2016 theater preview

Perhaps it’s due to the increasing level of turmoil and conflict in the world, but it seems what audiences crave most these days is the comfort of the familiar. 2015 saw the highest grosses in film industry history, earned almost entirely on releases that were part of previously known franchises—Star Wars, Jurassic World, and Furious 7, to name only a few. It’s no surprise then that major studios have few plans to change what’s working for them.

It would be impossible to list here all the remakes and sequels planned for 2016, but suffice it to say an Avengers-related film (Captain America: Civil War) will make its annual appearance (May 6), along with a Star Trek installment, a Star Wars spinoff (Dec. 16), a new adventure for da Vinci–loving symbologist Robert Langdon (Inferno, Oct. 14), and even a follow-up to 1996 blockbuster Independence Day. The most popular sequel of 2016, however, may center on an animated, amnesiac fish (Finding Dory, June 17).

Christian (or in some cases, Christian-adjacent) films also continued to make headlines in 2015, often surprising box-office prognosticators with their impressive earnings. As a result, studios seem to be working harder to find projects that will appeal to churchgoing audiences. God’s Not Dead 2 will get a wide release April 1, and upcoming faith-themed movies like Miracles from Heaven and Same Kind of Different as Me boast A-list stars. Here’s a list of additional 2016 films, faith-based or not, that are on my radar. (Some films are not yet rated.)

Hail, Caesar! (Feb. 5, PG-13)

On hearing that the Coen Brothers’ new satire would be their first, full-blown skewering of Hollywood, a line from The Silence of the Lambs ran through my mind: “You see a lot, Doctor. But are you strong enough to point that high-powered perception at yourself?” Evidently the Coens are, and the early buzz is that the results will be as delicious as fava beans and a nice Chianti.

Risen (Feb. 19, PG-13)

Biblical epics haven’t had much success at the box office, largely because, as in the cases of Noah and Exodus, the directors strayed too far from their source material and turned off the audiences they should have been courting. Risen seems likely to avoid this snare; first, because it is fiction, though it deals with the actual historical events surrounding Christ’s resurrection; and second, because it appears to avoid shoehorning modern cultural anxieties into a story focused on eternity.

Whiskey Tango Foxtrot (March 4)

Tina Fey stars in the true story of a Chicago journalist whose disenchantment with her unmarried, big-city life leads to her covering Afghanistan. Three minutes of this trailer entertained me more than most full-length movies I watched in 2015.

The Young Messiah (March 11, PG-13)

Based on a novel from Anne Rice, the film speculates about a 7-year-old Jesus’ time in Egypt. The fact that a professing believer (Cyrus Nowrasteh, The Path to 9/11) is in the director’s chair means it’s more likely to score with Christian viewers.

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (March 25, PG-13)

Has the comic book genre reached its apotheosis with this superhero showdown starring Ben Affleck as the man in black? Or is this simply the start of another Avengers-like cinematic cartel? Not hard to guess which (cough, cough, Justice League …).

The Jungle Book (April 15)

We know Disney isn’t planning to reinvent the wheel here, but after last year’s lovely live-action Cinderella, who isn’t excited to see it? Jon Favreau directing, not to mention Bill Murray as Baloo and Christopher Walken as King Louie, only adds to the anticipation.

Ghostbusters (July 15)

Director Paul Feig is known for hard R-rated comedies like 2011’s Bridesmaids, but he’s promising his women-led Ghostbusters remake will be PG-13. This is good news for those who appreciate Melissa McCarthy’s and Kristen Wiig’s comedic chops, but prefer not to sit through the raunchy fare they typically star in.

Suicide Squad (Aug. 5)

Something of a new spin on the indefatigable superhero genre, this film features a lineup of villains as protagonists, including Batman’s Joker.

Ben-Hur (Aug. 12)

The classic Tale of the Christ told by the director who brought audiences 2008’s Angelina Jolie action extravaganza, Wanted, and 2012’s Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter? I have no idea if it will be any good, but I’m certainly curious to find out.

The Magnificent Seven (Sept. 23)

Starring Chris Pratt and Denzel Washington, this is one Western remake that should have plenty of men over the age of 35 turning out to theaters.

The Girl on the Train (Oct. 7)

With a dark storyline about a troubled, alcoholic woman who witnesses a murder, this novel-based thriller is looking to score with the same audiences that made Gone Girl a hit.

Doctor Strange (Nov. 4)

I never thought I could get excited for another superhero, then Marvel went and made Benedict Cumberbatch into one. Professing Christian Scott Derrickson (The Exorcism of Emily Rose) is in the director’s chair and promises the story will be as unexpected as its star.

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Nov. 18)

Part prequel, part spinoff, and authored by J.K. Rowling, so I (and about a billion other Harry Potter geeks) are in. It may not beat Star Wars: The Force Awakens at the box office, but it will enter similar stratosphere.

Passengers (Dec. 21)

One of the few marquee releases not based on already established characters. With Jennifer Lawrence and Chris Pratt starring as star-crossed lovers in a sci-fi romance, it stands a good chance of repeating the success The Martian found last year.