2017 was not exactly a banner year for Hollywood. The box office set the wrong kinds of records, scoring the lowest attendance numbers in decades. Franchises both old ("Transformers") and wannabe ("The Mummy," "King Arthur") flopped. "The Emoji Movie" came out. And all that’s not even including the all-too-late cleaning out of sexual predators from the industry.

But even with all that turmoil, when it came to the movies themselves, there were still incredible cinematic experiences to be had in 2017. It may have been a bad year, but the movies were still good – and 2018 looks to keep that going.

Disney has another star-studded plate, including "Incredibles 2," a new Mary Poppins, a "Wreck-It Ralph" sequel and a live-action "Mulan." Clint Eastwood, Steven Spielberg, Wes Anderson and my personal favorite director Alfonso Cuaron all have new projects coming your way. "Tomb Raider" might actually be the first video game movie not to suck, while "Aquaman" might wash the stink off of "Justice League" – or at worst blind you with Jason Momoa’s otherworldly pecs. There’s going to be a new "Jurassic World," a new "Mission: Impossible," a hopefully final "Fifty Shades" entry, a new "Fantastic Beasts" and … a "Mamma Mia" prequel? Sure. And, of course, a new Star Wars – because Disney will make new Star Wars movies until audiences drown to death under them.

And those are all the movies that DIDN’T make my list of movies to look forward to in 2018.

So here’s the rest of everything you should start getting excited about coming to theaters this year. 

1. "Black Panther"

There’s a movie starring Iron Man, Captain America, the Guardians of the Galaxy, Thor and more coming out this summer … and yet all of those icons are playing second fiddle to Marvel’s "Black Panther." And deservedly so.

As we’ve learned more and more through this comic book boom, gigantic team-up movies tend to be big, clunky works of machinery while solo adventures are typically lighter, leaner and just overall more freely entertaining and interesting with fewer gears to churn. The cast here is impeccable, from Chadwick Boseman as our legendary lead to Oscar winner Lupita N’yongo to Michael B. Jordan and Andy Serkis playing our seething villains. Meanwhile, behind the camera is Ryan Coogler, who blended invigorating camerawork and a unique, authentic black perspective into a seemingly exhausted franchise to create a total triumph with "Creed."

Add in the history being set – it's the first solo black superhero film in this comic book golden age – and "Black Panther" is probably going to be huge. Better yet, considering the talent involved, it’ll probably be really good too.

2. "Annihilation"

Writer-director Alex Garland’s brand of coolly smart, chilly thrills previously explored the sci-fi worlds of space ("Sunshine") and artificial intelligence ("Ex Machina"). "Annihilation," however, appears to go into alien territory (maybe literally?) with The Shimmer, an eerie giant sentient wall made of melted Lisa Frank binders hiding profoundly creepy, un-Lisa-Frank-like things behind it.

Things don’t look like they’ll go great for our crew of biological explorers. Considering the crew is made up of Natalie Portman, Jennifer Jason Leigh, "Thor: Ragnarok" scene-stealer Tessa Thompson and Gina Rodriguez (with Poe Dameron himself Oscar Isaac sitting safely in a coma), things look great for viewers hungry for some more intelligent and exciting sci-fi.

And in other bad news that’s actual good news, Paramount recently sold the international rights to "Annihilation" to Netflix, with producers concerned that it's "too intellectual" and "too complicated" for audiences. When studios are concerned about a movie being too interesting for viewers – especially the distributors of the "Transformers" franchise – you should get excited.

3. "Untitled 2018 Cloverfield Movie"

I have a hard time putting movies without any trailers or clips on these preview lists. How excited can you get without any actual footage to go on? So consider how excited I have to be to add this entry to my list considering it doesn’t even have a freaking name yet, much less any trailers, clips, press photos or posters.

Merely the brief plot synopsis story, however, is enough to get geared up for this new "Cloverfield"-branded thriller: A group of astronauts are abandoned and isolated in space after a particle accelerator experiment makes the entire Earth disappear. Oops. But also awesome – and made even better with the cast, including David Oyelowo ("Selma"), Elizabeth Debicki ("The Great Gatsby"), Gugu Mbatha-Raw ("Beauty and the Beast"), Daniel Bruhl ("Captain America: Civil War") and Chris O’Dowd ("Bridesmaids").

