Once upon a time, we could count on the summer movie season to deliver us all the biggest films, but now that “season” seems to be a year-round thing — except in 2020 when it pretty much did not happen at all. It is never too early to start getting prepared for the growing pile of blockbusters on the horizon, even the ones that are still a year away.
Yes, 2021 is only a month away, and it is already filling up with must-see releases ranging from continuations of beloved franchises to intriguing reboots and years-in-the-making dream projects that are bound for box office glory. There was plenty to look forward to even before so many of 2020s most high-profile releases got pushed into the future, making us all more eager for the eventual return to theaters. With that in mind, here are some of the biggest films arriving in 2021 — and beyond.
The French Dispatch
When it comes to Oscar contenders, The French Dispatch was at the top of critics’ shortlist. Unfortunately, like everything else, it got a big push to 2021. The upcoming feature from Wes Anderson is described as “a love letter to journalists set at an outpost of an American newspaper in 20th-century Paris and centers on three storylines.” In typical Anderson fashion, the cast includes actors and actresses such as Tilda Swinton, Frances McDormand, and Timothee Chalamet.
Release date: January 28, 2021
Black Widow
Though her character did not survive the events of Avengers: Endgame, this movie will take Natasha Romanoff (Scarlett Johansson) back in time to the years following Captain America: Civil War. After the breakup of the Avengers in that film, Black Widow is called back home when her past comes back to haunt her in the form of a conspiracy that only she can unravel. She joins a team of her old Russian friends and together forms a kind of extended family for her that will fill in parts of her life that past Avengers films never gave us access to.
Release date: May 7, 2021
A Quiet Place Part II
After the success of A Quiet Place in 2018, it seemed almost inevitable that an equal would eventually follow when the film ended in a perfect position to set up the next chapter of the story. The second chapter of the sage will follow the surviving members of the Abbott family as they attempt to venture out beyond their farm after they discover how to fight the sound-hunting creatures at the end of the first movie. The story will also flashback to show more of what happened the day the world started to fall apart, which allows us to see how John Krasinski’s character, Lee, became the leader of his family.
Release date: April 23, 2021
Dune
Based on one of the most famous sci-fi novels of all time by Frank Herbert, Dune will bring the book into a new light with a major film adaptation starring Timothee Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, Zandaya, and more. The adaptation of the prolific 1965 novel follows Paul Atreides, whose family is in command of Arrakis — a planet that produces a substance called spice that is integral to space exploration and travel.
Release date: October 1, 2021