10. Power Ballad 
“Sing Street” was one of my favorite films, not just of 2016 but easily of the last decade, so any time John Carney has a new project in the works, I'm eager to see what he's been up to. Premiering at SXSW this March and starring Paul Rudd and Nick Jonas, “Power Ballad” is billed as an uplifting, music-driven story (duh) about a wedding singer, a rock star and the song that comes between them. Rudd plays Rick, who is a washed-up wedding singer, while Jonas plays Danny, a fading boy band star who bond with one another over music and a late-night jam session. When Danny turns Rick's song into a hit, Rick sets out to reclaim the recognition he believes he deserves. While 2023's “Flora and Son” didn't necessarily set the world ablaze, there is something about the mix at play here that seems like it could make the film a surprise, feel-good flick of the spring/summer - especially if the titular song in question is a hit outside the film itself. It will be interesting to see how many hallmarks of Carney's work this carries - Irish setting, romantic angle, complicated family dynamics - while seeming as if it could play a little more to the mainstream crowds. Whatever the case may be, Jack Reynor is back, so we'll at least get a few gems from their second collaboration. The film is currently set for a June 5 release via Lionsgate.

9. The Social Reckoning 
A companion piece to “The Social Network,” Aaron Sorkin has penned an original screenplay based around the true story of how Frances Haugen (Academy Award-winner Mikey Madison), a young Facebook engineer, enlisted the help of Wall Street Journal reporter Jeff Horwitz (Jeremy Allen White) to go on a dangerous journey that ends up blowing the whistle on the social network's most guarded secrets. While this is also on my list because “The Social Network” is one of the best films of the century, I am admittedly as anxious about this pick as I am excited. Anxious because while Sorkin has once again written the screenplay, it was his collaboration with director David Fincher that made “The Social Network” something special. Sorkin has directed a few features since the one-two punch of writing ‘Social Network’ and “Moneyball” in 2010 and 2011. For me, Sorkin's directorial efforts have been a journey of diminishing returns: “Molly's Game” is his best, while “Being the Ricardos” is easily his weakest. This doesn't bode well for “The Social Reckoning” necessarily, nor does the fact that Jesse Eisenberg declined to return as Mark Zuckerberg because, since working on the first film, he stated he has developed a more negative opinion of the real Zuckerberg's legacy and has come to dislike being associated with him. What does bode well is that Jeremy Strong was cast instead and will undoubtedly deliver a memorable version of Zuckerberg, no matter the movie around him. To this point, the cast across the board is the highlight, as beyond the three leads, the film also features Wunmi Mosaku, Billy Magnussen, Betty Gilpin and Bill Burr. As for Sorkin's portions, there will almost certainly be a few exceptional exchanges of dialogue between characters, but it is how well the writer/director keeps his tone in check and executes said exchanges that will likely determine the film's success. “The Social Reckoning” is currently set for an October 9, release via Sony Pictures.

8. Remain 
In what is probably the oddest title but maybe the one I'm most fascinated by on this list, “Remain” is a film adaptation of a novel co-authored by M. Night Shyamalan and Nicholas Sparks (yes, that Nicholas Sparks) and directed by Shyamalan for the screen. The idea originated in a 2023 brainstorming session between the two storytellers, with Shyamalan's supernatural concept serving as the basis, though it sounds like Sparks largely authored the novel while Shyamalan penned the screenplay. The story focuses on a New York architect hilariously named Tate Donovan (Jake Gyllenhaal), who is dealing with the loss of his sister ... who could see spirits. The narrative will obviously combine romance and paranormal elements - each of the collaborator's specialties - as it follows Tate to Cape Cod, where he is set to design his best friend's summer home. Naturally, after taking up residence at a historic bed-and-breakfast on the Cape, Tate encounters a beautiful young woman named Wren (Phoebe Dynevor) who challenges every assumption he has about his logical and controlled world, leading him to confront his sister's abilities. Tracy Ifeachor, Maria Dizzia, Jay O. Sanders, Julie Hagerty and Ashley Walters also star. The film is set to be released on October 23, via Warner Bros.

