'Star Wars' spin-off 'Rogue One' is most anticipated movie of 2016

"Rogue One: A Star Wars Story" is the most eagerly awaited flick of 2016, topping a list of ten feature films hotly anticipated by movie fans polled by online ticket-seller Fandango.

Following the global success of "Star Wars: The Force Awakens", moviegoers are clearly keen to feast their eyes on the spin-off "Rogue One" film due out this year. Starring Felicity Jones, Forest Whitaker and Mads Mikkelsen, "Rogue One" will whet fans' appetite before the eighth Star Wars episode lands in 2017.

The movie takes viewers into the past to follow a group of Rebel fighters who steal plans for the Death Star. Star Wars fans will have to be patient, however, as the movie isn't due out until December 16 in the US.

Other films hotly anticipated by American audiences include "Finding Dory", a follow-up to "Finding Nemo" about a blue tang fish with a short memory (June 17), "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice" (March 25), the next "Jason Bourne" film with Matt Damon (July 29), "Captain America: Civil War" (May 6), "Star Trek Beyond" (July 22), "Independence Day: Resurgence" (June 24), "X-Men: Apocalypse" (May 27), "Zoolander No. 2" (February 12) and "The Jungle Book" (April 15).

The poll offers initial insight into the movies that should top the box-office this year. When asked about their most anticipated performances of 2016, moviegoers selected Melissa McCarthy in the "Ghostbusters" reboot (July 15) as their most hotly awaited female role, followed by Scarlett Johansson in the "Captain America" sequel, Jennifer Lawrence in the upcoming "X-Men" movie, Emily Blunt in the adaptation of the novel "The Girl on the Train" (October 7) and Charlize Theron in "The Huntsman: Winter's War" (April 22).

Matt Damon proved the most anticipated male performance as Jason Bourne, followed by Will Smith in "Suicide Squad" (August 5), Ryan Reynolds in "Deadpool" (February 12), Ben Affleck in "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice" (March 25) and George Clooney in the Coen brothers' "Hail, Caesar!" (February 5).