LATEST NEWS
Prepare for 2017 - It's Going to Be Another Epic Year for Hollywood
by Alex Billington
January 4, 2016
Now that we're into the year 2016, we've launched the 2017 Release Schedule, listing the release dates for all the movies currently scheduled to open in theaters that year. Anyone who has been following the news already knows just how epic and crazy 2017 is going to be. Not only is that when we're going to see the next movie in the Skywalker Star Wars saga (Episode VIII, opening May 26th), but James Cameron's next Avatar sequel is supposed to arrive in December. 2015 was a huge year for (franchise) movies, but 2017 is shaping up to be even bigger. Highly anticipated sequels, reboots, new franchise restarts and so much more.
To visit the 2017 release schedule online, click here. You can also find our Google Calendar listings here.
Here's a quick list for 2017: more comic book movies including Wonder Woman, Wolverine (the end of Hugh Jackman's run as Wolvie), Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 and Thor: Ragnarok (both sequels); plus there's Warner Bros' The Justice League: Part One arriving in November. As for upcoming sequels, there are many: Resident Evil: The Final Chapter, Fifty Shades Darker, Bad Boys 3, (Fast and) Furious 8, Maze Runner: The Death Cure, World War Z 2, Pixar's Cars 3, Kingsman 2, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales, Despicable Me 3, Pitch Perfect 3, The Equalizer 2, and The Croods 2, as well as Avatar 2 and War for the Planet of the Apes. This is still not even it.
On top of all those, other big movies opening in 2017: Steven Spielberg's adaptation of Ready Player One, Pixar's new Dia De Los Muertos movie Coco, a remake of Murder on the Orient Express, Ridley Scott's Alien: Covenant, Andy Serkis' motion-capture Jungle Book: Origins movie (not to be confused with Jon Favreau's The Jungle Book movie arriving in theaters in 2016), Christopher Nolan's new WWII action movie Dunkirk, the video game adaptation Uncharted; Ninjago, Barbie and Emoji movies (scraping the bottom of the brand barrel); live-action Ghost in the Shell starring Scarlett Johansson, new Beauty and the Beast and The Mummy movies, Edgar Wright's Baby Driver, restart of Kong: Skull Island, Tom Cruise in Doug Liman's sci-fi Mena, plus Luc Besson's return to epic sci-fi with Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets. Oh yea there's also the Spider-Man reboot (again) starring Tom Holland.
See what I mean about 2017? In all honesty, my concern is Hollywood is now so obsessed with pre-existing brands and franchises that it's focusing solely on that kind of content over the next decade. Even the new Spielberg movie isn't really original (it's an adaptation of a very popular book). There are so few original stories (Dunkirk, Coco, Mena, Valerian, Baby Driver) that they could end up lost in the mix, as it's always easier to talk about the sequels and franchises we already know everything about. Plus, the next Star Wars movie opens in May! Meaning everyone will be talking about it all year (caring more about its massive box office than anything) right up until Avatar 2 takes over and gives Lucasfilm a run for its money. I'm actually kind of excited to see how it all plays out, to see which movies end up being better than we were expecting.
As always, release dates are subject to change. We'll continue to watch closely for updates and news on 2017.
33 Comments
1
Exciting year. Affleck's Live By Night is coming in 2017, too, though it doesn't have a specific date yet. I hope you guys at First Showing will do your part in the new year to try and keep the more original stuff afloat in the movie coverage space!
Loop Hughes on Jan 4, 2016
2
Due to volume, there are going to be some massive box office disasters in that list. Star Wars and Guardians are sure things though.
bumboclot on Jan 4, 2016
3
WWZ2? What?
Lar Rackell on Jan 4, 2016
4
5
It may be directed by J.A. Bayona. Foolish for anyone not to give it a chance.
Jose Mourinho on Jan 4, 2016
6
World Bore Zzzzzzz part 2
TheOct8pus on Jan 5, 2016
7
I enjoyed World War Z. Considering how chaotic the production had been (half a dozen different writers, totally reshot ending) I thought it was a decent effort. Not too bothered about a sequel though. I'd rather see a miniseries that hews closer to the book.
eurogibbon on Jan 5, 2016
8
Justice League: Part One for me. I've waited far too long to see them on screen.