7. Spider-Man: Brand New Day 
Since 2002, the year Sam Raimi's original “Spider-Man” film was released, the longest amount of time between any type of wall-crawler film has been the five-year gap between Raimi's “Spider-Man 3” in 2007 and Marc Webb's ‘Amazing reboot in 2012. While we did get the animated “Across the Spider-Verse” in 2023, this year will also mark five years since the last time we saw Tom Holland's Peter Parker on screen. This is both somewhat of a surprise, given the monster success of ‘No Way Home’ (nearly a billion domestically and over a billion internationally for a total just shy of $2B), while also feeling appropriate given the "finale" type nature of that film. Needless to say, “Spider-Man: Brand New Day” carries this subtitle for multiple reasons. Not only is this the first MCU Spidey movie not directed by Jon Watts as Destin Daniel Cretton (“Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings”) took over directing duties, but also narratively as the end of ‘No Way Home’ saw Holland's Peter make the ultimate sacrifice, asking Doctor Strange to cast a spell making the entire world forget his existence. This included his best friend, Ned (Jacob Batalon), and Zendaya's MJ to keep them safe and protect the multiverse. That said, the logline available for this new film is that Peter is trying to focus on college and leave Spider-Man behind. When a new threat endangers his (new?) friends, he must break his promise and suit up again, teaming with an unexpected ally to protect those he loves. This brings us to the reason something seemingly smaller like ‘Brand New Day’ makes the list over ‘Doomsday’ - there's a kind of uncertainty about where things are headed. This, of course, is true of ‘Doomsday’ as well but the idea of Jon Bernthal's Frank Castle and Mark Ruffalo's Bruce Banner coming into the orbit of Holland's titular character along with Sadie Sink and Tramell Tillman joining the cast in undisclosed roles feels - at least in this moment - more exciting than all of what has been promised with ‘Doomsday’ as the track record for Spidey films is simply more promising than that of traditional MCU flicks at the moment. Or maybe it's just that we're closer to seeing ‘Brand New Day’ than we are ‘Doomsday,’ but whatever the case may be, I hope they both end up exceeding any and all expectations. “Spider-Man: Brand New Day” is expected July 31, from Sony Pictures and Marvel Studios.    

6. Digger 
Tom Cruise and director Alejandro G. Iñárritu team up to tell the story of the most powerful man in the world who embarks on a frantic mission to prove he is actually humanity's savior before the disaster he's unleashed destroys everything. Branded as a "comedy of catastrophic proportions," there is really no way of knowing what else to expect from “Digger” other than what the poster and teaser have given us: a title, a vibe and a Gorillaz track. What makes this latest character study from Iñárritu beyond engaging is the fact it will be Cruise's first non-franchise film since “American Made” in 2017 and I'm assuming his first film not centered around action and/or him doing some type of stunt work since 2012's “Rock of Ages” (though one could argue there was plenty of stunt work going on there). If this is the beginning of Cruise's late career phase, where he does, in fact, focus on more character-centric stories while working with auteur filmmakers, then consider me both psyched and hopeful that this is a great first step in that direction. “Digger” is set to be released on October 2, via Legendary Pictures and Warner Bros.

5. Dune: Part Three 
When it comes to Frank Herbert's series of books surrounding Paul Atreides, I had no point of reference prior to Denis Villeneuve's two-part adaptation of the landmark 1965 science fiction novel. Those adaptations were among the best films released in their respective years and undoubtedly among the best big-budget sci-fi moviemaking we've seen this century. For all of the build-up and hubbub around Atreides AKA "Muad'dib" in the last film, as well as around Timothée Chalamet in everything since, all that I've heard or read about where Herbert took the narrative in his follow-up tells me this isn't going to be a trilogy in the vein of the traditional hero's journey many will expect. The ‘Dune’ series, or at least the films, have thus far managed to maintain a good balance of heady ideas and bizarre details that add unexpected but engaging levels of intrigue and though it may not be the introduction to the genre “Star Wars” was for so many generations, those who are lucky enough to receive said introduction via Villeneuve's series will certainly be more critical in their approach to traditional archetypes. Personally, regardless of expectation, I'm excited to join Paul and the gang as he brings to fruition the ancient scheme to create a superbeing ruler among men. Currently, the film is set to open on December 18, opposite “Avengers: Doomsday,” though I suspect “Dune: Part Three” will be the one to budge and that release date will change - hopefully being moved up rather than being delayed.

4. Disclosure Day
Steven Spielberg returns. That could be the whole of the reasoning for why “Disclosure Day” is high on anyone’s list, but what makes Spielberg's first film since '22 even more notable is that it not only marks the filmmaker's return to moviemaking but moviemaking of a certain type, in a certain area of interest, which is - of course - a science fiction story dealing in life beyond the stars. The film's logline poses a question intended to bring the most basic reasoning to bear on what is, literally, an out-of-this-world scenario. If you found out we weren't alone, if someone showed you, proved it to you, would that frighten you? It's an alluring prompt, phrased to invoke mystery and wonder, which are two things Spielberg has always balanced exceptionally well. The teaser tailer that premiered just over a month ago gave away very little of what might be happening in the film (if anything, it probably muddied the water even more) but what it did do was whet the appetite for those that either grew up on Spielberg's sci-fi epics of the '70's and '80's or came to know them through the generational love for what is widely considered the auteur's golden era. Spielberg will turn 80 before the end of this calendar year, and while “The Fabelmans” would have been a fitting finale for his illustrious career, it makes sense that the man who invented the summer blockbuster would bring things full circle and attempt to revitalize the good ole days when the name Steven Spielberg was synonymous with the cinematic event of the summer. In other words, bring on the popcorn! Universal Pictures is set to release “Disclosure Day” on June 12.

