Most Anticipated Super Hero Movies of 2016

Welcome back everyone as today I will give you my most anticipated superhero movies of 2016. Now there is 7 total films coming out this year, most of which you have probably already heard about. As you will find out, I am a huge superhero movie fan. The reason I am doing a separate list for them is because they would all be in my top 5 so I figured I'd do a separate list so I could focus on other films in my next list. When it comes to the whole DC/Marvel thing, I will admit that I am more of a fan of Marvel but that does not mean I don't like or look forward to anything of DC. So let's get started with my most anticipated superhero movies of 2016!


7) Gambit
    Release Date: October 7, 2016
    Director: Doug Liman
    Cast: Channing Tatum, Lea Seydoux

In all likeliness Gambit will not be coming out in 2016 at all. When original director, Rupert Wyatt, dropped out, it send FOX's mutant property into a frenzy. Then finally, they landed Doug Liman to helm their stand alone film. While it is not a huge step down from Wyatt (Liman did direct Edge of Tomorrow), it certainly was not a positive sign for the movie. Personally, I was never a big fan of the character Gambit. I really never connected to him, nor did his powers ever wow me. I like Channing Tatum, but I don't know if I like him that much to lead his own superhero movie. How does he stack up against his fellow X-Men counterparts? Hugh Jackman, Michael Fassbender, James McAvoy, and Jennifer Lawrence. They are all better actors then Tatum. The only other actor attached to the movie, Lea Seydoux (Spectre), has not really had a lot of a big roles yet in her young career. She was good in Spectre, but a comic book film is a totally different beast. So those are the main reasons I am the least excited for Gambit. But as I said earlier, do not be surprised if this movie gets pushed back to 2017.


6) X-Men: Apocalypse
   Release Date: May 27, 2016
   Director: Bryan Singer
   Cast: Jennifer Lawrence, Oscar Isaac, Michael Fassbender, James McAvoy, Olivia Munn, Evan Peters, Nicholas Hoult
    Trailer: X-Men: Apocalypse Trailer #1

I really enjoyed X-Men: Days of Future Past. Without giving anything away, even though it has been out for almost 2 years, the ending showed us how the present day X-Men ended up. So with X-Men: Apocalypse being set in the 1980s, do we not know how this movie will already end? Plus, this film will be the 1st X-Men movie not to feature Hugh Jackman's Wolverine in any capacity. That is just a bummer for everyone involved. The main reason this film is so low on my list is because I am just becoming more and more complacent with the X-Men movies. What I mean is, while I do not get all that excited when I hear a new one is coming out, I will still go see it, and will gladly admit that they are generally good movies. The 1st trailer for X-Men: Apocalypse felt as generic as of a superhero movie trailer as it can get. We've seen it a hundred times, a powerful mutant wants to destroy the unworthy of existence human race. Oscar Isaac's Apocalypse looks weird but I am sure he will deliver a solid performance like always. That is one thing the X-Men franchise always has going for it; a very solid cast.

5) Deadpool
    Release Date: February 12, 2016
    Director: Tim Miller
    Cast: Ryan Reynolds, Morena Baccarin, Gina Carano, Ed Skrein, T.J. Miller, Rachel Sheen
    Trailer: Deadpool Red Band Trailer #2

This is where my list got difficult. The next 3 movies on my list could shuffle at any point in time. As of right now, Deadpool comes in at #5 on my list. This is by no means a bad thing for the Ryan Reynold's led film. I think the marketing for this movie had been absolutely amazing. The two red band trailers FOX has put out have been hilarious. I am glad that the studio had the guts to make Deadpool a rated R movie. This was the role Ryan Reynolds was born to play. As some of you may recall, he played Wade Wilson (Deadpool's alias) before in Wolverine: Origin. He was the best part of that film until they sewed his mouth shut. And if the trailers are any indication, he will more than make up for that in this film. All the jokes hit, T.J. Miller looks as if he will be equally funny as well. Some of the best parts of the trailers are when Deadpool breaks the 4th law and talks to us, the audience, directly. My only cause for concern with Deadpool is the director. He does not have much experience, and this is really his first major movie. That is a lot of pressure. 

4) Suicide Squad
    Release Date: August 5, 2016
    Director: David Ayer
    Cast: Margot Robbie, Will Smith, Cara Delevingne, Jared Leto, Jai Courtney, Viola Davis, Joel Kinnaman
    Trailer: Suicide Squad Trailer #1

Suicide Squad really took me by storm when the 1st trailer was released online. While it did not reveal anything about the movie, it still gave us our first good look at Margot Robbie's Harley Quinn and Jared Leto's Joker. I am a big fan of director David Ayer from his latest movie Fury. That movie was beautifully shot and the story was told well as the character were fleshed out. With Suicide Squad, he will have even more interesting characters at his disposal to play with and a pretty cool story he can tell as well. In the trailer, Robbie's Harley Quinn steals the show and Will Smith's Deadshot is 2nd in screen time. If I was a betting man, I would venture to say that those two will be the 2 biggest characters in the film. While I am not a fan of how Jared Leto's Joker looks. He is an Oscar winning actor, who transforms into the character he plays. It may be hard to imagine a Joker better than Heath Ledger's, but Jared Leto has the acting chops to not disappoint and bring a new version to the big screen. All in all, Suicide Squad has a fantastic cast, except Jai Courtney (hurtful but true), that will be able to showcase their talents come August.

