The Ephemeric

Hello and welcome back to 2020's final post from the Hot List. This week we will be looking at the most exciting new movies set to hit the big screen in 2020 from March onwards, after the cutoff point for this year's awards season.



This post has taken longer than usual to produce, for reasons that I am sure will come as no surprise to anyone. With all the craziness going on in the world right now, things like films and games can inevitably seem kind of trivial in comparison. But after giving it some thought, I've come to the conclusion that there is worth in the message that things will return to normal, and that we have much to look forward to when that happens. I complete this preview as a testament that whatever else happens, human creativity and passions endure.

2019 is a year that I think is fair to say was one of the stronger in recent memories when it comes to cinema. From Joker to Jojo Rabbit, Parasite to the Irishman, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood to 1917, rarely has there been such a wildly eclectic lineup of high quality films, resulting in an awards season that remained uncommonly unpredictable right up until the end. It pleases me to look at the year ahead and see another treasure trove of bold and exciting projects, which should provide something for everyone to enjoy.

I should caveat that the release dates below are accurate as of the time of writing. In recent days we have seen a spate of delays and industry disruption that could easily see them change.

So without further delay, the key films to keep an eye on in the coming year (trailers linked in the title where available), starting with number 15:


15. Stardust

We begin with the first major motion picture concerning the life of legendary songwriter David Bowie.

Stardust will star Johnny Flynn (an impressive likeness and well regarded songwriter in his own right) as a young Bowie circa 1971, the years leading up to the creation of Ziggy Stardust, the work for which Bowie is arguably most well known. The film will be directed by relative newcomer Gabriel Range, with Marc Maron and Aaron Poole set to play supporting roles.

The film's production has not been without its share of controversies, with Bowie's sone Duncan Jones disavowing the project and claiming that the film has not been made with the cooperation of the Bowie estate (and therefore presumably without music rights). There is also the concern that this could just be another musical biopic piggybacking on the recent success of Rocketman and Bohemian Rhapsody.

So concerns abound, but the source material is there, as is a great story. Here's hoping they can craft it into a worthwhile film.

Release Date: 17 April, 2020


14. Trial of the Chicago 7

The second feature to be directed by legendary screenwriter Aaron Sorkin, Trial of the Chicago 7 is based on the story of the Chicago Seven, a group of defendants charged by the Federal Government with conspiracy to incite anti-war and counter-cultural protests in 1968.

Sorkin, also writing the screenplay, directs an all-star cast including Sacha Baron Cohen, Eddie Redmayne, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Frank Langella, Mark Rylance, Michael Keaton and many others.

Add to this a veteran cinematographer in Phedon Papamichael and an awards friendly September release, and clearly Chicago 7 is expected to be a big deal among this year's cinema.

Release Date: 25 September, 2020


13. No Time to Die

The next, and for Daniel Craig the last (this time he apparently really means it), James Bond film is coming, No Time to Die.

This time around directorial duties fall to Cary Fukunaga, best known for True Detective, Maniac, and Beasts of No Nation, while superstar of the moment Phoebe Waller-Bridge (Killing Eve, Fleabag) writes. Craig will be joined in the cast by Oscar winner Rami Malek, as well as Lea Seydoux, and cast regulars Naomie Harris, Ben Whishaw, Ralph Fiennes, and the rest.

Originally schedule for an Easter release, the ongoing public health crisis has necessitated a delay until November 2020. All the signs so far suggest it will be worth the wait.

Release Date: 12 November, 2020


12. Dune

Dune, an epic sci-fi adventure franchise beloved by many, but with a trouble history of adaptations. The 1965 novel was notably made into a film in the 1980s, and a miniseries in the early 2000s, but has generally struggled with screen adaptations, owing to the complexity and ambition of the source material.

In 2020 a new adaptation is coming courtesy of Denis Villeneuve, an Oscar winning filmmaking with a burgeoning reputation following his work on Arrival, Blade Runner 2049, and Sicario. Villeneuve also co-writes the script along with Eric Roth (Munich, Forrest Gump, A Star is Born). Dune will star man of the moment Timothée Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, Oscar Isaac, Josh Brolin, and Javier Bardem.

Release date is set for December, indicating high expectations not just commercially, but critically.

Release Date: 18 December, 2020


11. Nightmare Alley

Nightmare Alley is the next picture from Guillermo del Toro, his first since winning the Oscar for Shape of Water. While that film may be far and away del Toro's greatest success, he has a long history of the bizarre and macabre from Pan's Labyrinth to Crimson Peak. While my expectation is that this will be more of the same, it is interesting to note how different the source material is from his usual fare.