3. The Adventures of Cliff Booth 
When worlds collide. In what is the riskiest pick on this list, the latest from director David Fincher, adapted from a screenplay by Quentin Tarantino, not only sees Brad Pitt reteaming with past collaborators but also revisiting his Oscar-winning character. The titular Cliff Booth, the stuntman turned Hollywood fixer from Tarantino's “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood...”, is back, but when he'll be back on the big screen officially is the question that makes this one of the riskier picks. The surprise trailer drop during the Super Bowl at least confirmed that Netflix will roll the movie out at some point this year, as prior to Sunday, Netflix had not yet included the film in any 2026 film slate announcements. Even the title doesn't seem to be 100% set in stone, as the film was shot under the working title/code name “Disco Kingpin.” I'd expect the film to have a summer 2026 rollout similar to its predecessor but given that production seems to have only officially wrapped at the end of 2025 and started rolling last July, that would mean shooting went on for the better part of a year, and the edit may take longer than usual. I mean, we know Fincher likes to do an insane amount of takes and Tarantino's scripts can typically be pretty wordy ... but damn. 

No real plot details have been released other than it is expected to take place a few years after ‘OUATIH,’ and Fincher’s go-to cinematographer Erik Messerschmidt took over for Robert Richardson, who served as director of photography on Tarantino's film. Outside of Pitt returning, the film also stars Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Elizabeth Debicki, Carla Gugino, Timothy Olyphant, Holt McCallany, Peter Weller, Scott Caan, and Corey Fogelmanis, though it has also been speculated that Leo DiCaprio's Rick Dalton will appear in some capacity. We're not seeing the forest for the trees here though, which is to say this is a new David Fincher movie and a Fincher movie I wouldn't have necessarily thought he'd pick to add to his filmography that was written by Quentin Tarantino, an auteur who has teased us about his tenth and final film so many different times at this point that it's simply refreshing something of his has actually been made, and will (hopefully) become available to be seen sooner rather than later. While it may still be a mystery when we'll be able to see the film, there is no uncertainty about when I will have tickets to (again, hopefully) see “The Adventures of Cliff Booth” in a movie theater: day one.
 
2. Michael 
Telling the story of Michael Jackson, the “King of Pop,” is not a task I'd necessarily be envious of, but one I am certainly eager to see on IMAX screens on opening day. As a lifelong fan of The Jackson 5's Motown years, The Jacksons’ albums for Epic, and of course Michael's solo career, the music the brothers and their singularly talented lead singer produced has not only been present in my entire life, but a true part of my existence in so many deeply-rooted ways. Growing up, my three younger brothers and I started performing together in school talent shows, receiving enough positive feedback that the only scratch for the itch was to continue down that path. We naturally modeled ourselves after The Jackson 5, studying how they sang, moved, and shaped their careers. Throughout our final performance together, we always closed our sets with a medley of "I Want You Back/ABC/The Love You Save" and other Jackson tracks sprinkled throughout the show. I don't mean to make this about myself, but rather relay this information to explain why this film will absolutely be the event it is being built to be in my eyes, along with the millions of MJ fans around the globe.

Which is also why there has been such fever-like anticipation for how this film would portray everyone involved, how it would look and characterize the events of the different time periods of Jackson's life, and how it would streamline the man's story, given it was always going to be a cradle-to-grave biopic. Both the teaser and full trailers have been reassuring in the way they both remix, utilize and edit Jackson's extensive catalogue of music, and the casting seems to have made all the best choices in an effort to make what could have come off as cartoonish as credible as can be. Beginning with hiring Jackson's own nephew, 29-year-old Jaafar, the son of Jermaine, who seems to have captured not only his late uncle's voice and style but, most critically, his essence. Colman Domingo as the patriarchal Joe and Kendrick Sampson as Quincy Jones also seem to be spot-on. While there has been much discussion around the production and release of the film, as it has been delayed multiple times due to disagreements over both content and length (apparently, there was a first cut in excess of 3½ hours), among countless rumors about this being the first part of a two-part film, the second film's rumored title simply “Jackson.” As cool as that would be and as much as the trailers thus far seem to solely focus on Jackson's life only up to a certain point, all we know for sure is that “Michael,” directed by Antoine Fuqua, will finally get a global theatrical release on April 24, via Lionsgate and Universal Pictures.

