Movies

Netflix Unveils 2023 Movies, Premiere Dates

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Netflix has announced its entire slate of films for 2023 – 49 titles in total – and it just released a trailer for some of the biggest titles on the list. The streamer released a combined teaser showcasing many of its most anticipated movies in just two minutes. These and all the others now have release dates and some details available.

Netflix has shaken up the movie industry almost as much as it shook up the TV industry, and it is not slowing down now. Some of the biggest movie stars in the world are appearing in Netflix original films this year, working with some of the most acclaimed writers and directors in the world. That means some of the biggest “blockbusters” of 2023 will get limited theatrical runs and will be viewed by most people from the comfort of their homes. Since Netflix typically takes it easy on promotional material, we can assume that this trailer will be one of the only times these movies get teased.

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At the same time, this trailer shows how the talent and franchises Netflix has built from the ground up are starting to mature, giving Netflix some much-needed recognizable intellectual property to compete with other streamers. Notably, Millie Bobby Brown is starring in yet another new movie for the streamer, while one of the biggest titles on this list is Extraction 2 – a rare sequel for Netflix.

It’s clear that Netflix will remain a force to be reckoned with in the film industry in 2023, whether cinephiles like it or not. Here’s a look at the new titles coming this year.

You People

You People stars Eddie Murphy and Jonah Hill in a romance threatened primarily by awkwardness. The two face constant interjections from their parents played by Julia Louis-Dreyfus, David Duchovny, Eddie Murphy and Nia Long. Hill co-wrote the script with director Kenya Barris. This movie premieres on Jan. 27, 2023.

Extraction 2

The trailer shows a few glimpses at the highly-anticipated Extraction 2 starring Chris Hemsworth, Golshifteh Farahani and Adam Bessa. Like the first 2020 movie it is directed by the Russo brothers of Avengers fame, and it is based on a graphic novel by Andre Parks. Netflix previously released the above teaser for this movie alone. It is scheduled for release on June 16, 2023.

Murder Mystery 2

Another big sequel on the list is Murder Mystery 2 starring Adam Sandler and Jennifer Aniston. Both are reprising their roles from the first movie from 2019, and writer James Vanderbilt is returning as well. The first movie was loosely based on Agatha Christine’s classic novel Death on the Nile, while this sequel will be loosely based on Murder on the Orient Express. This movie is expected to premiere on March 31.

Rebel Moon

Rebel Moon is co-written and directed by Zack Snyder with an A-list cast and an ambitious premise. It is an epic space opera set in a distant future where humans have colonized much of the galaxy, and those colonies are now going to war. Stars include Sofia Boutella, Charlie Hunnam, Ray Fisher, Djimon Hounsou, Jena Malone, Corey Stoll, Ed Skrein, Cleopatra Coleman, Fra Fee, Cary Elwes and Anthony Hopkins. This movie has one of the most distant premiere dates on the list – Dec. 22, 2023.

Leave the World Behind

Leave the World Behind is a psychological thriller with an ominous synopsis. Netflix’s description of the movie reads: “A family vacation on Long Island is interrupted by two strangers bearing news of a mysterious blackout. As the threat grows more imminent, both families must decide how best to survive the potential crisis, all while grappling with their own place in this collapsing world.” The movie is based on a 2020 novel by Rumaan Alam, and was written and directed by Sam Esmail. It stars Julia Roberts, Mahershala Ali, Ethan Hawke, Myha’la Herrold, Kevin Bacon and Farrah Mackenzie. It premieres on Dec. 8, 2023.

Luther: The Fallen Sun

Luther: The Fallen Sun is actually a sequel to the British television series Luther, which drew a lot of viewers when it was put on Netflix. Idris Elba will reprise his role as John Luther, with co-stars Cynthia Erivo and Andy Serkis. The screenplay is written by original Luther novelist Neil Cross and directed by Jamie Payne. This movie is coming up soon, with a limited theatrical run beginning on Feb. 24, 2023 and then a worldwide Netflix release on March 10.

Pain Hustlers

Pain Hustlers
Pain Hustlers (L-R) Chris Evans as Brenner, Andy Garcia as Neel and Emily Blunt as Liza in Pain Hustlers. Cr. Brian Douglas/Netflix © 2023.

