Unless you’re stuck on a desert island, chances are that the COVID-19 pandemic has probably affected most of your plans this year. Marriage dates, work deadlines, school graduations among many other events planned long before the Movement Control Order was implemented. It goes without saying that delays are a given. With that in mind, some of you may be wondering about possible future theatrical film releases. When all this blows over, will there be anything worth watching in cinemas this year? While the number of delays for theatrical releases has been substantial, there are still a good handful of awesome films you can catch before the calendar rolls over to 2021. See, it’s not all bad. There’s still a chance for this year to be a great one for films!
It should be noted that these film release dates may be subjected to change. As of the time of writing this, though, they are set to be released in 2020, barring extenuating circumstances. Right, now let’s see what glorious films await those willing to brave the theatres this year!
1. Tenet (July 16)
Against all odds, the release date for Christopher Nolan’s upcoming thriller, Tenet has remained unchanged. This marks another mystery in a long of others surrounding the film. Despite the film’s trailer looking like it was edited by somebody enthusiastically playing with the “forward” and “backward” button, it turns out the film isn’t about time-travel. This was confirmed by one of the film’s main cast members, Robert Pattinson, in an interview with GQ. Well, there goes all my theories out the window. Looks like we’re back to square one. It’s no secret that Nolan is a visionary director who loves to play around heady scientific, philosophical and metaphysical concepts. Most of his films turn out to be groundbreaking films that challenge our perception of the self, reality and even how we perceive cinema.
The best part about watching a Nolan film is undoubtedly this sense of participation that comes with it. There’s always a mystery to his films that demand deeper analysis and your utmost attention. Till this day, the endings of both The Prestige and Inception still leave me wide awake at night, theorizing as to what they all mean. And now, we get Tenet. A film in which the title tells us nothing, the trailer further confuses us and the only thing we can go on is that it’s about an agent played John David Washington trying to stop World War III. Damn it, Nolan! Throw give us a hint or at a new trailer at the very least. Come mid-July, we can all be confused together.
2. Wonder Woman 1984 (August 13)
Currently, Warner Bros. and director Patty Jenkins are planning on releasing Wonder Woman 1984 in August this year. The film was originally slated for a November release last year but was then pushed back to June 2020 before landing on a date in August. Wonder Woman 1984, as the title suggests, will be set in the 1980s. A time Jenkins has described as an age that “showed mankind at its best and worst”. The film follows Diana’s adventures during the final days of the Cold War, making new enemies along the way. Kristen Wiig is set to play Wonder Woman’s rival Cheetah, an archaeologist who gains the powers and appearance of a Cheetah by supernatural means. The Mandalorian’s Pedro Pascal will be playing the role of Maxwell Lord, a powerful entrepreneur and deadly telepath in the comics.
Wonder Woman 1984 will also see her reuniting with her old flame Steve Trevor, played by Chris Pine. This is curious, seeing that 2017’s Wonder Woman had him seemingly die in a noble act of sacrifice in World War I. Yet here he is, back from the dead without ever having aged a day. Jenkins’ Wonder Woman was the first great film in the DC Extended Universe (DCEU) and a catalyst for further breakthroughs in the franchise. After three long years, we’re finally getting a proper sequel following Diana’s journey throughout man’s history. Let’s hope Warner delivers on its release date with a satisfying follow up to one of the best films in the DCEU.
3. A Quiet Place Part II (September 3)
Originally slated for a release in May, the sequel to John Krasinski’s breakout sci-fi horror film A Quiet Place is now set to premiere on the 4th of September this year. Emily Blunt will be once again playing the role of Evelyn Abbott, the now-widowed matriarch of the Abbott clan. Peaky Blinders‘ Cillian Murphy will be playing a major role in the film as Emmet, a world-wearied stranger who joins up with the Abbotts. Murphy has described his character as a man who gave up on life until he finds a fighting chance in Evelyn’s daughter Regan, played by Millicent Simmonds. In 2018’s A Quiet Place, Regan unexpectedly discovers a way to defeat the highly sound-sensitive alien predators, the Death Angels.
In 2018’s A Quiet Place, Regan unexpectedly discovers a way to defeat the highly sound-sensitive alien predators, the Death Angels. Her hearing aid implant emits a sound that causes great pain to them. By pairing it with a microphone, the Abbotts have managed to finally kill a Death Angel. A Quiet Place Part II sees the Abbotts leaving their isolated life to confront a world torn apart by the Death Angels. Based on how Murphy describes his character, it seems Regan will be playing a major role in the film. Could Regan be the key to humanity finally rising up against their monstrous invaders? Perhaps, the film will explore how the survivors can weaponize Regan’s implants on a larger scale. In any case, we’re excited to see (or rather hear) what fresh horrors and insane alien action Krasinki and crew have in store for us!
4. Black Widow (November 5)
For the longest time, we’ve been accustomed to having Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) pump out at least two films a year. So to not have one for this long feels strange, almost…wrong. Well take heart friends and rest assured that Black Widow will be making its way into theatres this November. Unless you’re from the UK, apparently the film is set to have an earlier October release there. Black Widow marks the first film to christen Marvel’s Phase 4 wave of films and TV series. A superhero espionage film set to uncover the hidden history and secret life of the MCU’s greatest spy, Natasha Romanov. The trials and tribulations of the Avenger’s Black Widow.
The first film in every new phase of the MCU is crucial. In a way, they set the tone for what marks the rest of the films within each phase. 2008’s Iron Man established the gritty, grounded reality that pervaded throughout the first phase. Phase 2’s Captain America: The Winter Soldier was a sign of great change on the way with the film’s themes of modern warfare and the deconstruction of classic morality. Then Captain America: Civil War developed the themes of Winter Soldier, heralding the death of the guard of the Avengers. It paved the way for new heroes like Spider-Man, Black Panther, Doctor Strange and Captain Marvel to appear in Phase 3. I await eagerly to see what Black Widow has to say about the character’s past and the future of the MCU.
5. Dune (December 17)
Warner Bros’ cinematic adaptation of Frank Herbert’s Dune is still set to hit theatres on the 18th of December. So far, there hasn’t been any indication by Warners, the film’s director Denis Villeneuve or its cast members about a possible delay. Being the optimist that I am, I’ll take this lack of news as good news then! For those who are unfamiliar with Dune, the best way I can describe the film is Game of Thrones meets Star Wars. The film is a sci-fi space epic following The King‘s Timothee Chalament as Paul Atreides, a young noble caught up in a familial civil war between House Atreides and their rival, House Harkonnen. To the victor goes the spoils of war, which is a rare mind-altering spice called Melange. A powerful commodity that unlocks the full potential of the human mind. On the dusty planet of Arrakis, or Dune, Paul will face his destiny.
For years, many have tried to adapt the story of Dune for the big screen and many have failed. Now, at the dawn of this new decade, Warner Bros and Villeneuve will attempt to do the impossible. They will adapt the unadaptable and make cinematic history! The film boasts a star-studded cast including actors the likes of Star Wars‘ Oscar Issac, Spider-Man: Far From Home‘s Zendaya, Aquaman‘s Jason Mamoa and Endgame‘s Josh Brolin. The scope of this film will be so massive that it is said that it will be split into two parts a’la Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 and Part 2. Come Christmas this year, get ready for a truly spectacular space fantasy that will you forget all about Rise of Skywalker.
