15 films to look forward to in 2023

1. Babylon” by Damien Chazelle, starring Margot Robbie and Brad Pitt

 

The highly anticipated Babylon, the new film directed by Oscar-winning French American filmmaker Damien Chazelle (La La Land, Whiplash), is worth watching for various reasons. First and foremost, for its impressive cast. The feature reunites Brad Pitt and Margot Robbie for the second time – they played together in Quentin Tarantino’s film Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood in 2019. Then, for its plot, which once again takes us back to the early days of Hollywood in the 1920s. Among wild parties and heated shootings, we follow the lives of a bunch of endearing characters with thrilling destinies in this epic and fascinating film.

 

“Babylon” by Damien Chazelle, coming out in France on January 18th, 2023.

2. “The Fabelmans” by Steven Spielberg, starring Seth Rogen, Michelle Williams and Paul Dano

 

After tackling the musical genre with his remake of West Side Story (2021), Steven Spielberg has drawn his inspiration from his own life for The Fabelmans. The project is rooted in the young years of the director in Arizona and tells the story of his family and of the birth of his vocation as a filmmaker. Alongside director David Lynch, the cast includes attractive names, such as Michelle Williams, Seth Rogen, Paul Dano, Julia Butters (Once Upon A Time…in Hollywood), and Gabriel LaBelle (The Predator, American Gigolo). An intimate and romantic biopic that will perhaps reveal the secrets of a director who has been in the industry for 63 years now.

 

“The Fabelmans” by Steven Spielberg, coming out in France on February 22nd, 2023.

3. “Cocaine Bear” by Elizabeth Banks, starring Keri Russell and Ray Liotta

 

Far from being a contender for the Best Picture Oscar, the new feature by American director Elizabeth Banks, who appeared in Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man and in The 40- Year-Old Virgin, is in competition for the award of the most far-fetch picture of 2023. Considered as a jubilant and crazy cinematic work by some people, or as a silly film that doesn’t deserve its funding by others, Cocaine Bear has the merit of getting itself talked about long before its release in March 2023. The plot? The true story of a gigantic bear that literally went crazy after ingesting cocaine and who now chases a group of policemen, criminals, tourists, and teenagers in a forest in Georgia, United States, in 1985… The cast includes Keri Russell (The Americans) and Ray Liotta, the star of Martin Scorsese’s Goodfellas who tragically died in May 2022 at the age of 68.

 

“Cocaine Bear” by Elisabeth Banks, coming out in France on March 15th, 2023.

 

4. “The Whale” by Darren Aronofsky, starring Brendan Fraser and Sadie Sink

 

The American filmmaker Darren Aronofsky, who made the controversial Mother! with Jennifer Lawrence and Javier Bardem, but also Requiem for a Dream, The Wrestler and Black Swan, will present on March 8th his eighth feature entitled The Whale, previously acclaimed at the 79th Venice Film Festival last September. The film features Charlie, a morbidly obese former English teacher isolated somewhere in Idaho and immobilized due to his hyperphagia. American Canadian actor Brendan Fraser will move us as this 50- year-old man weighing 595 lbs who wants to get closer to his daughter, played by the young actress Sadie Sink (Stranger Things).

 

“The Whale” by Darren Aronofsky, coming out in France on March 8th, 2023.

5. “Empire Of Light” by Sam Mendes, starring Olivia Colman, Michael Ward and Colin Firth

 

British filmmaker Sam Mendes has been moving under the radar since he won the Oscars for Best Director and Best Original Screenplay in 2020 for his masterpiece 1917. Two years later, the director of James Bond (Skyfall, Spectre) invites Olivia Colman, Michael Ward, and Colin Firth on his new project, Empire of Light, a love story set in an old cinema on the south coast of England in the 1980s. It also features a soundtrack created by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross. The film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in September 2022 and follows in the footsteps of the highly successful dramas American Beauty (1999) and Revolutionary Roads (2008).

 

“Empire Of Light” by Sam Mendes, coming out in France on March 1st, 2023.

5. “The Three Musketeers: D’Artagnan” by Martin Bourboulon, starring François Civil, Pio Marmaï and Vincent Cassel

 

The next French blockbuster is coming out soon. The Three Musketeers: D’Artagnan directed by Martin Bourboulon, who also directed Eiffel starring Emma Mackey, is leaning both on its cast and scenery to seduce its audience. A big gamble since two other films are already coming out before its release – the second one will be in theaters by the end of 2023. The director has opted for some of the most popular French actors in recent years to play the famous foot soldiers, with Vincent Cassel as Athos, François Civil as d’Artagnan, Pio Marmaï as Porthos, and Romain Duris as Aramis. To complete this already impressive cast, the fascinating Eva Green will play the role of the poisonous Milady and Louis Garrel will interpret King Louis XIII. Rounding a budget of €72 million and over 27 weeks of production, the first two films of Martin Bourboulon’s trilogy aim at revamping Alexandre Dumas’ famous 1844 novel in a tone halfway between a thriller and a royal western, according to the director.
 

