Is it 2019 already? After a huge year for the Marvel Cinematic Universe and multiple sequels to modern classics, it’s time for a whole new lineup of reasons for your wallet to be empty. We’re counting the 25 most anticipated films of 2019. Let’s get started.
Looking Forward to the Top 25 Films of 2019
25. Hellboy
Director: Neil Marshall
Cast: David Harbour, Milla Jovovich, Ian McShane, Daniel Dae Kim
Whether or not you’re happy about the reboot to the Guillermo del Toro-helmed superhero series, there’s no denying that Hellboy is one people will be talking about. With Stranger Things star David Harbour taking over the titular role made famous by Ron Perlman, fans were divided over the release of its first trailer. Nevertheless, Hellboy is just one of the many comic book films to look forward to in the new year.
Summit Entertainment – April 12, 2019
24. Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs and Shaw
Director: David Leitch
Cast: Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Jason Statham, Vanessa Kirby, Idris Elba
Yes, that is the actual title. The spinoff of the highly successful franchise focuses solely on a partnership between Johnson’s Hobbs and Statham’s Shaw characters. Not many plot details have been given out at this time, but it is to be a surefire hit as these Fast and Furious films continue to be box-office juggernauts. But no Vin Diesel this time.
Universal Studios – August 2, 2019
23. A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood
Director: Marielle Heller
Cast: Tom Hanks, Matthew Rhys, Chris Cooper, Susan Kelechi Watson
No one could ever deny the influence of Mister Fred Rogers, a true American icon. And who better to play him than America’s dad Tom Hanks? Originally titled You Are My Friend, the film is based on the true story of Esquire journalist Tom Junod tasked with interviewing Mr. Rogers for a 1998 profile piece. This will be the second film in two years centered around Mr. Rogers, the first being the documentary Won’t You Be My Neighbor? And just like it, this one is sure to shed some years.
Tristar Pictures – October 18, 2019
22. The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part
Director: Mike Mitchell
Cast: Chris Pratt, Elizabeth Banks, Tiffany Haddish, Will Arnett
The only thing that could be more awesome than 2014’s hit The Lego Movie is a sequel. With most of the original cast returning as well as original directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller to produce, The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part picks up right after the ending of the first film, with a Duplo invasion taking over the Lego Universe. Now our heroes must rise again for more action and hilarity that will hopefully match, if not exceed, that of the first part.
Warner Bros. Pictures – February 8th, 2019
Director: Jeff Fowler
Cast: Ben Schwartz, James Marsden, Tika Sumpter, Jim Carrey
While this won’t technically be Sonic the Hedgehog’s first big-screen appearance (see Wreck-It Ralph and its sequel), this marks the first time a film will be directly centered around the iconic video game character. This live-action/animated hybrid has already had fans split down the middle, but we could at least agree that Jim Carrey as Dr. Robotnik is something we’re dying to see. Sonic the Hedgehog won’t be the only major video game to get the theatrical treatment in 2019 though. Keep reading.
Paramount Pictures – November 8th, 2019
20. Men in Black: International
Director: F. Gary Gray
Cast: Chris Hemsworth, Tessa Thompson, Rebecca Ferguson, Liam Neeson
You weren’t expecting another Men in Black film on the horizon, were you? And you also weren’t expecting it to not feature Tommy Lee Jones or Will Smith, huh? Well, Men in Black: International is actually a spinoff about an international division of the alien-monitoring organization in London with two agents played by Hemsworth and Thompson (their second film together after Thor: Ragnarok) sent on a global chase to protect Earth. Will it be a worthy entry? Or will we need a neuralyzer to forget this?
Sony Pictures Releasing – June 14th, 2019
19. Dumbo
Director: Tim Burton
Cast: Colin Farrell, Michael Keaton, Danny DeVito, Eva Green
Get ready for all the live-action Disney remakes, everybody. Dumbo is one of three being released this year. With an all-star cast of A-listers plus Burton at the directing helm, this one is expected to be wildly different from the original 1941 animated classic. Nevertheless, Dumbo will hopefully retain the same spirit of that little elephant who could fly.
18. Dark Phoenix/The New Mutants
Both these films are X-Men installments, have undergone major reshoots, and have been delayed for a long time. That’s why they’ve been placed together on this list.
