The Top 2. 0 Movies of 2. So Far. While 2. 01. Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and Captain America: Civil War and acclaimed indies like Hell or High Water and La La Land, 2. Sequels galore (Transformers, John Wick) once more, but there are also a plethora of pictures that cater to true events (Patriots Day, Dunkirk) and industry reboots (Spider- Man, Kong). Underworld, Wolverine, and Resident Evil are having their last hurrah before receding into the realm of commercial history. Marvel is slated to continue their domination, while DC Studios is prepped to steal some of their thunder with an overdue adaptation of Wonder Woman.

Directed by Dick Powell. With Stephen McNally, Alexis Smith, Jan Sterling, Keith Andes. Two escaped killers take hostages and hide in a Nevada mining ghost town. Our film critics on blockbusters, independents and everything in between.

Film noir is not a clearly defined genre (see here for details on the characteristics). Therefore, the composition of this list may be controversial.

These are the 2. 0 that have us most excited, and heading into the new year, should be essential for any hardcore movie fans to mark on their calendars. UNDERWORLD: BLOOD WARS – Release Date: January 6, 2. At fourteen years and five installments, the Underworld series has little else to prove. The horror- action saga was last seen with 2. Awakening, where vampire Selene (Kate Beckinsale) took down Lycans with typically proficient speed. This time, the isolated heroine, along with allies David (Theo James) and his father Thomas (Charles Dance), must ward off the vicious species while simultaneously stopping the eternal war between Vampires and Lycans. Rookie director Anna Foerster will take the reins this time out– a move that looks to be wise given the former second unit’s work on CGI affairs like The Day After Tomorrow (2.

Aeon Flux (2. 00. Plus, given that series producer Len Wiseman has already confirmed a sixth Underworld film, all fans need to worry about is having a good time. THE FOUNDER – Release Date: January 2. Documenting the rise of the Mc. Donald’s fast food empire, The Founder takes viewers into the world of businessman Ray Kroc (Michael Keaton).

A middle- aged salesman with little to show for it, Kroc stumbles upon Dick (Nick Offerman) and Mac Mc. Donald (John Carroll Lynch) in their humble burger joint circa 1. Friendship is struck between the siblings and the slickster, who sees potential is a national chain and begins assuming control of the company behind their backs. The story is rarely spoken of today, but director John Lee Hancock (The Blind Side, Saving Mr.

Banks) looks to bring a technicolor slash to this crackling biopic. Having Oscar nominee Keaton anchor the show doesn’t hurt either– especially with a role that could allow him to take the award next.

RESIDENT EVIL: THE FINAL CHAPTER – Release Date: January 2. Like Underworld, the Resident Evil series has spanned far and wide over the last decade. Milla Jovovich’s Alice has fended off the world’s undead population for five whole films, but here, with mankind on it’s last legs, the end is near. Aptly titled The Final Chapter, the concluding piece to Paul W. S. Anderson’s zombie adventure is promised to deliver some truly awe- inspired visuals. The action thriller cast Keanu Reeves as the world’s most lethal assassin, while stuntmen- turned- directors Chad Stahelski and David Leitch churned out an eye candy display of shootouts and fistfights. While the premise was predictable, it was the panache that each talent brought to the table that made Wick a sleeper hit– and will hopefully translate into Chapter 2.

Reuniting Reeves and Stahelski (Leitch will serve as producer), the anticipated sequel finds Wick traveling to Rome to stop unseen forces from taking control of the international assassins’ guild. New faces Bridget Moynahan, Ian Mc. Shane, and Laurence Fishburne certainly elevate the fun, but it is unmistakably Reeves who will make or break this February release. WOLVERINE 3: LOGAN – Release Date: March 3, 2. Comic book fans have had two specific desires when it comes to Wolverine: one, to saddle the infamously violent hero with an R- rating, and two, to adapt the universally lauded Old Man Logan storyline to the big screen.

