The best games, comics, films, and TV coming in 2017

Film

Wonder Woman

Warner Bros may have been late getting its DC cinematic universe off the ground, but the studio is beating rival Marvel to the punch with its first female-lead superhero movie. Yes, every DC film released from Man of Steelonwards has been a massive disappointment, but there's a glimmer of hope surrounding director Patty Jenkins' take on the Amazon princess, played by Fast and Furious'Gal Gadot. The actor's debut as Wonder Woman in last year's Batman v Superman was one of the few universally liked moments of that film, and the trailers released so far seem to offer a far better balance of action and comedy. If the screenplay by Geoff Johns and Allan Heinberg holds up – both of whom have written Wonder Woman in the comics – then this could be the movie to turn DC's onscreen reputation around.

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2

Director James Gunn surprised everyone in 2014, delivering a rollicking space fantasy with heart and spectacle aplenty – and turning some of Marvel's least-known characters into household names in the process. The sequel looks set to pick up shortly after (Baby Groot steals the trailer, re-grown from a cutting left after his sacrifice in the first film) and sees Star-Lord (Chris Pratt) learning the true identity of his long-absent father – Kurt Russell, playing a curiously human take on Ego, the Living Planet. The film will also introduce the enigmatic Mantis to the team, played by Pom Klementieff, and see the return of Michael Rooker's Yondu. We're also eager to hear what makes Gunn's playlist for the 'Awesome Mix – Vol 2', and whether it can match the original's brilliant soundtrack.

Alien: Covenant

Ridley Scott continues his exploration of the origins of the xenomorphs begun in the gorgeous but frustrating Prometheus. Early buzz is good for this, though, with a sinister-sounding plot where the crew of the eponymous Covenant find a seemingly idyllic world only to discover its sole inhabitant is David – the deranged synthetic of the last film. Covenant sees Michael Fassbender returning as both David and Walter, a more advanced android, and Katherine Waterston as Daniels, a crew member on the new ship. Noomi Rapace also reprises her role as Dr Elizabeth Shaw, an archaeologist researching the origins of life, last seen heading to the Engineers' homeworld with David's detached head in tow. Hopefully, this won't leave viewers as frustrated as its predecessor, as the Aliens universe is rich with potential.

The film will also launch with a VR experience, produced by Scott and directed by David Karlak, which promises "a dread-inducing journey into the depths of the Alienuniverse." Exact details are still to be revealed, but this could be an added treat for high-tech horror fans.

Television

Sense8

Created by The Matrix's The Wachowskis and Babylon 5'sJ. Michael Straczynski, Sense8 became one of Netflix's most ambitious – and polarising – shows. Nevertheless, we can't wait for its return, following a lengthy hiatus, next May. The series, which followed eight psychically linked individuals from around the world, able to share knowledge, experiences, and skills, drew acclaim for its powerful exploration of shared humanity and high-concept themes of universal consciousness. However, the first season could also fairly be critiqued for spending too long establishing its cast and concepts, and not enough on establishing the forces arranging against the 'sensates' and why. After the Christmas special reintroduced its expansive cast, hopefully the second season continues to build and expand this rich and emotionally powerful series.

Legion

Marvel's relationship with 20th Century Fox over the screen rights to X-Men characters is almost legendarily icy, but Legion could see matters beginning to thaw. The series, set to air in February, follows David Haller (Dan Stevens), the son of Professor X. Haller lacks his father's tremendous psychic powers, but instead has access to thousands more – but each ability is related to one of his dissociated personalities. The series opens with Haller in a psychiatric care home, and is set to explore the wider relationship between humans and mutants. The question is if Haller can believe anything is real. Also featuring Rachel Keller and Aubrey Plaza, and helmed by the creator of the Fargo TV series, Noah Hawley, Legion looks to be TV's trippiest exploration of superpowers in years.

Attack on Titan

Rare nowadays is the anime series that breaks through to become a bonafide mainstream hit, but Attack on Titandid just that in 2013. Based on the manga by Hajime Isayama, the series captured viewers' imaginations with its depiction of a medieval world where humanity is on the brink of extinction thanks to sadistic, cannibalistic giants. Following the cadets of the Survey Corps, who use aerial maneouvre gear to swing around the Titans and strike their few weak points, the series' ability to match high drama with effective use of gore and body-horror saw the show translated into two live-action Japanese films, and even a series of comedic spin-offs. The real thing ended on something of a cliffhanger though, as the surviving humans' connection to the Titans became more apparent, and fans have been left hanging since. The long-delayed second season – once planned for 2016 – will finally arrive in April though, hopefully revealing the final fate of humanity.

