Welcome to 2016, a new happening year where there is sure to be something for everyone. New years are always exciting times as we have many expectations from it and we also make many resolutions to do better than last year. We leave you to make your own personal New Year resolutions, however, we’ll give you a glimpse of all the exciting things that 2016 is all set to be filled up with so that you can make a note of the upcoming sports events and movies.

For sports lovers, this year is loaded with events that don’t take place every year; for film buffs there are many upcoming films that you would want to mark on your calendar, and for fans of animated flicks, the wait is nearly over. 

For an update on what is expected to happen this year, read on!

World T20

From March 11th till April 3rd, India will host the World Twenty20 — the largest T20 cricket tournament in the world. The sixth edition of the tournament will feature 16 international teams and is expected to keep the cricketing world busy, busy and busy for its entire duration. 

The tournament will mark the end of the road for Pakistani superstar and skipper Shahid Khan Afridi, who will also complete 20 years in international cricket. Now that’s a really long inning and let’s hope his farewell match is something his fans will remember for a long time.

On the home front, Pakistan Super League will mark its debut this year and five teams featuring the best players from most around the world, except for  India, Sri Lanka, New Zealand and South Africa, will gather in United Arab Emirates in February and entertain millions of cricket fans. The league will not only benefit Pakistan monetarily, but will also help the selectors choose the best T20 players for the World T20 played a few days after the PSL Final!

Olympic Games

This year is also the year of the Summer Olympics, when the best athletes in the world will gather in the Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro, where from August 5th till August 21st they will fight for gold, silver and bronze medals. From September 7th, the Paralympic Games will take place at the same venue where the world’s best handicap athletes will prove that nothing is impossible for them.

Football

Every four years, the best teams in Europe play each other for the prestigious Euro 2016 — the second biggest tournament featuring international football teams after the FIFA World Cup. This year, France will host the event from June 10th to July 10th; the tournament will feature Cristiano Ronaldo but no Lionel Messi (who plays for Argentina in South America!). Ronaldo will, however, have to play well if he wants Portugal to win the event. Two-time defending champion Spain is favourite for the event but anything can happen in football!

Tennis

The tennis year comprises four Grand Slams which take place in January, May, June-July and

August-September. Australian Open will be played in Melbourne in the first month of the year; French Open will take place in Paris in May-June; Wimbledon Championship at Wimbledon in June-July and in August-September, the world’s best will play each other for the coveted US Open. 

The rest of the year these players will play in ATP and WTA (Men’s and Women’s) tournaments all over the world and try to improve their rankings.

Movies

Like the last few years, 2016 will also bring with it movies that will only look good on cinema screen. Be it animated flicks, superhero movies, remakes or superheroes vs superheroes movies, the 365 days are bound to be interesting.

Superheroes galore

This year both Marvel and DC Comics will present their superheroes like never before; while Deadpool will make its film debut in February, DC Comics’ Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice will grace the screens in March. The film will not only have the two champions of justice battle against each other but will also feature Wonder Woman for the first time in a feature film. 

Next stop for superhero fans will be Captain America: Civil War which will be released in May and where Captain America will be pitted against Iron Man; with some heroes on the Cap’s side and some in Iron Man’s camp. The same month, X-Men will make a return with X-Men: Apocalypse, where Professor X and his group will save the world again from Magneto and his evil mutants.

Heroes in a half shell will return with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows in June and this time they will have Casey Jones to aid them. The world’s worst villains will mark their presence with an August release — Suicide Squad is one of the most awaited flicks of the year because here the villains will be the heroes. The last superhero flick of the year would be released in November; Doctor Strange will make his feature film debut and will end the year hopefully on a high for Marvel Comics.

Animated flicks return!

The world once lived without Superhero flicks and 2016 will prove to the world that animated flicks can be appreciated as well. Kung Fu Panda 3 and Zootopia will be released all over the world in January; the Jungle Book will grace the screens in April.

The much-awaited Angry Birds Movie will be released in May whereas the sequel to the super successful Finding Nemo — Finding Dory will be released in June. The Secret Life of Pets (releasing in July) will take you behind the façade where pets are human like us.    

And then there were others!

This year will also see the release of the third film in the Divergent Series: Allegiant will make its way into theatres in March; Alice Through the Looking Glass is all set for a release in May while the much-anticipated sequel to Independence Day — Independence Day: Resurgence will see the Earthlings battle aliens in June. The Legend of Tarzan and The BFG will be released in July as would the reboot of Ghostbusters and the third instalment in the Star Trek universe — Star Trek Beyond.

2016 astronomical events

March 8 — Jupiter at Opposition

During its opposition, the mighty Jupiter will bask in full sunlight and is sure to offer a delightful view to all those interested. Be it professionals peeking at it from observatories or amateur astronomy enthusiasts using handheld binoculars, the sight can even offer a look as the four Galilean moons, the colorful cloud bands or the Great Red Spot. It is a perfect night for some great picture-taking of this giant.

May 9 – Transit of Mercury

This promises to be the highlight of 2016 as far as astronomy goes. The elusive Mercury, one of the most difficult planets to view, will be out in broad daylight! But make sure you only look at it thought a telescope equipped with a suitable solar filter, otherwise you will be damaging your eyes.

Tiny Mercury transit across the surface of the Sun is a rare celestial event that will be visible throughout much of the world, but observers along the eastern coasts of the Americas will get the best view. 

June 3 – Saturn at Opposition

Saturn shines bright in the summer sky, but on this night will be a sight to behold as it reaches opposition and will be bright and fully illuminated by the Sun. You may even notice that its rings look brighter than usual thanks to a phenwomenon known as the Seeliger Effect. Saturn’s rings will be visible in even small aperture telescopes. 

July 4 — Juno arrives at Jupiter

Nasa’s spacecraft Juno, launched back in 2011 to study Jupiter’s polar region, will complete its five-year journey and begin its important work. We can expect to see some spectacular images of Juno’s first close encounter of Jupiter and some new discoveries about this planet.  

August 27 – Conjunction of Venus and Jupiter

The two brightest planets of our Solar System, Venus and Jupiter, will appear to have an ultra-close encounter in the evening sky, coming within 0.06 degrees of one another, and those interested in this can see the amazing event occur just after sunset in the western sky.

Published in Dawn, Young World, January 2nd,, 2015