It will be another massive year for Hollywood, and these are our most anticipated movies of 2023. The impact of the coronavirus pandemic is still lingering in the movie industry, but 2022 proved that the appetite for going to theaters and streaming films online has not gone away. Top Gun: Maverick followed in Spider-Man: No Way Home's shoes to be billion-dollar box office hits, while James Cameron's Avatar: The Way of Water proved to be worth the wait. Audiences also turned out to see the latest installments from the Marvel Cinematic Universe and DC Universe. In several cases, delays caused by COVID forced viewers to wait longer.
The pandemic-related delays carried over to change the 2023 movie slate, resulting in a jam-packed lineup of blockbusters, adaptations, and original movies from high-profile talent. This will be the year after all that long-delayed titles like Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, and Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One arrive. However, not every exciting upcoming release can make this list, as some from big superhero movies, major sequels, and new films from big directors are missing from the rundown below. Without further ado, here are the 25 Most Anticipated Movies of 2023.
25 Wonka
A new spin on Willy Wonka arrives in 2023 as Timothée Chalamet stars in Wonka for Warner Bros. Discovery. The movie comes from Paddington director Paul King and follows a young Willy Wonka as he meets the Oompa-Loompas early on in his life. Wonka has the makings to be a unique showcase for Chalamet, as the fantasy musical will allow one of Hollywood's brightest young stars a chance to put his stamp on an iconic character. The cast also includes Oscar winners like Olivia Colman and Sally Hawkins, as well as Keegan-Michael Key, Rowan Atkinson, and others. Wonka releases in theaters on December 15, 2023.
24 Beau Is Afraid
The thrilling combination of Ari Aster and Joaquin Phoenix team up in 2023 with Beau Is Afraid. Previously known as Disappointment Blvd, the new movie is the latest from Ari Aster, the director behind recent horror hits Hereditary and Midsommar. The film is described as a nightmare comedy that spans decades in the life of a successful entrepreneur. Joaquin Phoenix stars in the horror comedy after winning an Oscar for Joker. He should follow in Toni Collette and Florence Pugh's footsteps of delivering memorable performances as the lead of an Aster movie. Beau Is Afraid does not have an official release date, but A24 is planning a 2023 release.
23 Argylle
Henry Cavill headlines a new spy movie for director Matthew Vaughn in 2023's Argylle. It is based on Elly Conway's unreleased novel and brings both Cavill and Vaughn back to the spy movie genre. Vaughn left his mark on the genre before with the Kingsman movies, while Cavill previously starred in The Man from U.N.C.L.E. The film features an incredible ensemble cast that includes Bryan Cranston, Samuel L. Jackson, Bryce Dallas Howard, John Cena, Sam Rockwell, Dua Lipa, Catherine O'Hara, and Ariana DeBose. Argylle does not yet have an official 2023 release date from Apple TV+, but it could be a new franchise for Henry Cavill after his Superman exit.
22 Renfield
Universal is returning to the realm of Universal Monsters in 2023 with Renfield, a film following Dracula's henchman. Nicholas Hoult stars as Renfield, while Nicolas Cage plays Dracula. Renfield comes from The LEGO Batman Movie director Chris McKay and an original pitch from Invincible and The Walking Dead creator Robert Kirkman. The movie features a fun supporting cast around Hoult and Cage's Dracula, including Awkwafina and Ben Schwartz. With the movie following Renfield as he tries to quit working for Dracula to pursue love, the horror comedy could be a surprise hit once it releases on April 14, 2023.
21 Scream 6
2022 marked the return of the Scream franchise, and 2023 continues Ghost Face's terror as Scream 6 is on the way. Directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett return after successfully bringing the IP back last year, while Melissa Barrera, Jenna Ortega, Mason Gooding, and Jasmin Savoy Brown return from Scream 5's cast. Even though Neve Campbell is not returning for Scream 6, franchise veterans in Courtney Cox's Gale Weathers and Hayden Panettiere's Kirby Reed are back. There are also exciting new additions in Samara Weaving and Tony Revolori as the story's setting shifts to New York. Scream 6 is set for a March 10, 2023 release.
20 The Little Mermaid
Disney's next live-action remake comes in the form of a new The Little Mermaid movie starring Halle Bailey as Ariel. The film comes from Mary Poppins Returns director Rob Marshall and includes new music from Alan Menken and Lin-Manuel Miranda. While Halle Bailey's Ariel is at the forefront of The Little Mermaid, the live-action remake has Melissa McCarthy as Ursula, Javier Bardem as King Triton, Daveed Diggs as Sebastian, Jacob Tremblay as Flounder, Awkwafina as Scuttle, and Jonah Hauer-King as Prince Eric. The film has the potential to be a star-making turn for Bailey, thanks to her incredible vocals. The Little Mermaid releases on May 26, 2023.
