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The Geek's Guide To Movies In 2018
As 2018 starts revving its engines, it's time to look forward to all the great entertainment we'll be receiving in the year to come. Of course, we'll have plenty to talk about in terms of upcoming games, but what about when you're not gaming? Thankfully, even if you want to just sit back, relax, and enjoy a movie that's relevant to your interests, Hollywood more than has you covered. We already saw the onslaught of nerdy films in 2017, and 2018 is shaping up to be chock full of comic book and nerd-culture movies as well. This list doesn't even include TV series, such as Jessica Jones season 2 or the return of The Walking Dead. Instead, this list is focusing solely on movies.
Check out the nerdy movies of 2018 below and join us in figuring out which ones are worth braving the crowds at your local theater.
Maze Runner: The Death Cure - January 26
After four years, the popular Maze Runner series finally reaches its conclusion with Maze Runner: The Death Cure. The story follows Thomas and his group as they try to break into the Last City and best the most dangerous labyrinth yet.
Black Panther - February 16
In the final Marvel Cinematic Universe film in the lead-up to Infinity War, Black Panther gives us the opportunity to get to know one of Civil War's breakout stars: T'Challa aka Black Panther. With an incredible cast that features Chadwick Boseman, Michael B. Jordan, and Lupita Nyong'o, and a story that features the titular hero working to prevent a new World War from breaking out, Black Panther looks both exciting and promising.
Annihilation - February 23
A science-fiction film based on the novel by Jeff VanderMeer, Annihilation features a biologist thrusting herself into a dangerous expedition in order to find answers about her missing husband.
A Wrinkle in Time - March 9
The 1962 novel by Madeleine L'Engel serves as the base for this star-studded film with Storm Reid, Reese Witherspoon, Mindy Kaling, Oprah Winfrey, Zach Galifianakis, Chris Pine, and more. With a mind-bending astrophysics-based premise, A Wrinkle in Time will likely end up a stunning visual treat that is best experienced in theaters.
Tomb Raider - March 16
Though Angelina Jolie is no longer Lara Croft, Alicia Vikander looks more than capable stepping into the shoes of one of gaming's greatest adventurers. Though movies based on video games are rarely good, Lara Croft's gritty, grounded tale from the recent games hopefully lends to its transition to live-action film.
Pacific Rim: Uprising - March 23
The kaiju are at it again! This time, the action takes place ten years in the future, as humanity recovers and learns from the attack in the first film. John Boyega joins the cast as humanity is once again pushed to the brink of extinction at the hands (claws?) of massive monsters.
Ready Player One - March 30
Ernest Cline's popular science-fiction novel is finally coming to the big screen. Helmed by Steven Spielberg, the film centers around the entire world searching for a secret within virtual reality. For fans of gaming, the film is sure to feature loads of references and nods to not only games, but pop culture as a whole. We've already spotted Freddy Krueger, Duke Nukem, Tracer, Chun-Li, and more in the trailers.
The New Mutants - April 13
Though the Marvel Cinematic Universe is often credited for its ability to fit superhero films into multiple genres, Fox is trying something even more ambitious with The New Mutants. Rather than relying on action or comedy, this film leans heaviest on the horror genre. Inspired by the works of Stephen King and John Hughes, this could be an X-Men film like no other.
Rampage - April 20
Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson leads this loose adaptation of the classic arcade monster-fighting game series of the same name. Johnson knows something is amiss when George, the albino silverback gorilla he cares for, begins growing at an alarming rate. What follows looks to be a popcorn-munching thrill ride as massive creatures face off as humanity has little say in the matter.
Super Troopers 2 - April 20
It's been a long time since we heard from the Super Troopers – 17 years to be exact. That isn't stopping fans of the original to be excited for this long-awaited sequel about the misadventures of a ragtag group of unqualified, bumbling state troopers. Of course it launches on April 20. Of course.
