Winter movie preview: 'Creed,' 'Scream,' 'Ant-Man,' 'John Wick' and 15 more

If Hollywood has a New Year’s resolution, it’s this: Get audiences back into theaters.

Granted, the movie industry has been trying for some time. There’s no telling what COVID-19 might bring, of course, but there are signs that bode well for 2023.

For starters, last year’s theatrical hits “Top Gun: Maverick,” “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” and “Avatar: The Way of Water” lifted the industry’s spirits and contributed to a box-office total of $7.3 billion – up more than 64% over the previous year, according to BoxOfficeMojo. The success wasn’t limited to sequels and superhero films, either. The oddball indie comedy “Everything Everywhere All at Once” pulled in an unexpected $103 million, proving that audiences will indeed turn out for the right movie.

So what’s on tap for this year? Well, the winter season is usually one of slim pickings, but there are several promising titles coming up. Disney-Marvel’s “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania” arrives unseasonably early, on Feb. 17. (The studio traditionally launches its first big feature in May). Likewise, the “Creed” franchise leaves its previous November slots and moves up to March 3 with “Creed III.” Other high-profile sequels slated for winter: “John Wick: Chapter 4,” “Scream VI” and “Magic Mike’s Last Dance.”

There are also a few art-house titles with impressive pedigrees. “The Lost King,” starring Sally Hawkins as an independent-minded historian, is the latest from the creative team behind 2013’s “Philomena.” Zach Braff, of “Garden State” fame, directs Oscar nominee Florence Pugh in “A Good Person,” a drama about addiction. And Liam Neeson plays a 1930s detective in “Marlowe,” a crime-thriller written by William Monahan (“The Departed”).

Here are 19 movies that could get Hollywood off on the right foot this year:

By Rafer Guzmán

rafer.guzman@newsday.com