Movies to Look Forward to in the First Half of 2021
In case any of you were expecting anything different, 2021 is looking to be merely '2020: The Sequel.' With almost a full calendar year of pandemic life behind us, and an uncertain future still ahead of us, it's difficult to commit ourselves to look forward to anything. Today, I'd like to be a little optimistic (for a change of pace) and look to the films that are slated to be released in the first half of 2021. Obviously, there is a significant chance that many of these films will need to be pushed back further, but for now, it's worth looking at the titles that could be in our near future and dream about the possibilities... Here are some of the films I'm looking forward to in the coming year:
The Father (dir. Florian Zeller) Release Date: February 26
Based on the award-winning play about an elderly man's struggle with memory loss, this film stars two superstar performers: Anthony Hopkins and Olivia Coleman. The cast, in addition to the fact that the original playwright is directing the film, makes this an intriguing offering in 2021.
Raya and the Last Dragon (dir. Paul Briggs, Dean Wellins) Release Date: March 5
Disney's upcoming animated fantasy looks like a solid addition to the canon, filled with exciting action and fresh world-building. However, I must admit that I'm most excited for Awkwafina's performance as the titular last dragon.
The King's Man (dir. Matthew Vaughn) Release Date: March 12
This third film in the action/comedy/spy thriller Kingsman series is a prequel to both Kingsman: The Secret Service and Kingsman: The Golden Circle, the former having been one of my favorite films of 2015. I'm very excited to return to this world. Plus, Ralph Fiennes is in it. How can it go wrong?
Black Widow (dir. Cate Shortland) Release Date: May 27
Between movies and television series, Marvel content is about as commonplace as Starbucks nowadays. It takes a lot for me to get very excited about a new addition to the cinematic universe, but 'Black Widow' has always been an interesting character that tended to be overlooked in the Avengers films. I'm ready to see her take center stage this time.
In the Heights (dir. Jon M. Chu) Release Date: June 18
I've been anticipating the film adaptation of Lin Manuel Miranda's Tony-winning musical for what feels like years. The cast is promising (much more so than the upcoming West Side Story film), and the music from the Broadway show is too great to not reach a wider audience.
What films are you looking forward to in the coming year? How many more Marvel movies do you think your system can handle in 2021? Let me know in the comments below and keep looking ahead to better times.
Copyright © 2021 Bailey Lizotte
