We’re pretty much done with the summer movie season, and while it hasn’t been a total bust, it has been a bit of a letdown. But hope begins anew with every new season, and there’s reason to be excited by the films coming up for the remainder of 2016. We’ve got huge franchise pictures like Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, Doctor Strange, and Rogue One: A Star Wars Story sitting comfortably alongside major awards films like Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk, Hacksaw Ridge, and Loving. We’ve also got some solid-looking comedies like Keeping Up with the Joneses, Bad Santa 2, and Office Christmas Party. It’s a diverse slate for the rest of the year, and it can be a bit overwhelming.

That’s why we’ve cut it down to the 42 movies that should be on your radar for the next four months. Granted, there could be some breakthrough pictures at TIFF and we still don’t have an exact release date for Silence, but for movies with a fixed release date, these are the most promising of the bunch. Read on for why you should be excited about what’s on tap for fall 2016.

The Light Between Oceans

the-light-between-oceans-image
Image via Disney

Release Date: September 2nd

Director: Derek Cianfrance

Cast: Michael Fassbender, Alicia Vikander, Rachel Weisz, Bryan Brown, and Jack Thompson

Synopsis: A lighthouse keeper and his wife living off the coast of Western Australia raise a baby they rescue from an adrift rowboat.

Why We’re Excited for It: Don't let the ignominious Labor Day weekend release fool you.  While The Light Between Oceans is definitely getting dumped, it looks like that release date is more to do with studio politics than the actual quality of the film.  Also, after Cianfrance's Blue Valentine and The Place Beyond the Pines, anything he does is pretty much a must-see. - Matt Goldberg

Morgan

morgan-anya-taylor-joy-2
Image via 20th Century Fox

Release Date: September 2nd

Director: Luke Scott

Cast: Kate Mara, Anya Taylor-Joy, Toby Jones, Rose Leslie, Boyd Holbrook, Michelle Yeoh, Jennifer Jason Leigh, and Paul Giamatti

Synopsis: A corporate troubleshooter (Kate Mara) is sent to a remote, top-secret location, where she is to investigate and evaluate a terrifying accident. She learns the event was triggered by a seemingly innocent “human,” who presents a mystery of both infinite promise and incalculable danger.

Why We’re Excited for It: Feature film debuts are always exciting. Most filmmakers work long and hard to get to that point, whether in film school or on the sets of other productions, so there's an electricity in seeing their long-developed directorial vision manifest for the first time. In this particular case, the director happens to be Luke Scott, son Ridley Scott, who's spent his entire life visiting major movie productions and learning how a set is run from an industry legend. Obviously, that advantage doesn't garuntee a great filmmaker, but it helps. In Scott's case, he's also got an impressive short film behind him, the 2010 sci-fi Loom, which he wrote and directed. While imperfect, Loom demonstrated a promising command of style and tone, if hampered somewhat by a miscalculated script.

For Morgan, Scott's big feature debut, the director returns to similar sci-fi themes but hands the scriptwriting duties over to another relative newcommer, Seth W. Owen. Falling in the rich tradition of dangerous scientific ambition, Morgan centers on the titular young woman, a rapidly developing form of artificial life. The film's trailers boast a well-paced, ominous tone that's enough to get excited about even if you aren't an enthusiast of first-time directors, and, on top of that, Morgan is played by none other than Anya Taylor-Joy, who made an exquisite debut in this year's The Witch. -- Haleigh Foutch

Yoga Hosers

yoga-hosers-movie-image
Image via Smodcast Pictures

Release Date: September 2nd

Director: Kevin Smith

Cast: Lily-Rose Depp, Harley Quinn Smith, Johnny Depp, Genesis Rodriguez, Justin Long, Adam Brody, Tyler Posey, Haley Joel Osmet

Official Synopsis: 15-year-old yoga-nuts Colleen Collette (Harley Quinn Smith) and Colleen McKenzie (Lily-Rose Depp) love their smart phones and hate their after school job at Manitoban convenience store Eh-2-Zed. But when an ancient evil rises from beneath Canada's crust and threatens their big invitation to a Grade 12 party, the Colleens join forces with the legendary man-hunter from Montreal named Guy Lapointe (Johnny Depp) to fight for their lives with all seven Chakras, one Warrior Pose at a time. Depp, Depp the younger and Smith the younger are returning in the roles they created for Tusk.

