The Top 25 Must See Movies Of 2015

It's time to ring in the New Year! And while 2014 has been a great year for a variety of entertainments--be it anything from silly Guardians of the Galaxy to profound Boyhood, from epic Interstellar to tiny Whiplash--2015 may promise even more in the widest range of entertainments for moviegoers who are already tired of humming Auld Lang Syne.

And why not? Next year’s line-up of movies could potentially be excellent (or at the very least, avenging). Hence, we have compiled a list of the 25 Hollywood movies that you’ll most likely need to see in 2015. Without further ado, here are the 25 Must See Movies of 2015!

Kingsman: The Secret Service (February 13, 2015)

Don’t let either its February release or lackluster trailer fool you, Kingsman: The Secret Service has plenty going for it due to the talent both in front of and behind the camera. From Layer Cake director Matthew Vaughn and his longtime scripting co-writer Jane Goldman comes the next project from a collaboration that includes Stardust, Kick-Ass, and X-Men: First Class. It’s even based on another comic book property, this time from the bottomless “big idea” machine that is Mark Millar.

However, there is more to Kingsman than its behind-the-scenes talent: in front of the camera fans will get to see Colin Firth in a role he always seemed like a perfect fit for, James Bond 007 a British secret agent named Harry Hart. And being unencumbered by franchise restrictions, this film about a good old boys club that also includes Michael Caine in an “M” style role and Samuel L. Jackson as the villain has too much potential to not at least check out and see if there is another hidden popcorn colonel to treasure like this creative team’s last two comic book-inspired sugar rushes.

Chappie (March 6, 2015)

If you’re like us, then you absolutely adored District 9. But if you’re also like us, then you were crushingly disappointed with writer/director Neill Blomkamp’s follow-up, the forgettable tale of two sci-fi clichés, Elysium. Nevertheless, that love for that original feature effort more than makes Chappie appointment science fiction come next March. Starring Sharlto Copley in a role that may finally take advantage of his untapped talent in the titular role, Chappie is about a robot—a robot stolen by Hugh Jackman and raised in a dysfunctional family. Add in a supporting cast that includes Sigourney Weaver, Hollywood science fiction’s seal of quality, and Dev Patel, and we’ll be there opening day.

Furious 7 (April 3, 2015)

On our list last year, Fast & Furious 7 was one of the most anticipated movies of 2014 until the tragic passing of Paul Walker. Vin Diesel might be the franchise’s American muscle car build, but Walker was the engine that powered it through its greatest heights (namely Fast Five). Now, Fast & Furious 7 stands as a final tribute to the greatly missed movie star, and one last hurrah for the whole intact gang.

Plus, director James Wan (Insidious, The Conjuring) has taken over the franchise’s steering wheel for his first cruise outside of the horror genre in nearly a decade. It’s good to see someone with that much talent, at least in unapologetic pulp, get outside his comfort zone. Throw in a true introduction of Jason Statham as a big, mean heavy—and thus hopefully the first good one in seven films—and we’re all shouting “shotgun” at the sight of this ride.

Avengers: Age of Ultron (May 1, 2015)

Likely destined to be the biggest movie of 2015, Avengers: Age of Ultron kicks the summer movie season of 2015 off in earnest with a picture that countless fans have been yearning for since May 2012. And with Joss Whedon at the helm, it might actually live up to the hype! Picking up on the tail-end of the mixed bag that was “Phase Two” (which saved its best two entries for last), Avengers: Age of Ultron examines what the super-team does when they get a little too complacent post-SHIELD. In a plot development that would do Sam Raimi proud, the heroes aren’t sure they want to be doing this full-time, so faster than you can say HAL 9000, they create an A.I. being to do their crime-busting for them: Ultron (James Spader). Clearly Tony Stark is not up on his Kubrick…or Scott…or the Wachowskis…or…

When Ultron decides to take over the world and kill us all with kindness in a plot that Whedon promises is a “touch” apocalyptic, the heroes are all tested in profound ways. Also, there is Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen) and Quicksilver (Aaron Taylor-Johnson). And did we mention the Hulkbuster?

Mad Max: Fury Road (May 15, 2015)

It’s been a long, grueling road to another flick starring Max Rockatansky hitting the big screen. Even the actual movie star has changed from the controversial Mel Gibson to the far more box office friendly Tom Hardy, who is on the edge of a Hollywood moment, breaking out in celebrity almost as big as his already impressive range of talent. But most of all, Mad Max: Fury Road just looks cool.

