According to Forbes, director Jia Ling's film, Hi, Mom, is the highest-grossing movie from a female solo director in 2021. Between this and The Power of the Dog director Jane Campion recently becoming the only woman to be nominated twice for a Best Director Oscar, female directors are only starting to get the attention they deserve. Hopefully, things continue moving in the right direction with these upcoming 2022 releases.
Whether they're movies from companies like Disney, adaptations of popular books, or explorations of human psychology, there's something to suit everyone's tastes among these notably anticipated movies set to come out this year.
Fresh - March 4th
Starring Daisy Edgar-Jones and Sebastian Stan, Fresh premiered at Sundance Film Festival in January of this year but is set for a wider release in March.
Director Mimi Cave's debut, Fresh is a thriller that follows the romantic life of Edgar-Jones' character Noa, disillusioned with online dating, and the relationship she develops with Steve (Stan) after meeting him in a grocery store. But as Noa gets to know Steve on a trip away together, she uncovers some disturbing hidden truths about him.
Turning Red - March 11th
A Disney+ movie to look forward to in 2022, Turning Red is the latest animated film from Pixar. It is directed by Domee Shi, who previously helmed the studio's Academy Award-winning short, Bao.
The movie is set in the early 2000s and centers on protagonist Meilin Lee, a young teenage Chinese-Canadian girl who spontaneously transforms into a huge red panda whenever she is overwhelmed with strong emotions like stress or excitement. Shi also co-wrote the film's screenplay, alongside Julia Cho.
Where The Crawdads Sing - July 22nd
An adaptation of the bestselling Delia Owens novel of the same name, Where the Crawdads Sing is a drama directed by Olivia Newman.
Set in the marshlands of North Carolina, the story tracks the life of main character Kya (Daisy Edgar-Jones) as she comes of age 1950s and 1960s in a household dominated by her alcoholic and abusive father. The narrative also explores Kya's relationships outside of her family and an investigation into a local man's murder.
The Woman King - September 16th
The Woman King is a historical epic directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood, most recently known for her action movie The Old Guard.
As with many of the best historical drama movies of all time, The Woman King looks set to teach viewers about an underrepresented part of world history, namely all-female warriors the Dahomey Amazons, and their Kingdom of Dahomey (present-day Benin), as its development coincided with the Atlantic slave trade. Viola Davis will play Nanisca, the general of the Dahomey Amazons.
Don't Worry Darling - September 23rd
From director and actor Olivia Wilde, Don't Worry Darling is a psychological thriller with an ensemble cast led by Florence Pugh and Harry Styles.
Given that, according to Deadline, 18 studios were in a bidding war to acquire the script, the movie gained buzz before it even began production, and the premise is full of intrigue. It follows a 1950s housewife living with her husband in an experimental community. She unearths a horrific truth while her husband and the company he works for hold secrets of their own.
Hocus Pocus 2 - Fall 2022
A highly talked-about sequel, Hocus Pocus 2 is set for release on Disney+ sometime around Halloween and is directed by Anne Fletcher.
The first Hocus Pocus has become a cult classic Halloween film in the decades since its 1993 release, and the sequel will see all three Sanderson sisters — portrayed by Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy — reprising their roles. The sequel will take place in present-day Salem, and tell the story of a group of teenagers working together to stop the witches after they make a return.
Spellbound - November 11th
Scheduled for release via Apple TV+, Spellbound is an animated feature by Paramount Pictures and Skydance Animation Madrid.
Directed by Vicky Jenson, who has been the director behind other animated hits like Shrek, Spellbound is an adventure-comedy that follows Elian, a teenager determined to use her magical powers as she comes of age in order to protect her family in a kingdom troubled by division caused by opposing forces.
I Wanna Dance With Somebody - December 23rd
Though its release date is not yet confirmed, the Whitney Houston biopic I Wanna Dance with Somebody has an expected release of December this year.
Fans of Star Wars will recognize BAFTA TV award-winner Naomi Ackie filling the role of Houston. I Wanna Dance with Somebody is directed by Kasi Lemmons, and tracks Houston's life and career from its beginnings to global stardom.
Rosaline - TBD 2022
Releasing on Hulu in the United States, and Disney+ and Star+ where that streaming service is not available, Rosaline is a romantic comedy directed by Karen Maine.
There have been many movies based on Shakespeare's works, but Rosaline is not a direct adaptation of one of his plays. Instead, it is a comedic retelling of the story of Romeo and Juliet from Romeo's cousin Rosaline's perspective The movie is inspired by the novel When You Were Mine, with actress Kaitlyn Dever in the title role.
Emily - TBD 2022
Emily is a biographical drama recounting the life of British author Emily Brontë, most known for her novel Wuthering Heights.
It is both written and directed by director and actress Frances O'Connor, with Sex Education star Emma Mackey as Emily Brontë. The movie will cover the life of the writer whose work has had such a lasting effect on literature, even though Brontë herself sadly died at the early age of 30.