11. CREED II (NOVEMBER 21)



Plot Summary: Life has become a balancing act for Adonis Creed. Between personal obligations and training for his next big fight, he is up against the challenge of his life. Facing an opponent with ties to his family’s past only intensifies his impending battle in the ring. Rocky Balboa is there by his side through it all and, together, Rocky and Adonis will confront their shared legacy, question what’s worth fighting for, and discover that nothing’s more important than family. Creed II is about going back to basics to rediscover what made you a champion in the first place, and remembering that, no matter where you go, you can’t escape your history.


The Breakdown: Filmmaker Ryan Coogler set the bar pretty dang high with the first Creed, so early plans for Sylvester Stallone to call the shots on a followup that connects directly to Rocky IV left some fans understandably worried about the sequel's direction. Fortunately, a good deal has changed since then (up and comer Steven Caple Jr. ended up steering the ship, Luke Cage creator Cheo Hodari Coker reworked Sly's script) and Creed II is now looking more and more like a triumphant return for Michael B. Jordan's Adonis. Indeed, if all goes well, "Creed vs. Drago Round 2" will have some real dramatic heft to it.

10. IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK (NOVEMBER 30)



Plot Summary: An adaptation of James Baldwin's novel, which follows Tish, a newly engaged Harlem woman who races against the clock to prove her lover's innocence while carrying their first born child.


The Breakdown: Barry Jenkins is back with a revered book adaptation that already looks as beautifully shot and hypnotic as the writer/director's Best Picture winner Moonlight. If Beale Street Could Talk is one of the more buzzed-about award season releases for those very reasons and could result in another Damien Chazelle and Jenkins movie showdown (a la the face-off between La La Land and Moonlight last year), come Oscar night. That bit of silliness aside, of course, this big screen take on James Baldwin's 1974 novel promises to do right by its source material and deliver a stirring, poetic, and otherwise memorable cinematic experience.

9. MARY QUEEN OF SCOTS (DECEMBER 7)



Plot Summary: "Mary Queen of Scots" explores the turbulent life of the charismatic Mary Stuart (Saoirse Ronan). Queen of France at 16 and widowed at 18, Mary defies pressure to remarry. Instead, she returns to her native Scotland to reclaim her rightful throne. But Scotland and England fall under the rule of the compelling Elizabeth I (Margot Robbie). Each young Queen beholds her “sister” in fear and fascination. Rivals in power and in love, and female regents in a masculine world, the two must decide how to play the game of marriage versus independence. Determined to rule as much more than a figurehead, Mary asserts her claim to the English throne, threatening Elizabeth’s sovereignty. Betrayal, rebellion, and conspiracies within each court imperil both thrones – and change the course of history.


The Breakdown: The stars of last year's Oscar-winning I, Tonya and Best Picture-nominated Lady Bird join forces in a period drama that feels surprisingly fresh and innovative, given how many times Mary Stuart and Queen Elizabeth's struggles have been adapted for TV and film already. It no doubt helped that Mary Queen of Scots director Josie Rourke shot a fair chunk of the movie on-location, while also bringing her wealth of experience in delivering rich theater drama to the table. Plus, with a script by Ides of March and House of Cards creator Beau Willimon, this particular work of royal political intrigue should have some real teeth.

8. MORTAL ENGINES (DECEMBER 14)



Plot Summary: Thousands of years after civilization was destroyed by a cataclysmic event, humankind has adapted and a new way of living has evolved. Gigantic moving cities now roam the Earth, ruthlessly preying upon smaller traction towns. Tom Natsworthy (Robert Sheehan) - who hails from a Lower Tier of the great traction city of London - finds himself fighting for his own survival after he encounters the dangerous fugitive Hester Shaw (Hera Hilmar). Two opposites, whose paths should never have crossed, forge an unlikely alliance that is destined to change the course of the future.


The Breakdown: Peter Jackson's longtime VFX supervisor and storyboard artist Christian Rivers called the shots on Mortal Engines, which is part of the reason why it looks and feels so much like one of Jackson's sweeping epics (in a good way, largely). Jackson was also heavily involved as a writer/producer on the film (as were his longtime collaborators Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens) and Mortal Engines' world-building seems all the more intricate and detailed for it. If the movie's human/story elements are on the same level as the spectacle, then this one may yet go on to become another mammoth hit for Jackson to add to his collection.

7. SPIDER-MAN: INTO THE SPIDER-VERSE (DECEMBER 14)



Plot Summary: Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, the creative minds behind The Lego Movie and 21 Jump Street, bring their unique talents to a fresh vision of a different Spider-Man Universe, with a groundbreaking visual style that’s the first of its kind. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse introduces Brooklyn teen Miles Morales, and the limitless possibilities of the Spider-Verse, where more than one can wear the mask.


The Breakdown: Animation and Spider-Man have always made for a great combination, but Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is taking things up a notch with its gorgeous comic book panel-inspired visuals. Equally exciting is the news that Into the Spider-Verse serves as not only the big screen debt for Ultimate Spider-Man Miles Morales (Shameik Moore), but also fan-favorite Spider-Gwen (Hailee Steinfeld) and an eclectic assortment of lesser-known, yet similarly plucky and entertaining web-slingers (and yes, that includes Spider-Ham). However things work out with Sony's Venom, it appears we will be getting at least one great Spider-Man movie from the studio this year.