The business of making movies based on successful comic book properties has become an extremely lucrative one for most (sorry
Justice League). In the midst of this comic book renaissance, the movies featuring our favorite superheroes have become bigger and badder that ever before, and 2018 is taking it full throttle.
With huge releases scheduled from DC, Marvel, the X-Universe, and Disney - there will be no shortage of men and women in tights and capes next year. Some veteren franchises are looking to solidify their spots, and there are some newcomers coming to make their mark. Whatever you comic book flavor might be, 2018 will have something for everyone.
And with no further ado, let's take a look at the 10 comic book movies coming out in 2018. This list is ranked in order of how anticipated the are.
10. Sony: Animated Spider-Man Movie - December 14, 2018
While Peter Parker is set to battle Thanos next summer, Sony is bring another fellow web-slinger to film. An untitled animated Spider-Man film is currently in pre-production, with Bob Persichetti and Peter Ramsey at the helm. The film was written by Phil Lord, who is also serving as executive producer along with Chris Miller.
There are few details about the film, except for it will be a standalone film focusing on Miles Morales. Many fans were hoping that Morales would be the version used in the MCU, but that dream didn’t pan out as the studio ultimately went with Parker. Perhaps if this film does well, then maybe Morales can be put in position to take over the web-shooters in live-action on the big stage. It’s already been partially set up with the appearance of Donald Glover in Spider-Man: Homecoming.
The film will be voiced by Shameik Moore as Miles Morales/Spider-Man, Liev Schreiber, Mahershala Ali as Aaron Davis, and Brian Tyree Henry as Jefferson Davis.
9. Sony: Venom - October 5, 2018
Sony is staying very tight lipped about its Spider-Man spin-off
Venom, but Tom Hardy’s trainer may have accidentally on purpose spilled the beans about who the films antagonist will be. In a promo video, trainer Mark Mene had this to say:
“What the world is going to see one of the darkest most powerful super villains that Marvel has ever created. It's going to be carnage.”
Now saying “carnage” was either the poorest choice of words in human history, or its was a very sly tease to what Spidey fans have been hoping to see for a very long time now – a live action Carnage. Speculation that Carnage would be the film's villain began when Riz Ahmed was cast in the film in an undisclosed role. Then Mene got on his Instagram and used the word “carnage” for a second time, so all signs seem to point to go Carnage will indeed be featured in the film. However, there has been no confirmation from Hardy or the studio.
Venom is being described as a sci-fi horror film, so it looks to use a lot of elements from the comic that made Venom such a interesting character. Tom Hardy will star as the titular character, and Michelle Williams and Riz Ahmed are also attached.
8. Fox: New Mutants - April 13, 2018
New Mutants, like some other current and upcoming comic book movies, aimed to shake up the genre by telling a superhero story from a fresh perspective. And from the looks of the first trailer, it doesn’t look like they will disappoint. Described as a horror film in the superhero genre,
New Mutants trades in the tights for thrills, giving us a very dark and terrifying look into the X-Universe.
If you aren’t familiar with the New Mutants, the comic book story follows a group of teenage students of Professor X, who succeeded the X-Men. This film seems to take a slightly different approach, as it follows five young mutants just discovering their abilities while being held in a secret facility against their will. They band together and fight to escape their past sins and save themselves.
New Mutants is directed by Josh Boone. It stars Anya Taylor-Joy as Illyana Rasputin/Magik: a Russian mutant with sorcery powers, who "uses teleportation discs to travel”, Maisie Williams as Rahne Sinclair/Wolfsbane: a Scottish mutant "struggling to reconcile her religious beliefs with her power to turn into a wolf", Charlie Heaton as Sam Guthrie/Cannonball: a Kentuckian mutant "who can propel himself into the air and is invulnerable while doing so", Henry Zaga as Roberto da Costa/Sunspot: a Brazilian mutant "with the ability to manipulate solar energy", Blu Hunt as Danielle Moonstar/Mirage: a Native American mutant "who has the power to create illusions drawn from the fears and desires of a person's mind”, and Alice Braga as Cecilia Reyes: a mentor to the group, and a medical doctor "who has the ability to generate a protective bio-field around herself."
Magik, Wolfsbane and other teenage mutants try to come to grips with their superpowers while staying at a secret facility.
