretty spread out for a change. The concept of “Summer Blockbusters” has more or less been obliterated thanks to over-saturation at the marketplace. There were so many big budget movies released in the Summer of 2014 that a lot of them – even the good ones – got edged out of the running, costing studios tons of money. But rather than make cheaper movies, Hollywood seems to have glommed onto the idea that gigantic movies can make a profit at just about any time of year.
Check Out: The 14 Best Movies of 2014
So many of the most anticipated films of 2015 aren’t summer releases, but quite a few of them are, because there’s nowhere else to put them all. All that matters for you, however, is that exciting motion pictures are going to be flooding the theaters all year, and you should try to keep an eye out for the ones that promise the most bang for your buck.
And with that, here we are: CraveOnline’s 15 Most Anticipated Films of 2015. Exciting sequels, promising reboots and yes, even a few original films that actually seem to stand out from the pack already. Let us know what films you’re looking forward to the most, and keep coming back as we take closer looks at the movies that promise to entertain us (whether or not they succeed).
The 15 Most Anticipated Films of 2015:
William Bibbiani is the editor of CraveOnline’s Film Channel and the host of The B-Movies Podcast and The Blue Movies Podcast. Follow him on Twitter at @WilliamBibbiani.
The 15 Most Anticipated Films of 2015
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15. Mission: Impossible 5 (Dec. 25)
Starring: Tom Cruise, Simon Pegg, Jeremy Renner, Paula Patton, Ving Rhames, Alec Baldwin
Directed by: Christopher McQuarrie
Why We Care: Although we know next to nothing about the fifth Mission: Impossible movie, the franchise has delivered three fantastic entries thus far, each with cool gadgets and stunning stunts. With Christopher McQuarrie (Jack Reacher) at the helm, it seems likely that Mission: Impossible 5 will follow suit and deliver the goods.
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14. Jem and the Holograms (Oct. 23)
Starring: Aubrey Peoples, Stefanie Scott, Ryan Guzman, Hayley Kiyoko, Juliette Lewis, Molly Ringwald
Directed by: Jon M. Chu
Why We Care: "Because it's Jem and the Holograms" is a perfectly good response. Fans of the show are eagerly awaiting the return of the pop star who is also a hologram, and who tortures her boyfriend with a completely unnecessary love triangle. But we're hearing superlative things about this movie from our sources in the industry, so it just might appeal to Jem virgins as well. Jon M. Chu is directing, and he already blew us away with his Step Up movies (because we're actually into that kind of thing), so our hopes are high.
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13. Fifty Shades of Grey (Feb. 13)
Starring: Dakota Johnson, Jamie Dornan, Jennifer Ehle, Max Martini, Marcia Gay Harden
Directed by: Sam Taylor-Johnson
Why We Care: Whether you love the book or hate it (or hate it without having read it), a lot is riding on Fifty Shades of Grey. The best-selling S&M novel is coming to the big screen with an huge Valentine's Day push, and if it does well, it could signal the return of sexuality to the cinemas. Remember when movies had sex in them, before every successful motion picture had to be rated PG-13? We hope to see a return to those days, and Fifty Shades of Grey could get us there.
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12. Jurassic World (June 12)
Starring: Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Ty Simpkins, Vincent D'Onofrio, Omar Sy, Jake Johnson
Directed by: Colin Trevorrow
Why We Care: There have been three Jurassic Park movies already, and only one of them has been great. Will Jurassic World buck the trend? It sure looks like it might, with Chris Pratt apparently teaming up with tamed velociraptors to save the park's new patrons from genetically mutated dinosaurs which promise tons of surprises. It doesn't look groundbreaking but by golly, it looks entertaining.
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11. Inside Out (June 29)
Starring: Diane Lane, Kyle MacLachlan, Amy Poehler, Bill Hader, Mindy Kaling, Lewis Black
Directed by: Pete Docter & Ronaldo Del Carmen
Why We Care: Pixar used to have a spotless track record full of original concepts and brilliant motion pictures. In recent years, however, they've been churning out sequels that have left many audiences with mixed feelings. Inside Out looks like the film that could put the studio back on track, with a fun premise - the inner thoughts of a normal family, personified - that could have a lot to say about the human condition, and which could (if the trailer is any indication) also be funny as hell.
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10. Ant-Man (July 17)
Starring: Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lilly, Michael Douglas, Corey Stoll
Directed by: Peyton Reed
Why We Care: There haven't been many scandals in the history of Marvel Studios, but Edgar Wright departing Ant-Man - a film he'd been developing since the birth of the studio - was a big one. All eyes are on Ant-Man, a film audiences weren't sure they wanted in the first place, to see if Bring It On director Peyton Reed can pick up where Wright left off and deliver a film that's as exciting as Marvel's best, or that at least turns out better than Iron Man 2.
