From superhero sequels to horror and sci-fi sequels, here are the best movie sequels coming in 2023.
We enjoyed some notable movie sequels in 2022 like Top Gun: Maverick, Minions: The Rise of Gru, Sonic the Hedgehog 2, and others, and we’ll see even more sequels to some of our favorite movies in 2023. Will these upcoming movie sequels be better than the original?
Whether you like superheroes, science fiction, horror, or action, there is sure to be something below that excites you. Here are the most anticipated sequels coming out before the end of 2023.
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania
Release Date: February 17, 2023
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania is officially scheduled for release globally on February 17, 2023, as the first film of Phase Five of the MCU.
Disney confirmed that Paul Rudd and Evangeline Lilly would return to play Scott Lang and Hope van Dyne, respectively. Michael Douglas and Michelle Pfeiffer are also confirmed to be returning as retired heroes Hank Pym and Janet Van Dyne.
The official synopsis for the threequel reads, “Scott Lang and Hope van Dyne, along with Hope’s parents Hank Pym and Janet van Dyne, go on a new adventure exploring the Quantum Realm.”
Creed III
Release Date: March 3, 2023
The third “Creed” movie, which is the ninth installment in the “Rocky” film franchise is slated for release on March 3, 2023, and will be the first “Rocky” film without Sylvester Stallone — who created the character and played the ultimate underdog Rocky Balboa in eight movies — or at least making an appearance.
Returning alongside Michael B. Jordan (Adonis Creed) in the film are Tessa Thompson as Creed’s fiancé Bianca and Phylicia Rashad as Creed’s stepmother Mary Anne. Jonathan Majors, who is soon set to appear as Kang the Conquerer in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, will be the competitor to Creed in the ring.
Shazam! Fury of the Gods
Release Date: March 17, 2023
The long-awaited sequel to 2019 Shazam! is slated to come out on March 17, 2023, five months after Black Adam, which is a spin-off of Shazam!
According to Hollywoodlife, the official description for Shazam 2 reads, “Teenager Billy Batson and his foster siblings, who transform into adult superheroes by saying ‘Shazam!’, fight the daughters of Atlas.”
Shazam! Fury of the Gods is set to see many faces from the original film return with Asher Angel once again playing Billy Batson and Zachary Levi playing the titular Shazam. Billy’s foster siblings are once again played by Jack Dylan Grazer, Faithe Herman, Ian Chen, and Jovan Armand, with the superhero versions of these characters being played by Adam Brody, Meagan Good, Ross Butler, and D. J. Cotrona. Grace Caroline Currey will also return.
Along with the returning cast, the film will also introduce new characters played by Helen Mirren, Lucy Liu, and Rachel Zegler.
John Wick: Chapter 4
Release Date: March 24, 2023.
“Chapter 4” of John Wick begins the two-part finale planned for Wick. The franchise inspired the planned spin-off film “Ballerina,” starring Ana de Armas, as well as the Peacock prequel series “The Continental,” about a hotel for mercenaries, which will be released in March 2023 as part of a three-part special event.
The first three “Wick” films have grossed more than $573 million at the global box office, which is a significant achievement for an original action franchise competing against comic-book-driven audiences.
Although an official plot for John Wick: Chapter 4 has not been shared at this point. The director Chad Stahleski told Collider that “Chapter 4” is “longer than the other three,” before adding, “but it’s not that long.
Scream 6
Release Date: March 31, 2023
The fifth Scream movie, simply called Scream, was released in January 2022 and, after a successful box-office run, the sixth movie was greenlit in February.
The film brings back recurring cast members Jenna Ortega, Melissa Barrera, Mason Gooding, and Jasmin Savoy Brown along with the star of the franchise Courteney Cox. Hayden Panettiere, who appeared as Kirby Reed in Scream 4 will also be returning for the sixth film. New additions to the cast include Dermot Mulroney, Jack Champion, Liana Liberato, Devyn Nekoda, Josh Segarra, and Henry Czerny
According to Hollywoodlife, The official synopsis for Scream 6 reads: “The Scream saga continues with the four survivors of the Ghostface killings as they leave Woodsboro behind and start a fresh chapter.”
Evil Dead Rise
Release Date: April 21, 2023
The fifth film in the Evil Dead franchise is headed to theaters in the Spring of 2023.
The official synopsis is as follows:
In the fifth Evil Dead film, a road-weary Beth pays an overdue visit to her older sister Ellie, who is raising three kids on her own in a cramped L.A. apartment. The sisters’ reunion is cut short by the discovery of a mysterious book deep in the bowels of Ellie’s building, giving rise to flesh-possessing demons, and thrusting Beth into a primal battle for survival as she is faced with the most nightmarish version of motherhood imaginable.
