There have been plenty of amazing years for moviegoers. 1982 was epic with E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, The Thing, and Blade Runner all coming out. 1994 stands out for Pulp Fiction, Forrest Gump, The Shawshank Redemption, and The Lion King arriving.
More recently, 2010 delivered modern classics like Inception, The Social Network, How To Train Your Dragon, and Toy Story 3. After 2019 delivered an all-time box office lineup featuring a record nine movies that made over $1 billion, the industry hasn’t been the same.
In the years since, Hollywood has been doing everything it can to recover from the impact of the pandemic and various strikes. That’s meant an even greater reliance on IP at times, with studios hoping that giving audiences known properties will bring the box office back to pre-pandemic levels at last.
There have been big hits in the 2020s, such as Avatar: The Way of Water, Spider-Man: No Way Home, Inside Out 2, Barbie, Top Gun: Maverick, and The Super Mario Bros. Movie. But, nothing comes close to the lineup of 2027 blockbusters currently scheduled to dominate the box office. If they all hit their release dates, 2027 could be the biggest year ever for movies.
Ice Age: Boiling Point
- Release Date: February 5, 2027
20th Century Animation is reviving one of the biggest animated franchises ever in 2027. The main saga of Ice Age movies has been dormant since 2016, but the previous five movies collectively earned over $3.2 billion at the box office. After a straight-to-streaming spinoff in 2022, Ice Age: Boiling Point will bring the main cast back.
The movie was originally set for a late 2026 release, so audiences will only have to wait an additional few months to see Manny, Sid, Diego, and others back on the big screen. Boiling Point gets the honor of being the first true blockbuster to arrive in 2027 and has an early pathway to success with families and kids.
Sonic The Hedgehog 4
- Release Date: March 19, 2027
Everyone’s favorite blue hedgehog returns in 2027 when Paramount puts Sonic the Hedgehog 4 in theaters. The video game movie franchise can now boast a cumulative $1 billion box office after the third film’s release, and the fourth movie is poised to do even better.
Ben Schwartz will be back as Sonic, and the excitement to see him team up with Amy Rose and battle Metal Sonic is palpable. With the franchise’s individual entries ascending higher at the box office with each installment, Sonic 4 could be the biggest of them all, especially after making audiences wait a bit longer than usual.
Godzilla x Kong: Supernova
- Release Date: March 26, 2027
The Monsterverse returns in 2027 with what could be its biggest movie to date. Godzilla x Kong: Supernova is the third time Godzilla and Kong will unite in the franchise, and the results have so far been rather tremendous. Their first clash in 2021 made $470 million worldwide, and the sequel rose to $572 million three years later.
With a March 26 release date, Godzilla x Kong: Supernova will be one of the first big blockbusters to arrive in 2027. Seeing the Monsterverse franchise’s two biggest Titans fight and team up on the big screen is always a treat. That should be no different in two years.
The Legend Of Zelda
- Release Date: May 7, 2027
Nintendo kicked off its movie push in 2023 with the animated Mario movie, and while a sequel is coming next year, 2027 is when the much-requested live-action The Legend of Zelda comes. Sony originally had the movie dated to square off with Godzilla x Kong: Supernova before moving it to May 7.
Given the overall affection for Link and Zelda in the video game space, there’s no reason to think that The Legend of Zelda will be anything other than a mega hit. Newcomers front the cast in the lead roles, but more star power should come for Wes Ball’s adaptation, not that it needs it to be a success.
Star Wars: Starfighter
- Release Date: May 28, 2027
It’s already been six years since Lucasfilm put a Star Wars movie in theaters, and while that drought ends next year, 2027 brings another exciting project: Star Wars: Starfighter. The cast and crew is loaded with talent, with Shawn Levy directing, Ryan Gosling starring, and Matt Smith, Aaron Pierre, Amy Adams, and Mia Goth supporting.
Even though Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker was a divisive conclusion to the Skywalker Saga, Starfighter represents a mostly fresh path forward for the iconic franchise. There’s every expectation that the movie will do huge business and be one of the biggest hits of 2027 with its premium summer release.
How To Train Your Dragon 2
- Release Date: June 11, 2027
DreamWorks is wasting no time in bringing another live-action remake of How To Train Your Dragon to audiences. The second film was announced before the 2025 remake debuted and became the franchise’s biggest box office hit, earning $630 million worldwide.
Expectations will be higher for the sequel, as the animated movie was previously the franchise’s strongest performer. Now that audiences have accepted the live-action take, seeing the continued adventures of Hiccup, Toothless, and Astrid should deliver massive ticket sales thanks to How To Train Your Dragon 2‘s grander scope.
Spider-Man: Beyond The Spider-Verse
- Release Date: June 25, 2027
Miles Morales’ visually striking animated trilogy finally returns in 2027. After originally having plans for it to come out in 2024, Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse is now coming four years after Across the Spider-Verse‘s cliffhanger ending left everyone hungry for more.
The added wait should not decrease excitement here. And after multiple changes behind the scenes already, this release should stick. This will give Beyond the Spider-Verse a strong chance to deliver another major hit for Sony, following the success of the second film, which amassed $690 million worldwide —a significant increase from Into the Spider-Verse‘s $393 million.
Shrek 5
- Release Date: June 30, 2027
Shrek is finally coming back to the big screen after a 17-year hiatus when DreamWorks puts Shrek 5 in theaters. The movie brings back Mike Myers, Cameron Diaz, and Eddie Murphy as the voices of Shrek, Fiona, and Donkey, while Zendaya has joined the voice cast as Shrek and Fiona’s daughter.
Even with the controversial animation changes showcased for Shrek 5, the movie’s release will still be a huge event. There is a massive amount of nostalgia tied to this franchise, which has made over $4 billion at the box office, including the two Puss in Boots spinoffs. The release coinciding with the extended July 4th weekend, a record performance could come.
Man Of Tomorrow
- Release Date: July 9, 2027
Less than two months after Superman‘s release, DC Studios and James Gunn have already confirmed plans for the follow-up, announcing Man of Tomorrow. The movie is a sequel of sorts to Superman with David Corenswet’s Superman and Nicholas Hoult’s Lex Luthor returning.
Even without much information on the plot and cast, Man of Tomorrow jumps into a crowded 2027 with expectations to do even better than Superman‘s $612 million. Following the positive reception to the DC Universe so far, more goodwill with upcoming projects and the general interest in seeing Superman and Lex’s story evolve should make that possible.
A Quiet Place Part III
- Release Date: July 9, 2027
It hasn’t been that long since we visited the world of John Krasinski’s horror franchise, thanks to last year’s prequel, A Quiet Place: Day One, but the core story with the Abbott family has been silent for five years. This will end after seven years with A Quiet Place Part III‘s release, as Krasinski returns to direct the next installment.
While the franchise has had declining results at the box office, its still a $900 million series that should garner plenty of interest upon its return. Emily Blunt and Cillian Murphy should be back to star, as should Millicent Simmonds and Noah Jupe. It could even get a grand finale marketing treatment to boost interest higher.
This story originally appeared on Screenrant