The original novel follows a con-man and female psychiatrist who trick people into giving them money, but includes none of the supernatural elements that we might associate with a del Toro film. One can only hope that he maintains his characteristic directorial flair, even as he moves into more traditional genres.

The cast includes a lineup of strong performers, including Bradley Cooper, Cate Blanchett, Toni Collette, and Willem Dafoe. Release date is TBA.

Release Date: TBA 2020


10. Next Goal Wins

Taika Waititi is having something of a moment, the New Zealand filmmaker and actor has come a long way from indie comedy hits like Flight of the Conchords and What We Do in the Shadows to running the Thor franchise for Disney and, of course, his Oscar winning success with Jojo Rabbit.

His next film, Next Goal Wins, is based on the true story of Dutch football coach Thomas Rongen and his efforts to take the American-Samoa national team, then considered the worst in the world, to the 2014 World Cup.

Michael Fassbender stars as Rongen, and he will be joined by Elisabeth Moss, Armie Hammer, and long-time Waititi collaborator Rhys Darby.

Release date is still TBA.

Release Date: TBA 2020


9. In the Heights

When it comes to films that will make a lot of money, In the Heights has got to rank up there as a sure thing. This is an adaptation of the Lin Manuel Miranda stage musical, the one he made before Hamilton.

This project has had something of a turbulent production history. Originally cancelled in the early 2010s, only be resurrected following the success of Hamilton by none other than Harvey Weinstein. Then all that happened, and this projected ended up over at Warner Bros.

In the Heights will be directed by Jon Chu, a man best known for the rather forgettable Step Up franchise of dance films, but who more recently has found his break in the world of serious filmmaking with the critically acclaimed Crazy Rich Asians. The former will stand him in good stead for directing a musical, while the latter showed him to have some genuine talent as a filmmaker. I think this is in good hands.

Release Date: 26 June, 2020


8. Irresistible

The return of Jon Stewart, legendary comedian and former host of The Daily Show who has largely remained on the sidelines (in terms of showbiz anyway, he has been very influential as an activist) following his retirement.

Irresistible is a political comedy starring fellow Daily Show alumnus Steve Carell, Rose Byrne, Topher Grace, Chris Cooper and Natasha Lyonne, which sees two prominent political strategists take national politics to small town Wisconsin, turning a local race into a battle for the soul of the country.

This marks the second feature film to be directed by Stewart following 2014's impressive Rosewater. If that hard hitting political drama seemed strangely outside the comfort zone for Stewart, Irresistible will be right up his alley.

Release date is set for May 2020, right in the thick of the Presidential election.

Release Date: 29 May, 2020


7. West Side Story

If you're like me, your first thought here was probably "do we really need another adaptation of West Side Story?" And you would be right, but this is Steven Spielberg, and Spielberg doesn't make a film unless he has something worthwhile to say.

Spielberg is not the only legend on this project, with the screenplay penned by the Pulitzer Prize winning Tony Kushner, author of Angels in America and co-writer on Munich.

The presence of such luminaries makes a great opportunity for star Ansel Elgort (The Fault in Our Stars, Baby Driver) who has been threatening to break into Hollywood's A-list for some time. This could be the one that puts him into the stratosphere.

West Side Story will release this December, the thick of the awards season.

Release Date: 18 December, 2020


6. Tenet

Tenet sees director Christopher Nolan return to the familiar action/thriller territory of Inception following his award winning turn with Dunkirk. The plot line is simple: "a secret agent is tasked with preventing World War III through time travel". Sounds like classic Chris Nolan mind-bending shenanigans.

The cast this time around will include Blackkklansman star John Davd Washington, Robert Pattinson, Kenneth Branagh, Himesh Patel, Aaron Taylor Johnson, and of course long-time Nolan collaborator Michael Caine. Tenet will, however, mark a rare Chris Nolan film without brother and long-time collaborator/screenwriter Jonathan Nolan, with Chris taking on writing responsibilities himself as he did for Dunkirk.

Tenet is set for a July release, and is being billed as the summer blockbuster to keep an eye on for 2020.

Release Date: 17 July, 2020


5. Soul

Pixar Studios have two films set for release in 2020, but it is Soul which looks to be the more exciting prospect.

This one is directed by Pixar legend Pete Docter, director of Up and Inside Out and stars Jamie Foxx and Tina Fey. The great Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross will team up once again to deliver the score.

