The Most Anticipated Films of 2013 Pt. 1

2012 is drawing to a close as it’s time for what is to come ahead for 2013. 2012 was a pretty good year for films but also a year that saw some big blockbusters and some major flops. There were also a slew of films that lived up to expectations and some that didn’t. It’s a whirlwind year that saw a lot of new films by revered filmmakers as well as discoveries from new ones. Still, there’s several 2012 releases that played in film festivals like Terrence Malick’s To the Wonder, Derek Cianfrance’s The Place Beyond the Pines, Noah Baumbach’s Frances Ha, Harmony Korine’s Spring Breakers, Rob Zombie’s The Lords of Salem, Brian de Palma’s Passion, and Roman Coppola’s A Glimpse Inside the Mind of Charles Swan III that are set to have theatrical releases in 2013.

The 25 Most Anticipated Films of 2013

1. Nymphomaniac

Written and directed by Lars von Trier. Starring Charlotte Gainsbourg, Stellan Skarsgard, Uma Thurman, Shia LaBeouf, Christian Slater, Connie Nielsen, Jamie Bell, Udo Kier, Willem Dafoe, Jesper Christensen, Jens Albinus, Jean-Marc Barr, Saskia Reeves, and Charlotte Rampling.

Lars von Trier has been on a roll for the past few years with 2009’s Antichrist and 2011’s Melancholia as the two films explored the world of depression. The filmmaker remains as uncompromising and as controversial since he began his filmmaking career in the early 1980s. For his next film which will complete his depression trilogy that had starred Charlotte Gainsbourg in his past two features. Lars von Trier will take even bigger risks into the world of pornography.

The two-part film will explore a woman’s sexual appetite as she tells the story of her life to a man as it spans from her birth to the age of 50. With a cast that includes of von Trier’s regulars like Stellan Skarsgard, Udo Kier, Jesper Christensen, Jens Albinus, and Jean-Marc Barr, the film will be an experimental feature in which von Trier will try to input sexually-explicit content into his feature. The film is set to be released in late May in Denmark though the big question is that will the Cannes Film Festival have von Trier back to premiere his new film after his controversial comments at the 2011 festival.

2. Only God Forgives

Written and directed by Nicolas Winding Refn. Starring Ryan Gosling, Tom Burke, Gordon Brown, Rathar Phongam, and Kristin Scott Thomas.

2011’s Drive put Nicolas Winding Refn into the forefront of the international film scene as well as finally giving him some major attention in the U.S. For his second collaboration with Ryan Gosling, Refn creates a film about a drug-smuggling operator who is forced by his mother to go to Bangkok to find his brother’s killer leading to a showdown in Thai fighting. The film will mark a continuation of Refn’s idea of violence as well as men who are defined by their individuality. Originally was supposed to come out in 2012, the film had been delayed in post-production as Refn was also doing other ventures like commercials during this time.

3. The Grandmasters



Directed by Wong Kar-Wai. Screenplay by Wong Kar-Wai, Zou Jingzhi, and Xu Haofeng. Story by Wong Kar-Wai. Starring Tony Leung Chui-Wai, Zhang Ziyi, Chang Chen, Zhao Benshan, Xiao Shenyang, Song Hye-kyo, Julian Cheung, Bruce Leung, and Wang Qingxiang.

Wong Kar-Wai’s much-delayed film about Wing Chun grandmaster Yip Man had been in the works for nearly five years. Shooting had begun in 2009 yet questions about when the film was set to be released had been a big guessing game. Largely due to Kar-Wai’s notorious shoots, re-shoots, and post-production techniques that has drawn him comparisons to the notorious post-production techniques of Terrence Malick. Originally slated for a late 2012 release in its native China, the film has once again been delayed despite the recent release of a new trailer as many are hoping for a return to form from Kar-Wai following the lukewarm reception to his 2007 film My Blueberry Nights.

4. Twelve Years a Slave

Directed by Steve McQueen. Screenplay by Steve McQueen & John Ridley. Based on the novel by Solomon Northup. Starring Chiwetel Ejiofor, Michael Fassbender, Paul Dano, Benedict Cumberbatch, Paul Giamatti, Sarah Paulson, Garret Dillahunt, Alfre Woodard, Ruth Negga, Quvenzhane Wallis, and Brad Pitt.