In this world of trailers for trailers and constant production updates, it’s exciting to know so little about a fairly big movie coming up. It’s even more exciting when what little we know sounds like a nifty pocket "Twilight Zone" concept thriller (aka my wheelhouse). More of this please. More of less.

4. "The Death of Stalin"

Wait a second: Weren’t you on this list last year, "The Death of Stalin"? Poor form … but I’ll allow it.

After all, a razor sharp dark political satire about the backstabbing chaos in the Kremlin after the notorious Soviet dictator’s death hasn’t gotten any less relevant since last January. But forget timeliness, because no matter the headlines, it’s always the right time for a new comedy from the profoundly profane pen of "Veep" creator and "In the Loop" writer-director Armando Iannucci. But the best time would be as soon as possible, please, with no more delays.

5. "You Were Never Really Here"

Fans of "Drive" should start revving their engines for Lynne Ramsay’s "You Were Never Really Here," a grim-looking, Cannes-raved thriller starring Joaquin Phoenix as a brutal enforcer whose job returning a politician’s kidnapped daughter goes awry (because these jobs always go awry in movies). Cue ominous strumming from Jonny Greenwood’s already intense-sounding score and Phoenix doing his best MC Hammer impression.

If that’s not enough Phoenix murder mayhem for you in 2018, however, there’s also "The Sisters Brothers," which may sound like a comedy but is instead about an 1850s gold digger on the run from two assassins, which doesn’t seem like a laughing matter. Then again, Dr. Steve Bruhl himself John C. Reilly stars as one of the brotherly Sisters and Jake Gyllenhaal’s prospector is named Hermann Kermit Warm ... so maybe it is?

Either way, I’m looking forward to being terrified of Joaquin Phoenix in the coming year.

6. "Avengers: Infinity War"

This is what Marvel’s been building toward – and though the era of the bombastic mega-hero team-up feels like it’s died off a bit, "Avengers: Infinity War" will certainly give it one big final kick in the bank account. I’m mostly not concerned. Marvel’s mastered the art of just venturing enough outside its comfort zone to make all of its movies feel fresh and exciting, and directors Anthony and Joe Russo showed in "Civil War" that they can make these colossal superhero smashups live up to your childhood action figure sandbox battles.

There is, however, one big looming question mark that’s been lingering over these movies since the first "Avengers": Thanos. For the ultimate bad guy in Hollywood’s ultimate franchise, he’s been overall a non-factor – and our first look of him in the trailer doesn’t inspire much fear either. He looks like a frostbitten Stone Cold Steve Austin who accidentally ran his chin over a pasta cutter. If "Infinity War" can make him into a true monolithic threat, it could live up to the years of hype. And if it doesn’t … well, let's be real, it’ll still probably live up to the hype.

7. "The Strangers: Prey at Night"

When Bryan Bertino’s "The Strangers" hit in 2008, it was a breathe of fresh air in a horror world filled with loud remakes and tired torture porn. The creepily quiet home invasion thriller was a solid surprise hit too, nabbing $52 million domestic on a less than $10 million budget, so I and many other fans patiently waited for the assumed sequel.

And waited. And waited. And then stopped waiting and moved on with our lives.

A decade later, however, we’re finally getting the sequel we wanted, "The Strangers: Prey at Night," finding a new family (including Christina Hendricks from "Mad Men" and Martin Henderson of "Grey’s Anatomy") for our trio of silently menacing masked murderers to chase around. After ten years, though, can this sequel stand out like its predecessor during a historically high tide for horror movies? And while we’re on that topic …

8. "Suspiria"

2017 may have been a nightmare financially for the film industry, but times have maybe never been more dreamy for the horror genre. As of current writing, Pennywise the Dancing Clown made $100 million more in the U.S. than the combined forces of Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman, while "Get Out" is not only looking at multiple Oscar nominations but potentially a chance to win a few trophies too.

Horror’s always been a hot place for Hollywood to make easy money, with its generally low costs and locked-in young audience, but the iron’s arguably never been hotter for big-name horror. And accordingly, 2018 is loaded with options hoping to scare you out of your seat – and out of $10 at the box office.

The year will start with an "Insidious" sequel this weekend, but there’s also another "Purge" entry and a new "Conjuring" spin-off in "The Nun." Chance the Rapper, Jim from "The Office" and Oscar-winner Helen Mirren will all take a stab at scares with "Slice," "A Quiet Place" and "Winchester," respectively. Sony clearly thinks it has a "The Ring"-level franchise starter of its own with "Slender Man," while even superheroes want in on the action with the eerie X-Men tangent, "The New Mutants." And that’s all before David Gordon Green and Danny McBride (yes, THAT Danny McBride) bring "Halloween" back to the big screen – with Jamie Lee Curtis in tow.

