Top 10 Must-See Trailers of January 2018

In the second trailer for this film by Hunger Games director Francis Lawrence, we get up close and personal with Jennifer Lawrence’s Dominika Egorova. This trailer is both thrilling and chilling, painting a picture of a woman forced into a life of violence and deception against her will, only to find her allegiances tested when she becomes close with a CIA agent, played by Joel Edgerton. Jennifer Lawrence is in her element when playing tough characters, and Egorova looks to be just about as tough as they come. For fans of spy thrillers (or any film with high stakes), “Red Sparrow” certainly looks promising.

Joaquin Phoenix took a little detour back in the day with “I’m Still Here”, but he’s bounced back in a big way. With critically-acclaimed performances in films like “The Master” and “Her”, Phoenix is once again landing one great role after another. In this upcoming film, directed by Gus Van Sant, and adapted from the memoirs of the late John Callahan, Joaquin Phoenix plays the quadriplegic cartoonist at the pivotal point in his life when he decided to quit drinking. With an impressive cast, including Jonah Hill, Rooney Mara and Jack Black, the film looks to be a moving and honest piece of cinema - one that strikes an appealing balance of drama and dark comedy.

With these three funny men reuniting for a big screen outing, “Game Over, Man!” feels a bit like “Workaholics: The Movie” - and we’re totally fine with that. The entire Mail Order Comedy team is onboard and serving as producers, alongside tried and tested producers of over the top comedy, Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg. The premise of this Netflix original film? Three friends rise to the occasion and take it upon themselves to save the day when terrorists take over a hotel. It’s a premise rife with opportunity for outlandish action and ridiculous behavior. Translation: the stars of Workaholics are in their element.

National Geographic has certainly undergone more than its fair share of changes over the years. Though it’s shift into the world of reality tv has drawn a fair amount of criticism, it’s most recent brand transition into scripted historical and scientific series might just turn things around. The first season of this anthology series, starring Geoffrey Rush as Albert Einstein, earned 10 Primetime Emmy nominations and a nod at the Golden Globes. For the show’s second season, Genius is taking us up close and personal with legendary painter Pablo Picasso, as played by Antonio Banderas. Based on this trailer, we’re in for a seriously steamy look at the artist’s life.

In the last couple of years, Netflix has rocked the television industry with its high-budget original content. With “Altered Carbon” the streaming juggernaut sets its sights on high-concept dystopian sci-fi and world-building on a massive scale. Leaning heavily on the Blade Runner aesthetic, this series stars Joel Kinnaman, and is adapted from Richard K. Morgan’s 2002 cyberpunk novel by the same name. In this second trailer, we get a better idea of the show’s premise, while also getting treated to some truly jaw-dropping visuals of the show’s world - the size and detail of which blurs the line between television and film. Teasing intense action and a complex narrative, this trailer sells “Altered Carbon” with flying colors.

A decade after the original film ruined the concept of getting out of the city for a weekend, “The Strangers” returns to terrify us yet again, with the aptly titled sequel, “Prey at Night”. This time around, our unlucky protagonists, a family on a road, are made to regret staying in a trailer park. This first look gives us the film’s basic premise, before making it perfectly clear just how harrowing of a ride cinemagoers are in for. When the masked strangers start terrorizing our heroes, things get terrifying… fast. Of course, the use of the upbeat late ‘80s pop hit “I Think We’re Alone Now” as covered by Tiffany, makes for a perfectly ironic soundtrack.

People have been understandably stoked about this title since it was first announced at E3 2017. From the announcement trailer up until now, every bit of footage we’ve gotten has only served to heighten the anticipation for the release of this next instalment in the Monster Hunter franchise. That near-perfect review courtesy of Famitsu sure doesn’t hurt either. Just when we thought the game couldn’t get any more promising, they went and released this stunning Elder Dragons trailer and wouldn’t you know it… our level of anticipation has officially jumped off the scale. With its awe-inspiring creature design, breathtaking environments, magical tone and thrilling combat, this trailer paints Monster Hunter: World as a must-own title.

Marvel’s smallest hero is returning to the big screen, only this time he’s got someone to watch his back. Based on the trailer, “Ant-Man and the Wasp” looks to deliver the same heatwarming moments, creative action sequences, and oddball sense of humor as it’s predecessor, only this time, times two! Laurence Fishburne joins the already talented cast, and Evangeline Lilly returns as Hope Van Dyne, finally donning the Wasp costume that was teased in the first film. Add Michael Peña returning as fan favorite Luis, and you’ve got a movie that’s shaping up to be crazy stupid fine.

After taking home 8 Primetime Emmys, including Outstanding Drama Series (a first for a streaming service series), and 2 Golden Globes, The Handmaid’s Tale returns to Hulu for a second season. And by the looks of this first trailer, season two will be delivering all the drama, suspense and high stakes we loved in season one - only amplified. Coming in at only a minute in length, this trailer is jam-packed full of foreboding imagery, masterfully stitched together with quick cuts that will leave you holding your breath and your heart racing. The haunting rendition of Buffalo Springfield’s anti-war anthem “For What It’s Worth” serves as the perfect soundtrack to this dystopia resistance.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions:

“God of War” (2018)

Pacific Rim Uprising (2018)

“Mute” (2018)

Considering the jaw dropping visuals that game developers can deliver on modern consoles, we’re treated to more than our fair share of impressive gaming trailers these days. But only Nintendo could get people this excited about cardboard. Proving that the Nintendo Switch is just one step in the company’s neverending mission to change the way we think about gaming, this unexpected (and unexpectedly AWESOME) trailer for Nintendo Labo will tap right into your desire to not only play a game, but be a creator as well. The trailer is whimsical and imaginative, appealing to the kid in all of us who yearns to build things - not just in a 3D space, but in the real world.