Updated 1/11/18
Superheroes will rule 2018. The Marvel Cinematic Universe reaches a major milestone and new beginning. The X-Men franchise mutates with New Mutants – literally – jumping to the big screen. A DC comics legend will make a big splash in cinemas – and it won’t be a storyline punchline.
Here are 8 must see comic book movies of 2018:
BLACK PANTHER All hail the King! After a breakout introduction in CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR, Chadwick Boseman returns as T’Challa aka Black Panther! Ryan Coogler directs an epic adventure as the new ruler fights to save his kingdom and the world. Andy Serkis is back as arch-villain Klaw. Michael B. Jordan is T’Challa’s rival Erik Killmonger. The all-star cast also includes Lupita Nyong’o, Forest Whitaker, Angela Bassett and Danai Gurira. Three big questions: How much of this film is set before and after the events of AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON and CIVIL WAR? How will the action lead up to AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR in which Wakanda is a major battleground in the war against Thanos? (Is the final Infinity Stone in Wakanda?) February 16th. See the trailer again here.
THE NEW MUTANTS X-Men meets teen horror movie? Director Josh Boone brings Magik, Wolfsbane, Mirage, Cannonball and Sunspot to the big screen in a supernatural/mutant mashup. The New Mutants were students of Professor Xavier in the comics but how will the film tie into the X-Men film franchise? Who is the real villain tormenting the teens? GAME OF THRONES fans will want to catch Maisie Williams as Rhane Sinclair. Will she go full werewolf like her comic book counterpart? April 13th. See the trailer here. This film has been moved to February 22,2019 according to THW.
AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR The grand finale of the Marvel Cinematic Universe! The big showdown with Thanos (Josh Brolin)! The super-sized sequel will feature Avengers, Guardians of the Galaxy and a cast of fan-favorites and sets the stage for the next phase of the MCU. Anthony and Joe Russo return to direct the cosmic finale building up for a decade. Will fans have to say goodbye to iconic heroes like Iron Man, Captain America and Thor? Will new heroes rise. Disney recently got control of more Marvel heroes (X-Men, Fantastic Four) previously run by Fox. Could the Infinity War end with teasers for an Avengers/X-Men matchup? May 5th. See the trailer here.
DEADPOOL 2 The Merc With the Mouth returns! Nathan Summers/Cable (Josh Brolin – in a double duty year) and Domino join the party but are they be friends of foes? After smashing records, the fourth wall and leading the charge for R rated superhero movies, Wade Wilson (Ryan Reynolds) is back for a wild, raunchy new adventure. The darker, snarkier side of the Fox’s X-Men movie universe expands with the son of Cyclops and more mercs. Deadpool and Cable have been enemies, allies and co-starred in a hilarious buddy team-up book. June 1st. This film is moving up two weeks to May 18, 2018 according to THW.
ANT-MAN AND THE WASP Paul Rudd and Evangeline Lilly return but will Lilly’s Hope Van Dyne done the Wasp suit? Michelle Pfeiffer will play Janet Van Dyne, a founding Avenger from comics lost in the Microverse. This will be the first film following INFINITY WAR and the first in MCU Phase Four. The sequel also introduces Bill Foster aka Goliath from comics and Jimmy Woo, a spy from Marvel Comics early days. Does this mean Laurence Fishburne (as Foster) will suit up and go Goliath size? Will this film introduce the Agents of Atlas – the covert team Woo leads? Hank and Janet were founding Avengers in comics – will Michael Douglas and Pfeiffer reunite onscreen giving fans a Hank/Janet happier ending than they got in comics? July 7th.
VENOM The Spider-Man villain in his own movie. There aren’t too many details yet but Tom Hardy will play Eddie Brock. This spinoff is from Sony but how will it connect to the rebooted Marvel/Sony Spider-Man. Will Venom be more of an anti-hero? In the comics Brock was a reporter/rival of Peter Parker who bonded with the alien symbiote Spidey wore as a costume. After a long run as a villain Venom became known as the Lethal Protector. October 24th.
X-MEN: DARK PHOENIX The biggest X-Men comic book story hits the big screen (again, sort of) as Jean Grey’s powers grow to cosmic level. Professor Xavier and the team (introduced in X-Men: First Class and X-Men: Apocalypse) must decide if they will fight with or against one of their own. Veteran X-Men producer/writer Simon Kinberg directs this follow-up. Sophie Turner is back as young Jean. James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender and Jennifer Lawrence all return as Xavier, Magneto and Mystique. Who is Jessica Chastain playing? Is the X-Men franchise going intergalactic? The Dark Phoenix Saga featured a war between X-Men and the Shi’ar Empire – the aliens who sought to end the threat of the Phoenix? How will the film evolve the X-Men films – especially now that the Fox X-Men films will become part of Disney’s MCU?
AQUAMAN After scene-stealing in JUSTICE LEAGUE, Jason Momoa returns as Arthur Curry, King of Atlantis, is a solo film by director James Wan. Amber Heard is Mera, Nicole Kidman is the Queen Mother of Atlantis, Willem Dafoe is Vulko and Patrick Wilson is the villain Orm aka Ocean Master. Armed with trident and sharp humor, the musclebound hero could bring a wave of new fans to the DC Comics Universe. The big question: Will Gal Gadot/Wonder Woman make an appearance especially given the Atlantean/Amazon shared history seen in JUSTICE LEAGUE. October 25th.
What’s your most anticipated comic book movie – imagine you could only see just one – in 2018?
By Editor