Why We're Excited for It: “Excited” perhaps isn’t the correct word here; curious would be more appropriate. Especially after reading our very own Adam Chitwood’s befuddled review from Sundance. Nazi sausage monsters? Yoga Hosers does sounds like something that must be seen to be believed. And that’s something. - Brian Formo

Before I Wake

before-i-wake-kate-bosworth
Image via Relativity Media

Release Date: Since posting, Relativity has bumped this from September 9 to "TBD"

Director: Mike Flanagan

Cast: Jacob Tremblay, Kate Bosworth

Official Synopsis: Foster parents Mark and Jessie welcome 8-year-old Cody into their home. The boy tells Jessie that he's terrified to fall asleep, but she assumes it's just a natural fear for any young child. The couple become startled when their dead biological son suddenly appears in their living room. To their surprise, Cody's dreams can magically become real but so can his nightmares. Mark and Jessie must now uncover the truth behind Cody's mysterious ability before his imagination harms them all.

Why We’re Excited For It: Though Brie Larson took home the Oscar for Room, Jacob Tremblay walked away from 2015 the true winner, having won the hearts of nearly every soft-hearted individual in the country. Add Tremblay’s understated charm to the ever-promising showings of Mike Flanagan (like Oculus and Hush), and Before I Wake seems like the horror no-brainer of the year. The film, which has been caught up in Relativity’s legal woes for nearly a year now, has had a wildly troubled release – though I’d wager that’s due to complicated legal dealings rather than concerns over the film’s quality. With a horror pedigree, star power, and a promising trailer, Before I Wake could be one of fall’s biggest surprises – if it ever makes it to theaters. - Aubrey Page

Sully

sully-tom-hanks-aaron-eckhart
Image via Warner Bros.

Release Date: September 9th

Director: Clint Eastwood

Cast: Tom Hanks, Laura Linney, Aaron Eckhart, Sam Huntington, Anna Gunn, Autumn Reeser, Jerry Ferrara, Mike O’Malley

Official Synopsis: On January 15, 2009, the world witnessed the “Miracle on the Hudson” when Captain “Sully” Sullenberger glided his disabled plane onto the frigid waters of the Hudson River, saving the lives of all 155 aboard.  However, even as Sully was being heralded by the public and the media for his unprecedented feat of aviation skill, an investigation was unfolding that threatened to destroy his reputation and his career.

Why We're Excited for It: For me, Clint Eastwood remains inarguably one of the most galvanic and intimate political filmmakers that America currently has, and Sully looks to continue that tradition. If we’re to believe the trailer, the thematic core is the questioning of one’s motives in grand actions, specifically in the case of Captain Sully Sullenberger (Tom Hanks) landing a plane on the Hudson river when it looked like the scheduled landing would have proven led to a fatal crash. This must have tremendous reverberating personal feelings for the man who spoke to an invisible President Obama and recently supported Donald Trump’s presidential bid out of some bitter feelings toward the “pussy generation.”

Eastwood certainly doesn’t make it easy for you to take him seriously or even like him, but if you take that leap, his films resist simple categorization and are truly balanced in their view of domestic and international politics. American Sniper, for whatever it ignores in Chris Kyle’s history of racism and right-wing philosophizing, is one of the most ferociously anti-war films made this decade, or any other decade for that matter. Sully looks to similarly consider questions of age and being haunted by one’s past, and the simultaneous honor and horror of being an American hero. - Chris Cabin

Blair Witch

blair-witch-reboot
Image via Lionsgate

Release Date: September 16th

Director: Adam Wingard

Cast: Corbin Reid, Wes Robinson, Valorie Curry, James Allen McCune, Callie Hernandez, Brandon Scott

Official Synopsis: A group of college students venture into the Black Hills Forest in Maryland to uncover the mysteries surrounding the disappearance of James’ sister who many believe is connected to the legend of the Blair Witch. At first the group is hopeful, especially when a pair of locals offer to act as guides through the dark and winding woods, but as the endless night wears on, the group is visited by a menacing presence.  Slowly, they begin to realize the legend is all too real and more sinister than they could have imagined.