After six X- Men movies and two solo projects, 2. Century Fox has finally seen fit to grant these wishes.

The third and final installment in the Wolverine trilogy finds the clawed mutant (Hugh Jackman) decades in the future; where heroes and most of mankind have been decimated. Producer Simon Kinberg has likened the project to the works of Clint Eastwood, saying “it’s violent, it’s kind of like a western in it’s tone. It’s just a very cool, different film.” Logan also marks the final time Jackman will play the titular role. THE SHACK – Release Date: March 3, 2.

Screenwriter Stuart Hazeldine has long shown a propensity towards belief. Whether it be in the existence of extraterrestrials (The Day The Earth Stood Still) or an impending Judgement Day (Knowing), it’s a theme that’s appeared time and time again in his works. Which makes The Shack, a faith- based Christian drama, all the more understandable in his oeuvre. Hazeldine will ascend to director this time around, as the story deals with a man (Sam Worthington) who loses hope in the wake of a tragic accident. Upon receiving a mysterious letter, however, the man journeys to an abandoned shack, where he encounters a trio of strangers (Octavia Spencer, Graham Greene, and Radha Mitchell) who help him cope with his turmoil.

KONG: SKULL ISLAND – Release Date: March 1. Granted, Peter Jackson remade King Kong in 2. Now, sophomore director Jordan Vogt- Roberts is being given the reins to the world’s biggest gorilla, and he is bringing with him a stellar cast in the process.

Technically a reboot of the Kong myth, Skull Island will follow a 1. Capt. James Conrad (Tom Hiddleston), photojournalist Weaver (Brie Larson), U.

S. Colonel Packard (Samuel L. Jackson), and government official Bill Randa (John Goodman). Venturing into uncharted territory, the group unwittingly enter the domain of Kong himself– and will face the presumably harrowing actions that result. BEAUTY AND THE BEAST – Release Date: March 1. The tale as old as time has been everyone’s favorite Disney film for over two decades.

Now, on the heels of The Jungle Book’s massive success, the studio is poised to reboot almost all of their animated classics in live- action form. Romance Films Wonder Woman (2017). Beauty and the Beast ranks among the highest in anticipation, as Academy Award winning director Bill Condon spearheads what is sure to be a nuanced retelling. Emma Watson stars as Belle, while her supporting vocal players consist of Ewan Mc. Gregor, Emma Thompson, Josh Gad, and Condon collaborator Ian Mc. Kellen. Composer Alan Menken, the mastermind behind the original 1.

FAST 8 – Release Date: April 1. The only question worth asking with each Fast & Furious flick is how can they top themselves this time?

The franchise has hit paydirt as a commercial juggernaut, drawing international crowds, musical stars, and high- caliber actors to join in on the fun. Fast 8, the latest in this thrilling series, pits Dom Toretto (Vin Diesel) and his crew against Cipher (Charlize Theron), an enigmatic figure who forces DSS Agent Luke Hobbs (Dwayne Johnson) and Covert Ops leader Frank Petty (Kurt Russell) to suit up in addition. Gary Gray (The Negotiator, Straight Outta Compton) will direct what is sure to be yet another summer smash of fast cars and fun quips. GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL. Release Date: May 5, 2.

While the bulk of Marvel Studios is fully integrated, director James Gunn is holding out. His long- awaited sequel to Guardians of the Galaxy (2. Avengers cameos, and will instead focus on the development of the team itself. And frankly, no one knows the Guardians better than Mr. May, chronicles the team as they travel through the cosmos in search of Peter Quill’s true parentage.

The man also known as Star Lord (Chris Pratt) is reported to be one of many character arcs in the film, especially with the addition of Kurt Russell’s Ego; an ancient cosmic being who also happens to be Quill’s father. Gunn has yet to commit to Vol. ALIEN: COVENANT – Release Date: May 1. While Villeneuve assumes the Blade Runner mantle, director Ridley Scott is sticking with the science fiction universe that first made his famous.