6. MARY POPPINS RETURNS (DECEMBER 19)
Plot Summary: “Mary Poppins Returns” stars: Emily Blunt as the practically-perfect nanny with unique magical skills who can turn any task into an unforgettable, fantastic adventure; Lin-Manuel Miranda as her friend Jack, an optimistic street lamplighter who helps bring light - and life - to the streets of London; Ben Whishaw as Michael Banks; Emily Mortimer as Jane Banks; and Julie Walters as the Banks’ housekeeper Ellen; with Colin Firth as Fidelity Fiduciary Bank’s William Weatherall Wilkins; and Meryl Streep as Mary’s eccentric cousin, Topsy.
The Breakdown: A musical led by Emily Blunt and Hamilton creator Lin-Manuel Miranda would've been something worth anticipating, even if it hadn't been a sequel to one of Disney's most beloved live-action films ever. The project being Mary Poppins Returns is all the more cause for celebration, especially given the caliber of talent involved with the movie, across the board. Blunt, Mary Poppins Returns director Rob Marshall, and costar Meryl Streep previously joined forces to deliver a solid Into the Woods adaptation for the Mouse House, but may yet soar to even higher (kite-scaling) heights on their new musical collaboration.
5. AQUAMAN (DECEMBER 21)
Plot Summary: From Warner Bros. Pictures and director James Wan comes an action-packed adventure that spans the vast, visually breathtaking underwater world of the seven seas, “Aquaman,” starring Jason Momoa in the title role. The film reveals the origin story of half-human, half-Atlantean Arthur Curry and takes him on the journey of his lifetime - one that will not only force him to face who he really is, but to discover if he is worthy of who he was born to be… a king.
The Breakdown: After "taking off" around twelve months to leave the Justice League kerfuffle behind it, the DC cinematic universe will return with what promises to a bit of gloriously goofy fun, in the form of James Wan's Aquaman. Jason Moma's Arthur Curry was one of the standouts in last year's DC superhero team-up event and looks to be just as entertaining as the leading (fish)man in his own solo adventure. Similarly, Wan showed he can handle splashy, big-budget, action franchise movies as well as he does low-cost horror thrillers with Furious 7, so Aquaman seems to be in safe hands here (questionable CGI sharks and all).
4. BUMBLEBEE (DECEMBER 21)
Plot Summary: On the run in the year 1987, Bumblebee finds refuge in a junkyard in a small Californian beach town. Charlie (Hailee Steinfeld), on the cusp of turning 18 and trying to find her place in the world, discovers Bumblebee, battle-scarred and broken. When Charlie revives him, she quickly learns this is no ordinary, yellow VW bug.
The Breakdown: The first Transformers movie that was not directed by Michael Bay, Bumblebee looks like it has everything that Bay's robots in disguise adventures do not: heart, gentle humor, and exciting action sequences that are more visually cohesive that cacophonous. With Kubo and the Two Strings filmmaker Travis Knight calling the shots and Oscar-nominee Hailee Steinfeld leading a human cast that includes JOHN CENA!, Bumblebee also sounds pretty great on paper, based on its cast and creatives alone. Not to mention, the movie will reward longtime Transformers fans by returning the Autobots and Decepticons to their G1 designs in live-action.
3. ALITA: BATTLE ANGEL (DECEMBER 21)
Plot Summary: From visionary filmmakers James Cameron (AVATAR) and Robert Rodriguez (SIN CITY), comes ALITA: BATTLE ANGEL, an epic adventure of hope and empowerment. When Alita (Rosa Salazar) awakens with no memory of who she is in a future world she does not recognize, she is taken in by Ido (Christoph Waltz), a compassionate doctor who realizes that somewhere in this abandoned cyborg shell is the heart and soul of a young woman with an extraordinary past. As Alita learns to navigate her new life and the treacherous streets of Iron City, Ido tries to shield her from her mysterious history while her street-smart new friend Hugo (Keean Johnson) offers instead to help trigger her memories. But it is only when the deadly and corrupt forces that run the city come after Alita that she discovers a clue to her past - she has unique fighting abilities that those in power will stop at nothing to control. If she can stay out of their grasp, she could be the key to saving her friends, her family and the world she’s grown to love.
The Breakdown: Despite Hollywood's rather poor track record when it comes to live-action Japanese anime/manga adaptations, Alita: Battle Angel seems like it may actually turn out okay. The combination of writer/producer James Cameron's attention to detail and director Robert Rodriguez's knack for energetic genre fare appears to have served the film well (judging by its trailers), and even Rosa Salazar's photo-real anime eyes have less of an "Uncanny Valley" feel to them, in more recent footage. Alita is still facing an uphill battle at the box office (if only because of its source material's niche appeal), but it doesn't seem like another Ghost in the Shell-level misfire, either.
2. WELCOME TO MARWEN (DECEMBER 21)
Plot Summary: When a devastating attack shatters Mark Hogancamp (Steve Carell) and wipes away all memories, no one expected recovery. Putting together pieces from his old and new life, Mark meticulously creates a wondrous town where he can heal and be heroic. As he builds an astonishing art installation - a testament to the most powerful women he knows - through his fantasy world, he draws strength to triumph in the real one.
The Breakdown: Twice now in three years' time, legendary director Robert Zemeckis has made a technologically-inventive film inspired by a true story that was previously explored in a critically-acclaimed documentary (see also 2015's The Walk). In the case of Welcome to Marwen, it was probably all the smarter a move for Zemeckis and his cowriter Caroline Thompson to set more distance between their movie and Jeff Malmberg's celebrated 2010 documentary about the real Mark Hogancamp, Marwencol. However the final movie result turns out, Welcome to Marwen - quite literally - looks strikingly different from any other film that's coming out in theaters this fall.