20 Upcoming Movies That Will Blow Us Away… in 2020

It probably won’t come as a surprise that many of upcoming movies are sequels, prequels, reboots, part of a larger connected film universe, or spin-offs of existing franchises. Let’s face it, movies like Avatar 2 and Fast & Furious 9 get big budgets for a reason — they make huge profits. It’s harder and harder for filmmakers to get funding for a truly original idea these days. Luckily there’s at least one of those included on this list of movies that we’re looking forward to watching, but only when they finally hit theaters next year!

From Denis Villeneuve’s star-studded Dune remake to Christopher Nolan’s super secret action drama, here are 20 upcoming movies sure to blow us all away in 2020. Enjoy!

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20. Bad Boys for Life

We’ll kick off this list with one 2020’s earliest releases, as the long (and we mean loooooooooong) awaited sequel to Will Smith and Martin Lawrence’s Bad Boys franchise will finally see the light of day towards the end of January. The very first Bad Boys movie was released back in 1995 when Smith was at the height of his blockbuster, A-list star powers. The sequel, Bay Boys II, didn’t come along for eight more years, releasing in 2003. Fast forward 17 more years to 2020 and the trilogy will finally be complete.

Smith and Lawrence play detectives, Mike Lowry and Marcus Burnett. Presumably, they will be much older and grumpier partners this time around, but the story should be a familiar one: they must stop a powerful Miami drug lord (played by Jacob Scipio) who is determined to kill Mike. There will surely be shootouts, car chases, explosions, and plenty of wise-cracks from Smith and Lawrence, as it’s really the on-screen chemistry between the two stars that carried the first two movies.

Joe Pantoliano returns as Captain Conrad Howard, and Mexican TV/film star Paolo Nunez also joins the cast. Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on your opinion of his movies), Michael Bay will not be back to direct or produce this time around.

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19. Dune

Based on the Frank Herbert novel of the same name and remake of David Lynch’s 1984 adaptation, Denis Villeneuve’s Dune began production in March 2019 and is scheduled to release on November 20, 2020. Following the success of films like Sicario, Blade Runner 2049, and Arrival, Villeneuve is the ideal choice to spearhead the film.

Here is the official synopsis, courtesy of Warner Bros.

Paul Atreides, a brilliant and gifted young man born into a great destiny beyond his understanding, must travel to the most dangerous planet in the universe to ensure the future of his family and his people. As malevolent forces explode into conflict over the planet’s exclusive supply of the most precious resource in existence-a commodity capable of unlocking humanity’s greatest potential-only those who can conquer their fear will survive.

Villeneuve’s Dune might be one of the most impressive casts ever assembled, starring the likes of Timothée Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, Oscar Isaac, Josh Brolin, Stellan Skarsgård, Dave Bautista, Zendaya, David Dastmalchian, Stephen Henderson, Charlotte Rampling, Jason Momoa, and Javier Bardem.

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18. The Voyage of Doctor Dolittle

A new Doctor Dolittle movie being released in January? Sounds like a recipe for a snoozefest, right? Well, maybe not. Eddie Murphy starred in a pair of mediocre films based around the fictional doctor who can talk to animals, and those were followed by a handful of even worse direct-to-video sequels. The Voyage of Doctor Dolittle, which is based on the second of Hugh Lofting’s children’s books, is essentially a reboot of the film franchise, with Robert Downey Jr. replacing Murphy as the good doctor and Stephen Gaghan (Gold, Syriana) attached to direct.

Downey isn’t one to pick bad projects, which is why we’re giving this new film the benefit out of the doubt, but it helps that the supporting cast is also top notch. In addition to Antonio Banderas and Michael Sheen in human roles, The Voyage of Doctor Dolittle‘s animals will be voiced by the likes of Selena Gomez, Marion Cotillard, John Cena, Emma Thompsons, and Tom Holland.

Yes, both Iron Man and Spider-Man are starring in a new Doctor Dolittle film. What a time to be alive.

