1. Who will host the Oscars?
This is a prestigious role in Hollywood yet last year for the first time in decades the Academy Awards went without a host. With 2 months to go no once has been announced for the 2020 ceremony. Does it even need a host?
2. What will win Best Picture?
Current favourites include The Irishman, Marriage Story, Joker, Once Upon A Time In Hollywood and JoJo Rabbit. Clues will start to come as the earlier awards shows give out their prizes. Or maybe the Academy give a massive FU to Martin Scorsese and give it to Avengers Endgame to reward Marvel’s sustained body of work.
3. What will be the highest-grossing movie of the year?
This year Avengers Endgame leads the way with Star Wars Episode IX still to come. Marvel and Star Wars have dominated the last five years and 2020 is lacking in a heavyweight title from both franchises so a chance for something else to top the list.
4. What will the Disney + impact be?
It’s already live in America, and will come to the UK in late March. Looks like it will be an essential service for Star Wars and Marvel fans especially. Will be interesting to see what the take up is like and if it has a negative effect on the likes of Netflix and Amazon Prime. Even if you can afford all of that, how could you possibly keep up with all that content?
5. How will Pixar fare?
Four of Pixar’s last five releases have been sequels, the exception being the outstanding Coco, but even that was 3 years ago. In 2020 they will have two original films in Onward (featuring Chris Pratt and Tom Holland) and Soul (Jamie Foxx and Tina Fey). Will be exciting to see some new ideas from them.
6. Will The Disney Live-Action bandwagon role on?
Yes surely. Cynics might say Disney has run out of ideas in remaking their own films, kinder people might say they are simply updating them for a new generation. 2020’s release is Mulan, which to me at least would seem to be the least well known of those they’ve done so far.
7. Can Black Widow carry a movie?
Scarlet Johansson’s Black Widow has been a consistent part of the MCU since the early days, appearing all across the franchise. Up until now it’s always been as a supporting character, now she’s going alone. It’s a prequel so will be a challenge to fill in her backstory in a satisfying way that ties in with where she ends up. Will we find out what happened in Budapest?
8. Can DC find sustained success?
Fair to say the DC films have been all over the place in the last few years. First going to build a universe, then not, then reboot again. 2020 puts the women upfront and looks strong. Wonder Women is one of their better efforts and director Patty Jenkins and star Gal Gadot return for its sequel, subtitled 1984. Then Margot Robbie will be back as Harley Quinn (the best thing in Suicide Squad) in Birds Of Prey. Seems like about as sure a thing as DC could hope for in terms of success.
9. Lucky 13 for the X-Men?
Filmed in 2017 it’s been delayed several times but he 13th and final instalment in the Fox produced X-Men franchise is supposed to finally hit screens in 2020 in the form of The New Mutants. As the name suggests it’s an all-new cast and apparently has more of a horror element to it.
10. Has Daniel Craig still got it?
James Bond 23 will see Daniel Craig star as 007 for a fifth time, 5 years after Spectre. If nothing else it’s off to a good start – ‘No Time To Die’ sounds like a classic Bond title.
11. Can Christopher Nolan continue his streak?
Nolan is on a long run of successful films, he’s yet to make a bad one in my opinion. He returns in the summer with a movie titled Tenet. I love that Nolan likes to leave a sense of mystery about his films but it’s been said it may be Bond-esque. It will, of course, feature Michael Caine.
12. Can 80’s magic strike again?
Anyone who’s desperately been awaiting sequels to 80s movies is in luck. Nostalgia will guarantee they make money and get eyeballs but will Ghostbusters and Top Gun Maverick be any good? If they are will it a spark a string of others? Sign me up for Flash Gordon 2.
13. Will there be a good video game movie?
The character Pikachu was really good, the movie as a whole less so. In 2020 it’s Sonic the Hedgehog’s turn to get on the big screen. The iconic character from an iconic series of games. Unfortunately, the early signs aren’t great with the controversial design of Sonic already causing uproar and rethinks.
14. Will the monster universe roar back into life?
Godzilla was decent. Kong Skull Island less so. Godzilla King Of Monsters even less than that. Now Godzilla and Kong will collide which is a concept that is hard to resist, let’s hope it’s well-executed.
15. Does A Quiet Place need a sequel?
The 2018 film was a small movie based on an original and interesting idea that was well-liked by critics and moviegoers. I’m sure the initial feeling was it would be a one-off but money talks I guess so will be interesting to see if the makers can strike gold again when the sequel hits screens in the spring.
16. Do you want an animated sequel?
Well, you’re in luck. 2020 sees follow-ups to The Croods, Trolls, Peter Rabbit and Minions.
17. Fancy another adaptation of a classic book?
Two big ones to look for in 2020. Kenneth Branagh follows up Murder On The Orient Express with his version of Agatha Christie’s Death On The Nile. I’d expect the same, flashy cast, solid movie. Given his comedy credentials, more interesting might be Armando Iannucci’s take on Charles Dicken’s David Copperfield with Dev Patel in the title role.
18. Like a bit of fantasy casting?
In May Suzanne Collins will release a new entry in her The Hunger Game series, set many years before her original trilogy. With the film rights already sold, it won’t take long once the books are released for fans to match their favourite actors to the roles.
19. Can Dune fill the December Star Wars void?
In four out of the last five 5 years, December has seen a Star Wars release. 2020 won’t have that but another sci-fi epic in Dune. I haven’t read the book or seen the 80s adaptation but talent alone should be enough to get anyone excited about it. Dennis Villeneuve directs Timothee Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, Oscar Isaac, Josh Brolin, Stellan Skarsgard, Bautista, Zendaya, Jason Mamoa and Javier Bardem. Sold!
20. Not quite movies but what will be the new Game Of Thrones?
By the time it’s eighth and final season aired it felt like GoT was the biggest show in the world, certainly the most talked about with every episode scrutinised to the nth degree. Now it’s gone and with spin-offs still a way off what fills the void? Early contender is The Witcher which is due for release at the end of 2019 and seems to follow many of the same themes. Also very much in the running will be Amazon’s Lord of the Rings series. 2020 will likely be too early but any news around that will be much anticipated.
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