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From 'Fast X' to 'M3GAN': The sci-fi and horror movies we're looking forward to in 2023
A 2023 glance at all the sci-fi, horror and fantasy films coming to theaters.
There's been a lot of reflection and ranking of great TV and movies percolating here on SYFY WIRE over the last month with regards to the best things we've watched in 2022. But we're on the cusp of 2023, so it's time to look ahead, people. There's a whole 12 months of NEW coming at us so let's turn our cumulative gazes to the horizon and assess what's got us excitedly making space on our social calendars.
January
M3GAN (Jan 6)
From the first time we saw her creepy dance and her dead eyes, the life-like M3GAN doll had our horror-loving hearts. Based on a story by Akela Cooper (Malignant) and James Wan (The Conjuring), M3GAN is a fresh story based on all of our tech nightmares.
Excitement Level: 5 out of 5
February
Knock at the Cabin (Feb. 3)
M. Night Shyamalan is back with an adaptation of Paul G. Tremblay's novel, The Cabin at the End of the World. A great book with a director who knows how to get tension out of every scene are the raw materials for something excellent.
Excitement Level: 4 out of 5
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (Feb. 17)
The third Ant-Man film from director Peyton Reed is also the official start of Phase 4 of Marvel Studios' ongoing cinematic storytelling arc. The introduction of Kang the Conqueror (Jonathan Majors) as the potential new, ongoing "Big Bad" for the universe of characters piques our interest.
Excitement Level: 4 out of 5
Cocaine Bear (Feb. 24)
The title alone had us hooked. But then this crazy trailer dropped and now we're already in line. Bring on the brut!
Excitement Level: 5 out of 5
March
Scream VI (March 6)
The fifth Scream revived the iconic slasher franchise for a new generation. However, Neve Campbell won't be back for this sixth installment due to pay issues. That has tempered our enthusiasm quite a bit. Sidney Prescott is the franchise.
Excitement Level: 3 out of 5
65 (March 17)
We wondered if this one was ever going to be released, but this original story from A Quiet Place writers Beck and Woods finally gave us a teaser in December that revealed Adam Driver going girl dad protector for a little girl during the end of the Cretaceous Period and now there's no question where our money is going come March.
Excitement Level: 5 out of 5
Shazam! Fury of the Gods (March 17)
It's been four years since Shazam! came out and a world of changes has happened since with the creatives now behind the DC Extended Universe (DCEU). We hope this is just a fun adventure but it's hard to get invested when this could be the character's swan song.
Excitement Level: 3 out of 5
John Wick: Chapter 4 (March 24)
Blam, blam! Kapow, Kapow! Keanu Reeves. Yup, we know what this is and we're here for it.
Excitement Level: 5 out of 5
Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves (March 31)
The chaotic energy coming from this one matches the tone of the role-playing classic to a T. We're hoping this is a romp that honors the touchstones of the venerable die-casting game and launches a brand-new big-screen franchise that goes for many campaigns.
Excitement Level: 5 out of 5
April
The Super Mario Bros. Movie (April 7)
Ok, Chris Pratt voicing Mario is still odd, but then there's Jack Black voicing Bowser and that's perfection. A big-screen animated Mario world movie could scratch a lot of our Super Nintendo itches. Fingers-crossed.
Excitement Level: 4 out of 5
Renfield (April 14)
You had us at Nicolas Cage as Count Dracula. Add to that Nicholas Hoult playing Renfield and Chris McKay (LEGO Batman Movie) directing? This ould be a completely out-there adaptation of Stoker's Dracula the likes of what Coppola did in '92.
Excitement Level: 4 out of 5
May
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (May 5)
James Gunn closes his misfits in space trilogy at Marvel Studios with Vol. 3. He promises big changes for the characters and plenty of tears. Plus, there's a river otter hugging Rocket so that's enough for us.
Excitement Level: 4 out of 5
Fast X (May 19)
Dominic Toretto and his crew pick up where Fast 9 left off. Charlize Theron and Jason Statham are back which means a lot of fun is likely to be had.
Excitement Level: 4 out of 5
The Little Mermaid (May 26)
The live-action remake of the classic animated film of the same name, Halle Bailey sounds and looks great as Ariel. But we're most concerned with Disney's iffy track record when it comes to making their live-action adaptations as great as the originals. It's got a great cast and that fabulous score so we have hope.
Excitement Level: 4 out of 5
June
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (June 2)
Truly one of the best Spider-Man films ever, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse set such a multiverse high bar that even Marvel Studios had to get three live-action Spider-Man actors together to even attempt to equal it. This means the expectations for this sequel are through the roof.
