Top Ensemble Cast Movies of 2016

by Helen Earnshaw | 3 February 2016

You can't help but love an ensemble cast, where a whole host of great acting talent comes together in the same film - it really is a movie treat.

Dad's Army

And 2016 is no different as there is an army of movies that really are boasting some impressive line-ups - I can't quite decide which cast list I am most excited about.

We have already been treated to movies such as The Big Short and Spotlight and we take a look at the rest of the film year and some of the great acting talents that are going to come together on the big screen.

- Dad's Army - released 5th February

And the great movie line-up starts this week as a whole host of great British actors comes together for Dad's Army, which is based on the much-loved television series created by David Croft and Jimmy Perry.

Toby Jones, Bill Nighy, Tom Courtenay, Michael Gambon, Daniel Mays, Bill Paterson, and Blake Harrison take on the iconic roles of Captain Mainwaring, Sergeant Wilson, Lance Corporal Jones, Private Godfrey, Private Walker, Private Frazer, and Private Pike. While many of the cast are well known and seasoned actors, Dad's Army will send the stars of Mays and Harrison rocketing further.

They are joined on the cast list by Catherine Zeta-Jones, Mark Gatiss, Sarah Lancashire, Ian Lavender, Alison Steadman, and Annette Crosbie. It really is one of the most impressive gatherings of British acting talent this year.

Dad's Army sees Oliver Parker back in the director's chair for his first feature film since Johnny English Reborn back in 2011.

It is 1944 and World War II is reaching its climax. The Allies are poised to invade France and finally defeat the German army. But in Walmington-on-Sea morale amongst the Home Guard is low. Their new mission then - to patrol the Dover army base - is a great chance to revive spirits and reputation, that is until glamorous journalist Rose Winters arrives to write about their exploits, setting the pulses racing and putting the local women on red alert.

MI5 then discover a radio signal sent direct to Berlin from Walmington-on-Sea. There's a spy on the loose! The outcome of the war is suddenly at stake, and it falls to our unlikely heroes to stand up and be counted.

We are going to be treated to a whole host of great British movies this year but none will boast as impressive a cast as Dad's Army.

- Pride and Prejudice and Zombies - released 11th February

February is a great month for the ensemble cast film and Pride and Prejudice and Zombies is another to keep an eye out for... the line-up is a wonderful mix of young talent and really well-established stars.

Lily James is fast becoming one of the biggest stars and she takes on the central role of Elizabeth Bennet - but this is Jane Austen's heroine like you have never seen her before.

James is joined on the cast list by Lena Headey, Matt Smith, Douglas Booth, Sam Riley, Bella Heathcote, Suki Waterhouse, Jack Huston, and Charles Dance.

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies is an adaptation of the novel by Seth Grahame-Smith, which was inspired by the classic by Austen. The movie sees Burr Steers in the director's chair and on writing duties.

A mysterious plague has fallen upon 19th century England, the land is overrun with the undead and feisty heroine Elizabeth Bennet is a master of martial arts and weaponry.

Casting aside personal and social prejudices, Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy must unite on the blood-soaked battlefield to rid the country of the zombie menace and discover their true love for one another.

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies looks like it is going to be a movie that is a lot of fun and it is one of the February movies that I am looking forward to the most.

- Triple 9 - released 19th February

I love a good crime/thriller and Triple 9 is a movie that I have been looking forward to for quite some time.

Not only is it exciting to see Lawless filmmaker John Hillcoat back in the director's chair, but he has brought together a magnificent cast.

There is some major British interest as Chiwetel Ejiofor and Oscar winner Kate Winslet are set to star. They are joined on the cast list by Casey Affleck, Woody Harrelson, Anthony Mackie, Teresa Palmer, Gal Gadot, Aaron Paul, Norman Reedus, Michael Kenneth Williams, and Clifton Collins Jr.

There is talent wherever you look on this cast list and it is great to see a mix of established stars with up and coming talent. Gal Gadot is one of the actresses to watch out for this year, and Triple 9 is just one of her high-profile movies and roles.

