However, there were still some good films that made it to the big screen, or in some cases, the small screen in the form of streaming.
If there was any lesson cinephiles learned this year, it’s that release dates are not carved in stone, courtesy of the pandemic.
With there being quite a backlog of films, it’s safe to say that 2022 will be a good year for movie buffs, with many highly anticipated films making their way to theatres.
Movie fans are in for an exciting 2022 as this line-up of the most anticipated films out next year shows.
1. The Batman (March)
If you told anyone a decade ago that the actor playing the sparkling vampire from Twilight would be the Batman of the future, you’d probably have been laughed out of the room.
Robert Pattinson has certainly left that ignominious role behind him though, as he has proved himself time and time again to be a remarkable actor.
Like 2019’s Joker, this 2022 film by Matt Reeves, director of Cloverfield and War of the Planet of the Apes, is not connected to the DC Extended Universe.
It is likely that Pattinson’ The Dark Knight will have a different interpretation from that of his predecessors, Ben Affleck and Christian Bale.
Will Pattinson’s Batman eventually come to blows with the Clown Prince of Crime though, with Joaquin Phoenix potentially playing Batman’s archnemesis once more?
2. Jurassic World: Dominion (June)
Dinosaurs on the big screen. What could be better? Sure, the last Jurassic World film was something of a no-brainer, but audiences still lapped it up.
In the last film, dinosaurs previously kept confined to a limited area were let loose into the world, mostly by a young girl who really didn’t think things through.
While the plot to the film has largely remained concealed, it’s likely this film will pick things up where the last film left off.
In addition to the returning Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard, the cast of the very first Jurassic Park film will also join them for the ride.
With Sam Neill and Laura Dern back for the reptilian rodeo, it should be no surprise that dear Jeff Goldblum will also be back. Like always, he, uh, finds a way.
3. Thor: Love and Thunder (July)
Before Taika Waititi came to sit in the director’s chair, the Thor films were something of a weak point in the otherwise solid Marvel Cinematic Universe collection of films.
Just to make a point, can anyone actually remember the villain of Thor: The Dark World? Or even the plot?
But with Thor: Ragnarök being such a fun ride and a kaleidoscope of colours, the Thor films have quite the bright future ahead of them.
According to Waititi, this newest film has some romantic elements, and hence, Natalie Portman, who plays Thor’s love interest, Jane Foster, is making a return to the franchise.
Foster is expected to take up Mjolnir, so who knows what hijinks she and her demigod boyfriend will get up to this time.
4. Mission Impossible 7 (September)
With this list dominated by superheroes, perhaps some space ought to be given to a film from a classic action franchise instead.
The previous Mission Impossible, “Fallout”, saw the trilogy that began with Ghost Protocol draw to a close, so it’s likely that this film is the beginning of a new story arc.
Not much is known about the plot of the film, but given his previous antics, it’s likely that Tom Cruise will be pulling off some death-defying stunts once more.
Regardless, cinephiles will just be pleased to hear that iconic theme of the franchise playing in theatres once more. Dun, dun, dun…
5. Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (Part One) (October)
There’s no question about 2018’s Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse being one of the most memorable animated films in recent times.
With ground-breaking animation techniques, an interesting plot and engaging characters, the film certainly deserves all the praise it received.
That film ended with a sequel hook and at long last, said sequel will finally be hitting the big screen, with Miles Morales at the forefront again.
In the last film, audiences caught a glimpse of the multiverse and in this film, they will get to see Morales explore new worlds and fend off new villains.
Who knows if this film will top its predecessor? But as long as the animators and writers are given their creative liberty, it’s quite likely to be a blast.
6. Avatar 2 (December)
Talk about dedication! How long has it been since audiences last watched the mega-blockbuster that was Avatar?
But since releasing his film on blue aliens back in 2009, director James Cameron has been relentless in his pursuit of a sequel.
With bits and pieces of news trickling in, it’s finally confirmed that a sequel film will be arriving late next year.
Set after the events of the first film, this one apparently takes place largely underwater. Insert your jokes about the Titanic here.
Given how Cameron is something of a film technology pioneer, it’s anyone’s guess what fantastic feats this madman will pull off this time in his quest for cinematic perfection.