Steve McQueen has been one of the most exciting filmmakers in the past few years starting with 2008’s Hunger and 2011’s Shame that both starred Michael Fassbender. The duo re-team once again but in a different capacity as McQueen tackles the world of slavery in the 1800s by adaptation Solomon Northup’s novel about a New York state citizen who is kidnapped and taken to Louisiana as a slave as he struggles to return home. With Chiwetel Ejiofor playing the novelist who would recount his experience as a slave, it is expected to be a film to see what McQueen can do with a period film like this.

5. Before Midnight

Directed by Richard Linklater. Screenplay by Richard Linklater, Ethan Hawke, & Julie Delpy. Based on the characters created by Richard Linklater and Kim Krizan. Starring Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy.

1995’s Before Sunrise and 2004’s Before Sunset are often considered to be some of the finest romantic films in the genre as it showcased some surprising range from the more indie-based filmmaker Richard Linklater while making Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy icons of sorts. Now the three reunites once again for another film with Hawke and Delpy reprising their famed roles. This time, the film will be set in Greece where Jesse and Celine reunite as they ponder their own individual lives as well as their own relationship as there’s rumors that this might be the last story for the two.

6. Pacific Rim



Directed by Guillermo del Toro. Screenplay by Travis Beacham, Patrick Melton, Marcus Dunstan, and Neil Cross. Starring Idris Elba, Rinko Kikuchi, Charlie Hunnam, Clifton Collins Jr., Charlie Day, Diego Klattenhoff, and Ron Perlman.

Originally slated for 2012, the film had been in the works for years as it is set to be Guillermo del Toro’s first feature film in five years. Since the major successes of 2006’s Pan’s Labyrinth and 2008’s Hellboy 2: The Golden Army, del Toro has been the rare filmmaker who can create dazzling visuals backed by a strong story. After plans to helm The Hobbit fell apart due to MGM’s financial issues, del Toro was finally attached to helm Pacific Rim which is set to be a classic monster movie where a monster attacks San Francisco leading a team of soldiers to fight the monster with giant robots.

7. Gravity

Directed by Alfonso Cuaron. Written by Alfonso Cuaron, Jonas Cuaron, and Rodrigo Garcia. Starring George Clooney and Sandra Bullock.

Another film that was supposed to come out in 2012 but had been endlessly delayed was supposed to be Alfonso Cuaron’s first film since 2006’s Children of Men. Another ambitious feature which is to be a sci-fi film set in outer space, the film would revolve around two people trying to survive in outer space with little air and trying to get home. It is expected to be a big film with major stars like Clooney and Bullock though there will be big questions into whether Cuaron can deliver another winner after being away for some years.

8. The Bling Ring

Written and directed by Sofia Coppola. Starring Emma Watson, Taissa Farmiga, Halston Sage, Katie Chang, Israel Broussard, Erin Daniels, Stacy Edwards, Gavin Rossdale, and Leslie Mann.

2010’s Somewhere gave Sofia Coppola the prestigious Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival as the film won her numerous critical acclaim and a modest box office take despite its limited release. In what is to be the second part of a trilogy based on Hollywood, Coppola tackles the true story about a group of kids who steal from the home of rich celebrities like Paris Hilton, Orlando Bloom, Lindsay Lohan, and Audrina Partridge. With longtime Coppola associate Kirsten Dunst set to make a cameo appearance, the film will also be the last film to feature the work of cinematographer Harris Savides who died in October of 2012.

9. Inside Llewlyn Davis

Written for the screen and directed by Joel and Ethan Coen. Based on the memoir The Mayor of MacDougal Street by Dave Van Ronk. Starring Oscar Isaac, Carey Mulligan, Justin Timberlake, Garrett Hedlund, F. Murray Abraham, Adam Driver, Ethan Phillips, and John Goodman.

