Most Anticipated Fantasy, Horror, Sci-Fi Films of 2013

The world economic crisis, the drastic changes in the business model of cinema due to the internet and well, plain lack of creativity, has forced Hollywood studios to embrace and invest heavily in Sci Fi, Horror and Fantasy as these genres have a proven market. In fact, the super hero franchises in particular have functioned as Hollywood’s life saver in these harsh times and it’s greatly thanks to these films that audiences are still going to theaters.

In order to broaden the appeal of these movies to other markets, we’ve seen in recent years how these genres have been tackled with, lets say a “highbrow” approach, drafting serious directors and writers to the ring, which in turn has brought more solid characters, ultra realistic settings and plots analog to contemporary events.

On the other hand, scripts in general are becoming more and more predictable. The formula hero defeated-hero trains-hero comes back, has turned almost into a standard, and it’s taking away one of the most grand things that the movie going experience has to give; to surprise.

You enter to a theater in order to be amazed, to meet the unexpected. But the “sequelitis” Hollywood is going through wants us to watch the same story again, and again. What’s the point in that? Fortunately, in 2013 will have a healthy amount of original material to keep us astonished.

Highly promising newcomers, Oscar awarded casts and cult remakes are among the things to expect this year at the movies. With no further ado, I to present you, the 20 most anticipated films of 2013.

Click on each title to watch the trailer. (if available) WARNING: Some of the trailers linked below may contain images not suitable for minors.

1. Man of Steel. Directed by Zack Snyder. Staring Henry Cavill, Russell Crowe, Amy Adams and Michael Shannon.

Undoubtedly, the film has the names, the budget and the perfect timing to be the undisputed king of the box office and the most talked about film of the year. The fans that were nervous with Zack Snyder taking the director chair (me included) had to shut up (at least for now) with the nostalgic, slick and realistic feel of the trailer. What to look for: Michael Shannon will give an impressive performance as the main villain, General Zod.

2. Evil Dead. Directed by Fede Alvarez. Staring Jane Levy, Siloh Fernandez, Jessica Lucas and Lou Taylor Pucci.

The original Evil Dead is regarded as one of the greatest horror films ever. Gory, frightening, campy and hilarious all at the same time, it propelled Sam Raimi as a true master of terror and gave him the opportunity to direct the first 3 Spiderman films with great box office success. 22 years after the Evil Dead‘s initial release, he is producing a remake with an ultra realistic, horrific-out-of-your-mind vision from newcomer Fede Alvarez, who startled the internet a couple of years ago with his Sci Fi short film Ataque de Panico. What to look for: Be prepared to be grossed out and be scared like hell. Just watch the trailer to see what I’m talking about…

3. Pacific Rim. Directed by Guillermo del Toro. Staring Ron Pearlman, Idris Elba, Charlie Hunnam and Burn Gorman.

In Guillermo del Toro’s own words, this movie is about “Twenty five story high robots beating the crap out of twenty five story high monsters” Now how’s that for a pitch? This movie fulfills each and every desire of all of us out there who loved Evangelion and secretly wished and prayed every night for a live action version. What to look for: Twenty five story high robots beating the crap out of twenty five story high monsters.

4. Upstream Color. Directed by Shane Carruth. Staring Andrew Sensenig, Shane Carruth, Brina Palencia and Amy Seimetz.

Carruth’s feature debut, the critically acclaimed Primer is considered one of the most intelligent films ever made about time travel. Its intricate script and solid directorial vision executed on a micro budget made the world applaud in unison and wonder if a new Kubrick was born. Carruth answers 9 years later with something that looks even more grandiloquent, mature and overall awesome.
What to look for: This is one of the most long awaited projects in the world of independent cinema. Expect pure brilliance.

5. Freezing People is Easy. Directed by Errol Morris. Staring Paul Rudd, Owen Wilson, Christopher Walken and Kristen Wiig.

Former alumni of Werner Herzog, Errol Morris is an Oscar winning filmmaker who has always distinguished himself for taking fiction techniques into the Documentary realm. In Freezing People is Easy we will see him diving into the fiction genre with a Sci Fi comedy about a good intended but clumsy repairman who attempts to pioneer in the field of cryonics.
What to look for: An intelligent, classy comedy with superb performances and a mature, solid direction.

6. World War Z. Directed by Marc Foster. Staring Brad Pitt, Mireille Enos, Eric West and Matthew Fox.

Mark Foster is the kind of director that can take on almost every genre. He is capable of delivering thrilling action scenes (like the opera house shootout in Quantum of Solace) and quirky indie flavored pieces like Stranger than fiction with the same degree of skill and elegance. In World War Z, we see Brad Pitt battling the most absurd amount of zombies we’ve seen on screen. What to look for: The zombie genre taken from a dramatic, serious viewpoint.

