Over the last 10 to 15 years, Hollywood has unquestionably pivoted towards more and more superhero films. Blockbusters like Batman Begins and Iron Man that featured multi-layered characters, not just the hero lifted from the comic book or graphic novel and slapped on the big screen, made a strong case for superhero movies done well.
Whatever the reason for this golden era of superhero movies, more of them are on the way this year and will satisfy your superhero fix. Here’s a list of this year’s comic-based sequels, reboots, and all-new entities.
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Courtesy of Marvel Studios
Captain Marvel
Captain Marvel will not only kick off the year as the first superhero movie, but it’s also the first film from Marvel Studios that features a female protagonist. The origin story of Carol Danvers (played by Brie Larson), will lead us right into Avengers: Endgame, scheduled to hit theaters the following month on April 26.
Release date: March 8
Cast: Brie Larson, Samuel L. Jackson, Ben Mendelsohn
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Courtesy of Warner Bros.
Shazam!
DC’s movies are often criticized for their dreary tones, but Shazam! looks like it will bring some fun to the DC universe. Shazam! is about the journey of a 14-year-old kid, Billy Batson, who’s granted superpowers and can turn into the adult version of himself to fight the bad guys. The adult Shazam! will be played by Zachary Levi.
Release date: April 5
Cast: Zachary Levi, Asher Angel, Mark Strong
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Courtesy of Lionsgate
Hellboy
They say the third time’s the charm, right? Hopefully that will be the case with this Hellboy reboot starring Stranger Things‘ David Harbour, who will replace Ron Perlman. This rendition, also starring Ian McShane (American Gods, John Wick 3), may get a bit darker since this one has earned an R rating.
Release date: April 12
Cast: David Harbour, Ian McShane, Milla Jovovich
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Marvel Studios
Avengers: Endgame
Avengers: Endgame doesn’t just mark the fourth Avengers film, but it’s also the culmination of more than 10 years worth of build up. It picks up after Thanos has wiped half of the population out of existence, leaving the superheroes in complete shock.
Release date: April 26
Cast: Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evnas, Josh Brolin
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Courtesy of 20th Century Fox
Dark Phoenix
Remember that 2006 movie X-Men: The Last Stand, which was arguably one of the worst of the original trio of films? Well, 20th Century Fox is giving it another shot with a telling of Jean Grey’s metamorphism into the Dark Phoenix. Sophie Turner (Game of Thrones, X-Men Apocalypse) will return as Jean Grey.
Release date: June 7
Cast: Sophie Turner, Tye Sheridan, Kodi Smit-McPhee
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Courtesy of Marvel Studios
Spider-Man: Far from Home
Tom Holland has built a steady case as one of the best actors to play Spider-Man on the big screen. Comic ensembles Captain America: Civil War, Spider-Man Homecoming, and Avengers: Infinity War, already under his belt, we’re excited to see him stand alone. Fans of the web slinger can also look forward to him facing off against Mysterio (Jake Gyllenhaal) in this new film.
Release date: July 5
Cast: Tom Holland, Jake Gyllenhaal, Zendaya
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Courtesy of 20th Century Fox
The New Mutants
Although The New Mutants has an official release date, it’s rumored to have a slight delay—or it’s skipping the theaters all together and heading directly to a streaming service to minimize the damage of a potential flop.
There’s not much known about the film that may be completely separate from the other X-Men franchises, but judging from the trailer, The New Mutants is definitely taking a stab at introducing a bit more horror to superhero movies.
Release date: August 2
Cast: Anya Taylor-Joy, Maisie Williams, Alice Braga
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IMDB / Twitter
Joker
Joker is probably the most anticipated film this year, following Avengers: Endgame, and for good reason. For decades, we’ve watched reiterations of Batman movies and TV series with the Joker as the main villain, but we never saw his side of the story—until now. DC recruited Golden Globe winner, and three-time Academy Award nominee, Joaquin Phoenix, to take on the role of Arthur Fleck in the origin story.
Release date: October 4
Cast: Joaquin Phoenix, Zazie Beets, Robert De Niro