Why We're Excited for It: Sure, it’s a nice surprise that the film that was named The Woods turned out to be a naturalist remake of The Blair Witch Project, but that’s not why this movie is here. This movie is here because of Adam Wingard, the brilliant indie filmmaker who has directed at least two of the best horror films of the decade – You’re Next and the John Carpenter ode The Guest – and a regular colleague of indie heavyweight Joe Swanberg. Word from our very own Steve Weinberg is that it’s great, and the latest trailer for the film lends credence to that opinion. Even if early word wasn’t overwhelming positive, however, seeing the new Wingard would be required by any fan of independent filmmaking or horror. - Chris Cabin

Snowden

snowden-joseph-gordon-levitt
Image via Open Road Films

Release Date: September 16th

Director: Oliver Stone

Cast: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Shailene Woodley, Melissa Leo, Zachary Quinto, Tom Wilkinson, Scott Eastwood, Logan Marshall-Green, Timothy Olyphant, Ben Schnetzer, LaKeith Lee Stanfield, Rhys Ifans, and Nicolas Cage.

Official Synopsis: NSA employee Edward Snowden leaks thousands of classified documents to the press.

Why We're Excited for It: Oliver Stone may not always make great movies, but he always makes interesting ones, and who better to take on one of our generation's greatest moments of political history and controversy than the director who has devoted most of his career to his historical passion. Centered on Edward Snowden, the deeply divisive former NSA Agent who illegally leaked thousands of confidential documents and uncoverd a deep-rooted corruption in the American government, in the process. Thanks to that subject matter, Snowden is poised to contain a complex discourse on patriotism and heroism, and if Stone is weilding the verve and acuity that makes his great films legendary, it could be a defnitive cinematic crystalization of a history we're still living. At the very least, it's bound to spark some incindiary dinner discussions. -- Haleigh Foutch 

The Magnificent Seven

the-magnificent-seven-denzel-washington
Image via Sony

Release Date: September 23rd

Director: Antoine Fuqua

Cast: Denzel Washington, Chris Pratt, Ethan Hawke, Vincent D'Onofrio, Byung-Hun Lee, Manuel Garcia-Rulfo, Martin Sensmeier, and Peter Sarsgaard.

Official Synopsis: Director Antoine Fuqua brings his modern vision to a classic story in Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures’ and Columbia Pictures’ The Magnificent Seven. With the town of Rose Creek under the deadly control of industrialist Bartholomew Bogue (Peter Sarsgaard), the desperate townspeople employ protection from seven outlaws, bounty hunters, gamblers and hired guns – Sam Chisolm (Denzel Washington), Josh Farraday (Chris Pratt), Goodnight Robicheaux (Ethan Hawke), Jack Horne (Vincent D’Onofrio), Billy Rocks (Byung-Hun Lee), Vasquez (Manuel Garcia-Rulfo), and Red Harvest (Martin Sensmeier). As they prepare the town for the violent showdown that they know is coming, these seven mercenaries find themselves fighting for more than money.

Why We're Excited for It: While director Antoine Fuqua has more misses than hits (there's a reason his films always have to sell him as "The Director of Training Day" even though that film came out 15 years ago and it falls apart in the third act), his previous film, The Equalizer, was surprisingly fun and that sense of fun looks to permeate The Magnificent Seven.  The director's also got himself a great cast, and it looks like Washington and Pratt have tremendous chemistry, so I'm eager to see them bounce off each other.  Also, I'm a sucker for new Westerns since studios barely make them any more, and hopefully The Magnificent Seven will be a worthwhile remake. - Matt Goldberg

Storks

storks-movie-image
Image via Warner Bros.

Release Date: September 23rd

Director: Nicholas Stoller, Doug Sweetland

Cast: Andy Samberg, Jennifer Aniston, Ty Burrell, Kelsey Grammer, Keegan-Michael Key, Jordan Peele, Katie Crown, and Danny Trejo

Official Synopsis: Storks deliver babies…or at least they used to. Now they deliver packages for global internet giant Cornerstore. Junior, the company’s top delivery stork, is about to be promoted when he accidentally activates the Baby Making Machine, producing an adorable and wholly unauthorized baby girl. Desperate to deliver this bundle of trouble before the boss gets wise, Junior and his friend Tulip, the only human on Stork Mountain, race to make their first-ever baby drop – in a wild and revealing journey that could make more than one family whole and restore the storks’ true mission in the world.

