Upcoming Disney Movie Released in 2021 to 2022

Photo: Inside the Magic

As expected given current events, keeping track of all the upcoming Disney movie release dates has been something of a rollercoaster with almost everything getting moved around the schedule – some of them multiple times!

But with the future appearing brighter and relative normalcy now in our sights, Disney has rejigged everything once more and they, and us, are hoping that the new schedule is one that will stick.

Cruella

Photo: Disney

Release Date: 28th May 2021

Cast: Emma Stone, Emma Thompson, Paul Walter Hauser, Joel Fry, and Mark Strong

Rating: NR

The next live-action Disney adaptation, Cruella, follows the lead of Maleficent and places the focus on the villain, with Emma Stone portraying iconic dog skinner Cruella De Vil. The prequel takes place in 1970s London, and will show how the young fashion designer becomes obsessed with Dalmatian skins.

Luca

Release Date: 18th June 2021

Cast: Jacob Tremblay, Jack Dylan Grazer, Emma Berman, Marco Barricelli, Saverio Raimondo, Maya Rudolph and Jim Gaffigan

Rating: NR

Much like Soul, this is another offering from Pixar that will be going straight to Disney Plus and will be available as part of the regular subscription. The coming-of-age comedy fantasy film focuses on two best friends who have an unusual secret – they are both actually sea monsters!

Black Widow

Photo: Disney

Release date: 9th July 2021

Cast: Scarlett Johansson, Florence Pugh, Rachel Weisz, David Harbour, O.T. Fagbenle, William Hurt and Ray Winstone

Rating: PG-13

Marvel’s deadliest super-spy is kicking off the MCU’s Phase 4 with an epic-looking prequel. Black Widow met an unfortunate end in Avengers: Endgame, but her first stand-alone film will give fans an insight into her dark past and her first family.

Johansson is joined by a stellar cast that includes fellow Oscar-nominee Pugh and Weisz (The Favourite) also as Black Widows, as well as Stranger Things‘s Harbour as a goofy Red Guardian – Russia’s answer to Captain America. Here’s the trailer.

The movie will now be released in cinemas and on Disney+ Premier Access on the same day.

The Night House

Release date: 16th July 2021

Cast: Rebecca Hall, Sarah Goldberg, Stacy Martin

This Searchlight horror stars Rebecca Hall as a widow, hiding out in her late husband’s lake house and trying to come to terms with her mysterious death. However, when she begins to suffer from nightmares and feels a disturbing presence in the house, she begins to discover secrets about her late husband.

Jungle Cruise - July 30, 2021

Originally slated to release in October 2019 before being pushed back to the summer of 2020, Disney's Jungle Cruise, an adaptation of their iconic Disneyland ride from director Jaume Collet-Serra, is now scheduled for release in July 2021. It was delayed the third time around due to the pandemic. Emily Blunt (Disney's new Mary Poppins) and Dwayne Johnson (one of the most popular actors in the world) are headlining the film, which appears to be billed as Disney's next Pirates of the Caribbean franchise.

Free Guy

Photo: Disney

Release date: 13th August 2021

Cast: Ryan Reynolds, Jodie Comer, Joe Keery, Taika Waititi, Lil Rel Howery and Utkarsh Ambudkar

Rating: NR

Reynolds stars in fast-paced, surreal action comedy Free Guy as a bank teller who discovers he is actually a background player in an open-world video game. Once the realisation hits, he decides to become the hero of his own story.

He is joined by an ensemble cast of fan favourites including the formidable Villanelle in Killing Eve (Comer), Steve Harrington in Stranger Things (Keery) and Thor: Ragnarok and JoJo Rabbit director Waititi. The trailer is as wild as the premise.

The Beatles: Get Back - August 27, 2021

Directed by Peter Jackson, this documentary will focus on the making of The Beatles alum Let It Be, which was released in 1970. Jackson's film will also include footage from the 1970 documentary about the album and will showcase the friendship between the bandmates during the time of the recording.

