The Highly Awaited Movies of 2023

Run Time: 1 hr 32 min | Genre: Comedy | Director: Emma Seligman

Cast: Rachel Sennott, Ayo Edebiri, Havana Rose Liu, Kaia Gerber

Director: Michael Chaves

Cast: Storm Reid, Taissa Farmiga, and Anna Popplewell

The “Conjuring” universe boasts an impressive eight films within its horror franchise, solidifying its place as one of the most successful franchises in cinematic history. With at least two more films in the pipeline, its expansion continues. Taissa Farmiga is reprising her role as Sister Irene, joining forces with newcomer Storm Reid to battle demons and monsters. While specific plot details for the upcoming sequel remain scarce, the first film provided an origin story for Valak, the central antagonist of “The Conjuring 2.” The “Nun” movies are set approximately two decades before the main “Conjuring” films, and with both Taissa Farmiga and her older sister Vera Farmiga leading their respective branches of the franchise, fans anticipate a deeper connection between the two storylines in the upcoming sequel. – Samantha Coley

Director: Craig Gillespie

Cast: Paul Dano, Sebastian Stan, Seth Rogen, and Pete Davidson

“Dumb Money” is poised to be one of the quirkiest and most audacious movies of 2023 if it can capture the chaos that surrounded the real-life Reddit-driven attempt to short squeeze GameStop in 2021. The r/WallStreetBets phenomenon truly changed the game just a year ago. Based on Ben Mezrich’s bestselling novel “The Antisocial Network” and adapted for the screen by Rebecca Angelo and Lauren Schuker Blum, Craig Gillespie’s “Dumb Money” boasts an incredible ensemble cast that matches the madness of the short squeeze. The initial fearsome foursome of Sebastian Stan, Peter Davidson, Seth Rogen, and Paul Dano has since been joined by Shailene Woodley, America Ferrera, Anthony Ramos, Nick Offerman, and Vincent D’Onofrio, making “Dumb Money” one of the most star-studded films of the year. While it may not replicate the success of “The Social Network,” it undeniably has the potential to become one of the most talked-about films of the year. With its exceptional cast and the morbid curiosity associated with stories from the weird and wild web, it’s a recipe for a certain kind of success. – Maggie Lovitt

“Dumb Money” will premiere in New York and Los Angeles on September 15, followed by limited release on September 22, moderate release on September 29, and nationwide release on October 6.

Director: Gareth Edwards

Cast: John David Washington, Gemma Chan, Ralph Ineson, Allison Janney, and Ken Watanabe

After a hiatus of seven years since Gareth Edwards’ last film, the “Star Wars” spinoff “Rogue One,” the writer-director has made a return with the science-fiction film “The Creator.” Details about the film are limited, but it boasts an impressive cast including John David Washington, Allison Janney, Gemma Chan, Ken Watanabe, Ralph Ineson, and country music star Sturgill Simpson. Having ventured into the worlds of “Godzilla” and “Star Wars” in his recent films, it’s intriguing to anticipate what Edwards will bring to this supposedly original concept. – Ross Bonaime

Director: Martin Scorsese

Cast: Leonard DiCaprio, Robert De Niro, Jesse Plemons, Lily Gladstone, and Brendan Fraser

“Killers of the Flower Moon” has been highly anticipated, and its release has been subject to delays, but perhaps this eagerness is a testament to our excitement for the film. Martin Scorsese’s latest project is an adaptation of David Grann’s book of the same name, delving into a series of murders in 1920s Oklahoma. While Scorsese has collaborated with Leonardo DiCaprio on six occasions and Robert De Niro on ten, this marks the first time all three are working together on the same film. A murder mystery directed by Scorsese and featuring two actors known for their exceptional work with the director, “Killers of the Flower Moon,” when it finally arrives, appears poised to be a strong contender for the best film of 2023. – Ross Bonaime

Director: David Gordon Green

Cast: Leslie Odom Jr. and Ellen Burstyn

“The Exorcist” remains a quintessential horror movie, and while opinions may differ, it holds a special place in the genre. When news broke in the summer of 2020 that this iconic 1973 horror film would receive a sequel picking up from the original, fans had mixed reactions, ranging from excitement to apprehension, given the track record of sequels. However, with director David Gordon Green, known for the new “Halloween” movies, at the helm and backed by Blumhouse, there was reason to have faith in their ability to tap into nostalgia.