19 Transformers: Rise of the Beasts
The Transformers franchise returns in 2023 for the long-awaited adaptation of Beast Wars. The film will once again feature familiar Autobots in Optimus Prime and Bumblebee, but Transformers: Rise of the Beasts also introduces Optimus Primal and other Maximals, as well as the Terrorcons and Predacons. The seventh Transformers movie is set in the 1990s, years before Michael Bay's films. It also features a new cast of human characters led by Anthony Ramos and Dominique Fishback. Transformers: Rise of the Beasts is directed by Creed II's Steven Caple Jr. and looks to have all the Beast Wars action fans could hope for. It releases on June 9, 2023.
18 65
65 is a highly anticipated 2023 movie that comes from Scott Beck and Bryan Woods, the writers behind the first A Quiet Place movie. The movie stars Adam Driver as an astronaut who crash lands on a prehistoric Earth and must fight dinosaurs for survival. The original horror movie also features Ariana Greenblatt and Chloe Coleman as part of the cast, with Greenblatt playing a surviving passenger from Driver's ship. Adam Driver's 65 movie looks like a great new potential franchise that properly utilizes dinosaurs as terrifying creatures. Sony will release the movie in theaters on March 10, 2023.
17 Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom
Jason Momoa returns for what could be his final appearance as Aquaman in Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom. James Wan's sequel has been delayed several times, resulting in creative challenges. Aquaman 2 follows Arthur Curry and Ocean Master (Patrick Wilson) during an unexpected team-up, while Black Manta (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II), King Nereus (Dolph Lundgren), Atlanna (Nicole Kidman, and Tom Curry (Temuera Morrison) also return. The movie is scheduled to feature a cameo from either Ben Affleck or Michael Keaton as Batman, while Amber Heard's return as Mera could be reduced or cut. Aquaman 2 releases on December 25, 2023, and is the last movie made under DC's old regime.
16 Knock at the Cabin
The latest thriller from director M. Night Shyamalan arrives in 2023 with Knock at the Cabin. The movie follows a family who is taken hostage during vacation by strangers believing one of the parents must die to prevent an apocalypse. Dave Bautista leads the group trying to avert the end of the world, while Ben Aldridge and Jonathan Groff play the parents of a young girl. While M. Night Shyamalan's movies can disappoint as he takes big swings narratively, the potential with each makes Knock at the Cabin one of the most anticipated movies of 2023. It has a February 3, 2023, release date.
15 The Super Mario Bros. Movie
One of the most iconic video game characters is heading to the big screen in 2023 with Illumination's animated The Super Mario Bros. Movie. The movie's development has mostly been overshadowed by Chris Pratt's casting as Mario, but the rest of the film and the footage shown is quite exciting. The Super Mario Bros. Movie features an incredible voice cast: Jack Black's Bowser, Anya Taylor-Joy's Peach, Charlie Day's Luigi, Keegan-Michael Key's Toad, and Seth Rogen's Donkey Kong. The movie appears to include plenty of iconic elements from the video games and adequately captures the franchise's tone. The Super Mario Bros. Movie releases April 7, 2023.
14 The Flash
Despite the various controversies surrounding The Flash and its lead star Ezra Miller, the movie has plenty of exciting elements around them. The film comes from IT director Andy Muschietti and is a multiverse adventure loosely adapting Flashpoint, where Barry Allen changes the timeline to save his mother from dying in the past. Ben Affleck's Batman returns in the movie, but the multiverse allows Michael Keaton's Batman, Sasha Calle's Supergirl, Michael Shannon's General Zod, Antje Traue's Faora-Ul, and potentially others to appear. The Flash is reportedly viewed by WB as one of the best DC movies ever and could help reboot the DCU once it releases on June 16, 2023.
13 Maestro
Following his impressive directorial debut with 2018's A Star Is Born, Bradley Cooper returns behind and in front of the camera for Maestro. The movie follows the life of legendary composer Leonard Bernstein, played by Cooper, and his romance with Felicia Montealegre, played by Carey Mulligan. Maestro was initially developed as a film by Steven Spielberg, but the director passed the movie off to Cooper after A Star Is Born. With a solid supporting cast that includes Stranger Things' Maya Hawke, the biopic has all the potential to give Bradley Cooper another Best Picture Oscar-nominated movie. Maestro does not have an official release date but is expected in 2023.
