Considering the crush of must-see movies that fill theaters every December, it can be hard to think past the awards season to the movies Hollywood will produce in the months that follow—but movies there will be, and we’re already jazzed for plenty of them. There’s history, action, toys coming to life, TV shows and hit novels on the big screen, and that’s just to start with.
(MORE: The 10 best movies of 2013)
And yes, we know this is only a small sampling of the exciting films coming out in the next 12 months, that our list doesn’t include intriguing offerings from video-game adaptations (Need for Speed) to high-profile period mysteries (Carol). Tell us in the comments which of your 2014 favorites-to-be we forgot.
In the mean time, here are 20 of the movies we’re already excited for in the coming year, with trailers where they exist:
The Monuments Men
Due in theaters: Feb. 7
After a false alarm about this movie coming out in 2013, the Ocean’s Eleven-meets-WWII action pic will finally make it to theaters. George Clooney, Matt Damon, John Goodman, Bill Murray, Downton Abbey‘s Hugh Bonneville, The Artist‘s Jean Dujardin, Bob Balaban and Cate Blanchett are on a mission to rescue great works of art before Nazis can destroy them.
The Lego Movie
Due in theaters: Feb. 7
As you may have guessed, the characters in this movie are LEGO figures. Chris Pratt (Parks and Recreation) voices an ordinary LEGO dude who has to help save the LEGO world.
The Grand Budapest Hotel
Due in theaters: March 7
Ralph Fiennes stars as the concierge at the titular hotel, alongside a stable of filmmaker Wes Anderson’s favorites, like Edward Norton, Owen Wilson, Bill Murray, Adrian Brody, Tilda Swinton and Bob Balaban.
Veronica Mars
Due in theaters: March 14
Fans hoped and prayed—and donated to a paradigm-shifting Kickstarter campaign—and now their favorite girl-sleuth TV show is finally making its way to the big screen, courtesy of creator Rob Thomas and star Kristen Bell.
Divergent
Due in theaters: March 21
Is this the next Hunger Games? Fans of the hit YA series certainly hope so. Shailene Woodley stars as Beatrice Prior, a teenager in a totalitarian future in which society is sorted into groups by personality type. When she discovers that she doesn’t fit neatly into just one of the groups—that she’s divergent—her life is on the line.
Muppets Most Wanted
Due in theaters: March 21
What happens when a famous thief looks just like Kermit the Frog? Whatever the eventual answer is, it’s not so great for Kermit in the mean time. A cast of a gazillion famous human beings star alongside the Muppets, including Tina Fey, Tom Hiddleston, Christoph Waltz, Lady Gaga, Ty Burrell and Céline Dion.
Noah
Due in theaters: March 28
Yes, it’s that Noah, the one with the flood and the ark and the two-by-two. This time, however, as imagined by Darren Aronofsky with Russell Crowe in the title role, Noah has an environmental message for modern-day viewers. Emma Watson and Jennifer Connelly co-star.
Captain America: The Winter Soldier
Due in theaters: April 4
This sequel kicks off superhero season with Chris Evans returning as Captain America. Somehow, even though he’s living in today’s world, the enemy harks back to the Cold War.
Amazing Spider-Man 2
Due in theaters: May 2
Next up on the superhero slate: Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone return as Spidey and Gwen Stacey, trying to get to the bottom of what Oscorp is up to.
X-Men: Days of Future Past
Due in theaters: May 23
The cast that played the old and young X-Men team up in this time-bending installment. That means Magneto is Ian McKellen and Michael Fassbender, and that Charles Xavier is Patrick Stewart and James McAvoy. Consider our minds already blown.
Maleficent
Due in theaters: May 30
Angelina Jolie stars as the classic Sleeping Beauty villain, the nasty fairy who curses Princess Aurora (Elle Fanning) to the fate that sets the tale in motion.
The Fault in Our Stars
Due in theaters: June 6
Shailene Woodley’s second entry in the YA-adaptation game, but this time without the futuristic element. She stars opposite Ansel Elgort as two teens who fall for each other at a cancer support group.
22 Jump Street
Due in theaters: June 13
Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill reprise their roles in the sequel to the surprise hit 21 Jump Street. This time, rather than sending them undercover at a high school, their investigations take them to a local college.
Guardians of the Galaxy
Due in theaters: Aug. 1
Another addition to the Marvel movie empire, this time focusing on a lost-in-space pilot who bands together with aliens to be, well, the guardians of the galaxy.
The Giver
Due in theaters: Aug. 15
Based on Lois Lowry’s beloved children’s book about a world without pain and the boy who thinks twice about what that means. Starring Katie Holmes, Taylor Swift, Alexander Skarsgard, Meryl Streep, Jeff Bridges and, as protagonist Jonas, the Australian actor Brenton Thwaites.
Gone Girl
Due in theaters: Oct. 3
Get your book club together for the Ben Affleck-starring adaptation of the hit novel about a woman’s disappearance.
Interstellar
Due in theaters: Nov. 7
Christopher Nolan, the filmmaker behind Inception, goes to outer space. The impressive creds aren’t just behind the camera: the movie stars Matthew McConaughey, Jessica Chastain, Anne Hathaway, Wes Bentley, Casey Affleck and Michael Caine, among others.
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part 1
Due in theaters: Nov. 21
Do we really need to explain why this is exciting?
The Hobbit: There and Back Again
Due in theaters: Dec. 17
…Or why this is exciting?
Annie
Due in theaters: Dec. 19
Quvenzhané Wallis stars as Annie in her first lead role since she stole the show in Beasts of the Southern Wild. Jamie Foxx takes on the Daddy Warbucks role, renamed Benjamin Stacks, and Cameron Diaz plays dastardly orphanage-mistress Miss Hannigan.