7. Gravity. Directed by Alfonso Cuarón. Staring Sandra Bullock, George Clooney and Basher Savage.

This film has the most impressive rooster of writers of this list. Penned by Cuaron himself with the aid of his son Jonás Cuarón and Rodrigo García, son of Gabriel García Marquez and author of the critically acclaimed Mothers and Sons and Nine Lives, this movie tells the survival story of two astronauts left adrift at space after an accident. The project had a thorny road due to multiple delays because of budgetary and casting issues, but finally will see the light this summer in full IMAX 3D glory. The test screenings Warner Brothers has made so far have created great expectations for its emotional story and breathtaking vfx. What to look for: This production has every ingredient to be the best Sci Fi film of the year and a true Oscar contender. Also look for a spectacular 17 minute long shot everybody is talking about.

8. Stoker. Directed by Park Chan-Wook. Staring Nicole Kidman, Mia Wasikowska, Matthew Goode and Dermot Mulroney.

Park Chan-Wook is the most recent Asian auteur import to Hollywood. And also the most expected. Creator of such cult classics as Oldboy, I`m a Cyborg, but that`s OK and Sympathy for Lady Vengeance, and venerated for his stylish and violent portrayals of the human condition, he brings us now the horror tale of a freaky uncle that moves in with his niece and her unstable widow mother. What to look for: A nasty, visceral psychological thriller that will send you directly to therapy.

9. The Zero Theorem. Directed by Terry Gilliam. Staring Christoph Waltz, Matt Damon, Tilda Swinton and David Thewlis.

Terry Gilliam takes us to a near future in this story about an eccentric hacker living in a Orwellian corporate world working to resolve a theorem that explains everything and nothing. By the synopsis available, this sounds like A David vs Goliath tale reminiscent of his Classic Brazil. Very little has surfaced from this production, but Gilliam is one of the best filmmakers in the world, so there is a lot to expect from this. What to look for: A trippy, dark tale of the future with a twist.

10. Star Trek: Into Darkness. Directed by J.J. Abrams. Staring Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Zoe Zaldaña and Simon Pegg.

The first installment of the Star Trek reboot turned the cult, often campy series into a classy, solid, visual effects fest. The acting, the story and the build up of such known characters didn’t disappoint and delighted all generations of Trekkies alike. The expectation to where the franchise will steer is very high and Abrams has so much creative force invested in this, he refused to direct the new Star Wars film. Brave guy… I confess I wouldn’t do that in a million years. What to look for: The best vfx of 2013. Personally not very hot about this one but I can’t ignore its huge relevance to the genre. (Update 26/02/2013. He’s finally come to his senses and he has been officially announced as Star Wars Episode VII director)

11. The Host. Directed by Andrew Niccol. Staring Saoirse Ronan, Diane Kruger, William Hurt and Jake Abel.

Andrew Niccol, director of the critically acclaimed film Gattaca brings us one of the best ensemble casts of the year in a tale of an alien parasite that bonds with its host through emotional memories. By the look of the trailer, it has a delightful Invasion of the body Snatchers mood that almost makes me forget this is written by the same author of Twilight. God I pray this is different. What to look for: A mind blowing performance from Saoirse Ronan. As usual.

12. Mama. Directed by Andrés Muschietti. Staring Jessica Chastain, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Megan Charpentier and Isabelle Nélisse.

A couple of years ago, advertising director Muschietti made a short film of the same name that scared the hell out of the internet. It was a Youtube sensation and immediately sparked the attention of the big studios. Guillermo del Toro mentored the project and officiated as Executive Producer in this story of a ghost mother haunting two kids. If your childhood memories of your pissed off mom are frightening, wait until you see this. What to look for: A well executed, classic ghost story that will make you wet your underpants. If you want to watch the original short click here.

13. Last Days on Mars. Directed by Ruairi Robinson. Staring Liev Schreiber, Romola Garai, Olivia Williams and Elias Koteas

Ruairi Robinson is a talent the world of film has expected for a long time. He is author of some of the most spectacular short films in the past decade, receiving an Oscar Nod in 2002 for his short Fifty Percent Gray. (You can watch the short here.) He flirted previously with the chance to direct the live action version of Akira but it was finally dropped after much speculation. This story follows a scientific expedition to Mars gone terribly wrong when an alien life form begins to possess their bodies. What to look for: Spectacular vfx and the long awaited feature debut of one of the mayor promises of European cinema.