And yet, it’s a different remake of a horror staple that’s catching my eye: "Suspiria." Dario Argento’s iconic horror classic is a creepy, colorful and bizarre one-of-a-kind creation that would seemingly be impossible to duplicate – but if anybody could, it’d be Luda Guadagnino, possibly coming off a Best Director nomination for "Call Me By Your Name." But in general, 2018 will be a great year to be scared – and not just due to skimming today’s politics on Twitter.

9. "Deadpool 2"

There were plenty of big important questions after the announcement that Disney was purchasing Fox. What does this mean for the TV channel? Would indie studio Fox Searchlight be killed off in the merge? Should we just call movies "Disneys" now like they do in the dystopian future of "Cloud Atlas"? But far, far, far down the list of concerns was this: Will Deadpool still be allowed to say f*ck now that he was now under the House of Mouse’s roof?

Considering the uncouth and just plain bonkers early "Deadpool 2" trailers, the somehow official plot synopsis, the fact that the current official title is actually "The Untitled Deadpool Sequel" and also that it was already well in the can before the big deal was struck, it looks like Hollywood’s favorite immature rapscallion assassin will be just fine for at now.   

10. "Ocean’s 8"

Women: able to do what the guys can do but backwards and in heels – and with three fewer people apparently in the case of the upcoming all-female criminal caper "Ocean’s 8." Danny, however, would have to gather up an Ocean’s 23 of guys to match the amount of incredible award-winning talent assembled for this Met Gala heist: Sandra Bullock, Cate Blanchett, Rihanna, Mindy Kaling, Helena Bonham Carter, Awkwafina, Sarah Paulson and Anne Hathaway. That’s a killer band of crooks, and if director Gary Ross can direct this star-studded spin-off with even a tenth of Steven Soderbergh’s effortlessly jazzy slight of hand from the original remake, then these ladies will not only swindle those Met Gala jewels but a lot of money from moviegoers this summer, too. 

11. "First Man"

Following up "Whiplash," one of my favorite movies of the decade, was always going to be a tough act. So forgive writer-director Damien Chazelle for merely scoring critical raves, earning 14 Oscar nominations and six wins –including Best Director for himself – and even briefly nabbing Best Picture for all of two minutes with his follow-up, "La La Land." Boy, talk about a sophomore slump.

After his dance through the City of Stars, though, Chazelle will head to the literal stars this fall with "First Man," telling the story of astronaut Neil Armstrong and the first footsteps on the moon. He’s brought a galaxy of Hollywood stars into the atmosphere with him, complete with "La La Land" star Ryan Gosling, "The Punisher" Jon Bernthal, Coach Taylor himself Kyle Chandler and even the Queen, Claire Foy ("The Crown"). We’re obviously lightyears away, but considering the story and pedigree here, as well as Chazelle’s energetic eye, don’t be surprised if he’s back on stage come Best Picture time at the Oscars in 2019. Maybe he’ll even be able to keep the trophy this time. 

12. "Venom"

Even with the joy that was "Spider-Man: Homecoming" last summer, after three different guys in the suit and six movies – seven including "Civil War" – how much Peter Parker do we really need?

Well, Sony – which still maintains part ownership of the character and its universe with Marvel – heard your complaints … and ordered up two more Spider-Man movies for 2018.

Before you disgustedly swat these movies away like a daddy longlegs, however, there’s more here than just the usual web-slinging and murdering of Uncle Ben. "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse," for instance, not only moves everyone’s favorite man-rachnid into the world of animation but also moves comic book favorite Miles Morales onto the big screen.

Even more intriguing, though, is "Venom," a Spidey-free, supposedly R-rated take on our hero’s most notorious nemesis, featuring an insanely good cast – from the ferocious Tom Hardy as Eddie Brock to Michelle Williams, Riz Ahmed, Jenny Slate and Woody Harrelson filling out the rest. If we’ve learned anything from "Deadpool" and "Logan," it’s that venturing outside the safety of extended universes and Marvel’s low creative ceilings can make for some fascinating blockbusters. Plus, it can’t go worse than Venom’s last big screen appearance … 

13. "Sicario 2: Soldado"

Denis Villeneuve’s pulsating drug cartel thriller "Sicario" was one of my favorite films of 2015. Even as a massive fan, however, returning to its haunting moral murk without most of its brightest guiding lights – Villeneuve, star Emily Blunt, cinematographer extraordinaire Roger Deakins – is a tough sell.

