The Most Anticipated Films of 2022

The pandemic has had a significant impact on film industries across the globe. But that hasn’t stopped major studios from announcing a slew of exciting films for 2022. The following is a list of some of the most anticipated films of 2022.

Uncharted (February 18)

One of PlayStation’s most popular video game franchises, The Uncharted series is set to have its own live-action adaptation in 2022. Tom Holland will star as the flamboyant treasure hunter, Nathan Drake and Mark Walhberg will play Nathan’s trusted friend and ally, Victor Sullivan aka Sully. They will be supported by Antonio Banderas and Sophia Ali, who will play fan-favourite Chloe Frazer. While fans of Naughty Dog’s Uncharted have been eagerly awaiting its live-action adaptation, the cast announcement was met with scepticism by the very vocal gaming community. They remain unconvinced that Tom Holland will be able to replicate Nolan North’s natural charisma in his portrayal of Nathan Drake from the video games.

The Batman (March 4)

The dark knight is set to return to the big screens with Robert Pattinson donning the legendary cape and cowl of Batman. The film is directed by Matt Reeves and boasts an exciting ensemble comprising Zoe Kravitz (Selina Kyle/Catwoman), Jeffrey Wright (Jim Gordon), Andy Serkis (Alfred Pennyworth), Colin Farrell (Oswald Cobblepot/Penguin), and Paul Dano (Edward Nashton/The Riddler). The Batman will be a reboot focusing on a younger Bruce Wayne/ Batman investigating a string of murders in Gotham city.

Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore (April 8)

The third instalment of the Fantastic Beasts trilogy is set to excite fans of the Harry Potter franchise with yet another magical experience. Eddie Redmayne (Newt Scamander), Ezra Miller (Credence Barebone), Katherine Waterston (Tina Goldstein), Jude Law (Albus Dumbledore), Alison Sudol (Queenie Goldstein), and Dan Fogler (Jacob Kowalski) will reprise their roles for the third instalment. However, Mads Mikkelsen will replace Johnny Depp as the Dark Wizard, Gellert Grindelwald.

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (May 6)

Benedict Cumberbatch is set to return as Stephen Strange aka Doctor Strange in the second instalment of the film series. Strange was last seen in Spider-Man: No Way Home as well in the animated series What if…?. The film is directed by Sam Raimi and will explore the multiverse of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Rachel McAdams (Dr. Christine Palmer), Benedict Wong (Wong), Elizabeth Olsen (Wanda Maximoff/Scarlet Witch) and Chiwetel Ejiofor (Mordo) are reprising their roles for this film. Further details about the film’s plot is kept under wraps, similar to Spider-Man: No Way Home, which suggests that the film might feature surprise cameos from various movies across Marvel films. It could also be a potential gateway to introduce the X-Men & Fantastic Four franchise to the MCU.

Top Gun: Maverick (May 27)

The sequel to Tom Cruise’s Top Gun is slated for 2022, 35 years after its first film’s release. Tom Cruise and Val Kilmer will reprise their roles as Maverick and Iceman, respectively. They will be joined by a supporting cast comprising Jennifer Connelly, Miles Teller, Jon Hamm and Ed Harris. The aviation action film is directed by Joseph Kosinski.

Jurassic World Dominion (June 10)

The third film of the Jurassic World trilogy is set to release in 2022 with Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard reprising their roles as Owen Grady and Claire Dearing. The film, directed by Colin Trevorrow, will also feature the return of Sam Neill as Dr Alan Grant, Jeff Goldblum as Ian Malcolm, and Laura Dern as Dr. Ellie Sattler. The filmmakers have promised that there will be bigger and scarier dinosaurs, including the Giganotosaurus which has never been featured before in a live-action film.

Thor: Love and Thunder (July 8)

Taika Waihtiti revived a struggling Thor franchise after the poorly received Thor: Dark World, with the Thor: Ragnarok. The film was praised for its vibrant visuals and sound design, and lighter tone. Thor: Love and Thunder will feature a larger ensemble with Chris Hemsworth returning as the God of Thunder, Thor, and will be joined by Tessa Thompson returning as Valkyrie. The film also features members of the Guardians of the Galaxy, which includes Chris Pratt reprising his role as Starlord/Peter Quill, Dave Bautista as Drax, Karen Gillan as Nebula, Pom Klementieff as Manta, and Vin Diesel as Groot. Natalie Portman is also set to return as Jane Foster and is rumoured to become the female version of Thor. The big bad will be played by none other than Batman himself, Christian Bale. Bale will take on the role of Gorr the God Butcher, a supervillain from the Marvel comics.

Mission: Impossible 7 (September 30)

IMF agent, Ethan Hawk (Tom Cruise) will return for the seventh instalment of the Mission Impossible series in 2022. Rebecca Ferguson, Ving Rhames, Frederick Schmidt, Simon Pegg, Henry Czerny, and Vanessa Kirby are reprising their roles from the previous films. Christopher McQuarrie, who directed the previous instalment has returned to the director’s chair once again. Further details regarding the plot and the villains are to be revealed.

The Flash (November 4)

The highly-anticipated DC film, The Flash is finally set to release after production was interrupted several times over the years due to creative differences with actors and directors. The film is directed by Andy Muschietti and it will star Ezra Miller as the titular character, Barry Allen aka The Flash. The movie will explore DC’s multiverse storylines with Sasha Calle as Supergirl, Michael Keaton as Batman from a different universe and Ben Affleck also returning as Batman. There are also rumours about Michael Shannon’s General Zod and Antje Traue’s Faora-Ul reprising their roles from Man of Steel. The story will likely feature Barry Allen aka The Flash inadvertently disrupting the space-time continuum, thereby altering various timelines across the multiverse.

Babylon (December 25)

The upcoming period drama starring Brad Pitt and Margot Robbie in leading roles is slated to release in December 2022 after a delay in production due to the ongoing pandemic. Directed by Damien Chazelle, the film is set in the golden age of Hollywood and has a supporting cast including Tobey Maguire, Samara Weaving, Olivia Wilde, Jean Smart, Eric Roberts, and Spike Jonze.