Why We're Excited for It: It looks cute!  While I don't expect Storks to set the world on fire or revolution animation, the trailers have been funny and endearing, which is what you want if the premise of your movie is about birds and humans working together to deliver a baby to expectant parents.  The movie also has the added benefit of coming from director Nicholas Stoller, who has really grown as a director over the his past few features, and I'm interested to see how he'll tackle an animated movie. - Matt Goldberg

Queen of Katwe

queen-of-katwe-lupita-nyongo
Image via Disney

Release Date: September 23rd

Director: Mira Nair

Cast: David Oyelowo, Lupita Nyong’o, and Madina Nalwanga

Synopsis: “Queen of Katwe” is based on the vibrant true story of a young girl from the streets of rural Uganda whose world rapidly changes when she is introduced to the game of chess, and, as a result of the support she receives from her family and community, is instilled with the confidence and determination she needs to pursue her dream of becoming an international chess champion.

Why We’re Excited for It: There’s nothing wrong with a good old fashioned uplifting true story, and the folks at Disney have gotten mighty good at telling them over the years. What makes Queen of Katwe extra enticing, though, is that it marks Lupita Nyong’o’s first live-action, non-motion capture role since winning the Oscar for her jaw-dropping turn in 12 Years a Slave.

Deepwater Horizon

mark-wahlberg-deepwater-horizon
Image via Summit Entertainment

Release Date: September 30th

Director: Peter Berg

Cast: Mark Wahlberg, Kurt Russell, John Malkovich, Gina Rodriguez, Dylan O’Brien, and Kate Hudson

Synopsis: On April 20th, 2010, one of the world’s largest man-made disasters occurred on the Deepwater Horizon in the Gulf of Mexico. Directed by Peter Berg (Lone Survivor), this story honors the brave men and women whose heroism would save many on board, and change everyone’s lives forever.

Why We’re Excited for It: While I'm a bit dubious on the "heroism" angle the film seems to be taking, I'm hopeful that Berg's view of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill expands to the environmental concerns and the corporate negligence that went into creating the disaster in the first place.  That's not to diminish the heroic actions of those on board the rig, but there's a lot more to mine in this story, and I hope that Berg is willing to delve a little deeper. - Matt Goldberg

Masterminds

masterminds-zach-galifianakis-kristen-wiig
Image via Relativity

Release Date: September 30th

Director: Jared Hess

Cast: Zach Galifianakis, Owen Wilson, Kristen Wiig, and Jason Sudeikis

Synopsis: In this action comedy based on true events, directed by Jared Hess (Napoleon Dynamite; Nacho Libre), David Ghantt (Zach Galifianakis) discovers the true meaning of adventure far beyond his wildest dreams. He is an uncomplicated man stuck in a monotonous life. Day in and day out he drives an armored vehicle, transporting millions of other people’s money with no escape in sight. The only glimmer of excitement is his flirtatious work crush Kelly Campbell (Kristen Wiig) who soon lures him into the scheme of a lifetime.

Along with a group of half-brained criminals led by Steve Chambers (Owen Wilson) and an absurdly faulted heist plan, David manages the impossible and makes off with $17 million in cash…only problem is he foolishly hands the money over to this wild group of double crossers and has been set up to take the fall. With the bandits blowing the millions on lavish and ridiculous luxuries, they leave behind a glaring trail of evidence. Now on the lam and in over his head, David must dodge the authorities, evade a hilarious hit man, Mike McKinney (Jason Sudeikis), and try to turn the tables on the ones he trusted most.

Why We’re Excited for It: Although the film has sat on a shelf for almost a year, that's due to Relativity Media's bankruptcy, not because they wanted to sit on the movie.  The film itself looks like a charmingly light comedy, and I keep hoping that director Jared Hess can take the quirkiness he brought to Napoleon Dynamite and up his game a bit into a picture that's a little more substantial while still not shying away from silliness.  I'm not sure if Masterminds is that movie, but he's definitely got a strong cast to aid him. - Matt Goldberg

Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children

eva-green-miss-peregrines-home-for-peculiar-children
Image via 20th Century Fox

Release Date: September 30th

Director: Tim Burton

Cast: Eva Green, Samuel L. Jackson, Allison Janney, Asa Butterfield, Ella Purnell, Kim Dickens, Judi Dench, Chris O’Dowd, Rupert Everett, Terence Stamp, Milo Parker, Ella Wahlestedt, Raffiella Chapman, O-Lan Jones, Pixie Davies

Official Synopsis: When Jacob discovers clues to a mystery that spans different worlds and times, he finds a magical place known as Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children. But the mystery and danger deepen as he gets to know the residents and learns about their special powers... and their powerful enemies. Ultimately, Jacob discovers that only his own special "peculiarity" can save his new friends.

