'The Little Mermaid,' 'Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3,' and 'Fast X' among the most anticipated movie releases for 2023 (2024)

We are just a few days away from the end of the year, and along with analyzing 2022's most successful movies or most watched TV series, it's time to find out which releases on the big and small screen are the most anticipated and will be talked about most during 2023. Companies such as Marvel, Disney and Universal are once again in the top positions, and many viewers are looking forward to these audiovisual products hitting theatres.

In the cinema, films such as the live-action remake of The Little Mermaid starring Halle Bailey, the third installment of the Ant-Man saga, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania or the long-awaited live-action installment of Barbie starring Margot Robbie, will encourage viewers to hit the theaters and enjoy these feature films. However, they are not the only ones, here is a list of some of the most anticipated films of this new year:

'Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania' (release date: Feb. 17)

Marvel will give moviegoers a great reason to visit the box office with the third installment of the Ant-Man saga, with Paul Rudd and Evangeline Lily reprising their roles as Scott Lang and Hope Pym Van Dyne.

The film will be set in the quantum realm. Scott, his daughter Cassie (Kathryn Newton) and the Pym Van Dyne family will start a new adventure, exploring a new universe in which they will have to face Kang the Conqueror (Jonathan Majors), the villain who will play a very relevant role in the rest of Phase 5 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania is directed by Peyton Reed, who was also behind the camera on the previous two Ant-Man films. It will feature special appearances by Randall Park as agent Jimmy Woo and William Jackson Harper and Bill Murray in roles that have not yet been disclosed.

'Creed III' (release date: March 3)

This newest installment follows up the 2018 film, Creed II, and is the ninth installment in the Rocky franchise. Creed III will once again focus on Adonis Creed, played by Michael B. Jordan.

The boxer is at the peak of his career and spends his days quietly enjoying his family and friends. However, the athlete's life will change when his childhood friend, Damian, comes back into his life. Damian has just been released from prison and wants to face Adonis in the ring to show everything he learned about boxing during his time behind bars. He will be forced to accept the duel and thus confront his former friend who not only wants to take away his boxing title but also intends to finish him off for good.

The third installment of the sports drama Creed will face the enormous challenge of not having Sylvester Stallone playing Rocky Balboa. Creed III will also mark Michael B. Jordan's directorial debut. The film, which will have Keenan Coogler and Zach Baylin as screenwriters, will star Michael B. Jordan, Tessa Thompson, Phylicia Rashad and Jonathan Majors.

'Scream VI' (release date: March 10)

The sixth installment of the Scream horror saga arrives with the long-awaited return of Courteney Cox and David Arquette, who reprise their roles as Gale Weathers and Dewey Riley, respectively.

The saga, created by screenwriter Kevin Williamson in 1996, will thrill fans once again with a new killer who brings back the Ghostface mask to cause terror among the inhabitants of Woodsboro.

The film will also return with Jenna Ortega (Wednesday) and Melissa Barrera as sisters Sam and Tara Carpenter while, for the first time in the saga, it will not feature Neve Campbell. The star of the saga decided to drop out after failing to reach an agreement on the salary that she felt she should receive for returning to play Sidney Prescott .

'Shazam! Fury of the Gods' (release date: March 17)

DC Studios will bring an end to the universe that many of us have known for a long time with Shazam! Fury of the Gods. After announcing that Henry Cavill would not return to play Superman and the cancellation of projects like Wonder Woman 3, this film will be a farewell to the DC Cinematic Universe for many.

The feature film will pick up the story of 14-year-old orphan Billy Batson (Asher Angel), who sees his life completely change as he has the ability to turn into the adult superhero Shazam (Zachary Levi) every time he shouts the word "Shazam!"

However, he is still a kid, and so with Shazam's powerful body, he does what any super-powered teenager would want to do: have a good time. This time, however, he is accompanied by his foster family, as well as his friend Freddy Freeman (Jack Dylan Grazer) who, like him, developed the ability to transform into an adult superhero.

'John Wick 4' (release date: March 24)

The fourth installment of the action franchise starring Keanu Reeves will also hit the big screen in the first quarter of 2023. In John Wick 4, Reeves will once again bring to life the retired assassin who is brought back into the field, driven by an insatiable quest for revenge. Having to fight bloodthirsty killers who are after him, John Wick will have to push his skills to the limit if he wants to make it out alive.

The film, directed by Chad Stahelski, marks the return of the saga after three years in which the coronavirus pandemic repeatedly postponed production. Wick must travel to Japan while continuing his revenge tour, which guarantees some very good martial arts scenes for viewers who are eager for some action-packed scenes.

'Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves' (release date: March 31)

With the fashion of making movies based on video games in full swing, it was not surprising that a role-playing game as well known as Dungeons and Dragons would not join the trend and present its film adaptation.

In it, a thief and a group of legendary adventurers will engineer a robbery with the intention of recovering a lost relic. However, their whole plan will fall apart when they meet the wrong people.

Dragons and Dungeons: Honor Among Thieves brings us into the fantasy world of the well-known role-playing game. It entices viewers by presenting a new adventure that could surely bring a new boom for Dungeons & Dragons not only as a role-playing game. Its cast features some big names such as Chris Pine, Michelle Rodriguez, Hugh Grant, Rege Jean Page, Sophia Lillis or Justice Smith.

'Super Mario Bros. The Movie' (release date: April 7)

An ideal film for lovers of video games, especially everyone's favorite Italian plumber. Super Mario Bros. The Movie is an adaptation of the Nintendo video game series which includes nods to many of the characters in the universe.

The feature film tells the story of Mario (Chris Pratt) and Luigi (Charlie Day), two brothers who travel to a hidden world to help Princess Peach (Anya Taylor-Joy), who is confronting the evil King Bowser (Jack Black). However, things will not be easy and the two plumbers have to face an army of animated mushrooms before fighting against their opponent, as well as cross brick roads and castles with multiple dangers, just like in the videogame. The film will also showcase other video game characters such as Toad (Keegan-Michael Key) and Donkey Kong (Seth Rogen).

'Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3' (release date: May 5)

Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 3 will cap Marvel's most entertaining saga, where the vibrant 80's music helps match the fun of the actors who appear on screen.

The film, which will hit the big screen on May 5, 2023, tells the story of how Peter Quill (Pratt), still recovering from the absence of Gamora (Zoë Saldaña), must once again lead this band to defend the galaxy while protecting one of their own.

As with the other two films in the saga, James Gunn, current co-head of DC Studios, is the writer and director Guardians of the Galaxy: Volume 3, while Dave Bautista, Karen Guillan, Pom Klementieff, Vin Diesel and Bradley Cooper return as Drax, Nebula, Mantis, Groot and Rocket, respectively. Joining the cast is actor Will Poulter as Adam Warlock, the enemy that could destroy this band of misfits for good.

'Fast X' (release date: May 19)

Another well-known saga will come to an end in two weeks after Guardians of the Galaxy releases its final installment. Fast & Furious will close the franchise with Fast X which, as in the last few films, will feature Vin Diesel as Dominic Torreto, the film's lead character replacing Paul Walker who sadly passed away in 2013.

For the moment, nothing else is known about the latest film in the street racing saga except that, as with the previous installments, Fast X will offer an abundance of racing, speed and action.

'The Little Mermaid' (release date: May 26)

One of the most highly anticipated and controversial films of 2023 will undoubtedly be the live-action remake of The Little Mermaid. Starring African-American actress Halle Bailey, the film will bring us back to the young, dreamy mermaid and daughter of King Triton (Javier Bardem), Ariel (Halle Bailey). She is tired of her life as a princess under the sea and wishes to leave the ocean and explore the surface. The witch Ursula (Melissa McCarthy) grants her wish and offers her a deal: in exchange for her voice, she will give her a completely human body. Ariel accepts and her adventure begins.

Bailey, Bardem and McCarthy will be joined by actors such as Jonah Hauer-King as Prince Eric. Also collaborating will be Awkwafina, Jacob Trembley and Daveed Diggs, who will voice Scuttle, Flounder and Sebastian, respectively.

'Spider-Man: Across the Spider-verse' (release date: June 2)

The sequel to Spider-Man: Into the Spider-verse, the 2018 animated film, comes five years later with a new adventure again starring Miles Morales. As seen in the first installment, the young man gets his superpowers after being bitten by a spider and soon discovers the existence of a multiverse where there are other Spider-Men from parallel universes. Alongside them, Morales will combine his high school teenage routine with keeping an eye on New York City and chasing villains.

The film is produced by Phil Lord and Chris Miller, responsible for another blockbuster animated film, The LEGO Movie (2014).

'Transformers: Rise of the Beasts' (release date: June 9)

Transformers: Rise of the Beasts will kick off a new trilogy based on the popular alien cars. The feature film will be a sequel to the 2018 film, Bumblebee and will feature the new alien races that inhabit Earth alongside the Autobots and Decepticons: the Maximals, Predacons and Terrorcons.

