Kids Movies 2017

The Top 10 Kids Movies List in 2017 – (So Far)

The recipe for a kids movie is as follows: one part engagement with adults, two parts charismatic voice actors, and three parts adorable animation. The roster for 2017 adheres to this practice pretty well with originals like Boss Baby and Barbie. Reboot property like Smurfs: The Lost Village will go in with high hopes, while Diary of a Wimpy Kid and Cars come back with belated sequels. Fittingly, however, the biggest kids movie release set for release is Power Rangers; based on the TV series and prepped for commercial success akin to the superhero big boys. Given a cast of newcomers and a director known best for Project Almanac (2012) in Dean Israelite, the film will provide a spirited take on the Rangers of old while revamping elements like the alien force and the tyrannical Rita Repulsa (Elizabeth Banks). There will even be a bit of familiarity with actors like Bill Hader and Bryan Cranston crashing the party.

A DOG’S PURPOSE

Everyone loves dogs. And when Hollywood decides to dust off the old tearjerker pup movie, it’s essentially a shoe-in that audiences will come in droves. This looks to be the case with A Dog’s Purpose, at least, a dramedy based on W. Bruce Cameron’s 2010 novel. Both the book and the film follows the titular pet’s journey as he is reincarnated multiple times in search of his purpose. Along the way, he improves the lives of his various owners, especially Ethan; the little boy he comes back to as an adult. Acclaimed director Lasse Hallström (What’s Eating Gilbert Grape?, Chocolat) will adapt, while a cast consisting of Josh Gad, Dennis Quaid, and the voice of Bradley Cooper get to do all the puppy loving.

BOSS BABY

When it comes to utterly wild concepts, Boss Baby just about has it all. A devious, highly intelligent infant (voiced by Alec Baldwin), a jealous seven-year old brother (voiced by Miles Bakshi), and a devious plan to disrupt the balance of love in the world. Developed by the CEO (voiced by Steve Buscemi) of Puppy Co., this dastardly plan will force both siblings to unite while dodging their inquisitive parents (voiced by Jimmy Kimmel and Lisa Kudrow). The cast will certainly be a big selling point for this kids adventure, but the DreamWorks production has another ace in the hole with director Tom McGrath. As the man who co-created the Madagascar franchise, McGrath clearly knows how to make zany into family friendly fun.

SMURFS: THE LOST VILLAGE

Things may get a little confusing given that Sony has a Smurfs series completely unrelated to this one. The box office friendly-critically bashed collection starring Neil Patrick Harris, Katy Perry, and Hank Azaria are supposedly no more, and have now given way to Smurfs: The Lost Village– a total reboot of the Smurfs brand. This time, Smurfette (Demi Lovato) will attempt to find her purpose in the village, only to encounter a creature in the Enchanted Forest and set off on a wild quest. Fellows Smurfs will be voiced by Mandy Patinkin (Papa Smurf), Jack McBrayer (Clumsy Smurf) and Joe Manganiello (Hefty Smurf), while the scheming Gargamel falls to The Office alumni Rainn Wilson. Perhaps the second time’s a charm for this little blue adventurers.

BARBIE

For having decades of sustained popularity, it seems a bit odd that we are just now getting a live-action Barbie movie. The recipient of dozens of animated features, Mattel’s iconic doll is now headed to the big screen for an adventure that’s yet to be disclosed to the public. What we do know is that the film is slated for a May release, and that a bevy of respected writer-producers, including Jenny Bicks (Sex and the City), Bert V. Royal (Easy A), and Hilary Winston (Community). Academy Award winner Diablo Cody (Juno) has also contributed a rewrite, to which there has been no announcement of director or potential stars. Either way, if Sony Pictures plays things correctly, they could be at the threshold of an entire Barbie Cinematic Universe. Watch out Marvel.