7. Fox: X-Men: Dark Phoenix - November 2, 2018
The Dark Phoenix saga was first brought to big screens in the hot mess of a film
X-Men: The Last Stand. In it, Jean Grey (Famke Janssen) unleashes the Dark Phoenix, kills Cyclops (James Marsden) and Professor X (Sir Patrick Stewart), and is only stopped when she is killed by Logan (Hugh Jackman). Thanks to some questionable manipulation of the timeline, next year we are getting a whole movie fully focused on the Phoenix gone bad - this one taking place in the 90’s.
Fans have had mixed feelings about the last few X-Men entries to the franchise, with the general consensus being that they were ok, but they could have been a lot better. And that is with the exception of
Logan, which was critically acclaimed by fans and critics alike. But as far as the team goes, the haven’t had a hit since the first one.
Dark Phoenix is supposedly starting a new X-Men trilogy, so hears hoping Fox can restore the magic and make the X-Men great again.
X-Men: The Dark Phoenix is directed by
Simon David Kinberg, who is making his directorial debut. The core cast will be back with James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender and even Jennifer Lawrence reprising their roles as Charles Xavier, Magneto and Mystique. Nicholas Hoult (Beast), Alexandra Shipp (Storm), Tye Sheridan (Cyclops) and Kodi Smit-McPhee (Nightcrawler) are all returning, as well as Game of Thrones' Sophie Turner as Jean Grey, who will be the focus of the story. The Originals' Summer Fontana will apparently play a younger version of Jean. Jessica Chastain has been cast, as well. She was rumored to be playing the alien Shi'ar empress, Lilandra Neramani, but has since shot down those rumors.
6. MCU: Ant-Man & The Wasp - July 6, 2018
Ant-Man and The Wasp is not just a highly anticipated movie because it is a follow-up to a very successful debut of a relatively obscure hero, but also because it may be the movie that shapes the post
Infinity War landscape.
Ant-Man and The Wasp, which is being touted as a romantic comedy, may have huge implications on the rest of the MCU if we listen to what Evangeline Lilly had to say about it to Vanity Fair:
When I heard about Infinity War and the direction that they’re heading, I did have this moment of realizing, ‘Oh, wow, there’s a bit of a déjà vu for me with the Lost franchise.’ We are hitting that [Lost] season 4 space where everything’s about to shift, and you’re about to lose the solid ground underneath you. And Ant-Man and the Wasp, of course, will play a part in that. Those characters are experts in the quantum realm. In Ant-Man and the Wasp, they are trying everything in their power to safely enter the quantum realm and return back from it because they have evidence from the first film that Scott Lang was able to do that. If he can do it, why can’t we? If we do succeed in Ant-Man and the Wasp, then that does open a whole entire new multi-verse to enter into and play around in. I’m not the story creator, so I can’t tell you what they’re going to do with that. But I definitely see the potential there.
Now let that sink in for a bit. After this movie, access to the quantum realm won’t just be exclusive to Ant-Man, it will be available to the entire MCU. Also
Ant-Man and The Wasp will introduce the multiverse to the MCU. This could mean there are some big things in store for characters such as Dr. Strange and the upcoming Captain Marvel.
Ant-Man has a great supporting cast of characters returning, and a surprisingly great lead in Paul Rudd. And did I mention it is a MCU rom-com? I am supremely interested to see how that plays out.
Peyton Reed will return to direct the sequel. Paul Rudd and Evangeline Lilly will reprise their roles joined by Michelle Pfeiffer as Janet Van Dyne/Wasp, Laurence Fishburne as Bill Foster/Goliath, Randall Park as Agent Jimmy Woo, Walton Goggins as Sonny Burch, and Hannah John-Kamen as The Ghost. Production for
Ant-Man and The Wasp wrapped last month.
Ant-Man joins forces with the Wasp on an urgent new mission to uncover secrets from the past.
5. DCEU: Aquaman - December 21, 2018
If you would have told me 10 years ago that they were actually going to make an Aquaman movie, I probably would have laughed at you. I mean I understand that if the
Justice League movie was to be made, then the man who talks to fish would have had to show up on the big screen sooner or later, but who would have thought that he could get popular enough to get his own feature film? Well 10 years ago me...you couldn't have been more wrong.
