If the players in Tinsel Town handle their cards right, 2015 promises to be one of the best years for cinema in quite some time.
Celebrated releases from Gus Van Sant, Martin Scorsese, Steven Spielberg, J.J. Abrams and others are just a tip of the iceberg of movies we’re looking forward to this year. The calendar is simply jammed to the hilt with huge projects. Some might be good. Others might be trash. Either way, you can guarantee that this year over others will make cinephiles reserve seats at their local theater to see these pictures.
With all the studios beginning to slate their franchises, sequels, and reboots, 2015 is shaping up to be a high-profile year. Consider that there will be three superhero movies in comparison to 2016’s six, plus the return of Steven Spielberg science-fiction megablockbuster, and you can smell just how major this calendar year will be for movies. These are films that audiences are excited to see. In addition to that, we here at Black Enterprise are counting on a few of these to be huge for the box office.
Keep in mind, we’re not making any early predictions on what films will be the “best,†but at the time of this publication, we are listing the projects we’re extremely anticipating to see. Some of these flicks don’t even have an official trailer, yet! From comedies to dramas to–gasp–even a couple of original stories, 2015 is going to be an incredibly talented year for fans of cinema. So, without further ado, Black Enterprise’s Kevin L. Clark (@KevitoClark) has put together some of the most anticipated movies set for release this year.
Peruse through the weighted selections on the following pages. Voice your own choices in the comments section below.
Miles Ahead
Release Date: TBA
Don Cheadle’s passion project successfully raised $344,582 last year in hopes of funding, Miles Ahead. His accomplishment has become cinephiles reward, as the versatile actor plans on creating a big screen tale about jazz great Miles Davis. Made for $8.5 million, the project wrapped a monthlong shoot in Cincinnati in mid-August, which capped an eight year gestation period.
Cheadle’s Miles Ahead will center on one of the most iconic black musicians of all time during a time when he is on hiatus from performing. While certain predecessors such as Jimi Hendrix (All Is by My Side starring Andre Benjamin) and James Brown (Get On Up starring Chadwick Boseman) didn’t resonate with a wide audience, the incomparable Miles Davis looks like it will be one worth paying full admission price for.
Black Or White
Release Date: January 30, 2015
Kevin Costner, Octavia Spencer, and Andre Holland star in this new year drama, which finds the Man Of Steel actor as a grieving widower drawn into a custody battle over his black granddaughter. Eloise (Jillian Estell) lost her mother and her drug-addled father, Reggie (Holland), is out of the picture. The film is a testament to Costner’s career in financing pictures in Hollywood. It won’t take long for race to become the central plotline in this heartwarming film, but Black Or White will surely be a conversational piece for anyone looking to see a project that explores the gray areas of life.
Focus
Release Date: February 27, 2015
Following the huge stinker known as After Earth, Will Smith is planning a resurgence for the next few years. Up first is the romantic comedy-drama, Focus, which finds the former Fresh Prince of Bel-Air playing a seasoned con-man named Nicky Spurgeon who becomes romantically involved with a young woman. Written and directed by Glenn Ficarra and John Requa, this con-man love story aims to paint Will Smith in a dubious light. All that will be well and good, as the Grammy Award winning rapper will finally play a bad guy in the upcoming Warner Bros. picture, The Suicide Squad in 2016.
Get Hard
Release Date: March 27, 2015
Kevin Hart is planning to double-down on his successful reign of comedy films by conquering 2015 with the same aplomb as last year. His latest project finds him climbing up the laugh-track roster, starring alongside Will Ferrell in this prison-inspired comedy Get Hard. The plot finds Ferrell’s character as a Bernie Madoff-esque businessman who gets indicted on a ponzi scheme. Faced with a 10 year jail sentence, he hires Darnell Lewis (Hart) to show him how to survive in the big house. Two comedic powerhouses in a big, blockbuster film is sure to get everyone’s attention.
Beasts Of No Nation
Release Date: TBA
Filmmaking legend, Cary Fukunaga (Sin Nombre), writes and directs this war drama film that stars Idris Elba and Ama K. Abebrese. Based on the 2005 novel of the same name by Nigerian author Uzodinma Iweala, Idris stars as a tough-looking commander of a West African unit of guerilla fighters. The plot finds Abraham Attah as Agu, a young boy, who, when civil war engulfs his West African country is forced to join a unit of mercenary fighters. Focus Features, who is backing the project, is slated for a 2015 release. For those who want to see the Ghanaian homeland, or just witness Cary Fukunaga and Idris Elba do their thing, this film is one that should be on your list.
