The new year has just started and here are some of the films that will be released later on in the year.

Dune Part 3

Denis Villeneuve’s Dune Part 3 takes us back to the desert planet of Arrakis about 20 years after the events of Dune Part 2. The plot is unknown at this time, but it will most likely combine elements from Frank Herbert’s novels Dune: Messiah and Children of Dune. The cast includes Timothee Chalamet (Paul Atreides), Zendaya (Chani), Javier Bardem (Stilgar), Robert Pattenson (Scytale), Florence Pugh (Princess Irulan), Anya Taylor-Joy (Alia Atreides), Jason Momoa (Hayt/Duncan Idaho), Rebecca Ferguson (Lady Jessica Atreides), and Josh Brolin (Gurney Hallack). The film will be composed by Hans Zimmer, who previously won the Oscar for Best Score for Dune (2021). The film is set to release on December 18, but recent rumors have been going around saying that it could be moved up to as early as October 2026.

I am very excited and hopeful that Dune Part 3 will match the greatness of the first 2 Dunes. With its epic cinematography, Han Zimmer’s cinematic score, expansive landscapes, and remarkable performances from the entire cast, there’s no doubt that Dune Part 2 is one of my favorite films ever. Chalamet’s performance should have been given an Oscar nomination over his other 2024 performance as Bob Dylan in A Complete Unknown. He delivers a speech in made up language from his heart to show how powerful Paul Atreides is at convincing people to follow him and how strong of a leader he will be in the future. I am sure that Chalamet will once again deliver with another amazing performance as he always does. Hans Zimmer is another person that I’m keeping my eye on as he will give another score that will take us off this planet and make us feel like we are on Arrakis with Paul Atreides. Dune Part 3 is 100% going to be worth the watch, especially in IMAX.

Project Hail Mary

Based on the book written by Andy Weir, Project Hail Mary directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, follows science teacher Ryland Grace, played by Ryan Gosling, being sent on a mission in space to figure out why the sun is dying. As his mission progresses, Ryland Grace realizes he isn’t the only one in space. Other members of the cast include Sandra Hüller (Eva Stratt), Milana Vayntrub (Olesya Ilyukhina), James Ortiz (Rocky), Liz Kingsman (Shapiro), and Lionel Boyce (Steve Hatch). Phil Lord and Christopher Miller previously directed 21 Jump Street, 22 Jump Street, and The Lego Movie. Project Hail Mary is set to release on March 20 and will be showcased in IMAX

This isn’t the first movie adaptation of one of Weir’s books. The Martian starring Matt Damon was a critically acclaimed film directed by Ridley Scott that was also originally written by Weir. Both films center around an Astronaut being alone in space doing what it takes to not die. I am super excited to see Ryan Gosling play the scared but funny Ryland Grace. With the success and greatness of The Martian, Project Hail Mary could be as successful and as good of a movie. With Miller and Lord doing both of the Jump Street films, the movie should be an enjoyable and funny watch.

Disclosure Day

Disclosure Day is the next installment into Steven Spielberg’s filmography. The Sci-fi/thriller is about how humanity finds out that there are extraterrestrial beings out there and the fear and other reactions to this. The film stars Emily Blunt, Josh O’Connor, Colin Firth, Eve Hewson, Colman Domingo, Wyatt Russell, and Henry Lloyd-Hughes. This will be the 40th film directed by Spielberg and 30th collaboration with John Williams composing the score. Other Spielberg projects include The Fabelmans, The Indiana Jones series, Schindler’s List, Saving Private Ryan, Jurassic Park, and many other legendary films. Disclosure Day is set to release June 12 and will also be available in IMAX.

Steven Spielberg is a legendary director and for him to still be releasing movies is crazy to me. Williams has scored every Spielberg film since The Sugarland Express in 1974 except for The Color Purple in 1985. Williams has won the Oscar for Best Original Score 4 times, 3 of them on a Spielberg project for Jaws, E.T. The Extra Terrestrial, and Schindler’s List. Spielberg has always been known to include elements of horror into a lot of his films and with this movie being extraterrestrial life I expect it to be no different. I am super excited to see Disclosure Day in theaters and I hope that it doesn’t disappoint.