When a crew of dirty cops is blackmailed by the Russian mob to execute a virtually impossible heist, they realise the only way to pull it off is to manufacture a 999, police code for "officer down".

The chaos that ensues when a police officer is shot in the line of duty is just the diversion they'll need to do the job, but whether they have the will to kill one of their own is an entirely different matter, triggering a breakneck, action-packed finale tangled with double-crosses, greed and revenge.

The trailers hint that we are going to be treated to a film that is packed with twists and turns, as well as some interesting and complex characters. I cannot wait to see this great cast in action.

- Hail, Caesar! - released 4th March

It is always exciting when a Joel and Ethan Coen movie is on the horizon and it is no wonder that some of Hollywood's biggest stars have flocked to work with the Oscar winners.

The Coen brothers have penned the screenplay as well as being in the director's chair in what is their first feature since the success of Inside Llewyn Davis back in 2014.

Hail, Caesar! sees them reunite with Josh Brolin and George Clooney - with whom they worked on No Country for Old Men and Burn After Reading. The duo take on the central roles of Hollywood fixer Eddie Mannix and actor Baird Whitlock.

Brolin and Clooney are joined on the cast list by Scarlett Johansson, Channing Tatum, Ralph Fiennes, Tilda Swinton, Jonah Hill, and Dolph Lundgren.

Set during the latter years of Hollywood's Golden Age, the movie follows a fixer who is trying to keep some of the biggest actors in line... that job is made even more difficult when one of them is kidnapped whilst filming his latest movie.

It is great to see Joel and Ethan Coen return to the comedy genre and Hail, Caesar! could be one of their best films yet.

- Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice - released 25th March

2016 is a year that belongs to the comic book movie as there are some big and very exciting films in this genre heading our way - personally, I am looking forward to them all.

All of them boast impressive cast list as directors and studios have pulled out all the stops to make it one of the best years for this film genre.

Dawn of Justice comes after the success of Man of Steel and sees Henry Cavill reprise the role of Superman. Amy Adams, Diane Lane, Michael Shannon and Laurence Fishburne are back as Lois Lane, Martha Kent, General Zod and Perry White.

However, there are some big new additions to the cast list as we will see Ben Affleck, Gal Gadot, Jesse Eisenberg, Jason Momoa, and Jeremy Irons take on the roles of Batman, Wonder Woman, Lex Luthor, Aquaman, and Alfred for the very first time.

Fearing the actions of a god-like superhero left unchecked, Gotham City's own formidable, forceful vigilante takes on Metropolis's most revered, modern-day saviour, while the world wrestles with what sort of hero it really needs.

Dawn of Justice sees Zack Snyder back in the director's chair for his first feature film since Man of Steel.

- Captain America: Civil War - released 29th April

When it comes to 2016 movies, there is none that I am looking forward to more than Captain America: Civil War, which will kick off the Phase Three of Marvel movies in major style.

It is the third solo Captain America movie and the first time that we have seen this popular character on the big screen since Avengers: Age of Ultron last year. This is the second Captain America film for Anthony and Joe Russo, who steered The Winter Soldier to critical and commercial success in 2014.

Chris Evans reprises the title role and we will see Scarlett Johansson, Anthony Mackie, and Sebastian Stan return to the Captain America franchise as they reprise their roles as Black Widow, Falcon, and Winter Soldier.

But we are going to see Robert Downey Jr, Jeremy Renner, Elizabeth Olsen, Paul Bettany, and Paul Rudd step into the franchise for the first time as they are back as Iron Man, Hawkeye, Scarlet Witch, The Vision, and Ant-Man. We are also going to see Chadwick Boseman and Tom Holland introduced as Black Panther and Spider-Man.

Civil War sees Captain America and Iron Man go head to head after the introduction of an act regulating superhuman activity. The Avengers are torn as they are forced to choose sides.

There really is a lot going on in Captain America: Civil War with many different character and storylines to explore and develop as we head toward Avengers: Infinity War.