2020 is officially underway, which means we have a whole new year of movies to look forward to. As with any year, there are the movies everyone is highly anticipating and are destined to be big hits. But there are also some movies that are currently flying under the radar that could make a big splash this year.
There are surprise hits every year, like 2019’s Hustlers and Knives Out. It’s important to remember that audiences do have interests that go beyond the superhero genre. From comedies to horror to action, these smaller films or underestimated films could break out big. Here are some movies that could be surprise hits in 2020.
The Gentlemen
Guy Ritchie might be directing big-budget spectacles now like Aladdin, but fans will remember that he got his start making grimy British crime films like Snatch and Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels. Ritchie looks to be returning to his roots for the crime-comedy The Gentlemen.
The movie follows a group of strange characters clashing over a combative drug deal. Though not as big as Ritchie’s recent films, it looks to be a fun and wild ride with an all-star cast, including Henry Golding, Colin Farrell, Hugh Grant, and Matthew McConaughey.
Respect
With the success of films like Bohemian Rhapsody and Rocketman, it seems that you can never dismiss the appeal of a musical biopic. So the idea of a biopic of legendary soul singer Aretha Franklin coming to theaters starring Jennifer Hudson is hard to ignore.
While Aretha Franklin might not be as colorful a character as Freddie Mercury and Elton John, she does still have an amazing story filled with iconic music. The recent Amazing Grace documentary helped to get her back in the spotlight and cemented her as perhaps the greatest signer of all time. There could certainly be an audience for a film like this.
Fantasy Island
Film remakes of classic television shows don’t always work out as planned, but the new take on Fantasy Island might break the mold. The original series was set on a paradise island where the guests’ wildest fantasies come true. However, the movie version is taking that story to a much darker place.
Like the show, the guests’ fantasies rarely turn out as expected, and this horror take on the story looks to turn those fantasies into nightmares. With Michael Pena starring as the mysterious Mr. Roarke, this could be a really fun horror reimagining.
Downhill
It’s been a while since Will Ferrell delivered a really solid comedy, but Downhill could be a return to form for the funnyman while also showing off a new side of himself. The movie is a remake of a Norwegian film called Force Majeure and follows a family on a ski vacation whose relationships are turned upside down after an encounter with an avalanche.
Ferrell is paired with Julia Louise-Dreyfus, which sounds like a match made in comedy heaven. Based on the original film, this could make for a really funny and an expected relationship comedy with some great twists and turns throughout.
The Photograph
A good romance movie always stands a chance of breaking out at the box office, and The Photograph could be the 2020 film to achieve that. The film follows a young woman discovering her mother’s own past love life while also beginning an intense romance of her own.
The movie stars Issa Rae and Lakeith Stanfield as the young couple, and their talents alone should indicate this could be a special entry in the romance genre. Also, the fact that the film is set to be released on Valentine’s Day is another move in the right direction.
Infinite
While the big superhero action adventures certainly seem to please audiences, the John Wick series shows that smaller scale and R-rated action films certainly have an audience as well. With that in mind, the combination of Mark Wahlberg and Antoine Fuqua could make for a thrilling and violent adult action movie.
Both of these artists have proven to be skilled at making action movies in the past, and they feel like a good pairing for the genre. The premise of Infinitealso adds an interesting sci-fi element as Wahlberg plays a man who discovers his hallucinations are actually memories of past lives.
Bob’s Burgers: The Movie
Bringing a show to the big screen while its still on the air is a risky move, but Bob’s Burgers is willing to take that risk. The adventures of the Belcher family will get the feature-length treatment this summer.
While the show might not have as big an audience as some of the other animated classics, its following is strong and passionate. The film might also be a solid way of introducing the series to a wide audience if it is able to translate the irreverent humor to the big screen.
The Way Back
Ben Affleck has had a rocky career, to say the least, but every so often, he delivers a movie that reminds everyone what a talented actor he is. His next potentially powerful role is in the sports drama The Way Back in which Affleck plays an alcoholic who seeks redemption by coaching a high school basketball team.
The premise might sound a little cheesy and familiar, but the first trailer impressed a lot of people with a raw and real look at a man fighting his demons. Add in the sports elements, and this could be the kind of small drama people turn out to see.
King of Staten Island
Judd Apatow remains one of the most powerful names in comedy, and he has a talent for creating projects that bring underrated talent to the spotlight. For his next film, Apatow is teaming with Saturday Night Live’s breakout star, Pete Davidson.
The movie (presumable rumored to be titled King of Staten Island) is a semi-autobiographical story inspired by Davidson’s younger years growing up on the titular New York island and losing his firefighter father in the 9/11 attacks. This could be a great venue for Davidson’s talents as well as a really raw comedy.
The New Mutants
For a long time, people have assumed The New Mutants would be a comic book movie disaster. The movie started filming in 2017, but due to the studios’ lack of confidence in the horror-feel of the film, it went extensive reshoots and course-correcting over the last few years leading fans to suspect it might be unwatchable.
However, some recent news suggests things are looking up for the film. A new trailer is set to debut, and the director Josh Boone has said Disney, who took the film over from Fox, now plans to release his original version. Perhaps they saw something in the comic book horror story that Fox failed to see.
