Top 30 Most Anticipated Films of 2017

Hon. Mention: Soldado, Wonder Woman, A Sense of an Ending, Happy End, Ghost in the Shell

30. Battle of the Sexes dir. Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris

We know Emma Stone and Steve Carrell can be hilarious, and they've also shown themselves to be fine dramatic talents in recent years - plus this is being directed by the folks who made Little Miss Sunshine! With Stone coming hot off what I presume will be an easy Oscar nom and likely win, and the latter being given what should be a particularly meaty role, as tennis players Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs, who get embroiled in a public feud that results in a tennis showdown, I don't see why I should not be excited.

29. Logan dir. James Manigold

I'll admit that trailer got me hyped. As someone who's not a huge X-Men fan, I have to admit that the prospect of seeing a no-holes-barred, gritty and low-key Wolverine film is really intriguing.

28. Wind River dir. Taylor Sheridan

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The scripts to Sicario and Hell or High Water were some of the highlights of both excellent films, so in similar vein I'm eagerly anticipating what I suspect will be our first look into Sheridan's complete filmmaking vision. Also seeing Jeremy Renner and Elizabeth Olesen team up outside the Marvel universe should be interesting.

27. The Shape of Water

Guillermo del Toro + Fantasy + war setting? Pan's Labrinyth again, anyone? I could be wrong but just this idea alone has me excited.

26. Thor: Ragnarok

It wouldn't have made my list at all if not for the fact Taika Waititi, who helmed the wonderful Hunt for the Wilderpeople this year, is in the director's chair. Please don't limit him Marvel.

25. Hostiles dir. Scott Cooper

Sounds like it'll be one of those brooding, atmospheric, tense journey films in the West, with Christian Bale (who gave one of his best performances in Cooper's Into the Furnace) in the lead.

24. Under the Silver Lake dir. David Robert Mitchell

Andrew Garfield. I know it's crazy to base you anticipation of a film on one actor, but if Hacksaw Ridge, and my expectations for Silence are anything to go by, I'll watch anything this fellow does. Oh, and neo-noir plots are almost always my cup of tea.

23. Spider-Man: Homecoming dir. Jon Watts

It's been a while, about 13 years to be exact, since we've had a good Spidey film. Please be good. I really like the overall feel of this trailer; hopefully it's a true representation of the final product.

22. Kathryn Bigelow's 1967 Detroit Riots Movie

It's been a while since The Hurt Locker, and the strong ensemble cast (featuring John Boyega, Jason Mitchell, Will Poulter, Anthony Mackie, Hannah Murray, among many others) plus Bigelow's assured quality of direction (far as I'm aware she's never made anything less than a solid film) makes for an intriguing prospect in depicting this very significant event in American history.

21. The Snowman dir. Tomas Alfredson

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I love this sort of thriller anyway, it's based on an acclaimed novel, Alfredson's last film was the terrific Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy and it'll be pleasing to see Michael Fassbender in a good movie again if it turns out to be just that.

20. Annihilation dir. Alex Garland

I really took to Ex Machina and am really anticipating Garland's next step into the sci-fi genre. The plot details are vague at best at this point, but I'm glad since one of the strengths of Ex Machina was its pure unpredictability.

19. American Made dir. Doug Liman

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Tom Cruise with a big role in another Doug Liman (who directed the underrated Edge of Tomorrow) film, this time about an 80s pilot who transported contraband for the CIA and the Medellin cartel? Why not.

18. John Wick: Chapter 2 dir. Chad Stahelski, David Leitch

Keanu Reeves reuniting with Laurence Fishburne, as John Wick, who kicked all kinds of ass in the first film, returning with a vengeance (hopefully no dog involved this time). What's not to get psyched for?

17. The Dark Tower dir. Nikolaj Arcel

I'll admit my lower ranking for this is purely because I have no idea what the source material is about, plus I'm always slightly wary about films with such long pre-production troubles. Nevertheless, the combination of Idris Elba and Matthew McConaughey is nothing to smirk at, and considering I thoroughly adored 11.22.63 without having read the Stephen King novel, I'll keep expectations high for this adaptation as well.

16. Wonder dir. Steven Chbosky

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I'll defend Perks of Being a Wallflower to the death, so any Chbosky film has me quite excited. Add in Jacob Tremblay who astounded us all with his magnificent performance in Room, and we could have a modern-day Mask on our hands in this tale of a young child with a facial deformity who tries to fit into a new school life.

15. How to Talk to Girls at Parties dir. John Cameron Mitchell

The title and concept behind this sounds just quirky enough to pucker up my interest. I loved the last Neil Gaiman adaptation I saw, Stardust, and if this film brings some of that distinctive quirk to the sci-fi genre, I'm all eyes and ears.

14. Kursk dir. Thomas Vinterberg

I've still got to check out a great deal of Mr Vinterberg's filmography (think I'll check out The Hunt finally, today), but as Far From the Madding Crowd showed he has a keen, visually sumptuous eye, and this story - centred on the 2000 K-141 Kursk submarine disaster, is a very tantalizing prospect. Plus he's reuniting with Matthias Schoenaerts.