Jose Mourinho on Jan 4, 2016
9
Screw 2017. I'm really getting excited for 2020.
evilED on Jan 4, 2016
10
2025 will be sick, though.
capitandelespacio on Jan 5, 2016
11
Amateurs....2050 is where it's at.
TheOct8pus on Jan 5, 2016
12
Not sure why but this kinda made me sad pondering what will be the last year of films I'll see before I die. I know it's a bit morbid, but seriously, we read this article and can't wait to see them all, but will we? Sorry to be a downer. At the same time it's crazy to think about what I might be looking forward to watching when I'm 80 in 2061, or 90 in 2071. God willing I make it that long!
David Diaz on Jan 5, 2016
13
Well, maybe there is not going to be any Hollywood in 20 years and the film industry will change drastically. Maybe for the best of the worst, who knows?
capitandelespacio on Jan 5, 2016
14
Aw man....way to make us all depressed....haaha....who knows, life expectancy is getting longer and longer, and as long as the air doesn't get too toxic, or the world doesn't flood, maybe we'll all be around in another 60 years.
TheOct8pus on Jan 5, 2016
15
I remember in the final days leading up to seeing Prometheus I was just thinking, "Please, God, don't let me die before I see this film." By the end of Prometheus I was like, "Please let me die..."
eurogibbon on Jan 5, 2016
16
Haha!! It's sad how many times that happens...
TheOct8pus on Jan 5, 2016
17
18
Is this another "Golden Age" for film? Probably not, maybe a Silver age. But it is very cool to be a movie fan nowadays.
DAVIDPD on Jan 4, 2016
19
It's definitely an "age" of something.... Big budget, emotionally investing superhero movies? Billion dollar blockbuster movies? At least that's where all the hype is....
TheOct8pus on Jan 5, 2016
20
Yeah, agree. Maybe not in terms of "film as art", but in terms of "film as entertainment"? I think someone could make a compelling argument.
DAVIDPD on Jan 5, 2016
21
@buddha1822:disqus Can't wait for Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales! I am guessing that a brief preview of its teaser trailer will likely be released online in July 2016 and at the San Diego Comic-Con, and that then the whole teaser trailer will likely be released online in December 2016?
Sean on Jan 4, 2016
22
You had me at the Emoji Movie.
eurogibbon on Jan 4, 2016
23
...
TheOct8pus on Jan 5, 2016
24
Avatar 2 will pass me by, The original was underwhelming tbh. Looking forward to Guardians 🙂
Jon Chamberlain on Jan 5, 2016
25
26
I've read: Wonder Woman: Wolverine. I want to see that movie. Seriously, I'm interested in Dunkirk and Baby Driver. The rest it's just... well, you said it, Alex, pre-existing brands and franchises. It's all about the title and the poster. This reminds me of the 80's and the Cannon movies. Well, at least some of the Cannon movies tried to be original.
capitandelespacio on Jan 5, 2016
27
First Order Strikes Back!
capitandelespacio on Jan 5, 2016
28
Psyched for Guardians 2.....
TheOct8pus on Jan 5, 2016
29
Alex, instead of reading about 2017, I was hoping to see some top ten lists for 2015 from you and your guys!! Is there anything planned or have the top ten lists been cancelled??
oliver-haessig on Jan 5, 2016
30
31
Cool... Looking forward to it 🙂
oliver-haessig on Jan 5, 2016
32
Don't forget about the "movies we didn't see" list, that's always my favorite 🙂 Happy New Year FS!
Ricardo_PT on Jan 5, 2016
33
@buddha1822:disqus I'm guessing that Disney will attach Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales teaser traler will probably be attached to Doctor Strange, like when Maleficent's teaser trailer was attached to Thor: The Dark World?
Sean on Sep 23, 2016
New comments are no longer allowed on this post.
FEATURED POSTS
FOLLOW FS HERE
Follow Alex's main account on Twitter:
Add our posts to your Feedly › click here
Get all the news sent on Telegram 
LATEST TO WATCH