Soul is classic high-concept Pixar storytelling. Foxx plays a jazz musician who suffers an accident which results in his soul being separated from his body and sent to "the great before". There he must race against time to be reunited with his body before it is too late.

Soul is aiming for a summer release, and looks set to be another great entry in the Pixar canon.

Release Date: 19 June, 2020


4. Ghostbusters: Afterlife

It is finally happening. We are finally getting a real sequel to the classic Ghostbusters films of the 1980s. We can now officially pretend that awful Paul Feig reboot never happened, because we have a real sequel and it looks good. It's just a shame they couldn't make it happen before the death of Harold Ramis.

Ghostbusters: Afterlife will be directed by the son of original filmmaker Ivan Reitman, and acclaimed filmmaker in his own right, Jason Reitman (Juno, The Frontrunner, Up in the Air).

The film follows a new cast of characters, starring Paul Rudd, McKenna Grace, Finn Wolfhard (of Stranger Things fame), and Carrie Coon as a family who stumble across their deceased Grandfather's (presumably Ramis' Egon) old ghost catching materials, and presumably hell literally breaks loose.

Ghostbusters releases this July, and I am very, very excited about it.

Release Date: 10 July, 2020


3. Mank

If there is one thing Hollywood loves, it's films about films. Mank is a biopic of screenwriter Herman Mankiewicz, writer of Citizen Kane. This is the latest film of David Fincher and the big tentpole of Netflix's 2020 film lineup.

Mank will star Gary Oldman as the lead, with Amanda Seyfried, Lily Collins, and Charles Dance in supporting roles. This also marks another collaboration between Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross on the score (they're having a busy year!).

Release date is still TBA, but one would expect a release in the latter stages of the year for awards season. A film about films, and such a beloved film as Citizen Kane at that, is almost guaranteed success.

Release Date: TBA 2020


2. News of the World

News of the World sees director Paul Greengrass team up with Tom Hanks for the first time since Captain Phillips. This is based on the novel of the same name.

This historical drama sees Hanks play a Texan traveling across the wild west shortly after the end of the American Civil War, who agrees to return a kidnapped girl, Helena Zengel, to her family on the other side of the country, facing off against the tremendous challenges of both human and natural forces.

Greengrass co-writes the screenplay along with Luke Davies, seen mostly recently with the acclaimed Lion.

Release date is set for an awards-friendly Christmas day.

Release Date: 25 December, 2020


1. The French Dispatch

And finally we have the new film of Wes Anderson. French Dispatch is a love letter to journalism, set in the outpost of an American newspaper in a fictional French town in the mid 20th Century.

The cast features a typically well-stocked lineup of big names, including Benicio del Toro, Adrien Brody, Tilda Swinton, Frances McDormand, Timothée Chalamet, Lea Seydoux, Christoph Waltz, Saoirse Ronan, and of course all the usual Wes Anderson collaborators such as Bill Murray, Owen Wilson, Jason Schwartzman, and many others.

Love him or hate him, a new film by Anderson is always worth seeing, for the style of filmmaking if nothing else. Anderson will be joined once again by long-time cinematographer and collaborator Robert Yeoman.

Release date is set for July 2020.

Release Date: 24 July, 2020



So there you have it folks: The 2020 Hot List. Chin up, things will get better, and the Hot List will return in 2021.

Welcome back to The Ephemeric's 2020 Hot List. I hope you enjoyed our last entry covering the essential theatre of 2020. This week we will be having a look at the most exciting new music due for release in the coming year.



I am sure I say this every year, but this has been a particularly difficult longlist to whittle down to the final 15. A number of very prominent acts (and old favourites) ultimately did not make the cut in what was a very strong year - sorry The 1975 and Red Hot Chili Peppers, I promise I still like your music! So a very exciting year ahead, with some promising new acts, some old favourites, and on this website they've been narrowed down to just the real creme de la creme.

So without further ado, here is our list of the top albums to keep an eye on in 2020, starting with number 15:



15. Arlo Parks (New band)

First up: Arlo Parks. Hailing from south London, Parks has found herself featuring on many big in 2020 previews. A teenage prodigy and poet, Parks specialises in low-fi music that displays a control and lyrical nous that belies her tender years.

The key tracks from the scattering of EPs released to date include Cola and Paperbacks, two tracks that keenly demonstrate her characteristic tone that has been commonly described as "bedroom pop".

Parks embarks on her first headline tour this spring, with a debut album reportedly in the works for later on in 2020.