The Coen Brothers once again tackle the world of music as they’re set to explore the world of the 1960s folk music scene. Another film that had been rumored for a 2012 release, it had been in the works for some time as it will be the second time the Coen Brothers will work with another cinematographer as their regular cinematographer in Roger Deakins was busy shooting Skyfall for Sam Mendes. The film will mark a return of sorts for John Goodman as he will appear in his first Coen Brothers film since 2000’s O Brother, Where Art Thou?

10. Nebraska

Directed by Alexander Payne. Written by Bob Nelson. Starring Stacy Keach, Devin Ratray, Will Forte, Bob Odenkirk, June Squibb, Missy Doty, Rance Howard, and Bruce Dern.

2011’s The Descendants was a major comeback for Alexander Payne after a seven-year layoff between films. Payne will return once again with his sixth feature film in a project that had been in the works for years. The film will be a road movie about a father and son going on a road trip from Montana to Nebraska as the two try to bond with one another as the father hopes to return to his old home town with a score to settle. The film expects to feature the kind of humor and drama that Payne has been known for as it’s slated for a late 2013 release.

11. I’m So Excited



Written and directed by Pedro Almodovar. Starring Javier Camara, Cecilia Roth, Lola Duenas, and Raul Arevalos with special appearances by Antonio Banderas, Penelope Cruz, Carmen Machi, Pepa Charro, and Paz Vega.

2011’s The Skin I Live In was a return to dark territory for Pedro Almodovar as it also marked a reunion between himself and Antonio Banderas. The film was a major worldwide hit as Almodovar is switching gears once again for his 19th feature film as it will be a light-hearted comedy set almost entirely in an airplane. The film will feature many of Almodovar’s quirky sense of humor as well as cameos from his regulars like Antonio Banderas, Paz Vega, and Penelope Cruz. While it is to be a very different project from his more serious films in the past fifteen years, Almodovar has always been a filmmaker that always delivers.

12. The Wolf of Wall Street

Directed by Martin Scorsese. Screenplay by Terence Winter. Based on the novel by Jordan Belfort. Starring Leonardo diCaprio, Jean Dujardin, Jonah Hill, Jon Bernthal, Rob Reiner, Kyle Chandler, Margot Robbie, Jon Favreau, Kenneth Choi, and Matthew McConaughey.

Martin Scorsese is among one of the great elder statesmen in film who is still working today and putting out great movies that live up to the work of the past. 2011’s Hugo was major surprise in which he proved he can make a majestic family film with substance and a strong story that appeals to film buffs. For his fifth collaboration with Leonardo diCaprio, Scorsese returns to familiar territory of sorts with the crime film that involves corporate securities fraud as well as the world of Wall Street itself. The film will also feature a very strong cast of actors that includes Jean Dujardin, Jonah Hill, and Matthew McConaughey in key supporting roles that is likely to make this another winner from Scorsese.

13. The Zero Theorem

Directed by Terry Gilliam. Written by Pat Rushin. Starring Christoph Waltz, Melanie Thierry, Lucas Hedges, Tilda Swinton, David Thewlis, Peter Stormare, Ben Whishaw, Sanjeev Bhaskar, and Matt Damon.

2009’s The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus was the much-needed hit that the always imaginative but oddball filmmaker Terry Gilliam needed despite all sorts of production issues that included the death of Heath Ledger. After a couple of short films Gilliam that were acclaimed by his fans, Gilliam returns with a new feature film project that continues his theme of man fighting against an oppressive world. This time around, it revolves around a reclusive computer genius who tries to find any meaning in his life. One hopes the project will be successful for Gilliam despite having his life-long project The Man Who Killed Don Quixote killed by Johnny Depp who is developing a similar project for major studios.

14. The World’s End

Directed by Edgar Wright. Written by Edgar Wright and Simon Pegg. Starring Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Rosamund Pike, Paddy Considine, Eddie Marsan, and Martin Freeman.

The team of Edgar Wright, Simon Pegg, and Nick Frost had brought a new breath of fresh air with their take on genres such as the zombie-comedy Shaun of the Dead and the buddy cop film Hot Fuzz. A film that had been in the works for years with Edgar Wright taking a break to direct the very underrated Scott Pilgrim vs. the World. The trio will now return with the third film of a trilogy that lampoons Krzystof Kieslowski’s Trois Couleurs trilogy. For this film, it’s about a group of friends trying to relive their youth by attempting a pub crawl only for things to go wrong in the process.