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17. Jungle Cruise

Set in the 1930s during the Great Depression, Disney’s upcoming epic adventure, Jungle Cruise, starring Dwayne Johnson, Emily Blunt, Jack Whitehall, Édgar Ramírez, Jesse Plemons and Paul Giamatti, arrives in theatres on July 24, 2020. Directed by Jaume Collet-Serra and inspired by the Disney theme park attraction of the same name, Jungle Cruise follows the story of a brave riverboat captain named Frank (Johnson) who takes scientist Lily Houghton (Blunt) and her brother McGregor Houghton (Whitehall) on a mission into a jungle to find the Tree of Life.

As for the rest of the cast, we know Venezuelan born actor Édgar Ramírez will portray an unnamed villain in the film, as will Friday Night Lights‘ star Jesse Plemons. Paul Giamatti, on the other hand, is reported to be playing a “crusty harbormaster,” which actually makes a lot of sense.

Given the star-studded cast and the film’s connection to Disney’s popular park attraction, we have a strong feeling Jungle Cruise will be one of the highest grossing films of 2020.

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16. Ghostbusters 3

Although fans of the original Ghostbusters films might not be pleased to hear, we can confirm that another Ghostbusters movie is on the way, but unlike the poorly received all-female adaptation released in 2016, this is going to be a direct sequel to 1989’s Ghostbuster II. The upcoming sequel will be directed by Jason Reitman, son of the original director Ivan Reitman.

Following the announcement that he’d be directing the untitled Ghostbuster movie, Reitman spoke about his love of Ghostbusters and that the upcoming film will NOT be a reboot.

“I’ve always thought of myself as the first Ghostbusters fan, when I was a six-year-old visiting the set,” Reitman enthused. “I wanted to make a movie for all the other fans. This is the next chapter in the original franchise. It is not a reboot. What happened in the ’80s happened in the ’80s, and this is set in the present day.”

At this point, few details have been released, but we do know that film is scheduled to release on July 10, 2020, and judging by Sigourney Weaver’s conversation with Parade Magazine, it would appear that the original cast is on board, which is a great sign.

“It’s going to be crazy working with the guys again!”

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15. Top Gun: Maverick

Whether we like it or not, a sequel to Tony Scott’s 1986 action drama Top Gun, starring Tom Cruise, Kelly McGillis, and Val Kilmer, is currently in production and scheduled to release on June 26, 2020. The upcoming sequel will be directed by Joseph Kosinski, best known for TRON: Legacy and Only the Brave, and will feature the return of Tom Cruise and Val Kilmer, who will be reprising their roles from the first film.

As for the rest of the cast, we can confirm Miles Teller, Jennifer Connelly, Glen Powell, Jon Hamm, and the great Ed Harris, have also joined the project. Rumor is Teller will play the son of Maverick’s late flight partner Nick “Goose” Bradshaw and Maverick will act as a mentor to the new generation of U.S. Navy pilots, but that’s all we know so far.

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14. Bloodshot

Based on the Valiant Comics character of the same name, Bloodshot is an upcoming superhero movie directed by Dave Wilson and starring Vin Diesel as Marine Raymond “Ray” Garrison a.k.a. Bloodshot, alongside Sam Heughan, Guy Pearce, Eiza González, and Toby Kebbell. The comic-book adaptation will be the first installment of the Valiant Cinematic Universe (VCU), a five-movie contract between Song and Valiant Comics. Initially, an adaptation of Jim Shooter and David Lapham’s Harbinger comic book series was intended to be the VCU’s first film, but it was later pushed back, opening the door for Bloodshot.

Here is an official synopsis, courtesy of Columbia Pictures.

After he and his wife are murdered, Marine Ray Garrison (Vin Diesel) is resurrected by a secret team of scientists. Enhanced with nanotechnology, he becomes a superhuman, biotech killing machine – Bloodshot. As Ray first trains with fellow super-soldiers, he cannot recall anything from his former life. But when his memories flood back and he remembers the man that killed both him and his wife, he breaks out of the facility hellbent on revenge, only to discover that there’s more to the conspiracy than he originally thought

Bloodshot scheduled to open on February 21, 2020.