The Mandalorian and Grogu

Following the hit tv show The Mandalorian, The Mandalorian and Grogu picks up where our favorite Bounty Hunter, Din Djarin, left off. As the Galactic Empire attempts to come back, The New Republic hires Djarin as a mercenary to fight them. Djarin and Grogu aren’t alone, as they have many allies with them including Trapper Wolf and Zeb Orrelios. Grogu, being a survivor of Order 66, is a high priority target of the Empire. Din Djarin will do whatever it takes to keep the child alive. Starring Pedro Pascal (Din Djarin), Steve Blum (Zeb Orreelios), Dave Filoni (Trapper Wolf), Sigourney Weaver (Colonel Ward), Jeremy Allen White (Rotta The Hutt), and Amy Sedaris (Pelli Moto). Jon Favreau is directing the film with Ludwig Göransson returning to compose the iconic Mandalorian Theme for the movie. Favreau previously directed Iron Man, Iron Man 2, and most of the episodes of The Mandalorian. The Mandalorian and Grogu is set to release on May 22 and will be featured in IMAX.

The Mandalorian is one of the more successful Star Wars projects that Disney has released since acquiring it back in 2012. Hopefully the movie will be able to build off the success from the show and maybe even be better. This will be the first Star Wars movie to be released since Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker which ended up being one of the worst in the series. The Mandalorian and Grogu won’t have to worry about being compared to The Rise of Skywalker as pretty much everyone who worked on the show is working on the movie. If the rumors of a follow up movie based on the Heir to Empire comics including characters from The Mandalorian, Star Wars Rebels, The Book of Boba Fett, and Ahsoka are true, this will be a movie to not miss out on if you are a Star Wars fan.

“THIS IS THE WAY”

The Odyssey

Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey, Based on the story written by Homer, follows Odysseus on his journey home from The Trojan War. The Greek King of Ithaca must return home to his throne and family but it will not be easy. On his journey, he encounters many mythical creatures such as Cyclops Polyphemus, Sirens, and Goddesses. The Cast includes Matt Damon (Odyesseus), Tom Holland (Telemachus), Zendaya (Athena), Anne Hathaway (Penelope), Lupita Nyong’o, Robert Pattinson (Antinous), Benny Safdie, Charlize Theron (Circe), Jon Bernthal (Menelaus), John Leguizamo (Eumaeus), Himesh Patel (Eurylochus), Elliot Page, Mia Goth (Melantho), and Travis Scott. Christopher Nolan adds on to his legendary filmography after winning Best Picture and Best Director for Oppenheimer. Ludwig Göransson is returning to work with Nolan after he won the Oscar for Best Music for Oppenheimer as well. The Odyssey will be the first movie ever filmed entirely on IMAX 70mm film and will be released July 17.

The Odyssey is the movie a lot of people are looking forward to the most this year. Christopher Nolan is one of the best directors, especially in recent years. He is one of the only current directors to not use green screens and only uses CGI to enhance the sets he makes. For Oppenheimer, Nolan actually blew up a bomb instead of using CGI to get the same effect. It will be interesting to see if Nolan continues this trend with the mythical beings that are going to be shown. Nolan is also known to film using 70mm IMAX for a lot of his movies. But with how loud they are on set, it is hard for dialogue scenes to be recorded. Nolan helped make the cameras quieter so he could film the entire movie using the 70mm IMAX cameras. It will be one of the best things to watch in Imax especially with the stacked cast. The cast is absolutely insane but I have to ask, why is Travis Scott in this. He is pretty much a polar bear in Arlington, Texas. He has never been in a feature film before, but if Nolan trusts him, then I think it will work out perfectly fine.

Those were the movies that I am most excited for this year, but some other movies I’m looking forward to include:

• Avengers: Doomsday

• Spider-Man: Brand New Day

• Scream 7

• Scary Movie 6

• Super Girl

• Super Troopers Three

• The Bride

• Terrifier 4

• Michael

• Coyote Vs Acme

• The Super Mario Galaxy Movie

• The Social Reckoning