Here are all the movies we’re looking forward to in 2022

Buckle up for a blockbuster year at the box office.

Although cinemas continue to contend with COVID-19 challenges, the 2022 movie schedule features some of the biggest new releases in recent memory.

Theaters are fully open, and as last year’s record-setting “Spider-Man: No Way Home” proved, moviegoers will show up in droves for the right film.

From comic superheroes to music biopics and a double-dose of Tom Cruise, here are the top titles that we’re looking forward to in 2022.

‘Uncharted’

Fresh off the historic success of “Spider-Man: No Way Home” — by far the highest-grossing film of the pandemic — Tom Holland gets plugged into another big franchise with his adaptation of a wildly popular video-game series.

Holland, 25, has emerged as one of Hollywood’s top leading men, and it will be intriguing to see him explore another type of character with the fortune-hunting Nathan Drake. It opens on Feb. 18.

DC Extended Universe

A loaded lineup of DC Comics movies begins March 4, when a new Dark Knight rises with Robert Pattinson starring in “The Batman.” The former “Twilight” star will be the latest actor to don the cape, after Michael Keaton, Ben Affleck and Christian Bale.

We’ll also see the debut of Dwayne Johnson’s “Black Adam” on July 29, Ezra Miller’s first superhero standalone with “The Flash” on Nov. 4, and Jason Momoa taking the plunge again with “Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom” on Dec. 16.

Another title expected to get tails wagging on May 20 is the animated “DC League of Super-Pets,” led by a star-powered voice cast including Johnson, Kevin Hart, Vanessa Bayer and John Krasinski.

‘Turning Red’

Slated for an exclusive release on Disney+, the new Pixar movie hopes to be a streamer’s dream with a fantastical story about a teenager who turns into a giant red panda whenever she gets overly excited.

Newcomer Rosalie Chiang voices the lead character of Mei Lee, while “Killing Eve” actress Sandra Oh also stars. It premieres March 11.

‘Nitram’

The Australian film is a psychological drama based on the life of mass murderer Martin Bryant, who killed 35 people in the 1996 Port Arthur massacre.

“Nitram,” which is Martin spelled backward, debuted last year at the Cannes Film Festival, where star Caleb Landry Jones won best actor and the film contended for the Palme d’Or award. It opens on March 30.

‘Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore’

The magic of these “Harry Potter” spinoff films is their ability to give a much wider view of the wizarding world, including highlighting New York’s role in the lore.

The series’ third installment promises to leave viewers spellbound as they learn more about the mysterious life of Jude Law’s enchanting Dumbledore, while Eddie Redmayne is back in the lead role of Newt Scamander. Get your wands ready: It opens April 15.

Marvel

Even by Marvel’s super-powered standards, 2022 is poised to be a heroic year for the studio, with three major sequels on the way.

Fan-favorite sorcerers Doctor Strange and Wanda Maximoff conjure an epic adventure with “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” on May 6, and lightning strikes again as star Natalie Portman returns to the franchise for “Thor: Love and Thunder” on July 8.

Marvel wraps up its big year with “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” out Nov. 11, in the franchise’s first film since the 2020 death of beloved star Chadwick Boseman. Fans have recently petitioned for his King T’Challa role to be recast.

‘The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent’

Nicolas Cage plays a fictionalized version of himself. Need we say more?

The premise of this action-comedy involves Cage having to embody roles from his career under unusual circumstances after he attends the birthday party of a rich fan, played by “The Mandalorian” standout Pedro Pascal.This hits theaters on April 22.

‘Top Gun: Maverick’

The much-anticipated follow-up to 1986′s classic finally appears ready for a May 27 takeoff after two years of COVID-related delays.

Emotions are sure to enter the danger zone as audiences watch Tom Cruise jump back into the cockpit, again portraying Maverick during a high-stakes mission. Do you feel the need? The need for speed?

‘Jurassic World: Dominion’

Life, again, finds a way in the third chapter in the “Jurassic World” trilogy with a story about humanity grappling with genetically enhanced reptiles on the loose.

This film stars plenty of dinosaurs, as well as Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard, while adding original “Jurassic Park” cast members Sam Neill and Laura Dern in what should be an enticing mix of nostalgia and a new thrills. Jeff Goldblum, who made a cameo in the previous “Jurassic World” movie, also returns. The movie opens June 10.

‘Lightyear’

There’s already plenty of buzz around “Lightyear,” which is due June 17.

Pixar’s animated “Toy Story” spinoff stars Chris Evans as the human version of Buzz Lightyear, a space ranger whose feats were so out-of-this world, they made an action figure out of him. To infinity and beyond!

‘Elvis’

Austin Butler is ready to rock the role — sideburns, gyrating hips and all — of Elvis Presley in a biopic about the rock icon.

And if that isn’t enough to get you all shook up with excitement, Tom Hanks also stars as Colonel Tom Parker, the manager who discovered Presley and changed the music scene forever. It opens June 24.

‘Nope’

Although the premise remains a mystery, audiences will surely say “yes” to “Nope” based on who’s making it.

It’s the third horror film directed by the ever-clever Jordan Peele, whose previous two — “Get Out” and “Us” — were huge hits. The movie, out July 22, stars Oscar winner Daniel Kaluuya, who worked with Peele on “Get Out.” He’s joined by Keke Palmer and Steven Yeun.

‘Don’t Worry Darling’

The psychological thriller seems to have all the components of an award-season darling, with an intriguing premise about a secret-filled marriage and a cast featuring Florence Pugh, Harry Styles, Gemma Chan and Olivia Wilde.

“Don’t Worry Darling” is the second film directed by Wilde, whose first — the raunchy coming-of-age comedy “Booksmart” — was critically adored. It opens Sept. 23.

‘Mission: Impossible 7′

Cruise’s huge year continues with his latest “Mission: Impossible” jaunt, which has also experienced multiple postponements due to the pandemic and is now due Sept. 30.

Should you choose to accept it, the seventh installment of the franchise will see the return of staples Rebecca Ferguson, Simon Pegg and Ving Rhames. Hayley Atwell also joins this time around.

‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (Part One)’

The original 2018 “Spider-Verse” film moved audiences with its stunning animation, heartfelt story and introduction to the relatable hero Miles Morales.

Another adventure will soon be in full swing with a movie exploring alternate dimensions while depicting another version of Spider-Man, voiced by Oscar Isaac. It opens Oct. 7.

‘Creed III’

Not only is Michael B. Jordan back to pack a punch as the boxing son of Apollo Creed — he’s also directing the latest installment.

The previous two “Creed” movies expanded the legacy of the “Rocky” franchise in a captivating way by sharing a different character’s perspective. Viewers can now look forward to seeing how Jordan’s vision extends behind the camera. This opens on Nov. 23.

‘Avatar 2′

Fans will be over the moon to finally return to Pandora more than a decade after the original “Avatar” movie became the highest-grossing film of all time.

It’s one of four sequels that writer-director James Cameron plans to release by 2028. Familiar faces such as Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana and CCH Pounder return for the surefire sci-fi blockbuster due Dec. 16.

‘I Wanna Dance with Somebody’

Naomi Ackie, who earned a following from her role in “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker,” aims to hit the right notes as Whitney Houston in this new biopic about the talented singer and her complicated story.

It also stars Ashton Sanders — known for the Oscar-winning “Moonlight” — as Bobby Brown. It opens Dec. 23.

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