Spring Movie Preview: Your Guide To The Box Office This Semester

This article was edited Feb. 17 at 1:57 a.m. to correct John Krasinski directorial debut.

Brett Slaughenhaupt
Movie Columnist & Social Media Director

The new year started off with a bit of a slump, but the spring season is looking to be full of hits both critical and commercial. Chalk it up to a “Get Out” effect or just the fact that studios are trying to release as many Event-with-a-capital-E films as they can in one year, but it’s getting harder and harder to write off any time of the year as being slow for film.

February

“Black Panther” (Feb. 16)

Not only is this going to be one of the biggest February releases, but this is also going to be one of the biggest releases ever. It already has rave reviews across the board — unsurprising for a Marvel film, but this is so much more than a Marvel or superhero movie.

This is a reckoning. Ryan Coogler is one of the most exciting filmmakers working today, and he has put together a cast of both strong men and women sparking a new surge in the superhero-fare.

Also out this month …

Feb. 9: There is a reason Clint Eastwood’s career has spanned decades as he continues with an interesting twist on the ‘ripped from the headlines’ genre with “The 15:17 to Paris.” “Fifty Shades Freed” concludes the trilogy and those darned animals be crazy in “Peter Rabbit.”

Feb. 16: Aardman Animations continues with their endearing vision in “Early Man.”

Feb. 23: Some may consider “Annihilation” too intellectual for audiences in Alex Garland’s follow-up to “Ex Machina,” love’s bounds are tested in the fantastical teen romance “Every Day” and Rachel McAdams is an Oscar nominee who really deserves better in “Game Night.”

March

“A Wrinkle in Time” (March 9)

Three films directed by women in the history of Hollywood have amassed a budget of $100+ million. Ava DuVernay is the first black woman to do so. Based on the classic Madeleine L’Engle novel of time traveling children and their accompanying peculiars—Mrs. Who, Mrs. Which and Mrs. Whatsit—as they try to find a missing father who could be the key to saving the universe. This looks to be a visual treat full of adventure and excitement.

Also out this month …

March 2: Bruce Willis does his thing (that thing being killing people) in Eli Roth’s “Death Wish,” “Alpha” is essentially “The Covenant” meets “Marmaduke” and Jennifer Lawrence’s charisma is truly put to the test as she tries to maintain a Russian accent for 2-plus hours in “Red Sparrow.”

March 9: Showing off his comedic prowess and action chops is David Oyelowo in “Gringo,” in what is probably the most literal title comes “The Hurricane Heist” and 10 years after the original comes “The Strangers: Prey at Night.”

March 16: It looks to be a big weekend with the coming-of-age and coming out film “Love, Simon,” Oscar-winner Alicia Vikander takes over for Jolie in the updated “Tomb Raider,” and it’s definitely-not-“Munich” starring Rosamund Pike in “7 Days in Entebbe.”
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March 23: Wes Anderson returns to the world of stop-motion animation in “Isle of Dogs,” “Midnight Sun” is a film that exists, and helped along by a large Asian market “Pacific Rim: Uprising” has a second chance at life. “Sherlock Gnomes” will be the first of two twists on the classic character 2018 has to offer and “Unsane” finds Claire Foy playing against type in the best way for Steven Soderbergh’s first horror film.

March 30: “Acrimony” reminds us that Taraji P. Henson is criminally underserved as an actor, Spielberg goes for the one-two punch with the visual feast of “Ready Player One” and weirdly enough God is still not dead in “God’s Not Dead: A Light in Darkness.”

April

“Tully” (April 20)

Jason Reitman, Diablo Cody and Charlize Theron come together again in a film that premiered to rave reviews at Sundance. Although their first film, “Young Adult” didn’t quite hit the mark with its black-as-night humor, this one looks to be as cutting with a bit more warmth.

Described as being about “motherhood in 2018,” it follows a mother of three as she attempts to survive her daily life. That is until a nanny, the titular Tully played by a fresh-faced Mackenzie Davis, comes to save the day. It looks to be another great showcase for Theron’s dramatic abilities and hopefully elevates Davis to a level she deserves.

Also out this month …

April 6: “Blockers”: because parents getting involved in their children’s sex lives is not weird. “Chappaquiddick” follows Ted Kennedy’s involvement in the infamous car accident, spouses Emily Blunt and John Krasinski team up in Krasinski’s directorial showcase in the creative horror “A Quiet Place” and “You Were Never Really Here” is a powerful return for director Lynne Ramsay.

April 11 debuts “Beirut” a film starring Jon Hamm that premiered at Sundance to middling reviews.
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April 13: A gender-swapped remake of the 1987 comedy “Overboard” and “Truth or Dare” a seemingly forgettable teen horror flick starring Lucy Hale.

April 20 will go down in the history books as being the best ever with the release of Dwayne Johnson’s absolute bonkers “Rampage,” the film every dude pretends to love is getting a sequel with “Super Troopers 2” and you bet I cried during the trailer for Helen Hunt’s “The Miracle Season.”

April 27 has the release of “Traffik,” a thriller starring Paula Patton.

May

“The Avengers: Infinity War” (May 4)

It’s been 10 years strong for the current Marvel Cinematic Universe. Six years ago in the first Avengers film, we were introduced to the big baddie Thanos, and all of that will finally come to a head in what is sure to be their biggest film, yet.

Superheros will die, and ties will be tested. And we still have the follow-up film to look forward to in 2019! Marvel always gives us consistently solid films, here’s hoping Infinity War is where they decide to truly become great.

Also out this month …

May 11: “Breaking In” plays like a cross between “The Purge” and “Taken” and spouses Melissa McCarthy and Ben Falcone collaborate for a third time with “Life of the Party.”

May 18: Everyone’s favorite raunchy superhero returns in “Deadpool 2” and in a film I hope everyone received amazing paychecks for is “Show Dogs.”

May 25: It’s time for the Jedi to—wait, let’s go back 50 years when Han Solo looked like Alden Ehrenreich and Lando Calrissian looked like a God in “Solo: A Star Wars Story.”

And all this will lead us into another big summer full of big blockbusters, such as “The Incredibles 2” and other movies that don’t matter as much as “THE INCREDIBLES 2,” baby!

As always, consider spending your money locally at Dayton’s independent theatre The Neon, located one mile from UD’s campus, Little Art Theatre in Yellow Springs or at Plaza Theatre in Miamisburg.

Photos Taken from menshealth.com, vulture.com, today.com, solismagazine.com and vanityfair.com.