Over the last two years, an activity sorely missed by many was going to the movie theater. With life slowly getting back to normal, more and more movies are taking the risk of releasing in theaters, as opposed to a streaming service. As restrictions lift, the process of filming can speed up; and that means loads of movies are hitting the big screen this year. However many there will be, here are some of the most highly anticipated. 

The Batman (March 4) 

Director: Matt Reeves 

Starring: Robert Pattinson, Zoë Kravitz, Paul Dano 

In yet another reboot of the Batman franchise, Bruce Wayne (Pattinson) is after the Riddler (Dano), a serial killer after Gotham City’s elite. Along the way, Wayne realizes his family is a part of a corruption problem in the city. It has been described as the grittiest and darkest Batman movie to date. 

Morbius (April 1) 

Director: Daniel Espinosa 

Starring: Jared Leto, Matt Smith, Michael Keaton 

Dr. Michael Morbius suffers from a rare blood disease, and like many comic scientists, tries to cure himself. He attempts a form of vampire bat science and ends up becoming a living vampire. It details his struggle with the morality of needing to drink blood to survive, among other monstrous traits.  

Dr. Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (May 6) 

Director: Sam Raimi 

Starring: Benedict Cumberbatch, Elizabeth Olsen, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Benedict Wong, Xochitl Gomez 

Dr. Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is the second installment in the Dr. Strange solo films. Following the events of WandaVision, What If…?, Loki, and Spider-man: No Way Home, Dr. Strange travels through the multiverse and pushes through the typical adversity of villainy, plus the complexities of the multiverse. There are rumors of many cameos of characters from other Marvel media, such as Hayley Atwell’s Captain Carter, Ryan Reynold’s Deadpool, and Tobey Maguire’s Spider-man. Patrick Stewart recently confirmed his appearance as Professor X, too. 

The Bob’s Burgers Movie 

Director(s): Loren Bouchard and Bernard Derriman 

Starring: Kristen Schaal, H. Jon Benjamin, John Roberts, Dan Mintz 

Based off of the wildly popular and successful tv series Bob’s Burgers, the movie follows the Belcher’s after a sinkhole opens right in front of the restaurant and the whole family works to keep it afloat. 20th Century Studios described it as “animated, big-screen, musical comedy-mystery-adventure.” 

Lightyear (June 17) 

Director: Angus MacLane 

Starring: Chris Evans, Keke Palmer, Taika Waititi, Uzo Aduba, James Brolin  

Chris Evans voices the beloved character, Buzz Lightyear, in his own solo movie. The audience will get to see Lightyear go on his own adventures to infinity and beyond. 

Thor: Love and Thunder (July 8) 

Director: Taika Waititi 

Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Tessa Thompson, Natalie Portman, Christian Bale 

Thor: Love and Thunder is the fourth installment of the Thor solo movies, being the first to make it past a trilogy. Natalie Portman will reprise her role as Jane Foster, who hasn’t played an important role in an MCU movie since Thor: The Dark World. The story follows Jane taking the mantle and powers of Thor, based on a series of the Mighty Thor comics. 

Nope (July 22) 

Director: Jordan Peele 

Starring: Daniel Kaluuya, Keke Palmer, Steven Yeun, Barbie Ferreira 

Director Jordan Peele is once again returning to the horror genre with his third directing credit, Nope. Due to horror being one of his specialties, his name being attached to the production is enough to draw in a huge audience. Though plot details are pretty under wraps, it follows ranch owners James and Jill Haywood (Daniel Kaluuya and Keke Palmer) who witness an abnormal, mysterious event. 

Don’t Worry Darling (September 23) 

Director: Olivia Wilde 

Starring: Florence Pugh, Harry Styles, Chris Pine, Olivia Wilde, Gemma Chan, Nick Kroll  

Don’t Worry Darling is director Olivia Wilde’s sophomore film, following the success of her directorial debut, Booksmart. It’s a period piece, set in the 1950s. The genre is psychological thriller, in which an unhappy housewife (Florence Pugh), uncovers her husband’s (Harry Styles) dark secret. 

Spider-man: Across the Spider-verse (Part one) (October 7) 

Director(s): Joaquim Dos Santos, Kemp, Justin K. Thompson 

Starring: Oscar Isaac, Shameik Moore, Hailee Steinfeld, Jake Johnson, Issa Rae 

Spider-man: Across the Spider-verse is the first part of a two-part sequel to Spider-man: Into the Spider-verse. It features a teenager, Miles Morales, who has spider powers which derived from a spider bite. He journeys through a series of parallel universes, accurately dubbed the spider-verse, with Gwen Stacy/Spider-woman. Together, they meet up with several spider-people which ends in a collective battle with a powerful villain. 

The Flash (November 4) 

Director: Andy Muschietti 

Starring: Erza Miller, Michael Keaton, Michael Shannon, Ben Affleck 

The Flash is another multiversal superhero movie coming out this year, but from DC this time. It’s no secret that the DC Extended Universe has been a bit of a disaster, but fans are hopeful that this movie can be different. Barry Allen goes back in time to prevent his mother’s murder, which, as any time travel movie warns about, brings unintended consequences.  

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (November 11) 

Director: Ryan Coogler 

Starring: Lupita Nyong’o, Danai Gurira, Letitia Wright, Winston Duke 

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, has no official premise that’s been released by Marvel/Disney, but the film will continue to develop the cast introduced in the first film. Marvel has chosen to not recast the role of T’Challa after the death of actor Chadwick Boseman, so it has been assumed that the Black Panther mantle will be passed on in the new movie.