If you’ve seen the Comic-Con trailer, you know that this easily made the biggest splash of all the movie panels in San Diego this year. George Miller has returned to his Outback hellscape that a million movies have copied; yet once again, he proves no one can find the beauty in the barren, desolate road in a film like he can. Having described this film as a two-hour chase scene, Miller’s return to old school in-camera spectacle will certainly be getting all action fans in full pursuit.

Tomorrowland (May 22, 2015)

All the secrets of Brad Bird’s upcoming Tomorrowland, which was originally scheduled for a 2014 release, are still barely known. Nonetheless, this is an inevitable must-see event. The director of The Incredibles, Ratatouille, and Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol is returning to the big screen with a film that he co-wrote beside Lost’s Damon Lindelof. In a science fiction adventure that bends time and reality, George Clooney and Britt Robertson travel to another plane of existence known simply as “Tomorrowland.” It is there that their actions can directly affect the world around them, which also would seem to include Hugh Laurie, Kathryn Hahn, and Judy Greer. Shrouded in mystery, Tomorrowland beckons to have its surprises discovered.

Entourage (June 5, 2014)

Yep, the boys are finally back in the long promised big screen adaptation of Entourage, and all we can say is “great to see you again, Ari.” Oh sure, it’s also nice to hug it out with Vinnie Chase, E, Turtle, and Johnny Drama too. But if we’re being honest, it could just be the Ari Gold Movie. No matter what, however, an Entourage film is welcome since it must improve on that lousy final season. And with Entourage creator Doug Ellis directing and co-writing the film, he’ll know that this is crass consumerism’s best multimedia crossover opportunity since Sex and the City also got its own flick. Let’s just hope E and Sloan are seen happily together. Or just Sloan.

Jurassic World (June 12, 2015)

Reboots are a tricky business in general. Essentially trying to remake the thrills of a proven classic with few of those original elements, it has to appeal to old fans while gaining new ones. Multiply that challenge by a thousand when attempting to bring back the grandeur and joy of Steven Spielberg’s last unapologetic popcorn classic, 1993’s Jurassic Park. But there is still reason to be optimistic beyond Spielberg lending it his name as executive producer. For starters, Colin Trevorrow, the immensely promising director behind Safety Not Guaranteed, is spearheading the production. Secondly, it actually takes place on an Isla Nublar (the island from the first movie) that has become a successful theme park.

Offering the chance for dinosaurs to tear into tourists like a dysfunctional Mickey Mouse returns to the attraction of author Michael Crichton’s first foray into filmic theme park terror, Westworld. Jurassic Park also boasts a talented young cast including Safety’s Jake Johnson, Bryce Dallas Howard, and Chris Pratt in his post-Guardians of the Galaxy movie star glow. Like a T-Rex in a visitor’s center, you’re just going to have to bite in.

Inside Out (June 19, 2015)

It feels so painful to admit the truth: the closest Pixar movie is nearly a year away. With the delay of The Good Dinosaur taking it out of the 2014 line-up, we are left with a two-year gap between last summer’s Monsters University and Inside Out. However, for those fearing that Pixar has lost its ambition, Inside Out’s premise alone promises the most out-there Hollywood-produced animated effort in many years. Directed by one of Pixar’s original brain trust, Peter Docter (Monsters Inc., writer on Toy Story 2, Wall-E, Up), from an original story he had that has been scripted by Michael Arndt (Toy Story 3, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire), Inside Out goes big by entering the smallest, most confusing place imaginable: the brain of a young girl.

When Riley is forced to move from Minnesota to San Francisco, a cornucopia of new emotions boil to the surface of her mind, effecting every single action she makes. These include the emotions of Anger (Lewis Black), Fear (Bill Hader), Disgust (Mindy Kaling), Sadness (Phyllis Smith), and Joy (Amy Poehler). A tale that literally will take place in the battleground of a child’s mind, the next Pixar project ambitiously aims to explain from a fresh perspective why people’s emotions act the way they do. Right now, the thought of it is only bringing sounds of Poehler for us.