Avengers: Infinity War - May 4
In a world full of cinematic universes, the definitive cinematic universe is about to reach its climax. Every film in the MCU – from 2008's Iron Man to 2018's Black Panther – has built to this moment. In those ten years, we've been introduced to a huge cast of superheroes, including The Avengers and The Guardians of the Galaxy. We'll finally get to witness how these heroes come together to battle the impending threat of the Infinity Gauntlet-donning Thanos in a movie that is sure to send ripples through the MCU and change the lives of the superheroes we've watched over the last decade.
Solo: A Star Wars Story - May 25
Though we likely won't ever again see Harrison Ford reprising the role of the most infamous smuggler in the galaxy far, far away, Alden Ehrenreich is set to fill those shoes in the second "Star Wars Story" film, Solo. The movie also features Donald Glover, Emilia Clarke, and Woody Harrelson, and gives us our first look at a young Han Solo.
Deadpool 2 - June 1
The world's most irreverent and self-aware superhero returns, with Ryan Reynolds stepping back into the role of the Merc with the Mouth. The first film gave us a good look at Wade Wilson's origin story, so we should be able to jump right into the action with this sequel. Though the inclusion of Cable (portrayed by Josh Brolin) has garnered a lot of hype, we're just as excited to see the return of Colossus and Negasonic Teenage Warhead.
Ocean's Eight - June 8
Sandra Bullock, Cate Blanchett, Helena Bonham Carter, Anne Hathaway, Rihanna, Mindy Kaling, Sarah Paulson, and Awkwafina make up an all-new heist group in this spin-off sequel to the star-studded Ocean's Trilogy from last decade. Some characters from the original trilogy are set to make cameo appearances, but this new tale focuses on a group led by Debbie Ocean, the sister of Danny Ocean, as they attempt to pull off a heist at New York City's Met Gala.
The Incredibles 2 - June 15
The delightful computer-animated superhero movie from Pixar finally gets its sequel 14 years later. The Incredibles 2 continues the story of the Parr family, who is still struggling to maintain normal lives as a family of superheroes. This movie also sees Samuel L. Jackson reprise his role as the icy hero Frozone.
Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom - June 22
Set four years after the events of Jurassic World, Fallen Kingdom shows the aftermath and repercussions of the experiment gone wrong in the last film. Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, and Jeff Goldblum return in this sequel to one of the highest-grossing films of all time.
On the next page, we look at how the second half of the year is shaping up.
Ant-Man and the Wasp - July 6
The first Ant-Man film was a hit, and Paul Rudd's character was a scene-stealer in Captain America: Civil War. Ant-Man and the Wasp picks up after the events of Civil War as Scott Lang tries to strike a balance in his life between his duties as Ant-Man and his life as a father.
Alita: Battle Angel - July 20
Directed by Robert Rodriguez and produced by James Cameron and Jon Landau, Alita: Battle Angel certainly has a few renowned visionaries behind it. Based on Yukito Kishiro's manga, Cameron said he wants this film to focus on the first four books in the series. The cast features Rosa Salazar, Christoph Waltz, Jennifer Connelly, Mahershala Ali, Ed Skrein, Michelle Rodriguez, and more.
Mission: Impossible 6 - July 27
The thrilling spy/heist series continues with the sixth installment. While little is known about the story, the core cast led by Tom Cruise returns and is joined by franchise newcomer Henry Cavill. Yes... you can thank Cavill's mustache in this film for Superman's awkward upper lip CG in Justice League.
Teen Titans Go! to the Movies - July 27
The long-running animated series comes to the big screen with Teen Titans Go! to the Movies. The voice cast behind the young DC heroes, including veteran voice actors Scott Menville, Hynden Walch, Khary Payton, Tara Strong, and Greg Cipes, returns and are joined by Will Arnett and Kristen Bell.
The Predator - August 3
The fourth film in the Predator series, The Predator takes place between Predator 2 and Predators. To make things even more confusing, the film is directed and co-written by Shane Black, who appeared in the original Predator as a supporting character. Black doesn't appear to be a character in The Predator; this film is currently set to feature Boyd Holbrook, Olivia Munn, Yvonne Strahovski, Thomas Jane, and more.
Goosebumps: Horror Land - September 21
R.L. Stine's beloved horror book series continues to be the source material for a film series of the same name. Jack Black returns as the author in the second film, Goosebumps: Horror Land.