The Three Musketeers: D’Artagnan and The Three Musketeers: Milady by Martin Bourboulon, respectively coming out in France on April 5th and December 13th, 2023.

7. “The Little Mermaid” by Rob Marshall, starring Halle Bailey and Jonah Hauer-King

 

After the very successful The Lion King (2019) and Beauty and the Beast (2017), and the more questionable Aladdin (2019) and Mulan (2020), it is now the turn of The Little Mermaid, the free interpretation of Hans Christian Andersen’s tale, to be a live- action remake. Behind the camera of this new Disney production, director and choreographer Rob Marshall, who already specializes in musicals with Chigaco (2002) and Nine (2009). As for the role of Ariel, the African American singer Halle Bailey will embody the mermaid. That choice provoked numerous racist comments on social media, but also an impressive wave of support when the trailer was released in the face of reactions from little girls who could now identify with the original white character from the cartoon. Alongside the novice actress, the young British actor Jonah Hauer-King (seen in the 2020 BBC series World on Fire) will play Prince Eric, Oscar- winning Spanish actor Javier Bardem will interpret King Triton, while American actress Melissa McCarthy will embody Ursula, the Sea Witch. The cast also includes Simone Ashley (Sex Education, Bridgerton), Awkwafina (Crazy Rich Asians, Ocean’s 8 and Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings), and young actor Jacob Tremblay (Room).

 

The Little Mermaid by Rob Marshall, coming out in France on May 26th, 2023.

8. “Barbie” by Greta Gerwig, starring Margot Robbie, Ryan Gosling, and Emma Mackey

 

The live-action trend is definitely catching on. In competition with Disney, Warner Bros studios are turning the famous Barbie doll into a heroine in the flesh. Directed by Greta Gerwig, (Lady Bird, Little Women) and written by Noah Baumbach (Marriage Story, Frances Ha), the very first adaptation on the silver screen of Barbie promises to be a feminist and offbeat initiation story and pursuit of happiness. The role of Barbie is played by actress Margot Robbie, who also stars in Damien Chazelle’s upcoming film Babylon due in January 2023. The prestigious cast also including Ryan Gosling as Ken, with his abs and pants visible under his sleeveless denim jacket, the hilarious Will Ferrell (Step Brothers, Elf), Emma Mackey (Sex Education, Eiffel), transgender actress Hari Nef (The Idol), America Ferrera (Ugly Betty), Kate McKinnon (Scandal) and Issa Rae (Insecure). A highly anticipated feature that will surely leave its mark.

 

“Barbie” by Greta Gerwig, coming out in France on July 19th, 2023.

 

9. “Oppenheimer” by Christopher Nolan, starring Cillian Murphy, Robert Downey Jr, Emily Blunt, and Florence Pugh

 

Inception (2010), Interstellar (2014), Tenet (2020) … Each one of Christopher Nolan film’s release is an event. Indeed, among star-studded casts, stunning special effects, and mind-blowing storylines, the director keeps captivating his audiences year after year. And he intends to do so with his upcoming film Oppenheimer, which will be released on July 19th, 2023. With a budget of $100 million, the film features Peaky Blinders star Cillian Murphy in a role worthy of his talent, alongside British actress Emily Blunt (Mary Poppins Returns), the acclaimed actress Florence Pugh (recently seen in Don’t Worry Darling with singer Harry Styles), and Robert Downey Jr (Iron Man, Sherlock Holmes). Adapted from the biography American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer (2005) written by Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin, the film recalls the story of Julius Robert Oppenheimer, the American theoretical physicist and professor of physics born in 1904, who became the wartime head of the Los Alamos laboratory during the World War II and who was credited as the “father of the atomic bomb”. A scientific achievement with a tragic outcome…

 

“Oppenheimer” by Christopher Nolan, coming out in France on July 19th, 2023.

 

10. “Dune: Part II” by Denis Villeneuve, starring Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Austin Butler, and Florence Pugh

 

 

Awarded six Oscars and five Baftas, Canadian director Denis Villeneuve’s film Dune: Part One has been a great critical and commercial success. The feature joins Star Wars, Star Trek, and Alien in the hall of fame of the greatest science fiction films. Truth be told, after David Lynch’s failed adaptation of Frank Herbert’s novel Dune (1965), this second version restores space opera genre to its rightful place, with a pharaonic budget of $165 million, a spectacular scenery and costumes, a Shakespearean script and, above all, an exceptional cast including Rebecca Ferguson, Oscar Isaac, Jason Momoa, Stellan Skarsgård, Josh Brolin, Javier Bardem, led by the American cinema prodigies Timothée Chalamet and Zendaya. Coming out late 2023, Dune: Part II promises to be as epic as the first opus, with space adventures, new alliances, a desire for revenge, and additional renowned actors including Florence Pugh, Léa Seydoux, Austin Butler, and Souheila Yacoub. Roll on next year!