Release Date: Late 2020


14. Broken Bells

For those who are not in the know, Broken Bells is the experimental side project of underground wunderkind turned A-list producer Danger Mouse, and The Shins frontman James Mercer.

Danger Mouse, of course, legendarily bootlegged a mash up of Jay-Z and The Beatles called The Grey Album, and has since worked with artists such as Gorillaz and Adele, formed one half of Gnarls Barkley and produced a number of his own award winning solo material.

Broken Bells will release their as yet untitled third studio album this summer, and have so far released new single Shelter. While we await further details, you can remind yourself of the band's talents with previous tracks The High Road and After the Disco.

Release Date: Summer 2020


13. "Juvenoia" by Strabe (New band)

The cream of the new faces in the Irish pop scene, Strabe is a twenty-something producer based in Dublin working on a debut album Juvenoia with collaborator Angelica.

The first tracks out so far include Best Worst Year and Acid Love, two pristine examples of pop that elicit a psychedelic/disco feel. Despite the heavy retro influences, their's is a very clean and elegant sound, and one that could see them make something of a splash in the indie scene.

We don't have a release date for Juvenoia (originally slated for 2019), but it is expected to drop before the summer.

Release Date: Summer 2020


12. "Miss Anthropocene" by Grimes


Canadian songwriter Grimes is having something of a moment as a darling of art pop, her last album Art Angels earning rave reviews and numerous rankings among the top albums of 2015. Faced with a new level of stardom and expectation, Grimes is releasing Miss Anthropocene, her biggest and most ambitious album to date.

Less upbeat than Art Angels, signs are nevertheless good that album number five will produce a work of very high quality. The tracks released so far are an eclectic but undeniably intriguing bunch, including Delete Forever, Violence and 4EM.

Grimes is fast establishing herself as one of the more interesting songwriters in the business, and I expect this will be another major hit.

Release Date: Spring 2020


11. "Swimmer" by Tennis


Denver indie pop mainstays Tennis return for a fifth album, one which sees a continuation of their evolution from the low-fi radio pop beginnings to more full-blooded nostalgia throwbacks.

Swimmer looks to be another lovely selection of pop songs about love and marriage, most notably lead single Runner, which could easily pass for a forgotten Kate Bush classic. Also check out I'll Haunt You and Need Your Love.

Swimmer is definitely the highest production value from a duo that began recording tracks in their bedroom over a fuzzy mic, and makes clear the band still has much to say.

Release Date: Spring 2020


10. "Suddenly" by Caribou


What is it with 2020 and fifth albums? This time we are with Caribou, another of the Canada's indie pop darlings and his new album Suddenly.

The six years since previous album Our Love seems a long hiatus by modern standards, but if there is any rustiness they don't show it with the production of the new album's first tracks. The pick of the bunch has to be You and I, a bittersweet gem with a hint of Kraftwerk about it. It pairs oddly well with folk ballad Home, also a cracking tune with a great sample.

A new Caribou album promises rich soundscapes with eclectic influences, and we can't wait to see what else they have in store when the new album drops.

Release Date: Spring 2020


9. Beabadoobe (New band)

This London-based prospect blends a too-good-to-be-true origin story with a timely and well-shined homage to 90s alternative pop. Beabadoobee started writing songs from her bedroom as a teenager (she's still just 19) using a secondhand guitar. A friend uploaded a track of hers' to Spotify where it generated thousands of listens, and she was quickly signed up for a record deal.

The last few years have seen a string of well received EPs uploaded, but 2020 will see Beabadoobee touring the summer festivals while working on a debut album. In the meantime, you will want to check out the key songs Coffee, Space Cadet, and If You Want To. It's mostly simple, elegant fare, but enough to suggest a promising future for the young songwriter.

First album is expected some time in 2020, but no firm release date has been provided. I would expect to see it towards the tail-end of the year.

Release Date: TBA 2020


8. "Out of the Darkness" by Gizmo Varillas


Spanish-born, London-based musician Gizmo Varillas is one of the most promising young performers in the indie-folk scenes; a producer of consistently strong music and a surprisingly prolific collaborator with a number of other prominent artists.

His third studio album Out of the Darkness is due for release this summer. At the time of writing we have just a small number of potential songs from the new LP, including the titular Out of the Darkness and Cysgod dy Gariad, both of which are excellent. While we await further details, you can tide yourself over with some of the other excellent tracks he has put out in recent years, most notably Freedom For Change.

Blessed with bright textures, and warm melodies, Varillas has a great ability to meld both light and dark into his tracks in a way that I find quite effective. All indications are that this is a star in the making.

