10 Fantasy & Sci-Fi Movies Coming In 2018 That Are Sure To Satisfy Your Inner-Nerd

2018 promises to be another outstanding year for fantasy and science fiction films. From reboots to sequels to adaptations to original concepts, there’s lots to look forward to this year, and we here at Epicstream want to make sure you know what films and coming out and when.

Here are 10 fantasy and sci-fi movies coming in 2018 that are sure to satisfy your inner nerd:

  1. Maze Runner: The Death Cure (Jan. 26)

    The third and final installment in the Maze Runner franchise was originally slated to be released on February 17, 2017, but faced an 11-month delay after star Dylan O’Brien was hit by a vehicle while filming a stunt for the film. Thankfully, the young actor was afforded the time he needed for a full recovery, and now, the conclusion to the trilogy is looming on the horizon. Thomas and his fellow Gladers will be forced to enter the deadliest labyrinth yet, this time in the fabled Last City, in order to find a cure for a deadly illness known only as “the flare.” It will be interesting to see how the YA-trilogy wraps up, particularly for those who haven’t read the novels.

  2. A Wrinkle in Time (March 9)

    Based on the 1962 novel of the same name, A Wrinkle in Time seems to have just about everything going for it. From Ava Duvernay in the director’s chair to the incredibly star-studded cast to the Walt Disney budget, it’s hard to imagine this film being anything other than incredible. The story will follow the young Meg Murray, who must work with her brainy brother and her classmate in order to save her astrophysicist father from deep within the fabrics of reality. The trailer promises this will be a trippy, mind-bending experience, and one that’s definitely worth coughing up the extra cash for IMAX 3D.

  3. Tomb Raider (March 16)

    This reboot of the Angelina Jolie Tomb Raider film series (which was based on the video game series) will explore Lara Croft’s first expedition, in which she travels to a mysterious island to find answers about her father’s disappearance. If nothing else, the trailer seems to hint that this version of the film will be more faithful to the video games than the pre-reboot movies, but nevertheless, video game adaptations tend to be met with a bit of skepticism, given their shaky track record. Alicia Vikander looks to be a great choice for Lara, though, and the trailer looks promising, so hopefully, this proves to be a successful reboot of the Tomb Raider franchise.

  4. Pacific Rim Uprising (March 23)

    Star Wars alum John Boyega will trade in starships and droids for Jaegers and Kaiju when he stars as the son of Stacker Pentecost in Pacific Rim Uprising. Reuniting with Mako Mori, he’ll have to train a new class of pilots to combat yet another Kaiju threat. The film is set 10 years after the Battle of the Breach, and although Guillermo del Toro is no longer in the director’s chair, it still looks like we’re getting the same sort of “giant monster beat-em-up” popcorn fare we got back in 2013. Plus, it will be nice to see Boyega lend his face to another big-budget franchise, as he replaces Pacific Rim’s Charlie Hunnam in the lead role due to the latter’s commitment to King Arthur: Legend of the Sword.

  5. Ready Player One (March 30)

    Based on the Ernest Cline novel, Ready Player One is set in a world where citizens escape the drudgery of their everyday lives by diving into a virtual reality MMO called the OASIS. When the creator of the OASIS dies, though, he leaves behind a challenge for the users to embark on a quest that will ultimately lead to his fortune, with the story’s protagonist, Wade Watts, being the lucky one to find the first clue. The film appears to be packed with pop-culture references, from The Iron Giant to Akira to Back to the Future. Plus, with Steven Spielberg helming the project, it’s sure to have all the charm and wonder we’ve come to expect from the man who brought us such films as E.T. and Jurassic Park.

  6. Rampage (April 20)

    Another video game adaptation hitting the big screen this year is Rampage, which is based on the classic 1980s game in which a human is transformed into a giant monster and begins destroying cities. The film will take a different approach to the premise, though, by focusing on a silverback gorilla that mutates into a rampaging monster, along with a wolf and a crocodile. Admittedly, it sounds farfetched on paper, but Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Joe Manganiello’s star power should be enough to attract audiences to the theater, and while it surely won’t be Citizen Kane, it at least looks entertaining. 

  7. Solo: A Star Wars Story (May 25)

    A lot of fans are skeptical about a film recounting the early days of Han Solo and Chewbacca, especially considering all the shakeups that took place during production. Still, you can’t help but be excited when it comes to Star Wars, which is why Solo: A Star Wars Story has plenty of hype behind it. According to director Ron Howard, who took over after Phil Lord and Chris Miller were unceremoniously fired from the film, a trailer should be arriving very soon. Until then, it’s hard to say what we should expect from Solo, but here’s hoping the end product is less divisive than The Last Jedi

  8. Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (June 22)

    None of the sequels have managed to capture the heart and wonder of the original Jurassic Park, but Jurassic World sure did manage to reignite the franchise for a whole new generation. Now, in Jurassic World: The Fallen Kingdom, we’ll see the return of Jeff Goldblum’s Ian Malcolm, and meanwhile, Claire and Owen will fight to rescue the park’s remaining dinosaurs from threats both natural and manmade. With a prime June release date, this movie has billion-dollar summer blockbuster written all over it.

  9. The Predator (Aug. 3)

    Very little is known about Shane Black’s upcoming Predator film. It was originally conceived as a hard reboot of the existing franchise, but Black later confirmed that it would actually be a sequel. The film stars Boyd Holbrook, Olivia Munn, Trevante Rhodes, Keegan-Michael Key, Sterling K. Brown, Jacob Tremblay, Yvonne Strahovski, Alfie Allen and Thomas Jane. As far as the plot, though? That remains to be seen. Still, it’s a Predator movie, and as long as it doesn’t have “Alien” or “versus” in the title, that’s more than enough to get most sci-fi fans to the theater.

  10. Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald (Nov. 16)

    The second film installment in the Fantastic Beasts series and the tenth overall in J. K. Rowling's Wizarding World is high up there on most fantasy and sci-fi fans’ 2018 must-watch lists. The dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald has escaped MACUSA custody, gathering followers in secret, and it’s up to Albus Dumbledore and Newt Scamander to put an end to his schemes. With such a massive built-in fan base, it’s hard to imagine this film doing anything other than great at the box office, and even with the negative press surrounding Grindelwald actor Johnny Depp, those who are on the fence will likely be swayed by the time the first trailer drops.

    Which of these movies are you looking forward to the most? Let us know in the comments section!