• News
    • Latest
    • TV
    • Shopping
    • Awards
    • Style
    • Music
    • Movies
    • Newsletter

    Trending

    • ShoppingT3 AireBrush Duo Deal: Get the Dyson Airwrap Dupe for 33% Off
    • ShoppingThe Best Amazon Prime Day Deals on Toys and Games for Kids
    • ShoppingThe Best Amazon Prime Day Furniture Deals to Refresh Your Home
    • ShoppingAmazon Prime Day Luggage Deals
  • Prime Day
    • Shop the 37 Best Deals Across Tech, Clothing, Home, and Beauty
    • Best Amazon Prime Day 2022 Deals on TVs — Shop Samsung, Fire TVs, LG and More
    • Amazon Prime Day 2022: The Best Deals on TikTok's Viral Leggings
    • Best Apple Deals Ahead of Amazon Prime Day 2022: Shop iPads, Apple TV, Apple Watches, & More
    • Amazon Prime Day Samsung Deals: 12 Can't-Miss Sales on Galaxy Phones, Tablets and More
    • Best Early Amazon Prime Day Deals on Luggage for 4th of July Travel
  • Photos
  • Videos
  • Watch ET
News

Big in 2016: Movies and TV We Can't Wait to See

Sony Pictures/Instagram/Getty Images

By Emily Krauser

12:00 AM PST, December 28, 2015

Here are all the movies and TV shows we can't wait for in 2016.
1 / 39

Get Ready for 2016!

Sony Pictures/Instagram/Getty Images
2015 was a huge year (Star Wars! Jurassic World! Amy Schumer!), but if we're being honest, it was also very weird! So let's shake off the last 12 months and look forward to 2016. Click through to check out ET's best bets for the biggest movies, TV shows, music and up-and-coming stars that you won’t be able to stop talking about.

MOVIES

Paramount Pictures/20th Century Fox/Marvel
Sure, there will be original movies coming out, but 2016 is really about sequels, superheroes and reboots!

'Zoolander 2'

Paramount Pictures
The revival trend won't be going away any time soon. The most anticipated so far is Ben Stiller breaking out his best blue steel stares come Feb. 12, when Zoolander 2 hits screens 15 years after the original's debut.

'Independence Day: Resurgence'

20th Century Fox
It took two decades to see a follow-up to the mega-hit, Independence Day -- you remember, that alien invasion movie that kicked off Will Smith's reign as the king of Fourth of July weekend, right? Smith isn't returning for this sequel (why, movie gods, why?!), which arrives in theaters on June 24, but Jeff Goldblum and Bill Pullman are back (yay!). We think it'll be OK, seeing as the trailer looks epic, and few will argue with Liam Hemsworth as the leading man. Just look at his face. Keep looking. You won't even notice the extraterrestrials.

'Star Wars: Rogue One'

Lucasfilm Ltd
Seeing as Star Wars: The Force Awakens broke every record imaginable in its first weekend alone, we think it's a pretty safe to say that the franchise's first standalone will do just fine when it storms theaters Dec. 16.

'Star Trek Beyond'

Paramount Pictures
That other little space odyssey, Star Trek Beyond, will hit theaters first on July 22. The plot has been kept underwraps thus far, and many Trekkies were not pleased with the first trailer, which felt like slick blockbuster feel rather than a classic Star Trek movie. The film's director, Justin Lin, is the one who turned The Fast and the Furious flicks into the action juggernauts we know them to be today, so the concerns of die-hard fans are justified. Hopefully the Chris Pine-Idris Elba match-up will keep us wanting more out of this third installment from the franchise's reboot.

'Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows'

Paramount Pictures
Megan Fox will reprise her role as April O'Neil in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows, hitting theaters June 3. We're just crossing our fingers that this latest take on TMNT will be an improvement from 2014's series reboot. Arrow's Stephen Amell does star is taking over the role of Casey Jones, so we do have that to get excited about.

'Ghostbusters'

Sony Pictures
There are a number of big screen reboots coming in 2016, and topping that list is Ghostbusters. The all-female flick, starring Kristen Wiig, Melissa McCarthy, Kate McKinnon and Leslie Jones, is easily the most anticipated movie of 2016. Even Bill Murray has changed his tune about the reprisal -- after originally calling the reimagining "my nightmare," he's joined the ladies, as have original cast members Dan Aykroyd, Sigourney Weaver, Ernie Hudson, and Annie Potts. The new crew will have some major ghost-slaying to do, seeing as the first two flicks are comedy classics.

