2023 Netflix Movies That Should Be On Your Must-Watch List

Netflix has long been angling to take its place among the major studios, and 2022 saw the streaming service produce several top-notch films. It rolled out projects that ticked the box of almost every genre: comedy, war, romance, horror, animated, and period drama. From the dazzling cinematography of Edward Berger's "All Quiet on the Western Front" to a career-defining performance from Adam Sandler in "Hustle," the cinematic riches were plentiful in 2022.

2023 is sure to carry the momentum forward, as Netflix has tapped some of Hollywood's biggest stars, from MCU alums to Oscar winners, to star in the year's most electric titles. As is the case every year, the streaming service will look to top their subscription-only competitors and remain a major player come award season. There are more than a few productions on the docket that might meet those expectations.

There are a number of films set to hit Netflix in 2023, ranging from long-awaited animated sequels to buzzworthy biopics to high-profile action thrillers. Let's take a look at the 25 most-anticipated films set to hit Netflix in the next 12 months.

Extraction 2

After Sam Hargrave found critical success with 2020's "Extraction," the director is back, along with the Russo Brothers, with "Extraction 2." Due to hit Netflix sometime in 2023, "Extraction 2" will again focus on Tyler Rake (Chris Hemsworth), a black ops mercenary who must carry out a life-or-death mission.

"Extraction" was a refreshing entry in the action genre. Hemsworth delivered a career-defining performance, which he received praise for from audiences and critics alike. The film became one of Netflix's most-watched original films ever, reaching 99 million households in its first month on the streaming service (via the Independent).

In the first film, Tyler must save a drug lord's son who has been kidnapped in Bangladesh, and the electric, memorable narrative is carried out with energetic direction and expert stunt work. It quickly became apparent that audiences were clamoring for more. Besides Hemsworth, a definitive cast list has not been made public, though Goldshifteh Farahani is set to reprise her role of Nik Khan, Tyler's partner. No release date has been pinned down yet, but filming is said to have wrapped last April (via the Prague Reporter).

Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget

It's been 23 years since Peter Lord and Nick Park created "Chicken Run," a triumphant piece of stop-motion animation. Since its release in 2000, the film has maintained the world record for being the highest-grossing stop-motion film ever, raking in over $227 million at the box office.

"Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget" was greenlit in 2018 by StudioCanal and Netflix acquired the rights in 2020. No official plot teasers have come out, but the film will focus on Ginger and her friends after escaping Tweedy's farm. Most of the "Chicken Run" cast will not return: Their characters will now be voiced by Zachary Levi, Thandiwe Newton, Romesh Ranganathan, and Daniel Mays, respectively. Jane Horrocks, Imelda Staunton, and Lynn Ferguson are the only original actors to reprise their roles. "Game of Thrones" and "The Last of Us" star Bella Ramsey has also joined the cast.

Not many sequels in Hollywood take two decades to get made, so it will be interesting to see if the wait was worth it. Given the critical response of the first film, we should expect another brilliant, entertaining story from Lord and Park.

The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar

Adaptations of renowned children's book author Roald Dahl have often been successful endeavors. Beginning with "Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory" in 1971 all the way to "Roald Dahl's The Witches" in 2020, Dahl's work has been a linchpin in cinema for five decades. In 2021, Netflix acquired the rights to the Roald Dahl Story Company, paying over $680 million dollars for the author's bibliography.

When a picture of Timothee Chalamet dressed as a young Willy Wonka hit the internet last year, fans speculated whether or not Netflix was planning a new Wonka movie. Titled "Wonka," Chalamet's turn as Dahl's most infamous character will be released by Warner Bros. at the end of 2023. Instead, acclaimed director Wes Anderson is helming Netflix's first Dahl project, "The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar."

Published in 1977, "The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar" follows Sugar, a gambler who dares to use meditation to count cards. Anderson's adaptation will be cut into three chapters, exploring the destruction of greed that Dahl's fairy tale initially examined. With Benedict Cumberbatch set to play Sugar, and a supporting cast of Ralph Fiennes, Dev Patel, Ben Kingsley, Rupert Friend, and Richard Ayoade, "The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar" should be a marvelous entry in the Dahl cinematic universe.

The Pale Blue Eye

Though it will hit theaters for a limited release on December 23, Scott Cooper's "The Pale Blue Eye" is the first original movie on Netflix's 2023 streaming slate. Netflix seems to be starting the year off with a lot of corpses and conspiracies: "The Pale Blue Eye" doesn't skimp on the brutality, which adds another layer of darkness to Cooper's period piece.

