Ken Lee (9) | STAFF REPORTER
Well folks, it’s official! 2023 (and exams) has finally arrived! That also means another year of movie watching. Join me today while we explore some of the hottest anticipated ’23 hits!
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (Feb. 17)
Paul Rudd and Evangeline Lily grace the screen again as they reprise their roles as Scott Lang and Hope Van Dyne (Ant-Man and the Wasp). Set to the theme of Elton John’s ‘Goodbye Yellow Brick Road’, the trailer reveals that Cassie Lang has invented a way to communicate with the Quantum Realm (the kid our parents wish they had?) Unfortunately, the device malfunctions and every in the room is sucked into the realm and they land in an unknown place. We even get our first look at Johnthan Major’s supervillain Kang the Conqueror.
Cocaine Bear (Feb. 24)
Yes folks, the title is indeed true! This dark humor/thriller film is based on real life events. The real-life Cocaine Bear (a.k.a. Pable Escobear) was a 97-kilogram (175 pounds for our American friends) black head that overdosed on cocaine in December ’85. A plane trafficking cocaine from Colombia to the States dropped a load of 40 containers of cocaine into the wilderness before ditching the plane. On December 23, the Georgians reported finding a dead black bear that ate the cocaine. The total amount eaten was 34kg (75 pounds). The cocaine was valued at 2 million dollars. While the events of what the bear did in real life remain a mystery, in the film it’s depicted that the bear went on an insane, drug-fueled rampage! This film is also one of the final performances of the legendary Ray Liotta, who died before this film was released (RIP). One to watch if you like Breaking Bad.
John Wick: Chapter 4 (March 24)
It seems that Mr. Wick isn’t quite done with all the killing and dishing the revenge out as he returns again. This time, he’s looking to get tight with his old employers (the High Table). This involves a metric ton of killing, and also fighting Caine, played by legendary martial-arts actor Donnie Yen (中文：甄子丹), known for playing roles such as grandmaster Ip Man in the Ip Man film series, as well as playing Chirrut in Rouge One (spin-off of Star Wars). Aside from being a seasoned assassin, Wick is also an internet meme superstar, and one such meme is of him is from the first movie where he avenges his dead dog (Daisy – a gift from his dead wife) by killing scores of men responsible.
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (June 30)
Harrison Ford reprises his role as Indiana Jones (again), well into his eighties. He dons his simply stunning fedora to go on another mission (probably finding another relic) fighting bad guys. Also of significant note, a person who’s not Steven Spielberg will be directing this film! That’s right folks, for the first time in history, Indiana Jones will be directed by a different director. We wish James Mangold the best of luck!
Oppenheimer (July 31)
Taking a break from all the action films, this historical drama follows the part of J. Robert Oppenheimer’s life when he was involved in the making of the atomic bomb. Oppenheimer was a theoretical physicist who studied in Europe. He was eventually recruited by the US government to work on the top-secret Manhattan project. He is as one of the fathers of the atomic bomb. This biopic is starred by Cillian Murphy, playing Oppenheimer. Amongst others appearing in supporting roles: Emily Blunt, Matt Damon, and Robert Downey Jr. We hope this film makes a “boom” in Hollywood!
Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom (December 25)
2023 is set to wrap up with the second installment of Aquaman. Jason Momao returns as Aquaman. Not much is known about the film at this time. The film is also notable for having casted Amber Heard as Mera (before the Depp v. Heard trial). It remans unknown if she is will still be in the final product, with rumors circulating of her being re-casted and/or fired. I guess we will see if this film makes a splash on release day!
Honorable Mention: Maestro (TBD/TBA)
Actor-turned-director Bradley Cooper returns to direct his next big film after his remake (and directorial debut) of the 1937 film A Star is Born (also remade twice in the past in 1954 and 1976). This film is about the lie of Leonard Bernstein, an American conductor who is considered to be the best of his time. In his usual fashion, Cooper also plays Bernstein (like he did as Jack Maine for his debut film). Maestro is set to be released on Netflix sometime in 2023. Details to come.