We first saw Arthur Curry in Man of Steel. Now I know what you’re thinking, we didn’t ACTUALLY see him and I don’t even think Momoa was credited. But nonetheless, it was Curry who saved Clark Kent from death by water, which was later confirmed by Momoa. The Atlantean then made his official debut in
Justice League, where he joined forces with Batman, Wonder Woman, The Flash, Cyborg, Batman, and later Superman to defeat the incredibly ridiculous looking Steppenwolf.
Justice League didn’t really do much justice (all puns intended) fleshing out Aquaman’s character, as he was basically reduced to a few lines here and there. The same could have been said of Diana Prince in
Batman V Superman, and look how getting a solo movie worked out for her. Hopefully
Aquaman can have the same happy ending. Aquaman did however have some very cool action sequences in
JL, and if they can marry that with a decent plot and some solid direction and acting for his film, I don’t think they’ll have anything to worry about when they dive into theaters.
Aquaman is directed by James Wan, and stars Jason Momoa as the titular character, with Amber Heard as Mera, Patrick Wilson as Orm / Ocean Master, Willem Dafoe as Nuidis Vulko, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as David Hyde / Black Manta, Temuera Morrison as Thomas Curry, Dolph Lundgren as Nereus, Ludi Lin as Murk, Michael Beach as Jesse Kane, and Nicole Kidman as Atlanna.
Aquaman wrapped production in October.
Aquaman finds himself caught between a surface world that ravages the sea and the underwater Atlanteans who are ready to revolt.
4. MCU: Black Panther - February 16, 2018
Black Panther is another comic book character I never would have guess would get his own film. I mean don’t get me wrong, he’s a freaking awesome character. But he’s just not that well known. That was until Captain America: Civil War.
Civil War was a phenomenal movie. It was an excellent political thriller with loads of superhero action. And it had so many memorable moments – from the introduction of Tom Holland’s Spider-Man to the appearance of Giant-Man. In a movie with so many show stealing moments, Black Panther stood out amongst the crowd.
From his first appearance, T'Challa proved he was a force to be reckoned with. With an unwavering sense of honor and duty, Black Panther took on Captain America and Bucky Barnes, making look like inexperienced fighters. We all knew right then and there that he was going to be something special. Now that he’s getting his own film, T’Challa is set to take center stage.
We travel to his homeland, Wakanda, where tension is high and he must battle once more to reclaim order. If the trailers are any indication, we are in for one wild ride.
Directed by Ryan Coogler, the film stars Chadwick Boseman as T'Challa/Black Panther, Michael B. Jordan as Erik Killmonger, Lupita Nyong'o as Nakia, Danai Gurira as Okoye, Martin Freeman as Everett K. Ross, Daniel Kaluuya as W'Kabi, Winston Duke as M'Baku, Angela Bassett as Ramonda, Forest Whitaker as Zuri, and Andy Serkis as Ulysses Klaue. Filming concluded on April 19, 2017.
Black Panther (Chadwick Boseman) springs into action when an old enemy threatens the fate of his nation and the world.
3. Fox: Deadpool 2 - June 1, 2018
Who didn’t love
Deadpool? I mean really.
Deadpool showed us that a superhero movie didn’t have to be family friendly. As a matter of fact, it could be the farthest thing from it and still be insanely successful. Well as to be expected, the sequel is on the way.
The raunchy foray into another corner of the X-Men Universe was a superhero movie that belly laughed in the face of other superhero movies. It openly criticized superhero movie clichés. It poked fun at the X-Men movie franchise. And the world loved every minute of it. And Ryan Reynolds CRUSHED the role, brining to life The Merc with a Mouth in fantastic fashion.
In an attempt to strike lightning twice,
Deadpool is returning, and he’s bringing some new friends with him.
Deadpool 2 is directed by David Leitch. Returning from the first film are Ryan Reynolds as Wade Wilson/Deadpool, Morena Baccarin as Vanessa, T. J. Miller as Weasel, Brianna Hildebrand as Negasonic Teenage Warhead, Stefan Kapičić as the voice of Colossus, and Leslie Uggams as Blind Al. Necomers to the franchise are Zazie Beetz as Neena Thurman/Domino, Jack Kesy as Black Tom Cassidy, and of course Josh Brolin as Nathan Summers/Cable. Production on
Deadpool 2 was officially completed on October 14.
