With January, more commonly known as the toilet bowl of the movie season, out of the way, February 2016 looks to be one of its strongest in the last few years. Along with January, February is still considered a throwaway month for studios to dump bad projects. But as we’ve seen in the past few years, that doesn’t really seem to be the case anymore. Big studios are now placing films earlier the year, and not just the bad ones. 2016 is a clear example of that with exciting names feathered throughout. While I’m looking forward to quite a bit of them, the following four are the ones I’m most excited about.

Honorable mentions: The Witch, Tumbledown, Regression, and Pride and Prejudice and Zombies (I know I know, I’ve bought in…).

4. Eddie the Eagle

Release date: February 26th.

I’ll get it out of the way now, because of my athlete background, I’m a sucker for sport movies. But Eddie the Eagle isn’t your everyday sports movie. While it is about overcoming the odds and proving those who counted him out wrong, it’s actually a movie that finishes in failure. Eddie Edwards was Great Britain’s first ever Olympic ski jumper, which is definitely an accomplishment in itself, but it’s ending is what makes it so interesting. It ends with Eddie, oh wait, I probably shouldn’t say. With a duo like Hugh Jackman and Kingsman star Taron Egerton in the lead, and a killer outing at last week’s Sundance Film Festival, I’m definitely keeping a very close eye on Eddie the Eagle.

3. Triple 9

Release date: February 26th.

Every year there are a handful of projects that not only sneak up on you, but fl completely under the radar for weeks, months even. 2016s first of those is Triple 9. The crime thriller about criminalistic gangs and corrupt cops features one of this year’s best ensemble casts, with some of the biggest stars of both film and TV. Not just that, but it’s helmed by a director who fits this gritty, kill or be killed world perfectly. John Hillcoat of both The Road and Lawless knows how to bring such a story like this one to life, and every piece of footage we’ve seen from it so far is a clear indication of that. It does have the early year February release, but Triple 9 looks like one of this year’s most exciting films.

2. Hail, Caesar!

Release date: February 5th.

The Coen Brothers. 1950s Hollywood. A kidnapping comedy. And just as above, one of this year’s best casts. Need I say more? If I do, then you clearly haven’t watched a trailer for this film, because it looks downright exceptional, and in every way possible. There’s a reason it ranked in my top five most anticipated films of this year. Do I have high hopes? Hell yeah I do, but I have no doubts that it won’t reach them.

1. Deadpool

Okay, this is one I EASILY don’t need to say a thing about. I guess the only thing I could really say is that the Merc’ with a Mouth is FINALLY getting his big screen chance, f**k yeah.

Now that you know which films I’m looking forward to the most, I want to know the ones you’re most excited about. Jump in the comments and let me know what you think of my list, as well as what your list is! Could 2016 be the turning point for future February’s?