With movie theaters closed, production coming to a halt, and releases being indefinitely postponed as the COVID-19 pandemic took hold, the entertainment industry all over the world saw their big Diwali, Eid, and long-weekend release plans go down the drain in 2020.
As we look ahead for upcoming movies, we do so with as many questions as answers. Will Fast & Furious fans watch the ninth installment in movie theaters in May, or will more and more movies go the way of Warner Bros.’s, entire 2021 slate and make their way to us via the TV sets in our living rooms?
When will the people feel safe enough to venture back to movie theaters, and how many more will close before they do? How will the year accommodate a slew of postponed 2020 blockbusters like Black Widow, ‘83, Brahmastra, and Dune crowding the calendar? Will Lebron James find the same chemistry with Bugs Bunny that Michael Jordan did in the original Space Jam?
Although many films did see the light of the day on OTT platforms, film buffs will tell you that, neither a Premium subscription nor a home theatre system or even the latest AirPods Max can come close to that clamorous experience of watching a movie in the theatre.
And as we slowly, but surely, start making our way back to the cinema halls to watch the upcoming films, here’s what’s lined up for us in 2021.
1.The White Tiger – January 22
Image Source – IMDb
Just like last year’s Parasite, The White Tiger, an upcoming movie on Netflix, depicts class warfare waged in close quarters. In Delhi, the ambitious Balram scores a job as the driver for a wealthy couple. But as he gets closer to the couple, he uncovers a web of corruption and violence and must scheme his way out of their toxic household. Based on Aravind Adiga’s 2008 Man Booker Prize-winning novel, The White Tiger movie, directed by Ramin Bahrani, is one of the first big movies to release on Netflix.
2.The Mauritanian – February 19
Image Source – IMDb
Oscar-winning director Kevin Macdonald returns in February with a new legal drama The Mauritanian, which is one of the most awaited- movies and is already the subject of some Oscar buzz. Attorneys played by Jodie Foster and Shailene Woodley seek justice for Tahar Rahim’s Mohamedou Ould Slahi, who has been imprisoned without charge in Guantánamo Bay, only to run up against a military prosecutor played by Benedict Cumberbatch who might be defending something far larger than they expected.
3.Coming 2 America – March 5
Image Source – IMDb
Eddie Murphy is back as Prince Akeem in this upcoming movie. Directed by Craig Brewer, this long-awaited sequel to the 1988 film will see Akeem and Semmi depart from their Zamunda palace and travel across the Atlantic after Akeem discovers he has a long-lost son in Queens.
4.‘83
Image Source – IMDb
The 1983 Cricket World Cup taught India to win. 14 men fought against all odds. This is their Story! ‘83,’ one of the most-awaited movies of 2020, directed by Kabir Khan is a sports drama film, that’ll follow Ranveer Singh as Kapil Dev, the force and leader behind India’s 1983 world cup victory, along with 12 versatile actors, singers, and performers. The makers have been adamant on a theatrical release since last year, and here’s hoping that 2021 is finally their year!
5.No Time To Die – April 2
Image Source – IMDb
The upcoming 25th movie in the James Bond franchise, starring Daniel Craig in what is likely his last tour as the iconic spy, sees Bond’s retirement in Jamaica cut short when an old friend, Felix Leiter, comes seeking help. 007’s mission to rescue a kidnapped scientist puts him on a collision course with Safin, a mysterious masked villain armed with dangerous technology.
6.Black Widow – May 7
Image Source – IMDb
Scarlett Johansson is finally getting a standalone Black Widow movie. The long and most-awaited Marvel film, also starring David Harbour, Florence Pugh, and O-T Fagbenle is set after 2016’s Captain America: Civil War. It will see Natasha Romanoff on the run and forced to confront her past as a spy, long before she became an Avenger.
7.Godzilla vs Kong – May 21
Image Source – IMDb
Set to debut on both HBO Max and in theaters, this upcoming film will see the crossover sequel to Godzilla: King of the Monsters and Kong: Skull Island, the iconic monsters square off in an epic battle for the ages, while humanity hopes to wipe out both of them to take back the planet.
8.Brahmastra
Image Source – IMDb
Dharma Productions’ most ambitious project to date, is set in contemporary India yet steeped in mythology, Brahmastra transports us to a spectacular new world beyond our imagination. This is the story of Shiva, a reluctant hero who embarks on an unexpected journey of self-discovery and love, which leads him to rise against the dark forces that threaten our very existence.
Directed by Ayan Mukerji and starring Ranbir Kapoor and Alia Bhatt in the lead roles, along with Amitabh Bachchan, Akkineni Nagarjuna, and Mouni Roy in pivotal roles, the film trilogy is a rare blend of massive spectacle, visionary storytelling, and an iconic ensemble.
9.Fast and Furious 9 – May 28
Image Source – IMDb
This ninth installment of the beloved action franchise again follows Dominic Toretto, played by Vin Diesel, whose crew and family members join forces to battle one of the world’s most talented assassins and high-performance drivers — his estranged brother, Jakob, played by John Cena. The new movie also sees the return of Han Lue, a fan-favorite character thought to be long-dead.
