Have you checked your local theater lately? 2016 is absolutely amazing for people who love all things geeky. Gamers, comic book fans, and pop culture fanatics alike all have something to love in cinemas. You can’t even flip through channels when commercials come on TV, because there are too many trailers for movies you can’t miss.
Really, any gamer or niche media fan will be very pleased in 2016. Tons of amazing movies are coming out. Don’t believe me? Well, we have a list. Which, as we know, is the best way to verify and prove some indisputable facts. These 10 movies are either out now or coming soon, and they deserve your attention.
Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice
I know, it’s popular to hate Batman v. Superman . I get it. It isn’t the best superhero movie out there, but it isn’t as bad as people make it out to be. There are some great fights here. Some interesting lore is established. Wonder Woman makes quite a splash. The cinematography is good, it’s an interesting two and a half hours, and we should respect both the opinions of folks who like and dislike it. Also, we should understand the impact it could have on future DC Comics movies from Warner Bros. Ben Affleck wasn’t even as bad as he could have been.
Assassin’s Creed
Did you know the Assassin’s Creed movie, starring Michael Fassbender, will be out in 2016? Yup, it has a December 21, 2016 release date. It’s more inspired by Assassin’s Creed , rather than being a direct adaptation of Desmond’s adventures, which may be for the best. It’ll make it easier for us to be more forgiving if Callum Lynch reliving his genetic memories of the Assassin Aguilar in 15th century Spain isn’t exactly lore-accurate. Plus, other big players like Marion Cotillard, Jeremy Irons, and Brendan Gleeson are in it!
Warcraft
Activision and Blizzard need Warcraft , the movie inspired by World of Warcraft , to do well. The MMORPG isn’t exactly in its heyday, and the movie’s been in development for 10 years, after all. Yes, the story seems a bit hackneyed. Humans from Azeroth and Orcs from Draenor go to war, and only Anduin Lothar and Durotan can act as representatives for their respective races to save the day. Early trailers look pretty, at the very least, and it can’t hurt to give it a chance when it launches on June 10.
X-Men Apocalypse
OK, here’s the thing about X-Men movies. They’ve started to get good again. X2: X-Men United and X-Men: The Last Stand were pretty hokey, X-Men: First Class corrected the course, and X-Men: Days of Future Past made it so X-Men: The Last Stand never happened. Right now? We’re good. X-Men Apocalypse is bringing back a great cast, as well as Bryan Singer as director, so maybe it’ll be okay too? All the initial footage seems encouraging, so I think it’s okay if we’re all excited for its May 27 debut.
Doctor Strange
When you think of actors who look like they could maybe be unnatural superheroes in disguise, who comes to mind? Tom Cruise doesn’t count, by the way. I hope you were thinking of Benedict Cumberbatch. He’s a cool dude and a perfect pick for Doctor Strange, who’ll he’ll bring to life on November 4. The Marvel movies have a great track record so far. Even Ant-Man was good! With Cumberbatch joined by Rachel McAdams, Tilda Swinton, Chiwetel Ejiofor, and Mads Mikkelsen, I think we have the right combination to make another minor character a star.
Ghostbusters
The new Ghostbusters is going to be different. We’ve got a full cast of famous comediennes. There’s been equal parts outrage and hype surrounding the movie, but it’s difficult to not be curious. After all, Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Kate McKinnon, and Leslie Jones are pretty big names. They’re known for being funny, and the first few trailers have had their moments. It’s something you might have to see when it’s released on July 15, whether you’re for or against the decisions made, just because it could be culturally important.
Suicide Squad
The DC Comics movies have been rather dark. They’re not exactly the feel-good romps Guardians of the Galaxy or Avengers can be. While Suicide Squad is definitely going to be edgy, what with it following a group of villains being forced to defend Gotham City, it seems like it won’t be as melodramatic as the Batman and Superman movies were. Maybe it’s because Will Smith and Margot Robbie come across so cool as Deadshot and Harley Quinn, but it seems like this could be a winner and must-see film come August 5.
Ratchet & Clank
Ratchet & Clank was destined to become a movie. Cute characters, some of whom are fuzzy? Check! Clever humor? Check! A storyline that would transition well from a game to the screen? Triple check! Plus, the developer, Insomniac Games, has been very active in the movie’s creation. It’ll bring in people who know the series and those who don’t, and that’s a wonderful thing. It’ll be out April 29.
Captain America: Civil War
We’ve spent the past few years falling in love with Captain America, Iron Man, and the rest of the Avengers through the many Captain America, Iron Man, and Avengers movies. Now, Captain America: Civil War is going to make us pick sides. All of our favorite characters will be there, with Spider-Man even joining the fight. It’ll make us think critically about the situations superheroes might face in a conflict-filled endeavor. You can see how this war turns out on May 6.
Deadpool
Deadpool wins. Ryan Reynolds had to wait about 11 years to play the character in a movie. He even agreed to be the weird, terrible version of Deadpool in X-Men Origins: Wolverine so he could be a good version of him later. And really? It paid off. It’s the highest-grossing R-rated movie in history. It’s well-paced and hilarious. It perfectly captures the character. Everyone involved did well, and we could probably go ahead and consider it the best superhero movie of 2016. We’re all good with that, right?