The first look at Killers of the Flower Moon gives some home that movies might be fully “back” this year, and taking a look at the potential upcoming slate, there are many movies to get excited about for 2021. Sequels are not included, narrowing down the list, but this week’s Top Ten Tuesday picks the ten best new movies we’ll get throughout the rest of the year.
10. Eternals
Release Date: November 5
With a star-studded cast playing a bunch of new characters, Marvel’s Eternals is seen as somewhat of a jumping off point into a new branch of storylines following the end of Phase 3 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe in 2019. Much has been under wraps about Eternals to this point, but there was a glimpse at the movie in a recent Marvel trailer.
9. Cry Macho
Release Date: November 22
The legend Clint Eastwood is still going strong at 90 years old, and he’ll both direct and star in the upcoming film based on the book of the same name. As has been the case with many movies throughout the pandemic, Cry Macho is set to get a home release on HBO Max as well as a theatrical release.
8. House of Gucci
Release Date: November 24
Starring Adam Driver, Lady Gaga, Jared Leto, and the great Al Pacino, House of Gucci is directed by Ridley Scott and is based on the 2001 book The House of Gucci: A Sensational Story of Murder, Madness, Glamour, and Greed. House of Gucci has just recently completed filming.
7. The Tragedy of Macbeth
Release Date: TBA
This one has been pretty secretive, but it’s hard not to be very excited about Denzel Washington starring in a take on William Shakespeare’s Macbeth. The Tragedy of Macbeth will be in black-and-white, and it’s directed by just Joel Coen (without his brother Ethan, who did not want to do it), making it the first time the Coen Brothers did a film separately.
6. The Last Duel
Release Date: October 15
Not a ton has been revealed on The Last Duel, either, but we do know it is scheduled for an October 15 release. Matt Damon will star along with Adam Driver and Jodie Comer, with Ben Affleck in a supporting role—and Damon and Affleck are co-writers along with Nicole Holofcener—and the film is directed by Ridley Scott. The Last Duel has the makings of a classic.
5. The Suicide Squad
Release Date: August 6
The top five is made up of what are probably the clear most anticipated upcoming films for 2021 based on consensus. The Suicide Squad is like a soft reboot of the 2016 version, and it’s directed by James Gunn, who has received high acclaim for directing similar Guardians of the Galaxy films. The Suicide Squad has a chunk of the same cast from the original, including Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn.
4. The Many Saints of Newark
Release Date: September 24
Getting both an HBO Max and theatrical debut (as is The Suicide Squad), The Many Saints of Newark is a prequel movie to the classic HBO series The Sopranos. Set in the 1960s and 1970s—with younger versions of some of the characters we know from The Sopranos—The Many Saints of Newark will dive deeper into the New Jersey mafia.
3. No Time To Die
Release Date: October 8
No Time To Die is a sequel, but it arguably falls more under the category of a series installment considering there have been multiple James Bonds and two dozen Bond films over the decades. No Time To Die will feature Daniel Craig in the role of 007 for the final time, and it’s the only film in the top five not being released on a streaming service to start.
2. Dune
Release Date: October 1
Already with a full trailer, Dune was set for a 2020 release before ultimately being pushed back to later this year. It’s a massive project (which will be filmed in a two-part adaptation, all based on the Frank Herbert novel), so Warner Bros. obviously wants a big theatrical release for the first movie. That said, Dune will also be available for a month on HBO Max while it hits theaters.
1. Killers of the Flower Moon
Release Date: TBA
Finally, while there is a chance Killers of the Flower Moon will not be ready for release this year, the hope is that it will get a 2021 release. Killers of the Flower Moon has a $200 million budget, and it will be the first time Martin Scorsese takes a shot at directing a western-style film. The latest Scorsese project—starring frequent collaborators Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert De Niro together for the first time—will be available on Apple TV+, and it’s a relatively easy choice for No. 1.
Finally Dicaprio and De Niro in a Scorsese movie together. Can’t wait.
Good looks.