Terminator: Genisys (July 1, 2015)

Okay, get the snickering out right here and inset your own pun about the silly title. Terminator: Genysis, in addition to being a spell-check editor’s worst nightmare, could very well be the first Terminator movie since 1991 worth watching. For starters, this reboot/quasi-sequel has cast very wisely from Jason Clarke as John Connor, the savior of all humanity, to Jai Courtney as the new Kyle Reese. But most intriguing is Matt Smith in a mystery role that has yet to be revealed, though we suspect it will be chillingly cold in a synthetic sort of way.

And to help guide this cast is Alan Taylor who has shown an aptitude in the past for handling large ensembles well, whether it be on HBO’s Rome, Boardwalk Empire, or especially Game of Thrones. His first transition film back to features, Thor: The Dark World, might cause pause for Terminator, but his casting of Emilia Clarke, the Mother of Dragons, as Sarah Connor, the Mother of Humanity, is a good omen that this could be closer to his earlier work. If they can sneak in a few dragons too, our hopes can only increase. Anything but that last trailer...

Ant-Man (July 17, 2015)

And one of the most anticipated summer movies of 2015 is also already the biggest disappointment. Because no matter how you shrink it, the fact that we are not getting Edgar Wright’s Ant-Man will be an eternal shame given the geek auteur’s wholly unique style, not to mention seven years of build-up. Still, Marvel Studios’ other summer movie for next year cannot be denied as an event and a curiosity.

Peyton Reed has made surprisingly charming screwball efforts before (Bring It On, Down with Love), and it will definitely be a curveball surprise if this turns into a joyous success. Also, with a cast that includes Paul Rudd, Michael Douglas, and Corey Stoll, this picture still has enough talent onboard to let fans keep the flame of hope alive. Marvel Studios just made a movie about a talking raccoon and a walking tree the biggest hit of summer. Surely, they can pull a rabbit out of this hat, right? Right?

Pan (July 24, 2015)

Pan is the latest live-action fairy tale movie that reimagines a beloved children’s classic into a would-be blockbuster epic. This formula has been decidedly mixed to negative in the past with disappointments like Snow White and the Huntsman and Maleficent muddling through 90-minute running times to box office glory. However, Warner Brothers’ Pan seems like one that could break the mold since it’s the first in a long-while that is helmed by a genuine talent instead of a first-time director.

Joe Wright has made a series of diverse, superb dramas in the past whether they be highly red-rose romantics like Pride and Prejudice and Atonement, or red blooded in their violence, such as Hanna. In fact, the latter actioner about a child assassin had a certain fairy tale quality all its own about a girl who never had to grow up, because she was raised to be a tragic adult since birth. Approaching the same concept from reverse in a more traditionally dreamlike take has an appeal for Pan, as does the idea of Hugh Jackman playing a villainous Blackbeard. It certainly can only improve on the last Pirates of the Caribbean film and Ian McShane’s efforts.

Black Mass (September 18, 2015)

Whitey Bulger is the most talked about gangster of the last quarter century. The Boston crime boss that turned out to be a rat for the FBI—until the feds tried to exterminate their rodent—has been the inspiration of big screen characters from The Departed to The Town. He also was the subject of a not-so-fantastical documentary this year, Whitey vs. the United States of America, which had us applauding.

Now, Hollywood wants to return to this poisoned well from the heart of Dorchester and Southie, and we’re hoping it’s the shot in the arm that Johnny Depp needs both artistically and professionally, because the premise is too good to pass up. With Depp playing Bulger from gangster to fugitive, it is a juicy part that should have Depp spilling his guts like he was the stool pigeon himself. The film is based on Dick Lehr’s book and is directed by Scott Cooper.

Crimson Peak (October 16, 2015)

Guillermo del Toro is finally directing a horror movie again. That should really be enough to have your attention. But just in case, know that it is also del Toro returning to the macabre and gothic by way of Wuthering Heights, Jane Eyre, and even 1946’s Vincent Price hit Dragonwyck. The story of a dark and mysterious new husband with a dangerous past, Crimson Peak will likely be a lot more literal in its namesake when young charismatic author Edith Cushing (Mia Wasikowska) discovers the truth hidden by her new husband, Sir Thomas Sharpe (Tom Hiddleston). Jessica Chastain also stars in this journey through the fog and moors.

