With 2019 firmly in the rear-view mirror, a year in which we saw two blockbuster sagas end, Martin Scorsese claim that Marvel Movies aren’t Cinema, and arguably the weakest Oscar line up of the decade. Let’s now shift our attention to 2020, in which not only do the Oscars come three weeks earlier (a relief for many), but some of Hollywood’s heaviest hitters return. From Paul Thomas Anderson to Christopher Nolan, and even the return of David Fincher, stepping back behind the camera (for the big screen anyway) for the first time since 2041’s “Gone Girl”. So let’s roll through some of the possible must-sees of the year.
David Fincher’s “Mank”
Let’s start with Fincher. Having been focused on TV in the past five years, one of the greatest living film-makers returns, this time with a biopic on “Citizen Kane” screenwriter Herman Mankiewicz, and the tumultuous development of Orson Welles’ iconic Movie. Written by Jack Fincher and with Atticus Ross and Trent Reznor scoring it, this film is sure to be one of Netflix’s lead awards contenders next year, especially with Gary Oldman fronting the project.
Wes Anderson’s “The French Dispatch”
2020 is also the year Wes Anderson returns, hopefully with yet another brilliant, original piece. Described as a love letter to journalists, the story will apparently follow a journalist who fights hard to create a Magazine in 20th Century France. Although not a great deal is known about the plot, the film does have a host of Anderson regulars and newcomers, including, Frances McDormand, Timothee Chalamet, Bill Murray, Saoirse Ronan, and many more.
Christopher Nolan’s “Tenet”
This tops many peoples list of must-see movies for the year. The return of Christopher Nolan promises much, from espionage, to mystery, to Nolan’s signature twisting of time, and even with a trailer release and a 6-minute IMAX prologue (itself an incredible spectacle), not a great deal is known. We do know the film stars John David Washington (“BlacKkKlansman”) in the lead role, alongside Robert Pattinson and Elizabeth Debicki.
Steven Spielberg’s “West Side Story”
Fans will have to wait until the very last month of the year to see Steven Spielberg’s reimagining of classic musical “West Side Story”. Starring Ansel Elgort as Tony and newcomer Rachel Zegler as Maria, Spielberg will look to return to top form, whilst Disney (who acquired the film in their takeover of Fox) will hope to cash in on the recent success of musicals since 2016.
Joel Coen’s “Macbeth”
Joel Coen goes solo for this re-telling of one of Shakespeare’s most famous plays. Although adapted countless times before, including only four years ago in an adaptation which had Michael Fassbender in the lead role, the presence of Coen, along with Denzel Washington and Frances McDormand, make this definitely one to watch. But where’s Ethan? We don’t really know. In fact, we have plenty of questions about this one, will it feel like a Coen movie? Or will Joel play this Shakespearean adaptation as straight-faced as they go? At the end of the day, my general rule stands: In Coen we trust.
Denis Villenueve’s “Dune”
Any Sci-fi or indeed any Denis Villeneuve fans out there will be waiting with bated breath for the director’s adaptation of Frank Herbert’s famous novel. The story (to cut a long story short) follows the son of a noble family, played here by Timothee Chalamet in his first blockbuster role, as he is entrusted with the protection of the most valuable asset in the galaxy. Even for those not familiar with the novel, Villeneuve’s supremely stylized and creative touch, coupled with a stellar cast including, Oscar Isaac, Rebecca Ferguson, Zendaya, Josh Brolin, and Javier Bardem, to name but a few, make this one of 2020’s most exciting blockbusters.
Guillermo del Toro’s “Nightmare Alley”
Having stepped away from the camera following his 2018 Oscar win for “The Shape of Water”, Guillermo Del Toro returns with an adaptation of William Lindsay Gresham’s novel. Starring Bradley Cooper in the lead role (which was at one point Leonardo DiCaprio) the story follows a con-man as he teams up with a psychiatrist (Toni Collette) as they swindle people, however, all is not as it seems.
Sofia Coppola’s “On the Rocks”
Sofia Coppola brings a film that certainly evokes thoughts of her incredible “Lost In Translation” with this comedy-drama following Rashida Jones’ ‘Laura’ who aims to reconnect with her larger than life father ‘Felix’ played by Bill Murray, as they adventure through New York. Following the under-appreciation of “The Beguiled”, it would be fantastic to see Coppola return with possibly her finest film yet.