 

“Dune: Part II” by Denis Villeneuve, coming out in France on November 1st, 2023.

 

https://youtu.be/Kw4Yu7SSX5M

11. “Wonka” by Paul King, starring Timothée Chalamet, Rowan Atkinson, and Olivia Coleman

 

Timothée Chalamet is everywhere. After taking on the lead role in Denis Villeneuve’s blockbuster Dune (2021) and embodying a young cannibal in Luca Guadagnino’s latest project Bones and All (2022), the Franco-American actor has been offered the jolly role of Willy Wonka, the famous chocolate maker. Entitled Wonka, this prequel to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005) with its musical sequences, revisits the childhood and young years of the zany and burlesque chocolate maker created by Roald Dahl in 1964. Due for release in France on December 13th, 2023, the eagerly awaited film by British director Paul King will feature an eclectic British cast playing alongside the Hollywood idol. The cast includes Rowan Atkinson (Mr . Bean), Jim Carter (Downtown Abbey), Hugh Grant (Notting Hill), Keegan-Michael Key (How I Met Your Mother), Sally Hawkins (Paddington) and Olivia Colman (The Crown, The Lost Daughter).

 

“Wonka” by Paul King, coming out in France on December 13th, 2023.

https://youtu.be/18tyBrdsIeo

12. “Napoleon” by Ridley Scott, starring Joaquin Phoenix and Vanessa Kirby

 

After House of Gucci (2021) starring Lady Gaga, director Ridley Scott now tackles an important part of the history of France. Fascinated by the historical figure of Napoleon Bonaparte, the British director traces back to the origins and rise of the French emperor, seen through the lens of his relationship with his wife Joséphine. The film features American actor Joaquin Phoenix (Joker) as the lead character, British actress Vanessa Kirby as Josephine de Beauharnais, and French-Algerian actor Tahar Rahim as Paul Barras, a close advisor to the emperor. This new Apple TV+ production promises to be a great project judging by the first images unveiled in the trailer.

 

“Napoleon” by Ridley Scott, available on Apple TV+ in 2023.

13. “The Nightingale” by Mélanie Laurent, starring Dakota and Elle Fanning

 

The year 2023 will be a busy one for the French actress Mélanie Laurent, who is about to unveil two films she has directed. While the first one, La Grande Odalisque starring Adèle Exarchopoulos and Manon Bresch, will be released on Netflix, the second one will be released on the silver screen. In conversation since 2020, the project entitled The Nightingale is based on Kristin Hannah’s novel The Nightingale (2015), which recounts the life of two sisters in France just before the World War II – one sister has to take in a German officer while her husband is at war, and the other moves to Paris to join the Resistance. The French actress and director, who won a César for Best Documentary Film for Demain in 2016, has invited Elle and Dakota Fanning to play the main roles in her new feature film. A rare occurrence as the two sisters have only appeared together once in Jessie Nelson’s 2001 film I Am Sam.

 

“The Nightingale” by Mélanie Laurent, coming out in France in 2023.

14. “Maestro” by Bradley Cooper, starring Bradley Cooper, Carey Mulligan, and Jeremy Strong

 

The photograph from the set has been shared everywhere on social media. It shows Bradley Cooper beyond recognition as Leonard Bernstein (1918-1990), the American pianist and composer of the score of the legendary musical West Side Story (1961) who was also the director of the New York Philharmonic Orchestra from 1958 to 1969. Although Steven Spielberg was originally approached to direct this biopic, Bradley Cooper was eventually the one chosen to shoot this feature produced by Netflix, five years after A Star is Born, his first film starring singer Lady Gaga, which won both an Oscar and a Grammy award. Entitled Maestro, the film focuses on the musician’s relationship with Felicia Montealegre (Carey Mulligan), the mother of his three children, before his coming out. He eventually went back with his wife in the late 1970s as she was fighting against cancer. No release date has been announced yet and no one knows if the film will be a Netflix exclusive or released in theaters.

 

“Maestro” by Bradley Cooper, coming out in France in 2023.

15. “The Killer” by David Fincher, starring Michael Fassbender and Tilda Swinton

 

In 2007, David Fincher said he wanted to do an adaptation of the French comic book series The Killer written by Matz and drawn by Luc Jacamon more than twenty years ago. Fifteen years later, the story of the lonely hitman who kills his victims without scruples or remorse is about to be released on Netflix. Although this feature film is only intended for the streaming platform, the production promises to be great judging by the numerous filming locations – from the fifth arrondissement of Paris in November 2021 to New Orleans, the Dominican Republic and Saint-Charles, Illinois. As for the cast, this adaptation will reunite Michael Fassbender (X-Men, Assassin’s Creed, Alien), Tilda Swinton (Memoria, The French Dispatch, Okja), and Chris Parnell (Friends), among others.

 

“The Killer” by David Fincher, available on Netflix in 2023.