15. The Great Gatsby



Directed by Baz Luhrmann. Screenplay by Baz Luhrmann and Craig Pearce. Based on the novel by F. Scott Fitzgerald. Starring Leonardo diCaprio, Tobey Maguire, Carey Mulligan, Joel Edgerton, Isla Fisher, Jason Clarke, and Amitabh Bachchan.

Originally supposed to be released in 2012, the film had been delayed due to many production issues as it’s slated to be a very lavish take on the F. Scott Fitzgerald novel. Though a trailer has been released that features a lot of the splendor and extravagance that Luhrmann has been known for. Many wonder whether or not the film will be good after the disappointing reaction of 2008’s Australia. Even as Luhrmann is set to use modern music for the project though the film will still be set in 1920s as it will be a crucial film for the Australian filmmaker.

16. Her

Written and directed by Spike Jonze. Starring Joaquin Phoenix, Amy Adams, Rooney Mara, Olivia Wilde, and Samantha Morton.

2009’s adaptation of Where the Wild Things Are was a modest hit that proved that Spike Jonze was able to make a film without the contributions of Charlie Kaufman. For his fourth feature film, Jonze goes solo in the writing department as he creates a sci-fi romantic film about a writer who buys an operating system grants his every command where he begins to fall in love with this operating system. The premise itself is interesting as well as the ensemble cast that will feature Joaquin Phoenix in the leading role.

17. Anchorman: The Legend Continues



Directed by Adam McKay. Written by Adam McKay and Will Ferrell. Starring Will Ferrell, Paul Rudd, Steve Carell, David Koechner, Christina Applegate, Kristen Wiig, Fred Willard, Chris Parnell, Luke Wilson, and Vince Vaughn.

2004’s Anchorman was a surprise hit as it is often considered to be one of the great comedies of the 2000s as well as a great start to Will Ferrell-Adam McKay collaboration. The duo team up once again as well as reuniting with many of participants from the first film for this sequel in which Ron Burgundy and his Channel 4 News Team that includes Champ Kind, Brian Fantana, and the always-funny Brick Tamland. Though not much about the plot is revealed, many are hoping for a sequel that equals the brilliance of the first film. Especially as Kristen Wiig is set to play a love interest for Brick.

18. The Young and Prodigious Spivet

Directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet. Screenplay by Jean-Pierre Jeunet and Guillaume Laurant. Based on the book The Selected Works of T.S. Spivet by Reif Larsen. Starring Kyle Catlett, Helena Bohnam Carter, Judy Davis, Callum Keith Rennie, Niamh Wilson, and Dominique Pinon.

After the more low-key yet stylish 2009 comedy Micmacs, Jean-Pierre Jeunet had taken a low profile following the development of Life of Pi which eventually became a film for Ang Lee in 2012. In his second English-language film since 1997’s Alien: Resurrection, Jeunet takes on another light-hearted story about a 12-year old cartography enthusiast who travels across the country to attend the Smithsonian Institute. While it’s likely to be a more accessible project from Jeunet, some hope it will feature many of his quirks.

19. Side Effects



Directed by Steven Soderbergh. Written by Scott Z. Burns. Starring Rooney Mara, Channing Tatum, Jude Law, Vinessa Shaw, and Catherine Zeta-Jones.

While there’s been rumors about Soderbergh retiring from filmmaking, Soderbergh had been very busy for the past few years making more than one film a year and such. In one of two projects he’s set to release in 2013, Side Effects is a psychological drama that explores a woman dealing with her marriage as she becomes obsessed by her shrink. The other project Soderbergh set to release in 2013 will be a TV film for HBO in the Liberace bio-pic Behind the Candlebra starring Michael Douglas as Liberace and Matt Damon as his longtime lover.

20. Labor Day

Written for the screen and directed by Jason Reitman. Based on the novel by Joyce Maynard. Starring Kate Winslet, Josh Brolin, Tobey Maguire, James van der Beek, and Jacki Weaver.

