Happy 2015! Here’s What’s Coming to Theaters This Year

Happy 2015! Some of the most highly anticipated films we expect this year are sequels. We’re going to get the rebooted “Star Wars” called “The Force Awakens,” with original stars Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, and Harrison Ford, as well as Anthony Daniels, joined by some of today’s most exciting actors, including Oscar Isaac, Adam Driver, Lupita Nyong’o, and Domhnall Gleeson. Another chapter in the Narnia saga is coming as well, “The Silver Chair.” The final chapter of “The Hunger Games” is coming, a second “Maze Runner,” the next in the “Divergent” saga, and the sequel to “Finding Nemo,” called “Finding Dory.” We’ll be seeing lots of superheroes, too, with “Avengers: Age of Ultron,” “Ant Man,” a Justice League movie, and another “Fantastic Four.”

There will be a seventh “Fast and Furious” movie, and fifth entries for “Mission Impossible” and “Terminator.” “Pitch Perfect” gets a sequel — hurray! Also “The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel.” So do “Paul Blart: Mall Cop,” “Ted,” “Magic Mike,” “Hot Tub Time Machine,” “Spongebob Squarepants” and “Hotel Transylvania,” plus third entries for “Taken” and “Kung Fu Panda” and a fourth for “Alvin and the Chipmunks.” There’s going to be a “Peanuts” movie and a “Goosebumps” movie.

We’re getting some remakes, too: “Poltergeist,” “Friday the 13th,” “Point Break,” “The Man from U.N.C.L.E.” (based on the 1960’s television series, this version starring Hugh Grant and Henry Cavill), and Disney’s live action “Cinderella.” The new “Mad Max” looks like more of a reboot (and it looks sensational).

Also coming: A sci-fi epic from the Wachowskis called “Jupiter Ascending,” with Channing Tatum, Eddie Redmayne, and Mila Kunis; “Focus,” a con man story with Will Smith and “Wolf of Wall Street” breakout star Margaret Robie; the romantic period drama “Serena,” re-teaming Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper; “Tomorrowland” with George Clooney; a “Peter Pan” prequel with Hugh Jackman, a “Despicable Me” spin-off about the cute yellow minions, “Kingsman: The Secret Service,” with Colin Firth and Samuel L. Jackson; and “Home,” with Jim Parsons as an alien named “Oh.” “In the Heart of the Sea” stars Chris Hemsworth in a Ron Howard film based on the story that inspired Moby Dick. And, just in time for Valentine’s Day, “50 Shades of Gray.”

And one of my favorite writer/directors (Tom McCarthy) has a new film starring Dustin Hoffman and Adam Sandler. It’s called “The Cobbler.”

Here’s to a year of great movies and great reviews of awful movies!