To a cinephile, there’s nothing like the exhilarating feeling of learning an anticipated movie’s release date.
Keeping track of every movie coming out can be overwhelming. Someone could see an announcement for a movie trailer, get excited and then forget that it comes out until there’s a set release date.
Ti West’s “X” had a post-credit scene that teased the making of a prequel for the main antagonist, Pearl. The prequel finished shooting in March as the film “X” was released on March 18.
Could “Pearl” have a Halloween launch? Could it be a fun summer horror flick? Hopefully audiences won’t have to wait another year and “Pearl” could be one of the most impressive turnaround projects.
Will 2022 be the year when films aren’t pushed as coronavirus pandemic restrictions are lifted? Could 2022 mark the return of normalcy to cinemas? It’s all unknown but the lineup for the rest of the year looks like more theater-only debuts.
Streaming movies was fun and all but there’s nothing like sharing an experience with a bunch of strangers at the movie theater.
Here is a countdown of the most anticipated movies I know I’ll be watching on premiere day:
No. 5: “The Zone of Interest” (2022)
Director Jonathan Glazer is returning to feature filmmaking after a long hiatus with an adaptation of Martin Amis’ novel “The Zone of Interest” which tells the story of a Nazi officer who falls in love with a married woman.
It sounds like a sweltering love affair between two unlikely characters. The film’s been in production since 2020 so a 2022 Cannes Film Festival debut in May would seem obvious.
I was utterly obsessed with Glazer’s fantasy thriller, “Under the Skin,” released seven years ago for A24, and now I cannot wait to see what he does with this war piece.
A24 will co-produce this project along with British television network Film4 and entertainment company First Access Entertainment. The film has no official release date but is set to release this year.
No. 4: “Amsterdam” (Nov. 4)
Mediocre director David O. Russell is back again with a movie I’m only watching for the cast.
His movies are usually slow with an emphasis on the actors to carry the plot and I feel like this will be nothing new.
His upcoming film “Amsterdam” features an ensemble cast including Margot Robbie, John David Washington, Anya Taylor-Joy, Taylor Swift and Robert De Niro.
The plot is set in the 1930s and follows Bale, Robbie and Washington’s characters after they witness a murder.
O. Russell was pretty good at keeping the title and plot a secret but once the cast was announced it was all over Twitter.
No. 3: “Don’t Worry Darling” (Sept. 23)
“Don’t Worry Darling” solidified the release date and released a trailer all in the same week, causing social media buzz.
The film is a psychological erotic thriller about a 1950s housewife whose reality cracks when she tries to unfold the secrets of her glamorous, experimental utopian city.
The ’50s aesthetic is gorgeous, from the vintage silver convertible to the interior design decorating the inside of Palm Desert homes.
Florence Pugh is the headlining powerhouse actress for this movie. This time she’s escaping a cult, not joining one as she did in 2019’s “Midsommar.” English singer Harry Styles plays her husband who, by the looks of the trailer, wants her to just relax.
This is Styles’ second feature film. Besides his dialogue-lacking five minutes of screen time in “Dunkirk,” music videos and an appearance on Nickelodeon's “iCarly,” this is the most prominent role on his acting resume.
No. 2: “Nope” (July 22)
Jordan Peele is back writing and directing for his new movie “Nope,” and it has me saying “Yep.”
The film follows a rural ranch in California that hints at a possible alien invasion. The film's cinematographer is Hoyte van Hoytema, known for “Interstellar,” “Her” and “Tenet,” so the film will definitely deliver in terms of visuals.
"The discovery and the surprise of it is part of the fun," Peele said in an April 27 Q&A with The Hollywood Reporter. "Trailers will give you a taste but we want to retain some of the mystery, so you can be satisfied going to the damn movie."
No. 1: “Blonde” (end of 2022)
Ana de Armas will step into the role of Marilyn Monroe in director Andrew Dominik’s “Blonde,” adapted from Joyce Carol Oates’ novel of the same name.
The plot of the film focuses on Monroe’s suspicious death and addresses her childhood and romantic links.
The movie will be distributed by Netflix and is the only film created by the streaming service to receive an NC-17 rating. Viewers can anticipate a risqué ride, plus Dominik previously said to Film Stage that “Blonde” is unique because it has very little dialogue.
This project has been a decade in the making, with actresses once attached to the project but whose names have been removed including Jessica Chastain, according to a July 2021 Variety article.
I’ve been excited for this since I saw the leaked behind-the-scenes photos of de Armas looking very seductive.
Oates said on Twitter that de Armas has seen a rough cut of the movie and called it a “startling, brilliant, very disturbing [perhaps most surprisingly] an utterly ‘feminist’ interpretation.”
There is no final release date but the film is set to premiere this year.
All five movies have piqued my interest in one way or another. The upcoming movies make me think that theaters could be back and the balance between streaming and theatrical releases will be restored.