Gaming

Nintendo Switch

New hardware from a major player is always interesting, and that may go double for Nintendo. The House of Mario has long since stepped away from playing by the rules of ever-increasing power upgrades, and while it's safe to say the Switch won't out-perform the likes of PS4 or Xbox One, it could prove more revolutionary than either. Nintendo's goal here is to bridge the gap between home and handheld gaming, with an all-in-one console that provides the same full-spec experiences wherever you are. How well that holds up in practice remains to be seen, but there's already more buzz for it than the ill-fated Wii U. We'll know more later in January, ahead of the console's launch in March.

Red Dead Redemption 2

Rockstar Games' Wild West revenge thriller returns, and expectations may just be bigger than for a new Grand Theft Auto. The universe Rockstar has created is strikingly beautiful, with vast open plains and meticulously crafted townships dotting the wilds. Little is known of the plot yet, but there are hints in the trailer and promo posters that this could be the developer's take on The Magnificent Seven – albeit in an open world where you have total freedom. It's not due out until the Autumn though, so expect more information by at least E3 in the early summer. Easily one of the year's most anticipated games.

Tekken 7

One of the biggest fighting franchises in the world steps back into the ring. Improving on the existing arcade version, the home console release of Tekken 7 will have more characters, a refined Rage Art and new Rage Drive features to power super-charged attacks, and a cross-over with Capcom's Street Fighter. The PlayStation 4 version will also feature some PlayStation VR features, and exclusive game content. With dozens of playable fighters, and a storyline that delves deep into Tekken lore and promises to conclude one of its longest running threads, Tekken 7 will be a contended for 2017's best brawler.

Comics

RessurXion

Marvel's X-Men and Inhumans characters – both sub-species of humans with superpowers – have been at each other's throats for a while. The Terrigen Mists that trigger each Inhuman's powers were released into the atmosphere, where they turned out to be toxic to the naturally empowered mutants. However, in the wake of the currently-running IvX crossover, both groups get a shot in the arm in the fittingly titled ResurrXion event. The Inhumans are mostly going off to space – Royalsfocuses on the core Inhuman Royal Family searching the stars for the origins of Terrigen, while their leader and king Black Bolt gets his own ongoing series, and Secret Warriors focuses on a group remaining on Earth – but things are more exciting for X-Men fans.

After years of perceived neglect, the mutants are set to reclaim their position as some of Marvel's premiere superheroes. New team books X-Men Blue, X-Men Gold, Generation X and Weapon X are joined by solo series for Jean Grey, Iceman and Cable, plus a continuing series for the All-New Wolverine. The ResurrXion for both franchises kicks off in March.

America

After shooting to prominence in Young Avengers, the powerful but mysterious new Ms America – real name America Chavez – became one of Marvel's most popular characters. Unbelievably strong, invulnerable, and able to kick holes in the walls of reality between universes, America is also one of the publisher's most powerful figures – and its premier lesbian hero. Her long-overdue solo series, penned by Gabby Rivera with art by Joe Quinones, will explore her background while balancing going to college with saving whole universes. There's real-world political importance to the book too – a comic called America starring a Latina powerhouse who is also an out gay woman sends a strong message in 2017.

X-O Manowar

Valiant Entertainment has been one of the most exciting comic book publishers since its relaunch in 2012, and X-O Manowar one of its best and most important titles. Centred on Aric, a Visigoth king bonded with a semi-sentient suit of alien armour and transported to the present day, the first volume of the series recently drew to a close with its 50th issue. In March it returns, with new writer Matt Kindt planning out a year-long arc with rotating teams of artists that is set to redefine the character's role in Valiant's world. Aric has already been the lynchpin around which major events of the shared universe revolve, and the relaunch is likely to re-state his importance. It should also prove a fine jumping-on point for anyone unfamiliar with the characters or wider Valiant line.