As far as years go, 2016 was a bit of a disaster. We lost some truly iconic figures, experienced some quite frankly ludicrous geopolitical events, and everyone lost their shit about a dead gorilla.
Things can only get better, right? Well, actually, yeah, because in terms of pop culture, 2017 looks set to be an absolute belter.
Advert
TV is only going to get better:
There have been some great new series in 2016, and as anyone who has just finished Planet Earth II will tell you, they're only getting better. 2017 will see the return of favourites such as Game Of Thrones and Narcos, as well as 2016's smash hit sci-fi show Stranger Things. Netflix is on beast mode when it comes to churning out fresh new material at the moment so it stands to reason that we can expect much of the same in the year to come. And the BBC isn't missing out either with Tom Hardy's BBC/FX show Taboo which looks like a classic.
Credit: BBC / FX
Advert
Some of our favourite films are getting reboots:
The original cast are coming back for Trainspotting 2, Christopher Nolan's Dunkirk looks incredible (watch the trailer below), Tom Cruise is taking over from Brendan Fraser in the latest addition to The Mummy franchise, and Ridley Scott has been back at the helm directing Alien: Covenant which, judging by the trailer, looks set to be absolutely horrific...in a good way of course.
Credit: Warner Bros.
Advert
There's some exciting new music in the pipeline:
Where 2016 was the year of uncertainty and disappointment, 2017 looks set to be the year of sweet tunes. There are new albums on the way from Gorillaz, Liam Gallagher, The xx and Bonobo while Eminem is working on a new album entitled Success, which may even feature a collaboration with Adele. In addition, Kanye is apparently planning to release a gaming-inspired record in the coming year - as if he'd leave us hanging.
Credit: EminemMusic
Advert
There's going to be loads of ridiculous new tech:
You'll be able to snap up a working hoverbike, instantly heal cuts using a laser pen, and virtual reality will be appearing in homes around the world more than ever before. All of that not futuristic enough for you? Well, fear not because DeLorean is coming 'back to the future' and recommencing production of its iconic DMC-12, too. Not bad, not bad at all.
Margot Robbie will be all over our screens:
If you're anything like us then you probably saw your fair share of Harley Quinn costumes paraded around bars this past Halloween. Next year the Australian actress who made them popular looks set to be absolutely everywhere, and who are we to complain? According to Vanity Fair, Robbie is going to be appearing in as many as five films next year, and even more in 2018. They said things could only be better after 2016, and perhaps they were right.
Credit: The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
Advert
The Rock Has Some Sweet Films Coming Up:
Who doesn't love Dwayne Johnson? Nobody, that's who. The former wrestler/current box office decimator/all-round nice guy is set for starring roles in at least three films due for release in 2017. We can expect to see The Rock and his trademark grin in The Fate Of The Furious, Baywatch (which apparently isn't as bad as you might imagine) and a remake of Jumanji, in which he and co-star Jack Black are rumoured to be paying a big tribute to Robin Williams.
Conor McGregor may be back in the ring sooner than we thought:
With a baby on the way, we were all led to believe that the Irish, UFC lightweight champion may be out of action for as much as 10 months. However, McGregor has hinted in several interviews that he may slip another fight in before baby comes along. He was also granted a license to box in California recently, amid talk of a fight with Floyd Mayweather. It seems pretty unlikely it will ever actually come to fruition, but we live in hope.
Gamers have plenty to get excited about:
In terms of consoles, 2017 is bringing us two big ones. First of all there's Project Scorpio from Xbox. Promising to be the most powerful console to date, Scorpio boasts true 4K gaming and six teraflops (lol) of graphical processing power. If you're more inclined toward Nintendo then you should be getting your kicks about the release of the Nintendo Switch in March. This could bridge the gap between home and portable gaming devices. It's not just consoles, though, because 2017 will also see the return of some of our favourite titles. Red Dead Redemption 2, Resident Evil VII, Crash Bandicoot Remastered, Final Fantasy XII and a new Zelda game are all set to hit shelves soon.
Credit: Red Dead Redemption 2
So while the past year may not have exactly been the best, we'd defy anyone to say that there isn't plenty to look forward to in 2017.
Words by Paddy Maddison
Featured Image Credit: PA Images