1. The Odyssey 
Though I certainly considered switching my number one and two spots several times, if I'm being true to myself, there's no year when a Christopher Nolan film is released where I'm anticipating anything more. Nolan's adaptation of Homer's epic about Odysseus's dangerous voyage back to Ithaca after the Trojan War is easily the most enticing movie of the year. Whether it's wondering which direction Nolan will take when depicting creatures like the Cyclops Polyphemus, the Sirens and Circe, or how such an expansive and well-known cast will pull off an equally expansive and well-known story, nearly every angle offers intrigue. What Nolan would follow up his Best Picture winner and box office behemoth, “Oppenheimer,” with was also always going to be subject to fascination, and in many ways, “The Odyssey” feels like the only natural route to take. What does one do after seemingly reaching the mountain top critically and commercially? Well, adapt one of the oldest surviving works of literature that still resonates with modern audiences as a poem of epic proportions, right? Nolan's film - this time shot exclusively on IMAX cameras - will undoubtedly be the biggest event of the summer, will undoubtedly resonate as an epic across the board, and if everything goes really well, will end up being one of the best films of the year for many moviegoers. Starring a who's who of Hollywood's biggest names featuring Matt Damon in the lead role, Tom Holland as Telemachus, Anne Hathaway as Penelope, Robert Pattinson as Antinous, Zendaya as Athena, Charlize Theron as Circe, Benny Safdie as Agamemnon, Jon Bernthal as Menelaus, Mia Goth as Melantho, John Leguizamo as Eumaeus, and Himesh Patel as Eurylochus, along with Lupita Nyong'o, Elliot Page, James Remar, Logan Marshall-Green, Samantha Morton and Bill Irwin in unnamed roles. The film will be released on July 17, via Universal Pictures and Syncopy.

Director: Mark Fischbach
Starring: Mark Fischbach, Caroline Rose Kaplan & Troy Baker
Rated: R (language, bloody images & some gore)
Runtime: 2 hours & 7 minutes

 
“Iron Lung” is an indie game with a relatively simple premise. You are sealed away in a submarine on a strange moon that is covered in an ocean of blood - navigate and document the ocean floor while surviving whatever threats might be down there with you.
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When I heard that YouTuber Markiplier (Mark Fischbach) was going to adapt this game into a movie, I was immediately interested and wanted to see what feature-length story could come from such a quick but unique gaming experience.

To set your entire film in one location, with (mostly) one actor on screen for the entire movie, while also trying to hold an audience's attention for two hours, is a major leap to take. I’m glad to say that I think it pays off in “Iron Lung.” You feel as trapped as the protagonist does within this strange metal vessel. There are scenes that made me hold my breath because they felt so cramped and claustrophobic. Although it is small, the space is very well thought out and remains faithful to the design of its reference material. They really played in that cramped space too - opting for a lot of “fly on the wall” shots that trap you in a ship with a man losing his mind. 

Speaking of a man losing his mind, let’s talk about performance. I genuinely think Fischbach is a good actor. I did have Markiplier-Blindness for the first few minutes of the film, being that it felt hard to say, “This isn’t Mark, this is Simon (his character).” It did feel like I was going to wait for him to do something silly to lighten the tense mood, but I’m glad to say that that feeling faded away fairly quickly. Fischbach really got into it for this one - a mirror of how he got into performing a similar role while actually playing the game on his channel. He shifts the weight of his performance very well. Being trapped in a metal tube at the bottom of a blood ocean obviously calls for very heavy and stressful scenes, but Fischbach finds a way to balance those scenes with flecks of humor and sympathy that don’t take you out of the moment. He feels very human in a film where his humanity is being held captive. 

David Szymanski’s games all have such unique designs and vibes. Lots of blood, twisted gods and the unnerving presence of the unknown. As previously mentioned, the submarine is a faithful adaptation of the ship from the original game, but this film really takes flight in how it expands the world of “Iron Lung.” We get a lot of lore thrown out in chunks that are relatively easy to follow, even for those without prior knowledge of the game’s lore; however, I can definitely see how people might get lost in all of it. We get a better idea of the kind of people who would weld someone into a death trap before throwing them into the unknown, and of what you would have to do to meet that fate. But it all really shines with my favorite Szymanski staple: the horror of the unknown. An old god haunting you and hunting you from the depths of a blood ocean is such a sick concept that “Iron Lung” plays with. I enjoy the fact that we got to lean more into that eldritch aspect, both through the insanity and CO2 poisoning of our protagonist, as well as through the presence of such a massive, mind-splitting entity that claims to be a god. And the monster design is top-notch. Moving from PSX graphics to a feature film with such a clear translation of what you intend for the monster to be is one of the home runs of this whole production. Massive kudos to Fischbach and his team for really capturing the essence of this indie horror game in a film.

