The Major Sci-Fi, Fantasy, and Horror Anniversaries of Winter 2022 – Gizmodo

Hunger Games, Nosferatu, Blade II, and Eraserhead are all celebrating anniversaries this year.Image: Lionsgate/New Line/Various

The current state of the world may feel rather bleak, but a new year brings new opportunities to celebrateand right now, were celebrating movies. That means, like last year, every few months were going to let you know which major sci-fi, fantasy, horror, and genre movies are marking significant anniversaries in 2022. And if you think of some of the years this covers (1957, 1977, 1982, 2002, etc.) you can just begin to imagine how many legendary films have milestones coming up.

And so, without further ado, here are the major sci-fi, fantasy, horror and genre movies celebrating anniversaries between January and March 2022.

Nosferatu: A Symphony of HorrorImage: Prana Film

Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror (March 5) - F. W. Murnaus silent German expressionist film starring Max Schreck remains one of the most impactful horror films ever. The 2000 film Shadow of the Vampire with Willem Dafoe as Schreck dives into just a bit of what makes it so incredible even 100 years later.

Sherlock Holmes (March 7) - Ive never seen this silent film starring Arthur Conan Doyles iconic detective, but its fascinating to think film adaptations about him go that far back.

Metropolis (January 10) - The history of science fiction in film isnt complete unless it has a long, long chapter on Fritz Langs beyond influential 1927 film Metropolis. The visuals, the filmmaking style, the scope at a time when audiences had never seen something even close to itall of it adds up to create a near-100 year old masterpiece.

Freaks (February 12) - Tod Brownings film Freaks is one of those movies that has been studied and dissected in every film school around the world. It follows a traveling circus and its many freaks in ways that are both compassionate and scary.

The Seventh SealImage: ABS

The Seventh Seal (February 16) - In 65 years a game of chess has never been as important as the one played in Ingmar Bergmans legendary film starring Max Von Sydow. His character plays chess against Death, sporting a look that has become so synonymous with the character, its still recognizable today.

The Incredible Shrinking Man (February 22) - Grant Williams plays a man who continues to shrink and shrink and Im sad and scared just thinking about all the dark places this movie goes.

The Tale of Zatoichi Image: Dalei

The Tale of Zatoichi(April 12) - The franchise following the blind warrior Zatoichi began with this 1962 film.

Bruce Dern in Silent RunningImage: Universal

Silent Running (March 10) - Bruce Dern stars in this post-apocalyptic space thriller about what a man goes through as he tries to save some of the last plant life on planet Earth. Also the directorial debut of Douglas Trumbull, famous for the visual effects on 2001: A Space Odyssey, Close Encounters of the Third Kind and others.

Also: Godzilla vs Gigan (March 12), Pink Flamingos (March 17)

EraserheadImage: Libra Films

Eraserhead (March 25) - Can you believe its been 45 years since audiences first learned the named David Lynch? Its been quite the career, continuing to this day, but it all began with this ultra, ultra weird surrealist sci-fi film.

Also: The Sentinel (Jan 7), Wizards (Feb 9), Slap Shot (Feb 25), The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh (March 11)

Swamp ThingImage: Embassy Pictures

Swamp Thing (February 19) - You may forget that horror legend Wes Craven made a DC movie. Its true. Back in 1982, he tackled this DC/Vertigo story with the type of energy that fit right in with the films of the time. Not a classic by any means, but a very serviceable superhero film for its day.

Also: Quest for Fire (Feb 12)but 1982's releases later in the year got even more wild, youll see in the coming months.

Groovy!Image: Renaissance Pictures

Allan Quatermain and the Lost City of Gold (January 30) - Its 1987. Youre between Indiana Jones movies. Whats an adventure fan to do? Watch Allan Quatermain, of course. A poor substitute for Jones, no doubt, but entertaining nevertheless.

Mannequin (February 13) - I cant imagine this story of a man who falls in love with a mannequin come to life (played by Sex and the Citys Kim Cattrall) holds up in any way whatsoeverbut in 1987, it certainly worked.

A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors (February 27) - Obviously, the original Nightmare on Elm Street is the best one. But this third film is so damned good it gives the original a run for its money. Better characters, scarier visuals, and a more dynamic Freddy are all on display.

Evil Dead II (March 13) - We tend to forget that Evil Dead II is basically The Evil Dead again, just with added humor and gore, and yet its still perfect in every single way. Wed watch Sam Raimi and Bruce Campbell remake it again and again. And...we kind of have.

Mike Myers and Dana Carvey in Waynes World.Image: Paramount

Freejack (January 17) - Who could forget that time Emilio Estevez, Anthony Hopkins, and Rene Russo starred alongside Mick Jagger in a film about people who travel through time to kidnap people before theyre about to die to use their bodies?

Waynes World (February 14) - Dont tell us Waynes World isnt a sci-fi movie. They bend space and time at the end to show you alternate endings and Wayne ends up with Cassandra. Totally unbelievable.

Memoirs of an Invisible Man (February 28) - Its been 30 years and we still cant get over that a John Carpenter-directed film starring Chevy Chase as an invisible man wasnt as good as it shouldve been.

The Lawnmower Man (March 6) - A gardner is given superhuman abilities that are used for evil in this sci-fi horror film that borrows the name, but not story, from a Stephen King work.

Wait, is this a scene from episode two of The Book of Boba Fett?Image: Lucasfilm

Star Wars (January 31), The Empire Strikes Back (February 21), Return of the Jedi (March 14) - Yes, its the 25th anniversary of the decision that changed Star Wars forever. The decision to update and rerelease the original trilogy as Special Editions. Love them or hate them, without them, Star Wars would not be as popular today. Period. (We wrote a whole post about it 5 years ago, please read it!)

