If we’re being honest, we were hoping we'd be further out of the COVID-19 pandemic than we are currently. Things are trending in a weird direction, making it hard to believe that some of these release dates won’t move. That said, if you’ve hit the cinema during the pandemic, it’s not like they aren’t moving. You still need to be safe (and maybe stay home if you’re not feeling well), but movies like Spider-Man: No Way Home proved that the power of giving people what they want can get people out doing things. Maybe 2022 film release dates won’t move. Time will tell.
What will we see in 2022? There are a number of franchise entries in there—and not just in the Marvel Cinematic Universe or the DC Extended Universe. There’s a fifth Scream film, a new Batman, and even the third Creed film. Franchises are the wave, and with Hollywood needing to recoup as much as it can heading into a third year with COVID restrictions, these larger-scale entries may be where the cinemas are heading...sadly.
Bleak box office outlook out of the way, the Complex PC squad took a look at the calendar and broke down the 30 most anticipated movies of 2022. Hopefully you’re staying safe if you’re braving the elements to see some of these films. Be diligent; we want to turn it around so the future is brighter than where we currently are. Popcorn’s still on you!
'Scream'
'Jackass Forever'
'Marry Me'
'Uncharted'
'Texas Chainsaw Massacre'
'The Batman'
'The Lost City'
'Everything Everywhere All at Once'
'Morbius'
'Sonic the Hedgehog 2'
'Ambulance'
'Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore'
Director(s): David Yates
Starring: Eddie Redmayne, Jude Law, Ezra Miller, Dan Fogler, Alison Sudol, Callum Turner, Jessica Williams, Katherine Waterston, Mads Mikkelsen
Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures
Release date: Apr. 15
There is a big appetite for anything Harry Potter related thanks to the Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone 20th anniversary in 2021, so Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore is right on time. This is the third installment in the Fantastic Beasts film series, following 2018’s Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald. The upcoming fantasy film, directed by David Yates from a screenplay by J. K. Rowling and Steve Kloves, will see much of the first two film’s cast return including Eddie Redmayne as Newt Scamander, Jude Law as Albus Dumbledore, Ezra Miller as Credence (aka Aurelius Dumbledore), Dan Fogler as Jacob Kowalski, and Katherine Waterston as Tina Goldstein.
This time around, Professor Albus Dumbledore knows that the powerful wizard Gellert Grindelwald is attempting to take control of the wizarding world and enlists the help of Newt Scamander and a group of wizards to stop him. Johnny Depp departed from the Grindelwald role in 2020 and was replaced on this film with Mads Mikkelsen. The film’s release was pushed back due to the recasting and COVID-related setbacks before landing on an April 15 release date. But the story doesn’t end there, as two more Fantastic Beasts films are already in the works. —Karla R.
'Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness'
'Top Gun: Maverick'
'The Bob's Burgers Movie'
Director(s): Loren Bouchard
Starring: H. Jon Benjamin, Kristen Schaal, Dan Mintz, Eugene Mirman, Larry Murphy, John Roberts
Distributor: 20th Century Studios
Release date: May 27
Bob’s Burgers fans, rejoice: the long-awaited animated musical comedy hits theaters this May. With their business impacted for an indefinite amount of time, Bob and Linda have to figure out a mystery that will hopefully get them right. With the cast from the hit Fox series onboard, this one could light up the box office is handled right. This is also the film’s third release date; let’s help make it stick. —khal
'Jurassic World: Dominion'
'Lightyear'
'Thor: Love & Thunder'
'Nope'
'Black Adam'
'Mission: Impossible 7'
'Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse (Part One)'
'Halloween Ends'
'Hocus Pocus 2'
'The Flash'
'Black Panther: Wakanda Forever'
'Creed III'
'Avatar 2'
Director(s): James Cameron
Starring: Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, Stephen Lang, Giovanni Ribisi, Vin Diesel, Edie Falco, Michelle Yeoh, Jemaine Clement, Cliff Curtis, Kate Winslet, Sigourney Weaver
Distributor: 20th Century Studios
Release date: Dec. 16
It’s been five years since had to get real about James Cameron's Avatar universe. As the project grew bigger (and new tech needed to be developed), the question was if all of this was even necessary. 20th Century Studios (aka Disney) deemed it important enough, but now is the time for all of this reported $250 million budget to be thrown on screen. It has to deliver, and follow up a film from 2009. It’s a tough order but James Cameron also made Terminator 2: Judgement Day. Anything can happen. —khal