Drumroll, Please: These Are the Kickass Women of 2018's Most Exciting Movies

Updated on 3/7/2018 at 7:05 PM

Last year is already being discussed as one of those years that people are dying to forget, but honestly, all of its difficulties allow us to propel forward, and I mean that in no trite way as it pertains to 2018 movies. After all, movies and Hollywood are a reflection of our social situation and the environment that birthed both the #MeToo movement and Time's Up. Now, in the midst of a rebellious, totally different award season, we're getting the kind of movies that we need: movies that celebrate women. Movies that star primarily women. Movies that portray women as more than mothers and girlfriends. Yes, these movies have always existed, but 2018 is giving us an impressive volume of these, particularly with movies full of women who are kicking ass. Behold, the movies starring the fiercest females of 2018 that you won't just want to see — you'll want to be.

Proud Mary

Taraji P. Henson is kicking ass and taking names as an assassin in this gritty thriller. After years of males playing hitmen on the big screen, Hollywood has gotten the message that we'd like to see more women as the fierce antiheroes, following in the footsteps of recent hit Atomic Blonde and followed by another 2018 project on this list, Red Sparrow.

Release date: Jan. 12

Black Panther

Black Panther is Marvel's first standalone movie featuring a black superhero, and happily, it doesn't appear to sideline its female characters. Instead, we're getting fierce Wakandan warriors played by Lupita Nyong'o, Angela Bassett, The Walking Dead's Danai Gurira, Florence Kasumba, and Letitia Wright. Prepare your bows accordingly.

Release date: Feb. 16

Annihilation

Natalie Portman is a badass for a lot of reasons, and she'll show off her action star skills in this February's Annihilation, which not only boasts her as a lead, but portrays an all-female troupe that goes on an exploratory mission into the jungle. The other fierce females include Tessa Thompson, Gina Rodriguez, and Jennifer Jason Leigh, so get ready to meet your new favorite girl group.

Release date: Feb. 23

Red Sparrow

Jennifer Lawrence is many things: Oscar winner, comedian, best friend material . . . and don't forget: action star. She takes on the role of a Russian spy you would not want to be caught in a dark alley with in Red Sparrow. Forget those lists of other dudes for the next James Bond — we have a lengthy list of female stars who have proven they have more than what it takes (and they can do it in heels).

Release date: March 2

A Wrinkle in Time

Big-screen adaptation of a beloved children's book or the second coming of Destiny's Child? Oprah Winfrey, Reese Witherspoon, and Mindy Kaling play Mrs. Which, Mrs. Whatsit, and Mrs. Who in the A Wrinkle in Time cast, and just look at them. The film version of Madeleine L'Engle's book has a lot to live up to, but with that cast — again, Oprah — we know the fantasy is going to deliver. And we know what we're being for Halloween this year.

Release date: Mar. 9

Tomb Raider

Alicia Vikander has some big shoes to fill, but like Angelina Jolie before her, we know she'll bring her badass side to Lara Croft. The Oscar winner is giving us Lara's origin story, proving the fact that audiences are just as invested in an iconic female character whose story deserves to be rebooted (I mean, especially if we have to see Bruce Wayne's parents die a thousand times).

Release date: March 16

Deadpool 2

Yeah, yeah, yeah, it'll be great to have Ryan Reynolds back as the foul-mouthed mutant, but ever since this image of Atlanta's Zazie Beetz as Domino was released, she's all I can think about when I think about this sequel. If the film's tongue-in-cheek promos of her are any indication, we'll have a character bold enough to go toe to toe with Deadpool. Cable who?

Release date: June 1

Ocean's 8

"We don't need another Ocean's movie . . ." you thought, until the precise moment you heard it would be headlined by Sandra Bullock, Cate Blanchett, Rihanna, and so many more. Now, Ocean's 8, with its fun-filled, action-packed trailer, is one of our most-anticipated movies of the year. We're just worried the combined amount of girl power is going to blow the roof off of some theaters.

Release date: June 8

Halloween

Reboot fatigue is real, but get someone as iconic as scream queen Jamie Lee Curtis to revisit a character as iconic as Laurie Strode, and we tend to forget all of our complaints. Original director John Carpenter has given the film his blessing, and a few key details are already out there. But honestly, with Curtis in, we were already sold.

Release date: Oct. 19

X-Men: Dark Phoenix

We are downright giddy about the next female-forward X-Men installment, X-Men: Dark Phoenix. Sophie Turner — already one of the best things about Game of Thrones — is going dark as Jean Grey, portraying Jean as she deals with the "malevolent, power-hungry new force" inside of her. Uh, yeah. This honestly can't come out soon enough.

Release date: Nov. 2