2020 is a promising year for movies with films such as Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) and In the Heights scheduled for theatrical release. There are also a number of sequels and reboots to major franchises for which people may or may not be excited.
The same is true for comedies, with new story ideas as well as reboots and sequels to major franchises being released. Like other film genres, some of these comedies are highly anticipated, and others are not. Here is a look at five movies we are looking forward to in the next year, and five that we are not.
Looking Forward: Legally Blonde 3
Legally Blonde 3 is actually the fourth installment in the Legally Blonde franchise after Legally Blonde, Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde, and Legally Blondes. The plot of the film has not been announced, but Reese Witherspoon is reprising her role as the iconic Elle Woods. And as long as this installment features Elle Woods being her best, empowered self, the film will be a great time.
Reese Witherspoon’s production company Hello Sunshine produced the film, which will be distributed through MGM Studios. Witherspoon’s company has also produced critically-acclaimed films such as Wild and Gone Girl, meaning there is a lot of promise for this Legally Blonde sequel.
Not Looking Forward: My Spy
My Spy is an action comedy film starring Dave Bautista and Chloe Coleman. It is about a spy assigned to surveil a family while undercover. He ends up getting caught by the daughter and ends up having to teach her how to be a spy in order to maintain his cover.
The film brags a strong comedic cast with Dave Bautista as the lead, joined by Kristen Schaal and Ken Jeong. However, the premise is uninteresting and feels unoriginal. While the premises are not exactly the same, My Spy sounds like a reboot of The Pacifier, a near-perfect film as is.
Looking Forward: Like A Boss
Like a Boss is about two friends who start a beauty company together. The two women have very different strategies for running a business, especially when handling money, which eventually causes problems between the two of them. They eventually find a common enemy in an antagonistic investor, which ends up bringing them together.
The film brags an all-star cast with Tiffany Haddish, Salma Hayek, and Rose Byrne in leading roles with Billy Porter and up-and-coming comedic actors Karan Soni and Jimmy O. Yang in supporting roles. The film looks like a fun buddy comedy with great chemistry between Tiffany Haddish and Rose Byrne.
Not Looking Forward: Minions: The Rise Of Gru
Minions is a prequel series to Despicable Me and its sequels. Minions: The Rise of Gru is the second prequel film, following the Minions as they work for Gru, who is on the rise to power.
The first Despicable Me and its first sequel were good films. However, the third Despicable Me sequel and the first Minions films both received mixed reviews, which indicates the franchise may be heading downhill. We don’t really need another Minions movie, or even another Despicable Me movie, but since DreamWorks is still making money off of them, we are getting at least this next Minions movie.
Looking Forward: Bill & Ted Face The Music
It will be nineteen years between the release of the first Bill & Ted sequel: Bill & Ted’s Bogus Journey and the release of Bill and Ted Face the Music, a long time for any fandom to wait. In this sequel, Alex Winter and Keanu Reeves reprise their roles as Bill and Ted, respectively. Bill and Ted are all grown up and are called upon from a time traveler to write a song that will save the Earth and the universe.
As previously stated, it has been nearly twenty years since the last Bill & Ted film, and this film promises to be most excellent like the last two, making it a highly anticipated film for fans of the franchise.
Not Looking Forward: King Of Staten Island
King of Staten Island is a semiautobiographical film about comedian Pete Davidson’s life. It will mirror certain events, including losing his dad on 9/11, which is something he has previously discussed in his stand up. Davidson collaborated with Judd Apatow to write the screenplay, and Apatow directed the film.
Not much is known about this film other than it’s a Pete Davidson and Judd Apatow collaboration and that it mirrors Pete Davidson’s life. If people have heard or watched Davidson’s stand up before, the film offers nothing new, and if people have not heard or watched his stand up, they are given almost no context to the plot, making it a less anticipated comedy.
Looking Forward: The French Dispatch
The French Dispatch is Wes Anderson’s next film, described as a “love letter to journalists.” It is about an American newspaper outpost located in a fictional French city. The film will follow three different storylines.
With a distinct aesthetic and clever story writing, Wes Anderson films are always a treat, and this film promises to be no different. The film will feature actors who have collaborated with Anderson in the past including Bill Murray, Frances McDormand, and Willem Dafoe. The film will also feature actors new to working with Anderson such as Timothee Chalamet and Elizabeth Moss.
Not Looking Forward: Bad Trip
Bad Trip is a hidden camera prank comedy. It follows a group of friends road-tripping across the country, where they pull pranks on people along the way.
It is unclear if the entire film will be filmed by hidden camera. However, the hidden camera format is not currently popular, making it a less anticipated release. This is unfortunate because the film has a strong comedic cast including Eric Andre, Tiffany Haddish, and Lil Rel Howery and is directed by Kitao Sakurai, who worked on The Eric Andre Show with Andre.
Looking Forward: The Lovebirds
The Lovebirds is a romantic comedy starring Kumail Nanjiani and Issa Rae. Nanjiani and Rae play a couple having relationship problems to the point of nearly breaking up. But then they get caught up in a murder mystery and are implicated as suspects. They then have to try to clear their names and solve the case.
Since the success of Nanjiani’s film The Big Sick, based on the true story of how he met his wife Emily V. Gordon, Nanjiani has become a fan favorite. Nanjiani starring in yet another romantic comedy promises to be a great film, especially opposite a talented comedic actress Issa Rae, known for her work on Insecure.
Not Looking Forward: Superintelligence
Superintelligence is an action comedy starring Melissa McCarthy as Carol Peters, who leads a pretty boring life. She at first thinks either she is going crazy or someone is punking her when her household appliances start talking back to her, but it turns out that she had been selected by the superintelligence for observation. The film gives way for a conspiracy involving the superintelligence.
Melissa McCarthy comedies tend to be hit or miss. This film’s premise seems like it will go the way of The Boss or Tammy both of which received lower ratings and poor reviews from critics and fans. Also, the premise of Superintelligence is a little convoluted.
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