There are a lot of amazing films to look forward to in 2021, but with society still shell-shocked following the tumultuous year that was 2020, comedies might be the films they look to in order to provide some much-needed relief.
A slew of great comedies are scheduled to release next year, including a movie that features Nicolas Cage playing himself and new entries in not one, but three-decades-old franchises. Which ones will draw the biggest audiences is ultimately a toss-up in such an unpredictable time, but IMDb's MovieMeter can at least tell us the ones that the site's users are most looking forward to.
The Unbearable Weight Of Massive Talent - 1,107
In Lionsgate's The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent, a financially-struggling Nicolas Cage (played by himself) accepts $1 million to visit a billionaire super-fan's birthday party in-character.
But when the CIA informs Cage that his host is the head of a notorious drug cartel, the washed-up actor will have to take on the most ambitious role of his life. The film is currently scheduled for release on March 19, 2020.
Tom And Jerry - 1,100
The classic cartoon characters Tom and Jerry will get a modern revamp in their upcoming film, which features the two engaging in a cat-and-mouse duel throughout a luxurious Manhattan hotel.
The film's human cast includes Chloë Grace Moretz, Michael Peña, Rob Delaney, and Colin Jost. Tom and Jerry will be released in theaters and on HBO Max on February 26, 2021.
Encanto - 994
Disney's Encanto is set in Colombia and follows a normal girl's experience with being born into a magical family. The film will be directed by Byron Howard and Jared Bush, both known for their work on the Disney hit Zootopia.
Hamilton composer Lin-Manuel Miranda will write the music. Encanto is currently scheduled for release on November 24, 2021.
Space Jam: A New Legacy - 936
In the upcoming Space Jam sequel Space Jam: A New Legacy, the Tune Squad returns to help LeBron James win a basketball game against a sinister computer algorithm's digital players.
The cast includes Don Cheadle as the algorithm and The Walking Dead star Sonequa Martin-Green as LeBron's wife, with several NBA and WNBA players appearing in cameo roles. Space Jam: A New Legacy will be released in theaters and on HBO Max on July 16, 2021.
Cinderella - 832
Sony Pictures' upcoming film Cinderella is a musical retelling of the classic fairy tale starring singer-songwriter Camila Cabello as the title character.
The film also features Idina Menzel as the evil stepmother, Billy Porter as a genderless Fairy Godparent, and Nicholas Galitzine as the Prince. Cinderella is currently planned for release on February 5, 2021.
The French Dispatch - 809
Wes Anderson's The French Dispatch follows three storylines told from the perspective of American journalists living in France. It features an all-star cast including Bill Murray, Tilda Swinton, Owen Wilson, Jason Schwartzman, and Elisabeth Moss as staff-members of the titular French Dispatch, alongside Benicio Del Toro, Timothée Chalamet, and Léa Seydoux.
Postponed repeatedly due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the film is currently scheduled to be released on an undisclosed date in 2021.
Ghostbusters: Afterlife - 786
In Ghostbusters: Afterlife, a sequel to 1989's Ghostbusters II, a single mother (Carrie Coon) moves with her two children to a farm she inherited from her late father, where a series of strange circumstances cause her to research his ties to the Ghostbusters legend.
The film will feature Bill Murray, Dan Akroyd, Ernie Hudson, Annie Potts, and Sigourney Weaver reprising their roles from the previous films, while new cast additions include Finn Wolfhard and J.K. Simmons. Ghostbusters: Afterlife is currently scheduled to be released by Sony Pictures on June 11, 2021.
Coming 2 America - 643
The Coming to America sequel, Coming 2 America, features Eddie Murphy and Arsenio Hall returning as Prince Akeem and Semmi respectively, as the two return to America to find Akeem's long-lost son Lavelle (Jermaine Fowler) and crown him as heir to the Zamundan throne.
The film's supporting cast includes Wesley Snipes alongside If Beale Street Could Talk star KiKi Layne and SNL alum Leslie Jones. Coming 2 America will be released on March 5, 2021, on Amazon Prime.
The King's Man - 462
The upcoming comedy-drama The King's Man is a World-War-I-era origin story for the titular spy organization at the heart of the Kingsman film series. Like its predecessors, the film is directed by Matthew Vaughn.
The King's Man is currently scheduled to be released in theaters on March 12, 2021. At least seven more Kingsman movies are currently in development.
Free Guy - 361
The upcoming action-comedy Free Guy stars Ryan Reynolds as a bank teller who discovers he's just a background character in Free City, an open-world video game on the brink of being taken offline.
Refusing to accept his fate and wanting to be acknowledged as a hero, he teams up with a programmer (Jodie Comer) to save his world from deletion. Free Guy is currently scheduled to be released on May 21, 2021, by 20th Century Studios.