Most Anticipated Upcoming Hollywood Releases Of 2022

The following is a list of upcoming Hollywood films scheduled for release this year, that are highly anticipated, in my opinion. If you feel we have missed out on something that fits the category, do let us know in the comments section. The release dates mentioned indicate the theatrical release date in the USA.

Blonde

Blonde stars the hypnotic Ana de Armas as Marilyn Monroe. That should be enough to add this to your watchlist, but let me give some more details. The film is written and directed by Andrew Dominik. Blonde is based on a biographical novel of the same title, written by Joyce Carol Oates. The film's cast includes Adrien Brody, Bobby Cannavale, Xavier Samuel, and Julianne Nicholson.

Blonde premiered at the Venice Film Festival and has been released in select theatres. The film has received positive reviews so far. Rafa Sales Ross, in her review for the BBC, wrote this about the film, "Blonde's greatest merit is its frankness - it tells you what it is about to do and then does it. It is a poignant framing for a film about a woman who lived her entire life denied that predictability."

Release Date (Netflix) - September 28

Amsterdam

This period drama stars Christian Bale, Margot Robbie, and John David Washington in the lead roles. The cast looks shiny with popular names including Chris Rock, Anya-Taylor Joy, Zoe Saldana, Taylor Swift, Rami Malek, and Robert de Niro.

Amsterdam is supposed to be a murder mystery. This is how Wikipedia describes the film's premise- "Three friends-a doctor, a nurse, and an attorney-become the prime suspects in a murder in the 1930s."

Amsterdam is produced, written, and directed by David O Russell, who also directed my personal favourite Silver Linings Playbook. Amsterdam had its premiere at the Alice Tully Hall, New York, on September 18.

Release Date - October 7

Black Adam

The character Black Adam initially was supposed to be a villain in DCEU's Shazam, but then it was decided that he would get his own film. Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson plays the titular character.

The film is directed by Jaume Collet-Serra. Black Adam was written by Adam Sztykiel originally, and after the pandemic delay, Rory Haines and Sohrab Noshirvani were hired to rewrite the script.

The plot is expected to be about how the members of the Justice Society of America, handle Black Adam as he enters the modern world after his millennia-long imprisonment.

Release Date - October 21

Enola Holmes 2

Enola Holmes was an endearing experiment at creating a female teenage version of the esteemed detective Sherlock Holmes, in the form of his sister. While Enola isn't exactly Sherlock, she does remind us of the shrewd detective a lot. The Enola Holmes films are based on the book series, The Enola Holmes Mysteries by Nancy Springer.

Millie Bobby Brown, Henry Cavill and Helena Bonham Carter reprise their roles as Enola Holmes, Sherlock Holmes and Eudoria Holmes repectively. The sequel is supposed to be about the missing sister of a girl who works in a match factory. The film is written by Jack Thorne and directed by Harry Bradbeer.

Release Date (Netflix) - November 4

Black Panther - Wakanda Forever

It was a debate as to whether T'Challa would be recast after the untimely demise of Chadwick Boseman. The makers decided to not recast the character and went on to rework the story accordingly. It is expected that the film would be set in a time after King T'Challa's death.

The film is written by Ryan Coogler and Joe Robert Cole, and directed by Ryan Coogler. Black Panther - Wakanda Forever is believed to be the final film in phase 4 of MCU. Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige stated that the sequel would explore the world and characters of the first film as a way to honour the legacy that Boseman helped build.

Release Date - November 11

Avatar - The Way Of Water

We have to take this release date with a pinch of salt, or whatever is Pandora's equivalent to salt, but hopefully, we will get to see the most awaited sequel ever in history, Avatar - The Way Of Water, this December.

The film's writing took close to four years when we look back at it. Producing three films simultaneously is not a small feat by any means. The crew had to work underwater performance capturing, and this might be the first instance of such an attempt across the globe. The confidence, passion, and persistence behind this production are inspiring to say the least. James Cameron plans to show us all of the Avatar films by the year 2028. The timeline of this franchise makes me dizzy.

It is said that Steven Gould has been hired to write novels based on the Avatar sequels as part of the promotion. Steven Gould is known for his novel Jumper, which was adapted into a feature film in 2008.

Release Date - December 16

Glass Onion - A Knives Out Mystery

Daniel Craig reprises his role as Benoit Blanc in the sequel to the 2019 mystery drama, Knives Out. And apparently, he will be solving crime in Greece this time.

The film also stars Edward Norton, Janelle Monae, Kathryn Hahn, Leslie Odom Jr, Jessica Henwick, Madelyn Cline, Kate Hudson, Dave Bautista, and Ethan Hawke. It's produced, written, and directed by Rian Johnson.

Edward Norton plays a tech billionaire, Miles. Ethan Hawke plays Miles' assistant. Kate Hudson plays a supermodel, and Jessica Henwick plays her assistant. Dave Bautista plays a YouTube star and a men's rights activist.

Release Date (Netflix) - December 23

Babylon

Margot Robbie and Brad Pitt look crazy in the trailer, in a good, positive, and interesting way. It appears that the story might involve a film about Babylon. I might be wrong.

The story follows actor Manny Torres played by Diego Calva. Set in the 1920s, the film's promos make the era look more fun than the 2020s. Margot Robbie and Brad Pitt are no strangers to eccentric performances and this film looks like it has given them something to work on.

Babylon is written and directed by the Academy Award-winner Damien Chazelle. La La Land is still so fresh in our minds that we forgot it came six years back. Babylon should definitely be checked out.

Release Date - December 25