The Can’t Miss Movies Still to Come In 2017

We are currently deep into the 2017 summer movie season, and an exciting second half to this year in movies. There were a number of great movies in the first half of the year, but the coming months look even more exciting – with everything from the next installment in the Star Wars saga to a new Blade Runner film!

Here are the movies to keep on your radar for the remainder of 2017…

JULY

July has already kicked off with a bang. Just look at the movies currently in theaters. You have Wonder Woman still holding strong, Edgar Wright’s thrilling Baby Driver, a pitch-perfect Spider-Man reboot, the trilogy concluding War of the Planet of the Apes, the hauntingly original A Ghost Story, sleeper hit of the summer – The Big Sick and the stunning Okja (which is on Netflix). Just this past week, Luc Besson took audiences to Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets, and, with Dunkirk, Christopher Nolan took his first foray into historical filmmaking, bringing his talent for visual and tonal excellence to a story not set in dreams, space or Gotham City, but on the battlefields of WWII.

Other movies to look for this July include…

Atomic Blonde (7/28)

Just watch this trailer and you too will be excited for Atomic Blonde. After Fury Road, Charlize Theron is back once again to prove that she is one of the greatest action heroes in film. Bonus points for David Leitch (John Wick and the upcoming Deadpool sequel) directing.

Other promising July films include The Emoji Movie (7/28), the oddly original Brigsby Bear (7/28) and Al Gore’s return with the scariest horror film of 2017; An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth to Power (7/28).

AUGUST

The Dark Tower (8/4)

The film adaptation of Stephen King’s beloved fantasy series has been in talks for years and years. It seemed like it would never happen, yet, here it comes with Idris Elba as the Gunslinger and Matthew McConaughey as the infamous Man in Black.

Logan Lucky (8/18)

Steven Soderbergh is back with a cast that includes Channing Tatum, Adam Driver, Hilary Swank and Daniel Craig in a heist film/comedy that may rival his own Oceans trilogy.

Other August movies of interest include Kathryn Bigelow’s Detroit (8/4) and Ryan Reynolds and Samuel L. Jackson in The Hitman’s Bodyguard (8/18).

SEPTEMBER

It (9/8)

I’m not usually one for horror remakes, but It, a re-imagining of Stephen King’s terrifying novel about a shape-shifting clown, looks intensely creepy and has an appealing, Stranger Things/’80s movie vibe that looks hard to resist.

Kingsman: The Golden Circle (9/22)

Let’s face it, Bond movies have been hit or miss over the past decade, lacking from the visual fun and flair that defined the series at its start. Luckily, the Kingsman series combines just the right amount of the classic, action-packed secret agent shenanigans we need, over-the-top villains and all.

The Lego Ninjago Movie (9/22)

The Lego Movie is one of the most fun and ridiculous animated movies of all time, The Lego Batman Movie was equally great, and now, we have the next big Lego movie and it too looks fantastic and hilarious.

OCTOBER

Blade Runner 2049 (10/6)

This movie is a big deal. The stakes are very high. A Blade Runner sequel, directed by one of the best filmmakers working today, Denis Villeneuve (Arrival), with Harrison Ford reprising his role from the original, all-time classic? Sign me up!

God Particle (10/27)

Not much is known about this, the third installment of the J.J. Abrams produced Cloverfield franchise, but with David Oyelowo starring, and the last film in the series (10 Cloverfield Lane) being so simple and perfect, this one is a must.

Other promising October films include My Little Pony: The Movie (10/6) and Darren Aronofsky’s Mother! (10/13).

NOVEMBER

Thor: Ragnarok (11/3)

I have to be honest, when I first heard they were doing another Thor movie, I thought; “meh.” But then, I heard it was being directed by the incomparable Taika Waititi (Hunt for the Wilderpeople). That alone stoked some excitement. Then came the first trailer, and then the new one that premiered at San Diego Comic Con, and, well, how can you resist this?…

Murder on the Orient Express (11/10)

This one if a bit iffy, but intriguing nonetheless. Just look at that ensemble cast! Kenneth Branagh, Penélope Cruz, Willem Dafoe, Judi Dench, Johnny Depp, Josh Gad, Derek Jacobi, Leslie Odom Jr., Michelle Pfeiffer, and Daisy Ridley! 

Justice League (11/17)

I’ve long written this movie off. Dawn of Justice completely stripped away any excitement I might have had about what should be the greatest superhero team-up film of all time. I say should because this team is as classic as it gets. The execution of their cinematic intros thus far, however, have been anything but classic. But, with the success of Wonder Woman, and my surprising affinity for Ben Affleck’s take on Batman, I’m willing to give it a chance.

Coco (11/22)

How can you resist anything Pixar creates? This one is directed by Lee Unkrich, who directed Toy Story 3. And just look at this vibrant animation…

Other movies worth keeping an eye out for include the George Clooney directed, Joel and Ethan Coen written, Matt Damon starring Suburbicon (11/3) and the powerful drama of Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (11/10).

DECEMBER

The Shape of Water (12/8)

Guillermo del Toro is a visual master and one of the true auteurs working in cinema today. The Shape of Water looks like his answer to the Beauty and the Beast fairy tale, and one that is sure to be horrifying and beautiful at the same time – an alarming visual juxtaposition nobody pulls off quite like del Toro does.

Star Wars: The Last Jedi (12/15)

What can I say? The direct sequel to The Force Awakens! Rey! Rian Johnson at the helm! This is the biggest, most anticipated movie of 2017!

Bright (12/22)

Set in an alternate, present-day reality where humans, orcs, elves, and fairies have been co-existing since the beginning of time, the David Ayer (Suicide Squad) directed, Max Landis written Bright stars Will Smith and Joel Edgerton in Netflix’s biggest original movie to date!

Downsizing (12/22)

Alexander Payne directs a movie in which Matt Damon and Kristen Wiig play a husband wife who decide to downsize their lives by having themselves physically shrunk. Why the hell not?!

Other December movies of interest include James Franco’s movie about the worst movie of all time with The Disaster Artist (12/1), The Rock, Kevin Hart and Jack Black bringing the laughs (maybe) in Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle (12/20), Steven Spielberg directing Tom Hanks and Meryl Streep in The Papers (12/22), Paul Thomas Anderson and Daniel Day-Lewis collaborating once again with Phantom Thread (12/25) and Hugh Jackman as P.T. Barnum in The Greatest Showman (12/25).

DATE TO BE DETERMINED

Mute (TBD)

Duncan Jones directs what has been called the “spiritual sequel” to his 2009 film Moon. Moon is one of the best, original Sci-Fi films of this past decade, and I’m all for some world-building back in that film’s fictional future. The date is still TBD for this Netflix produced flick.

Muppet Guys Talking (TBD)

Frank Oz directs this documentary – a round table discussion between five of the original Muppet performers as they discuss the creation of their iconic characters under the visionary leadership of Jim Henson.