Every 2017 Comic Book Movie Ranking By Hype

Source: Marvel/DC

It's becoming all too easy for casually lazy film pundits and disgruntled actors or directors whose indie films get smushed at the box office to talk about comic book movie saturation. Based on their stunning predictions, the bubble will have popped several years ago, the MCU wouldn't have got off the ground and we'd have all gone back to just watching endless Saw and Transformers movies all summer.

Somehow, though, there are nine comic book movies coming out next year. Nine. That's more than eighteen hours of spandex-clad cinema. Great predictions, guys.

Now, that's not to say that all of them will actually be any good - this year's inconsistent bunch of genre additions would suggest that some will probably suck, in fact - but there won't be a lack of interest. We're actually at the peak of the interest curve, and that can only be good for comic book fans.

At one point we could have had both a Bloodshot movie and Gambit in the next twelve months too, but one of those hasn't yet got off the ground and the other one seems to be conspiring to drive itself back under it. Poor Channing Tatum.

Anyway, here's how the actually confirmed 9 comic book movies coming out in 2017 rank in order of anticipation.

9. Ghost In The Shell

Release: March 31st

Based on the seminal Manga (so yes, it does count), Ghost In The Shell will come to the big screen in 2017 facing an almighty weight of expectation and a massive slice of controversy thanks to its casting decisions. DreamWorks have defended the perceived white-washing, but it's going to be a tough one to recover from.

The Selling Point:

The original story is excellent of course, and while Scarlett Johansson isn't the right color for a lot of people, she's a gifted actor and she's already played a similarly intriguing character in Under The Skin. One way or another, it's going to fall on her to make this a success.

The Concerns:

The white-washing controversy isn't going to go away, even if the film ends up being amazing. And then of course there's the fact that the animation (released in 1995) is almost universally adored (and actually has a more organic relationship with the Manga): it's going to take a lot to convince a lot of original fans that making it live action isn't doing a disservice to Anime in general.

8. Kingsman: The Golden Circle

Release: 16th June

Having made a relatively huge $414m at the box office, Kingsman: The Secret Service made it impossible for Matthew Vaughn and Mark Millar not to make their promised sequel. Even with Colin Firth's character apparently killed off. The band of unlikely secret agents will this time head to America to meet their Yankee counterparts.

The Selling Point:

The original was as great and as unique as Kick-Ass was when it came out, and while Firth might be listed as deceased, there's a big hint he's coming back in some capacity, which is no bad thing. And Taron Egerton is very good.

It's also quietly amassed a great cast, with Jeff Bridges, Julianne Moore, Halle Berry, Channing Tatum and Pedro Pascal all coming in. That is a hell of a roster of talent.

The Concerns:

The only other Mark Millar sequel sunk precisely because they dialed up the silliness and the outrageous content too high, which must be tempting with Kingsman too. Hopefully the fact that Matthew Vaughn stuck around for the sequel might curtail that somewhat.

Oh aye, and Vinnie bloody Jones is in it.

7. Wolverine 3

Release: 3rd March

Though Wolverine's stand-alone movies have been less great than the X-Men movies, on the whole, more Hugh Jackman as Logan is a reason to be excited on its own. Apparently, this third solo outing will see him square off with Mr. Sinister (who stole some of his DNA at the end of Apocalypse), with a future dystopia hinted at and a team-up with Sir Patrick Stewart's Professor X.

The Selling Point:

Stewart's return (presumably for the last time) is a great plus, and the fact that Jackman is on his way out also leaves the tantalizing prospect of a grand final hurrah. Plus, if the hints of this being an Old Man Logan adaptation (even a soft one), we can all start getting very excited.

The Concerns:

Well, it can't be a real Old Man Logan adaptation, because there's no way they could bring in the Hulk, so we're probably looking at a diluted (or mangled adaptation). And no matter how brilliant the casting or the character, so far Origins and The Wolverine have been a little... dull.

6. Wonder Woman

Release: 2nd June

With the weight of diversity on her shoulders, Wonder Woman gets her first solo outing in the DCEU, basically becoming DC's Captain America with a period set a story of her origin as a savior of Man. Hopefully, this will be the first great DC Universe movie. You know, like Suicide Squad and Batman v Superman were supposed to be.

The Selling Point:

Wonder Woman has deserved a film for as long as she's been on the page - even with some studios questioning the real appeal of female lead superheroes - and what we've seen of Patty Jenkins' adaptation does look good. Gal Gadot has also already earned herself lots of goodwill by not sucking in Batman v Superman.

And though DC fanboys will fall over in rage at the comparison, the approach of basically doing the same as Captain America did in the MCU is a great move. He skipped to the present too quickly, and there's more than enough scope for a war-setting superhero movie or two.

The Concerns:

There was a former disgruntled WB employee who said Wonder Woman was terrible, but let's just put that down to the disgruntlement and the bitterness, rather than any actual facts.

More concerning is the overall approach to the DCEU: if this isn't completely different it's doomed to relive the same problems as its forebears.