Set in 1830, "The Pale Blue Eye" follows Augustus Landor (Christian Bale) as he investigates murders within the United States military, alongside a young Edgar Allan Poe (Harry Melling). In one particularly disturbing case, a cadet is dead, and his heart is missing. The movie is based on Louis Bayard's 2003 novel of the same name, and it has a terrific cast that includes Gillian Anderson, Robert Duvall, and Toby Jones.

"The Pale Blue Eye" marks the third film Bale and Cooper have made together, following "Out of the Furnace" in 2013 and "Hostiles" in 2017. After having parts in "Amsterdam" and "Thor: Love and Thunder," Bale is looking to keep his momentum going, with Variety predicting that he will contend for a Best Actor nomination later this winter.

Beverly Hills Cop: Axel Foley

Fans of the "Beverly Hills Cop" franchise have been waiting 28 years for another installment and, in 2023, their time will finally come. After "Beverly Hills Cop III" floundered among critics and failed to make as much money as the first two films, the franchise was shelved. Now, with Eddie Murphy set to return as hero detective Axel Foley, the buzz is greater than ever.

"Beverly Hills Cop: Axel Foley" marks another great turn in Murphy's ongoing career renaissance. Hoping to capitalize on the acclaim he received for his performances in "Dolemite Is My Name" and "Coming 2 America," audiences can only hope that the comedian can slip back into the persona of his most beloved character without fail.

The story follows Axel as he comes back to Beverly Hills to sniff out corruption in his old police department. Many of the franchise's original cast, including Judge Reinhold, Paul Reiser, John Ashton, and Bronson Pinchot, are set to return, while Taylour Paige, Kevin Bacon, and Joseph Gordon-Levitt will take on brand new characters. "Beverly Hills Cop" has a storied legacy, with the original film consistently labeled as one of the funniest movies ever made, so "Beverly Hills Cop: Axel Foley" has a lot to live up to, though it'll be exciting to see the old gang back in action for the first time in almost 30 years.

Dept. H

Not much is known about the film adaptation of Matt Kindt's comic book series "Dept. H," though it's set to hit Netflix sometime next year. Alice Waddington is slated to direct the film, her first credit since her feature debut, "Paradise Hills," in 2019.

"Dept. H" revolves around Mia, a special investigator hired to unspool a saboteur's plan at a deep sea research facility. The series traverses a long, complicated crime scene that plays out like a nautical game of Clue, where suspects must prove their innocence while surviving against the creatures surrounding them. How Waddington will condense Kindt's work into one feature film will be something worth keeping note of. No cast list has been released yet.

Kindt's series ran for almost two full years, and the first issue received critical acclaim. Given that the comic doesn't have the biggest fanbase, that leaves the door wide open for Waddington to make the source material her own. It's one of the most-anticipated Netflix releases and comic book adaptations of 2023.

Heart of Stone

In one of Netflix's most high-profile releases of 2023, Tom Harper's "Heart of Stone" has garnered a lot of attention thanks to its illustrious cast, which includes Gal Gadot and Jamie Dornan in the leading roles. "Heart of Stone" will serve as Harper's first directorial effort since "The Aeronauts" in 2019.

The story revolve around Rachel Stone (Gadot), a CIA agent navigating through altercations with dangerous global powers. Most of the plot is being kept under wraps — we just know that it is a spy action thriller.

"Heart of Stone" will be Gadot's first film since Kenneth Branagh's whodunit mystery "Death on the Nile" in 2022, for which she and the rest of the cast received praise for their performances. Dornan didn't grace the silver screen at all in 2022, making "Heart of Stone" his first credit since Branagh's acclaimed coming-of-age drama "Belfast." Sophie Okonedo, Matthias Schweighofer, Jing Lusi, and Alia Bhatt are set to play supporting roles.

Unfrosted: The Pop-Tart Story

Written, directed, and starring Jerry Seinfeld, "Unfrosted: The Pop-Tart Story" is one of Netflix's most anticipated comedies of the upcoming year. Seinfeld has directed before, including episodes of his own show, "Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee," and two of Colin Quinn's stand-up specials.

Netflix won the rights to the film in 2021, the premise of which stems from his own joke about the Pop-Tart's inception. What unfolds on-screen is two breakfast cereal titans, Kellogg's and Post, duking it out against each other, competing to make the first ever mass-produced breakfast pastry in the Vietnam War-era Midwest. "Unfrosted" will serve as Jerry Seinfeld's first film role since 2007, when he made his feature film debut in "Bee Movie."

