2018 was a monster of a year for movies, but 2019 has the potential to be even bigger. The conclusion to one of the biggest comic book movie events of all time is on its way. The end of a new trilogy is coming to an end (several of them, actually). And many franchises are getting a second chance, along with original projects and more! This isn’t a definitive list of movies to look forward to in 2019, but it’s a start!
Glass (January 18)
M. Night Shyamalan is finishing what he started in 2000 by bringing together Unbreakable and Split. I’m super excited for this (Unbreakable is my favorite Shyamalan film), so here’s to hoping they pull it off.
The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part (February 8)
The Lego Movie was a stunning surprise, so here’s to hoping that the… Second part can deliver an even bigger surprise. The “multiple Chris Pratt’s” joke they’re rolling with looks like a solid start, but I hope above all that The Lego Movie 2 maintains the weirdly smart story ideas in the original.
Captain Marvel (March 8)
One of three Marvel movies coming out in 2019, this film should not only help set the stage for the follow up to Infinity War, but introduce a whole new hero and even fill in some of Nick Fury’s backstory. Also, I love it when Ben Mendelsohn plays a villain, and he gets to do that again here.
SHAZAM! (April 5)
A decidedly different DC film, SHAZAM! just looks like a fucking blast. It’s like if Big was crossed with a superhero movie, and I’m down for that (I know the concept of the character predates Big by decades, it’s just a comparison).
Pet Sematary (April 5)
Stephen King movies are back in a big way, and this update of Pet Sematary looks like some truly creepy shit. Mainstream horror has really been on the come-up recently and here’s to hoping this film continues that trend.
Avengers: Endgame (May 3)
EDIT: Since the trailer dropped this morning, this part of the post has been edited to reflect the change in title.
I can’t wait to see what the hell happens after the conclusion of Infinity War because it’s all I’ve been thinking about since about April 27, 2018. There’s not a lot else you can say, even with the brand new trailer from this morning. Except that this will probably be the biggest movie event in 2019, and if it isn’t, the final movie in this list will be.
Pokémon Detective Pikachu (May 10)
I am equal parts baffled and excited by this movie. On one hand, it’s crazy to see Hollywood levels of money being used to render the world of Pokémon. On the other, I don’t know if I’m ever going to get used to the idea of Ryan Reynolds as Pikachu. Not saying it’s bad, it’s just fucking nuts.
John Wick: Chapter 3 (May 17)
The John Wick movies are shaping up to be some of the best hardcore modern action movies in the game right now, and this trilogy closer has big expectations to live up to. Considering they’ve cast some amazing martial artists for the sequel (and some new damn good actors), this is shaping up into something special.
Aladdin (May 24)
Guy Ritchie, the director of such movies as Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, Snatch, RocknRolla, Sherlock Holmes (2009), and many Madonna videos, has been given Disney’s money to make a live-action Aladdin movie. That’s so batshit that I have to see how that turns out.
Godzilla: King of the Monsters (May 31)
I’ve seen every single Godzilla movie ever made, so you can bet your ass I’m going to be there opening night to see one of the greatest movie monsters of all time beat the shit out of even more monsters. This is personally my most anticipated movie of the entire year, but that’s because I’m a whore for Godzilla, and I have no shame in admitting that.
Men in Black Spin-Off Thing? (June 14)
This is a wild card. We don’t know much of anything about this movie, except that it’s a spin-off of the Men in Black films starring Chris Hemsworth and Tessa Thompson. And they got the director of Straight Outta Compton and Fate of the Furious, F. Gary Gray, to direct it. Who knows how this one is going to turn out, but I love that first Men in Black movie so much that I’ll give this a chance.
Toy Story 4 (June 21)
I mean… I loved the way Toy Story 3 ended, and I kind of wish they’d just leave this alone. But the Toy Story series is basically ingrained into my DNA at this point, so of course I’m going to see this as soon as I can, along with most people on the planet.
Spider-Man: Far From Home (July 5)
Yeah. This is kind of a weird one, if only because I truly have no idea what the story could possibly be for this movie because it feels like the Avengers movie is going to fill in a lot of blanks before we get the picture. We do know that Jake Gyllenhaal is playing Mysterio, and that’s it, and that’s all I need to know for now.
The Lion King (July 19)
Holy shit, this movie is wild. It’s basically an animated movie again, except instead of making a straight-up cartoon, it’s as hyperrealistic as possible, and I have no idea how that’s going to affect certain sequences they’ll have to remake. But the cast is fucking amazing and Jon Favreau, the director of The Jungle Book, is taking this on. This is one of my most anticipated for the whole year, personally, but there’s a lot of nostalgia fueling that.
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (August 9)
It’s a new Quentin Tarantino movie.
That’s all I should need to write, but if you’re not on board, just look up the cast list. Seriously, I’m not going to write it out here, it’s way too long and loaded with talent to go through name by name, and what we know about the plot somehow involves Charles Manson.
IT: Chapter Two (September 6)
I have hopes for Pet Sematary, but I’m confident that IT: Chapter Two is going to kick all kinds of ass. The first movie is awesome and I can’t wait to see the conclusion. And most importantly, how well the adult actors are going to carry over the performances of the excellent child actor cast of the first film.
Joker (October 4)
This alternate take on one of the most famous comic book villains of all time has a lot going for it. Joaquin Phoenix as The Joker, Robert De Niro playing a sleazy talk show host, and the director of The Hangover movies. That last part is something I’m still having trouble wrapping my head around, but this movie will be at least interesting no matter what.
The Addams Family (October 18)
Here’s another wild card. This is an animated film adaptation of the most macabre family you’ve ever seen, and I’m giving it a big chance on its cast alone. They have Oscar Isaac as Gomez. That’s fucking perfect, and so is Charlize Theron as Morticia, Chloe Grace Moretz as Wednesday, and Finn Wolfhard as Pugsley. To be fair, if the first trailer comes out for this and it looks like shit, I’ll definitely lose interest. But right now, this has a lot of potential.
Frozen 2 (November 22)
The last two movies on this list feel like we truly know nothing about them. I didn’t even know that this was coming out this year until I double checked, and it seems like Disney has kept this under tight wraps. I know Frozen might not be some people’s thing, but it’s literally one of the biggest movies in the world, and the sequel at least deserves attention (and you know it’s going to get that attention).
Star Wars: Episode IX (December 20)
The expectations for this movie are massive. It has to close out one of the most anticipated trilogies of the modern blockbuster age, and it has to follow one of the most divisive sequels in recent memory. Regardless of that, this movie is going to be fucking huge I can’t wait to see how it all ends.