Gabrielle Echols (Reminiscence), Morgan Davies (The End), and Nell Fisher (Splendid Isolation) will star in the new movie alongside Alyssa Sutherland and Lily Sullivan.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
Release Date: May 5, 2023
In Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, we’ll see Chris Pratt reprise his role as Star-Lord, Dave Bautista as Drax, Karen Gillan as Nebula, Bradley Cooper as Rocket, Vin Diesel as Groot, and Pom Klementieff as Mantis. However, they will appear on Disney+ in December 2022 in The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special.
Will Poulter as Adam Warlock, who was teased in one of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2′s credits scenes, will make his official debut, Chukwudi Iwuji as the High Evolutionary, and Daniela Melchior and Nico Santos in separate roles are also new additions to the cast.
Borat 2 star Maria Bakalova was a surprise addition to the cast as Cosmo the Space Dog, who was originally seen at the Collector’s museum in the first film.
According to Digital Spy, the threequel has already set a new world record with its filming as it surpassed The Grinch for “the most makeup appliances created for a single production”.
Fast & Furious 10 – Part 1
Release Date: May 19, 2023
Fast & Furious 10, officially titled Fast X, is set to be the last chapter in the series, bringing the adventures of Vin Diesel‘s Dominic Torreto to a close. However, the film is going to be split into two parts.t
According to Collider, while the final cast list for the movie hasn’t been confirmed yet, fans can expect most of the principal cast to return. That includes Vin Diesel, Michelle Rodriguez, Jordana Brewster, Tyrese Gibson, Chris “Ludacris” Bridges, Sung Kang, Nathalie Emmanuel, Charlize Theron, Helen Mirren, Jason Statham, Lucas Black, Shad “Bow Wow” Moss, Jason Tobin, John Cena, and Anna Sawai. Don Omar and Tego Calderon could also return as Rico Santos and Tego Leon. The upcoming movie will also introduce.
The upcoming movie will also introduce Aquaman star Jason Momoa, Cardi B, Daniela Melchior, and Captain Marvel star Brie Larson. There have also been rumors that Gal Gadot’s character could be brought back so she may make an appearance.
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
Release Date: June 2, 2023
Originally set to come out on October 7, 2022, the Into the Spider-Verse sequel (and the first installment of Across the Spider-Verse) will hit theaters on June 2, 2023. Shameik Moore, Hailee Steinfeld, and Jake Johnson will reprise their roles, and Oscar Isaac and Issa Rae will voice characters as well.
The full Into the Spider-Verse 2 synopsis reads: “Miles Morales returns for the next chapter of the Oscar-winning Spider-Verse saga, an epic adventure that will transport Brooklyn’s full-time, friendly neighborhood Spider-Man across the Multiverse to join forces with Gwen Stacy and a new team of Spider-People to face off with a villain more powerful than anything they have ever encountered.”
Transformers: Rise of the Beasts
Release Date: June 9, 2023
Transformers: Rise of the Beasts will be the seventh installment of the live-action Transformers film series and is set to act as a sequel to the 2018 film Bumblebee.
Directed by Steven Caple Jr., from a screenplay by Darnell Metayer and Josh Peters. It will star Anthony Ramos (Hamilton), Dominique Fishback (Judas and The Black Messiah), and Luna Lauren Vélez (Dexter).
According to Inverse, Little is known about the plot and premise of Transformers: Rise of the Beasts. However, at the June 2021 virtual press conference, the filmmakers revealed the story will take place in 1994 in Brooklyn, New York. Other key scenes will also take place in Peru.
Indiana Jones 5
Release Date: June 30, 2023
Indiana Jones 5, officially called simply just Indiana Jones, is the final movie in the epic saga which has racked up close to $2 billion worldwide, through four movies.
Fans will see Harrison Ford returning for one last crack of the whip at playing the adventurer.
The film’s ensemble cast also includes Antonia Banderas, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Mads Mikkelsen, Boyd Holbrook, Shaunette Renée Wilson, Thomas Kretschmann, and Toby Jones.
Spielberg, Kathleen Kennedy, Frank Marshall, and Simon Emanuel are producers.
Insidious: Fear The Dark
Release Date: July 7, 2023
Insidious: Fear The Dark, the fifth installment in the Insidious franchise is set to be released on July 7, 2023.
According to The Digital Fix, while the previous movie in the series, Insidious: The Last Key, received pretty poor reviews, it made a killer profit at the box office and was the highest-grossing Insidious movie to date.
The first two Insidious movies were written by Leigh Whannell and directed by James Wan, centered on the Lambert family and their terrifying struggles deep within The Further.
Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One
Release Date: July 14, 2023
The seventh Mission: Impossible film, starring Tom Cruise as the unrivaled international spy Ethan Hunt, is set to test the limits of all new and returning characters.
