33 films you need to know about in 2023 (2023)

A film that promises to burn with a righteous rage, Clemency director Chinonye Chukwu’s real-life drama tells the story of Emmett Till, a 14-year-old who was abducted, lynched and murdered in Mississippi in 1955. The Harder They Fall’s Danielle Deadwyler is already drawing awards buzz for her performance as Till’s grieving, impassioned and campaigning mother Mamie.

In UK cinemas Jan 13. Read our review here.

Enys Men

If you caught Mark Jenkin’s seaside gentrification drama Baitin 2019, made with an antique camera in 16mm black and white, you’ll know what to expect from his follow-up: artisanal filmmaking tools and a filmmaking ethos steeped in the best British folk horror traditions. Mark your diary for Enys Men (pronounced ‘enys main’), a darkly metaphysical yarn set on a Cornish island.

In UK cinemas Jan 13

Babylon

This Hollywood epic is a magnificently OTT snapshot of 1930s Tinseltown in all its drunken, drug-bingeing, elephant-wrangling glory. Debauched parties will be thrown, underground crime syndicates stumbled upon and occasionally movies will be made, as Brad Pitt’s high-flying silent film director, Margot Robbie’s wannabe movie star and Mexican newcomer Diego Calva as the on-set gopher play film studio snakes and ladders.

In UK cinemas Jan 20

The Fabelmans

Magic Mike’s Last Dance

We’re not saying that anticipation for this last strip-athon is already at fever pitch, but British tabloids recently reported that on-set security had to be ramped up when ‘horny fans’ attempted to get in for a closer look at Channing Tatum’s abs. This time Tatum’s Mike is down on his luck and heading for London to try to pull off a final hit show. Salma Hayek, who replaced Thandiwe Newton on the movie, is his expectant backer.

Out worldwide Feb 10

Women Talking

An actress and filmmaker with few peers, Sarah Polley is back with her first film since 2012’s gripping, original bio-doc Stories We Tell. It’s an adaptation of Miriam Toews’ novel about a group of women at a remote Mennonite community who have been drugged and sexually assaulted over a period of years. A powerful feminist drama, it boasts a superlative cast with Frances McDormand, Rooney Mara, Claire Foy and Jessie Buckley as the traumatised, furious women.

In UK cinemas Feb 10

Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania

Missing

An unconnected follow-up to 2018’s ace wifi-enabled potboiler Searching, this equally high-concept thriller sees an LA-bound Storm Reid using the internet to track down her mum (Friday’s Nia Long) when she goes missing only holiday in Colombia. All, of course, is not remotely what it seems. Is mum secretly knee-deep in cartel business? Google Earth, your time has come.

In US theaters Jan 20 and UK cinemas Feb 24

The latest from that Japanese master of humanism, Hirokazu Koreeda, takes him overseas to Busan in Korea for a touching, wryly funny tale of surrogate families. Parasite’s Song Kang-ho plays an adoption broker who steals a baby and begin touting the little’un around a network of wealthy wannabe parents, only to slowly fall under its spell. It might sound corny, but Koreeda’s warmth, humour and some spot-on casting elevates it into something special.

In UK cinemas Feb 24.Read our review here.

Joyland

Pakistan’s Oscar submission has already caused a stir, both for what occurs in the film itself and the harsh response from the authorities in director Saim Sadiq’s home country. The queer-themed drama, about a middle class man who falls in love with a transgender woman, was banned in parts of Pakistan, sparking a social media campaign calling for its release. (It remains banned in the Punjab province.) Beyond the controversy, Joyland is being hailed as a poignant and crucial film, exploring gender roles, sexuality and familial bonds with deep sensitivity.

Out in the UK Feb. 24.

Rye Lane

Mummies

After a British archaeologist steals an ancient ring, a family of long-dead Egyptians must travel across dimensions to present-day London to get it back in this animated Warner Bros. adventure. It would appear to fall on the cheesier end of the cartoon spectrum – take a wild guess at the song that plays over the trailer – but at least it appears to be educating kids on just how all those ancient artefacts ended up in European museums.