14. Elysium. Directed by Neill Blomkamp. Staring Matt Damon, Jodie Foster, Diego Luna and Sharlto Copley.

After Neill Bloomkamp impressed the world with the Youtube hit Alive in Joburg, he went on to direct District 9, to me the most refreshing Sci Fi film in recent memory. The film did very well at the box office, managed to gather excellent reviews, and catapulted him to this big budget production with a A list cast many renown directors will die for. Set in an hypothetical year 2159, the film follows the quest of a technological revolutionary that seeks to narrow the breach between the wealthy and the poor in a highly polarized and oppressed world. What to look for: A gritty, realistic depiction of the future with no shiny objects in sight. And plenty of action!

15. In Your Eyes. Directed by Brin Hill. Staring Nikki Reed, Jennifer Grey, Zoe Kazan and Steve Howey.

Indie director Brin Hill teaming up with the relatively unknown Joss Whedon (you know, that guy that made The Avengers) to make a love story about two very different strangers whose experiences are suddenly connected against their will. What to look for: A highly enjoyable romantic comedy for Sci Fi, fantasy fans. Not many of those out there…

16. The Maze Runner. Directed by Wes Ball.

Wes Ball impressed everybody with Ruin, a spectacular short film he created almost single-handedly that took him two years to finish. The 3D animated short had so much potential, 20th Century Fox picked him to make the feature version. In the mean while, he was asked to direct The Maze Runner, a post apocalyptic tale about a bunch of kids with no memories locked in a stone maze with no apparent purpose. What to look for: Something halfway between The Hunger Games and the Running Man. Hmm, does that sound cool at all? You can watch Ruin here.

17. The World’s End. Directed by Edgar Wright. Staring Martin Freeman, Rosamund Pike, Simon Pegg and Nick Frost.

Edgar Wright is on the peak of his career. He hasn’t had a breather since Shaun of the Dead rocked audiences around the world back in 2004. Besides penning The Adventures of Tin Tin for Steven Spielberg, he has scored hit after hit (Hot Fuzz, Scott Pilgrim vs The World) and now brings us a promising comedy about 5 friends who reunite in a crappy pub to remember their school days, unknowing that the world is going to end and they will ultimately turn out to be humanity’s only hope. What to look for: Simon Pegg and Nick frost delivering one of their most hilarious performances yet.

18. Beauty and the Beast. Directed by Christophe Gans. Staring Lea Seydoux, Vincent Cassel, Eduardo Noriega and André Dussollier.

Jean Cocteau’s Beauty and the Beast from 1946 has been regarded as a mainstay of fantasy film throughout the history of cinema. It’s inventiveness and expression has never been equaled by the many remakes and adaptations this classic material has had throughout the years. (With the notable exception of Disney’s 1991 animated version which I’m a big fan of.) Christophe Gans, author of the surprisingly good Silent Hill is the next in row to tackle with this eternal love story and by the looks of the cast attached to the project, this could be the best surprise of the year. What to look for: Amazing production design and a scary take on this classic romantic story.

19. Maniac. Directed by Alexandre Aja. Staring Elijah Wood, Nora Arnezeder, Liane Balaban and American Olivo.

This will be the slasher film of the year. It’s the remake of the 80’s horror film of the same name, about a very, very disturbed mannequin shop owner who becomes a pathetic, sick serial killer. Alexandre Aja is known for his relentless pace and in your face violence, so this will be a gore fest fans will appreciate. What to look for: Blood and thrilling tension in unbearable doses.

20. Only Lovers Left Alive. Directed by Jim Jarmush. Staring Tom Hiddleston, Mia Wasikowska, Jhon Hurt and Anton Yelchin.

Here we have another outstanding cast put in service of a great director. Jarmush is one of the most distinctive voices in modern cinema, characterized by offbeat, sensible and intelligent films. With such films as Ghost Dog, Coffee and Cigarettes and Broken Flowers, his minimalistic, moody and emotionally complex characters have made him a trademark of independent American cinema. This year, he brings us the love story of a vampire couple going through an emotional crisis. If your girlfriend related problems are tough how does this sound? What to look for: The best vampire film of the year. Period.

So, my dear readers, this is it. Space accidents, Aliens, Vampires, Psychopaths… you name it. Please come back to this post as you watch these films and tell us what you think. See you at the movies!

UPDATE: If you are still thirsty for more, complement this list with our post of The Most Anticipated Action, Drama and Comedy Films of 2013.