J.J. Abrams’ Star Wars: The Force Awakens tore up box office records at the end of 2015, but this doesn’t we can’t start looking forward to what’s coming in 2016. With Independence Day, Star Trek, Ghostbusters, X-Men and Captain America all returning to cinemas, it could be a bumper year for the Hollywood blockbuster. Here’s our pick of the biggest films coming in 2016.
Deadpool
Deadpool
Our gallery of massive 2016 blockbusters begins with this Ryan Reynolds-led superhero movie, which fans of Marvel anti-hero Deadpool have been waiting for since 2010. If the barn-storming trailer that premiered at San Diego Comic-Con is anything to go by, it should be a filthy, twisted, awesomely gory blast. (In cinemas February 12)
Zoolander 2
Zoolander 2
Fifteen years after he nearly assassinated the Malaysian Prime Minister, Ben Stiller’s dimwitted supermodel Derek Zoolander is back, flanked once again by Owen Wilson’s Hansel McDonald and Will Ferrell’s Jacobim Mugatu. Stiller hasn’t given away any plot details yet, but we do know that Justin Bieber and Kim Kardashian have filmed cameos. (In cinemas February 12)
Superhero movies
Batman Vs Superman turned out to be shit, and so did Justice League. Look, Hollywood, the superheroes are knackered. They need a break. Put Batman, Superman and… I don’t know, the fucking Riddler?… out to pasture for a while and let them come back when they’ve caught their breath.
The Jungle Book
The Jungle Book
Iron Man 3‘s Jon Favreau directs Disney’s lavish new 3D adaptation of Rudyard Kipling’s classic tales. Ten-year-old newcomer Neel Sethi is the only live-action actor, playing Mowgli alongside performance capture animals voiced by Idris Elba, Scarlett Johansson and Bill Murray, who will sing ‘The Bare Necessities’ as Baloo. (In cinemas April 15)
Captain America: Civil War
Captain America: Civil War
Set after the events of this year’s Age Of Ultron, the third Captain America film finds the Avengers crew fractured and facing increased accountability from a governing body. Chris Evans is flanked by an army-sized cast that includes Robert Downey Jr, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner and new Spider-Man Tom Holland. (In cinemas May 6)
X-Men: Apocalypse
X-Men: Apocalypse
The ninth X-Men film takes its title from mighty original mutant Apocalypse, played by Oscar Isaac, who launches a mission to “cleanse” the human race when he’s unexpectedly re-awakened. Standing in his way: Jennifer Lawrence’s Raven, James McAvoy’s Xavier and a crew of gifted young mutants including several new to the big screen. (In cinemas May 27)
Finding Dory
Finding Dory
Pixar’s long-awaited sequel to Finding Nemo follows Ellen DeGeneres’s forgetful surgeonfish Dory as she sets off on a journey to find her family, joined by Nemo and Marlin. Albert Brooks, Diane Keaton, Willem Dafoe, Ty Burrell and Idris Elba flesh out the first-rate voice cast. (In cinemas June 17)
Independence Day: Resurgence
Independence Day: Resurgence
Will Smith hasn’t returned for this belated sequel to the 1996 alien invasion smash, but Jeff Goldblum and Bill Pullman are back, joined by newcomers Liam Hemsworth, Maika Monroe and Charlotte Gainsbourg (yes, really). Director Roland Emmerich says it’s “not as simple as the last one” and “expands” on the first film’s universe. (In cinemas June 24)
Ghostbusters
Ghostbusters
Bridesmaids‘ Melissa McCarthy and Kristen Wiig team up with SNL cast members Leslie Jones and Kate McKinnon for this female-led reboot from director Paul Feig (Spy, Bridesmaids). Original stars Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd and Sigourney Weaver have endorsed the new Ghostbusters crew by shooting cameos. (In cinemas July 15)
Star Trek: Beyond
Star Trek: Beyond
Fast & Furious veteran Justin Lin replaces J.J. Abrams in the director’s chair for this follow-up to 2013’s Star Trek Into Darkness, which has a script co-written by Simon Pegg. Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Zoe Saldana and Pegg are all back for a third adventure, joined by Idris Elba as the film’s mysterious villain. (In cinemas July 22)
Suicide Squad
Suicide Squad
The buzz surrounding this super-villain movie is already enormous: Will Smith recently revealed that he has technically never met co-star Jared Leto because the 30 Seconds To Mars frontman remained “all in” as the Joker during filming, while Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn has become this year’s most Googled Halloween costume.(In cinemas August 5)
Doctor Strange
Doctor Strange
This Marvel movie directed by Scott Derrickson (The Exorcism Of Emily Rose) boasts an especially impressive cast: Benedict Cumberbatch stars as neurosurgeon-turned-superhero Doctor Stephen Strange, Tilda Swinton plays his mentor The Ancient One and Chiwetel Ejiofor appears as super-villain Baron Mordo. (In cinemas November 4)
Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them
Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them
JK Rowling wrote the screenplay for this Harry Potter spin-off, which she calls “neither a prequel nor a sequel… but an extension of the wizarding world”. Set 70 years before the Potter saga begins, it stars Eddie Redmayne as Newt Scamander, the author of one of Harry’s Hogwarts text books. (In cinemas November 18)
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
Set between the events of Episode III and Episode IV, this is the first in Disney’s “anthology series” of Star Wars spin-off films. Plot details are top secret, but Godzilla director Gareth Edwards is behind the camera and The Theory Of Everything‘s Felicity Jones leads the cast. (In cinemas December 16)
Assassin’s Creed
Assassin’s Creed
Video games don’t always translate well to the big screen – Prince Of Persia, anyone? – but this one boasts some serious talent. Macbeth director Justin Kurzel reunites with stars Michael Fassbender and Marion Cotillard for a $150m adaptation of Ubisoft’s long-running historical adventure gaming series. (In cinemas December 21)
