Honourable Mention: Star Wars Episode VII
#10: Shaun the Sheep
And already I imagine a number of people have stopped reading, but hear me out here. The character of Shaun the Sheep is one stuck in the memories of a good percentage of people, voted the number #1 children's TV character earlier on this year. Following his first appearance in 1995's A Close Shave and obtaining his own series a decade later, it goes to show just how beloved the character is. Aardman Animation successfully translated their flagship characters Wallace and Gromit onto the big screen in 2005, so there's certainty that it'll be repeated here.
#9: Tomorrowland
This is a film shrouded with secrecy, with very few details to date. The most that's known is the cast and basic plot synopsis, which does sound somewhat simplistic for my tastes but we'll get to that. But that's the exciting thing about this movie; no one knows anything about it. But with the talents of George Clooney and Brad Bird on board, and the film seemingly filmed on the set of the theme park it's based on, it could be a very exciting project.
The trailers look exciting, the actors are riveting and clearly having fun, and it seems action-packed. But with it being pushed back from being released this year, it has been given a 'proceed with caution' feel by the general public. I see it as a much-improved version of 2006's Stormbreaker, but have placed it lower on the list simply because of its initial release schedule; it would be cheating to place it higher on its second attempt.
#7: Ant-Man
This is another 'proceed with caution' film, with a much longer production schedule and the sudden dropping of Edgar Wright, news which shocks me months later. Add his replacement Peyton Reed, and it could seem like a large misstep. So why so high? Quite simply, it's Marvel Studios. Had the Edgar Wright event not taken place, and this film could be in the Top 5, maybe even Top 3, of this list. After various hits these past few years, it's unlikely they'll fail here, especially after 8 years of preparation. Plus, Paul Rudd does seem right to play the microscopic hero, even if it did question some when announced.
#6: Inherent Vice
A release for 2014 in the US, Inherent Vice is a film which has been anticipated for many since its announcement a while back, but it was only with the news of casting and the recent trailer that I've been truly interested in this film. Joaquin Phoenix has won me over as an actor after his performance in Her, and I've heard good things in the visual sense about Paul Thomas Anderson's direction, so this may be a good look-in when released in January.
#5: Big Hero 6
Released on the same day, and behind its American release of November, Big Hero 6 has a big job to do as a follow up to the smash-hit Frozen whilst making use of Disney's ownership of Marvel with their own rendition of a superhero team. But because of their recent successes, and the trailers being sharp and witty, Big Hero 6 is clearly one to look out for, especially after a dry spell for animated films this year aside from How to Train Your Dragon 2 and The Boxtrolls.
#4: Spectre
Skyfall was anticipated back in 2012 and was a huge success and loved by all, so of course the next installment in the James Bond franchise is overly hyped. With the return of Sam Mendes as director and Daniel Craig still playing the infamous secret agent, it's expected to be big, despite there being little-to-no information besides that. There have been recent rumours that Rihanna will be the new Bond girl, but nothing confirmed yet (hopefully she won't be!) so keep your eyes peeled.
#3: Peanuts
Like many, I grew up on the adventures of Charlie Brown and company, through their print and feature adventures, so such news of a film does grab my interest, and while Blue Sky Studios haven't got the best track record with the overbearing Ice Age and Rio franchises, they do offer up some good stylistic choices. But when the teaser came out earlier this year, I fell in love with it. The combination of 2D and 3D animation styles really shines in it and makes it seem like a simple animated update of the classic series, down to their designs and actions. With the family of the creator working on script and story and animation like this, it'll be hard to find a bigger love letter to the brand.
#2: Inside Out
It's a well-established fact that I am a fan of Pixar's work, and will continue to be for as long as they've been making films. However, in the choice between The Good Dinosaur and this, Inside Out has a lot more up for grabs. It's their first film since 2013's Monsters University, it has a strong voice cast such as Amy Poehler and Bill Hader, and what was seen in the recent teaser looks stunning. My levels of anticipation are high for the return of the animation company.
As predictable as this may be, it's hard not to look forward to the sequel to the third highest-grossing film of all time. Marvel have been on a roll with Phase Two with only one disappointment with Thor: The Dark World (and even then it was only good), and the sequel has a lot at stake, with the reintroduction of all these characters together, new heroes and a brand new villain created by one of the flagship characters, Everyone who's anyone is excited for this Phase Two finale, and I'll be there on opening day.
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