Billie, Denzel, Eddie among the big stars coming to your TV this winter
The winter of coronavirus won't be short on star power when it comes to new home releases. These dates are subject to change, of course, but here are five big ones to circle on your 2021 entertainment calendar:
Jan. 15: "WandaVision," Disney+
The first TV series anchored by stars from the Marvel Cinematic Universe puts Wanda "Scarlet Witch" Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen) and her cybernetic boyfriend Vision (Paul Bettany) in an idyllic suburban neighborhood that, judging by the trailer, shifts through different time periods. (And it may have a ... studio audience?) The plot has been kept under wraps for what looks to be a very risky way to start the Disney+ era of Marvel's TV shows. Later in 2021, "Avengers" actors Anthony Mackie and Sebastian Stan will return in "The Falcon and the Winter Soldier" (March 19) and Tom Hiddleston will return as the dashing, dastardly "Loki" (May).
Jan. 29: "The Little Things," HBO Max
In a normal January, "The Little Things" would be a theatrical release lost amid the Oscar push and late December's blockbusters. But in 2021, this serial-killer thriller could be a very big thing when it premieres on a streaming platform for a home audience that eats up procedurals and true-crime documentaries. Add in the Oscar-winning trio of Denzel Washington, Jared Leto and Rami Malek, and you have the recipe for a surprise homebound hit. (Bonus recommendation: Writer-director John Lee Hancock's resume includes "The Founder," a tremendously entertaining biopic starring Michael Keaton as McDonald's mastermind Ray Kroc.)
Feb. 23: "Superman & Lois," The CW
Weary of the humorless Superman we've come to know on the big screen the last few years? Look, up in the sky, it's Tyler Hoechlin ("Teen Wolf"), reprising the incandescent incarnation of Supes who has guest-starred on The CW's other DC Comics-inspired shows. Elizabeth Tulloch co-stars as Lois Lane in a show codeveloped by Greg Berlanti, whose resume is full of superheroes: "Supergirl," "Green Lantern," "Arrow" and "Legends of Tomorrow."
Feb. 26: "Billie Eilish: The World's a Little Blurry," Apple TV+
A fly-on-the-wall documentary following the pop superstar whose trailer instantly reminds you just how young she is - the cameras are there when she gets her driver's license. Her music is spooky, groovy and transcendent; her personality is goofy, warm and down-to-earth. This has potential to be a breakthrough moment for Apple TV+.
March 5: "Coming 2 America," Amazon Prime; and "Raya and the Last Dragon," Disney+
The former sees Eddie Murphy, Arsenio Hall and James Earl Jones reprise their roles from the 1988 smash about an African prince looking for love in New York; the sequel's trailer looks like the exact same movie with 33 years of extra mileage on the actors' faces, which is just fine with me. The latter is Disney's second "Premier Access" offering on its streaming platform, requiring subscribers to pony up an extra $29.99 to watch an animated adventure inspired by Southeastern Asian cultures and starring the voice of "Star Wars" alum Kelly Marie Tran.
• Sean Stangland is an assistant news editor whose favorite Billie Eilish song is "ilomilo."