FILM FLASHBACKS
2020 lineup a blast from the past
What do Top Gun, Ghostbusters, Dune and Bill & Ted have in common? If you said they’re movies from the ’80s, you’re right. But if you said they’re all movies from the ’20s, you’re not wrong.
This year’s crop of movies includes a number of sequels, remakes and reboots that hark back more than 30 years to the decade that gave us Beverly Hills Cop and Indiana Jones.
Here are some offerings, based on just about every decade, opening in the year ahead. Dates — opening dates, not the decades themselves — are subject to change.
THE ’40s AND EARLIER THE CALL OF THE WILD
Jack London’s 1903 novel of adventure in the Far North was made into films in 1935 with Clark Gable, 1972 with Charlton Heston and 2009 with — Christopher Lloyd? This one stars Harrison Ford, which feels right. (Feb. 21)
THE INVISIBLE MAN
The 1897 H.G. Wells novel has been made into films many times since Universal’s first go in 1933. The newest stars Elisabeth Moss as a woman followed by an invisible stalker. (Feb. 28)
PETER RABBIT 2: THE RUNAWAY
OK, the last film came out way back in 2018, but the source material is from 1902! James Corden reprises the voice of the title character. (April 3)
DEATH ON THE NILE
Agatha Christie’s crime novel came out in 1937, though there’s also a widely remembered 1978 film with an all-star cast. This one, a followup to the recent Murder on the Orient Express, has Kenneth Branagh returning as Hercule Poirot, alongside Gal Gadot, Annette Bening and others. (Oct. 9)
THE ’50s GODZILLA VS. KONG
Godzilla first appeared on the big screen in 1954, Kong in 1933. This monster matchup stars — do the human stars even matter? (Nov. 20)
WEST SIDE STORY
The 1957 musical (and 1961 film) about rival gangs in New York gets a modern update with Ansel Elgort and Rachel Zegler as Tony and Maria. (Dec. 18)
THE ’60s NO TIME TO DIE
The James Bond film franchise started in 1962 with Sean Connery in Dr. No. This is Chapter 25, and Daniel Craig ’s final go-round if we can believe his recent I’ve-hadenough-of-this chatter. (April 10)
BLACK WIDOW
The Marvel character Scarlett Johansson plays debuted in Tales of Suspense No. 52, April 1964, so we’re taking that as her year of origin. (May 1)
SCOOB!
The first episode of Scooby-doo cartoon aired on CBS in 1969. The latest animated version is an origin story that for some reason retcons Scooby’s speech impediment. (May 15)
THE ’70s FANTASY ISLAND
There was often an undercurrent of horror in the original TV series (1977-1984) about an island where anything was possible. Expect more of that in this modern remake. (Feb. 14)
THE ’80s WONDER WOMAN 1984
This one isn’t based on a movie or property from the 1980s, but it wears its decade on its sleeve. Have you seen the mall in that trailer? (June 5)
TOP GUN: MAVERICK
This movie reunites Tom Cruise with Val Kilmer’s Iceman and some cutting-edge flying machines like the F/A-18 Super Hornet, because F-14s are so 1986. (June 26)
GHOSTBUSTERS: AFTERLIFE
We’ve had the all-female reboot. Now it’s the kids’ turn in a film that features Mckenna Grace, Finn Wolfhard and, representing the older generations, Paul Rudd and a 1959 Cadillac ambulance, licence plate ECTO-1. (July 10)
BILL & TED FACE THE MUSIC
Sure it’s taken almost 30 years for Bill S. Preston, Esq., and Ted (Theodore) Logan to get back together since Bill & Ted 2. But they’re notorious slackers! And Keanu Reeves has been busy. (Aug. 21)
DUNE
The source material may be the 1965 novel by Frank Herbert, but everyone recalls the ambitious, widely panned 1984 film by David Lynch. This time the director is Denis Villeneuve, who recently reinvigorated another 1980s classic with Blade Runner 2049. (Dec. 18)
COMING 2 AMERICA
Coming to America was the last of Eddie Murphy’s big hits of the decade, and his first time playing multiple characters, including Akeem Joffer, a prince from a fictional African country (not Wakanda) seeking a U.S. bride. The sequel finds him looking for a lost son. (Dec. 18)
THE ’90s BAD BOYS FOR LIFE
Michael Bay’s 1995 cop comedy-adventure teamed Martin Lawrence and Will Smith. It spawned a 2003 sequel and now this one, with another allegedly in the works. (Jan. 17)
SONIC THE HEDGEHOG
The 1991 video game character was supposed to have his own movie in 2019, but it was delayed after his design in an early trailer freaked people out. (Feb. 14)
MULAN
Disney’s animated tale from 1998 is the newest to get a live-action remake, with Yifei Liu in the title role. (March 27)
THE SPONGEBOB MOVIE: SPONGE ON THE RUN
Hard to believe the ocean-dwelling sponge first appeared in 1999.
Maybe this movie will finally explain how he got that name. (May 22)
THE 21st CENTURY A QUIET PLACE PART II
John Krasinski returns to direct wife Emily Blunt in this sequel to a horror movie about monsters that attack if you make any noise. Shhh! (March 20)
FAST & FURIOUS 9
The franchise started in 2001 and never slowed down or made any more sense. (May 22)
ARTEMIS FOWL
Eoin Colfer’s series of youngadult novels kicked off in 2001 and gets its big-screen debut with newcomer Ferdia Shaw in the title role. (May 29)
MINIONS: THE RISE OF GRU
I always thought 2010’s Despicable Me was about the rise of Steve Carell’s villainous Gru, but I’m sure this will set me straight. (July 3)
THE KING’S MAN
A third chapter in the successful series that includes The Secret Service (2014) and The Golden Circle (2017), though the real source was a 2012 graphic novel. (Sept. 18)
TIMELESS THE GENTLEMEN
Guy Ritchie’s newest is about a drug lord (Matthew Mcconaughey) trying to get out of the business. (Jan. 24)
SOUL
A Disney/pixar offering, this is a story about a musician (Jamie Foxx) having an out-of-body experience. (June 19)
FREE GUY
Ryan Reynolds stars as a bank teller who discovers his world is actually a Grand Theft Auto-style video game. (July 3)
TENET
Christopher Nolan’s hotly anticipated mindbender has something to do with time travel and stopping World War III. (July 17)