10.In the Heights – June 18
Image Source – IMDb
Debuting both on HBO Max and in theaters, the musical drama directed by Crazy Rich Asians director Jon M. Chu explores three days in New York City’s Dominican American neighborhood of Washington Heights. Based on Miranda’s musical of the same name, the adaptation tells a story of immigration, cultural and generational gaps, gentrification, and romance.
11.Top Gun Maverick – July 2
Image Source – IMDb
After completing years of service as one of the Navy’s top aviators, Pete Maverick Mitchell- Tom Cruise returns 35 years after the original blockbuster to confront his past while training a new squad of graduates for a life-threatening mission. The Joseph Kosinksi-directed action flick co-stars Jennifer Connelly, Jean Louisa Kelly, Val Kilmer, and Miles Teller.
12.Phone Bhoot
Mirzapur director Gurmmeet Singh makes his feature debut with a horror-comedy starring Katrina Kaif, Siddhant Chaturvedi, and Ishaan Khatter as three people on a mission to catch ghosts. Sounds like it could well be exactly the kind of bonkers entertainment we sorely need right now.
13.Space Jam: A New Legacy – July 16
Image Source – IMDb
NBA superstar LeBron James teams up with Bugs Bunny and the rest of the Looney Tunes crew for this long-awaited sequel to the 1996 classic, which debuts on HBO Max and in theaters. The family comedy, directed by Malcolm D. Lee, includes Sonequa Martin-Green, Don Cheadle, and NBA players like Klay Thompson, Chris Paul, and more.
14.The Suicide Squad – August 6
Image Source – IMDb
Directed by James Gunn and premiering on both HBO Max and in theaters, the Suicide Squad standalone sequel follows the comic book roots of Harley Quinn and her gang of supervillains, rather than continuing the narrative of the 2016 film. While it does bring back a few characters from the original, most are new additions.
15.Dune – October 1
Image Source – IMDb
This film is Denis Villeneuve’s much-awaited adaptation of the celebrated 1965 science-fiction novel of the same name by Frank Herbert. It is set in a distant future in which humanity has colonised the universe, and there are still noble houses that possess planets as their fiefs. Our hero, Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet) is the scion of a family that is given stewardship by the ruler of the known universe, Padishah Emperor Shaddam IV. While the planet is the only source of an invaluable substance called melange, most of it is desert. Thus, it is both a gift and a curse.
16.Laal Singh Chaddha
Image Source – IMDb
Aamir Khan’s official adaptation of Forrest Gump was slated to be the Christmas release of 2020 but the pandemic halted the shoot. The makers have said the film will now release in December 2021. The Tom Hanks film has a story bursting with heart and we can see it lending itself to a great, emotionally-charged Bollywood blockbuster.
17.Mission: Impossible 7 – November 19
Image Source – IMDb
The forthcoming seventh installment in the long-running action franchise sees Tom Cruise reprise his role as daredevil IMF agent Ethan Hunt alongside several returning co-stars. The iconic spy series will bring back Ethan Hunt and his allies as they face a new enemy who is endangering the world.
18.West Side Story – December 10
Image Source – IMDb
This Steven Spielberg film is an adaptation of the Broadway musical of the same name by Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim. The screenplay of the film is penned by Tony Kushner, who has worked with Spielberg on Munich and Lincoln. The story is about two rival gangs belonging to two different ethnic groups, white American Jets and the Puerto Rican Sharks. Ansel Elgort’s Tony, a member of American Jets, and Rachel Zegler’s Maria, a member of Sharks and Sharks’ leader Bernardo’s sister, fall in love.
19.Spider-Man 3 – December 17
Image Source – IMDb
Tom Holland will appear as the wall-crawler in the third solo film. There is much anticipation about Spider-Man 3. The last movie, Spider-Man: Far From Home ended with the revelation that Holland’s true identity is out. Also, there have been rumors that the film will introduce the multiverse to MCU.
20.The Matrix 4 – December 22
Image Source – IMDb
The Matrix trilogy is no longer just a trilogy, as there is the fourth film in development. Carrie-Anne Moss and Keanu Reeves will make a comeback as Trinity and Neo, respectively. Jada Pinkett Smith will be back as Niobe as well. Priyanka Chopra, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Jessica Henwick, Neil Patrick Harris, and Jonathan Groff are reported to be in the cast. Lana Wachowski, one half of the Wachowskis who helmed the first three films, is helming the project.
21.Gangubai Kathiawadi
Image Source – IMDb
Sanjay Leela Bhansali and Alia Bhatt? Yes, please. We can’t wait to see what Bhansali creates with one of mainstream cinema’s most talented actresses. Written by Utkarshini Vashishtha, the film is said to be based on the life of an Indian mafia queen.
Without jinxing the new year, it seems like 2021 will tell a different story than 2020. With coronavirus vaccinations rolling out, shuttered theaters are looking forward to reopening their doors, letting film lovers view the upcoming new films.
Which 2021 releases are you looking forward to? Tell us in the comments below!