12 Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania
The Ant-Man franchise returns in a big way in 2023 with Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. Directed by Peyton Reed again, the sequel returns Paul Rudd's Ant-Man, Evangeline Lilly's Wasp, Michael Douglas' Hank Pym, and Michelle Pfeiffer's Janet van Dyne. One of the main reasons why Ant-Man 3 is so highly anticipated is the appearance of Jonathan Majors as Kang the Conqueror. The movie will explore more of the Quantum Realm and kickstart MCU Phase 5. It also features the debut of Kathryn Newton as Cassie Lang after Marvel's latest recast. Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania has a February 17, 2023, release date.
11 Killers of the Flower Moon
Legendary director Martin Scorsese returns with a new movie in 2023 with his long-awaited adaption of Killers of the Flower Moon. The movie adaptation of David Grann's novel that follows a murder investigation in the 1920s has been in development since 2017 with Scorsese. The movie stars Jesse Plemons as the lead detective, while Robert De Niro, Leonardo DiCaprio, Lily Gladstone, John Lithgow, and Brendan Fraser are also part of the cast. Any new Martin Scorsese movie is worth getting excited about, and Apple TV+ is hoping for Killers of the Flower Moon to be a big Oscars contender whenever it releases in 2023.
10 Creed 3
The Creed trilogy gets an emotional and hard-hitting finale in 2023 when Creed 3 releases. Franchise star Michael B. Jordan is back to star as Adonis Creed, but he also steps behind the camera to make his directorial debut. One of the most exciting aspects of Creed 3 is Jonathan Majors playing the villain, Damian, who has a history with Adonis from their childhoods. The movie features returning cast members like Tessa Thompson, Phylicia Rashad, and Florian Munteanu. However, Sylvester Stallone's Rocky is not in Creed 3. If the movie hits, Creed will become one of the better modern-day trilogies. Creed 3 releases on March 3, 2023.
9 The Killer
Three years after Mank's release, David Fincher's new movie The Killer is expected to arrive in 2023. The film sees Fincher re-team with writer Andrew Kevin Walker after Se7en for an assassin movie starring Michael Fassbender. The Killer is based on a French graphic novel by Alexis Nolent about an assassin who begins to develop a conscience, resulting in a psychological breakdown as his skills continue to be demanded. The movie also stars Tilda Swinton. Considering how brilliant David Fincher's past crime thrillers and action movies have been, The Killer could be the perfect combination of the two genres.
8 John Wick: Chapter 4
Yes, Keanu Reeves is back as John Wick in 2023 thanks to John Wick: Chapter 4. The now massively popular action franchise from Lionsgate sees Chad Stahelski return to direct and push the franchise forward. John Wick 4 continues Wick's quest for revenge, this time pitting him against High Table associates Marquis (Bill Skarsgård) and Caine (Donnie Yen). The movie features returning characters like Bowery King (Laurence Fishburne), Charon (Lance Reddick), and Winston (Ian McShane). There is little doubt that John Wick 4 will hold some of the best action scenes of any 2023 movie released, so March 24 cannot get here quickly enough.
7 Barbie
2023 could become Barbie's world thanks to the release of Warner Bros.' Barbie movie. The film stars Margot Robbie as the iconic Mattel doll and is directed by Little Women's Greta Gerwig, who also co-wrote the script with Noah Baumbach. Barbie co-stars Ryan Gosling as Ken and features a brilliant supporting cast of Will Ferrell, Simu Liu, Kate McKinnon, Issa Rae, and more. These individuals bring some of Hollywood's biggest talents together for a film about Barbie interacting with the real world. With the colorful costumes and sets and a clearly unique story, Barbie could be a big surprise come July 21, 2023.
6 Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny
Harrison Ford returns one last time as Indiana Jones for Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny. Steven Spielberg is not returning to direct the movie, with James Mangold taking control instead. Set in the 1960s, Indiana Jones 5 will once again pit the famous archeologist against Nazis in an attempt to save the world. The new cast members include Phoebe Waller-Bridge as Indy's godfather Helena, Mads Mikkelsen, Boyd Holbrook, Antonio Banderas, Toby Jones, and others. Indiana Jones 5 looks to be an action-packed finale for Ford, who will also be digitally de-aged. The June 30, 2023, release could be precisely the type of send-off audiences wanted back in 2008.