THE NUT JOB 2

After an energetic adventure in 2014’s The Nut Job, Surly the purple squirrel (Will Arnett) and his crew of animated animals are back for even more nutty behavior. This time, the quick thinker must band everyone together to prevent Oakton City’s crooked mayor (Bobby Moynihan) from bulldozing the local park and replacing it with a dangerous, commercialized theme park. Aptly titled The Nut Job 2, the film is sure to come packed with the same stunning roster of voices and the gags that come with them. This includes groundhog Jimmy (Gabriel Iglesias), Mole (Jeff Dunham), red squirrel Andie (Katherine Heigl), pug Precious (Maya Rudolph) and mouse Mr. Feng (Jackie Chan). It’s sure to delight.

POWER RANGERS

In the age of The Avengers and the Justice League, reviving the Power Rangers for a spiffy new franchise is a pretty sharp move. And sure enough, the hype train and fanbase behind the franchise has been fully supportive of what’s sure to be one of the year’s most anticipated releases. Power Rangers will serve as a reimagining that includes most of the main characters of the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers show, as well as content from the Gekisou Sentai Carranger series in Japan. To make matters even more exciting, a cast of Dacre Montgomery, Naomi Scott, RJ Cyler, and Becky G will lend an air of freshness for the new generation.

DIARY OF A WIMPY KID: THE LONG HAUL

The third adaptation of the hugely successful book series, Diary of a Wimpy Kid is making some big changes this time around. Despite the prominent cast of Zachary Gordon, Robert Capron, Steve Zahn, The Long Haul is wheeling out an entirely new batch of actors– among which include the titular ‘Wimpy Kid’ Greg (Jason Drucker), Rowley (Owen Asztalos), and Susan (Alicia Silverstone). The plot is typical series nonsense, as Greg convinces his family to take a road trip to attend his grandmother’s 90 birthday day. The kicker, of course, is that it’s all a cover for what he really wants to attend– a gamer convention, where any and all chance for things to go wrong most certainly do.

CARS 3

Pixar Animation Studios has seen staggering since it’s inception in 1995, and the last few years have proven no exception. Whether it be the heartbreaking Toy Story 3 (2010) or the ingenious maturity fable Inside Out (2015), the revered company know exactly how to make a movie that appeals to both young and adult audiences. Cars 3 is yet another addition to this catalogue. The third installment in the vehicular franchise focuses on Lightning McQueen (Owen Wilson), who’s since become a veteran racer that yearns for the glory days. A race around America proves his greatest challenge yet, especially with the addition of old pals like Mater (Larry the Cable Guy), Sally Carrera (Bonnie Hunt), and Ramone (Cheech Marin).

DESPICABLE ME 3

Another threequel with commercial pull, Despicable Me has been a viable hit since it’s first film in 2010. Felonius Gru (Steve Carell), the former supervillain and titular ‘Me’, has been the legal guardian of sisters Margo (Miranda Cosgrove), Edith (Dana Gaier), and Agnes (Elsie Fisher) for over five years now, and it proves rough when he must go against archenemy Balthazar Bratt (Trey Parker). The former 80s child star is obsessed with his former glory, and Gru must balance out fatherly duties, saving the world, and meeting his long-lost twin brother Dru. Kristen Wiig also returns as Lucy Wilde, an Anti-Villain agent and Gru’s wife.

COCO
Coco, the latest Disney-Pixar production, follows a young boy named Miguel as he tracks the clues of a century-old mystery. Inspired in part by the Mexican celebration Día de Muertos (Day of the Dead), Coco has taken a likewise approach with its promotional cycle and kept most of the plot and casting details under wraps. That being said, there have been scarce pieces of news that’ve wetted the appetites for what Disney and Pixar have in store– namely the vocal casting of actor Benjamin Bratt (Miss Congeniality, Doctor Strange) and that Lee Unkrich (Toy Story 3) is tapped to direct. Pixar has also reportedly taken trips to Mexico to help define the authenticity and folk art surroundings to give Coco a sincere connection with the culture.