Scheduled for a summer 2023 release, the untitled “Exorcist” movie features the exceptional Leslie Odom Jr. as a father determined to find answers to save his possessed daughter. His quest leads him to seek help from someone who experienced a similar ordeal, with Ellen Burstyn reprising her role as Chris MacNeil. While it remains uncertain if Linda Blair will return as Regan, we can counton Ellen Burstyn to bring a dose of that classic, spine-chilling charm. With a release around Halloween 2023, we’re eagerly anticipating the return of this iconic franchise, complete with its distinctive gothic font and haunting tubular bells. – Tania Hussain

Director: David Yates

Cast: Emily Blunt, Chris Evans, Catherine O’Hara

“Pain Hustlers” is a crime drama adapted from Evan Hughes’ nonfiction book, shedding light on a group of opportunistic entrepreneurs who exploited the opioid crisis by marketing their own brand of painkillers. The narrative centers on Emily Blunt as a struggling single mother and Chris Evans as a morally questionable pharmaceutical salesman who convinces her to become a sales representative for a new opioid-based painkiller purportedly designed to aid cancer patients. The film explores the seductive nature of capitalist success and draws a parallel between the relentless pursuit of wealth and the addictive substances the characters employ to achieve it.

Director: Kevin Greutert

Cast: Tobin Bell, Synnøve Macody Lund, Steven Brand, and Michael Beach

For the horror community, October can’t come fast enough. While 2022 gave us a brand-new Hellraiser and the end of an era with David Gordon Green’s Halloween Ends, 2023 is returning to Lionsgate and Twisted Pictures’ Jigsaw universe in Saw X. For long-time fans of the franchise, this next installment is going to be buckets of fun with Tobin Bell returning as the game master himself, John Kramer, and Saw alum Shawnee Smith reportedly reprising her role as Kramer’s failed protégé Amanda Young (somehow). Since James Wan’s very first introduction to Jigsaw nearly two decades ago, the franchise has taken a number of creative leaps and bounds, from Saw 3D (whomp whomp) to 2021’s Spiral starring Chris Rock and Samuel L. Jackson, and Lionsgate assures us that Saw X is returning to the familiar gore-tastic traps with a fun mystery at its bloody, beating heart. — Tamera Jones

Director: Emma Tammi

Cast: Josh Hutcherson, Matthew Lillard, Elizabeth Lail

Josh Hutcherson (The Hunger Games) stars in the screen adaptation of the hit horror video game franchise brought to life by the masters of horror: Blumhouse. Five Nights at Freddie’s takes place in an old Chuck-E-Cheese-like pizza place that was shut down after a number of children went missing. Hutcherson takes on the role of the new security guard tasked with keeping a watchful eye on the empty building. Unfortunately, the defunct restaurant is actually filled with bloodthirsty animatronics that come to life at night. The franchise has always been stuffed with secret lore and easter eggs that online detectives could comb over for at least five nights, so we look forward to seeing how they adapt it into this new medium. – Tauri Miller

Director: Sofia Coppola

Cast: Jacob Elordi and Cailee Spaeny

It’s now or never for a Priscilla Presley biopic! Fresh off the heels — or maybe “Blue Suede Shoes” — of Baz Luhrmann’s glittery Elvis movie starring Austin Butler, the world will soon know more about his ex-wife Priscilla Presley (neé Beaulieu) in the aptly titled Priscilla, directed by Sofia Coppola. While it does seem pretty soon for another biopic about Elvis and his life, Coppola promises a more intimate portrayal of a young woman thrust into the spotlight by way of marriage to one of the biggest stars in the world. But what can we expect from the movie that we don’t already know — minus the National Enquirer suggesting Elvis is alive and in Arizona? For starters, the upcoming biopic is taking a shake, rattle and roll kind of twist from Luhrmann’s spectacle with Coppola adapting Priscilla’s 1985 memoir, Elvis and Me for the big screen. Chock-full of very personal stories about the two and their relationship and the fights between them, the award-winning director who is best known for developing a catalog of strong and thoughtfully rich female characters like in Marie Antoinette, will delve deep into Priscilla’s life pre- and post-Elvis. With the real Priscilla acting as executive producer for the film starring Jacob Elordi as Elvis and Cailee Spaeny as Priscilla, we are already all shook up to hear more about her love affair with Elvis, and what was really happening between the two star-crossed lovers through the eyes of Coppola’s direction. — Tania Hussain