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13. BIOS

One of the movies we’re most excited about Miguel Sapochnik’s upcoming post-apocalyptic science fiction film BIOS, starring the phenomenal Tom Hanks. The story follows a man named Finch (Hanks), an inventor and last man on Earth who faced with his mortality, builds an android to keep him and his dog company. The movie will also feature Caleb Landry Jones – known best for Get Out (2017) and Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (2017) – as Jeff, the robot created by Finch to keep his dog safe after he’s gone. We were quite impressed with Jones’ performance as the psychotic Jeremy Armitage in Get Out, so we’re looking forward to seeing him in a starring role, alongside one of the best.

Amblin Entertainment’s BIOS arrives in theatres on October 2, 2020.

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12. Mulan

The Disney live-action remake train keeps on rolling, with 1998’s Mulan next on the docket following a trio of releases in 2019 (Dumbo, Aladdin, and The Lion King). Unlike some of Disney’s recent live-action fare (see: Beauty and the Beast), it’s hard to be too cynical about Mulan given that a) its historical-themed narrative feels tailor-made for a live-action format and b) it presents a great opportunity for a predominately Asian cast. And what a cast it has, with Chinese stars Yifei Lu, Li Gong, Donnie Yen, and Jet Li all in prominent roles. Mulan is pretty much guaranteed to do big business overseas, so it doesn’t matter as much if it doesn’t perform as well as Disney’s other live-action films in North America but given all the things Mulan has done right thus far, it certainly deserves to.

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11. Birds of Prey

Without trying to sound mean, the DC Extended Universe hasn’t exactly lived up to expectations. While the movies have still managed to rake in billions at the box office, many of the DC films haven’t received very favorable reviews from film critics or the majority of fans. Not that a poor Rotten Tomatoes score is going to stop DC and Warner Bros. from making more movies, though.

In February 2020, we’re getting a female-focused spin-off from Suicide Squad, focusing mostly on Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn, but also adding in classic DC characters like Black Canary and Huntress. Ewan McGregor also signed on to play Gotham City crime lord Black Mask, but it appears that Jared Leto’s Joker will be absent from this one. That’s probably a good thing.

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10. Kingsman: The Great Game

The first Kingsman movie from 2014 was a surprise hit. Based on a comic book series, the R-rated action/comedy combined the suave styling of a Bond flick with the slick action scenes of the John Wick movies. It all worked shockingly well. Then a sequel in 2017 introduced fans to the American counterparts of the Kingsman, the Statesman.

In February, director Matt Vaughn (who directed the previous two Kingsman films) will return with Kingsman: The Great Game. Little is known about the plot, but these are the confirmed details: franchise star Taron Egerton will not be returning as Gary “Eggsy” Unwin, as the franchise is shifting back in time to tell a story about the spy organization at the turn of the 20th century. Egerton says he still plans to return to the series someday in the future.

Gemma Arterton, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, and Ralph Fiennes are attached to Kingsman 3 with lead billing. And with Vaughn still in the director’s chair, this sequel (prequel?) should be a worthy addition to the franchise.

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9. Godzilla vs. Kong

We haven’t even had a chance to watch Godzilla: King of the Monsters yet (it comes out in May 2019), but we’re already excited for the first clash of the titans in Legendary Pictures’ growing “MonsterVerse” when Godzilla vs. Kong drops in 2020. We don’t know exactly how the two legendary beasts will end up squaring off, but we plan to have front row seats when they do!

The film stars Alexander Skarsgard (True Blood, Big Little Lies, Hold The Dark) and Millie Bobby Brown (Stranger Things), with a heavy dose of secretive Monarch activities and government conspiracies. But honestly, we’re just tuning in for the monsters. The iconic Japanese lizard has been given new life in the MonsterVerse, and Kong: Skull Island turned out way better than most people thought it would. When Godzilla is done beating up Mothra, Rodan, and King Ghidorah in 2019, the main event against King Kong can finally happen!