Liar Liar (March 21) - Liar Liar isnt quite Dumb and Dumber or Ace Ventura in terms of Jim Carrey movies, but its close, and thats saying something. Only Carrey could take such a simple premise of not being able to lie and turn it into something so big and funny.

Also: The Relic (January 10), Dantes Peak (February 7), Leprechaun 4: In Space (February 25), Honey, We Shrunk Ourselves (March 18), Turbo: A Power Rangers Movie (March 28)

Ron Perlman and Wesley Snipes in Blade 2Image: New Line Cinema

Super Troopers (February 15) - Not technically a sci-fi movie, but the kind of movie sci-fi people love nevertheless.

Ice Age(March 15) - Can you believe 20 years later they are still making Ice Age movies? For real! A new one is coming out soon!

Resident Evil (March 15) - Proof that video game adaptations dont have to be great to spawn multiple sequels and a full franchise.

Blade II (March 22) - I personally dont think Guillermo del Toros Blade sequel is quite up to the quality weve come to expect from the director but many, many disagree.

Also: The Mothman Prophecies (January 25), Rollerball (February 8), Queen of the Damned (February 22), The Time Machine (March 8), Death to Smoochy (March 29)

Gerard Butler in 300.Image: Warner Bros.

Ghost Rider (February 16) - Ive said it before and Ill say it again. Quality of the movie aside, that we got a Ghost Rider movie starring Nicolas Cage is one of the most amazing things ever.

300 (March 9) - The Snyderverse truly began 15 years ago when the visionary filmmaker somehow adapted the unadaptable Frank Miller/Lynn Varley comic book to massive success.

Dead Silence (March 16) - James Wan has become so famous for films like Saw, Insidious, The Conjuring, Furious 7, Aquaman, and even this years Malignant, we tend to forget he did this pretty solid little horror movie too. It just didnt catch on as well as most of the others.

TMNT (March 23) - Not the original, not the recent reboot, this was the computer animated reboot. Pretty forgettable, still Ninja Turtles.

Also: Perfume: The Story of a Murderer (January 5), Primeval (January 12), Hannibal Rising (February 9), Bridge to Terabithia (February 16), The Number 23 (February 23), The Last Mimzy (March 23), Meet the Robinsons (March 30)

Taylor Kitsch is John Carter. Was, we mean.Image: Disney

Chronicle (February 3) - This better-than-it-should-be found-footage superhero flick probably doesnt get the love it deserves for various reasons, but it certainly deserves some. Its damned good.

Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace 3D(February 10) - Maybe you forgot but yes, 10 years ago, Lucasfilm tried to rerelease all of the Star Wars films in 3D starting with The Phantom Menace. But it did not do well enough for them to continue.

Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance (February 17) - Ive said it before and Ill say it again. Quality of the movie aside, that we got not one, but TWO Ghost Rider movies starring Nicolas Cage is one of the most amazing things ever.

John Carter (March 9) - John Carter was probably released about 50 years too late to have the impact that it should have. Its just that the story was so ambitious it took that long for technology to catch up to it. Nevertheless, the film remains a flawed, but fair, sci-fi action ride.

The Hunger Games (March 23) - Yup, youre old. It has been 10 YEARS since the release of the first Hunger Games.

Also: Underworld: Awakening (January 20), The Woman in Black (February 3), Journey 2: The Mysterious Island (February 10), The Secret World of Arrietty(February 17),Dr. Seuss The Lorax (March 2), Mirror Mirror (March 30), Wrath of the Titans (March 30)

Get OUT. Its been 5 years?Image: Universal

Split (January 20) - M. Night Shyalamans thriller about a person with multiple personalities is super solid on its own. But when it became an Unbreakable movie, it became unforgettable.

The Lego Batman Movie (February 10) - After five years, its probably time to give The Lego Batman Movie another shot because when it came out, I just didnt think it was up to the quality of The Lego Movie that inspired it.

John Wick: Chapter 2 (February 10) - For our money? The best John Wick movie.

Get Out (February 24) - Jordan Peeles masterpiece that, rightfully, got its due recognition 12 months later at the Oscars. And now, five years later, were patiently waiting to see what hes got next with Nope.

Logan (March 3) - Hugh Jackmans Wolverine got the sendoff worthy of his superhero performance in this epic, excellent comic book film.

Kong: Skull Island (March 10) - King Kong movies are just inherently fun to watch because Kong is such a great character. But this film made him even more dynamic and exciting with a supporting cast and killer visuals that took it to another level.

Beauty and the Beast (March 17) - Did this live-action remake need to exist? No. Are we glad it does? Kind of! Any excuse to relive and rewatch such a perfect romance is fine by us.

Power Rangers (March 24) - This live-action reboot of the Power Rangers was far from perfect, but it was getting there by the end and you wish we maybe got to see the characters one more time. Now, after 5 years, its very unlikely.

Ghost in the Shell (March 31) - Damn. The year 2007 had a pretty good first three months. Too bad they built to this ill-conceived remake starring Scarlett Johansson.

Also: Underworld: Blood Wars (January 6), Monster Trucks (January 13), The Bye Bye Man (January 13), XXX: Return of Xander Cage (January 20), Resident Evil: The Final Chapter (January 27), Rings (February 3), The Space Between Us (February 3), A Cure for Wellness (February 17), The Devils Candy (March 17), The Discovery (March 31)

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The Major Sci-Fi, Fantasy, and Horror Anniversaries of Winter 2022 - Gizmodo