Warner Bros./Discovery had a rollercoaster of a year in 2022. The new CEO David Zaslav began slashing costs everywhere, and the company started canceling already finished projects. Batgirl will end up on a list of some of the most sought-after unreleased films of all time. Despite all these issues, Warner Bros. still has a great film schedule for the rest of 2023.
Magic Mike’s Last Dance was originally supposed to be a direct-to-HBO Max film, but after the slash and burn of original HBO Max content, it was moved to a theatrical release. Mike takes the stage one last time as Steven Soderbergh returns to direct, and Salma Hayek joins the cast.
Mummies follows three mummies living in a hidden city. They end up in present-day London and search for a lost ring belonging to the Royal Family. It has been taken by an archeologist Lord Carnaby.
Adonis Creed has succeeded in both the ring and his life. Now an old friend from his past resurfaces. He feels that he should have been living the life Adonis takes for granted while he has been imprisoned. The two end up on a collision course in the ring. This marks the directing debut of Michael B. Jordan.
Billy Batson and his adopted family are back. After sharing his powers of Shazam! the kids can transform into superheroes. They must learn how to balance their everyday lives and be all-powerful heroes. A new threat emerges that could end Shazam and his family once and for all.
Evil Dead Rise is another HBO Max movie that moved to a theatrical release after the housekeeping the company has been doing. What is supposed to be the fourth entry into the Evil Dead film franchise, not counting the remake. The Necronomicon pops up in an apartment building. The evil once again escapes and possesses a young mother. The family has to try and exorcise the evil while staying alive themselves.
The Flash, which had a troubled production, finally hits theaters. In the film, Barry Allen goes back in time and causes a rift in reality. Different versions of reality begin to collide, and Barry seeks help from Batman to fix everything. It has been rumored that this film could be used to reboot the DC Universe under the hand of James Gunn and Peter Safran.
The famous toy finally gets her own movie. Margot Robbie stars as Barbie, and Ryan Gosling joins her as Ken. The trailer doesn’t say much about the plot, but with writer Noah Baumbach and director Greta Gerwig, it is sure to explore Barbie as she tries to function in her perfect Barbie World. This will end up clashing with reality and cause the characters to question their place in the world. I’m not even kidding. From the IMDB description, I think that’s what it’s about.
Jason Statham returns to punch more giant prehistoric sharks in the face. The official plot hasn’t been revealed yet, but if it remains true to the book series, then more than one giant Meg will appear. The author of the book, Steve Alten, has said it has a dark tone and could end up with an R rating.
Another HBO Max transplant. A teenager finds a mysterious alien scarab artifact that gives him a superhero suit of armor with a mind of its own. Xolo Maridueña from Cobra Kai will play the lead, Jaime Reyes. George Lopez and Susan Sarandon are supporting characters that help him through the discovery of his new superhero identity.
The ghostly nun from The Conjuring 2 returns. We learn more about the character’s origin. With the expanded Conjuring Universe, these spinoff films have kept the Conjuring name alive between the main films, even if they aren’t as successful.
Denis Villeneuve keeps his story going in the next chapter of the Dune franchise. Christopher Walken will be joining this entry as Emperor Shaddam IV. This is fun since he was in the music video for Fatboy Slim’s song Weapon Of Choice. It contains the lyric “Walk without rhythm, and it won’t attract the worm,” from the 1984 version of Dune. After how well the last one did, this is sure to be a tent pole in Warner Bros. 2023 film schedule.
The prequel film will star Timothée Chalamet as Willy Wonka. We will finally learn the origin story of how Willy Wonka met the Oompa Loompas. Something I’m sure everyone has wondered about since the original book was released.
A new musical adaptation of the original Alice Walker novel. It follows the life of an African-American woman in the early 1900s. This version stars Taraji P. Henson, Halle Bailey, and Louis Gossett Jr.
The next entry in the DC line of films. It’s unknown if it will be of a rebooted universe or follow in line with the previous DC universe. Ben Affleck has filmed a cameo appearance in the film, which would lend it to be still set in the universe we’re familiar with. We’ll have to see if The Flash’s release changes anything related to this film.
Coyote vs. Acme takes place in the famed Acme Warehouse that supplies our animated friends with all their fun contraptions. James Gunn is listed as one of the writers, and it boasts John Cena and Will Forte as part of its cast. This will be the first Looney Tunes movie to be released in 3D.
Stephen King is hot again, so many of his properties are being remade. This is actually the third time this story has been adapted. It was originally a TV mini-series back in 1979 directed by Tobe Hooper. It was done once again as a mini-series starring Rob Lowe in 2004. In the film, a writer returns to his small hometown just as an evil force arrives to take over.
What Warner Bros. films are you looking forward to in 2023? Let us know in the comments.