Jason Reitman is already one of the best American filmmakers working today as 2011’s Young Adult was a very brash and witty comedy that gave Charlize Theron one of her great performances. For his fifth feature film, Reitman tackles another adaptation as he explores a coming-of-age story about a single mom and her son dealing with the presence of a man they picked up while their small town looks for an escaped convict. While it might be a more dramatic feature than Reitman’s previous works, he’s already a filmmaker who’s made enough fantastic work for people to trust on.

21. Mood Indigo

Directed by Michel Gondry. Screenplay by Michel Gondry and Luc Bossi. Based on the novel Froth on the Daydream by Boris Vian. Starring Audrey Tautou, Romain Duris, Gad Elmaleh, Omar Sy, Natacha Regnier, Charlotte Le Bon, Sascha Bourdo, and Alain Chabat.

After the mixed reaction towards his 2011 superhero film The Green Hornet, Michel Gondry took a break from big projects to do smaller films such as 2012’s The We & I as he also returns to France for his seventh feature film in Mood Indigo. The project will be set in France with a largely French cast that includes Audrey Tautou and Romain Duris that explores the quirky world of love and all of its complications. The film might seem to be a return to Gondry’s more weirder ideas it’s something his fans will hope to enjoy.

22. Snow Piercer

Directed by Bong Joon-Ho. Screenplay by Bong Joon-Ho and Kelly Masterson. Based on the graphic novel Le Trasperceneige by Jacques Lob and Jean-Marc Rochette. Starring Chris Evans, Jamie Bell, Alison Pill, Tilda Swinton, Octavia Spencer, John Hurt, Song Kang-Ho, and Ed Harris.

Bong Joon-Ho is among one of the top filmmakers in South Korea thanks to films like 2006’s The Host and 2009’s Mother. For his fifth feature film, Joon-Ho tackles his first English-language production in an adaptation as it features a very impressive cast that includes one of his regular actors in Song Kang-Ho. While it’s an ambitious sci-fi thriller set in a futuristic Ice Age, some hope Joon-Ho will get a chance to make the film his way as he gets additional help from fellow Korean filmmaker Chan-Wook Park who serves as a co-producer for the project.

23. Sin City: A Dame to Kill For

Directed by Robert Rodriguez and Frank Miller. Screenplay by Robert Rodriguez, Frank Miller, and William Monahan. Based on the graphic novel by Frank Miller. Starring Jessica Alba, Rosario Dawson, Mickey Rourke, Michael Madsen, Jamie Chung, Dennis Haysbert and Jamie King.

2005’s Sin City was a major hit for co-director Robert Rodriguez as he brought Frank Miller’s framed graphic novel to life as it was considered a very groundbreaking film that mixed film noir with new digital filmmaking. While Rodriguez had been working on various projects with mixed results, Frank Miller tried to helm his own film with 2008’s adaptation of Will Eisner’s The Spirit that was a critical and commercial flop. After years of development issues, the sequel will return with some people from the original film returning though casting is still in the works including a replacement for the late Brittany Murphy while Dennis Haysbert has been chosen to play the role that the late Michael Clarke Duncan had played in the first film. Plus, there is question into who will play Ava Lord as Rodriguez is still searching for the actress that will play that part.

24. Stoker



Directed by Chan-wook Park. Written by Wentworth Miller. Starring Nicole Kidman, Mia Wasikowska, Matthew Goode, Dermont Mulroney, Lucas Till, Alden Ehrenreich, and Jacki Weaver.

Originally set for a 2012 release but delayed due to an extended post-production period, the film is to be Chan-wook Park’s first English-language feature as he remains one of South Korea’s great filmmakers. For this film, it will revolve around a young woman dealing with the death of her father as her mysterious uncle arrives to her home leading to all sorts of issues with her mother. It’s definitely expected to be a dark film as some hope Park is able to have control for this project as most foreign directors often have issues with Hollywood interfering with their films.

25. Untitled Woody Allen Project

Written and directed by Woody Allen. Starring Cate Blanchett, Alec Baldwin, Michael Emerson, Peter Sarsgaard, Louis C.K., Sally Hawkins, Max Casella, Alden Ehrenreich, Tammy Blanchard, Charlie Tahan, and Andrew “Dice” Clay.