Excitement Level: 5 out of 5
Transformers: Rise of the Beasts (June 9)
We actually really liked Bumblebee so this new reboot of the Transformers lore for the big screen has to be at least as good at that one.
Excitement Level: 3 out of 5
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (June 30)
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull was, uh, not great, so leaving such an incredible franchise on that slightly sour note has always been a bummer. But this new installment brings back an enthusiastic Harrison Ford and director James Mangold who knows how to make great action films about iconic characters making their last hurrah. (See: Logan.) We really want this one to cap the franchise off right this time.
Excitement Level: 5 out of 5
July
Insidious: Fear the Dark (July 7)
We're a sucker for this franchise. Patrick Wilson is back as Josh Lambert and we're ready to be scared.
Excitement Level: 4 out of 5
Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning - Part One (July 14)
Watching Tom Cruise putting himself at personal peril to make these films is just as much of a draw as the storytelling is when it comes to this franchise nowadays. More power to him!
Excitement Level: 4 out of 5
Barbie (July 21)
This perfect teaser promises a potentially hilarious satire of the Barbie toy, her expanded world and how society has viewed her in the pop culture zeitgeist since she was first put on toy store shelves. Greta Gerwig directs and Margot Robbie stars.
Excitement Level: 5 out of 5
Oppenheimer (July 21)
Director Christopher Nolan tackles the story of J. Robert Oppenheimer who is credited as the "father of the atomic bomb". Always exciting to see what the director brings to the cinematic table, this one is chock full of incredible actors too.
Excitement Level: 5 out of 5
The Marvels (July 28)
Captain Marvel (Brie Larson) is headlining a movie once more, but this time she will also be joined by Ms. Marvel (Iman Vellani) and Monica Rambeau (Teyonah Parris). With the latter two having stories mostly developed in the Disney+ series world over the last two years, it's going to be interesting to see how they present a big-screen story for audiences that fills in the gaps for those who haven't kept up with every series.
Excitement Level: 4 out of 5
August
Meg 2: The Trench (Aug. 4)
The mega-shark is back??? More carnage and cheese, please!
Excitement Level: 4 out of 5
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem (Aug. 4)
The heroes in a half-shell have been telling many great stories on the small screen in various series, so it's going to be interesting to see what a new generation of big-screen Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is will bring that feels fresh and worthwhile.
Excitement Level: 3 out of 5
Blue Beetle (Aug. 18)
Another holdover DCEU film from the prior regime, Blue Beetle will serve as an origin film for Jaime Reyes Blue Beetle, played here by Cobra Kai's Xolo Maridueña. We love Xolo so we hope he knocks this character out of the park and maybe secures a future for him in the James Gunn era.
Excitement Level: 3 out of 5
September
The Nun 2 (Sept. 8)
The second installment of this spin-off series from The Conjuring universe is setting us up for Halloween season scares.
Excitement Level: 3 out of 5
The Expendables 4 (Sept. 22)
Not sure how much we need to see the geriatrics of action cinema come back together one more time, but we always hold out hope for great satire, self-awareness, and some old-school action.
Excitement Level: 3 out of 5
October
Kraven the Hunter (Oct. 6)
Actor Aaron Taylor-Johnson is taking on the character in an origin story film directed by J. C. Chandor with a script from Art Marcum and Matt Holloway, who wrote the first Iron Man. This is part of Sony's further expansion of their Spider-Man storytelling verse.
Excitement Level: 3 out of 5
Saw 10 (Oct. 27)
Not even death could stop Jigsaw's reign of torture porn terror, so really it's foolish to think that this horror franchise will ever come to an end.
Excitement Level: 3 out of 5
November
Dune: Part Two (Nov. 3)
The first movie was a stunner, but arguably most of the meat in Frank Herbert's Dune takes place in the second half of the book, meaning it was saved for this film. We are looking forward to a lot more story and character focus happening for Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet) and his immersion into the Fremen of the desert.
Excitement Level: 5 out of 5
The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (Nov. 17)
This Hunger Games prequel, which is set well before Katniss Everdeen ever picked up a bow, focuses on who President Snow was before he became the leader of Panem. Let's see if this origin story is worth the return to this world.
Excitement Level: 3 out of 5
December
Wonka (Dec. 15)
Nobody is going to top Gene Wilder's take on eccentric chocolatier Willy Wonka, but Timothée Chalamet has the youth and impishness to carve his own unique path. It's an intriguing experiment at the very least.
Excitement Level: 3 out of 5
Before we dive into 2023, Stream some of the best movies of 2022 on Peacock.
