2015 is coming to a close and once the fervor surrounding this month’s release of Star Wars: The Force Awakens finally settles down (if it ever does), most eyes will be looking ahead to 2016 and its stable of new movies. While 2015 has been a huge year for movies, with some knockout hits and unexpected surprises, 2016 is shaping up to be just as strong, with seemingly every major franchise releasing something new. We’ll not only get to see the first live action incarnation of the Justice League (or at least its origins), but also see new films set in the Harry Potter universe and even another Star Wars. While there are dozens of movies to get excited about for 2016 (and probably some we don’t even know about yet), these upcoming blockbusters are the ones that absolutely need to be on your radar.
10. Deadpool (February 12)
Ryan Reynolds is reprising his brief, but popular stint as Marvel Comics mercenary and all-around nutjob Deadpool in the character’s first solo movie. Reynolds first played the former Wade Wilson in 2009’s disappointing X-Men Origins: Wolverine, a film that totally wasted the character, but gave us an inkling of how good Reynolds could be if given more time with the role and better material. Fortunately, overwhelmingly positive reaction to leaked test footage back in 2014 and Reynold’s personal determination to do the character justice have helped make a Deadpool movie a reality and it looks to retain everything fans love about the eccentric “Merc with a Mouth.” Early trailers have been promising and with the film going full tilt in the over-the-top violence and humor department, Deadpool could very well be the hard-edged cult superhero hit we’ve been waiting for.