NOW that 2016 is in our rear view, we take a look at some of the most exciting films set to hit our screens throughout 2017.
LA LA LAND
Damien Chazelle follows up his blistering drumming drama Whiplash with a throwback to the Golden Era of Los Angeles and Hollywood musicals. Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling again team up show to off their smouldering chemistry in what is already one of the favourites to win big at the forthcoming Oscars.
Expect it: January 13
MANCHESTER BY THE SEA
The other big player in this year’s awards season is a serious and powerful-looking drama starring Casey Affleck as a man thrust into guardianship of his teenage nephew after the boy’s father dies. If the emotional trailer and early buzz are anything to go by, you’ll need hankies at the ready for this one.
Expect it: January 13
T2 TRAINSPOTTING
Believe it or not it’s been 20 years since Danny Boyle wowed audiences with his grimy Edinburgh-set tale of addiction and urban poverty. There’s no doubting the curiosity factor as we get to see what Renton and Co are up to now but can Boyle recapture the magic?
Expect it: January 27
GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL. 2
The sequel to Marvel’s surprise hit of a few years ago sees the titular ragtag group of heroes return for another outer space adventure. The original cast – including Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, Bradley Cooper and Vin Diesel – returns, with Kurt Russell also rocking up this time, reportedly as Star-Lord’s father. I am Groot.
Expect it: April 28
ALIEN: COVENANT
If Ridley Scott’s Prometheus wasn’t quite Alien enough for you then he looks to bring you back on board with this follow-up. Michael Fassbender, arguably the best thing about the quasi-prequel, returns as creepy android David and joins a new crew on a mission to a distant planet that, shock horror, isn’t the uncharted paradise they think it is.
Expect it: May 19
SPIDER-MAN: HOMECOMING
We got a tingling sense of the new Spider-Man in last summer’s Captain America: Civil War but this will be his first solo outing. British up-and-comer Tom Holland dons the iconic red and blue web-slinging suit, with Robert Downey Jr’s Tony Stark helping him navigate his new-found heroic life.
Expect it: July 7
DUNKIRK
A new movie from the one and only Christopher Nolan is always an event for film fans and his first since sci-fi epic Interstellar sees him work his magic on the eponymous WWII battle. With a cast that includes Cillian Murphy, Mark Rylance, Kenneth Branagh, Tom Hardy and, erm, Harry Styles (yes that one), this promises to be an epic that captures the sheer scale and heroic horror of that particular wartime battle.
Expect it: July 21
THE DARK TOWER
In the long-awaited adaptation of Stephen King’s sprawling fantasy novel series, Idris Elba steps into the shoes of gunslinger Roland Deschain who roams the Old West-style landscape of a dying world in search of the fabled Dark Tower. As if that wasn’t intriguing enough, Matthew McConaughey will feature as King’s enigmatic recurring villain the Man in Black.
Expect it: July 28
BLADE RUNNER 2049
The idea of a sequel to Ridley Scott’s beloved 1982 sci-fi classic might seem foolhardy. But an extremely talented director in Denis Villeneuve (Arrival) and an intriguing cast including Ryan Gosling, Jared Leto, Robin Wright and Harrison Ford (returning as Rick Deckard) turns this into one exciting prospect indeed.
Expect it: October 6
STAR WARS: EPISODE VIII
After the huge success of spin-off/prequel Rogue One, we’re back on to the main episodic arc with the follow-up to 2015’s massive The Force Awakens. Plot details are understandably being kept hush-hush but the talented Rian Johnson (Looper) takes over directing duties from JJ Abrams in what is destined to be one of the biggest cinematic events of the year.
Expect it: December 15
THE LEGO BATMAN MOVIE
After delighting everyone with his exaggerated moodiness and obsession with showing off in 2014’s The LEGO Movie, the little plastic Caped Crusader (brilliantly voiced by Arrested Development’s Will Arnett) gets his very own adventure. We can look forward to more poking fun at superhero lore, with a voice cast that also includes Michael Cera as Robin and Zach Galifianakis as The Joker.
Expect it: February 10th
KONG: SKULL ISLAND
Twelve years after Peter Jackson brought the mighty ape to breathtaking CGI life we have this new version of the story as a group of researchers and soldiers – played by the likes of Brie Larson, Tom Hiddleston and Samuel L. Jackson - venture into an uncharted island over which Kong holds dominion.
Expect it: March 10th
FAST & FURIOUS 8
The summer movie season will effectively kick off (it seems to get earlier every year, doesn’t it?) with another bout of fast cars, muscled men, beautiful women and the ever present theme of family. The last one functioned as both a supremely entertaining blockbuster and a surprisingly moving goodbye to the late Paul Walker. This one promises to up the ridiculous to even greater heights.
Expect it: April 14th
WONDER WOMAN
She arguably stole the show in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and now finally she’s getting her very own movie. It will give the backstory of the Amazon princess as she leaves the home where she was born and trained to become one of the world’s greatest warriors. The WWI setting should provide an interesting contrast to present day set superhero antics.
Expect it: June 2nd
THOR: RAGNAROK
The Thor movies have always brought an interest regal, almost Shakesperean quality to the Marvel universe. This third film will take us back to Thor’s home world of Aasgard where we will finally get to see what mischief his scene-stealing brother Loki (Tom Hiddleston) has been up to since we last saw him. Oh and there’s the small matter of where The Hulk has been all this time…
Expect it: October 27th
JUSTICE LEAGUE
Following the somewhat disappointing faceoff that was Batman v Superman we have this hopefully epic team-up movie that sees the Caped Crusader and Wonder Woman recruit other heroes including The Flash and Aquaman to fight a new powerful enemy. Here’s hoping we get a more satisfying and cohesive team-up movie this time.
Expect it: November 17th
WAR FOR THE PLANET OF THE APES
After the brilliant franchise reboot Rise of the Planet of the Apes and its equally impressive follow-up Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, we have the one that spells all out man vs. primate warfare. Andy Serkis returns as the now fierce ape leader Caesar while the always fantastic Woody Harrelson is our human protagonist. Apes. Together. Strong, indeed.
Expect it: July 14th
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here