Release Date: Summer 2020


7. Everything Everything


Manchester's best musical import in decades have had a few big years, finding great critical and commercial success with their last two albums Get to Heaven and Fever Dream.

Now having had a three year break since the latter, Everything Everything are getting ready to release their fifth (again!) studio album.

No details on the new album except that it has been worked on pretty much constantly over the past three years and will release sometime in 2020. So in the meantime, here's a few tracks to remind you what all the fuss is about: Distant Past, Good Shot, Good Soldier, and Regret.

Release Date: TBA 2020


6. "The Slow Rush" by Tame Impala


For their long-awaited fourth studio album, Aussie indie rockers Tame Impala have delved more into the realms of smooth psychedelia, creating another LP of remarkable creativity and invention.

The dizzying emotional highs and lows of Tame Impala can be quite adequately represented by the new album's two lead singles, Borderline and Lost in Yesterday.

For those who like something a bit different, or who appreciate their pop music with a dose of thoughtful and decidedly introverted lyrics, this new album will likely be right up your street.

Release Date: Spring 2020



5. The xx

Now we get into the top five, where the real big-hitters await. First up we have the long overdue return of The xx, one of Britain's best new bands of the 2010s.

Over the last few years art-rockers The xx, and the side project of co-founder Jamie xx, have produced an impressive portfolio of work, with brilliant tracks such as VCR, On Hold, Loud Places and I Dare You.

So what do we know about studio album number four? Literally nothing aside from the fact that it has been announced via social media, and will release in 2020. Do we need to know anything more at this stage? Nope, the fact that a new The xx album is on the way is ample reason on its own to be excited.

Release Date: TBA 2020


4. Joy Crookes (New band)

The top rated newcomer of 2020, Joy Crookes is the south London soul songwriter that has taken the music blogosphere by storm.

The last year has seen her grace just about every list and nomination of new musicians and promising new songwriters, now a debut album is in the works, due to release by May this year.

Joy Crookes is a gifted storyteller with a timeless sound, with a deftness of songwriting that belies her tender years. Essential tracks released so far include Mother May I Sleep with Danger? and Hurts.

Release Date: May 2020


3. "Shore" by Fleet Foxes


By now you're probably tired of all these mysterious albums that will release in 2020 but we don't have any details yet. Well here's another one!

This is the return of Fleet Foxes, masters of contemporary folk rock and, with Helplessness Blues, the writers of what in this blog's view was the single best album of the 2010s. For an understanding of this band's awesomeness, check out White Winter Hymnal, Helplessness Blues, Third of May / Odaigahara and for good measure Someone You'd Admire. Tremendous.

So this new album will be called Shore, but otherwise we know nothing, aside from a redacted list of song titles teased by frontman Robin Pecknold on Instagram last year. No pressure, but we expect greatness.

Release Date: TBA 2020


2. The Avalanches

When The Ephemeric predicted a few years ago, in a Hot List post much like this, that The Avalanches were returning for a second album, it was kind of a big deal. The Avalanches famously struck gold with their debut album Since I Left You back in 2000, before getting mired in a legal and production nightmare that would see the follow up take an astonishing 16 years to release. It was worth the wait, and Wildflower ended up being one of the decade's best albums.

So when I hear that the band are producing another record, I am understandably excited. We don't have an album name or release date yet but the first single has dropped, We Will Always Love You, and it's another lovely track, if a bit of a departure from the band's usual fare.

My bet is the album drops around the summer. Until then, tide yourself over with a few of The Avalanches' classic tracks, Since I Left You, Colours, If I Was a Folkstar, and probably their most famous song, Frontier Psychiatrist.

Release Date: TBA 2020


1. "Imploding the Mirage" by The Killers


And we'll finish with a bona fide music blockbuster, a new album from The Killers.

These guys don't need any introduction, they're one of the world's biggest bands and have produced an array of hit songs from Mr. Brightside to All These Things I've Done, Read My Mind and Human. We know nothing about the new album aside from the fact that it will be titled Imploding the Mirage, and that it is likely to release in the summer.

For all the hits they have released over the years, they arguably haven't had a great album since 2008's Day & Age, and while the last two albums have been reasonably well received, the fan response has generally not been as strong as with the first three albums. But a new album from The Killers is always going to be a big deal, and we are hopeful that this will mark a triumphant return.

Release Date: Summer 2020



So there you have it folks: 2020 in music. Tune in next week for this year's final Hot List, where we look at the most exciting new movies in 2020!