"Unfrosted" has an Olympic-level cast signed on already, featuring Melissa McCarthy, Jim Gaffigan, Amy Schumer, Hugh Grant, James Marsden, Christian Slater, and Bobby Moynihan, to name just a few. What will come of a film brimming with some of the 21st century's greatest comedians? It's too early to tell, but let's hope it's not another "Movie 43" situation.

You People

In what will be his second release through Netflix within a year, Jonah Hill has teamed up with "black-ish" creator Kenya Barris to make "You People." Following his documentary "Stutz," which opened to widespread acclaim in November 2022, Hill and Barris co-wrote the script together, with Kevin Misher attached as an accompanying producer.

The film is meant to examine the intersection of culture disparities with modern love. There will also be themes of generational divide explored, as Hill and Lauren London play an interracial couple meeting each others' families for the first time.

"You People" features many Netflix alums. Before "Stutz," Hill played parts in "Maniac" and "Don't Look Up." Last year, London had a role in Eric Newman's series "True Story." The third top-billed actor in the film will be Eddie Murphy, who will be looking to add another great performance to his now rejuvenated career, which began with "Dolemite Is My Name" in 2019.

"You People" has an excellent cast lined up, with Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Mike Epps, David Duchovny, and Rhea Perlman set to appear alongside co-leads Hill, Murphy, and London. After Barris's success with "black-ish" and Hill's ability to perfectly blend comedy and drama, "You People" is shaping up to be one of the most intriguing releases of 2023.

Havoc

Netflix's catalog in 2023 won't be short of action films, though "Havoc" might end up being one of the streamer's best of the year. Directed by Gareth Evans, who last helmed "Apostle" in 2018, "Havoc" will mark the first non-"Venom" performance by Tom Hardy since "Capone" in 2020.

"Havoc" will center on the aftermath of a bad drug deal, when Walker (Hardy), a detective, must survive within the dark underbelly of crime in his city. Walker is tasked with saving the kidnapped son of a high-ranking politician while watching his home unravel from the vices of greed and corruption.

As is the case with many of Netflix's upcoming releases, "Havoc" has a promising cast, highlighted by Forest Whitaker, Timothy Olyphant, Justin Cornwell, and Jessie Mei Li. Evans is a relatively unproven director, but this film could completely change all that. Hardy is an exemplary leading man, so "Havoc" shouldn't have any trouble finding success among audiences, especially viewers who are fans of Netflix's other blockbuster action flick, "Extraction."

The Division

Director Rawson Marshall Thurber has been tapped to helm Netflix's new dystopian thriller "The Division." It's his first credit since "Red Notice" in 2021, although he is perhaps best known for directing the comedies "Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story" and "We're the Millers."

Echoing the COVID-19 pandemic, "The Division" details how a futuristic, fast-spreading virus is being contracted through people handling paper money. The events reach an apex on Black Friday, the biggest shopping day of the year, in New York City. What unfolds is the dissolution of society amid a great viral catastrophe, in which the fate of the country rests in the hands of civilians who must fight against bio-terrorists while the government races to find a cure.

As of right now, the only cast members confirmed are Jessica Chastain and Jake Gyllenhaal. Both actors have recently worked on acclaimed movies, with Chastain fresh off of a role in Netflix's "The Good Nurse," while Gyllenhaal was in Michael Bay's "Ambulance." Chastain and Gyllenhaal are both some of the most reliable leading actors working in Hollywood right now, so "The Division" should be a thrilling story worth watching unfold.

Players

"Step Up: All In" and "Pitch Perfect 3" director Trish Sie's next film is the romantic comedy "Players," which will hit Netflix in late 2023. "Players" was written by Whit Anderson, who has acted in "Ocean's Eight" and "Yes Man," while also writing episodes of "Ozark," "Daredevil," and "Allegiance." This production marks Anderson's first collaboration with Netflix since 2017.

Netflix hasn't let too many cats out of the bag about "Players" — all we know is that it is a rom-com with a sports fan slant. A sportswriter, Mack, after years of having only flings and hook-ups, meets a woman who inspires him to settle down and go all in on a relationship.

