2023 is going to be an incredible year for movies. After the unbelievable release of Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse the other week, many cinemagoers (myself included) can’t wait for the next opportunity to hit the theatres for another incredible film slated for 2023. Despite it still being 9 months until the 2024 Oscars, looking ahead at the upcoming slate of movies in 2023/24 already makes it impossible to figure out which is most likely to win Best Picture.
Let’s take a look ahead at a year filled with incredible films from some of the biggest directors working today, as well as some dark horses which could swoop in for a win.
Hollywood Darling Directors
2023 features new movies from some of Hollywood’s biggest directors, to which we’ve already given tons of coverage here on ShowFaves.
Firstly there is Wes Anderson’s Asteroid City which boasts an all-star cast, including Scarlett Johannson, Tom Hanks, Jason Schwartzman, Jeffrey Wright, Tilda Swinton, Bryan Cranston, Adrian Brody, Edward Norton, Willem Dafoe, Margot Robbie, and Steve Carrell. That much talent alone could flip even the worst of scripts into a guaranteed classic. The trailers for Asteroid City have also been nothing less than stunning, featuring Wes Anderson’s signature symmetry and vibrant color palettes.
Then there is the clash of the titans, and 2023’s most unexpected rivalry. Releasing on the same day (July 21) are Greta Gerwig’s Barbie and Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer, both of which are THE two most anticipated films of 2023. Barbie sees Margot Robbie put her name to another guaranteed hit as, alongside Ryan Gosling, she brings the iconic toy to life as Barbie and Ken travel to the real world. Oppenheimer appears to be a far darker picture, although it would be great to see Cillian Murphy do a choreographed dance number, as Christopher Nolan tells the story of J. Robert Oppenheimer, the inventor of the atomic bomb. Nolan’s reputation brings in most of the hype surrounding this film, as the long-time director has yet to make a single bad film.
14-time Oscar-nominated director Martin Scorsese is also releasing his next film this year, with Killers of the Flower Moon hitting theatres on Oct 20. The film, recounting the mysterious murders of the Osage nation during the 1920s, received a 9-minute standing ovation after its debut at the Cannes Film Festival and sees the director teaming up with Leonardo DiCaprio for a 6th time.
2023 also sees the release of the hotly anticipated Dune: Part Two, the sequel to 2021’s Dune, which won 6 Oscars. Adapting Frank Herbert’s classic sci-fi epic, Denis Villeneuve brings the desert planet of Arrakis to life using breathtaking CGI blended beautifully with the landscapes of the Moroccan desert. Add that to an incredible growing cast, which sees the likes of Florence Pugh and Austin Butler join its ranks, and Dune: Part Two is almost guaranteed to blow the box office, and viewers, away.
The Black Horses
Alongside 2023’s Blockbuster line-up, several indie darlings could also find their way into the mix.
Anatomy of a Fall is a strong contender, with the movie receiving rave reviews after its Cannes debut. Anatomy of a Fall also currently sits on a perfect 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes as it currently goes through its film festival tour, before receiving a limited theatrical release later this year.
In close competition is Todd Haynes’ May December, which received similar praise after debuting at Cannes. Every review of May December gave the highest praise to its two leads, Natalie Portman and Julianne Moore, who reportedly give one of the best performances of their careers.
An unexpected dark horse also comes in the shape of Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. The long-awaited sequel to 2019’s Into the Spider-Verse is almost guaranteed a place on the list for Best Animated Feature, however, many critics and outlets are campaigning for Across the Spider-Verse to be nominated for Best Picture, making it just the 4th animated feature film in history to do so.
