The ongoing COVID-19 crisis has brought the entire world to a screeching halt. The virus outbreak has spared no one, and that includes the entertainment industry. As the cases of Coronavirus are rapidly multiplying, major studios have halted production for safety reasons. Due to the closing down of theatres, the release of major upcoming movies like Wonder Woman 1984, Tenet, Black Widow has been delayed indefinitely.
As a result, streaming platforms like Netflix and Amazon Prime have witnessed unprecedented growth as viewers are stuck at home. Whether high budget movies like Tenet and Wonder Woman 1984 will opt for an online release is yet to be seen, but the current reigning king of online streaming, Netflix, is pulling no punch in asserting its dominance. From releasing critically acclaimed movies on its platform, there are 15 upcoming Netflix Originals which are definitely going to make this crisis a bit more bearable.
15. Enola Holmes
Having a star-studded line-up of Millie Bobby Brown, Henry Cavill, Helena Bonham Carter, and Sam Claflin, Enola Holmes is an adaptation of the book series of the same name by Nancy Springer.
Enola Holmes is a pastiche of the famous Sherlock Holmes series written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. The story revolves around Enola Holmes, the younger sister of Sherlock and Mycroft Holmes. The sudden disappearance of Enola’s mother makes Sherlock and Mycroft send Enola to a boarding school against her wish. As a result, Enola runs away and uses her brilliant investigative mind to open her own clandestine private detective agency while simultaneously evading her brothers. Enola Holmes is set to release this September on Netflix.
14. Mank
Mank might be Netflix’s chance to shine at the Oscars. Directed by David Fincher, Mank is a biographical drama about screenwriter Herman J. Mankiewicz and director Orson Welles.
The conflict between Mankiewicz and Welles for the screenwriting credits of one of Hollywood’s greatest movie ever produced, Citizen Kane, will finally be captured on the big screen through Fincher’s cinematographic prowess of using wide-angle shots. Based on the script written by David Fincher’s father, Gary Oldman will be in the titular role, supported by Charles Dance, Amanda Seyfried, Tom Burke, Lily Collins, Tuppence Middleton, and Tom Pelphrey.
13. The Christmas Chronicles 2
The sequel to The Christmas Chronicles starring Kurt Russell as Santa Claus, The Christmas Chronicles 2 will further explore the adventures of Santa Claus, now with Kurt Russell’s real-life wife Goldie Hawn making her appearance as Mrs. Santa Claus.
The Christmas Chronicles 2 will be directed by the Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002) director, Chris Columbus.
12. Army of the Dead
The man of the hour, Zack Snyder is definitely a very busy man this year. With his upcoming Snyder Cut on HBO Max, Zack Snyder will once again be back with the spiritual sequel to his directorial debut Dawn of the Dead.
With a large ensemble cast including the likes of Dave Bautista, Army of the Dead will focus on a group of trained mercenaries plotting a heist on a casino in Las Vegas during the zombie outbreak.
11. The Trial of the Chicago 7
Written and directed by Aaron Sorkin, the upcoming legal drama film The Trial of the Chicago 7 will revolve around the Chicago Seven, a group of anti-Vietnam War protestors charged with conspiracy in 1968.
Starring Michael Keaton, Sacha Baron Cohen, Eddie Redmayne, Yahya-Abdul Mateen II, Jeremy Strong, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, William Hurt, Mark Rylance, Frank Langella, and Kelvin Harrison Jr., The Trial of the Chicago 7 can be another potential Oscar entrant from Netflix.
10. Red Notice
Having a whopping budget of $150 million, Red Notice is one of the most expensive movies to release on Netflix. Starring Dwayne Johnson, Gal Gadot, and Ryan Reynolds, Red Notice is set to become one of the biggest movies on 2020.
Gal Gadot plays the role of a master art-thief who is hunted down by the INTERPOL after issuing the Red Notice. Dwayne Johnson plays the role of an INTERPOL agent, known as the world’s greatest tracker, supported by Ryan Reynolds, who is the greatest con-man on the planet. Red Notice is set to release on November 13, 2020.