Tom Ellis and "Jane the Virgin" star Gina Rodriguez are slated to play the movie's leads, while Damon Wayans Jr., Brock O'Hurn, and Joel Courtney will take on supporting roles. The last time we saw Ellis was in his leading role on "Lucifer," while Rodriguez was in the Amazon Prime hit rom-com "I Want You Back" in 2022. The chemistry between Ellis and Rodriguez will be one to look out for, as they are known for working within different genres. Netflix is hit or miss with rom-coms these days, but "Players" has a lot of potential.

High in the Clouds

"High in the Clouds" is easily Netflix's most unique impending release. Based off of a children's novel co-written by Philip Ardagh and Paul McCartney in 2005, Netflix acquired the film rights in 2019 and will release it in collaboration with Gaumont sometime next year. The book's illustrator, Geoff Dunbar, worked with McCartney on the 1984 animated movie "Rupert and the Frog Song."

"High in the Clouds" focuses on Woodland, an animal home about to be demolished by humans. Wirral, a squirrel, is left orphaned by the destruction and goes on an adventure to find a new place to live. His destination is Animalia, a sanctuary for animals. Surprisingly adult, the book tackled themes of war, loss, and companionship, and the movie adaptation should do the same.

The adaptation has been in development off-and-on since 2013, with a number of filmmakers slated to direct. Officially, "Head over Heels" creator Timothy Reckart will helm the film, directing a script written by Jon Croker. McCartney will compose songs and an original score for the film while also executive producing. Beatles fans and animation buffs alike are sure to adore this film, another addition to the still-growing legacy of McCartney, one of the world's greatest rock stars.

God Country

In another comic book adaptation for Netflix, Jim Mickle, the co-creator of the streaming titan's show "Sweet Tooth," will direct his own rendition of Donny Cates' "God Country." Legendary Pictures is attached to the film, which marks another collaboration with Netflix, after the hit films "Enola Holmes" and "Enola Holmes 2" released in 2020 and 2022, respectively.

The story of "God Country" follows Emmett Quinlan, a widower battling dementia. Emmett struggles with confusion, which often leads to violent outbursts that get him in trouble with local police and estrange him from his family. After a tornado destroys his home in West Texas, Emmett is thought to be lost, and possibly dead, in the debris. Instead, the disaster renders him cured and an enchanted sword he found in the eye of the storm gives him superhuman strength.

Far away from the worlds of DC and Marvel, "God Country" aims to be a refreshing entry in the superhero genre. No cast list or plot for the film has been released yet, but Netflix aims to deliver it to audiences by the end of 2023.

Luther

Based on the BBC psychological thriller of the same name, Netflix will be releasing a film adaptation of "Luther" in March. Written by series creator Neil Cross and directed by Jamie Payne, "Luther" will, as star Idris Elba noted in a conversation with Empire, "peel the onion back" on the character of Luther and broaden the scope beyond just the "gritty streets of London."

"Luther" enters an elite company of television shows turned into movies, joining "Charlie's Angels," "The X-Files," and "Star Trek," among countless others. Elba will reprise his role as the titular Luther, a police detective who often has to balance the horrors of his job with the genius of his procedural methods. Andy Serkis and Cynthia Erivo are set to provide supporting roles.

Over the course of five seasons, "Luther" was well-received by audiences and critics alike. A BBC fan-favorite, "Luther" should make for a solid film adaptation, especially with the show's creator in charge of shaping the plot.

Rustin

Directed by George C. Wolfe, the sharp eye behind "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom" in 2020, "Rustin" is a dramatized biopic focused on the life of gay civil rights activist Bayard Rustin. Screenwriter Dustin Lance Black, who won the Oscar for best original screenplay for his "Milk" script in 2009, is on board to write, and Barack and Michelle Obama's company Higher Ground will oversee production.

"Rustin" is set to place a big emphasis on how Rustin organized the March on Washington in 1963. Upon casting Colman Domingo, who previously worked with Wolfe in "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom," in the lead role, the Bayard Rustin Center for Social Justice approved of the casting on Twitter.

"Rustin" will feature a supporting cast of legendary figures from the Civil Rights movement, including Roy Wilkins (Chris Rock), A. Philip Randolph (Glynn Turman), Martin Luther King Jr. (Aml Ameen), and Cleveland Robinson (Michael Potts). How "Rustin" will stack up against the seemingly never-ending list of biopics remains to be seen, but after his success with "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom," Wolfe appears to be the perfect man to tell the late activist's story.

Maestro

Produced by Todd Phillips, Martin Scorsese, and Steven Spielberg, Hollywood star Bradley Cooper will direct "Maestro," a biopic about composer and humanitarian Leonard Bernstein. Cooper co-wrote the movie with Josh Singer, who won an Oscar for best original screenplay in 2015 for his "Spotlight" script.

