Movies we're excited to watch in cinemas in 2023
Now that 2022 is officially in the rear-view mirror, it's time to look forward to the brand-new things that 2023 has to offer. And nothing could be more exciting than grabbing your popcorn while watching the films you've been eagerly waiting months to premiere.
The new year has its fair share of films that have gotten movie enthusiasts counting the days in their calendar for their premiere ever since they were first teased. There are new live-action film adaptations like Barbie and Little Mermaid, and the return of some action favorites like John Wick: Chapter 4 and Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.
Without further ado, here are the films that we're most excited to experience in the darkened theater in the coming months of 2023.
Megan
Release date: January 6, 2023
Having gone viral because of her creepy and hilarious dance in the trailer, Megan is a doll that you should definitely watch out for, but for all the wrong reasons.
The film is the latest scary flick to come from the mind of horror maestro James Wan, who is known for directing several prominent horror films such as The Conjuring, Saw, and Insidious. The plot follows a brilliant toy company roboticist named Gemma who is suddenly tasked with taking care of her orphaned eight-year-old niece, Cady.
Unprepared on how to be a proper parent Gemma decides to enlist the help of Megan, an android she's working on, to tend to her niece. However, the life-like robot takes things a little too far when she becomes obsessed with protecting Cady and goes on a murdering rampage against anyone who stands in her way.
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania
Release date: February 17, 2023
This list wouldn't be complete without mentioning at least one project from the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and the first title in its new Phase Five films to be released this year is Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.
The third installment in the Ant-Man franchise finally has Scott Lang being recognized as a hero for his efforts to reverse Thanos' Snap and stop the intergalactic warlord and his army once and for all.
When he, Hope, Hank, Janet, and his now grown-up daughter Cassie find themselves exploring the Quantum Realm when an experiment goes wrong, they come face-to-face with strange new creatures as they embark on an impossible adventure. The film is definitely a must-watch for Marvel fans as it is set to feature the franchise's next Thanos-level villain, Kang the Conqueror, front and center.
John Wick: Chapter 4
Release date: March 24, 2023
At long last, fans will finally get to see Keanu Reeves in action once again as the legendary hitman John Wick.
Being the new target of the High Table, council of twelve crime lords that reign supreme over the underworld's most powerful criminal organizations, John Wick has discovered a way on how to defeat them.
After apparently being betrayed in the previous film, the hitman must now come come to blows with a new enemy with powerful connections in different parts of the world. Along the way, he must also deal with forces that turn old friends into foes.
The Super Mario Bros. Movie
Release date: April 7, 2023
It's about time that Nintendo's most popular video game character gets to star in his very own animated film.
Based on the trailer, The Super Mario Bros. Movie has Mario's menacing archenemy Bowser and his Koopa army conquering different kingdoms in an attempt to reign supreme over the entire world.
As the Mushroom Kingdom, led by Princess Peach, prepares for his coming, they receive an unlikely savior in the form of a human plumber named Mario. But first, they needed to train him on how to navigate the strange and fantastical world he was transported in.
The Little Mermaid
Release date: May 26, 2023
Ariel is about to be a part of your world this year in glorious live-action.
The new adaptation tells more or less the same story as the 1989 Disney classic, which sees the youngest daughter of King Triton, the ruler of the underwater kingdom Atlantica, dreaming of exploring the human world after being fascinated by life on the surface.
After coming to the rescue of a handsome prince named Eric when he was caught in a shipwreck, Ariel falls madly in love with him. She then seeks and forms a dangerous contract with the scheming sea witch Ursula to give her the opportunity to meet him in the world above water.
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
Release date: June 2, 2023
After Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse became an immense sensation back in 2018 because of its unique animation style, Spidey fans have been eagerly waiting for a continuation of Miles Morales' story, and now they'll wait no more.
The upcoming sequel to the Oscar-winning animated film sees Miles reuniting with Gwen Stacy and meeting even more of his web-slinging counterparts different universes as he traverses across the Multiverse.
However, when a new threat has roused chaos among the Spider-People, Miles is put in an impossible position to redefine what it means to be a hero so he can save the people he loves most.
Barbie The Movie
Release date: July 21, 2023
Margot Robbie is a Barbie girl in a Barbie world, and we can't wait to watch her dazzle in the big screen!
The iconic fashion doll is finally getting the live action treatment with the upcoming Barbie film. While plot details still remain vague up to this day, it is expected to have one entertaining story as it is helmed by none other than Greta Gerwig, who directed Oscar-nominated flicks such as Lady Bird and Little Women.
The teaser for the film is also quite peculiar, to say the least, as it starts off by showing a deserted land referencing Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey. Instead of monkeys, however, the place is occupied by young girls playing with dolls. The screen shows a humongous Barbie doll appearing and winking at the camera, before cutting to colorful clips of Barbie's world of plastic.