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9. Jupiter Ascending
Starring: Mila Kunis, Channing Tatum, Eddie Redmayne, Sean Bean
Directed by: Wachowski Starship
Why We Care: There aren't many original big budget productions coming in 2015, but Jupiter Ascending looks pretty damned original. Mila Kunis has the genetic makeup necessary to rule the universe, which jeopardizes the evil elite's status and forces a dog person played by Channing Tatum to protect her. Sounds weird, sounds like a hoot. Jupiter Ascending got pushed back from 2014 but that doesn't necessarily mean it's bad... does it?
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8. Terminator Genisys (July 1)
Starring: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jai Courtney, Emilia Clarke, Jason Clarke, Matt Smith, Byung-hun Lee
Directed by: Alan Taylor
Why We Care: Stupid title, iffy premise, AWESOME TRAILER. The fifth Terminator movie appears to actually be having fun with the franchise rather than focusing on its grim apocalyptic themes, subverting the iconography much in the same way Terminator 2 did. And while that doesn't make it look "great," necessarily, it does at least look like a blast.
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7. SPECTRE (Nov. 6)
Starring: Daniel Craig, Christoph Waltz, Dave Bautista, Ralph Fiennes, Naomie Harris, Ben Whishaw, Lea Seydoux, Monica Bellucci
Directed by: Sam Mendes
Why We Care: It took three films, but James Bond finally appears to be back and doing all the James Bond stuff that made him so popular in the first place. But can SPECTRE incorporate all the funky old elements and still retain the exciting new flair that Casino Royale and Skyfall injected into the long-running franchise? We're guessing the answer is "yes," but if we've learned anything from watching two dozen Bond films it's that this franchise is anything but infallible.
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6. Furious 7 (April 3)
Starring: Paul Walker, Vin Diesel, Jason Statham, Dwayne Johnson, Michelle Rodriguez, Tyrese Gibson, Djimon Hounsou, Lucas Black
Directed by: James Wan
Why We Care: Furious 7 was going to be one of the most anticipated movies of the year anyway, after the enormously fun and successful Fast Five and Furious 6, but after the untimely passing of Paul Walker in mid-production, now it's also bound to be a curiosity. Were the filmmakers able to shoot around the actor without it becoming a distraction? Will audiences be able to watch the vehicular action without being reminded of the actor's tragic death? Under the circumstances, can Furious 7 possibly be as much fun as the last two? Fingers crossed...
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5. The Fantastic Four (Aug. 7)
Starring: Miles Teller, Kate Mara, Jamie Bell, Michael B. Jordan, Toby Kebbell, Tim Blake Nelson
Directed by: Josh Trank
Why We Care: 20th Century Fox's upcoming reboot of The Fantastic Four has a great cast and a great director, so why haven't we seen ANYTHING yet? No official stills, no posters, no trailers. Is Fox being stealthy or do they know something we don't (like, for example, that maybe the movie sucks)? We'll find out in August but we couldn't be more intrigued.
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4. Tomorrowland (May 22)
Starring: Britt Robertson, George Clooney, Hugh Laurie, Judy Greer
Directed by: Brad Bird
Why We Care: Brad Bird turned down Star Wars to make Tomorrowland, so he must have something exciting up his sleeve. The mystery project released a genuinely beautiful trailer that seemed to capitalize on the promise of a better future, something people all over the world seem to have largely given up on. If Tomorrowland delivers, it'll deliver something special.
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3. Avengers: Age of Ultron (May 1)
Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Elizabeth Olsen, Samuel L. Jackson, Andy Serkis, James Spader
Directed by: Joss Whedon
Why We Care: The second Avengers movie looks to be even more ambitious than the original, introducing big new characters, screwing with the status quo for everyone involved and setting the stage for Marvel Studios' ambitious Phase Three. If anyone can pull it off, it's Joss Whedon, but can ANYONE pull this off? It's either going to be the biggest movie of the year or an enormously mixed bag.
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2. Star Wars: The Force Awakens (Dec. 18)
Starring: John Boyega, Daisy Ridley, Oscar Isaac, Adam Driver, Lupita Nyong'o, Max Von Sydow, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill
Directed by: J.J. Abrams
Why We Care: The first Star Wars movie made without the direct influence of George Lucas is bound to be one of the most heavily anticipated, heavily debated movies of 2015. With a great cast, a mysterious storyline and the hopes of Star Wars fans worldwide resting on its shoulders, The Force Awakens seems likely to either make or break the franchise. Will they pull it off? Gosh, we sure hope so...
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1. Mad Max: Fury Road (May 15)
Starring: Tom Hardy, Charlize Theron, Nicholas Hoult
Directed by: George Miller
Why We Care: Holy crap, have you seen the trailer? George Miller's long-awaited Mad Max sequel looks like it's going to up the ante on movie action, the same way The Road Warrior did way back in 1981. Nothing about this movie raises any red flags, and everything about it looks incredible. Bring it on, 2015!