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8. Bond 25

Here’s what we know about the upcoming spy thriller featuring the iconic character of English MI6 agent James Bond: not much, actually.

One thing we know for sure is that after much “will he or won’t he” speculation, Daniel Craig has agreed to strap on the tuxedo and Walther PP7 for the fifth and final time. Craig had earlier stated that 2015’s Spectre would be his final time playing Bond, citing an exhausting filming process that was heavy on action and stunts. Whatever convinced Craig to fill Bond’s shoes one more time (spoiler alert: it was probably money), it makes us movie fans very happy.

Bond 25 (or whatever typical Bond-like name the movie eventually receives — most recently rumored to be Shatterhand) will be directed by Cary Joji Fukunaga (Beasts of No Nation, True Detective), a newcomer to the franchise. Lea Seydoux will return as Bond Girl Madeleine Swann, while Ralph Fiennes and Ben Whislaw will return as agents M and Q. There is a rumor that Rami Malek will join the cast as the villain, but so far it’s just speculation.

The recent Bond films have been exciting, gritty, and overall really good. A lot of people scoffed when Craig originally got the job, but those same fans will be sad to see him go after Bond 25 has come and gone.

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7. A Quiet Place 2

A Quiet Place really came out of nowhere in 2018. Written and directed by John Krasinski (who also starred alongside his real-life wife Emily Blunt), it was a drastic change for many of us who were used to seeing him play the goofy and lovable Jim Halpert on Netflix binges of The Office. This movie was about as far from the Dunder Mifflin offices in Scranton as you can get.

The first movie was a terrifying take on the classic alien invasion, with creatures who hunt humans based on sound. The sequel, which will also be directed by Krasinksi, will once again star Blunt as Evelyn Abbott. However, we expect to see much less of Krasinski on screen, since his character was killed in the first one. There’s always flashbacks and dream sequences, though!

Hopefully, A Quiet Place 2 gives us a look at the larger world of survivors, as the first movie alluded to numerous families trying to live out their days in silence. There’s also the possibility that Evelyn will somehow be able to lead a fight back against the creatures, after discovering a sound frequency that seems to cripple their ability to attack. We’ll find out in May 2020.

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6. Fast & Furious 9

The last movie in this testosterone-fueled series, The Fate of the Furious, made over $1.2 billion at the global box office. That basically means they will be making these movies until the end of time. Although they are taking 2019 off (well, not really. The spin-off Hobbs & Shaw will hit theaters this year), the real sequel will make its way to screens in April 2020.

Furious 9 (or whatever its official title ends up being) will bring back Vin Diesel, Dwayne Johnson, Michelle Rodriguez, Tyrese Gibson, Chris Bridges, and probably some other familiar faces as the gang races around in ridiculous supercars, blows stuff up, and inevitably saves the day from whatever terrorist/hacker/government conspiracy is endangering everyone this time.

Look, we’re not going to pretend the Fast & Furious franchise produces films that should be nominated for Best Picture. But dammit if they aren’t a fun, adrenaline-soaked thrill ride — or as we affectionately call them: Popcorn flicks. We’re happily paying our $12 to hear the roar of the engines while Dom Toretto stares hard into the camera, uttering some ridiculous badass one-liner.

Fast and Furious 9 rolls into theatres on April 9, 2020.

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5. Wonder Woman 1984

We are usually quick to point out that the DC movies don’t have a track record of being… well, any good. The biggest exception, though, was 2017’s Wonder Woman, which was downright fantastic. Staring the amazing Gal Gadot as Diana Prince/Wonder Woman, the epic WWI tale provides some excellent backstory for the Amazonian warrior.

Director Patty Jenkins will return to the helm for Wonder Woman 1984, currently slated for a June 2020 release date. This movie obviously flashes us forward in time by a large margin (and skips WWII entirely), but brings into the height of the Cold War, as Wonder Woman clashes with the considerable forces of the Soviet Union.

We expect lots of 80s nostalgia in this flick, along with the introduction of a new enemy: Kristen Wiig has been announced as Barbara Ann Minerva aka Cheetah. Chris Pine will also reportedly be back, although we’re not sure they are going to explain his character still being alive. Or still young and handsome, for that matter. Regardless, we expect this movie to once again be the bright spot in the DCEU next summer.