Untitled Steven Spielberg Cold War Film (October 16, 2015)

So, there’s a movie with Steven Spielberg, the Coen Brothers, and Tom Hanks attached. Need I go on? If so, know that this is a Cold War era film based on the true story of attorney James Donovan, who will be played by Tom Hanks, and his journey into Soviet Russia to negotiate the release downed U-2 spy plane pilot Gary Powers. It was announced last May that Spielberg was bringing Joel and Ethan Coen onboard to write a draft of the film, which will mark Spielberg and Hanks’ fourth collaboration as director and actor. It really is the definition of a must-see.

Silence (November 2015)

Martin Scorsese has steered clear from religion being the focal point of his films for years. Other than the affable Kundun, it’s surprising that Scorsese would even want to see a holy book in his pictures after 1988’s much maligned, but fascinating, The Last Temptation of Christ. Still, Silence is a project that the greatest living director of our time has been chasing for the better part of a decade. The story of Jesuit priests in 17^th century feudal Japan, it follows the documented account of a young priest (Andrew Garfield) who was sent by his Portuguese order to the Far East in order to find his mentor (Liam Neeson), a brother who is believed to have renounced his faith under torture. It could be a hot button issue, but it is one that any serious filmgoer will press forward on.

Spectre (November 6, 2015)

Bond is back, and he is bringing along some friends. No, we don’t mean the now fully instated reboot versions of Q (Ben Whishaw) and Moneypenny (Naomie Harris), though it is good to have them back too. Nor do we mean the always amiable presence of Ralph Fiennes in his first picture as a fully functioning M. The real attraction is that Bond, and his producers of Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson at EON, have lured Sam Mendes to return to the director’s chair after his sterling work on Skyfall.

With the American Beauty helmer back behind the camera, and with a screenplay at least partially by John Logan, the creative forces that made Bond’s 50^th anniversary so memorable are now situated for another operation in the field. With a film that might be Daniel Craig’s penultimate adventure as 007, it is one that we hope will leave us well shaken, and maybe a little bit stirred. Of course the additions of Christoph Waltz, Léa Seydoux, and Monica Bellucci doesn't hurt either.

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2 (November 20, 2015)

Like Reaping Day, it’s coming: the final adventure of Katniss Everdeen. While the first part of The Hunger Games: Mockingjay has already come to pass, the real grand finale is still almost a year away. In the culmination of four films and three books, Jennifer Lawrence’s iconic heroine must go from figurehead of a resistance from District 13 to actual leader and warrior. This is not a game, and there is no guarantee of any lone survivor. It will be the event that all of pop culture will coalesce around and might even give Avengers a box office run for its money (in the North American market, anyway). Gale or Peeta? It doesn’t matter; everyone will be there to see the Girl on Fire engulf a nation—and not just Panem.

The Hateful Eight (December 2015)

For a while there, it appeared that Quentin Tarantino’s first full-fledged western wasn’t going to happen after the screenplay leaked online (to Hans Landa with the rat!). But after a positive response to a live-reading of the script that included Tim Roth, Samuel L. Jackson, Kurt Russell, Michael Madsen, and Bruce Dern, Tarantino has decided to go ahead and film what could arguably a trilogy closer of semi-westerns leading up to the real thing.

First, Tarantino brought his Spaghetti aesthetic to Nazi Occupied France in Inglourious Basterds, and then he deep-fried it for a Southern flavor with Django Unchained. Finally, we’re getting the whole enchilada along with a side of human bolognaise for The Hateful Eight, a QT version of the Wild Bunch that will be filmed in glorious 65-milimeter (and be 70mm’s widest release in over 20 years!). With The Weinstein Company distributing, it likely will be released around the same time as Django. In short, this is one holiday treat that should be high on the machismo and loquacious banter from surprisingly eloquent gunmen. You can also find out everything we know about The Hateful Eightright here.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens (December 18, 2015)

Avengers and Katniss will undoubtedly be two of the biggest movie events of 2015, but Star Wars remains a cultural event unto itself. Case in point, you probably could not stand a single one of the three previous Star Wars prequels. Yet, the idea of another visit to that galaxy far, far away probably has you as giddy as C-3PO after an oil bath. This is because for whatever else, George Lucas touched into an elemental entertainment that was both infinitely fanciful and immediately iconic in 1977.