2012’s To Rome with Love wasn’t the great follow-up to Midnight in Paris that fans wanted though Woody Allen is always a filmmaker who does still manage to make surprises no matter how good or bad his films do. While there’s no title or any plot that has been unveiled for his next feature film, the film does have a promising cast that also includes comedians like Louis C.K. and Andrew “Dice” Clay as it might be a much broader comedy with some profanity.

10 Possible Releases for 2013

Venus in Fur

Directed by Roman Polanski. Based on the play by David Ives. Starring Emmanuelle Seigner and Louis Garrel.

A Most Wanted Man

Directed by Anton Corbijn. Screenplay by Andrew Bovell. Based on the novel by John Le Carre. Starring Rachel McAdams, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Robin Wright, Daniel Bruhl, and Willem Dafoe.

While We’re Young

Written and directed by Noah Baumbach. Starring Greta Gerwig.

Night Moves

Written and directed by Kelly Reichardt. Starring Jesse Eisenberg, Dakota Fanning, and Peter Sarsgaard.

Queen of the Desert

Written and directed by Werner Herzog. Starring Naomi Watts, Robert Pattinson, and Jude Law.

The Golden Suicides

Directed by Gaspar Noe.

Jane Got a Gun

Directed by Lynne Ramsay. Starring Natalie Portman, Michael Fassbender, and Joel Edgerton.

Mad Max: Fury Road

Directed by George Miller. Screenplay by George Miller, Brendan McCarthy, and Nick Lathouris. Starring Tom Hardy, Charlize Theron, Nicholas Hoult, Riley Keough, Zoe Kravitz, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, and Nathan Jones.

Monuments Men

Directed by George Clooney. Screenplay by George Clooney and Grant Heslov. Based on the novel The Monuments Men by Robert D. Edsel. Starring George Clooney, Daniel Craig, Cate Blanchett, Matt Damon, John Goodman, Jean Dujardin, Hugh Bonneville, Bob Balaban, and Bill Murray.

Knight of Cups

Written and directed by Terrence Malick. Starring Christian Bale, Cate Blanchett, Natalie Portman, Antonio Banderas, Holly Hunter, Teresa Palmer, Wes Bentley, Imogen Poots, Freida Pinto, and Isabel Lucas.

There are a few other films slated for 2013 with statuses that remain unsure if they will come out as it features films by some of the world’s great filmmakers. Roman Polanski is set to two feature films for 2013. One of which is an adaptation of David Ives’ Venus in Fur with his wife Emmanuelle Seigner and Louis Garrel while he’s also doing another film called D. Anton Corbijn is slated to helm a thriller based on John Le Carre’s A Most Wanted Man as he’s got himself a good cast to work with. After making a low-key film with current girlfriend Greta Gerwig in France Ha, Noah Baumbach teams with Gerwig once again for another project called While We’re Young as there’s not much information about the film’s plot.

After the ambitious yet minimalist period film Meek’s Cutoff, Reichardt is going back to modern times with Night Moves about a trio of environmentalist plotting to destroy a damn. Werner Herzog is returning to feature filmmaking for the first time in four years in a film about Gertrude Bell and her explorations. Mad Max might finally return in a new film though it is set many years later where Tom Hardy will play the lead. The always controversial Gaspar Noe is set to make a return to cinema with a project that doesn’t have a lot of details but it’s sure to be controversial. Lynne Ramsay takes on the western as she tells the story of a woman who teams up with her former lover to kill a group of bandits after her husband had cheated them. George Clooney tackles a war film about a group of Allied soldiers trying to save work of arts from the Nazis in Monuments Men.

Finally, there’s the enigmatic Terrence Malick who surprised a lot of people including his own fans by unleashing To the Wonder at film festivals in Venice and Toronto in 2012. There could be a possibility that Malick could be releasing not one but three films in the coming years. There’s Knight of Cups, an untitled project that features some of the cast of that project along with Michael Fassbender, Ryan Gosling, Rooney Mara, and Val Kilmer and the companion piece to The Tree of Life in Voyage of Time.

Part 2

© thevoid99 2012