'The Legend of Tarzan' and 'The Magnificent Seven'

Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.
The reboot game will take a stronger hold on TV in 2016, but as far as the silver screen is concerned, we'll also see The Legend of Tarzan on July 1 (those abs, Alexander Skarsgård!) and The Magnificent Seven remake on Sept. 23. The latter stars a diverse cast of characters, with Denzel Washington in the lead role. He'll be joined by Chris Pratt, Matt Bomer, Vincent D'Onofrio, Ethan Hawke, Peter Sarsgaard and Cam Gigandet, and just seeing what director Antonie Fuqua will do with the classic Western is intriguing enough in its own right.

'Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice'

Zack Snyder
Yeah, yeah, Henry Cavill is reprising his role as Clark Kent/Superman, but what we're really dying to see is how Ben Affleck takes on Bruce Wayne/Batman. The casting was highly criticized when it was initially announced, but listen, he played Daredevil once, and every paparazzi shot shows the face of a constantly brooding man. The boy from Boston should do just fine, but we'll find out for sure when the flick flies into theaters on March 25. Plus, we'll get our first look at Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman.

'Captain America: Civil War'

Marvel Studios
Pretty much every superhero you can imagine will hit the big screen in 2016, and fans are clearly excited about the many returns of big-name world savers, as well as the silver screen introductions of some comic book favorites.

Captain America: Civil War will introduce us to a new Spider-Man, played by Tom Holland, plus we'll see former allies Steve Rogers/Captain America (Chris Evans) and Tony Stark/Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.) face-off when the film hits theaters on May 6. Suck us right back into the Avengers universe, why don't you?

'Deadpool'

Marvel/20th Century Fox
Ryan Reynolds has also been lauded and criticized in record time for sliding into a superhero suit (Remember Green Lantern? Don't worry, you shouldn't.), and he'll be back at in when Deadpool is released on Feb. 12. If you haven't already seen Wade Wilson's alter ego lounge around like Burt Reynolds, you must, because Reynolds in red spandex is a thing of beauty. Plus, the actor's sense of humor will clearly be intact for this flick, seeing as he already described Deadpool's sweater in the poster as, "like wearing a coffin made entirely out of adorable." Swoon!

'Suicide Squad'

Warner Bros.
We've already seen plenty of images of the massive transformations stars like Jared Leto (The Joker), Will Smith (Deadshot) and Margot Robbie (Harley Quinn) went through while filming Suicide Squad to look just like their comic book counterparts, and the result has made us want nothing more than to see these supervillains take on black ops missions on Aug. 5. Rebels having their say amongst all the goody-two-shoes superheroes we're used to seeing (well, save for you, Tony Stark)? Yes, please!

'X-Men: Apocalypse' and 'Doctor Strange'

20th Century Fox
2016 will also bring our last chance to see Jennifer Lawrence as Raven/Mystique when X-Men: Apocalypse transforms theaters on May 27, plus we'll be introduced to Benedict Cumberatch in as Doctor Strange, alongside Rachel McAdams, on Nov. 4. Talk about some superhero star power!

'Finding Dory'

Disney-Pixar
We've been anxiously waiting for Nemo's forgetful BFF to get her own full-length film, and we'll finally get to see her stir up some underwater trouble when Finding Dory just keeps swimming into theaters June 17. Don't forget to bring tissues -- we are very sure that you'll need them. This is a Pixar picture, after all.

TV

Getty Images/HBO
2016 will feature reboots aplenty, new streaming options, the end of American Idol and answers to our many questions about Jon Snow and Selma Blair's ability to portray the formidable Kris Jenner. Get those DVRs set now!

'Game of Thrones'

HBO
Winter is coming? More like, it's here, and we need our barren days of no new Game of Thrones episodes to end ASAP. When season six finally returns in April, the greatest mystery of 2015 will be solved: Is Jon Snow really dead or not? We know nothing either, Jon Snow… save for the fact that you're in the poster and trailer for the new episodes. And good news for everyone: the showrunners have reportedly lessened scenes of gratuitous sexual violence after the backlash they received for season five, namely, the shocking rape of Sansa Stark.

'American Idol'

Getty Images
The show that kicked off the careers of Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood, made Simon Cowell and Ryan Seacrest household names and turned the television landscape into a veritable what's what of singing competitions kicks off its 15th and final season on Jan. 6. on Fox. There's a solid chance that this last lap will give American Idol its best ratings in years, but we have no idea if we'll actually remember the next winner's name when everything is said and done. (Sorry, Taylor Hicks.)