Disney is willing to bet all our fantasies of more lightsabers, more X-Wings, and definitely more Han, Luke, and Leia will have us there opening day in December. And Mickey’s right. J.J. Abrams is tackling pop culture holy ground with this film, and every geek, cinephile, and child of the last 40 years will be there to bear witness with an “Amen!”

Mission: Impossible 5 (December 25, 2015)

The strength of the Mission: Impossible franchise is that each installment is a fresh start. Whether this current project is a success or failure, the next film is an opportunity to start from scratch, save for the one constant of Tom Cruise in the heroic role of Ethan Hunt. While that was a blessing after lesser efforts like John Woo’s Mission: Impossible II (2000) and J.J. Abrams’ TV-scaled Mission: Impossible III (2006), it is a bit of a shame after Brad Bird’s kinetic Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol.

Nonetheless, just as Bird could re-wrap this franchise into a Christmas Day event in 2011, there is plenty of room for Christopher McQuarrie to craft his own stamp on the IMF series in his second effort with Cruise after Jack Reacher. This form of franchise Rorschach-testing in an age where installments in all other series are mandated to maintain a sameness for what came before makes Mission: Impossible downright daring in its big screen espionage.

The Revenant (December 25, 2015)

Currently, many are eagerly anticipating the premiere of Birdman later this year, but Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu already has his next picture lined up, and it seems instantly compelling. The simple western tale of what happens to that last man left for dead, The Revenant imagines a 19^th century fur trapper named Hugh Glass (Leonardo DiCaprio). When Glass is mauled by a bear and left to die in the woods by his companions, who rob his grisly body, he survives his injuries against all odds, just so he can have his vengeance. And soon, he is coming for the “friends” that left him out in the woods, including Tom Hardy, Will Poulter, and Domhnall Gleeson. They’re going to wish they finished what the bear started, but we won’t.

Joy (December 25, 2015)

Normally a movie about Joy Mangano, the woman who invented the miracle mop, would not be one of the most anticipated movies of any given year. But normally such a premise doesn’t attract the A-list collaboration of director David O. Russell and star Jennifer Lawrence. The duo that worked together on consecutive Best Picture nominated films Silver Linings Playbook and American Hustle, which garnered both double nominations (and a win in Lawrence’s case), are going for the hat trick in this Christmas Day release. Knowing Russell, they will make the story of an everyday mop into something profoundly funny, moving, and definitely entertaining.

Macbeth (TBA 2015)

Despite having no release date shored up, this version of the Scottish play should have filmgoers ready to line up around the block, because to date this has remained one of the most difficult tragedies of the Bard for filmmakers to tackle. Despite there being a number of impressive cinematic interpretations of Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, and even an Othello or two worth at least viewing, no filmic version of Macbeth has done justice to this yarn of ambition, hubris, and three monstrous witches who can see a wood move. But a traditionally medieval setting for this 2015 iteration promises to pay visual fealty to the original concept, and Michael Fassbender and Marion Cotillard as the Usurper King and his sanitary wife is incredibly intriguing. It more than earns a spot on this list that will not be put out.

She’s Funny That Way (TBA 2015)

Screwball comedy is a dying art form. Normally, I would call it a completely dead one, but the word coming out of Venice Film Festival is that Peter Bogdanovich has revived the style with his apparently charming daydream She’s Funny That Way. The filmmaker who gave the world such gems as Paper Moon and Mask, Bogdanovich is enjoying his first theatrical film since 2001’s The Cat’s Meow—and his first screenplay since 1990—creating a certain level of interest.

But the buzz is now even higher with a concept that sounds amusing on paper: Izzy (Imogen Poots) is a down-on-her-luck prostitute that meets a client with a soft-spot for fallen ladies (Owen Wilson). When he gives her $30,000 to start her life over as an actress, he has no idea that she will coincidentally show up at an audition for his new play…in which his wife (Kathryn Hahn) is already cast. Jennifer Aniston and Rhys Ifans also star in this throwback that sounds to do Howard Hawks and Frank Capra proud.

So, there are 25 must-see movies from 2015. Did we get everything you wanted to see? Did we miss something far more important? Let us know in the comment section below!

***This article was originally published on September 12, 2014.

[Related: Top 25 Must See Fall 2014 Movies]

[Related: The Top 10 Films of 2014]

Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter for all news updates related to the world of geek. And Google+, if that's your thing!