Shang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings

Photo: Disney

Release date: 3rd September 2021

Cast: Simu Liu, Tony Leung, Awkwafina, Ronny Chieng

Rating: NR

The second MCU outing in 2021, Shang-Chi will be the first Marvel film with an Asian lead and will tell the story of The Master of Kung Fu, who has appeared in the comics since 1973. Interestingly Tony Leung has been confirmed to play The Mandarin – presumably, the real one after Ben Kingsley’s version turned out to be a fake in Iron Man 3…

Venom: Let There Be Carnage

Release Date: 17th September 2021

Cast: Tom Hardy, Woody Harrelson, Michelle Williams Reid Scott, Naomie Harris

This sequel to 2018’s Venom will see Tom Hardy reprise his role as the Spider-Man villain, with filming having taken place back in November 2019. Directed by The Lord of the Rings’ Andy Serkis, Venom 2: Let There Be Carnage will see Cletus Kasady (Woody Harrelson), who made a brief appearance at the end of the last film, become the villain Carnage, with Michelle Williams, Reid Scott, Naomi Harris, Stephen Graham and Sean Delaney appeared in the film also.

The Eyes Of Tammy Faye - September 24, 2021

The Eyes of Tammy Faye will follow the rise and fall of the televangelists Tammy Faye Bakker and her husband Jim Bakker. Jessica Chastain and Andrew Garfield star as the lead character, with Vincent D'Onofrio, Cherry Jones, and more in supporting roles.

The Last Duel - October 15, 2021

Based on the book by Eric Jager, The Last Duel is set in the 14th century and follows the story of two best friends who duel each other after one is accused of sexually assaulting the other's wife. The film — directed by Ridley Scott from a screenplay by Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, and Nicole Holofcener — stars Damon and Affleck opposite Adam Driver and Jodie Comer.

Antlers - October 29, 2021

Horror is on the horizon with Antlers. The film, which was originally set for an April 2020 release, will now be hit theaters on October 29, 2021. Antlers, a Searchlight Pictures production (now owned by Disney), stars Keri Russell, Jesse Plemons, and is directed by Scott Cooper.

Ron’s Gone Wrong

Release date: 22nd October 2021

Cast: Jack Dylan Grazer, Thomas Barbusca, Bentley Kalu

Rating: G

The first film from British animation studio Locksmith Animation – created by two Aardman alumni – Ron’s Gone Wrong tells the story of a young boy whose robot friend stops working in a world where everyone has their own walking, talking mechanical companion.

Eternals

Photo: Marvel Studio

Release date: 5th November 2021

Cast: Angelina Jolie, Salma Hayek, Richard Madden, Kit Harrington, Gemma Chan, Kumail Nanjiani, Brian Tyree Henry, Ma Dong-Seok, Lauren Ridloff and Barry Keoghan

Rating: NR (not rated yet)

Marvel’s much-anticipated cosmic epic Eternals will be hitting theatres this winter. The film will introduce a brand new team of superheroes to the MCU, as the titular Eternals are an ancient alien race who have been secretly living on Earth for millennia.

Following the events of Avengers: Endgame, an unexpected tragedy will force them out of the shadows to fight the evil Deviants. There’s much to look forward to on this one, including the first openly gay MCU superhero (Henry) and the first deaf superhero (Ridloff).

West Side Story - December 10, 2021

Photo: Disney

Maria! He just met a girl named Maria! Steven Spielberg set his sights on the 1957 musical West Side Story as his next project. Starring Ansel Elgort and Rachel Zegler as Tony and Maria, respectively, West Side Story was scheduled for release in December 2020 before being moved to December 2021.

Encanto - November 24, 2021

Encanto is a Walt Disney animation set in Colombia and follows the Madrigals family. Encanto gifts children, except Mirabel, the main character, with different abilities. Mirabel sets off to protect Encanto's power before all is lost. Encanto's music will be written by Lin-Manuel Miranda and is the first Disney animation set in Colombia and sounds quite, well, magical.