In US theaters Feb 24 and UK cinemas Mar 31

Cocaine Bear

Luther: The Fallen Sun

Subject

What happened to the Friedmans after Capturing the Friedmans or to Arthur Agee and William Gates (pictured) when they stopped rolling on Hoop Dreams? And what was the fallout for the real-life dissidents in 2013’s The Square? Here to answer all those questions is this fascinating documentary, which will pick up where other docs left off and ask what it’s really like to be the subject of an award-winning, widely watched film.

In UK cinemas Mar 3

Creed III

Michael B Jordan straps his hands again for the third instalment of the Rocky spinoff franchise – and also slips into the director’s chair for the first time ever. Five years after vanquishing the son of Ivan Drago, Donnie Creed finds himself on a collision course with childhood friend Dame Anderson (Jonathan Majors), a former boxing prodigy looking to re-establish himself after a long prison sentence. Is this the one where Creed gets his own robot butler? Fingers crossed.

Out worldwide Mar 3

Shazam! Fury of the Gods

Coming out around the same time as Avengers: Endgame, the original Shazam! was overshadowed – at least in terms of big-budget comic book movies – but still successful enough to warrant a reprise. Expect the same mix of heart, humour and dark shadings as Zachary Levi’s titular hero takes on the evil daughters of the Greek god Atlas, portrayed by Rachel Zegler, Lucy Liu and Helen Mirren. Honestly, our money’s on Dame Helen.

Out worldwide Mar 17

Allelujah!

‘Allelujah’ is right, because a film version of an Alan Bennett play (this time adapted by fellow playwright Heidi Thomas) is always worthy of rejoicing. Delivering the great dramatist’s tart words on screen is a cast of beloved British thesps – Judi Dench, Jennifer Saunders, Russell Tovey and Derek Jacobi – in a setting that feels wildly current: a struggling NHS hospital. Expect a barbed microcosm of a country with a compassion problem.

In UK cinemas Mar 17

John Wick: Chapter 4

Yeah, we’re thinking he’s back. While the first John Wick was a straightforward, if awesomely stylised revenge flick, over the course of four movies and a pair of anticipated spinoffs, the franchise has grown bigger, broader and more mythic in scope. At its core, though, all you really need is Keanu Reeves’ stoic, besuited hitman punching, kicking, shooting, stabbing and occasionally nunchucking his adversaries in increasingly wild situations and ever-expanding international locales. Expect no different here.

Out worldwide Mar 24

The Super Mario Bros. Movie

Um, excuse us? The Super Mario Bros. Movie? Are we to pretend that the live-action version from 1993 just didn’t happen? On second thought, yes...probably for the best. This long-awaited animationlooks to right the wrongs of 30 years prior, although it’s already being met with scepticism due to the curious casting of Chris Pratt to voice the famous paisano plumber. (In his defence, who were they gonna cast for authenticity? Roberto Benigni?) Based on the trailer, at least it looks just like the video games, which isapparently what fans want.

InUKcinemas Mar 31 and US theaters Apr 7

Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves

No longer just the geeky domain of your fiend-fancying mate Steve, D&D is now a fully-fledged movie franchise with special effects and film stars and everything. Whether it’s a hit or gets a sword in its back from moviegoers will rest heavily on the shoulders of charismatic stars Chris Pine, Michelle Rodriguez, Hugh Grant (yes) and Bridgerton’s Regé-Jean Page as adventurers hunting a lost relic. One thing is certain: Steve will not be watching it.

Out worldwide Mar 31

Killers of the Flower Moon

After years of pandemic-related delays, audiences are finally getting a look at Martin Scorsese’s latest crime drama, an account of the unsolved ‘Osage Indian murders’ that occurred over 20 years in early 20th century Oklahoma. It looks to be the closest thing to a traditional Western the director has yet attempted, but it features many familiar Scorsese actors, including Robert de Niro, Leonardo DiCaprio and his new fave, Jesse Plemons.

Out in May on Apple TV+

The Little Mermaid

Once again, those woke moralists atDisney are rewriting history, insisting that a beautiful fish-person who lives underwater singing calypso tunes with her Jamaican lobster friend could possibly be Black. Whatever happened to realism? Controversy aside, with rising star Halle Bailey in the lead role, Melissa McCarthy as Ursula and new songs from Lin-Manuel Miranda, this live action remake of Disney animated classic should still hit big even without the support of pasty 4chan trolls.