Besides Cruise, Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part 1 will also see the return of Ving Rhames, Henry Czerny, Simon Pegg, Rebecca Ferguson, Vanessa Kirby, and Frederick Schmidt, all of whom will be back in their old roles from the previous films.
In addition, the film will introduce several new cast members to the Mission: Impossible franchise, including Hayley Atwell, Pom Klementieff, Shea Whigham, Esai Morales, Rob Delaney, Charles Parnell, Indira Varma, Mark Gatiss, Greg Tarzan Davis, and Cary Elwes.
Meg 2: The Trench
Release Date: August 4, 2023
A smash hit in the summer of 2018, The Meg made over $500 million worldwide on a purported budget of under $130 million.
It was based on the 1997 novel Meg: A Novel of Deep Terror by author Steve Alten. Two years later, Alten published the sequel novel, The Trench, which will probably be the basis for Meg 2: The Trench.
According to The Digital Fix, Jason Statham is set to reprise his role as Jonas Taylor. Alongside him, we will see supporting cast members Cliff Curtis, Sophia Cai, and Page Kennedy reprise their roles as Mac, Meiying, and DJ, respectively
Joining the cast are new additions Sienna Guillory, Skyler Samuels, Sergio Peris-Mencheta, Chinese superstar Jing Wu, and Ray Strachan, who all have currently unknown roles.
The Equalizer 3
Release Date: September 1, 2023
The first Equalizer film debuted in 2014, based loosely on the ’80s TV series of the same name, directed by Antoine Fuqua. A sequel came four years later, with Fuqua once again at the helm.
The Equalizer 3 will see Denzel Washington reunite with his Man on Fire co-star Dakota Fanning. Directed by Antoine Fuqua and written by Richard Wenk. All other cast details are being kept under warps.
No plot details have been revealed as of yet, but Fuqua spoke previously about his plans for the third installment. He told Cinemablend: “I would love for it to take place internationally, I think Denzel would be a great James Bond-type character.”
The official plot synopsis for The Equalizer 3 simply reads “The further exploits of former operative Robert McCall.”
The Nun 2
Release Date: September 8, 2023
The ninth installment of The Conjuring Universe, The Nun 2, a sequel to 2018’s The Nun, is set to come to theaters next fall.
The first Nun film followed nuns at a monastery in 1950s Romania as they contended with an unholy force. Valak, the demon at the center of the film, originated in 2016’s The Conjuring 2. Now, the sequel will reportedly see Sister Irene, the lead from the first film, encounter Valak the demon once again.
The Expendables 4
Release Date: Sept. 22, 2023
After eight years since the threequel, The Expendables 4 will finally return as Lionsgate has greenlit a Sept. 22, 2023 release date, putting it up against a currently unnamed DC / Warner Bros. film.
An official description of The Expendables 4 is as follows:
Armed with every weapon they can get their hands on and the skills to use them, The Expendables are the world’s last line of defense and the team that gets called when all other options are off the table. But new team members with new styles and tactics are going to give “new blood” a whole new meaning.
Per Movieweb, Scott Waugh directs The Expendables 4 using a screenplay by Spenser Cohen and Max Adams. The film is produced by Kevin King-Templeton, Les Weldon, and Yariv Lerner. Reprising their roles from previous films are Jason Statham, Sylvester Stallone, Randy Couture, and Dolph Lundgren. Newcomers to the cast include Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson, Megan Fox, Tony Jaa, Andy Garcia, and Iko Uwais.
Dune: Part Two
Release Date: November 17, 2023
Timothee Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, Zendaya, Josh Brolin, and Javier Bardem are returning for Dune: Part Two, with Florence Pugh, Austin Butler, and Christopher Walken set to join the cast.
Dune 2021 made $400 million at the global box office against a $165 million budget.
Per Indiewire, The official synopsis from Warner Bros. and Legendary reads: “This follow-up film will explore the mythic journey of Paul Atreides as he unites with Chani and the Fremen while on a warpath of revenge against the conspirators who destroyed his family. Facing a choice between the love of his life and the fate of the known universe, he endeavors to prevent a terrible future only he can foresee.
Ghostbusters: Afterlife 2
Release Date: DECEMBER 20, 2023
The sequel to 2021’s “Ghostbusters: Afterlife” is set for December 20, 2023.
Ghostbusters: Afterlife was set 32 years after the events of 1989’s Ghostbusters II. It follows Callie as she and her two kids Trevor (Finn Wolfhard) and Phoebe (Mckenna Grace) move into the Oklahoma house she inherited from her father.
As they learn about their grandfather’s past, the kids find themselves becoming the next generation of Ghostbusters as they battle an otherworldly threat that puts both their new home and the world in danger. The action in the sequel is expected to return to New York City, where the original Ghostbusters movies were set.