'Fuller House'

Instagram
Nostalgia alert! It was nearly impossible for us to choke back tears when we saw the first teaser for Fuller House -- the reboot of the classic sitcom that we weren't quite sure we needed until it was announced this year -- especially since it was appropriately set to Miranda Lambert's "The House That Built Me." How can you tug on our heartstrings like that, Netflix? Come Feb. 26, we'll get to see if the Tanner family (minus Michelle) can live up to the massive hype we've built in our heads -- and how good John Stamos still looks with sideburns.

'X-Files'

FOX
The most highly anticipated reunion of the year will finally come to fruition when Agent Fox Mulder and Dana Scully meet again in the X-Files revival pilot. The '90s sci-fi classic will premiere Jan. 24 on Fox, but it's only set for a six-episode limited run. We're not sure that's quite enough to satisfy the mythology of the greatest love story between two FBI agents who solve mysteries about the paranormal. Or is that the only love story like that to ever exist? Whatever, we're stoked to see these two again!

'Marvel's Luke Cage'

Netflix
Marvel quickly went from having one show in production, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., to five, and with the phenomenal turn we saw Krysten Ritter take as the sharp, dark antihero in Jessica Jones, we can only imagine what's in store for Luke Cage. Here's to hoping the series is as unbreakable as Luke's skin when the superhero show premieres on Netflix later in 2016.

'American Crime Story'

FX
The first season of this new serial, subtitled The People v. O.J. Simpson, comes to FX on Feb. 2, and early previews claim this is one of the best-acted dramas to hit the small screen in recent memory. Plus, we get to see the Kardashians as little kids and Kris Jenner's dopplegänger, Selma Blair, act as everyone's favorite momager well before we would one day love-hate her. We're pretty much dying to see not only how that plays out but also Cuba Gooding, Jr. as O.J. Simpson and David Schwimmer as Robert Kardashian.

Hulu

Hulu
The streaming site will bring us big names for its next round of originals in 2016. Aaron Paul and Michelle Monaghan will continue successful small screen runs with The Way, while James Franco returns to his TV roots in the mini-series,11.22.63. The latter is an adaptation of Stephen King's novel, where high school teacher Jake Epping (Franco) travels back in time to try and stop the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. The two debuts should be the final blocks in Hulu’s now seamless rotation of scripted programming after four years of failed attempts before Difficult People and Casual hit the mark in 2015. "Next year will be Aaron Paul's return to television after Breaking Bad, and I think that's going to be a major event," Hulu Content Chief Craig Erwich told ET in October.

STARS

Getty Images
You're sure to see these five stars, well, everywhere come 2016.

Gal Gadot

Getty Images
In 2016, we'll see Gadot in February's Triple 9 alongside Aaron Paul, Kate Winslet, Teresa Palmer and Norman Reedus, and in Criminal, opposite Ryan Reynolds, come April. But best yet, our first glimpse of Gadot as the new Wonder Woman will be in March's Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. After that, the 30-year-old actress gets her own solo flick as the fabulous superhero in 2017. Those famous boots shouldn't be tough for the mom of one to fill -- the former Miss Israel (she held the title in 2004) served in the Israel Defense Forces for two years.

Alicia Vikander

Getty Images
The Swedish actress made waves in 2015 with her roles in Guy Ritchie's The Man From U.N.C.L.E and the sci-fi critical fave, Ex Machina. Soon, Vikander, 27, will star alongside Matt Damon in the latest installment in the Jason Bourne franchise. However, it's her riveting performance in the new movie, Danish Girl, that has plenty of folks whispering Oscar.

Brie Larson

Getty Images
We loved her when she played the foil to Amy Schumer's out-of-control man-eater in Trainwreck, but it was Larson's nuanced, sympathetic turn in November's Room that should be what puts the 26-year-old actress on the map -- and bring home at least a few statuettes come awards season.

Ezra Miller

Getty Images
Not only will the 23-year-old actor star in November's big-screen Harry Potter prequel, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, he's already been named as The Flash, aka Barry Allen, in 2018's solo movie, the first big-screen turn for the DC Comics superhero. While some people have questioned that casting, it's only helped up his profile.

John Boyega

Getty Images
The Force is indeed strong with Star Wars' new leading man, as the 23-year-old British actor continues his good fortune with a co-starring role in The Circle, an adaptation of Dave Eggers’ 2013 novel of the same name, alongside Emma Watson and Tom Hanks.

MUSIC

Getty Images
Some of the biggest names in the biz are back! Here's to new music in 2016 from the likes of Britney Spears and Kanye West and burgeoning career moves from newcomers like Cam and Jacob Whitesides.

