The 15 most-anticipated films of 2023, including Creed, John Wick and Dune sequels

Clear your calendars for sci-fi, fantasy, action and adventure that is out of this world

From left, The Little Mermaid; John Wick: Chapter 4; and The Super Mario Bros Movie are some of the big-name films arriving in 2023. Photos: Disney; Lionsgate; Universal

Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. Photo: Marvel

Creed III. Photo: Warner Bros

John Wick: Chapter 4. Photo: Lionsgate

The Super Mario Bros Movie. Photo: Universal Pictures

Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves. Photo: Paramount Pictures

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3. Photo: Marvel

The Little Mermaid. Photo: Disney

Killers of the Flower Moon. Photo: Apple TV+

Tom Hanks will be appearing in a Wes Anderson film for the first time in Asteroid City. AFP

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny. Photo: Disney

Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One. Photo: Paramount Pictures

Barbie. Photo: Warner Bros

Dune: Part Two. Photo: Warner Bros

Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom. Photo: Warner Bros

Reese Witherspoon will return as Elle Woods in the third instalment of the Legally Blonde franchise. AFP

Following a brilliant 12 months in film, next year is set to tell its own thrilling story when it comes to big-screen entertainment.

From international spies to adventurous archaeologists; underwater to outer space; and superheroes to lovers and lawyers, here are some of the films to look forward to.

Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania

The third instalment of Ant-Man from the ever-expanding Marvel universe is a follow-up to Ant-Man (2015) and Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018).

Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) and Hope van Dyne (Evangeline Lilly) are forced to explore the Quantum Realm, a dimension in the multiverse only accessible through magic, after finding themselves there by accident.

In this secret world, they interact with strange creatures and are faced with challenges that push the limits of their powers and reality.

Global release date: February 17

Creed III

Starring Michael B Jordan, who is also directing for the first time, Creed III is the ninth instalment of the Rocky franchise.

It’s the first film in the series without Sylvester Stallone as Rocky Balboa and follows Jordan’s character, Adonis, who has been thriving in both his career and family life. But, things take a turn when a childhood friend and former boxing prodigy resurfaces, and the two face off in the ultimate fight.

Global release date: March 3

John Wick: Chapter 4

The neo-noir action thriller will see John Wick, played by Keanu Reeves, on a journey to defeat the High Table. But before he can earn his freedom, Wick must defeat against a new enemy who comes with powerful alliance forces.

Directed by Chad Stahelski, the fourth instalment of the film series will star Donnie Yen, Bill Skarsgard and Laurence Fishburne.

Release date: March 24 (US)

The Super Mario Bros Movie

The Super Mario Bros Movie, starring Chris Pratt as Mario and Charlie Day as Luigi, is a computer-animated fantasy adventure comedy film based on the legendary video game franchise of the same name.

The story follows Mario the plumber as he travels through an underground labyrinth to the Mushroom Kingdom, alongside Princess Peach and an anthropomorphic mushroom named Toad, to find his brother Luigi. The group set off to rescue the world from the fire-breathing Bowser (Jack Black).

Global release date: April 7

Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves

With a stellar cast including Chris Pine, Rege-Jean Page, Michelle Rodriguez and Hugh Grant, the fantasy adventure film is based on the tabletop role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons.

The story follows Edgin (Pine), a charming thief, and his band of unlikely adventurers as they set off on a quest to retrieve a lost relic. However, things go terribly wrong when they accidentally release the greatest evil the world has known.

Release date: March 31 (US), April 7 (UK), April 20 (UAE)

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3

The action-adventure comedy is written and directed by James Gunn. It follows the Guardians of the Galaxy, led by Peter Quill/Star-Lord (Chris Pratt), after they purchase the planet Knowhere and attempt to transform it into a safe haven for alien refugees. However, the Guardians have one last dangerous mission to undertake in order to protect one of their members and the planet.

The long-awaited third instalment to Guardians of the Galaxy (2014) and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017), will be the 32nd film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe — Zoe Saldana, Vin Diesel and Bradley Cooper will star alongside Pratt.

Global release date: May 4

The Little Mermaid

Disney’s The Little Mermaid is one of the few live-action remakes left from the animation studio's backlog.

The film, directed by Rob Marshall, follows the same storyline as the animated 1989 original. Ariel, played by singer and actress Halle Bailey, is the youngest of King Triton's daughters who has a thirst for adventure and a curiosity about the world above the sea. After she visits the surface and falls for Prince Eric, she plans to follow her heart and makes a deal with the evil sea witch, Ursula, to experience human life.

Global release date: May 26

Killers of the Flower Moon

Lily Gladstone and Leonardo DiCaprio are set to star in Martin Scorsese's Killers of the Flower Moon. Photo: Apple TV+

Directed by Oscar-winning director Martin Scorsese, the film is based on David Grann's best-selling non-fiction book.

Starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Robert De Niro and Lily Gladstone, the story is set in 1920s Oklahoma and depicts the murders of members of the wealthy Osage people, part of a Native American tribe, after significant oil deposits are discovered on their land.

Release date: May (US)

Asteroid City

Tom Hanks will be appear in a Wes Anderson film for the first time in Asteroid City. Getty Images

The latest film from Wes Anderson is set in 1955. A group of students and parents from across the US gather for scholarly competition at a fictional desert town, where world-changing events disrupt their rest and recreation.

The comedy drama stars Tom Hanks, Steve Carell, Margot Robbie, Scarlett Johansson, Edward Norton and Tilda Swinton.

