10 Things to Look Forward to in 2021 That You Might Have Forgotten About

As you may be more than aware of, 2020 has not exactly been a good year.

Marred by the abomination that’s the COVID-19 pandemic, and soured by the consequent postponement and cancellation of several events, I think we can all agree that 2020 will be a year to remember in the history books – but for all the wrong reasons.

As such, I can’t exactly blame you for entering 2021 with a heavy heart. After all, things are not exactly going to change in the new year… right?

Well, you’ll be surprised.

And so, without further ado, here are 10 things to look forward to in 2021.

Cheer up, folks, because it doesn’t actually look as bleak as you may think it is!

10 Things to Look Forward to in 2021 That You Might Have Forgotten About

1. Vaccine Rollout

While we highly doubt that you would just forget about the pandemic, we still felt it appropriate to prioritise the remedy on this list.

Yes folks, after what has been a really disastrous, disease-affiliated year, 2021 may finally be our way out of this hell.

With a few countries already rolling out the Pfizer vaccines, a significant portion of the world can expect to be vaccinated by the end of 2021.

And Singapore will start vaccination from 30 Dec 2020.

2. A New “Most Powerful Man In The World”

This one’s kinda up in the air – in the sense that you wouldn’t exactly be happy about it if you’re a strong advocator of Trump’s political style.

But for the rest of the population, the event’s nothing short of revolutionary.

The 59th presidential inauguration will take place in Washington D.C. on 20 Jan 2021, where Biden and  Kamala Harris will be officially sworn in.

It will also mark the end of Donald Trump’s Presidential reign – after what has been, for the most part, a tumultuous journey with few highs.

3. Disney World Turns 50

Disney World will be turning 50 in 2021, which certainly means a slew of novel attractions to celebrate the festive occasion.

Expected to commence around the park’s 1 October birthday, which will tentatively go on to last some 15 months, the event will see the introduction of new rides including a “Ratatouille” ride in Epcot and other thrilling adventures.

Apparently, there will be an indoor coaster that’s based off “Guardians of the Galaxy” (in Epcot), and “TRON” (Magic Kingdom).

Fans can also look forward to the unveiling of the extravagant Star Wars: Galactic Cruiser hotel.

Elsewhere, theme parks are, too, set to release a series of new attractions. Universal Studios in Orlando, for instance, is expected to introduce the “Jurassic World VelociCoaster” – a high-speed ride that will purportedly involve dinosaurs.

And over in Japan, the Super Nintendo World theme park is due to open in Osaka in early 2021.

4. World Expo Dubai

Delayed due to the pandemic, Expo 2020 Dubai has since been set for a 1 October 2021 start date instead, and is expected to run till March 2022.

The major event, which is reportedly the first world’s fair to be organised in the Middle East, will display exhibits from over 190 countries.

Apparently, it’s intended to be a showcase for global innovation, technology and cooperation, and aims to celebrate human achievement and progress.

Flying humans, anyone?

5. Marvel

Yes folks, Marvel’s making a marvelous comeback in 2021.

Since the conclusion of their Infinity War arc, the behemoth studio has largely been out of the limelight, as they endeavoured to set the next stage, Phase 4, in motion.

And it appears that 2021 will mark the comeback of the cinematic giants.

Black Widow is set to kick off the next phase of the series, with an array of new villains and even the confirmation of a multiverse.

The Eternals will also be a highly-anticipated flick, with the likes of Angelina Jolie and Don Lee starring in it.

Shang-Chi And The Legend Of The Ten Rings will surely appeal to all the fanatical fans of Asian superheroes.

And last but not least, Spider-Man 3 has been set for a December 2021 release. With the purported appearances of previous Spider-Man actors and villains from other series, this is one flick we are not going to miss out on.

6. Blockbuster Movies

And we’re still not done with the movie scene.

In 2021, a string of blockbuster flicks is set to air in turn, with the likes of The Matrix 4 and Dune gracing our screens.

Other superhero flicks are also due to premiere, including Black Adam, The Suicide Squad and Venom: Let There Be Carnage.

Jared Leto, whose performance as The Joker has been somewhat panned by critics, will also earn a chance to redeem himself in the dark Anti-superhero film, Morbius.

And here’s one for the Basketball fans. Space Jam: A New Legacy will certainly appeal to fans of the original, with Lebron James set to star in the animated film.

Yes, 2021 is going to be a year of movies.

7. Tokyo Olympics

Postponed due to the pandemic, the 2020 Tokyo Olympics is set to take place from 23 July to 8 August 2021.

Four new sports will make their debut: karate, skateboarding, sport climbing and surfing.

And for the first time since 2008, baseball and softball will be gracing the prestigious ceremony.

Well, we’ll certainly be cheering on our own bevy of athletes, who’ve been training hard for the last four-five years!

8. Mars

No, we’re not talking about the snack bar. Rather, we’re talking about the actual planet, and how we could potentially find a flesh-eating, parasitic-type lifeform there.

Just jesting. Partially.

Apparently, a small spacecraft will pass by the skies of Mars on 18 February 2021 – during which it will dispatch a parachute that contains a smaller, box-like device.

The device will proceed to Mars on eight retro-rockets, and spawn yet another techie before it reaches the ground.

The end-product, a spy device of sorts, will make a soft landing while guided by nylon strings. And it will all be visible live on NASA’s Youtube channel.

Subsequently, NASA’s Perseverance Rover will proceed to poke and comb through the vast lands of Mars, and hopefully locate what may be signs of ancient life on the Red Planet.

We are, however, keeping our fingers crossed that the events in films such as Aliens and Life will not happen here.

9. Games

2020 saw the release of the revolutionary Sony PlayStation 5 and Microsoft Xbox Series X/S. And it appears that 2021 will oversee more of the games that you can play on these next-gen machines.

The highly-popular Halo franchise, for one, will be getting its a new instalment in the form of Halo: Infinite. This marks the first entry in five years, with the last title released in 2015.

Halo: Infinite will be released at the end of 2021.

Meanwhile, Horizon Zero Dawn will also be getting a sequel in late 2021, with Horizon Forbidden West set to be released.

Avid gamers can also expect a host of anticipatory titles such as Resident Evil 8, Deathloop and coveted new games for Nintendo Switch such as Monster Hunter Rise and perhaps even that long-awaited Breath Of The Wild sequel.

Incidentally, Pokemon will be hosting its 25th anniversary in 2021, so fans can probably expect a huge announcement sometime in February. What has been confirmed, however, is the first new Pokemon Snap game in 21 years to appear.

10. A Reunion Of Friends

No, not your motley group of friends.

But the original cast and crew of the sitcom Friends.

According to CNN, Matthew Perry, who starred as Chandler Bing in the hit series, has tweeted that a much-anticipated reunion is likely to take place in 2021.

Apparently, the cast will be appearing as themselves and not as their characters, and will revisit fond memories as they explore the set.

They will also be looking at behind-the-scenes footage from past seasons – which should certainly prove to be entertaining considering the antics that go on in the fan favourite series.

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