Sam’s Top 10 Anticipated Movies for the Second Half of 2022

Written By Samuel Nichols

With the back half of 2022 in front of us, we have a lot to look forward to from the movie industry. We have a plethora of big-time superhero projects on the way, some awards contenders, and the usual blend of franchise work coming too. While I think that there are some underrated gems from the first half of 2022, I know the second half is where things will really get going. Here’s hoping that it lives up to my high expectations. Without further ado, here are my top 10 most anticipated movies coming out in the second half of 2022 (in order of release).

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The first Avenger to get a fourth solo film is the Norse God of Thunder himself, Thor! Bringing back director Taikia Waititi from Thor: Ragnarok, this adventure will explore what life is like for Thor after he has given up his role as King of Asgard. Chris Hemsworth returns in the titular role as well as co-stars Tessa Thompson as Valkeryie and Natalie Portman as Jane Foster. Newcomers include Christian Bale as Gorr the god butcher and Russell Crowe as Zeus. With such star power in every part of the movie, I am looking forward to seeing the characters play off each other in a Waititi-led romp.

While we are only two movies into his directing career, no one has had a stronger start in recent years than Jordan Peele. The legendary sketch comic’s first two pictures were excellent horror movies. Get Out is a revelation in the shock and awe world of horror that has very subtle and strong writing about racism; Us is a clever allegory discussing the dangerous class systems in America and how we often overlook those beneath us. With Nope, it appears Peele is taking his aspirations to the stars as this story follows a brother and sister who own a farm and find themselves being plagued by interactions with extraterrestrials. It boasts another stacked cast with Keke Palmer, Daniel Kaluuya, Steven Yeun, Keith David, and Barbie Ferreira. While it has been some time since we have had a big-time alien horror movie that was not tied to Ridley Scott’s 1979 classic, placing an audience into Peele’s hands has not failed yet. I doubt this will fail either.

When I’m sitting in a theater watching the trailers, usually I have seen all the previews before on Youtube and will spend those 10-20 minutes before the movie on my phone playing a game. But when the trailer for Bullet Train comes on, I put my phone away and watch it. Brad Pitt as a rusty hitman/mercenary? Check. Pulse-pounding action? Check. A McGuffin box of a briefcase? Check. If all of those things interest you, then get your tickets for Bullet Train like I will soon! Honestly, the trailer for this movie might be my most favorite movie trailer I have seen since Happy Death Day’s first trailer, and that movie came out almost five years ago.

Bo Jackson was an All-Star in both baseball and football during his career. His blend of speed and strength made him an elite duel-sport athlete. In my humble opinion, star and director Olivia Wilde is trying to replicate that very same star power. In 2019 her coming-of-age comedy Booksmart leapt its way into my heart. She showed a strong eye as well as the movie has some beautiful camera shots as well. Now she is taking that same talent into a 1950s-era paranoia thriller with Don’t Worry Darling. Featuring A-list stars Florence Pugh, Harry Styles, and Chris Pine, the movie could be an impressive second entry in Wilde’s directing career and could be a chance for her to show off some range.

If there is a more iconic celebrity in Hollywood history than Marilyn Monroe, I would like to be educated, please. Of course there are people who had lasting fame and success in a way that Monroe did not. But Monroe was like a shooting star; for a brief moment she graced the silver screen and gave us some enjoyable movies along the way. Now we get a chance to see an up-and-coming star Ana de Armas portray the starlet in Blonde. Whenever you tie Monroe to a project there are certain to be eyes on it, and adding de Armas will bring in a younger group of movie fans. Not to mention it has been given a rating of NC-17, a rating sparingly given out and certain to draw the attention of many folks. This has the makings of a big release for Netflix.

Superhero movies are all the rage still. So to no one’s surprise one of the biggest movie stars in the world has decided to get in on the fun. Dwyane “The Rock” Johnson will star as Black Adam this year! A sort of sequel/spinoff/prequel to Shazam!, the story will follow the titular Adam, a god amongst men, as he is awoken from a millennia-long rest. Not much more is known about the plot of the movie other than that. The trailer shows off some intriguing action sequences and tying the Rock to a well-known comic property seems to be a smart business move! Here’s hoping it will be the hit that DC movies need!

Thus far, the Creed movies have coasted off the legacy of the Rocky movies. Do not get me wrong, these movies are great on their own and are arguably better than the average quality Rocky movie. But those first two Creed movies take a lot from Rocky I - IV. Hopefully, this new entry will take us in a new direction, and they will stop following the Rocky's franchise path because that one fell off big time in its fifth entry. With longtime star Slyvester Stallone not reprising his role, it gives room for Michael B. Jordan to make his own way, especially since he has been tagged to direct this film. Add in the return of Tessa Thompson and the addition of Johnathan Majors to the cast, Jordan has his supporting cast down. Now all that remains is to see where the story will go from here.

Honestly, this is going to be more of a hate-watch for me than anything else. Do I have any problem with the original Avatar movie? No. The CGI was a marvel in 2009 when it was released, and the action elements were fun enough. Its story does steal a lot from pre-existing material from Native American culture, and it comes off as a bit too preachy at times though. Now with the technology that director James Cameron has at his hands, the previews make the characters and alien world look even more lifelike. So this could end up being a wonderful movie. However the years of Avatar sitting on top of the box office throne and its fans showing up to re-releases to help it stay above competition like Avengers: Endgame makes me less interested in seeing this movie do extraordinarily well. Cameron’s proposed plan for several more sequels in this franchise reeks of overconfidence to me too. All of that makes difficult for me to root for this project.

After four years since First Man, director Damien Chazelle is going back to La La Land with his stories. Literally, he’s going back, and in more ways than one. This story will take place the golden age of Hollywood and will star Margot Robbie and Brad Pitt, much like another recent film-centric movie, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. The hot shot director has often centered his movies around the film business, and I expect no less of this story. If it is anywhere near the quality of his previous entries, this will be a great entry in Chazelle’s filmography and an awards contender.

Rian Johnson truly is a unique director all his own. He has directed noir, time-travel, and Star Wars-based stories. The man is quite versatile. His most recent movie, Knives Out, garnered him a great deal of acclaim and success. So much so that Netflix was not willing to pass on the franchise opportunity and jumped on acquiring the movie’s right and creating a franchise from it. This sequel, officially titled Glass Onion: A Knives Out Story, will bring back star Daniel Craig as Detective Benoit Blanc, fresh off his final appearance as James Bond. The rest of the cast features heavy hitters like Kate Hudson, Edward Norton, Ethan Hawke, Janelle Monae, Dave Bautista, Kathryn Hahn, Jada Pinkett Smith, Leslie Odom Jr., Jessica Henwick, and Madelyn Cline. With a talented ensemble that loaded, there is no doubt Johnson can draw plenty of talent. Now we wait to see if he can capture lightning in a bottle again like he did with the first Knives Out.

Some honorable Mentions that I am looking forward to include Vengeance, Prey, Halloween Ends, Shazam! Fury of the Gods, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Smile, and The Fabelmans. Hopefully, there is something coming out for everyone to enjoy!

Until I see another one.

Samuel Nichols
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