Avatar 2

Release date: 16th December 2021

Cast: Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, Stephen Lang, Giovanni Ribisi, Sigourney Weaver, Kate Winslet

Rating: NR

Not content with with having already Avengers: Endgame as the highest grossing film of all time, Avatar 2 may just beat Disney’s own record if it’s predecessor is anything to go by. Little is known other than the return of several cast members – including those of previously dead characters – and a focus on Pandora’s underwater locations.

Spider-Man 3

Release Date: 17th December 2021

Cast: Tom Holland, Zendaya, Alfred Molina, Jamie Foxx, Benedict Cumberbatch, Tony Revolori

Marvel Studios’ third film in the Spider-Man franchise will see Tom Holland reprise his role as Peter Parker after Far from Home’s massive cliffhanger. While few plot details are available, we know the likes of Alfred Molina’s Doctor Octopus, Jamie Foxx’s Electro and Benedict Cumberbatch’s Doctor Strange will be making appearances in Spider-Man 3.

The King's Man

Release date: 22nd December 2021

The third film in Kingsman: The Secret Service, The King's Man will see another set of criminals looking to wipe out millions of people and will be stopped by the secret organization of gentlemen spies. Directed and co-written by Matthew Vaughn, the film stars Ralph Fiennes, Gemma Arterton, Rhys Ifans, Matthew Goode, Tom Hollander, Daniel Bruhl, and Djimon Honsou.

The French Dispatch

Cast: Bill Murray, Benicio del Toro, Frances McDormand, Jeffrey Wright, Tilda Swinton, Timothée Chalamet, Adrien Brody, Owen Wilson, Léa Seydoux, Liev Schreiber, Edward Norton, Willem Dafoe, Saoirse Ronan, Kate Winslet, Anjelica Huston and many, many more

Rating: R-rated

This “love letter to journalists” features all the hallmarks of a Wes Anderson film, including an aesthetic dripping in pastels and a gargantuan ensemble cast to beat all gargantuan ensemble casts (see above).

The French Dispatch is set in 20th-century France and centres around fictional newspaper the French Dispatch (inspired by the New Yorker), and the stories it tells, from the quirky to the revolutionary.

Everybody’s Talking About Jamie

Release date: TBC 2021

Cast: Max Harwood, Sarah Lancashire, Richard E. Grant, Lauren Patel and Sharon Horgan

Rating: NR (not rated yet)

The hit musical based on a true story about a young boy who dreams of becoming a drag queen is getting the silver screen treatment. Harwood stars as 16-year-old aspiring drag queen Jamie Campbell.

Happy Valley’s Lancashire stars as his supportive mum Margaret while Grant (Can You Ever Forgive Me?) plays drag queen Loco Chanel. Catastrophe’s Horgan will also appear as jaded teacher Miss Hedge. We already have a trailer.

Deep Water

Release date: 14th January 2022

Cast: Ana de Armas, Ben Affleck, Tracy Letts, Rachel Blanchard, Lil Rel Howery, Finn Wittrock, Dash Mihok, Jacob Elordi and Kristen Connolly

Rating: NR (not rated yet)

This psychological thriller based on Patricia Highsmith’s famed novel will mark Adrian Lyne’s return to the director’s seat following an 18-year hiatus. Like Lyne’s previous films – Fatal Attraction, Indecent Proposal and Unfaithful – Deep Water will blend mystery and desire.

Affleck and de Armas star as Vic and Melinda Van Allen, a seemingly perfect married couple who have fallen out of love – and who are fond of playing deadly mind games.

Morbius

Release date: 21st January 2022

Cast: Jared Leto, Matt Smith, Jared Harris, Adria Arjona, Tyrese Gibson

Suicide Squad’s Jared Leto will play Morbius – The Living Vampire – in solo origin film Morbius. Set to be a dark take on the superhero genre, the film will follow Michael Morbius as he tries to fight a rare blood condition, experimenting with bat DNA which causes him to transform into his vampire-like form.

