With 2019 behind us, it's time to look toward the future. 2019 might've been one of the most hyped-up years for superhero films, with Avengers: Endgame, Joker, Captain Marvel, Spider-Man: Far From Home, Shazam!, and many others dominating conversations between fans about the genre. The supposed "superhero fatigue" critics insist is coming seems to be many years away, if 2020's eight superhero films are anything to go by.
Yes, you read that correctly. Eight. Not counting the upcoming Disney+ series Falcon and the Winter Soldier, there are eight films coming out. Some DC, some Marvel Cinematic Universe, some Sony Spider-Verse films, and a couple of outliers. Let's break down the films coming out, and why you should be eager to watch every one of them.
Birds of Prey - Feb. 7
Birds of Prey, the R-Rated return of Harley Quinn, is the first superhero film to hit theaters this year. The film will feature Margot Robbie's iconic anti-villain from Suicide Squad striking out on her own after leaving the Joker, and finding a new home with other disenfranchised, confused strangers out in the world.
The film will introduce Huntress (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), Black Canary (Jurnee Smollett-Bell), Renee Montoya (Rosie Perez), and Cassandra Cane (Ella Jay Basco) as they go head-to-head with Black Mask (Ewan McGregor). The film is the most unabashedly feminist superhero film of this year, which will mean this film will appeal to fans of Captain Marvel and Wonder Woman, as well as the newest Harley Quinn cartoon.
Bloodshot - March 3
Of all the films here, Bloodshot is the biggest wild-card. Bloodshot is the first film in the Valiant Expanded Universe. It's also the first film by director David Wilson. Vin Diesel stars as Ray Garrison, a man brought back to life thanks to nanotechnology after he and his wife are murdered. While his memories are at first a blank, he slowly starts to piece together the past, delving into a conspiracy that will set Garrison, now Bloodshot, on a roaring rampage of revenge.
Should Bloodshot be a hit, Valiant might move forward with multiple other projects, including adaptations of other popular heroes, such as Harbinger and Faith. However, the film's success is far from guaranteed. Valiant Comics is not a household name the same way Marvel or DC are. Several non-Big Two projects tend to stumble at the box office (case in point, 2019's Hellboy). Still, this film might introduce audiences to a larger universe, potentially breaking Marvel and DC's monopoly over the superhero genre.
The New Mutants - April 3
Brace yourself: The New Mutants is finally coming out. The film, which finished production back in 2017, has been delayed and re-edited over the past two years. The story behind this film might end up being more compelling than the film itself, but, ultimately, for many fans, it might be a relief to just see this often-rumored film.
The New Mutants is an adaptation of the comic of the same name, looking at a set of teenage mutants locked up in a facility. The film stars Magik (Anya Taylor-Joy), Wolfsbane (Maisie Williams), Cannonball (Charlie Heaton), Sunspot (Henry Zaga), and Mirage (Blu Hunt). While originally filmed as part of Fox's X-Men universe, as of now it remains unknown whether or not the film will be the true final entry of that series or the first of Disney's mutants narrative. A new trailer will be released, so fans will have to wait and see what comes their way.
Black Widow - May 1
Black Widow is the next film in the MCU after Spider-Man: Far From Home, and, as such, has a lot of expectations riding on it. Rather than exploring the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe post-Endgame, this film will take place between Captain America: Civil War and Avengers: Infinity War.
We will explore the mysterious past of one of Marvel's greatest heroines. We'll get to learn about Russia's role in the superhero world, and get to see the life Natasha Romanov left behind in full detail. Of course, of all the films on this list, this film no doubt requires the least amount of introduction. Everyone is going to be seeing it.
Wonder Woman 1984 - June 5
Wonder Woman 1984 is the sequel to the hit film Wonder Woman, following up on Diana of Themyscira in the 80s. While this film will take place before Batman v. Superman, it exists as a true continuation of Patty Jenkin's prior hit.
Much of the film remains shrouded under-wraps, but what audiences can look forward to is a nostalgic love-letter to 80s pop culture, Pedro Pascal and Kristen Wiig as the antagonistic Maxwell Lord and Cheetah, as well as the return of Steve Trevor, back from the dead after dying in World War I.
Morbius - July 31
Another very risky property, Morbius is the second of Sony's Spider-Man spin-off films, focusing this time on the exploits of Jared Leto's vampiric Morbius. Very little is known about the film, other than the cast, which includes Matt Smith as the main villain.
This film will validate the strength of Sony's independent films. While Venom was a sure-fire hit, Morbius is a far lesser-known IP. It remains to be seen how people will react to the film, as well as whether or not this film will lean into its vampire horror origins.
Venom 2 - October 2
The second Sony Spider-Man film this year, Venom 2 is the sequel to the Tom Hardy-led villain spin-off. While the first film received an underwhelming critical response, audiences seemed to eat up all of the symbiote madness last time. This film promises to do more of the same with a different creative crew behind the camera.
Andy Serkis's follow-up will feature Carnage, played by Woody Harrelson, Venom's ultimate nemesis. It might also include a small appearance by Tom Holland, marking the first time an MCU character appeared in a film that exists outside the MCU. Potentially. Details are still mostly under-wraps surrounding this film.
The Eternals - Nov. 6
The final film of the year is undeniably the most ambitious. The Eternals is the most cosmic of all of Marvel's film, covering thousands of years of history of the Eternals, individuals granted phenomenal powers by the Celestials.
The film features Thena (Angelina Jolie), Ikaris (Richard Madden), Kingo (Kumail Nanjiani), along with several other recognizable faces. The film will feature some diverse characters, including the first deaf and gay heroes in an MCU film. Time will tell if The Eternals manages to meet the high expectations for this cosmic adventure.