Release date: June 16 (US)

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny

The fifth instalment of the action-adventure franchise, starring Harrison Ford as archaeologist Indiana Jones, is the first film in the series not to be directed by Steven Spielberg. Instead, James Mangold has taken on the role of director and, based on the trailer, has struck the same spirit of the original films.

While no major plot details have been shared, the story follows Indiana Jones, who is now content to be living and working as a university professor. However, when his goddaughter Helena, played by Phoebe Waller-Bridge, enters his life, he is forced back into one last epic adventure full of ancient discoveries and fighting Nazis.

Global release date: June 30

Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning PartOne

The seventh instalment in the Mission: Impossible series is also the first in a two-part film — with a second instalment set to be released in 2024.

Written and directed by Christopher McQuarrie, the plot details have been kept under wraps. However, based on the trailer and other films in the franchise, it seems that international spy Ethan Hawk, played by Tom Cruise, is back to rescue the world from calculated and dark criminals.

Release date: July 14 (US)

Barbie

The Greta Gerwig-directed film has been getting a lot of attention this year, with stills from the movie making the rounds online and the release of a teaser trailer earlier this month.

Starring Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling, the fantasy comedy follows Barbie’s adventure after being expelled from Barbieland for being a less-than-perfect-looking doll. She then sets off into the human world to find true happiness.

Release date: July 21 (UK)

Dune: Part Two

Timothee Chalamet as Paul Atreides and Rebecca Ferguson as Lady Jessica in Dune. AP

One of the most-anticipated sci-fi sequels, Denis Villeneuve’s conclusion to the epic Dune story, has recently wrapped up filming.

Based on the novel by Frank Herbert, the sequel follows Paul Atreides (Timothee Chalamet) as he unites with Chani (Zendaya) and the indigenous people of Arakis, the Fremen, while seeking to avenge those who killed his father and attempted to destroy his family.

Paul is faced with a harrowing choice — to follow his heart or save the universe from the dangerous future only he can see.

Global release date: November 3

Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom

Jason Momoa plays Aquaman. Photo: Warner Bros

The sequel to the story of the DC underwater superhero was pitched by Jason Momoa during the filming of the first Aquaman (2018).

Staring Momoa, Ben Affleck, Amber Heard, Nicole Kidman and Patrick Wilson, the plot is mostly unknown except that Aquaman must forge a difficult alliance with an unlikely ally in a bid to save Atlantis and the rest of the planet from danger.

Release date: December 25 (US), December 29 (UK)

Legally Blonde 3

Reese Witherspoon will reprise her role as Elle Wood. Getty Images / AFP

Reese Witherspoon as pink-clad and determined Elle Woods has left a mark on pop culture.

The first film, released in 2001, follows Woods as she heads to Harvard Law School to prove to her ex-boyfriend that she’s as smart, if not smarter, than him. The 2003 sequel, Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde, saw Elle travel to Washington DC to campaign for animal rights.

The premise and plot for the latest Legally Blonde is tightly under wraps, however, writer and actress Mindy Kaling and Brooklyn Nine-Nine co-creator Dan Goor have written the script. The film will star Witherspoon alongside a cast that also includes Jennifer Coolidge.

Release date: 2023

Fourteen incredible celebrity transformations - in pictures

Nicole Kidman donned a prosthetic nose that drastically changed her appearance when she took on the role of writer Virginia Woolf in 'The Hours.' Photo: Paramount Pictures

Charlize Theron in a scene with co-star Christina Ricci in 'Monster.' Theron's face was airbrushed with layers of translucent washes of tattoo ink to change the texture of her skin to appear like real-life serial killer Aileen Wuornos. Photo: Newmarket Films

Tilda Swinton's transformation into Dr Jozef Klemperer for 'Suspiria' included prosthetics, makeup and a full bodysuit. Photo: Amazon Studios

For his role in 'House of Gucci', Jared Leto wore a three-piece bald cap to cover his hair, facial prosthetics and a bodysuit. Photo: Universal Pictures

Tom Hardy was transformed into legendary mobster Al Capone in 'Fonzo' through facial prosthetics and a bald cap and wig for a receding hairline. Photo: Vertical Entertainment

It took a team of makeup artists 11.5 hours the first time they transformed Emmy Rossum into Angelyne in the TV series based on her life, using wigs, bodysuits, lenses, and a breastplate. Photo: NBC Universal

Christian Bale gained more than 18kg and spent between four to eight hours a day in makeup for his role as Dick Cheney in 'Vice.' Photo: Annapurna Pictures

Jessica Chastain committed to sitting for one to two hours a day to be fitted with cheek appliances and prosthetics, to resemble televangelist Tammy Faye Bakker in 'The Eyes of Tammy Faye'. Photo: Searchlight Pictures

Colin Farrell spent three to four hours to become the Penguin in 'The Batman'. Photo: Warner Bros

Along with dyeing and cutting her hair, Rooney Mara got real piercings on her face for her role in 'The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.' Photo: Columbia TriStar

Matthew McConaughey gained more than 18kg and was fitted with a balding toupee for his role in 'Gold'. Photo: Dimension Films

With shaved brows, a red wig and a prosthetic nose, Margot Robbie is unrecognisable as Queen Elizabeth I in 'Mary Queen of Scots'. Photo: Focus Features

Sean Penn with co-star Julia Roberts in a scene from 'Gaslit.' Penn wore a full prosthetic face that included cheek and noses pieces to play former US Attorney General John Mitchell. Photo: Hilary Bronwyn Gayle