All these new alien races will fight for survival on our planet in what is known as "Beast Wars" as Optimus Prime reveals why he is so dedicated to humans. Steven Caple Jr. will direct the film, which will once again feature Michael Bay and Steven Spielberg as part of the production team.

'Elemental' (premiere date: June 16)

Pixar is coming back with a bang in 2023 with Elemental. The 27th feature film from Pixar will take place in a city where beings representing each of the four basic elements (fire, water, earth and air) all coexist.

The plot will focus on Ember and Wade, a young fire girl and a water boy who end up discovering that they have more in common than it seems. The film will be directed by Peter Sohn (Arlo's Journey) while Denise Ream (Cars 2) will handle production.

'The Flash' (premiere date: June 23)

Ezra Miller will finally wear the costume of The Flash on June 23. The DC Studios film will finally see the light of day after, due to multiple problems caused by its leading actor, it was delayed multiple times since it was announced in 2019.

The film will be the only solo film centered on Barry Allen (Miller), better known as The Flash, and will tell the origin of the Scarlet Runner, the lightning-fast superhero who has the ability to be the fastest man on the planet.

Directed by Andy Muschietti, The Flash rounds out its cast with Kiersey Clemons, Maribel Verdú and Ron Livingston who will play, respectively, Iris West, Nora and Henry Allen. It will also feature Sasha Calle as Kara Danvers / Supergirl and Michael Keaton and Ben Affleck, both giving life to two very different versions of Bruce Wayne / Batman.

'Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny' (release date: June 30)

The film franchise about the archeologist hero will come to an end in 2023. Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, the fifth film in the saga, produced by Lucasfilm and starring Harrison Ford, will be the actor's last appearance as Indy.

The film will follow Indiana during his last adventure before hanging up his hat. He will be joined by Antonio Banderas, John Rhys-Davies, Shaunette Renne Wilson, Mads Mikkelsen and Phoebe Waller-Bridge. In addition, it will also be John Williams' last work as composer before his retirement and it will be the first film of the saga that will not be directed by Steven Spielberg, who handed over his position to James Mangold.

'Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One' (release date: July 14)

Tom Cruise returns to the big screen as one of the actor's most beloved characters, Ethan Hunt, in the first of a two-part series that is expected to conclude the saga produced by J.J. Abrams.

In this film, the field operations agent for the elite agency dedicated to handling the most dangerous and sensitive international conflicts, i.e. the "impossible missions," will return to action and carry out the most improbable missions, accompanied again by British agent Ilsa Faust (Rebecca Ferguson).

'Barbie' (release date: July 21)

Margot Robbie claimed in September 2022 that some of the scenes she filmed for Barbie were part of the "most humiliating moment" of her life. However, when the first trailer was released in December, she changed her mind and stated that it was "a dream come true." What is clear is that the movie will be a dream for the thousands of toy fans who will gather on July 21 to see Barbie and Ken in action on the big screen.

The film, directed by Greta Gerwig, will show us the life of Barbie (Margot Robbie) and Ken (Ryan Gosling) in Barbieland. However, the protagonist will be expelled from that universe as she is not perfect enough due to her eccentric personality which, consequently, causes her to not conform to the parameters of the society she inhabits. This will force her to start a new life in the real world, where she will live a great adventure.

'Oppenheimer' (release date: July 21)

Christopher Nolan last directed a feature film in 2020. Oppenheimer, scheduled for release on July 21, marks the return of the director of Inception and The Dark Knight trilogy to the big screen.

On this occasion, Nolan decided to focus the film on the man who developed the atomic bomb, J. Robert Oppenheimer. This American theoretical physicist was the director of the secret laboratory at Los Alamos during World War II and was directly involved in the Manhattan Project, where the first nuclear weapons were developed and used to bomb the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945.

'The Marvels' (release date: July 28)

Marvel had a score to settle with Captain Marvel and on July 28 it will be done. The Marvels will serve to provide answers to fans about the relationship between Nick Fury and the Skrull as well as the more than twenty years that passed between the end of the movie starring the superheroine played by Brie Larson and its return to Earth during Avengers: Endgame.

For this reason, the company assures, the new installment about Carol Danvers, i.e. Captain Marvel, will be set in the present day, also serving to unite the character with Kamala Khan (played by Iman Vellani), protagonist of the TV series Ms. Marvel. Monica Rambeau (Lashana Lynch) will also return in this sequel.

'The Haunted Mansion' (release date: Aug. 11)

Walt Disney Studios is an expert in remakes, and in 2023, it couldn't miss an update of a classic like the 2003 film, The Haunted Mansion. This time in 3D, the project will be produced by Guillermo del Toro and will be based on a Disney World attraction.

