When the clock struck midnight on December 31, 2016, a large portion of the world let out a collective sigh of relief. However, for all its faults, I think we can all agree that 2016 was a great year for movies.
Looking over the list, we have Arrival, Zootopia, Moana, The Jungle Book, Deadpool, Captain America: Civil War, Doctor Strange, La La Land, The Nice Guys, 10 Cloverfield Lane, and Rogue One: A Star Wars Story just to name a few. I’ll stop, now, because I’ve barely even scratched the surface yet.
In any case, based on the trailers we’ve seen so far, it seems as though 2017 might just give the 2016 box office a run for its money. With a slate of films ranging from sci-fi to action to comic book-inspired, and more, here are the 12 best trailers for movies being released in 2017:
Alien: Covenant
The sequel to 2012’s Prometheus and the second chapter in a planned trilogy of prequels to Alien, Alien: Covenant’s red band trailer seems to promise a chilling, sci-fi thriller that hopefully outdoes its somewhat lackluster predecessor. If nothing else, it certainly looks like it will deliver the gore, suspense, and sexiness that have become a mainstay of the modern Alien franchise.
Synopsis: The crew of the colony ship Covenant, bound for a remote planet on the far side of the galaxy, discover what they think is an uncharted paradise, but is actually a dark, dangerous world. When they uncover a threat beyond their imagination, they must attempt a harrowing escape.
Release Date: May 19, 2017
The Fast of the Furious
In the eighth installment of the long-running action franchise, The Fate of the Furious looks like it’s certainly going to shake up the status quo. With the untimely passing of franchise star Paul Walker, the film will see his brother-in-arms, Vin Diesel’s Dom Toretto, make an unprecedented heel turn. Thankfully, the ultimate babyface, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, and Fast & Furious newcomer Jason Statham promise to deliver the explosive action we’ve come to expect from the series.
Synopsis: When a mysterious woman seduces Dom into the world of crime and a betrayal of those closest to him, the crew faces trials that will test them as never before.
Release Date: April 14, 2017
Ghost in the Shell
Despite the initial skepticism over the casting of Scarlett Johansson in the adaptation of this Japanese sci-fi property, Ghost in the Shell looks like it’s going to hit all the right beats with fans of the manga, anime series, and the 1995 film. The trailer promises a gentle adaptation of the property for western audiences, while still remaining very faithful to the source material.
Synopsis: A cyborg policewoman attempts to bring down a nefarious computer hacker.
Release Date: March 31, 2017
Kong: Skull Island
If the great opening music, epic score, and massive monsters aren’t enough to get you invested in Kong: Skull Island, the star-studded cast ought to do it. Tom Hiddleston, Samuel L. Jackson, and Brie Larson look like they’re poised to deliver stellar, action-packed performances. Meanwhile, John Goodman appears as epic as always, with John C. Reilly rounding out the group and providing some welcomed comic relief. We might just be looking at the best King Kong movie yet!
Synopsis: A team of explorers and soldiers travel to an uncharted island in the Pacific, unaware that they are crossing into the domain of monsters, including the mythic Kong.
Release date: March 10, 2017
War for the Planet of the Apes
How is it that this franchise seems to get better and better with each new installment? I’m not really sure, but regardless, it looks like the Apes will be three-for-three in terms of major blockbusters with the release of War for the Planet of the Apes. The trailer seems to place the humans back in the driver seat, with Woody Harrelson leading the way as a compelling new antagonist to stand opposite Caesar as the two factions fight for the fate of their respective species in an all-out war.
Synopsis: A nation of genetically evolved apes led by Caesar becomes embroiled in a battle with an army of humans.
Release Date: July 14, 2017
Beauty and the Beast
Last year’s The Jungle Book proved to be a runaway hit, and with this trailer, Beauty and the Beast looks to be another outstanding live-action adaptation of a Disney classic. Emma Watson looks completely at home in the role of Belle, Gaston is as cocksure as ever, and the CGI looks like it’s handled well, which is extremely important considering the potential for distractions within the enchanted castle.
Synopsis: An adaptation of the Disney fairy tale about a monstrous-looking prince and a young woman who fall in love.