Southpaw
Release Date: TBA
Kurt Sutter, the brilliant brain behind FX’s Sons Of Anarchy, is bringing his brand of pain and retribution to the big screen in Southpaw
. The upcoming sports drama stars Jake Gyllenhaal, Rachel McAdams, Naomie Harris, Forest Whitaker, and Tyrese Gibson. The film is a metaphorical narrative of the second chapter of rapper Eminem’s life from the 8 Mile story. In it, Gyllenhaal plays Billy Hope, a struggling left-handed boxer who fights his way to the top, only to discover his life apart all around him. With a rich story stemming from one of Hip-Hop’s greats, a stellar cast and a raw and honest look at the boxing world, movie fans will be endeared by this spiritual successor to Rocky.
Mad Max: Fury Road
Release Date: May 15, 2015
Babies born before the 1980s had the opportunity to appreciate George Miller’s post-apocalyptic action film, Mad Max, which starred Mel Gibson in the title role. Fast forward 30 years, and now a new generation will get acquainted with the former Main Force Patrol officer in the form of Tom Hardy as Mad Max. This marks the film film of the franchise in 30 years and will be directed, produced and co-written by George Miller. With his humanity returned, loner Max comes across Furiosa (Charlize Theron), a woman who wishes to cross the desert. Judging from the numerous trailers that came out last year, Mad Max: Fury Road will spark new life into the adrenaline-filled franchise. The picture will also star Zoe Kravitz, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley and Nicholas Hoult.
Sea Of Trees
Release Date: TBA
Matthew McConaughey continues his McConaughssance into the new year with the Gus Van Sant directed drama, The Sea Of Trees. A mystery film, which also stars Ken Watanabe (Godzilla), Naomi Watts, and Jordan Gavaris, Matthew plays an American man who attempts to take his life in Japan’s “Suicide Forestâ€. Upon arriving to the notorious wooded area, his character meets a Japanese man who is there for the same reason. It’s one of the most ambitious projects, Matthew has taken on in recent time, and will leave theater-goers in awe. A must see picture.
Tomorrowland
Release Date: May 22, 2015
This highly anticipated Walt Disney Picture will star George Clooney, Hugh Laurie, Keegan Michael-Key, and Britt Robertson. Originally titled 1952, the Brad Bird directed picture is about two characters Frank (Clooney) and Casey (Robertson) who travel to a place somewhere in time and space known as Tomorrowland. Together they discover this place full of wonder and learn that the actions they choose directly affect the world around them. The trailer, which was shown during 2014’s New York Comic Convention, earned raved reviews from press and moviegoers alike. With that said, it is interesting to note that this is one of the most ambitious projects coming from the House of Mouse, and will be totally worth your dollars.
Spectre
Release Date: November 6, 2015
Eon Productions proudly presents the twenty-fourth James Bond film, which should get you out of your seat for that sentence alone. If not, learning that Spectre is rumored to feature the return of villain Ernst Stavo Blofeld should do the trick. Directed by Sam Mendes, the picture will feature Daniel Craig in his fourth (and possibly final?) performance as Agent 007. Naomie Harris, Ben Wishaw and Ralph Fiennes reprise their roles as Eve Moneypenny, Q, and M respectively. In addition to that bit of news, Christoph Waltz is rumored to play a character named Franz Oberhauser. Spectre
has just begun filming and will be released to theaters this November.
Jurassic World
Release Date: June 12, 2015
Twenty-two years after the events of Jurassic Park, Isla Nublar, has finally realized its goal of a fully functioning dinosaur theme park. Owned by Masrani Global Corporation, the park has achieve worldwide acclaim. Thus, is the setting of the upcoming 2015 science fiction adventure film, Jurassic World. Starring man-of-the-moment, Chris Pratt (Guardians Of The Galaxy), as Owen, a member of the park’s on-site staff, this Colin Trevorrow-directed picture is earning rave reviews after a wonderful teaser trailer reveal. Originally, the film was in “development hell†for over a decade following the release of Jurassic Park III, but if seeing Pratt race alongside velociraptors on a motorcycle doesn’t get your adrenaline pumping then you’re missing out on something special.
