21 Must-See Crime Movies in 2022

In 2022, the film industry is slowly returning after almost two years of disruptions. There are a variety of crime movies coming out that year, from sequels to adaptations of books and both big-budget blockbusters and low-key surprises. We've done some research and found some new crime movies that we think are worth looking out for.

 

The Batman

Matt Reeve's Batman movie has finally been released and is receiving positive reviews, with plans for a trilogy. Titled The Batman, it is expected to be one of the biggest films of 2022. It sees Bruce Wayne returning to his detective roots as he attempts to solve a case involving the Riddler.

Batman investigates a series of murders in Gotham City that appear to be linked. He discovers a web of corruption and abuse of power, and must form new alliances to uncover the killer's identity and bring him to justice.

 

Ambulance

In 2021, Jake Gyllenhaal starred in the Netflix thriller The Guilty, a remake of a Danish film. In 2022 he will appear in Ambulance, another remake of a Danish movie. Directed by Michael Bay, known for films like Armageddon and Transformers, we can expect a more intense and thrilling heist movie than its predecessor.

 

Killers of the Flower Moon

Martin Scorsese, Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert De Niro have reunited for a western crime movie about the true story of several murders of people from the Osage Nation in Oklahoma in the 1920s. This project is based on David Grann's non-fiction book with the same title.

 

Knives Out 2

The 2019 hit whodunit Knives Out, starring Daniel Craig as the eccentric detective Benoit Blanc, was a surprise success. Plans for a sequel were quickly made and it is expected to be released in 2022. An all-star cast including Edward Norton, Dave Bautista, Kathryn Hahn, Janelle Monáe, Leslie Odom Jr., Kate Hudson and Ethan Hawke will join Craig in the follow-up film. Netflix paid an astounding $469 million for both this sequel and one more. It is said that Craig was given $100 million for his performances in both films - so there should be plenty of promotion from Netflix when the release date approaches.

 

Death on the Nile

Kenneth Branagh's second outing as the famous Belgian detective Hercule Poirot is finally hitting cinemas in February, two years after it was filmed. 2017's Murder on the Orient Express was an enjoyable watch, and its follow-up features Poirot aboard the SS Karnak, where someone has been murdered. Gal Gadot, Letitia Wright, Annette Bening, Armie Hammer, Russell Brand, Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders lead a strong cast of suspects.

 

The Gray Man

Netflix recently made a big financial commitment, signing a £200m deal with Avengers: End Game directors Joseph and Anthony Russo for an epic crime/spy action thriller. Ryan Gosling stars as a CIA agent who turns rogue and is hunted by his former friend Chris Evans. Ana de Armas rounds out the cast in a supporting role.

 

21 Must-See Crime Movies in 2022

Bullet Train

Kōtarō Isaka's book is being turned into a crime thriller movie starring Brad Pitt, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Brian Tyree Henry, Zazie Beetz, Michael Shannon, Logan Lerman, Bad Bunny and Sandra Bullock. The plot follows multiple assassins trying to survive as they attempt to kill each other on a high-speed train. The film is slated for a July release.

 

See How They Run

A star-studded cast featuring Saoirse Ronan, Sam Rockwell, David Oyelowo, Ruth Wilson, Adrien Brody, Shirley Henderson and Reece Shearsmith are set to bring a throwback murder mystery movie to cinemas in 2022. Set in the 1950s West End of London, the crime story follows Rockwell and Ronan's characters as they attempt to unravel a murder. With both this movie and Knives Out 2 on the horizon it looks like 2021 will be a great year for humorous old-style mysteries.

 

Wash Me in the River

Robert De Niro, Jack Huston and John Malkovich star in a revenge movie. Huston plays an ex-Oxy addict who wants to take revenge on the drug dealers that caused the death of his fiancée. De Niro is likely the sympathetic sheriff following him. US rapper Quavo plays the head drug boss who may face consequences for their actions at the end.

 

Deep Water

Rich husband Ben Affleck is keen to avoid a pricey divorce, and so he ignores - even encourages - his wife's infidelity. However, when the men she sees start to die in mysterious circumstances, he (understandably) becomes the prime suspect. Deep Water stars Ana de Armas as Affleck's wife and is based on Patricia Highsmith's 1957 novel.

