Book the tickets and call the babysitter
Nothing says date night like dinner and a movie. And since you’ve seen every child-friendly release since your kids were born, here’s a list of movies for adults; to be seen in all their big-screen glory without a cartoon character in sight. And if you’re lucky, they’ll be shown at one of those theaters with the giant reclining chairs and a bar. Okay, maybe the chairs are a bad idea for exhausted parents, but may you find these showing in a theater you love, kick back with your favorite adult, and enjoy them without a kid telling you they need to go to the bathroom—again.
John Wick Chapter 4
Everyone loves Keanu, and there’s something so satisfying about watching him play a ruthless, vengeful hitman. Fans of the franchise have been waiting for Chapter 4—put on a two-year hiatus thanks to COVID. There are also rumors the last installment of the franchise won’t deliver a happy ending for its beloved main character. March 24
Air
The movie about how the iconic Air Jordan sneaker came to be is directed by Ben Affleck and is stacked with a star-studded cast, including Viola Davis, who Michael Jordan apparently insisted play his mother. Also starring Matt Damon, Jason Bateman, Chris Tucker, and Affleck himself. April 5
Paint
This is sadly not a Bob Ross biopic, but Owen Wilson channels everyone’s favorite public television painter for his role in Paint. It’s a fictional comedy about Carl Nagle, a painter with a public television show who is worried when a younger, cooler painter starts to steal his spotlight. The movie is not based on any of Ross’ real-life experiences, but it’s clearly inspired by him, and because of that, we’re all in. April 7
Sweetwater
Sweetwater is the story of Hall of Famer Nat “Sweetwater” Clifton, who made history as the first Black basketball player to sign an NBA contract. He was the star player for the Harlem Globetrotters at the time. It stars Everett Osborne as Clifton, Jeremy Piven, Cary Elwes, and Richard Dreyfuss. April 14
Indiana Jones & the Dial of Destiny
Who didn’t grow up with Indiana Jones? And who doesn’t want to see Harrison Ford revising his role as Jones for the first time since 2008? This is the first installment of the franchise not directed by Steven Spielberg and also stars Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Mads Mikkelsen, Shaunette Renée Wilson, and Antonio Banderas. June 30
Mission: Impossible, Dead Reckoning
Tom Cruise has been playing Ethan Hunt, a member of a fictional spy agency called Mission Force, since 1996. 1996! His role kicked off a franchise lasting almost three decades, and 2023 sees the seventh installment of the franchise hitting the screen, with Hunt no doubt jumping off cliffs while keeping the world safe. There is reportedly a stunt in the upcoming film that involves riding a motorcycle off a cliff in Switzerland, then turning into a base jump. The footage above proves it. July 14
Oppenheimer
Cillian Murphy stars as Robert J. Oppenheimer in this biopic about the physicist and “father of the atomic bomb.” The star-packed cast includes Florence Pugh, Emily Blunt, Matt Damon, Robert Downey Jr., Rami Malek, and Josh Hartnett. Directed by Christopher Nolan (The Dark Knight, Inception, Memento). July 21
Barbie
This trailer looks like a pink fever dream, and we are so here for it. Margot Robbie plays Barbie and Ryan Gosling is cast as her beau, Ken. The film’s supporting cast includes more exciting actors, including Issa Rae, America Ferrera, Kate McKinnon, and everyone’s favorite Marvel superhero, Simu Liu, in yet-to-be-revealed roles. July 21
My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3
The plot has been largely under wraps, but Deadline reported that Greece is the setting for Toula and Ian’s (John Corbett) daughter Paris’ wedding. The third film is dedicated to Michael Constantine (Toula’s father, Gus), who died in August 2021. It won’t be the same without Gus running around with his bottle of beloved Windex, but we can’t wait to see the sparks between Vardalos and Corbett again. September 8
The Hunger Games: Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes
The fourth installment of the franchise focuses on a young Coriolanus Snow (originally played by Donald Sutherland). It follows Snow’s involvement in the games and is set 64 years before the events in the original series—which means Jennifer Lawrence won’t be reprising her role as Katniss Everdeen. November 17
Wonka
It’s about time we got an origin story for the most famously devious chocolatier of all time. Timothée Chalamet will play a young Willy Wonka, and we’ll reportedly see how he crossed paths with the Ooompa Loompas and ended up with his impressively creepy factory. Also starring Olivia Colman, Sally Hawkins, Rowan Atkinson, and Keegan-Michael Key. December 15
Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom
Apparently, during the filming of the first Aquaman, Jason Momoa developed a story pitch for a sequel, and thanks to the huge success of the movie, it was greenlighted. Momoa is set to return to the big screen on the biggest movie day of the year, with Amber Heard as Mera and Ben Affleck reprising his role as Batman. “When an ancient power is unleashed, Aquaman must forge an uneasy alliance with an unlikely ally to protect Atlantis, and the world, from irreversible devastation.” Hopefully, the sequel will be just as jam-packed with slow-motion scenes of Aquaman emerging from the sea. December 25
Legally Blonde 3
Reese Witherspoon will reprise her role as Elle Woods, and thank goodness, because who else could do this? The 2001 release brought us our favorite horoscope-obsessed, vegetarian law student who refused to let tired stereotypes and a remarkable jerk of an ex-boyfriend stand in her way of becoming a power lawyer. There’s no official release date yet, but the MGM site still says, “coming in 2023.” TBD
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