Fantastic Four
Release Date: August 7, 2014
Director Josh Trank (Chronicle) earned some hefty superhero stripes for putting Michael B. Jordan and Dane DeHaan in some perilous situations. He doubles-down on that skill by hopping into the seat for the upcoming Fantastic Four picture. With the project being incredibly secretive, we only know that Miles Teller, Kate Mara, Michael B. Jordan, Jamie Bell and Toby Kebbell star. The plot aims to deviate from the failed pictures in the past, but appears to be an origin tale. There’s plenty of controversial attached to Fantastic Four as Michael B. Jordan plays the beloved Johnny Storm, also known as The Human Torch. Either way, this will be on fiery picture to check out when it hits theaters this fall.
Straight Outta Compton
Release Date: August 14, 2015
F. Gary Gray returns to Hub City, also known as Compton, California, in the biopic starring America’s most indefatigable rap group. Straight Outta Compton will details the life and times of the rap group, N.W.A., whose members included Eric “Eazy-E†Wright, Andre “Dr. Dre†Young, O’Shea “Ice Cube†Jackson, Lorenzo “MC Ren†Patterson, and Antoine “DJ Yella†Carraby. Set in the 1980s, the pioneering gangsta rap squad showcase their rebellious ways and how these young minds revolutionized music and pop culture forever by using the truth. The film stars Ice Cube’s son, O’Shea Jackson, Jr. as his father, Jason Mitchell as Eazy, Corey Hawkins as Dr. Dre, and Paul Giamatti as Ruthless Records exec, Jerry Heller. Fans of the world’s most dangerous rap collective should be out in droves when this picture hits theaters.
The Hateful Eight
Release Date: December 2015
Quentin Tarantino is on a race to the end of his own cinematic era. The controversial director is planning on rounding out his collection of art at twenty. With that at the forefront of cinephiles’ minds, the award-winning filmmaker is planning on returning to the outlaw-infested West in The Hateful Eight
. Little to none information has been given, except that The Hateful Eight will feature players all to familiar to those in the Tarantino-verse. From Samuel L. Jackson to Kurt Russell to Christoph Waltz, the stars are aligned to ensure that Tarantino’s latest and greatest will feature stellar performers with a verbose script who all want to murder and maim one another.
Ant-Man
Release Date: July 17, 2015
As evident by the ant-sized teaser trailer recently release, Marvel is expecting big things from the final film in the Phase Two initiative. Although Edgar Wright is no longer attached to the big screen adaptation of the Hank Pym comic, the project is still looking like pure magic with Paul Rudd as Scott Lang, also known as Ant-Man. Peyton Reed, the new director attached, brings with him a heightened level of anticipation, which leaves many to believe this film will disappoint. But judging by the amount of stars attached to this project (Michael Douglas, Michael Pena, Clifford “T.I.†Harris, and Evangeline Lilly) – there’s no way this will be Marvel’s first dud.
Star Wars: The Force Awakens
Release: December 18, 2015
The inner nerd in us all will be rejoicing when John Williams’ revamped Star Wars theme blares out of those THX speakers. Sure, people might have had issues with the prequels, but this new trilogy is in the hands of J.J. Abrams. For those who aren’t familiar, he is the gent who revamped Star Trek for a new generation. Abrams, having grown up with the original Star Wars films, plans on succeeding where George Lucas failed. Add to the mix that John Boyega (Attack The Block) and Lupita Nyong’o have confirmed roles in the sci-fi action-adventure flick, and this is one film that your great-grandchildren will be enjoying. Trust us!
The Avengers: Age Of Ultron
Release Date: May 1, 2015
Topping the list of Black Enterprise’s Most Anticipated Movies Of 2015 list is Joss Whedon’s highly anticipated superhero sequel. The first Avengers film was a massive success. It cemented Marvel Studios’ initial initiative for their much ballyhooed cinematic universe. It certified the star power of Robert Downey, Jr., Samuel L. Jackson, Chris Hemsworth, and Scarlett Johansson. With the [spoilers!] reveal of Hydra and the dissolution of S.H.I.E.L.D., the events in Avengers: Age Of Ultron will reverberate across Marvel’s big-and-small screen properties. After the hype of the most recent trailers, The Avengers looks to be going to a darker, more action-filled place, that is sure to spell another couple of billion dollars at the box office.