With 2017 behind us, it’s time to explore the slate of exciting movies opening in theaters over the next 12 months – some that we’ve waited a very long time for and can’t wait to see! There’s another new Star Wars, more high profile superhero movies than ever before, several long-awaited adaptations and sequels, and much, much more making up our list of the most anticipated movies of 2018.

Some interesting quick observations: There are eight Marvel-branded features opening in theaters, multiple long-awaited animated Disney sequels, the very first Star Wars summer movie under the Disney umbrella, and new projects written and directed by Alex Garland and Wes Anderson.

How the 2018 most anticipated movies list was generated: 10 members of the Screen Rant team listed their top movies currently confirmed for wide theatrical release in 2018 at the time of writing (end of 2017) and is based on their interests at that time. Films listed by each staffer get points for being listed in their personal top 30 and additional points for where they were ranked. The scores by movie for all participants were tallied up to provide us the below listed ranking.

Keep in mind, many of these films have barely begun marketing at the time of publication and the starting list began at nearly 100 releases. This is a tally of multiple separate lists and no doubt yours will be different so before you ask “why is or isn’t _____ on this list?!” you know why. Share your most anticipated movies in the comments so we can compare! And here’s last year’s list of our 30 most anticipated movies of 2017.

30. OCEAN’S 8



RELEASE DATE: JUNE 8, 2018
DIRECTOR: GARY ROSS
WRITER: OLIVIA MILCH, GARY ROSS
CAST: CATE BLANCHETT, MINDY KALING, DAKOTA FANNING, SANDRA BULLOCK, ANNE HATHAWAY, SARAH PAULSON, HELENA BONHAM CARTER, RIHANNA, AWKWAFINA, OLIVIA MUNN, ADRIANA LIMA, JAMES CORDEN, KATIE HOLMES, MATT DAMON, RICHARD ARMITAGE, KYLIE JENNER, HAILEY BALDWIN, KIM KARDASHIAN WEST, NEA DUNE, KENDALL JENNER, CARL REINER
STUDIOS: SMOKEHOUSE PICTURES, WARNER BROS.

Set in the same universe as the Ocean’s 11 franchise that ran from 2001-07, Ocean’s 8 brings together an all-star cast of leading ladies, and we suspect, some great cameos too!

The tide has turned and it’s a whole new “Ocean’s” when eight women plan and execute a heist in New York.

The first Ocean’s 8 teaser trailer didn’t hit the mark, but we can only hope with Gary Ross (The Hunger Games, Seabiscuit) directing and writing, and Steven Soderbergh producing, this could be a fun crime adventure.

29. JURASSIC WORLD: FALLEN KINGDOM



RELEASE DATE: JUNE 22, 2018
DIRECTOR: J.A. BAYONA
WRITER: COLIN TREVORROW, DEREK CONNOLLY
CAST: BRYCE DALLAS HOWARD, CHRIS PRATT, JEFF GOLDBLUM, BD WONG, DANIELLA PINEDA, TED LEVINE, TOBY JONES, JAMES CROMWELL
STUDIOS: AMBLIN ENTERTAINMENT, UNIVERSAL PICTURES

Jurassic World blew the box office up and set new records worldwide when it debuted, and for the sequel director J.A. Bayona (The Impossible, A Monster Calls) steps in for a different kind of dino adventure set four years after the first. In Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, Owen Grady and Claire Dearing find a reason to return to the island of Isla Nublar.

Why? To try and save dinosaurs from a volcano while encountering terrifying new breeds dinosaurs while uncovering a conspiracy that threatens the entire planet. The plot is as rough as the trailer but we can only hope the sequel is somewhat smarted and logical than what the characters do in the first.

28. ALITA: BATTLE ANGEL



RELEASE DATE: JULY 20, 2018
DIRECTOR: ROBERT RODRIGUEZ
WRITER: JAMES CAMERON, LAETA KALOGRIDIS, ROBERT RODRIGUEZ
CAST: ROSA SALAZAR, JENNIFER CONNELLY, EIZA GONZÁLEZ, CHRISTOPH WALTZ, MICHELLE RODRIGUEZ, ED SKREIN, MAHERSHALA ALI, ELLE LAMONT, JACKIE EARLE HALEY, CASPER VAN DIEN, KEEAN JOHNSON, JEFF FAHEY, LANA CONDOR
STUDIOS: TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX

Director Robert Rodriguez, with the help of James Cameron, is trying to do something especially unique with the long-awaited adaptation of the 1990 manga series created by Yukito Kishiro. Alita: Battle Angel, an action-packed story of hope, love and empowerment.

Set several centuries in the future, the abandoned Alita (Rosa Salazar) is found in the scrapyard of Iron City by Ido (Christoph Waltz), a compassionate cyber-doctor who takes the unconscious cyborg Alita to his clinic. When Alita awakens she has no memory of who she is, nor does she have any recognition of the world she finds herself in. Everything is new to Alita, every experience a first. As she learns to navigate her new life and the treacherous streets of Iron City, Ido tries to shield Alita from her mysterious past while her street-smart new friend, Hugo (Keean Johnson), offers instead to help trigger her memories. A growing affection develops between the two until deadly forces come after Alita and threaten her newfound relationships. It is then that Alita discovers she has extraordinary fighting abilities that could be used to save the friends and family she’s grown to love. Determined to uncover the truth behind her origin, Alita sets out on a journey that will lead her to take on the injustices of this dark, corrupt world, and discover that one young woman can change the world in which she lives.

The first Alita: Battle Angel teaser trailer emphasized impressive visuals, albeit weird uncanny valley stylistic choices that may make Alita a tough project to market.

27. TOMB RAIDER



RELEASE DATE: MARCH 16, 2018
DIRECTOR: ROAR UTHAUG
WRITER: GENEVA ROBERTSON-DWORET, ALASTAIR SIDDONS
CAST: ALICIA VIKANDER, HANNAH JOHN-KAMEN, WALTON GOGGINS, KRISTIN SCOTT THOMAS, DOMINIC WEST, NICK FROST, DANIEL WU, EMILY CAREY
STUDIOS: GK FILMS, WARNER BROS.

Assassin’s Creed and the second attempt at Hitman: Agent 47 didn’t do it recently. No video game adaptation really has, even with the help of Oscar-caliber talent in front of the camera. So, what will make Alicia Vikander’s Lara Croft any different? The Tomb Raider video game franchise has seen new life since its gritty and realistic reboot from which the film draws its inspiration from, but the first Tomb Raider trailer – like many of our ‘first looks’ at 2018 movies so far – and poster failed to impress. Can Tomb Raider beat the odds? We’re hopeful.

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