Death on the Nile - 11th February 2022

This film has a large ensemble cast which includes Gal Gadot, Annette Bening, Kenneth Branagh (who also directs), Russell Brand, Ali Fazal, Rose Leslie, and Sophie Okonedo. Based on the Agatha Christie novel, Death of the Nile was originally scheduled for an October 2020 release before being delayed due to the pandemic. After a few changes, Disney settled on releasing this 20th Century Studios film in September.

Thor: Love and Thunder

Photo: Marvel Studio

Release date: 18th February 2022

Cast: Chris Hemsworth, Christian Bale, Taika Waititi, Natalie Portman, Tessa Thompson

Rating: NR

The first of four(!) confirmed MCU movies in 2021 – and Taika Waititi’s sequel to the bonkers-yet-brilliant Thor Ragnarok – little is known about Thor: Love and Thunder, other than that Natalie Portman will be returning to take up the mantle of Lady Thor. Going by the end of Avengers: Endgame, we may also see a few Guardians of the Galaxy…

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness

Release date: 25th March 2022

Cast: Benedict Cumberbatch, Elizabeth Olsen, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Benedict Wong

Rating: NR

Quite possibly the best-named film ever, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness looks set to introduce the multiverse to the MCU, and will somehow tie into WandaVision. It’s also been tipped as the MCU’s first horror film – good thing we have horror maestro Sam Raimi, director of The Evil Dead, behind the camera…

Lightyear - June 17, 2022

Fans who can't get enough of Toy Story's Buzz Lightyear are in luck because Pixar is making a whole film that will tell the origin story of the human movie character who actually inspired the toy astronaut from the 1995 film. However, don't expect Tim Allen to be back as this version of Buzz, with Chris Evans set to voice the titular character. No other cast members have yet been announced. The film is set to bow next year and is directed by Angus MacLane.

Indiana Jones 5 - July 29, 2022

Even though the Indiana Jones franchise is a Lucasfilm production, it's not a Star Wars film, which is why it's on this list. It was long believed that Indiana Jones 5 would happen at some point after Disney acquired Lucasfilm in 2012, and that belief came true when the studio announced in 2016 plans to produce another Indiana Jones movie. Unfortunately, it's been delayed multiple times since then - first from 2019 to 2020, and then again to 2021. Indiana Jones 5, which sees James Mangold writing and directing and Harrison Ford returning in the title role.

Black Panther 2

Release date: 8th July 2022

Cast: Letitia Wright, Winston Duke, Lupita Nyong’o, Angela Basset, Danai Gurira

Rating: NR

After Black Panther became an absolute phenomenon, it’s no surprise we’re seeing a Black Panther 2 many of the main characters returning. Plot details are sparse but rumours are swirling that Namor, King of Atlantis, will make his debut – and that somehow Killmonger may return. The star of the first movie, Chadwick Boseman sadly passed away last year and it has been confirmed that there are no plans to recast his character.

Into the Spider-Verse 2

Release date: 7th October 2022

Cast: Shameik Moore, Hailee Steinfeld

Following Into the Spider-Verse’s hugely successful release, animated hero Miles Morales is returning for a highly-anticipated sequel starring Shameik Moore and Hailee Steinfeld. Fingers crossed we’ll see the return of Jake Johnson’s Peter B. Parker, Nicolas Cage’s Spider-Man Noir, Kimiko Glenn’s Peni Parker and most importantly, John Mulaney’s Spider-Ham.

Captain Marvel 2

Release date: 11th November 2022

Cast: Brie Larson, Teyonah Parris, Iman Vellani, Zawe Ashton

Rating: NR

The MCU’s newest – and most powerful – Avenger, Captain Marvel will return for Captain Marvel 2 but it will be quite the wait. Other than being set after the first film, very little is known about the movie – it could be set before or after Endgame, and may well feature Ms. Marvel.

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