13. Okja dir. Bong Joon-Ho

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Bong is a brilliant director (anyone who hasn't seen Memories of Murder better do so soon), and the fact he's getting 50 million USD to play around with in what seems to be a monster-on-the-run film is tantalizing. Behind-the-set pictures have the likes of Jake Gyllenhaal and Tilda Swinton all dressed up in anime-esque attire. I'm so pumped.

12. Darkest Hour dir. Joe Wright

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Gary Oldman as Winston Churchill. It's been too long since you've had a plum role, Gary. Far too long.

11. The Kidnapping of Edgardo Mortara dir. Steven Speilberg

Steven Speilberg's been on a role recently, exempting the relative disappointment of The B.F.G., and this would seem to be a promising dramatic venture. Having Mark Rylance back on board is never a bad thing.

10. Wonderstruck dir. Todd Haynes

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I absolutely adored Carol, so obviously I'm flocking to whatever Haynes has up his sleeves next. The concept behind this I'll admit doesn't immediately scream 'must-see', but neither did Carol's and that ended up becoming my favourite film of 2015.

9. Blade Runner 2049 dir. Dennis Villenueve

The recent teaser has raised my hopes up signficantly .Villenueve seems to know exactly what made Blade Runner tick, and if he sustains what I saw in the teaser to a full-length feature film, I am completely on board with an idea I'd previously thought very little of; Blade Runner might have ended perfectly, but it does have a wide expansive universe I hope this film will utilize.

8. The Racer and the Jailbird (Le Fidèle)

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'The film is about a love story between a gangster and a racing car driver set against the background of a brutal crime gang in Brussels'. That alone has my curiosity. Add in the highly underrated Michaël R. Roskam (who's directed two of my favourite films of the decade so far, Bullhead and The Drop), his terrific leading man Matthias Schoenaerts (again, big fan), and Blue is the Warmest Colour star Adèle Exarchopoulos. Now you have my attention.

7. T2: Trainspotting dir. Danny Boyle

The boys are back. What more can I say? I'm actually fairly confident in this film. Despite not being a massive fan of Steve Jobs, I have to admit it was incredibly well-directed, so Danny Boyle's on a role. He clearly has a passion for the material, as do the cast, and at the very least this will offer some terrific throwback nostalgia, at best it'll be a masterpiece.

6. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 dir. James Gunn

This could easily be the most fun film of the year, as long as it matches the heights of its predecessor. I eagerly look forward to another bout of Star-Lord, Gamora, Drax, (more) Yondu, Rocket Raccoon and (Baby!) Groot's antics, and hope that Gunn's passion for these misfit heroes never wanes.

5. Baby Driver dir. Edgar Wright

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I'm somewhat dubious about the choice of lead (Ansel Elgort just has not impressed me in anything he's done), but remember back in 2010, when he used the charming but extremely limited Michael Cera to perfection in Scott Pilgrim v.s. the World? That worked, and I have faith in Wright that this will too. The plot synopsis sounds like Wright's take on the likes of Drive, Bullit and Le Samourai and it's intriguing even if you're not a Wright fan, drool-inducing if you're a Wright fanatic like me.

4. Star Wars Episode VIII dir. Rian Johnson

So many questions up in the air! So many answers! Add in Rian Johnson's distinctive directorial style and a script that's been getting raves from all over the place, the poignancy factor of this being Carrie Fisher's last appearance as Princess Leia, and new inclusions of Benicio del Toro and Laura Dern...Star Wars December can't come sooner.

3. Dunkirk dir. Christopher Nolan

Christopher Nolan going into WWII period piece territory, and picking out such a compelling piece of history, is enough to sell me. Add in that excellent first trailer, and a huge all-star cast, and I'll be severely disappointed if this is anything less than great.

2. Paul Thomas Anderson/Daniel Day-Lewis Untitled Film

Last time these chaps turned up to make a film, we got one of the greatest films of all-time, There Will Be Blood. Now that doesn't necessarily mean anything, but owing to how selective both actor and auteur are, I can't help but think they've found something truly special to work on before even knowing what the general gist of the film's about.

1. Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri dir. Martin McDonagh

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Easily my most anticipated film of 2017. McDonagh's already made two masterpieces and with his stage work also being taken into account, he's on a role. This film - a tale about a small-town mother who seeks justice from the police after her daughter is murdered - will probably test McDonagh's ability for drama as well as comedy, which we all know after In Bruges and especially Seven Psychopaths he's particularly adept at. Of course, with McDonagh you never know, this could be another dark comedy, and just the thought of how he'll pull that off tantalises me. Add in an eclectic cast (Peter Dinklage, Woody Harrelson, Sam Rockwell, Abbie Cornish and most excitingly, Frances McDormand in the lead, who seems like she was born to star in a McDonagh film) and you have me awaiting with bated breath for what could be his next masterpiece.