In addition to directing, Cooper will play Bernstein, with the film is set to focus on his life, especially his marriage to Felicia Montealegre (Carey Mulligan), an actress who later became an anti-war advocate during the Vietnam War.

A terrific cast is already in place, with Jeremy Strong, Matt Bomer, Maya Hawke, and Sarah Silverman set to appear in support of Cooper and Mulligan. Initially, Scorsese was supposed to direct the film, but later stepped down to direct "The Irishman."

The film has been met with scrutiny for Cooper's use of a prosthetic nose. Critics have lambasted the decision for Cooper, a non-Jewish person, to wear prosthetics, while Canadian Jewish News reporter James Hirsh proclaimed that Cooper should not be playing Bernstein at all if he is unable to do so without the fake nose, a practical effect that plays negatively into cultural caricatures of Jewish people. "Maestro" will certainly generate enough buzz come awards season, but not without its controversies being held up to the light first.

Our Man From Jersey

After helming the BBC film "Marvelous," Julian Farino is returning to the director's chair for "Our Man from Jersey." Mark Wahlberg is set to star, coming off his performance in "Father Stu" in 2022. The last time we saw Wahlberg's co-star Halle Berry was in "Moonfall" in 2022, which became a disastrous box office bombs, taking in just over $65 million on a $140 million budget.

"Our Man from Jersey" tells the story of a blue-collar man becoming a hero overnight. Mike (Wahlberg) is a construction worker, at least until his high school girlfriend Roxanne (Berry) convinces him to become a spy. Mike is a nice guy who doesn't have any interest in turning to the world of espionage, but it's not long before a do-or-die mission leaves him with no choice. J.K. Simmons, Jackie Earle Haley, Jessica De Gouw, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, and Alice Lee round out the cast, but few other details have been released by Netflix so far.

Reptile

Not much is known about "Reptile" yet, other than the fact that Grant Singer is slated to direct and the cast is full of names audiences likely wouldn't expect to see come together in the same movie. "Reptile" marks Singer's feature film debut, though he's spent the last nine years directing music videos for Sam Smith, The Weeknd, Ariana Grande, and Troye Sivan.

"Reptile" revolves around a man named Nichols (Benicio Del Toro), who is a New England detective working a mysterious case that quickly bleeds into his own personal life. The lines for Nichols are blurred, as he often can't tell what's real and what's not, which leads him down a dark path.

The cast is brimming with big names, including Frances Fisher, Alicia Silverstone, Justin Timberlake, Eric Bogosian, Sky Ferreira, and Michael Pitt. "Reptile" will mark a reunion between Silverstone and Del Toro, who played each other's love interests in "Excess Baggage" in 1997.

Spy Kids: Armageddon

The "Spy Kids" franchise is one of the most successful live-action kids movie series of all-time, grossing over $550 million worldwide over the course of four films. "Spy Kids" has remained dormant for 12 years, after creator Robert Rodriguez aimed to shift the story's focus away from Carmen and Juni Cortez (Alexa Vega and Daryl Sabara), the stars of the first three films.

"Spy Kids: Armageddon" is meant to be a total reboot of the series, and Rodriguez has written the script as well as serving as director. The film will focus on how children are unintentionally helping a game developer take over the world through a destructive computer virus, and must then take matters into their own hands in order to save their families.

The cast is lead by Gina Rodriguez and Zachary Levi, while Everly Carganilla, Connor Esterson, Billy Magnussen, and D.J. Cotrona round out the ensemble. Don't go into "Spy Kids: Armageddon" expecting it to be the "Citizen Kane" of kids espionage movies. It probably won't dazzle critics, but it'll be an action-packed adventure for families on movie night.

Society of the Snow

"Society of the Snow" is set to be one of the most dynamic films of 2023. The only Spanish language entry on the list, "Society of the Snow" is an adaptation of Pablo Vierci's book "The Snow Society: The Definitive Account of the World's Greatest Survival Story," which details the experiences of the 16 survivors from the Andes flight disaster in 1972.

Vierci's book is particularly emotional, as the author knew many of the survivors as a child and felt a particular connection to them. J.A. Bayona will translate Vierci's story and documentations onto the silver screen. The story of the Andes flight disaster is legendary for how unfathomable the chances were that anyone could withstand the mountain range's treacherous conditions, as well as the fact that the survivors were forced to resort to cannibalism or starve.