The soundtrack for this film is astounding. It evokes the ship's heavy, creaking nature while also playing on the fact that our protagonist is alone in an unknown world. The soundtrack really makes you feel like you are traveling into that deep and dark unknown. Kudos to Andrew Hulshult on capturing such an eerie vibe.

I also feel like a lot of this could be an allegory of cancer. I know cancer has affected Fischbach’s life in the past, so I wouldn’t be surprised if this film has nods to that. I have seen so many loved ones go through that fight with cancer that I can’t help but see a lot of that in this film. Being plunged into such an unknown world. Not knowing whether you will make it out. The dread and loneliness of going through this on your own. Accompany all of this with some of the latter body horror of the film - your body shifting against your will and becoming unrecognizable while remaining human - and I can’t help but see that horrible unknown that is cancer. Again, I don’t know if it was intentional. I could be reading way too far into this, but I have major respect for it either way.

This film has done the unthinkable and become a mass-released indie film that is self-produced, published, directed and written by one creative and his team. This could have crazy implications for the future of cinema. As an aspiring filmmaker and actor, I hope this will open the door to more indie films receiving wider releases. Now - yes - this was an indie release by probably one of the most recognizable YouTubers out there, but it’s still a statement. Take more risks. Work with passion. Don’t be afraid of the obscure. I hope this film lights a spark that will continue to grow in a healthy direction.

Markiplier’s big screen debut was a success. I think it took a big swing with a lot of risks and still came out the other side as the victor. I loved the designs, the energy and the presentation.

Director: Johannes Roberts
Starring: Miguel Torres Umba, Johnny Sequoyah & Jess Alexander
Rating: R (strong bloody violent content, gore, language & some drug use)
Runtime: 1 hour & 29 minutes

“Primate” is exactly what it says on the box: watch a family get attacked by their pet chimp. It’s not a novel idea, but that doesn’t make this film a flop. Drawing on those graphic and real stories of tragic ape attacks, “Primate” starts right off the bat with a gory and intense energy that it manages to keep relatively afloat throughout its runtime.

The only real hold-up I had was the dialogue and some performances in the non-ape-related portions of the film. Obviously, we have to get to know the characters and flesh them out before we let a chimp rip them apart, but a few of them feel very flat. I get that this is a horror film and that some of the characters are only here as ape-fodder. It’s what they wrote on the box; however, I do wish the dialogue flow and the motivation of a few side characters were a little stronger. I will say that some of the flatter side characters do a good job of elevating the protagonist and supporting cast, so I think it all served its purpose.

I have to tell you - although I have said this a few times now - this film is intense. If you can’t stomach gore (especially when you’re right up on it), I’m not going to suggest this for you. The first five minutes has an incredibly grisly death that I could see my more squeamish friends having to step out for if they chose to see it. With that being said, the practical effects in this film are insane! All of these gruesome deaths are highlighted by the realistic touch that you can only get from practical effects. Lots of goop in this here film. 

Bouncing off of that, one thing I wish I hadn’t known when going into the film is that the chimp is done with practical effects. No, they didn’t use a real chimp. I had read that they opted for an actor in a chimp costume before I had even considered seeing this film. I wish I had that saved for me until after the film so I could get the big reveal, because, boy howdy, does that chimp look real. Major props to whoever worked on and operated the suit, and huge shout-out to Miguel Torres Umba for his performance as Ben (the chimp). Wow. What a cherry on top for such an interesting film.

This is the chimpanzee horror film. Although this isn’t inherently a new idea, its execution as an ape-gone-bad is really well done. Ben the chimp hasn’t taken his turn for the worse because of some space rock, or demons, or some sort of cruel scientific research. This is a family pet/friend who is attacking the ones he loves due to natural causes I won’t spoil (though it’s explained right at the start of the film). I love that they take a more natural approach with this because apes are fucking scary. To no one’s surprise, I like apes very much, and I think they are so cool. I also know they are crazy strong, very quick learners and sometimes very cruel animals. That’s what makes this film hit so well. It could be real. A chimpanzee could rip you limb from limb. A chimpanzee could just decide to pull your face off. A chimpanzee could be an antagonist in your life if you suddenly found it in your home. It all works so well, and it definitely plays into why this film has stuck with me.