Judging by the first trailer, though, I’m close to convinced. Even if the early look appears to be its leaning more into its pulpy actioner roots, the addictively ominous dread and intensity is back – as well as Benicio del Toro’s brutal government-sanctioned hitman, Josh Brolin’s aloof agent of chaos and Taylor Sheridan, one of Hollywood’s hottest screenwriters, once again behind the script. And while Deakins will be dearly missed, Dariusz Wolski ("The Martian") is no slouch either.

OK, fine, I talked myself into it – BRING ON MORE DRUG CARTEL-MURDERING MORAL MURK!

14. "If Beale Street Could Talk"

After a humbled and stunned Barry Jenkins took the stage, then the Best Picture Oscar, from "La La Land" last winter, we all had one question: What the hell just happened?! After the dust all settled on that delightful disaster, however, I had a new inquiry: When can we see more of Barry Jenkins on the big screen?

Luckily, we didn’t have to wait long for our answer, as Jenkins will return this year with "If Beale Street Could Talk," an adaptation of Civil Rights icon and author James Baldwin’s novel about a Harlem woman trying to prove her lover’s innocence while carrying their first child, complete with a stacked cast including including Regina King, Stephan James ("Selma," "Race"), Brian Tyree Henry ("Atlanta"), Teyonah Parris ("Chi-raq"), Dave Franco ("The Diaster Artist") and more. "Moonlight" will be a tough act to follow, but if anybody can, it’s Jenkins. I mean, the guy just made merely live-tweeting "Notting Hill" terrific.

15. "Widows"

While we’re already getting more Barry Jenkins in our lives after his big Oscar win, it’s been quite the delay in seeing the latest project from "12 Years a Slave" director Steve McQueen. Thankfully "Widows" sounds like it’ll be worth the wait.

Coming from a script by McQueen and "Gone Girl" scribe Gillian Flynn, the new thriller features four women coming together to solve their dead husbands’ criminal debts. The cast is on par with what you’d expect from a Best Picture winner’s follow-up feature … and then some: Elizabeth Debicki, "Get Out" star Daniel Kaluuya, Liam Neeson, Jon Bernthal, Colin Farrell, Robert Duvall, Viola Davis, Carrie Coon – hell, the entire IMDB page is pretty much just exclusively in-demand actors. Yeah, if we can get this movie into our eyeholes right now, that would be great, please.

16. "The Happytime Murders"

You know what Hollywood doesn’t make enough of? Murder mysteries starring puppets. (What, we weren’t all thinking the same thing? Weird.)

Thankfully, that very particular hole in our cinematic lives will soon be filled by "The Happytime Murders," about a private eye solving the escalating murders of the cast of an ’80s children’s television show – and also they’re all puppets. The voice cast is headlined by Melissa McCarthy, Elizabeth Banks, Joel McHale and Maya Rudolph, but the real star is the figure behind the felt: director Brian Henson, the son of puppet icon Jim Henson. Who better to give a new generation its "Labyrinth"?

17. "The Predator"

Remember that ridiculous list of horror movies coming out this year from before? Believe it or not, I actually forgot one – one of the biggest horror flicks of the bunch, actually: "The Predator," a remake of the beloved ’80s action shocker in which a crab-faced monster assassin brutally murders wrestlers and bodybuilders for giggles (can you even giggle with those face tusks?).

I’m typically very anti-remake, but when you put screenwriter extraordinaire Shane Black ("The Nice Guys," "Lethal Weapon") behind the script and camera, I can be very easily persuaded. Team him up with a loaded cast including Olivia Munn, Keegan-Michael Key, Boyd Holbrook ("Logan"), Thomas Jane, Sterling K. Brown, Theon Greyjoy, Trevante Rhodes ("Moonlight") and Jacob Tremblay (oh no, Jacob Tremblay?! I swear to god if one of those mutated shellfish touches him, I will PELT YOU WITH MELTED BUTTER), and all of a sudden, not only am I persuaded, I’m yelling, "GET TO THA CINEMA!"

18. "The Meg"

Jason Statham fights a 70-foot shark. As if you need any more information.