Charlie Kaufman’s “I’m Thinking Of Ending Things”
Acclaimed writer Charlie Kauffman will step behind the camera once again in 2020, this time for his Jessie Buckley and Toni Collette led journey of self-discovery as a woman who is trying to figure out how to end her relationship, finds herself rethinking her entire existence. Kaufman, a cinematic visionary if there ever was one, hasn’t made a film since his brilliant puppet love story “Anomalisa.” The eccentric writer-director shaped the ‘90s with his exquisite screenplay for “Being John Malkovich” and the 2000’s with another ahead-of-its-time screenplay “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.”
Edgar Wright’s “Last Night In Soho”
Edgar Wright. Psychological Horror. Set in the ’60s. Starring Thomasin Mackenzie and Anya Taylor-Joy. We don’t know much else but sign us up. What You Need To Know: If Edgar Wright’s kinetic, bullet-riddled live-action jukebox masterpiece “Baby Driver” saw the director riffing on the cinema of Walter Hill and Michael Mann in his own inimitable key (and somehow managing to turn Ansel Elgort into an action-movie star), then “Last Night in Soho” will see the British director tipping his proverbial caps to milestones like Nicolas Roeg’s “Don’t Look Now” and Roman Polanski’s “Repulsion.” Not much is known about the plot particulars at this time, except that the film will reportedly involve an element of time travel that sees at least one of the characters being transported back to the freewheeling London of the ’60s, but we are certainly tickled by the prospect of this ingenious director working in a more potentially wicked register.
Spike Lee’s “Da 5 Bloods”
Now, this is sure to be a film we’re talking about this time next year in relation to awards season. Netflix may find themselves onto a winner again as the mercurial Spike Lee returns for this drama about a group of Vietnam war veterans who return to the jungle in search of something. As of yet, we don’t know but you can read more about it in an article by our own EIC Jordan Ruimy. The film stars Chadwick Bozeman, Giancarlo Esposito, Paul Walter Hauser, and Jean Reno to name but a few.
Ridley Scott’s “The Last Duel”
One that was met with some disregard and a whole bucketload of hesitation upon its announcement. Written by Ben Affleck and Matt Damon and Nicole Holofcener, the film follows the tale of the book of the same name by Eric Jäger, which entails a battle to the death between to friends following the accusation of rape by the wife of Jean De Carrouges, believed to be played by arguably the worlds hottest actor right now Adam Driver. The film will also be directed by Ridley Scott as he looks to return to the form he hasn’t hit since 2015’s “The Martian”.
Leos Carax’s “Annette”
Leos Carax will bring us one of the year’s most intriguing films in the shape of this film ‘all in songs’. With no dialogue, but instead, a story told through music, the film follows Adam Driver as a stand-up comedian and Oscar winner Marion Cotillard as his Opera-singer wife, as the two discover their daughter has a unique gift. Could we be seeing Driver for the third awards season in succession?
Mike Mills’ “C’mon C’mon”
This one’s plot is widely unknown, but what we do know is that director Mike Mills, whose last film was the incredible “20th Century Women”, will unite with the possibly soon to be Oscar winner Joaquin Phoenix. A pairing that excites much intrigue and excitement.
Paul Verhoeven’s “Benedetta”
Foreign language films have received huge boosts in the last two years following major critical and commercial successes of the likes of “Roma”, “Parasite” and “Portrait of a Lady On Fire” etc, and Dutch director Paul Verhoeven will hope to add to that with this adaptation of Judith C.Brown’s “The Life of a Lesbian Nun in Renaissance Italy” as Virginie Efira stars as Benedetta Carlini, a nun experiencing both religious and erotic visions, before entering a fiery relationship with Daphne Patakia’s Bartolomea.
Andrew Dominik’s “Blonde”
The profile of this fictionalized chronicle of the inner life of Marilyn Monroe has received major boosts in the wake of its star Ana De Armas’ meteoric rise in popularity since the release and her impeccable performance in “Knives Out”. And she is no doubt primed to deliver another killer performance in Andrew Dominik’ re-imagining of one of Hollywood’s first megastars.