Out worldwide May 26

Elemental

Pixar already gave us a movie about anthropomorphised emotions. Now, brace yourself for anthropomorphised elements! Wade Ripple is a walking drop of water with the hots (get it?!) for Ember, a flame with legs. Obviously, they’re a dangerously mismatched couple, but this being Pixar, we’re going to guess they’ll find out they have more in common than it appears.

Out worldwide June 16

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny

He’s back! The archeology professor with the bullwhip and the pathological fear of snakes is on another adventure, this time with Logan’s James Mangold, rather than Steven Spielberg, behind the camera, and Phoebe Waller-Bridge along for the ride as his sidekick. Raiders purists will be reassured by the presence of Indy’s old foes, the Nazis – Mads Mikkelsen may be channelling serious Toht vibes here – in a Cold War setting. Fingers crossed this reboot doesn’t nuke the fridge again.

Out worldwide Jun 30

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse

The first Spider-Verse is one of the few comic book movies even people exhausted by comic book movies could appreciate. There’s been two whole multiverse-cracking Spider-flicks since then, but the computer-animated branch of the franchise remains a singular pleasure. In the second instalment, Miles Morales – the teenage heir to Peter Parker’s arachnid powers – and Gwen Stacy, aka Spider-Woman, travels across the Spider-Verse (cue Leonardo DiCaprio pointing meme) for assistance in dealing with a new threat called the Spot. Maybe some OxiClean would help?

Out worldwide Jun 2

How Do You Live?

Anticipation is already sky highfor this Studio Ghibli anime, with the legendary Miyazaki Hayao back after a long hiatus (or short retirement) to direct an adaptation of Genzaburo Yoshino’s 1937 coming-of-age novel. It’s about a teenage boy struggling with the loss of his dad and the mysteries of lifeand a wise uncle who provides guidance through the pages of a journal.

Out in Japan Jul 14

Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One

Tom Cruise’s deathwish continues as Ethan Hunt, the skyscraper-scaling, aeroplane-clinging, helicopter-chasing international man of mystery. Series veteran Christopher McQuarrie returns to the director’s chair for this two-part instalment, the second of which arrives in 2024. Plot details are murky, but Cruise did recently share a promo video while skydiving over South Africa, so just imagine what crazy crap he’ll be doing in the movie itself.

Out worldwide July 14.

Oppenheimer

Barbie

It’s the movie that launched a thousand memes, many involving Ryan Gosling in that denim jacket, but what exactly is Greta Gerwig’s internet-winning movie? Early word is that the pair have cooked up a satirical feminist take on the cult of the iconic doll. Co-written with her own real-life Ken, Noah Baumbach, it’s highly unlikely to be one for the kids. Margot Robbie is playing Barbie, Gosling is Ken and Will Ferrell is the CEO of Mattel. The trailer launch could be the most anticipated in movie history.

Out worldwide Jul 21

Dune: Part 2

The second instalment of Denis Villeneuve’s breathtakingly vast adaptation of Frank Herbert’s pre-Star Wars tomes will bring big battles, giant sandworms and more murky jostling for power across the galaxy – and, this time, a proper denouement. Not that the first part’s abrupt ending was a problem, more that we can’t wait to ride shotgun again with Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet) and Lady Jessica (Rebecca Ferguson) as they learn the ways of Chani (Zendaya) and the Fremen and strike back at the evil Harkonnen.

Out worldwide Nov 3

The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes

It’s been eight years since the last Hunger Games movie, which is an eternity by modern franchise standards, so even casual fans should be eager to jump back into the teenage wasteland of author Suzanne Collins’s dystopian young adult book series. Be warned, though: as a prequel to theoriginal film, this one features no Katniss Everdeen, and instead stars a whole new cast – including Jason Schwartzman, Viola Davis, Tom Blyth and Rachel Zegler – playing both younger versions of established characters and early participants in the titular human sport-hunting ritual.

Out worldwide Nov 17

Wish

For decades, Disney has pushed the idea of wishing upon a star, and generations have asked: ‘Why, though?’ In what looks like something of a throwback to the House of Mouse’s classic animated musicals of yore, the company delivers an origin story for one of its central maxims, with Oscar-winner Ariana DeBose voicing a 17-year-old named Asha on a celestial mission to save her imperilled village.

Out in the US Nov 22 and the UK Nov 24