After a year filled with production delays, couch premieres, and tons of binge streaming, it’s safe to say most can’t wait to see all that 2021 has to offer. And while many of the year’s highly anticipated film releases will look much different than the year prior, we’re at least happy to report some of the films we were looking forward to seeing last year will finally have their theatrical or wide release.
After being postponed amid the coronavirus pandemic, Will Smith’s King Richard will finally debut later this year, along with the return of Prince Akeem and his right-hand man Semmi in the highly anticipated Coming 2 America. This Valentine’s Day you’ll also want to cozy up to one of the most-talked-about film productions of 2020, Malcolm and Marie. From blockbusters and dramas to thrillers and biopics, here are some of the films that we’re eager to see drop this year.
01
Outside The Wire, January 15
Starring Anthony Mackie and Damson Idris (Snowfall), Outside the Wire is set in a not-too-distant future, where Mackie plays Harp, an android military officer fighting in a futuristic conflict. On the ground, he meets a drone pilot named Leo and enlists the young cadet for an important mission: locate a doomsday device before the insurgents do.
02
Salt-N-Pepa, January 23
Salt-N-Pepa’s here! And their biopic is in effect. The upcoming Lifetime film details the journey of Cheryl “Salt” James and Sandra “Pepa” Denton as they enter the world of rap and hip-hop. As the first all-female rap group, Salt-N-Pepa changed the face of hip-hop forever, by being their unapologetic selves. The movie follows the group as they become the first female rap act to go platinum and experience ground-breaking success with multiple awards, including a Grammy award, paving the way for all female rappers to follow.
03
Wendy Williams: The Movie, January 30
Wendy has made herself the go-to source for great celebrity gossip for decades — first with a hit radio show, and now with a syndicated talk show, The Wendy Williams Show. Now, we’ll finally get to take an inside look at the woman behind all the madness. The Lifetime film provides a revealing look at Wendy’s journey, from her early days in urban radio to the success of her own syndicated talk show.
04
Malcolm and Marie, February 5
Zendaya and John David Washington are the gift that just keeps on giving. This romantic drama is about a filmmaker (Washington) and his girlfriend (Zendaya) who return home following a celebratory movie premiere as he awaits what’s sure to be imminent critical and financial success. The evening suddenly takes a turn as revelations about their relationships begin to surface, testing the strength of their love.
05
Judas And The Black Messiah, February 12
Judas And The Black Messiah is the story of how the FBI and Chicago police killed Chairman Fred Hampton in a predawn raid. The film shows how FBI informant William O’Neal infiltrates the Illinois Black Panther Party and is tasked with keeping tabs on their charismatic leader.
06
UNITED STATES VS BILLIE HOLIDAY, February 26
The United States vs. Billie Holiday is an upcoming American biographical drama film directed by Lee Daniels and based on the book “Chasing the Scream: The First and Last Days of the War on Drugs” by Johann Hari. The movie, which introduces Grammy® nominated singer-songwriter Andra Day, as Billie Holiday, unapologetically presents the icon’s complicated, irrepressible life.
07
Don’t Waste Your Pretty, February 28
Based on the novel by Demetria Lucas, Don’t Waste Your Pretty follows a group of tightly knit friends as they sort out their turbulent life issues and love lives – always turning to one another to figure out their next move when jobs, romance or family interactions prove more complicated than they had ever anticipated.
08
Coming 2 America, March 5
More than 30 years after Prince Akeem and his right hand man Semmi visited America for the first time, they’re coming back. Newly-crowned King Akeem (Eddie Murphy) and his trusted confidante Semmi (Arsenio Hall) embark on an all-new hilarious adventure that has them traversing the globe from their great African nation to the borough of Queens, New York, where it all began.
09
Fatherhood, April 16
It wouldn’t be a new year without a new Kevin Hart film on deck. The film stars Hart as a father who brings up his baby girl as a single dad after the unexpected death of his wife who died a day after their daughter’s birth.
10
RESPECT, August 13
It’s safe to say we could all use a little R-E-S-P-E-C-T. The highly anticipated film is the remarkable true story of Aretha Franklin’s journey to find her voice in the midst of the turbulent social and political landscape of 1960s America. The film follows the rise of Ms. Franklin’s career, from a child singing in her father’s church’s choir to an iconic and international superstar.
11
King Richard, November 19
Directed by Reinaldo Marcus Green, King Richard stars Will Smith as Williams, Saniyya Sidney as Venus Williams and Demi Singleton as Serena Williams. The film focuses on how Williams, who did not have a background in tennis, overcame hardship to coach his daughters to be champions.
