Though 2016 has been an epic year for movies, it almost feels like a warm-up when you look at the long list of blockbuster films already on the release calendar for 2017. Even though next year still feels far away, it’s never too early to get excited about taking a trip to the theater, so we’ve lined up the biggest upcoming releases—and whether you’re into action, comedy, horror, or drama, there’s something here for everyone…
Resident Evil – The Final chapter
Five years after Resident Evil: Retribution, Milla Jovovich returns to close out the sci-fi horror franchise she’s led for more than a decade—and nearly $1 billion in worldwide grosses. Despite the long lapse between sequels, this sixth installment will reportedly pick up right where Retribution left off while following director Paul W. S. Anderson’s mandate to come full circle with the saga of a dystopian future in which a corporate-created virus has unleashed a zombie plague. In other words, if you haven’t been watching so far, this isn’t the best place to come in—but if the Umbrella Corporation, Raccoon City, and “t-virus” are meaningful phrases for you, then you may want to mark your calendar.
John Wick Chapter 2
After everything he went through in the first movie, what could possibly convince John Wick to come out of retirement? Dog lovers will be relieved to hear it isn’t the death of another pooch that gets his guns blazing in John Wick: Chapter 2—this time, one of John’s old buddies is in the middle of a scheme to topple an assassin’s guild and he needs backup. The circumstances are different, but the end results look pretty much the same: tons of stylish violence with Keanu Reeves in the middle of it all, back in the role he might have been born to play.
The Great Wall
The story was created in part by World War Z novelist Max Brooks, whose book segments about China’s part in the zombie apocalypse were criminally underserved in the cinematic “adaptation” of his story, so this could be a point of serious creative redemption. Plus, the promotional materials have shown some ambitious special effects and stunts, and Bourne hero Damon’s had some strong action successes in the past. From everything we’ve seen so far, The Great Wall will at least be a spectacular showcase of effects-heavy cinematography.
Logan
Hugh Jackman has played Wolverine for so long that it’s nearly impossible to imagine anyone else in the role of the adamantium-clawed X-Men mutant. Soon, Fox will need to figure out who’ll be the next actor to play the part, but first, Jackman’s getting his swan song with a third standalone Wolverine feature. The film’s plot draws from Marvel’s Old Man Logan comic, about an alternate-future version of the (nearly) ageless hero. The film will also feature the return of Patrick Stewart’s Professor X, adding yet another layer of closure for longtime fans of the franchise.
Fate of the Furious
The fate of the Furious franchise seemed a bit uncertain in the wake of star Paul Walker’s sudden passing in 2013, which complicated production of 2015’s Furious 7 and put the burden of additional expectations on his longtime co-star and friend, Vin Diesel. But with nearly $4 billion in worldwide grosses, Universal wasn’t about to garage its gearhead soap opera, so like clockwork, the gang will return for an eighth installment—and one that’s already being set up as a callback to previous chapters as well as a springboard into a new trilogy that will reportedly see stories pivot away from the heist capers of recent sequels and into a spy saga spearheaded by Kurt Russell’s Frank Petty character.
According to the official synopsis, the new sequel—titled The Fate of the Furious—finds Dom (Vin Diesel) lured back “into the world of crime he can’t seem to escape and a betrayal of those closest to him” by a “mysterious woman” (Charlize Theron), setting up another worldwide adventure that sends our crew “from the shores of Cuba and the streets of New York City to the icy plains off the arctic Barents Sea.” Listen carefully and under the roar of the motors, you can already hear the box office cash registers ringing.
The list goes on and on… So why don’t you sit back, relax and enjoy the trailers of these 2017 hits
Join GhanaStar.com to receive daily email alerts of breaking news in Ghana. GhanaStar.com is your source for all Ghana News. Get the latest Ghana news, breaking news, sports, politics, entertainment and more about Ghana, Africa and beyond.