The cast comprises mostly newcomers who don't have any credits to their name, but interestingly, Carlos Páez, one of the real-life survivors of the flight, will play his own father in the film.

The Electric State

Directed by MCU alums Anthony and Joe Russo, "The Electric State" is an adaptation of Simon Stalenhag's graphic novel. Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely, the brains behind the "Chronicles of Narnia" and "Captain America" franchises, penned the script, while horror filmmakers Andy and Barbara Muschietti are slated to produce.

Not many details about the film have been announced, beyond the prolific ensemble casts, but the premise is said to focus on Michelle, a young girl who looks for her missing and estranged brother, who has sent her a robot from some great, unknown place. "The Electric State" will be half-live-action and half-animated.

Frequent Netflix collaborator Millie Bobby Brown is set to play the lead role of Michelle, while Chris Pratt, Stanley Tucci, Jason Alexander, Brian Cox, Jenny Slate, Giancarlo Esposito, and Anthony Mackie are among the names rounding out the cast. Be on the lookout for Ke Huy Quan, who is fresh off his brilliant return to acting in "Everything Everywhere All at Once," which has made him the best supporting actor favorite at the 2023 Academy Awards, according to Variety.

The Killer

After ceasing production on his hit series "Mindhunter" to create the blockbuster biopic "Mank" in 2020, David Fincher has returned to Netflix to direct "The Killer," an adaptation of Alexis Nolent's graphic novel series of the same name. Fincher has been attached to Nolent's book since as early as 2007, the project bouncing from various production companies before landing at Netflix's feet.

Only Michael Fassbender and Tilda Swinton have been announced as principal cast members. Audiences last saw Fassbender in 2019, when he played Magneto in "X-Men: Dark Phoenix." Swinton had a busy 2022, as she performed in "Three Thousand Years of Longing" and "The Eternal Daughter," as well as voicing the role of the Wood Sprite in Guillermo del Toro's "Pinocchio."

Nolent's series tells the story of a nameless assassin who makes calculated decisions quietly. Later revealed to be named Christian, he doesn't have many goals, except for making enough money to retire and leave the public eye completely. Nolent's work is meant to test the limits in which audiences can draw empathy for a bad person. If any director is capable of making that premise work on the big screen, it's Fincher, who found great success with dark, brutal dramas, including "Fight Club," "Zodiac," and "Gone Girl."

The Monkey King

Audiences haven't seen Anthony Stacchi in the director's chair since 2014, when he co-directed "The Boxtrolls" with Graham Annable. Known mostly for his work behind the camera, Stacchi has built a long, storied career as a storyboard artist and visual effects creator. He got his start on "Back to the Future" in 1985, and has since worked on projects as varied as "Hook," "James and the Giant Peach," "Antz," and "Ghost."

"The Monkey King" focuses on the titular Monkey King, who must travel near and far to get his staff back from the wretched Dragon King. Screenwriter Steven Benchich, who wrote "Brother Bear," "Chicken Little," and "Open Season," penned the script, his first since "Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore" in 2010. "The Monkey King" marks Benchich and Stacchi's first collaboration since 2006.

A great cast is already in place, featuring Stephanie Hsu, BD Wong, Jimmy O. Yang, Hoon Lee, and Bowen Yang. "The Monkey King" will mark the first performance for Hsu after "Everything Everywhere All at Once," which is putting her in the conversation for best supporting actress at the Academy Awards, as per Variety.

The Mothership

Matt Charman is back for his first feature film since 2015, when he co-wrote the script for Steven Spielberg's "Bridge of Spies" with the Coen Brothers. Charman secured an Oscar nomination for best original screenplay, but has been awfully quiet since.

Charman's new movie, "The Mothership," follows a single mother, Sara (Halle Berry), and her kids, who stumble upon an extraterrestrial on their property. Sara's husband disappeared without a trace a year earlier, and she believes her new discovery will help bring him, or the truth of his whereabouts, home. This marks Berry's second collaboration with Netflix in 2023, along with "Our Man from Jersey," in which she stars alongside Mark Wahlberg.

Berry, Molly Parker, Omari Hardwick, and Sydney Lemmon are among the names that will round out the cast. Parker is set to have a strong 2023, as she will also play Mary Darling in Disney's "Peter Pan & Wendy." Hardwick was last seen in the TV series "Pieces of Her," while Lemmon appeared in "Tar," alongside Cate Blanchett. A release date hasn't been set yet, but expect "The Mothership" to arrive sometime in late 2023.