Why We're Excited for It: Tim Burton’s late period has unfairly taken it in the teeth, largely due to his admittedly unwise choice in remakes. Planet of the Apes is an unmitigated fiasco, but if we’re being honest, I can’t say that I didn’t enjoy Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Part of that might be because of my joy in listening to all the nostalgists who pitched a fit over the very idea. Regardless, following those films, Burton has been making some of the best movies of his career, including Dark Shadows, Corpse Bride, and Sweeney Todd. His last film, Big Eyes, was not very good but it also wasn’t quite in his wheelhouse, whereas Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children plays toward his sense of imagination and invention. He works best when creating worlds of wonder and impossibility, where he’s not tethered to any semblance of reality, and Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children would seemingly fit that bill. - Chris Cabin

The Birth of a Nation

the-birth-of-a-nation-movie-nate-parker
Image via Fox Searchlight

Release Date: October 7th

Director: Nate Parker

Cast: Nate Parker, Armie Hammer, Penelope Ann Miller, Jackie Earle Haley, Mark Boone Jr., Colman Domingo, Aunjanue Ellis, Dwight Henry, Aja Naomi King, Esther Scott, Roger Guenveur Smith, and Gabrielle Union

Official Synopsis: Set against the antebellum South, THE BIRTH OF A NATION follows Nat Turner (Nate Parker), a literate slave and preacher, whose financially strained owner, Samuel Turner (Armie Hammer), accepts an offer to use Nat’s preaching to subdue unruly slaves. As he witnesses countless atrocities - against himself and his fellow slaves - Nat orchestrates an uprising in the hopes of leading his people to freedom.

Why We're Excited for It: This all depends on whether or not you can separate artist from art.  In all honesty, it was a lot easier to recommend this film, despite its flaws, before I knew about the rape charges against director Nate Parker and co-writer Jean McGianni Celestin, and that's going to cast a shadow over this film whether you see it or not.  The story of Nat Turner is important, and there's a reason this film got everyone talking at Sundance, but Parker's attempt to smooth over his past, especially with how it's affected him rather than the victim (who committed suicide in 2012), casts a pall over a film that would otherwise be a major contender in this year's awards race.  I liked The Birth of a Nation when I saw it at Sundance, but I can understand if people don't want to support Parker. - Matt Goldberg

The Girl on the Train

the-girl-on-the-train-emily-blunt
Image via Universal Pictures

Release Date: October 7th

Director: Tate Taylor

Cast: Emily Blunt, Rebecca Ferguson, Haley Bennett, Justin Theroux, Luke Evans, Allison Janney, Edgar Ramirez, Lisa Kudrow, and Laura Prepon

Official Synopsis: In the thriller, Rachel (Blunt), who is devastated by her recent divorce, spends her daily commute fantasizing about the seemingly perfect couple who live in a house that her train passes every day, until one morning she sees something shocking happen there and becomes entangled in the mystery that unfolds.

Why We're Excited for It: It’s simple: The Girl on the Train is to 2016 as Gone Girl is to 2014. And though I’d never say that Hawkins’ light thriller is on equal footing with Flynn’s masterful yarn, there’s plenty of juicy plot twists and handy plot detailing to make The Girl on the Train a delicious (if light) way to pass an afternoon. Figure in Emily Blunt’s considerable acting chops, a script penned by the screenwriter of Secretary and a sure to be pitch-perfect performance by Justin Theroux, and The Girl on the Train could have every element to become this fall’s go-to crowd-pleaser. - Aubrey Page

The Accountant

the-accountant-ben-affleck-anna-kendrick
Image via Warner Bros.

Release Date: October 14th

Director: Gavin O'Connor

Cast: Ben Affleck, Anna Kendrick, J.K. Simmons, Jon Bernthal, Jean Smart, Cynthia Addai-Robinson, Jeffrey Tambor, and John Lithgow

Official Synopsis: Christian Wolff (Ben Affleck) is a math savant with more affinity for numbers than people. Behind the cover of a small-town CPA office, he works as a freelance accountant for some of the world’s most dangerous criminal organizations. With the Treasury Department’s Crime Enforcement Division, run by Ray King (J.K. Simmons), starting to close in, Christian takes on a legitimate client: a state-of-the-art robotics company where an accounting clerk (Anna Kendrick) has discovered a discrepancy involving millions of dollars. But as Christian uncooks the books and gets closer to the truth, it is the body count that starts to rise.

