2020 has had a strong start in both film and tv. Tiger King released at a time where no one had anything better to do than binge TV, and boy did it make an impression on the world. In the movie sphere, Will Smith and Martin Lawerence came back with a kick of nostalgia in Bad Boys for Life. These are just two examples, but there were plenty more hits for audiences to enjoy. However, lets now look to the future. We are a third of the way through 2020, and there is plenty more to look forward to. Let’s start with movies.
Top 10 Anticipated Movies
10. Coming 2 America
It was 1988 when we last saw Prince Akeem Joffer played by Eddie Murphy. Well, the prince is coming back to America on December 18th when he returns to find his son, whom he didn’t know he had. Arsenio Hall, James Earl Jones, Shari Headley, and John Amos will also return for this sequel.
9. DUNE
This isn’t the first time that a director has tried to take DUNE from a novel to the big screen. However, the results have been less than stellar. On December 18th, we will find out if the director Denis Villeneuve got it right. The likes of Josh Brolin, Jason Mamoa, and Oscar Issac playing a part will surely bode well for this epic Sci-Fi film.
8. Mulan
Mulan should be out already, though it was unfortunately pushed back to July 24th, thanks to the coronavirus pandemic. Mulan is another live-action remake of Disney classics with Liu Yifei taking the leading role. You most likely know the story, but to recap, Mulan follows the story of a Chinese female warrior who disguises herself as a man to fight in the Imperial Chinese Army. Mulan’s journey in becoming an honorable warrior will face difficulty at every turn. BAFTA-winning director Niki Carro has the helm on this project.
7. Wonder Woman 1984
Gal Gadot is back in the sequel to 2017’s Wonder Woman. Wonder Woman takes place in, you guessed it, 1984, and sees Diana Prince face off against Maxwell Lord, played by Pedro Pascal. Patty Jenkins returns as the director for this movie, with the sequel expected to beat the success of the previous installment.
6. No Time To Die
James Bond is back, or at least he will be on November 25th. Daniel Craig will take on the role of 007 one last time. No Time to Die sees James Bond retired for the previous five years and struggling to deal with his past deeds serving her Majesty. Rami Malek of Bohemian Rhapsody fame plays the villain that will bring James Bond out of retirement. He just can’t catch a break.
5. Fast and Furious 9
Fast and Furious 9, or F9 for short, was initially slated for a 2020 release, hence its place on this list. Unfortunately, Vin Diesel now won’t hit the big screen as Dominic Toretto until April of 2021. This time around pits Dominic against his own family, specifically, his younger brother Jakob, who is an assassin for the family’s old enemy Cipher. Cardi B will also play a part in the film after her acting debut in 2019’s Hustlers.
4. Bill And Ted Face The Music
On August 21st, we will get graced with another sequel from a classic franchise. Alex Winter and Keanu Reeves are back as the titular Bill and Ted. After receiving a warning from the future, the two dudes have 78 minutes to write a song that will save all life on Earth. Most Excellent!
3. Top Gun: Maverick
It has been 34 years since Maverick and Goose donned their aviators and took to the skies. Tom Cruise, who hasn’t seemed to age a day, once more takes the lead role as he trains Goose’s son, played by Miles Teller. Jennifer Connelly takes over from Kelly McGillis as Maverick’s love interest, and Val Kilmer will make a return appearance as Iceman on December 23rd.
2. Ghostbusters: Afterlife
Who you gonna call? Ghostbusters! Or at least you can on March 5th, 2021, with Ghostbusters: Afterlife being another film pushed back from its initial 2020 release date. Set thirty years after Ghostbusters II, this one is a direct sequel to the originals, and with the original cast returning, is set to right the wrongs of that other Ghostbusters movie we don’t talk about. Keep an eye out for Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Ernie Hudson, Sigourney Weaver, and Annie Potts, along with some new additions, including Paul Rudd and Finn Wolfhard.
1. Black Widow
Phase four of the MCU on the big screen will kick off on November 6th, with Black Widow. Scarlett Johansson will once more take on the role of the titular character. Black Widow takes place after Captain America: Civil War and will explore more of Natasha Romanoff’s/Black Widow’s Russian past before she became the Avenger we all know and love. David Harbour, known for his role in Stranger Things, will play Red Guardian, a somewhat father figure to Natasha, and Russia’s answer to Captain America.
Top 10 Anticipated TV Series
10. Your Honor
Bryan Cranston is coming back to the screen in this Israeli TV adaptation. Bryan takes on the role of a judge whose own son is involved in a hit-and-run, which leads to a string of tough decisions for the judge.
9. American Crime Story: Impeachment
Season 3 of American Crime Story will tackle the Clinton-Lewinsky scandal. For those not in the know, the scandal was due to allegations of sexual conduct between then-President Bill Clinton and a White House intern Monica Lewinsky that came to light in 1998. It was this scandal that led to Clinton’s impeachment. Clive Owen will be taking on the role of Bill Clinton on September 27th.
8. Quiz
Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? Well, Charles Ingram did in 2001. And he nearly was a millionaire until there was evidence that he had cheated on the British game show. Quiz is a three-part drama that follows that story with Matthew Macfadyen taking on the role of Charles and Sian Clifford playing his wife, Diana. This series by AMC will hit our screens in May.
7. Run
Phoebe Waller-Bridge is working on producing her next project. If you don’t know, the hit series Killing Eve was the one before. With that kind of record, there are high hopes for the romantic comedy Run. The series follows a young woman who is running from her daily grind of life. But she is not alone, with an old flame played by Domhall Gleeson also along for the adventure.
6. Space Force
Steve Carell and Greg Daniels gave us the US version of The Office, and now they are back at it with a similar style of TV series, though set in space. Space Force follows the story of a group of people charged with establishing the sixth branch of the United States Armed Forces, Space Force.
5. Y
The graphic novels follow the story of Y, the only male survivor of a plague that killed every being with a Y chromosome. There have been attempts to take this graphic novel to screen before, though they never came to fruition. With fingers crossed, this time, it looks like it will make it to our screens on FX.
4. Avatar: The Last Airbender
Avatar: The Last Airbender was a Nickelodeon animation that has garnered somewhat of a cult following. The finale in 2008 left a hole in many people’s TV schedules, though luckily for fans, Netflix has picked up a live-action remake. What’s even better is that the original showrunners Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko, are leading the project. At this point, a 2020 release is hopefully optimistic, with a release In 2021 more likely.
3. The Falcon And The Winter Soldier
What happened after Avengers: Endgame? Well, you will have to wait until August to find out as that is when Sebastian Stan and Anthony Mackie take our TV screens with the first Phase 4 series. How will Sam fill the boots left to him by Steve Rodgers? Disney+ is the place to find out.
2. WandaVision
Another Marvel entry comes in the form of WandaVision, which will follow Wanda or Scarlett Witch as she is known, and Vision, as they live out their life after Endgame. Of course, it wouldn’t be much of a series if they lived happily ever after. Both Elizabeth Olsen and Paul Bettany will return for their respective roles in December.
1. The Mandalorian
October 2020 will bring the TV character that captured the hearts of the world, Baby Yoda, back to Disney+. You can expect more adventures of the titular Mandalorian played by Pedro Pascal, with his sidekick always close by. For Star Wars fans, season 1 ended on a cliff hanger though everyone is keen to see what will happen next. If one thing’s for sure, Star Wars has a stronger future on TV, compared to the recent trilogy movie counterparts.