2016 Studio Preview: Universal Pictures

By Jake Berlin on January 7, 2016 • ( 2 Comments )

If it weren’t for Disney and their title movie called Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Universal would’ve owned 2015. With movies such as Furious 7, Jurassic World, and Straight Outta Compton, Universal absolutely crushed last year, both at the box-office and with critics. They are one of the most consistent movie studios in the business right now, and hopefully that will continue in 2016.

There’s no doubt that the bigger movies such as The Huntsman or Bourne 5 are looked forward to a bit more, and rightfully so, but don’t overlook some of their smaller movies. Don’t know about them? Well here’s their 2016 studio preview:

Ride Along 2

Synopsis: As his wedding day approaches, Ben heads to Miami with his soon-to-be brother-in-law James to bring down a drug dealer who’s supplying the dealers of Atlanta with product.

Starring Ice Cube, Kevin Hart, Olivia Munn, Ken Jeong, and Benjamin Bratt.

Release date: January 15th.

Hail, Caesar!

Synopsis: Tells the comedic tale of Eddie Mannix, a fixer who worked for the Hollywood studios in the 1950s. The story finds him at work when a star mysteriously disappears in the middle of filming.

Starring Josh Brolin, George Clooney, Jonah Hill, Scarlett Johansson, and Channing Tatum.

Release date: February 5th.

My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2

Official synopsis: The film reveals a Portokalos family secret that will bring the beloved characters back together for an even bigger and Greeker wedding.

Starring Nia Vardalos and John Corbett.

Release date: March 25th.

The Boss

Official synopsis: Melissa McCarthy headlines The Boss as a titan of industry who is sent to prison after she’s caught for insider trading. When she emerges ready to rebrand herself as America’s latest sweetheart, not everyone she screwed over is so quick to forgive and forget.

Starring Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Bell, Peter Dinklage, Kathy Bates, and Cecily Strong.

Release date: April 8th.

The Huntsman Winter’s War

Official synopsis: Long before the evil Queen Ravenna (Theron) was thought vanquished by Snow White’s blade, she watched silently as her sister, Freya (Blunt), suffered a heartbreaking betrayal and fled their kingdom. With Freya’s ability to freeze any enemy, the young ice queen has spent decades in a remote wintry palace raising a legion of deadly huntsmen—including Eric (Hemsworth) and warrior Sara (Chastain)—only to find that her prized two defied her one demand: Forever harden your hearts to love.

When Freya learns of her sister’s demise, she summons her remaining soldiers to bring the Magic Mirror home to the only sorceress left who can harness its power. But once she discovers Ravenna can be resurrected from its golden depths, the wicked sisters threaten this enchanted land with twice the darkest force it’s ever seen. Now, their amassing army shall prove undefeatable…unless the banished huntsmen who broke their queen’s cardinal rule can fight their way back to one another.

Starring Chris Hemsworth, Jessica Chastain, Emily Blunt, and Charlize Theron.

Release date: April 22nd.

Neighbors 2: Sorority Uprising

Synopsis: A sorority moves in next door to the home of Mac & Kelly Radner who have a young child. The Radner’s enlist their former nemeses from the fraternity to help battle the raucous sisters.

Starring Seth Rogen, Zac Efron, Rose Byrne, Chloë Grace Moretz, and Selena Gomez.

Release date: May 20th.

Untitled Lonely Island Movie

Synopsis: Set in the world of music.

Starring Andy Samberg, Akiva Schaffer, and Jorma Taccone.

Release date: June 3rd.

Warcraft

Official synopsis: The peaceful realm of Azeroth stands on the brink of war as its civilization faces a fearsome race of invaders: Orc warriors fleeing their dying home to colonize another. As a portal opens to connect the two worlds, one army faces destruction and the other faces extinction. From opposing sides, two heroes are set on a collision course that will decide the fate of their family, their people and their home. So begins a spectacular saga of power and sacrifice in which war has many faces, and everyone fights for something.

Starring Travis Fimmel, Paula Patton, Ben Foster, Toby Kebbel, Dominic Cooper, and Robert Kazinsky.

Release date: June 10th.

The Purge 3

Synopsis: The films take place in a future where one day each year all crime is legalized for a 12-hour period, described by the government as “the Purge.”

Starring Frank Grillo.

Release date: July 1st.

The Secret Life of Pets

Official synopsis: Set in a Manhattan apartment building, after the two-legged residents head for work and school, their pets gather to start their day, which consists of hanging out, trading humiliating stories about their owners, and helping each other work up adorable looks that will lead to more snacks. The head hound is a quick-witted terrier rescue (voiced by Louis C.K.), whose position at the epicenter of his master’s universe is suddenly threatened when she comes home with Duke (voiced by Eric Stonestreet), a sloppy mongrel with no polish. The two soon find themselves on the mean streets of New York, where they meet the adorable white bunny Snowball (voiced by Kevin Hart). It turns out that Snowball is the leader of an army of pets that were abandoned and are determined to get back at humanity and every owner-loving pet. The dogs must thwart this plot and make it back in time for dinner.

Starring the voices of Louis C.K., Eric Stonestreet, Kevin Hart, Ellie Kemper, Lake Bell, and Albert Brooks.

Release date: July 8th.

Untitled Bourne Sequel

Official synopsis: Plot is unknown at this time.

Starring Matt Damon, Julia Stiles, Alicia Vikander, Vincent Cassel, Riz Ahmed, and Tommy Lee Jones.

Release date: July 29th.

Spectral

Synopsis: A special ops group forms to bring down evil ghosts that have taken over Manhattan.

Starring Max Martini, James Badge Dale, Cory Hardrict, and Bruce Greenwood.

Release date: August 12th.

Bridget Jones’s Baby

Synopsis: A British publishing executive, now in her 40s, attempts to have a baby before it’s too late.

Starring Renee Zellweger, Patrick Dempsey, and Colin Firth.

Release date: September 16th.

Kevin Hart: What Now?

Synopsis: A Kevin Hart comedy concert filmed outdoors in front of 50,000 people at Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field.

Starring Kevin Hart.

Release date: October 14th.

Ouija 2

Synopsis: The sequel will again revolve around the ancient spirit board that was at the center of the first film.

Starring Annalise Basso.

Release date: October 21st.

A Meyers Christmas

Synopsis: An estranged family faces their first Christmas together since the death of the family matriarch.

Starring Gabrielle Union, Nicole Ari Parker, Danny Glover, and Omar Epps.

Release date: November 11th.

The Great Wall

Synopsis: The Great Wall tells the story of an elite force making a last stand for humanity on the world’s most iconic structure.

Starring Matt Damon, Willem Dafoe, and Pedro Pascal.

Release date: November 23rd.

Let It Snow

Synopsis: Three separate stories intertwine with each other as teens experience a huge snow storm during the Christmas season.

Release date: December 9th.

Sing

Official synopsis: Matthew McConaughey voices “Buster Moon,” a dapper Koala who runs a once-great theater now fallen on hard times. Seeing the thing he loves most in his life coming to ruin, Buster connives to restore the theater’s fortunes by producing the world’s greatest singing competition.

Starring the voices of Matthew McConaughey, Reese Witherspoon, Seth MacFarlane, John C. Reilly, Scarlet Johansson, Tori Kelly, and Taron Egerton.

Release date: December 21st.

As with every movie studio, there are plenty of films that will become known as the year and film festivals go on; more films will be introduced under the Universal umbrella.

Below you can check out our other studio previews for 2016: