Avengers: Doomsday
Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth
Directors: Anthony and Joe Russo
In cinemas: Dec. 16
Robert Downey Jr. returns to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but this time around he’s the villain — Doctor Doom — in this latest entry in MCU Phase Six (the increasingly convoluted multiverse phase). As the multiverse is collapsing, heroes from three different universes team up to face Doom’s “existential threat.” Those heroes include the Fantastic Four, the X-Men, the Avengers, the Wakandans, and the New Avengers (previously known as Thunderbolts). Expect plenty of action and big box-office numbers.
The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping
Starring: Joseph Zada, Mckenna Grace, Ben Wang
Director: Francis Lawrence
In cinemas: Nov. 19
The sixth film in the popular franchise based on Suzanne Collins’ dystopian sci-fi novels is set 24 years before the first — 2012’s “The Hunger Games” — and introduces us to 16-year-old Haymitch Abernathy (mentor to Katniss Everdeen in the first four movies), who is selected to participate in the 50th Hunger Games — the annual televised fight to the death between “tributes” from all the districts of Panem, as commanded by the elite in the Capitol. The events of the film go some way towards explaining why, in the future, Haymitch is such a mess.
Traveler’s Hell
Starring: Adwa Bader, Aziz Gharbawi, Basil Al-Sole
Director: Hana Al-Omair
In cinemas: Nov. 19
Psychological horror thriller based on Saudi author Osamah Almuslim’s bestselling novel “Jahim Al-Abirin” — one of several adaptations of Almuslim’s work lined up by MBC Studios. A young woman picks up a stranded motorist on “a desolate mountain road known as the hunting ground for a notorious serial killer,” according to the synopsis. “What begins as a simple act of kindness soon spirals into a nightmare, as their journey becomes a terrifying fight for survival, with dark secrets and danger lurking at every turn.”
Hexed
Voice cast: Hailee Steinfeld, Rashida Jones, Jodie Foster
Directors: Fawn Veerasunthorn, Jason Hand
In cinemas: Nov. 26
The latest Disney animation is a supernatural fantasy about an “impulsive, unconventional” teenager named Billie Doe. Strange things happen around Billie — strange enough to get her expelled from high school — which turn out to be down to her magical abilities; abilities that mean she’s invited to Hexe, the realm of witches. As Billie learns to work with her powers, she and her mother Alice also find out more about their family’s connection to witchcraft.
Paper Tiger
Starring: Adam Driver, Scarlett Johansson, Miles Teller
Director: James Gray
In cinemas: Nov. 26
Gray’s crime drama is set in 1980s New York and follows two brothers — Gary, a former police officer, and Irwin, an engineer — who are offered a potentially life-changingly lucrative business opportunity. The catch? It involves the Russian mafia. And when things start to go wrong and their family is threatened, their fraternal bond is put to the sternest of tests. Early reviews suggest its three stars give career-best performances.
Dune: Part Three
Starring: Timothee Chalomet, Zendaya, Jason Momoa
Director: Denis Villeneuve
In cinemas: Dec. 17
The concluding part of Villeneuve’s sci-fi epic — based on Frank Herbert’s novels — takes place nearly 20 years after the events of part two. Paul Atreides is now a despotic emperor and must face the consequences of his reign and ascent to power. “Haunted by visions of Imperial collapse and the reappearance of his long-lost love (Chani), Paul is drawn into a sweeping conspiracy with Chani at its heart,” the synopsis reads. “As rebellion brews and enemies close in, Paul must confront the true cost of power and the fate of those he loves the most.”
Jumanji: Open World
Starring: Dwayne Johnson, Jack Black, Kevin Hart
Director: Jake Kasdan
In cinemas: Dec. 24
The fifth and final movie in the action-adventure franchise about the titular enchanted game finds Bravestone, Shelly, Mouse, and Ruby out of their console and wandering around the real world. To make matters worse, the game’s jungle elements have come along with them, and our heroes are stuck in demo mode. So Spencer, Fridge, Bethany and Martha must take the lead in attempting to return things to normal.