Terrence Malick’s “The Last Planet”
Terrence Malik will follow up this year’s “A Hidden Life” by jumping straight back in with this biblical drama, believed to be retelling several episodes in the life of Christ. One thing that has been confirmed is Oscar winner Mark Rylance’s role as four different forms of Satan. production has been completed on the film, now we’re all left to wonder how much time in the editing room Malick will be spending this next year — the legendary filmmaker is known to sit on a movie for years on end before it is finally released.
Steven Soderbergh’s “Let Them All Talk”
Ever since coming out of retirement in 2017, Steven Soderbergh has given us “Logan Lucky,” “Unsane,” “High Flying Bird” and “The Laundromat.” In fact, a year in cinema wouldn’t be complete without a film from genre chameleon Soderbergh, and this time he takes on Comedy Drama with this Meryl Streep led story of an author who embarks on a trip with her nephew (Lucas Hedges) and her friends in a journey of self-discovery. Streep reuniting, again, so fast, with Soderbergh, post-Laundromat, means we might have a new and interesting writer-actress partnership in our hands.
Paul Greengrass’ “News of the World”
Paul Greengrass teams up with his “Captain Phillips” star Tom Hanks to bring us this western drama following Hanks’ Captain Jefferson Kyle Kidd as he agrees to aid with the rescue of a captured orphaned girl in the aftermath of the American Civil War. Greengrass has been on a bit of losing streak since ‘Phillips,’ having directed “Jason Bourne” and “22 July” — this latest pulled-from-the-headlines film could be just what the doctor ordered for both Greengrass and Hanks.
Apichatpong Weerasethakul’s “Memoria”
Thai director Apichatpong Weerasethakul will bring us this Tilda Swinton led drama about a Scottish woman traveling in South America who begins to notice strange sounds and wonder about their appearance. Not a lot to go on I know, but all I can find at this point. Weerasethakul is once again being included in best-of-decade lists for his masterful “Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall Past Lives.” Back in the Aughts, his indisputably great “Tropical Malady” was being cited as a decade influencer.
Chloe Zhao’s “Nomadland”
Before her entrance to the MCU with “The Eternals”, “The Rider” director Chloe Zhao will bring us her long-awaited follow up with this look at the real-life phenomenon of older American workers, who once hit by the Great Depression found themselves embarking on journeys through the American West, living as Van dwelling, modern-day “nomads”. Leading the film will be the legendary Frances McDormand, which along with the involvement of Zhao certainly makes this an exciting offering.
Tom McCarthy’s Stillwater
Actor-turned-Director Tom McCarthy has turned into one of the great indie directors of his era. Before his Oscar-winning spotlight, there was the delightful trio of “The Station Agent,” “The Visitor” and “Win Win.” Yes, his disastrous Adam Sandler fantasy “The Cobbler” needs to be mentioned, but chances are “Stillwater” will be in prime award-season territory — McCarthy is set to tell the story of an Oklahoma rig worker (Matt Damon) who travels to France to try to exonerate his daughter, who’s been imprisoned there for a crime she claims she didn’t commit.
Adrian Lyne’s “Deep Water”
During the 80’s and 90’s, director Adrian Lyne molded the erotic thriller by making “Fatal Attraction,” “9½ Weeks,” “Flashdance,” “Indecent Proposal,” “Lolita” and “Unfaithful” — all featuring erotic sex and dark thrills. However, ever since 2002’s “Unfaithful” Lyne has been M.I.A. What happened? I’m not sure, but 17 years after his last movie, Lyne is back for, that’s right, yet another erotic thriller. “Deep Water” has the filmmaker adapting Patricia Highsmith’s novel of the same name,with Ben Affleck and Ana de Armas. The film is said to follow “a young married couple as their mind game with each other take a dark turn when bodies begin piling up. The couple avoids divorce by allowing each other to take on new lovers.” Sounds about right.
Mia Hansen-Løve’s Bergman Island
Mia Hansen-Løve had a hard time with critics as the yet-undistributed-in-the-U.S. Maya felt like a minor and disappointing work in her ever-growing career. Her next one sounds like something special though. “Bergman Island” stars Mia Wasikowska and Anders Danielsen Lie as filmmakers and romantic partners who travel to remote Fårö island, where Ingmar Bergman lived, to write their next screenplays. Rumors are saying this is a semi-autobiographical film, which is unsurprising — Hansen-Løve had her own relationship with a fellow filmmaker, Olivier Assayas.