Venom - October 5
Spider-Man may have made the leap to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but one of his fiercest and most iconic villains appears trapped outside looking in. Many fans were unhappy with Venom's representation in Spider-Man 3, so even though the webslinger isn't set to appear in this standalone Venom movie, we're hopeful Tom Hardy can do the awesome character justice.
Halloween - October 19
Taking place 40 years after the events of the original film, 2018's Halloween focuses on Laurie Strode as she faces off against Michael Myers one last time. Jamie Lee Curtis once again steps into the role of Laurie as she tries to take care of the deranged masked murderer once and for all.
Jungle Book - October 19
Just two years after Disney released the live-action The Jungle Book starring Bill Murray, Idris Elba, Lupita, and more, Warner Bros. is releasing an unrelated live-action Jungle Book movie starring Christian Bale, Cate Blanchett, Benedict Cumberbatch, Tom Hollander, and Andy Serkis. This is made even more confusing by the fact that Disney has plans for a sequel to The Jungle Book once it finishes work on its upcoming live-action Lion King film.
X-Men: Dark Phoenix - November 2
Fox's X-Men franchise continues down the path set by Apocalypse. Fans were left unsatisfied with the popular Dark Phoenix Saga as portrayed in X-Men: The Last Stand, so hopefully this adaptation will do it justice. Sophie Turner returns as Jean Grey, and if the events of Apocalypse are any indication, she could be quite the handful for the young X-Men team when she turns to Phoenix.
Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald - November 16
J.K. Rowling's continued exploration of Harry Potter's universe continues with the second film in the Fantastic Beasts series. The Crimes of Grindelwald features the dark wizard escaping from custody to grow his base and construct a ruling class of pure-blood wizards.
Creed 2 - November 21
After the amazing first entry in this Rocky spin-off series, Michael B. Jordan is back to fill the role of Adonis Creed, son of Rocky's longtime rival and friend, Apollo. With reports about a certain actor reprising his role from a past Rocky film, the stage could be set for one of the greatest grudge matches of all time.
Ralph Breaks the Internet: Wreck-It Ralph 2 - November 21
The first Wreck-It Ralph explored arcade culture, but with the internet pushing gaming into new frontiers, Ralph must also adapt. After a Wi-Fi router gets plugged into the arcade, Ralph goes on a mission across the internet to find a replacement part for one of the broken games. The first movie featured several cameos from gaming icons including Sonic and Zangief, and this sequel will be adding a ton more including characters from Marvel, Star Wars, and Nintendo.
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse - December 14
Though Tom Holland is doing a great job representing Peter Parker in the MCU, Sony is telling the tale of Miles Morales in the gorgeously animated Into the Spider-Verse. Between this film, Avengers: Infinity War, Venom, and Insomniac's Spider-Man game, 2018 could be the year of Spidey.
Aquaman - December 21
After Wonder Woman got the DCEU back on track, and Justice League delivered a fun popcorn experience, the focus turns to the team's aquatic ally. Jason Momoa delivered a strong performance as Aquaman in Justice League, and now it falls on him to carry this film. It will be interesting to see how the studio interprets the story, as Momoa's Aquaman is drastically different from DC's traditional portrayal of the character.
Bumblebee: The Movie - December 21
The Transformers movie franchise continues to churn along. This time, one of the most popular Robots in Disguise, Bumblebee, gets his own movie spin-off. Set 20 years before the first film of the long-running film franchise, Bumblebee: The Movie tells the story of the titular character going from junkyard Volkswagen Beetle to hero.
Mary Poppins Returns - December 25
Emily Blunt steps into the role of the beloved children's character Mary Poppins in this sequel to the classic 1964 film. The story features the nanny visiting the family following a tragedy. Blunt is joined by Lin Manuel-Miranda, Emily Mortimer, Meryl Streep, Dick Van Dyke, and more.
Bohemian Rhapsody - December 25
This Freddie Mercury biopic casts Rami Malek at the charismatic frontman. Malek has sought guidance from the likes of surviving Queen members Roger Taylor and Brian May, and has undergone recording sessions at the legendary Abbey Road Studios.
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