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4. Tenet

Initially, Christopher Nolan’s upcoming movie was so shrouded in mystery that we literally couldn’t tell you anything about it, but we now know that the film will be called Tenet and will star John David Washington, Robert Pattinson, and Elizabeth Debicki. The upcoming action drama is scheduled to hit theatres on July 17, 2020, and although we know nothing about the plot, we’re going to give director/writer/producer extraordinaire Christopher Nolan considerable credit for his past achievements and assume that his new movie will be a worthy addition to his already impressive list of credits.

In case you didn’t already know, Nolan is responsible for the likes of Memento, Batman Begins, The Prestige, The Dark Knight, Inception, The Dark Knight Rises, Interstellar, and Dunkirk. His movie-making process and attention to detail routinely produce some of the most enjoyable and original films being made these days. He’s also grossed over $4.7 billion at the box office, so Warner Bros. will probably give him a lot of financial backing and creative freedom for whatever he has up his sleeve. We can’t wait to learn what it actually is.

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3. Morbius

We can’t escape the ever-expanding library of comic book movies, as Sony Pictures plans to milk its license to the Spider-Man characters for all it’s worth. Along with a planned sequel to Venom (also due out in 2020) and a rumored Silver and Blackfilm about The Black Cat and Silver Sable (which might end up being two separate movies, if they ever get made), Sony is planning to do a movie about lesser-known Spidey villain Michael Morbius, a young scientist who accidentally turns himself into a vampire while attempting to cure himself of a rare blood disease. Big oopsy!

Directed by Daniel Espinosa (Life, Safe House) and starring Jared Leto as the title character, this movie will be set in Sony’s Marvel Universe, not to be confused with the Marvel Cinematic Universe (although the two are sharing Spider-Man for now). Morbius will also include Adria Arjona (Pacific Rim Uprising, True Detective, Triple Frontier) as Michael’s fiance Martine and Tyrese Gibson as an FBI agent trying to track him down.

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2. Fantastic Beasts 3

The Wizarding World roles on, no matter how many crazy things J.K. Rowling tries to retcon into the Potter lore. At the conclusion of Fantastic Beasts 2, Gellert Grindelwald had successfully aligned himself with Albus Dumbledore’s long-lost brother. That sets up an inevitable showdown between Grindelwald and Dumbledore, which will likely be the climax of Fantastic Beasts 3 when it hits theaters November 2020.

All the main stars will be back: Johnny Depp as Grindelwald, Jude Law as Dumbledore, Eddie Redmayne as Newt Scamander, Katherine Waterson as Tina Goldstein, and Ezra Miller as Credence Barebone/Aurelius Dumbledore. The special effects for these are top notch, and the magical creatures that Newt cares for are awe-inspiring. But frankly, we hope Fantastic Beasts 3 also comes with a bit of a tighter script — the second one didn’t exactly blow us away.

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1. Avatar 2

Remember Avatar? It’s been 10 years since James Cameron’s epic 3D sci-fi adventure (which was really just FernGully: The Last Rain Forest, but with a $230 million budget) was in theaters, making bank. While the original film might have been light on storytelling, it overachieved with stunning visuals and $2.8 billion in global box office receipts. The studio has been clamoring for a sequel ever since, but Cameron works on his own schedule.

In December 2020, we will finally get the first of what could end being four more Avatar movies (a third one is fully confirmed, but numbers 4 and 5 are still up in the air). Sam Worthington returns as Jake Sully, a former human who took part in the avatar program and ended up falling in love Neytiri (again played by Zoe Saldana). Giovanni Ribisi, Joel David Moore, and Sigourney Weaver are also on board for the sequel.

Not much of the plot has been revealed, but large portions of the movie were filmed underwater and “The Way of the Water” was originally being considered as a subtitle. So expect a lot of swimming Na’vi in this one, which promises to be a blockbuster movie event.