Release Date: March 17, 2017
Power Rangers
While the first trailer seemed to offer what looked like Chronicle meets The Breakfast Club, the second one delivers everything you could possibly want from a Power Rangers movie. We get a taste of the campy humor from the original TV series, but it’s the sight of the Rangers in full costume, Zordon, the putties, the Zords, Goldar, and of course, the Megazord that really sell this as a Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers movie. The Kanye West song in the backdrop seems like an odd choice and Alpha 5 looks like he’ll essentially be the BB8 analog of the film, but the trailer delivers everywhere else that counts.
Synopsis: A group of high-school kids, who are infused with unique superpowers, harness their abilities in order to save the world.
Release Date: March 24, 2017
The Lego Batman Movie
The Lego Batman Movie is shaping up to be, quite possibly, the best Batman-related film we’ve gotten since The Dark Knight Rises, and as a die-hard Batman fan, that both excites and disappoints me greatly. My own conflicting feelings aside, though, the trailers are absolutely hilarious, and the voice cast sounds incredible. There looks to be tons of Easter eggs, too, like the Monarch Theater, Kryptonite Batarangs, and the plethora of Bat-vehicles, just to name a few. If the film delivers what the trailers are promising, the DCEU might want to rethink their strategy over on the live-action side of things.
Synopsis: Bruce Wayne must not only deal with the criminals of Gotham City but also the responsibility of raising a boy he adopted.
Release Date: February 10, 2017
Spider-Man: Homecoming
This was a bit of a tough one. Like most Marvel movies, the trailer for Spider-Man: Homecoming looks good. It’s shot well and has a great blend of action and humor, but it seems to be lacking the certain “wow factor” I expected. Still, it’s the first film to feature Spider-Man as the lead protagonist since Sony agreed to share the rights to the character with Marvel Studios, so it makes sense that the two studios might want to play things a little safe. That could explain why MCU veteran Robert Downey Jr. appears so much. Regardless, the film seems like it will still be able to stand on its own two feet, with Tom Holland once again looking great as Spidey, and Michael Keaton taking the Vulture to fearsome new heights.
Synopsis: A young Peter Parker/Spider-Man begins to navigate his newfound identity as the web-slinging superhero.
Release Date: July 7, 2017
Logan
Between the Johnny Cash’s Hurt in the first trailer, Kaleo’s Way Down We Go in the second one, and the gratuitous brutality and choice language in the international trailers, 20th Century Fox is making it abundantly clear that Logan is far from your typical X-Men movie. And rightfully so, because Hugh Jackman’s swan song is definitely going to be a somber affair, which the trailers have all seemed to capture perfectly so far. They also appear to be setting up young Laura Kinney, AKA X-23, to possibly carry the torch once the face of the franchise bids his final adieu.
Synopsis: In the near future, a weary Logan cares for an ailing Professor X in a hide out on the Mexican border. But Logan's attempts to hide from the world and his legacy are upended when a young mutant arrives, being pursued by dark forces.
Release Date: March 3, 2017
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2
Although the first teaser trailer didn’t even bother to change the soundtrack from the original film, the full trailer proved that although everything we know and love from the first film is still there, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 is taking things up a step further this time around. Seriously, everything is dialed up a notch; the action, the humor – heck, even the music, which was so prominent in the first film, seems to outdo itself.
Synopsis: Set to the backdrop of Awesome Mixtape #2, 'Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2' continues the team's adventures as they unravel the mystery of Peter Quill's true parentage.
Release Date: May 5, 2017
Wonder Woman
If Wonder Woman isn’t an unequivocal critical and box office success, there’s little to no chance of course correction for the DCEU. That’s a lot of baggage to carry, but neither of the two trailers we’ve gotten so far seems to hint at anything less than a fun, action-packed World War I period piece that prominently and faithfully features the Amazon Princess in all her glory. The beauty and badassery that made Gal Gadot’s Diana Prince the one constant in terms of praise for Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice is on full display, and the supporting cast looks like they’ll add just the right amount of romance and humor to round out the film.
Synopsis: An Amazon princess leaves her island home to explore the world and, in doing so, becomes one of the world's greatest heroes.
Release Date: June 2, 2017