After surviving a near fatal bovine attack, a disfigured cafeteria chef (Wade Wilson) struggles to fulfill his dream of becoming Mayberry's hottest bartender while also learning to cope with his lost sense of taste. Searching to regain his spice for life, as well as a flux capacitor, Wade must battle ninjas, the yakuza, and a pack of sexually aggressive canines, as he journeys around the world to discover the importance of family, friendship, and flavor - finding a new taste for adventure and earning the coveted coffee mug title of World's Best Lover.
2. Pixar: The Incredibles 2 - June 15, 2018
Now before we get started with this film, I already know what you’re gonna say.
The Incredibles wasn’t technically a movie based off a comic book property. And you are absolutely right. But there was no way in hell I was making this list and not putting
The Incredibles 2 on it. Plus, a comic book was made after the first movie, so the sequel is kind of a comic book adaptation, right? Just go with it for now.
After 13 years of impatiently waiting, and a whole bunch of Toy Story sequels (did we really need that many?), everyone’s favorite family of supers are finally headed back to theaters, and not soon enough! That’s right, the 2004 Pixar smash hit is getting a well-deserved sequel, and I couldn’t be happier about it.
The Incredibles worked so well because it wasn’t about them being superheroes, that was just a small part of the story. It was about the family dynamic. It was about a middle aged man trying to find his place in a world that no longer wanted him. It was the story of how far rejection can push you to the dark side.
The Incredibles was incredibly human and relatable, and that’s what made it so good.
The sequel will pick up right where the first one left off, with the Parrs facing The Underminer. Somewhere down the road the Parrs will discover that Jack-Jack is rather powerful, and hilarity will ensue. Director Brad Bird also stated that this story will focus around Helen Parr, aka Elastigirl.
The movie will be voiced by Holly Hunter as Helen Parr/Elastigirl, Craig T. Nelson as Bob Parr/Mr. Incredible, Sarah Vowell as Violet Parr, Huck Milner as Dashiell "Dash" Robert Parr, Samuel L. Jackson as Lucius Best/Frozone, Brad Bird as Edna Mode, and John Ratzenberger as The Underminer. It will also feature Bob Odenkirk and Catherine Keener (I’m hoping in villain roles). Brad Bird will direct.
Elastigirl springs into action to save the day, while Mr. Incredible faces his greatest challenge yet -- taking care of the problems of his three children.
1. MCU: Avengers: Infinity War- May 4, 2018
And now we have come to our most anticipated superhero movie of 2018. It goes without saying that
The Avengers: Infinity War is going to be big – definitely the biggest superhero movie, if not the biggest movie period. In fact, it’s unfair to call it a movie, it is an event. The trailer alone broke the record of most views in a 24-hour period with 230 million views (a record previously held by It with 197 million). Let’s put that into perspective. That is roughly 3% of the world’s population. If you can get 3% of the world to do something as a collective, you got to be doing something right.
This was 10 years in the making. It began with
Iron Man, and it never looked back from there. Marvel has built a cinematic universe that others are now trying to model, with no where near the rate of success. The MCU’s worst movies are better than most in the same genre. And the best ones? They are works of art. When
The Avengers first assembled on the big screen, the world went crazy. It was a sight to behold. And here we are at the culmination of all the solo films and all the previous Avengers films.
Worlds will collide as The Avengers attempt to fend off the Mad Titan, Thanos. But they won’t be doing it alone. They will be joined by The Guardians of the Galaxy, by the combined forces of Black Panther and the Wakandian army, by Dr. Strange and his troop, and many more. As a matter of fact, it would be easier to name who won’t be in the movie. The magnitude of this film is staggering. With the end of the world as they know it at hand, and some major deaths possibly on the horizon, they are definitely going to need all hands on deck. Directed by the Russo Brothers, the film will star a whole lot of people. Filming concluded on July 14, 2017
Iron Man, Thor, the Hulk and the rest of the Avengers unite to battle their most powerful enemy yet -- the evil Thanos. On a mission to collect all six Infinity Stones, Thanos plans to use the artifacts to inflict his twisted will on reality. The fate of the planet and existence itself has never been more uncertain as everything the Avengers have fought for has led up to this moment.
2018 can’t get here fast enough.
I hope you enjoyed this list! Which movies are you most excited about? Sound off in the comments section!