9. Hulkamania
The upcoming biopic about one of the most popular and beloved pro wrestlers, Hulk Hogan, is finally coming to Netflix. Starring Chris Hemsworth as Hulk Hogan, the God of Thunder will be playing his first real-life character on the big screen.
Hulkamania will be directed by Todd Phillips (Joker) and the script has been written by both Phillips and Scott Silver, who received critical acclaim for his work on Joker.
8. Past Midnight
The Russo Brothers are not yet done with the superhero genre, even after delivering blockbusters for the MCU. Back with another superhero flick, Past Midnight will star the iconic Arnold Schwarzenegger as Frank Midnight, a retired superhero who has been imprisoned for his vigilantism.
Chris Pine also stars in Past Midnight as an NYPD detective who aids the retired superhero in fighting one his old nemesis who has returned.
7. We Can Be Heroes
Directed by Robert Rodriguez, We Can Be Heroes is an upcoming superhero movie starring Priyanka Chopra and Christian Slater. In the movie, earth’s superheroes have been kidnapped by aliens. To rescue the heroes, their children must come up with a plan to fight the aliens.
We Can Be Heroes will also see Pedro Pascal and Boyd Holbrook sharing the screen once again, after their universally acclaimed roles as DEA Agents in Narcos.
6. Dragon’s Lair
Hollywood cannot seem to have enough of the 1980s. After Stranger Things, Netflix is revisiting the 80s by adapting the video game franchise Dragon’s Lair to a live-action movie, starring Ryan Reynolds.
Considered as gaming classics, Dragon’s Lair would be a great adaptation on Netflix to revisit the nostalgia of ’80s and explore the game’s Western Style animation.
5. The Gray Man
Netflix’s most ambitious project so far, The Gray Man will star Chris Evans and Ryan Gosling in this James Bond-style high-intensity espionage thriller. With the Russo Brothers at the helm, the movie is going to be very much like The Winter Soldier, sans the superheroes.
According to Anthony Russo, Chris Evans and Ryan Gosling will represent two facets of the CIA, in the upcoming mega-budget spy thriller.
4. Project Power
Starring Jamie Foxx and Joseph-Gordon Levitt, Project Power is another superhero thriller releasing on Netflix this August.
In the movie, people are granted superpowers by ingesting a special pill. But, the nature of the superpowers cannot be known beforehand, which makes it much more dangerous. As the pill becomes famous, the criminal underbelly of the town starts using it to commit sinister crimes. After Jaime Foxx’s performance as Electro in The Amazing Spider-Man 2, it would be spectacular to witness the actor becoming a superhero.
3. Thunder Force
A superhero comedy film, Thunder Force stars Melissa McCarthy, Octavia Spencer, Pom Klementeiff, and Melissa Leo.
According to the official synopsis, in the movie, the world is plagued by super-villains who have wreaked havoc on Chicago. Incidentally, a woman gains the ability to give superpowers to regular people. As she accidentally imbues her estranged best friend with super-powers, the two women must team up to save Chicago from the clutches of evil powers.
2. There’s Someone Inside Your House
Directed by Patrick Brice, There’s Someone Inside Your House is an upcoming slasher film adapted from the novel having the same name.
The story follows a female transfer student who is caught in brutal, gruesome murders committed by an unknown serial killer. As her own classmates fall victim to the murders, the student must race against time to find the dark secrets her classmates are harbouring and to stop the serial killing.
1. The Devil All The Time
The most anticipated upcoming Netflix original movie, The Devil All The Time has a star-studded ensemble to boast about. As Batman (Robert Pattinson), Spider-Man (Tom Holland), Pennywise (Bill Skarsgård), and The Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stan) will share the screen in the upcoming psychological thriller.
The movie is set in the city of Ohio and will have a non-linear storyline focusing on the traumas of war and the life of crime. Set to release in September, we can hardly wait for these acting powerhouses to show their prowess on screen.