Starring Rosario Dawson, Owen Wilson and Tiffany Haddish, the film will feature the theme park attraction as the central axis of a plot, as was the case in the 2003 feature film starring Eddie Murphy.

'The Expendables 4' (release date: Sept. 22)

The fourth installment of The Expendables franchise will once again bring the group of paramilitaries together to carry out a new mission. For the moment, little else is known about the plot of the film starring Sylvester Stallone. It is known that it will be the most expensive film in the saga and that Pierce Brosnan will join the cast for the first time.

The film announced additional cast members including Curtis '50 Cent' Jackson, Megan Fox, Iko Uwais, Andy Garcia and Tony Jaa, who will all appear alongside veteran faces such as Stallone himself, Jason Statham and Dolph Lundgren.

'Kraven the Hunter' (release date: Oct. 6)

Spider-Man villains are giving Sony play. Without the need to show Spider-Man on screen, the film company reaps hits and misses with its own superhero universe. With Venom, the move worked out well for them, but Morbius, on the other hand, was a failure.

However, the company does not give up and will try its luck again with Kraven the Hunter. The villain, played by Aaron Taylor-Johnson, will be the main character of this film scripted by Richard Wenk. In it, Sergei Kravinoff / Kraven the Hunter receives a mission from his partner and also brother, Dmitri Smerdyakov / Chameleon. He asks him to chase and hunt Spider-Man. The mission will force the villain to return to New York and come face to face with one of his worst enemies.

The cast of Kraven the Hunter is completed by Ariana DeBose in the role of Calypso, Fred Hechinger as Dmitri Smerdyahov / Chameleon, Christopher Abbott as The Foreigner and Alessandro Nivola in the role of the film's main villain. Russell Crowe and Levi Miller will also appear in undisclosed roles.

'Dune: Part 2' (release date: Nov. 3)

The first part of the saga featuring Zendaya and Timothée Chamalet left fans craving more from the film based on the well known novel by Frank Herbert. Despite the fact that a sequel did not seem possible for a few months, Denis Villeneuve finally got his way and re-signed on to be behind the scenes on Dune: Part 2.

In this new installment, we return to the planet Arrakis, just where the first installment ended with Paul Atreides (Timothée Chamalet) joining forces with the nomadic warrior Freman (Javier Bardem) and his followers after defeating one of his most fearsome warriors in a duel and, thus, proving his worth.

Rebecca Ferguson, Josh Brolin, Stellan Skarsgård, Dave Bautista, Stepehn McKinley Henderson, Charlotte Rampling, Florece Pugh, Austin Butler, Léa Seydoux and Christopher Walken complete the cast of this film produced by Legendary and Warner Bros.

'The Hunger Games: A Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes' (release date: Nov. 17)

If Jennifer Lawrence owes her fame to one movie, it is undoubtedly The Hunger Games. The feature film, the first of the saga, made her a household name and was one of the highest grossing films of 2012.

Eleven years later, the saga returns in the form of a prequel with The Hunger Games: Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. The new installment will be set 64 years before the first film and will follow Snow, future president of Panem, as he mentors the girl who will be District 12's tribute in that edition of the action series.

Directed by Francis Lawrence, the Lionsgate feature will star Tom Blyth, Rachel Zegler, Hunter Schafer, Jason Schwartzman, Burn Gorman, Peter Dinklage and Viola Davis.

'Wish' (release date: Nov. 22)

In 2023, Disney Studios turns 100 years old. They decided to make a film this year centered on the star to whom all its characters, from the beginning, made a wish upon that would come true.

In Wish the main character will be Asha, an intelligent teenager constantly worried about her family and friends. In a moment of sadness, Asha makes a wish to the stars and they respond by sending a small ball of unlimited energy that answers to the name of Star. With the help of her new magical friend, Asha must fight to defend her community from a great threat.

'Wonka' (release date: Dec. 15)

In 2023, Timothée Chamalet will not only be playing Paul Atreides in Dune: Part 2 but will also have the challenge of playing Willy Wonka, the tycoon who owns the chocolate company from Roald Dahl's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

Wonka will explore the early days of the owner of the best chocolate factory in the world just before he decides to open this curious enterprise while discovering the secrets of the company that not only produces chocolate, but also candies and sweets of all kinds.

The prequel to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory will be directed by Paul King, who was also behind the camera on the movies of Paddington. Simon Rich (Man Seeking Woman) will be the screenwriter for this new installment, which will be produced by David Heyman (Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them) and Michael Siegel (My Friend the Giant, Origin of the Guardians).