The new year is bringing superhero movies and action sequels, live-action remakes and original films. Make it one of your 2016 resolutions to get into the theater to see some of these cinematic treats.
The Revenant
Hitting theatres Jan. 8, Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hardy star in “The Revenant.”
After being attacked by a bear and betrayed by his fellow explorer, Hugh Glass (DiCaprio) must survive a brutal winter in uncharted American wilderness alone. Inspired by true events, “The Revenant” portrays the struggle Glass endures to find his way back home. This intense film is already getting buzz for the Academy Awards, with people wondering if it will finally be a chance for Leo to grab his long-awaited Oscar.
The Divergent Series: Allegiant
The Divergent series starts its epic finale on March 18 with “Allegiant.”
After rebelling against their corrupt society, Tris Prior (Shailene Woodley) and Four (Theo James) lead a group of rebels outside the city, past the fence and into the unknown. They discover there’s a lot more to their life than they have ever known and that maybe the true enemy was not within the fence after all. One of many dystopian films released in the past few years, fans of this trilogy can only hope it offers a more satisfying conclusion than “The Hunger Games.”
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice
March 25 brings “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.” Henry Cavill reprises his role as Superman, and Ben Affleck steps in as the new Batman.
Superman and Batman struggle to find common ground on the definition of justice and are pitted against each other as they both struggle to defend the human race. But when a greater threat arises, the two must put aside their differences and work together to give the world the protection it deserves. What may be even more exciting than this superhero duo are the introductions of Wonder Woman and Aquaman, whose appearances will signal the start of a DC movie series. Could Marvel finally see a real challenger to its current cinematic domination?
The Jungle Book
Disney delivers its next live-action remake of one of its classic films, “The Jungle Book,” on April 15.
A human orphan boy lives alone in the jungle, accompanied and raised by a bear, wolves and a panther. Lupita Nyong’o, Scarlett Johansson, Idris Elba, Bill Murray, Christopher Walken and Ben Kingsley voice the beloved characters and turn this original animated film into a live-action adventure. One of many live-action remakes in the coming years, “The Jungle Book” promises a way for Disney fans to relive a childhood favorite, sans the singing and dancing in the original.
Captain America: Civll War
Captain America is back May 6, this time with the conflict coming from within the Avengers.
When government regulation of superheroes lead Captain America (Chris Evans) and Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.) to differ in opinion, a rift divides the Avengers into two camps. The two must settle their differences before they destroy the Avengers (and the world) forever. Kicking off the third phase of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, this film includes most of the Avengers (excluding Thor and Hulk) while also bringing in long-awaited heroes like Black Panther and Spider-Man (whom Marvel finally bought back the movie rights for).
X-Men: Apocalypse
May 27 brings another X-Men film with “X-Men: Apocalypse.”
When the world’s first mutant, Apocalypse, returns to cleanse mankind, the X-Men must join together to save the world from extinction. James McAvoy reprises his role as Professor X, along with the other modern X-Men stars, including Jennifer Lawrence, Michael Fassbender and Nicholas Hoult. Fans of the mutant branch of the Marvel comics who just can’t wait for this movie are in luck. “Deadpool,” a spin-off starring the anti-hero of the same name comes out Feb. 12.
Finding Dory
After 13 years of waiting, the sequel to “Finding Nemo,” “Finding Dory,” will finally premiere June 17.
A forgetful but lovable fish, Dory (voiced by Ellen DeGeneres), remembers something from her past about her family. With the help of her friends, Marlin and Nemo, Dory sets out on an adventure to discover the life she’s forgotten. Long awaited by Disney fans and Ellen herself, this Pixar film is sure to delight adults and children alike.
Independence Day: Resurgence
In 1996, Will Smith and Bill Pullman starred in the end-of-the-world film “Independence Day.” And starting Jun 24, actors from the original, such as Jeff Goldblum, and a new cast that includes Liam Hemsworth are back in “Independence Day: Resurgence.”
Twenty years ago, the Earth was struck by an alien invasion. Afterwards, the government and military carefully prepared for another attack. However, the preparations may not have been enough as Earth is once again threatened by invaders from another planet. Given the successes of “Jurassic World” and “The Force Awakens,” this reboot is likely to take audiences by storm. And if it doesn’t, at least TV stations will have a new movie to play on July 4.
Star Trek Beyond
Captain Kirk, Spock and their crew head out on another space adventure July 22 in “Star Trek Beyond.”
The crew of the Enterprise is back. This time Captain Kirk (Chris Pine), Spock (Zachary Quinto), Scotty (Simon Pegg), Uhura (Zoe Saldana), Bones (Karl Urban), Chekov (Anton Yelchin) and Sulu (John Cho) are left stranded on a hostile alien planet, trying to survive in the face of a new enemy. In addition to this new movie, this year marks the 50th anniversary of the original franchise.
Suicide Squad
Coming Aug 5., the DC Comic supervillains get their own film in “Suicide Squad.”
The greatest, most dangerous supervillains strike up a deal with a government agency to form a task force in exchange for shorter prison sentences. While people have seen what heroes can do, it’s time for the villains to prove their worth. Even if you’re not a comic books fan, the sheer star power of the film might catch your attention. Will Smith and Jared Leto are just two of the movie’s stars.
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
The world of Harry Potter is brought back to the big screen on Nov. 18 with “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.”
Before he was known for writing the textbook used at Hogwarts, Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne) explored the world of magical creatures. “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” follows Newt’s adventures in the secret life of witches and wizards. While we won’t be seeing any of Harry, Ron and Hermione, this new series promises an expanded insight into the Harry Potter universe. In addition to the upcoming play “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child,” fans of the series can rejoice in another year of magical fun.