Why We're Excited for It: Ben Affleck has become a celebrated director over the past decade, but it's also been exciting to watch him grow as an actor, and The Accountant looks to be one of greatest challenges yet.  His character is on the spectrum, and it will be interesting to see if Affleck can play the part without devolving into a series of tics and make his savant feel like a real person. - Matt Goldberg

Jack Reacher: Never Go Back

jack-reacher-2-tom-cruise-cobie-smulders
Image via Paramount Pictures

Release Date: October 21st

Director: Edward Zwick

Cast: Tom Cruise, Cobie Smulders, Aldis Hodge, and Danika Yarosh

Official Synopsis: Not yet available.

Why We're Excited for It: 2012's Jack Reacher was like a tonic against the onslaught of CGI-heavy action blockbusters that had flooded the marketplace.  Even though Tom Cruise is physically the exact opposite of the hulking Jack Reacher of the books, he still carries all of the character's attitude, and made the role his own.  I'm hoping that director Edward Zwick can follow up the strong showing of the original with a similarly hard-boiled action flick. - Matt Goldberg

Keeping Up with the Joneses

keeping-up-with-the-joneses-zach-galifianakis-jon-hamm
Image via 20th Century Fox

Release Date: October 21st

Director: Greg Mottola

Cast: Zach Galifianakis, Jon Hamm, Isla Fisher, and Gal Gadot

Official Synopsis: An ordinary suburban couple (Zach Galifianakis, Isla Fisher) finds it’s not easy keeping up with the Joneses (Jon Hamm, Gal Gadot) – their impossibly gorgeous and ultra-sophisticated new neighbors – especially when they discover that Mr. and Mrs. “Jones” are covert operatives.

Why We're Excited for It: The trailer for Keeping up with the Joneses was surprisingly funny despite the softball comedy pitch.  While it doesn't look like this will be a particularly groundbreaking comedy, it appears that everyone involved is having a lot of fun, and Isla Fisher is a comic treasure.  Plus the chance to see Zach Galifiankis bounce off Jon Hamm is too good to pass up. - Matt Goldberg

A Monster Calls

a-monster-calls
Image via Focus Features

Release Date: October 21st

Director: Juan Antonio Bayona

Cast: Lewis MacDougall, Felicity Jones, Toby Kebbell, Liam Neeson, and Sigourney Weaver

Official Synopsis: A visually spectacular drama from acclaimed director Juan Antonio Bayona (“The Impossible”), based on the award-winning children’s fantasy novel. 12-year-old Conor (Lewis MacDougall) attempts to deal with his mother’s (Felicity Jones) illness and the bullying of his classmates by escaping into a fantastical world of monsters and fairy tales that explore courage, loss, and faith.

Why We're Excited for It: A Monster Calls is one of my must-see films of the 2016 Toronto International Film Festival.  The movie looks like it has all of the visual flair of Bayona's 2007 horror film The Orphanage combined with a melancholy, heartbreaking story that appears reminiscent of Where the Wild Things Are. I have big expectations for this film, but I'm confident that Bayona can meet them. - Matt Goldberg

Doctor Strange

doctor-strange-benedict-cumberbatch-eye-of-agamotto
Image via Marvel

Release Date: November 4th

Director: Scott Derrickson

Cast: Benedict Cumberbatch, Mads Mikkelsen, Tilda Swinton, Rachel McAdams, Chiwetel Ejiofor, and Benedict Wong

Official Synopsis:  A disgraced former surgeon named Stephen Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) becomes a powerful sorcerer under the tutelage of a mystic known as the Ancient One (Tilda Swinton). Rachel McAdams, Mads Mikkelsen, and Chiwetel Ejiofor co-star in this entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Directed by Scott Derrickson (Sinister).

Why We're Excited for It: Ancient mysticism is something that has yet to be tackled in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and lends itself to the possibility of achieving visual Zen. Casting controversies aside, just look at that amazing list of actors who are all making their comic book adaptation debuts. Add to the mix that Derrickson is an intriguing director for the property, as he was able to visually elevate some rather basic horror premises, and this is definitely one to look forward to—even if you’re part of the crowd that’s not sold on the whole MCU thing yet. - Brian Formo