5. The Lego Batman Movie

Release: 10th February

Having seen the LEGO movie basically win the Internet when it came out, Warner Bros have followed up by giving that film's stand-out supporting character (Will Arnett's brilliantly irreverent Batman) his own gig. Arnett's back, and beautifully we'll now get to see lots more of his supporting cast in LEGO form, which is worth the cover price alone.

The Selling Point:

The LEGO Movie basically makes this an essential watch, even without Chris Pratt involved to guarantee it makes money. If they go for the same blend of humor and self-parody (something painfully absent from DC's comic book features), it's bound to be a lot of fun.

This could be the movie that rules February 2017, even with the dreaded Graveyard Slot label hanging over it.

The Concerns:

Please, please don't suffer from Minions Syndrome (the elevation of great supporting characters who work sparsely to main eventers who are almost unfeasibly intolerable).

4. Thor: Ragnarok

Release: 3rd November

After The Dark World proved to be a bit of a low point for the MCU, Marvel has gone out and hired excellent comedic director Taika Waititi, brought in Mark Ruffalo and elements of Planet Hulk and sent Thor and the big green guy on an interstellar buddy road movie. It sounds like a pretty big swerve from the other two movies, but that might not be a bad thing.

The Selling Point:

There's a lot. First, the co-adaptation of both the Ragnarok (basically Asgardian civil war) story and some of Planet Hulk is the genius and exactly the right amount of fan-baiting. Then there's the cast: Cate Blanchett as Hela, Jeff Goldblum as the Taskmaster, Tessa Thomspon as Valkyrie and Karl Urban as Skurge... It's all great.

We're also promised major stakes, death, and the final escalation before Thanos gets his hands on the Infinity Stones. But with a comedic edge. It's a genuine wildcard.

The Concerns:

Well, the second one was terrible (despite a great final act), and the promised lack of any Earth sequences, and there's a bit of a disparity between the gravity of the source and the levity of the director's previous work. But then The Russos made You, Me And Dupree, so...

3. Justice League

Release: 17th November

With reaction to their so-far released films best charitably described as "mixed", DC have overhauled the creative hierarchy behind Justice League, though Zack Snyder remains as the director. This time out he's charged (allegedly) with lightening the tone (hence the comedic scene we've already seen with The Flash), and he's got a world of expectations on his shoulders.

The Selling Point:

Batman was mostly great in Batman v Superman, so more Affleck can't be a bad thing (even if his new suit is a little... problematic), and the idea of Superman coming back from the dead is a nice spin. Justice League is billed as DC's The Avengers, and while they won't welcome direct comparison, having more elements and more diversity could serve the DCEU well.

Stunningly, the way they're going with Aquaman makes him one of the most exciting new elements too. The addition of Deathstroke should also mix things up nicely.

The Concerns:

Zack Snyder. If he can't reign it in, we're in for another tough ride. And nobody wants to see another endlessly bleak DC movie (even the fanboys who claim they like their movies more "adult").

2. Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 2

Release: 5th May

After scoring the MCU's most unlikely hit, James Gunn is back with his rag-tag bunch of A-holes to uncover the mystery of Peter Quill's patronage (and no doubt to also save the galaxy). The team will swell this time with the addition of Mantis, and the face-turns of both Yondu and Nebula.

The Selling Point:

Gunn is great, the first film was great and the cast has actually got even better. Joining the originals will be Kurt Russell, Sylvester Stallone, Elizabeth Debicki and Pom Klementieff, with characters as iconic as Her, Ego the Living Planet, Mantis and Taser Face set to debut. It's a lot of balls to keep in the air, but if Gunn can manage it with the same spirit as his first movie, it's going to be brilliant.

All signs point towards Baby Groot being THE film character of 2017, which shouldn't be all that surprising given his impact in the first movie.

The Concerns:

There's a lot to be concerned with for Gunn and finding balance will be his toughest issue. And then there's the fact that the film will include a literal planet sized character, which obviously poses its own problems.

Also, he might be great but if this becomes The Groot Show, it will be a shame for the other characters.

1. Spider-Man: Homecoming

Release: 7th July

Spider-Man comes home to the MCU (with Sony in tow), for a non-origin movie that sends him back to high-school, likely includes iconic villains Vulture, Shocker and the Tinkerer and continues Peter Parker's love-in with Tony Stark.

The Selling Point:

Tom Holland's brief role in Civil War was exceptionally well received, and he seems to have immediately found the right groove of sass and awkwardness fighting for the presidency. The idea of him turning to Tony Stark as a mentor is always great (since there's a lot of Peter Parker grown up in Stark's swagger), and of course, in Michael Keaton, they've pulled off a hell of a coup for the main villain.

Around them there's a fantastic supporting cast, and more than anything you just know that Marvel is going to go all out to make Spider-Man's return the big deal it deserves to be.

The Concerns:

Spider-Man hasn't worked for 3 solo movies in a row: hopefully, that doesn't mean the character is actually broken. It's a slim worry, however, as it's more likely that cynics will question how the film can possibly find balance in all of its elements. You know, just like every Marvel movie is accused of.

Which 2017 comic book movie are you most excited to see?