Age of the Geek

16 movies for 2016
 
Welcome to 2016!
     After a somewhat lackluster 2015, it looks like things will start to pick up again this year. So, as is the New Year’s tradition, here are 16 movies I’ll be keeping an eye on over the next 12 months.
     Well, six months. I’m splitting this list into two parts.
 
Deadpool
     In an ocean of comic book adaptations this year, “Deadpool” will be relatively unique. The movie is rated R for Ryan Reynolds, who has basically brought this movie into existence through sheer force of will.
     Reynolds originally portrayed Deadpool in 2009’s “X-Men Origins: Wolverine,” however that adaptation got virtually everything possible wrong about the character. Since then, Reynolds has pushed for a do-over.
     Following the well-received leak of some CGI test footage, Reynolds is getting a second chance to do the character justice. The upcoming movie doesn’t just look fun. It may be one of the most faithful adaptations in recent memory.
 
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice
     While Marvel Studios was able to turn “Ant-Man” into a household name, Warner Bros. hasn’t been nearly successful with their comic book adaptations. Seemingly unable to make a hit out of anything that doesn’t involve Batman, they’ve done the logical thing and added Batman to the “Man of Steel” sequel.
     But that’s not all. With Warner Bros. roughly a decade behind Marvel Studios when it comes to establishing a movie universe, “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” is primed to close that gap by introducing not just Batman, but also Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Cyborg and Flash, all in one go.
     This movie is going to be spectacular. Whether it’s a spectacular success or a spectacular trainwreck remains to be seen, but one way or the other it’s going to be a wild ride.
 
Rings
     Moving away from the comic book movies for a minute, we have “Rings,” a third entry in one of the last horror franchises to actually give me a fright.
     Technically, there has already been a “Rings” movie, a short film that bridges the gap between “The Ring” and “The Ring 2,” however, this new film will be an original story taking place long after the previous two movies.
     And that’s honestly about all I know about the movie. Nothing stands out about the cast or crew. No behind-the-scenes drama to make me think the movie will be good or bad. It’s just a sequel to a pair of movies from a decade ago that I really liked, and that’s enough for me to give it a shot.
 
Captain America:
Civil War
     If you thought the “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” cast was bloated, just wait for the “Captain America: Civil War.” The third Captain America movie will not only see the return of Captain America, Falcon, Black Widow and The Winter Soldier, but will add Iron Man, War Machine, Hawkeye, Scarlet Witch and Ant-Man to the cast along with introducing Black Panther and the new Spider-Man.
     Fortunately, audiences should be well acquainted with most of these characters already. Leaving more time for the hero-on-hero fighting.
 
X-Men: Apocalypse
     Presumably the final chapter in the recent era of X-Men movies, “X-Men: Apocalypse” continues the franchises’ trip through history with a 1980’s themed adventure.
     If the last Hunger Games movie left you wanting more of Jennifer Lawrence, this will be your best bet. Expect much of the movie to center around Mystique, who seems to be spending considerably less time in blue body paint now that Lawrence has reached maximum stardom.
 
Teenage Mutant
Ninja Turtles:
Out of the Shadows
     After seeing what he had done to the Transformers franchise, the thought of a Michael Bay-produced Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie made my blood run cold. That said, the most recent reimagining of the heroes in a half-shell didn’t turn out that bad.
     The upcoming sequel won’t set the world on fire, but it looks fun and it will do something that TMNT fans have been waiting a lifetime for. The new movie will finally bring Bebop and Rocksteady to the big screen. That alone should be worth the price of admission.
 
Warcraft
     Unlike comic book adaptations, movies based on video games do not have a great track record for success. Too often they stray too far from the source material, making them unrecognizable to the people most likely to watch them.
     “Warcraft” will not have that problem. Not only is the movie being co-written by Chris Metzen, who is the story director behind the video game’s considerable amount of lore, but even the short trailer features characters and locations that look like they were lifted straight out of “The World of Warcraft.”
     With the works of J.R.R. Tolkien thoroughly tapped out, “Warcraft” may be primed to fill in that gap in the swords and sorcery market.
 
Independence Day: Resurgence
     Nobody ever asked for a sequel to “Independence Day,” but we’re getting one anyway. And I think it might just be a good idea.
     The first movie was many things, but original was not one of them. There probably isn’t a more generic alien invasion story out there short of the original “War of the Worlds.”
     That said, creating a sequel 20 years later creates an interesting opportunity. What does the world look like two decades after thwarting an alien invasion?
     The more I think about it, the more I want to see what Jeff Goldblum has been up to since he brought down an alien mothership with an Apple laptop. I want to find out how the rest of Bill Pullman’s presidency turned out.
     “Independence Day: Resurgence” may be a nostalgia driven cash-in, but this alternate timeline of recent history may just be worth a gander.
 
     And that’s it for part one. Come back again next week as I tackle the back-half of the year. Spoiler alert: It’ll mostly be more comic book movies and Star Wars.
 
     Travis Fischer is a news writer for Mid-America Publishing and thinks this will be a good year for movies.