Directed by Jason Reitman, the son of the franchise’s late co-creator Ivan Reitman, Ghostbusters: Afterlife also featured appearances from original cast members Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Ernie Hudson, Annie Potts, and Sigourney Weaver. No cast members for the sequel have been confirmed yet, but Coon, Wolfhard, and Grace are expected to return.
The Ghostbusters franchise for Sony through four movies has grossed over $938M globally.
Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom
Release Date: December 25, 2023
Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is the much-anticipated sequel to 2018’s Aquaman which is the only DCEU film to gross more than a billion dollars worldwide.
At the DC FanDome panel in August 2020, The director James Wan stated, “The second one is a little bit more serious, a little more relevant to the world we’re living in today. That’s where it wants to go.” (via Collider)
In an August 2021 interview, Wan who is known for his work on horror films Saw and Insidious, opened up slightly more on the decision to tread a darker path for the sequel.
“Well, the first movie took a lot of people by surprise, right? And that’s partially because they were not familiar with the comic book, which deals in this very lurid, strange world…People were taken aback that I didn’t throw all that stuff away and make a dark, heavy film. But I didn’t feel that would have been right for it. So, with the second film, I feel it will be easier for people to accept where we go because I’ve already laid the foundation.”
Many of the original Aquaman cast are returning for the new film, with Jason Momoa returning as lead Arthur Curry. He’ll be joined by Amber Heard, reprising her role as Princess Mera and Patrick Wilson returns Arthur’s half-brother, Orm Marius. Dolph Lundgren returns as King Nereus, and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II will also be back as Black Manta.
Meanwhile, other cast members, including Nicole Kidman as Atlanna, Vincent Regan as Atlan, and Jani Zhao as Stingray will also be back.
Movie Sequels That Might Come out in 2023
Attack the Block 2
One of the best indie sci-fi action movies of the 2010s is finally getting a sequel, with Boyega and writer-director Joe Cornish returning.
Written and directed by Joe Cornish, the first Attack the Block centers on a teenage street gang led by John Boyega as Moses. When predatory alien invaders land on their council estate in South London, the gang is forced to defend their turf against these savage alien creatures. Together, they must step up and fight to succeed in their mission and stop the creatures from wiping out humanity.
Alongside Boyega, the cast for the original Attack the Block included Jodie Whittaker, Alex Esmail, Franz Drameh, Leeon Jones, Simon Houward, Nick Frost, and Luke Treadaway.
While there’s no official release date yet, it will likely be released in 2023.
The Old Guard 2
The Old Guard 2 has no official release date yet, however multiple sources say it could arrive on Netflix in early 2023.
Theron confirmed on Instagram that filming had begun on the sequel in June 2022.
The first film follows Andromache of Scythia, A.K.A. Andy (Charlize Theron), an immortal warrior who leads a squad of undying soldiers on missions around the world for the good of humanity. They go up against pharma-bro Steven Merrick (Harry Melling), who wants to see if their bodies can be harvested for properties he can sell to the rest of the world. Luckily, the team has a little help from rookie immortal, Nile Freeman (KiKi Layne), a U.S. soldier in Afghanistan who discovers her new-found life when one of her missions goes wrong.
Beyond Theron, The Old Guard 2 sports an all-star cast of returning actors including Kiki Layne, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Veronica Ngo, Matthias Schoenaerts, and Marwan Kenzari. The sequel is confirmed to feature Uma Thurman and Henry Golding in roles. ( via CBR)
Extraction 2
The first Extraction movie came out on Netflix in 2020, becoming the most-watched original film on the service and a sequel was greenlit.
While there’s no official release date yet, Collider reports that it will be released in 2023.
Based on the graphic novel Ciudad by Ande Parks, Extraction saw Hemsworth play Tyler Rake, a former Australian special forces operator turned mercenary that is tasked with saving the son of a crime lord who is kidnapped. But during the mission, Tyler is double-crossed by a Lieutenant colonel who wants to take the credit for Ovi’s rescue, which considerably complicates the assignment.
Along with Hemsworth, the cast of the first film included the likes of Rudhraksh Jaiswal, Randeep Hooda, Golshifteh Farahani, Pankaj Tripathi, and David Harbour, though as of now we only know that Hemsworth is returning for the follow-up film.
The Accountant 2
Released in 2016, The Accountant follows Affleck as Christian Wolff, a forensic accountant who has autism, as he uncovers a series of shady financial dealings at the company Living Robotics.
The first film boasted an impressive cast, including Anna Kendrick, John Lithgow, Jon Bernthal, and JK Simmons,.
The movie brought in over $150 million worldwide on a $40 million budget. While there’s no official release date yet, reports suggest it’s likely to be released in 2023.
Miracle Edee 