70. “Landscape With Invisible Hand”
A hotly anticipated adaptation of M.T. Anderson’s National Book Award winner, “Landscape With Invisible Hand,” follows an artist (Asante Blackk of “When They See Us”) living in a future where a species called the Vuvv charitably offer the human race unfathomable technological advancements and cures for terminal disease. Co-starring Tiffany Hadish and written and directed by Cory Finley (“Bad Education”), ‘Landscape’ is described as a “heightened comedy set in a deeply stratified, alien future.”
Release Date: TBD via MGM. – AB
69. “The Meg 2: The Trench”
Arty English auteur Ben Wheatley (“Free Fire,” “High-Rise”) has gone Hollywood before (2020’s “Rebecca” for Netflix), but until now, he’s only flirted with big-budget studio movies. He finally takes the plunge with the unexpected hit mega shark movie “The Meg 2.” Jason Statham, Sienna Guillory, and Cliff Curtis, and hey, if it feels weird, know that Wheatley has eclectic taste and wants to try out every genre he can.
Release Date: August 4, 2023, via Warner Bros.
68. “You People”
Modern love and family dynamics face clashing cultures, societal expectations, and generational differences; yep, it’s an unlikely but super welcome collaboration between “Black-ish” Kenya Barris, who directs and writes, and Jonah Hill co-stars and co-writes. The outstanding cast features Eddie Murphy, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Lauren London, Molly Gordon, Mike Epps, Nia Long, Deon Cole, Rhea Perlman, and David Duchovny.
Release Date: January 27, 2023.
67. “Spaceman”
Based on Jaroslav Kalfař’s absurdist science fiction novel, “Spaceman of Bohemia,” director Johan Renck’s (“Chernobyl”) “Spaceman” stars Adam Sandler, Paul Dano, Carey Mulligan, and Isabella Rosselini. The story of the Czech Republic’s first astronaut, Jacob Procházka (Sandler), who is sent on a solo mission to a cosmic cloud of “intergalactic dust.” Leaving his wife to travel near the planet Venus, Jakub befriends a giant alien arachnid named Hanuš in an effort to escape his past.
Release Date: TBD, via Netflix. – AB
66. “The End”
Joshua Oppenheimer’s “The Act of Killing” is one of the greatest films of this century, and a new project starring Tilda Swinton, which is essentially an apocalyptic musical sounds like very much our shit and a fascinating gear switch for a filmmaker who is generally known for documentaries. NEON is producing, and it’s reportedly about “the last human family” left on earth it might normally be vying for the #1 slot, but the issue is we’re pretty sure it hasn’t shot yet, hence how low it is on this list.
Release Date: TBD, via NEON.
65. “F*cking Identical Twins”
It’s been a minute since we’ve heard from comedy filmmaker Larry Charles, known for “Seinfeld,” “Borat,” “Brüno,” and “The Dictator.” His latest sounds insanely ambitious: a musical based on comedians Aaron Jackson’s and Josh Sharp’s two-man stage show about two business adversaries who realize they’re identical twin brothers and decide to switch places in order to reunite their divorced parents. They star alongside Nathan Lane, Megan Mullally, Bowen Yang, and Megan Thee Stallion.
Release Date: TBD, via A24, but it apparently already shot.
64. “Leave The World Behind”
Sam Esmail of “Mr. Robot,” “Homecoming,” and more returns to his first feature film since 2016. It’s a psychological thriller about race: a Black family returns to their summer cottage, which they have rented to a white family. Meanwhile, strange events are taking place in the city that are exacerbating tensions. Julia Roberts, Mahershala Ali, Ethan Hawke, Myha’la Herrold, Kevin Bacon, and Farrah Mackenzie star (Denzel Washington was originally attached but fell out).
Release Date: TBD, but it’s Netflix, already shot, and could conceivably his late in the year.
63. “Monkey Man”
An upcoming American action thriller film written by Paul Angunawela, John Collee, and actor Dev Patel, the latter also makes his directorial debut with the film. Described as “‘John Wick’ in Mumbai,” Patel, Sharlto Copley, and Sobhita Dhulipala star.
Release Date: Netflix bought the film in 2021, so it definitely should arrive in 2023.
62. “Bad Behavior”
Jane Campion’s daughter, Alice Englert, is about to pull off an ambitious effort: her directorial debut, which she wrote and co-stars in too. Already a talented actress (“Ginger & Rosa,” “Them That Follows“), Englert’s film tells the story of a former child actress (Jennifer Connelly) seeking enlightenment, the spiritual leader she meets at a retreat (Ben Whishaw) and navigates the turbulent relationship with her stunt performer daughter (Englert).
Release Date: TBD, but it’s in post.
61. “Saltburn”
Thanks to “Promising Young Woman,” writer/director Emerald Fennell is a name we all know and one to watch. Her latest is a thriller that depicts the lives of a grand, aristocratic English family. Her cast includes Rosamund Pike, Jacob Elordi, Barry Keoghan, Richard E. Grant, and more.
Release Date: TBD via United Artists Releasing.