Pain Hustlers stars Emily Blunt as Liza Drake, an unwitting participant in a criminal conspiracy when she takes a job at a sketchy pharmaceutical start-up company in central Florida. The movie is based on the writings of Evan Hughes, who published an article called “The Pain Hustlers” in New York Times Magazine in 2018 and then followed it up with a novel called The Hard Sell in 2022. Other stars include Chris Evans, Andy García, Catherine O’Hara, Jay Duplass, Brian d’Arcy James, and Chloe Coleman. Harry Potter’s David Yates will direct. This movie premieres on Oct. 27, 2023.

Your Place or Mine

Netflix is pushing Your Place or Mine as a “heartwarming, nostalgic rom-com,” so it’s no surprise to see icons of the genre Reese Witherspoon and Ashton Kutcher in the lead. This movie is written and directed by Aline Brosh McKenna and also stars Jesse Williams, Zoë Chao, Wesley Kimmel, Tig Notaro and Steve Zahn. This movie premieres on Feb. 10, 2023.

A Family Affair

Even the brief glimpses we have so far show that A Family Affair will combine a rom-com with an ensemble comedy. It stars Nicole Kidman, Zac Efron, Joey King, Liza Koshy and Kathy Bates. This movie is slated for release on Nov. 17, 2023.

The Mother

Netflix has secured Jennifer Lopez to star in The Mother as a deadly female assassin coming out of hiding to protect her estranged daughter. This action-packed movie comes from writers MishaGreen and Peter Craig, and is directed by Niki Caro. Other stars include Joseph Fiennes, Omari Hardwick, Gael Garcia Bernal, Paul Raci and Lucy Paez. It premieres on May 12, 2023.

Lift

Lift pits an international heist crew against a terrorist organization, all in the confines of a moving airplane. It stars Kevin Hart, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Vincent D’Onofrio, Úrsula Corberó, Billy Magnussen, Jacob Batalon, with Jean Reno, Sam Worthington, Viveik Kalra, Yun Jee Kim, Burn Gorman and Paul Anderson. It premieres on Aug. 25, 2023.

Heart of Stone

One of Netflix’s biggest hit movies ever was Red Notice, so it’s no surprise that the company has picked up Heart of Stone starring Gal Gadot. She plays a CIA agent trying to protect the agency’s most valuable asset – though it’s not clear yet what that is. The movie also stars Jamie Dornan and Alia Bhatt, and was written by Greg Rucka and Allison Schroeder and directed by Tom Harper. It premieres on Aug. 11, 2023.

They Cloned Tyrone

John Boyega, Teyonah Parris and Jamie Foxx star in They Cloned Tyrone – a mystery thriller with a throwback, pulpy aesthetic. It was co-written and directed by Juel Taylor with co-writer Tony Rettenmaier. It premieres on July 21, 2023.

Damsel

Millie Bobby Brown is expanding her repertoire fast – this time diving headlong into the fantasy genre. She stars as “a dutiful damsel” who “agrees to marry a handsome prince, only to find the royal family has recruited her as a sacrifice to repay an ancient debt. Thrown into a cave with a fire-breathing dragon, she must rely on her wits and will to survive.” Other stars include Nick Robinson, Angela Bassett, Robin Wright, Ray Winstone, Brooke Carter, and Shohreh Aghdashloo. This movie is written by Dan Mazeau and directed by Juan Carlos Fresnadillo. It premieres on Oct. 13, 2023.

Leo

Finally, Leo is an animated comedy starring Adam Sandler and Bill Burr as a lizard and a turtle respectively – the two class pets of an elementary school. Unbeknownst to the children, Leo the lizard is 74 years old and quite jaded with his life in a terrarium, and he plans to escape to experience life outside. This movie also stars Cecily Strong, Jason Alexander, Rob Schneider, Sadie Sandler, Sunny Sandler, Jackie Sandler, Heidi Gardner, Nick Swardson, Nicholas Turturro, Robert Smigel, Jo Koy and Stephanie Hsu. It premieres on Nov. 22, 2023.