 

Havoc

Netflix is having a great year with another crime/action movie, Havoc, coming out. The movie is directed by Gareth Evans (The Raid) who is known for his action scenes. We have high expectations for the exciting action scenes in Havoc.

Tom Hardy stars as a determined detective who must go through a criminal underworld to rescue the son of a politician from dangerous criminals. Forest Whitaker, Timothy Olyphant, Justin Cornwell, Jessie Mei Li and Luis Guzmán also appear in the movie which is sure to cause plenty of chaos.

 

Reptile

Grant Singer, a renowned music video director known for directing videos for artists such as The Weeknd, Taylor Swift and Ariana Grande, is taking a break from his usual projects to direct his first feature film. This crime thriller stars Benicio del Toro, Justin Timberlake, Alicia Silverstone, Frances Fisher and Eric Bogosian and follows Detective Nicols of New England as he investigates the murder of a real estate agent. It will be available to watch on Netflix.

 

The Good Nurse

Eddie Redmayne, an Academy Award winner, will play Charles Cullen in the upcoming Netflix film The Good Nurse. Cullen was a real-life nurse who was arrested in 2003 for murdering multiple patients and later convicted of 29 killings. It is believed he could be responsible for up to 400 deaths.

 

Sniff

Morgan Freeman and Danny DeVito play retired detectives investigating a criminal underworld at a wealthy retirement community. Al Pacino and Helen Mirren portray the villains in this film noir, similar to what Knives Out did for the whodunit genre. The movie is directed by Mirren's husband, Taylor Hackford (Ray, An Officer and a Gentleman).

 

21 Must-See Crime Movies in 2022

Windfall

If Sniff fails to attract a modern audience to noir, Windfall might do the trick. Netflix paid millions for this movie, which features Lily Collins and Jason Segal in the lead roles with Jesse Plemons as supporting cast. Rumor has it that it has a Hitchcockian vibe. We'll just have to wait and see.

 

Where the Crawdads Sing

Producer Reese Witherspoon and director Olivia Newman have adapted Delia Owens' 2018 novel, set in Louisiana, for the big screen with a June release date. Daisy Edgar-Jones (from Normal People) and Taylor John Smith (from Sharp Objects) star in this coming of age mystery drama that is sure to excite literary fans.

 

Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers

Chip and Dale, two washed-out chipmunks voiced by John Mulaney and Andy Samberg, are back after a close to 30 year hiatus in a full length movie on Disney+. This Who Framed Roger Rabbit style movie follows their new mystery-solving adventure.

 

Borrego

Lucy Hale stars in a crime thriller where she finds herself in an unexpected situation. She plays a botanist who is studying invasive species in the desert when a drug plane crashes nearby. Captured by a drug mule, they must now fight to survive the harsh environment.

Elly is kidnapped and taken on a dangerous journey to a remote destination after she witnesses a drug mule's plane crash in the Borrego desert. This is the plot of the crime drama movie 'Borrego' directed by Jesse Harris and set for release in 2022.

 

Emily the Criminal

Struggling with student loan debt and unable to get a job, a recently graduated college student finds themselves involved in credit card fraud. They act as a "dummy shopper", purchasing ever-riskier items with stolen cards.

 

The Bad Guys

"The Bad Guys is an animated film inspired by Aaron Blabey's children's book of the same name. It follows a gang of criminals, voiced by Sam Rockwell, Awkwafina, Richard Ayoade, Craig Robinson, Marc Maron and Zazie Beetz, as they attempt to be good after a botched heist.

After years of criminal activity, notorious criminals Mr. Wolf, Mr. Snake, Mr. Piranha, Mr. Shark and Ms. Tarantula are finally caught. In order to avoid prison sentences, their mentor Professor Marmalade tasks them with a difficult mission - transforming into model citizens and convincing the world that they have changed for the better.

 

The Weekend Away

When her best friend suddenly goes missing during a trip to Croatia, a woman is determined to uncover the truth. Kim Farrant brings Sarah Alderson's novel The Weekend Away to life in this Netflix Original thriller full of twists and turns. Get ready to be on the edge of your seat as every clue reveals another shocking deception.

 

In 2022, the film industry is slowly regaining momentum after two years of disruption. Crime movies are particularly popular that year, ranging from sequels to adaptations of books and both big-budget blockbusters and low-key surprises. After researching, we've identified some new crime movies worth keeping an eye out for.