50. “Pain Hustlers”
A conspiracy drama directed by David Yates (the “Harry Potter” films), Netflix has pulled out all the stops with the cast. Emily Blunt and Chris Evans star, and they’re joined by Andy García, Catherine O’Hara, Jay Duplass, Brian d’Arcy James, and Chloe Coleman. Sounding a little Elizabeth Holmes-esque but based on a true story, the drama centers on the ambitious woman at the center of a failing pharmaceutical start-up who soon finds herself in the middle of a criminal conspiracy with deadly consequences.
Release Date: TBD via Netflix, but maybe the fall.
49. “Renfield”
A horror comedy about Count Dracula’s henchman, Renfield, who decides to leave his line of work after falling in love with a feisty but perennially aggressive traffic cop directed by the guy who did the “Lego Batman” movie with Nicolas Cage as Vlad the Impaler. OK, in some ways, yes, this should be #1 on everyone’s list, but let’s just see how wild a Universal studio comedy can be. Chris McKay directs, Nicholas Hoult stars as Renfield, Awkwafina, his love interest, and the comedy co-stars Ben Schwartz, Adrian Martinez, and Shohreh Aghdashloo.
Release Date: April 14, 2023, via Universal.
48. “She Came To Me”
Filmmaker Rebecca Miller (“Maggie’s Plan”) generally makes tapestry films about American life and romance. Her latest, a modern romantic comedy and multi-generational love story set against the iconic backdrop of New York, definitely sounds like she’s mining the same vein again. But there’s a terrific cast, Anne Hathaway, Peter Dinklage, Marisa Tomei, Joanna Kulig, and Brian D’arcy James.
Release Date: TBD, but it is in post-production.
47. “Bottoms”
After her terrific “Shiva Baby” debut, director Emma Seligman reteams with Rachel Sennott for a high school queer sex comedy about two high school senior girls who set up a “fight club” to hook up with cheerleaders before graduation. Ayo Edebiri (“The Bear”) co-stars alongside Marshawn Lynch, Kaia Jordan Gerber, Dagmara Dominczyk, Havana Rose Liu, and more.
Release Date: TBD via United Artists Releasing.
46. “Lee”
Mostly shot and should be finished by end of next year, all eyes should be on Ellen Kuras’ “Lee.” For one, she’s a formidable cinematographer, documentarian, and dramatic filmmaker who has worked with Spike Lee, Martin Scorsese, Jonathan Demme, and many of the greats. And secondly, her cast, Kate Winslet, Marion Cotillard, Jude Law, Andrea Riseborough, Josh O’Connor, and Andy Samberg, is outstanding. Winslet stars as war journalist Lee Miller, who went from a career as a glamour model to enlisting as a photographer to chronicle the events of World War II.
Release Date: TBD.
45. “Napoleon”
While Sir Ridley Scott continues to throw royal shade at those who shit talk period accuracy, he’s re-teaming with the amazing Jodie Comer for the formerly titled “Kitbag,” aka “Napoleon,” in which Komer will play Josephine Bonaparte opposite Joaquin Phoenix as Napoleon. As evidenced by both his 2021 releases, Scott still knows how to make a movie, and with Stanley Kubrick’s long-dormant Napoleon script also being adapted for TV, it looks like the French military leader is about to become a popular Hollywood subject.
Release Date: TBD, via Apple TV+ (who debated releasing it in 2022, but opted out in the end) – AB
44. “La Cocina”
You may not know Mexican filmmaker Alonso Ruizpalacios yet, but Hollywood does. He’s already directed some severely acclaimed Mexican films (“Güeros,” “Museum,” “A Cop Movie”), but Tinseltown has come knocking. He directed killer eps of Josh Brolin’s “The Outer Range,” Tony Gilroy tapped him for “Andor” Season 2, and much in demand Rooney Mara stars in “La Cocina,” following life in an NYC restaurant where cultures from all over the world blend during the lunchtime rush.
Release Date: TBD, but it definitely feels like Sundance or Cannes.
43. Untitled Please Don’t Destroy Comedy
Producer Judd Apatow is known for mentoring and taking up-and-coming comedians and helping them shepherd an original film to the screen. His latest under-his-wings crew is the Please Don’t Destroy comedy trio— Ben Marshall, John Higgins, and Martin Herlihy, aka the guys who do the digital shorts on “SNL” and are pretty much the only thing worth watching on the show. Their comedy plot is under wraps, but it features Nichole Sakura, Conan O’Brien, Cedric Yarbrough, and Bowen Yang,
Release Date: August 18, 2023, via Universal.
42. “Mothers’ Instinct”
Having worked with Anthony Minghella, Tsai Ming-liang, John Hillcoat, and more, Benoît Delhomme is one of the most well-regarded French cinematographers in the world. That reputation really pays off with “Mother’s Instinct,” starring Jessica Chastain and Anne Hathaway as two 1960s housewives whose close friendship rapidly deteriorates after a tragedy. It’s already deep in the can, so it feels like a big festival bow is next. Cannes?
Released Date: TBD via Neon.
41. “Air Jordan”
The long-promised proper Ben Affleck/Matt Damon reunion is finally happening with “Air Jordan,” aka the Untitled Nike project that Affleck is directing, co-wrote with Damon, and started shooting this summer. The film follows the history of shoe salesman Sonny Vaccaro (Damon), and how he led Nike in its pursuit of the sports star Michael Jordan. Affleck plays Nike’s Phil Knight, Viola Davis, Jason Bateman, Chris Tucker, Marlon Wayans, and more co-star.
Release Date: TBD.