3) Doctor Strange
    Release Date: November 4, 2016
    Director: Scott Derrickson
    Cast: Benedict Cumberbatch, Tilda Swinton, Rachel McAdams, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Mads Mikkelsen, Scott Adkins, Amy Landecker, Michael Stuhlbarg

I will just come out and admit it right away. Marvel's Doctor Strange rocketed up my anticipation list the moment they announced Benedict Cumberbatch was play Stephen Strange. I am a huge fan of Cumberbatch (Sherlock is my favorite show) as he has been fantastic in everything he has been in. He was also nominated for an Oscar for his performance in The Imitation Game. My excitement for Doctor Strange was only heightened when Marvel recently released images of Cumberbatch as Strange. (Click to see images) Look at the rest of that cast. Not only is that the best cast of any super hero movie, it may be one of the best cast of any movie in 2016. Mads Mikkelsen (Casino Royale) plays the main villain and Chiwetel Ejiofor (12 Years a Slave) plays a character whom he describes as both good and bad. Tilda Swinton (Michael Clayton) plays The Ancient One who trains Cumberbatch's Strange and Rachel McAdams (Spotlight) character is still unnamed but is important to the story of the movie. I have my pauses on director Scott Derrikson (Sinister) but Marvel has shown it is able to get directors who don't have much of a track record and deliver great movies (see Russo Bro's Captain America: Winter Soldier). I could go on forever about this one but have to get to my top 2.



2) Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice
    Release Date: March 25, 2016
    Director: Zach Snyder
    Cast: Henry Cavill, Ben Affleck, Amy Adams, Jesse Eisenberg, Gal Gadot, Jeremy Irons, Diane Lane, Holly Hunter, Laurence Fishburne
    Trailer: Batman v. Superman Trailer #3

We finally get to see Batman take on Superman on the big screen. That is really the main reason Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice is so high up on my list. If I went by my regular standards for ranking my anticipation for movie (cast, director, trailers, and story), this film would probably have dropped down to number 5 or 6. Now before you go off on me, let me tell you why I have it so high. The 2nd trailer to this movie, which was shown at comic con (See here), left me in awe. It did not give away the story but showed off the conflict between Batman and Superman. The casting of Ben Affleck as Bruce Wayne was perfect. I was a bit skeptic at first, but when I first saw him as Batman, all my fears about him went away and I predict he will be the best Batman we see on the big screen. And finally, how could I not get excited about seeing Batman take on Superman? The 2 biggest superheros going at it. What's not to love? Well, let me tell you what I don't love. I am not a fan of Zach Snyder. The 300 movies have cool action sequences, but they are not movies that I watch when I see they are on. Watchmen was boring as hell, and I thought he did a mediocre job with Man of Steel; A movie with so much potential. The 3rd trailer for Batman v. Superman showed too much of the story for my liking, and I do not like the cast of Jesse Eisenberg as Lex Luther. Honestly, he has been my least favorite parts of all the trailers. Other than all that, Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice is a movie I am extremely excited for. 

 
THE SUPERHERO MOVIE I AM MOST EXCITED FOR IS.....



1) Captain America: Civil War
  Release Date: May 6, 2016
    Directors: Joe & Anthony Russo
    Cast: Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr., Scarlett Johansson, Sebastian Stan, Jeremy Renner, Anthony Mackie, Paul Rudd, Elizabeth Olsen. Tom Holland, Paul Bettany, Don Cheadle, Chadwick Boseman, Daniel Bruhl, William Hurt, Martin Freeman
     Trailer: Captain America: Civil War Trailer #1

What's not to be excited about when it comes to Captain America: Civil War? The Russo brothers are back and now are tasked with telling the story of 2 Avengers (Captain America vs Iron Man) pitted against each other. The Russo brothers directed my favorite Marvel film to date, Captain America: Winter Soldier. They did such a tremendous job making a Captain America movie feel like a 1970s political spy thriller. Also, look at that cast. It is amazing to think that we are lucky enough to get such a-list talent in superhero movie. What makes Civil War so big is that we have now had 7 years of watching most of these characters mold into who they are. We care about these characters and are invested into them. Captain America: Civil War deals with everything that has happened in the MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe) to this point. The government wants to control superheroes and that pits the 2 biggest against each other. Another big point of this film is we will finally get to see the 1st ever big screen appearance of Black Panther (Chadwick Boseman). He looks absolutely fantastic in the trailer and plays a major part in this film. The biggest aspect of the movie, Spider man will make his 1st appearance in an MCU movie as well. Tom Holland plays the web slinger who will have a minor role in the film but I would not be surprised if it was an important one. Ever since Iron Man, we have all been wondering and dreaming about Spider-man interaccting and fighting alongside The Avengers. Well come May 6th, those wishes will finally come true. Marvel has a tremendous track record, and with so much to look forward to with Captain America: Civil War, it is sure to be a hit.

 So there you have it. My most anticipated superhero movie list. Do you agree? Tell me what your list is down below. Also, coming soon is my top 5 most anticipated movies of 2016 (non-superhero). Look out for that. Enjoy!