It’s 2023, and we’re previewing all of the music, movies, and television that we’re excited about this year with a series of lists. For more, check out our Rising Artists to Watch and Most Anticipated TV Shows lists.

Even in this age of reboots, remakes, sequels, franchises, and adaptations, it’s still easy to get excited about the upcoming year of film as an opportunity to witness original storytelling. That’s not just a reference to the films on this list that are completely unconnected to previous IP, such as Adam Driver Fights Dinosaurs and That Poor Bear With Substance Abuse Issues. Instead, we’re also hyped for films that might take their inspiration from iconic toys or comics or games, but then use those platforms as a launching pad for their own innovative narratives.

It’s a packed lineup of blockbusters as well, with some long-awaited projects finally making it to the big screen as movie theaters continue to recover after the past few years. We’ve got new films from directors like Greta Gerwig, M. Night Shyamalan, Steven Soderbergh, Martin Scorsese, David Fincher, and more to look forward to. Whether they premiere on the big screen in theaters or on the slightly smaller screen in our homes, it’ll be exciting to dig into another potential landmark year for the art form.

Plus, Tom Cruise is gonna drive a motorcycle off a mountain. It looks to be a great year at the movies.

— Liz Shannon Miller
Senior Entertainment Editor

Infinity Pool

Infinity Pool (NEON)

Director: Brandon Cronenberg
Cast: Alexander Skarsgård, Mia Goth, Cleopatra Coleman
Studio: NEON
Release Date: January 27th, 2023

An attractive young couple gets into trouble while on vacation in an exotic but strange location — it’s maybe a premise you’ve heard before. But based on the trailer and the fact that this comes from the demented mind of Brandon Cronenberg, the potential for Infinity Pool to usurp M3GAN as the wildest horror movie of 2023 (so far, anyway) is real. — L.S.M.

Knock at the Cabin

Knock at the Cabin (Universal)

Director: M. Night Shyamalan
Cast: Dave Bautista, Jonathan Groff, Ben Aldridge, Nikki Amuka-Bird, Kristen Cui, Abby Quinn, Rupert Grint
Studio: Universal
Release Date: February 3rd, 2023

It’s M. Night Shyamalan, so there’s a chance things are going to get a bit twisty — but even at first glance, Knock at the Cabin offers an interesting premise: A young girl and her parents are taken hostage by visitors determined to prevent the apocalypse. Who to believe — Dave Bautista and Rupert Grint (!), or Jonathan Groff? We’ll find out very soon when the film hits theaters this February. — Mary Siroky

Magic Mike’s Last Dance

Magic Mike’s Last Dance (Warner Bros.)

Director: Steven Soderbergh
Cast: Channing Tatum, Salma Hayek Pinault
Studio: Warner Bros.
Release Date: February 10th, 2023

At face value, Magic Mike was a cultural phenomenon about male strippers. But look a little deeper and you’ll see it’s a deeply affecting character study anchored by a top-notch performance by its lead, Channing Tatum. Steven Soderbergh is back as director after sitting out 2015’s Magic Mike XXL, which means Last Dance could re-capture some of the magic of the first film — this time, in Europe! — Spencer Dukofff

Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania

Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (Marvel)

Director: Peyton Reed
Cast: Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lilly, Jonathan Majors, Michelle Pfeiffer, Michael Douglas, Kathryn Newton, David Dastmalchian, William Jackson Harper, Katy O’Brian, Bill Murray
Studio: Disney
Release Date: February 17th, 2023

The biggest gripe about the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Phase 4 was that it didn’t seem to be going anywhere — too many stories that barely held their own weight and weren’t clearly building toward an Endgame-level event. Phase 5 looks to finally get those gears in motion with Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, which will reveal Jonathan Majors as the fully-formed Kang (or at least one of his variants).

The titles for the next two ensemble films — Avengers: The Kang Dynasty and Avengers: Secret Wars — clearly indicate Majors is our new Josh Brolin (though keep an eye out for Doctor Doom), so Ant-Man 3 is poised to be the MCU push for which we’ve been waiting. Hopefully, it can overcome the weight of its CGI to present an engaging adventure in its own right, too. — Ben Kaye

Cocaine Bear

Cocaine Bear (Universal)

Director: Elizabeth Banks
Cast: Keri Russell, O’Shea Jackson Jr., Christian Convery-Jennings, Alden Ehrenreich, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Brooklynn Prince, Isiah Whitlock Jr., Kristofer Hivju, Hannah Hoekstra, Aaron Holliday, Margo Martindale, Ray Liotta
Studio: Universal
Release Date: February 24th, 2023

Lost drugs? Check A coked-up bear? Check. Tickets? Bought. Surprisingly inspired by a true story, Cocaine Bear is exactly what it sounds like: bear does cocaine, bear wreaks havoc. Part comedy, part slasher, Cocaine Bear might just live up to its absurd premise come its release on February 24th. — Jonah Krueger