Kanye West

Getty Images
After teasing us for months, Kim Kardashian's hubby will finally release his much-anticipated seventh album, Swish. "I don't wanna overly describe it or overly try to hype it up. I've been working slow," the 38-year-old rapper told L.A. radio host Big Boy in November. West also described the new record as a "a sonic painting."

Britney Spears

Getty Images
The 34-year-old pop star has been Instagramming up a storm, sharing photos from her long hours recording music since returning to the studio over the summer. The currently untitled ninth studio album will be Spears' first since 2013's Britney Jean. In the meantime, she's back in Las Vegas entertaining fans with her Piece of Me residency at Planet Hollywood.

Rihanna

Getty Images
The release date for the "Bitch Better Have My Money" singer's eighth studio album, Anti, remains a mystery, but we do know we'll hear the new tunes in 2016. RiRi's last album was 2012's Unapologetic, and just after Christmas, songwriter Glass John -- who wrote the song "Kiss It Better," which Rihanna teased on Instagram in December 2014 -- went on a lengthy Twitter rant blaming Travis Scott for the delay of the new LP. In December, Sia, who also has a new album coming in 2016, told Billboard that she met with the Bahamian singer to discuss songs for Anti, so it looks like this album is coming together slowly but surely.

Sia

Getty Images
While we know new music from the Australian songwriter is on the way, we can't be certain if we'll get to see her face -- but we can place a pretty good bet on those odds. Her seventh album, This Is Acting, drops Jan. 29, and we've already been graced with the singles "Bird Set Free" and "One Million Bullets," which, just like her last breakout, already make us want to sing from the chandeliers.

Miranda Lambert

Getty Images
Nothing has been confirmed, but we're crossing our fingers that the new year will bring new music from the recently divorced country crooner. The January issue of Cosmopolitan may have been telling, as Lambert admitted that not only does she love what she does, 2015 brought her plenty to write about. "I love songwriting and the road and the family of country music," the 32-year-old singer told the mag. "I love being a female in country music and lifting up other females of country. I'm more in it right now than I ever have been." Her last album, Platinum, came out in 2014, and her country supergroup Pistol Annies -- consisting of Lambert, Ashley Monroe and Angaleena Presley -- hasn't released new music since 2013's Annie Up.

Cam

Getty Images
The 31-year-old songwriter already had a mega-hit with "Burning House," the second single off her December release, Untamed. The track hit No. 1 on country radio, firmly making Cam -- who wrote Miley Cyrus' "Maybe You're Right" from the 2013 album, Banger --- one to watch in 2016.

Jacob Whitesides

Getty Images
The 18-year-old singer-songwriter is a one-man juggernaut after first gaining attention with a run on The X Factor in 2012. The kid from Knoxville formed his own record label, Double U, and gained an even steadier following in 2015 thanks to an October performance on Good Morning America and being named the next big thing by Radio Disney and Spotify. Expect to hear even more from the passionate crooner over the next 12 months.

Daya

Getty Images
If you don't know the girl behind the hit "Hide Away," then you definitely won't believe us when we tell you that she's only 17. Daya (real name: Grace Tandon) has already received pick-up and a lot of praise for her self-titled debut EP, which dropped in September and featured the hit track. If she keeps up with the hype, we should be seeing new music from the talented teen alongside a whole lot of chatter.

Bebe Rexha

Getty Images
This Brooklyn babe became a familiar name to music fans when she formed the electro band Black Cards with Pete Wentz in 2010 and was featured on Cash Cash's 2014 single, "Take Me Home." In addition, Rexha jas written and co-produced songs for a number of artists, including Eminem, Bella Thorne and Selena Gomez. But the 26-year-old singer truly came into her own in 2015 with angsty tunes like "I Can't Stop Drinkin' About You" and "I'm Gonna Show You Crazy" off her May EP, I Don't Wanna Grow Up. With her next single, "No Broken Hearts," coming in January and a full-length album on the way, this petite powerhouse should have no problems breaking through to the mainstream.

tags:

  • Ryan Reynolds

Browse

  • News
  • ET Live
  • Video
  • Photos
  • Movies
  • TV
  • Awards
  • Music
  • Style
  • Giveaways
  • Newsletters

Connect

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • RSS
  • ET on TV
  • ET LIVE Help
  • Submit Feedback

Legal

  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookies Policy
  • Closed Captioning
  • Submit a Tip
  • Do Not Sell My Personal Information
  • Opens a new window
  • Opens a new window
  • Opens a new window
  • Opens a new window
  • Opens a new window
™ & © 2022 CBS Studios Inc. and CBS Interactive Inc., Paramount companies.  All Rights Reserved.