Director: Simon Kinberg
Cast: James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence, Sophie Turner
Fans have been waiting for a proper cinematic representation of the famed Dark Phoenix storyline from the original comics. Hopefully, with the time that’s been taken, Dark Phoenix will meet their expectations.
(Editor’s Note: check out our first impressions of the Dark Phoenix trailer here.)
20th Century Fox – February 5th, 2019
Director: Josh Boone
Cast: Anya Taylor-Joy, Maisie Williams, Charlie Heaton, Henry Zaga
The X-Men franchise has also gotten praise for their experimental projects, and The New Mutants may be another worthy entry next to Deadpool and Logan, this time taking on the element of horror. Let’s see if they’re both worth the wait.
20th Century Fox – August 2nd, 2019
17. It: Chapter Two
Director: Andy Muschietti
Cast: James McAvoy, Jay Ryan, Jessica Chastain, Bill Hader
Speaking of horror, who’s ready for the return of Pennywise? Bill Skarsgård is set to play the Dancing Clown again, but the Losers Club is now all grown up, now being portrayed by a new cast of adult actors. The second chapter of the 2017 hit, based on the novel by Stephen King, will take place twenty-seven years later with Pennywise returning for a new reign of terror.
Warner Bros./New Line Cinema – September 6th, 2019
Director: Robert Rodriguez
Cast: Rosa Salazar, Christoph Waltz, Jennifer Connelly, Mahershala Ali
Alita: Battle Angel has the makings of a Hollywood hit: James Cameron and Jon Landau producing with the former also co-writing, a cast mostly comprised of Oscar winners, and fan favorite Robert Rodriguez directing. Its source material is based on a famed manga called Gunnm, so there are already expectations from a devoted group of fans. So it has a lot going for it, but will it succeed? Fan response is already mixed, but that could change.
20th Century Fox – February 14th, 2019
15. Pokemon: Detective Pikachu
Director: Rob Letterman
Cast: Ryan Reynolds, Justice Smith, Kathryn Newton, Ken Watanabe
This is certainly not the first Pokemon film to hit the big screen. After years of animated films and TV shows, the famed franchise’s first live-action foray is gaining huge amounts of buzz from fans young and old. Even if you’re not familiar with the 2016 Nintendo game of the same name, which it’s based on, there’s no denying that we’re not the least bit interested in seeing Pikachu with the voice of Deadpool coming out of his mouth.
Warner Bros. Pictures – May 10th, 2019
14. Joker
Director: Todd Phillips
Cast: Joaquin Phoenix, Robert DeNiro, Zazie Beetz, Bill Camp
Following in the footsteps of Venom, we have ourselves another standalone film about a popular, if not the most popular, comic book villain. It has no connection to the DC Extended Universe, it’s aiming for an R-rating, and, according to Phoenix, it hopes to be more of a “character study-type.” Will this be a misguided attempt to laugh at? Or will Joker be laughing all the way to the bank?
Warner Bros. Pictures – October 4th, 2019
13. Frozen 2
Director: Chris Buck, Jennifer Lee
Cast: Kristen Bell, Idina Menzel, Jonathan Groff, Josh Gad
Frozen mania is far from over. Think you can let it go? Think again. It’s time for a new adventure, new characters, and new songs that’ll be stuck in your head for weeks. It doesn’t matter what your thoughts on the Oscar-winning animated film may be, Frozen is arguably Disney’s most successful film of the last decade. So let’s see if the sequel can outdo that success.
12. Aladdin
Director: Guy Ritchie
Cast: Will Smith, Mena Massoud, Naomi Scott, Marwan Kenzari
Get ready to go back to Agrabah with this live-action reimagining of the 1992 hit. This one definitely has had the most speculation going for it, mostly about how Smith will do as the Genie, the role originated by the late and great Robin Williams. Aladdin is one of Disney’s most popular films, so there are high expectations for this one. But probably not as high as another film that has yet to be named on this list.
Walt Disney Pictures – May 24th, 2019
Director: Jon Watts
Cast: Tom Holland, Zendaya, Jake Gyllenhaal, Michael Keaton
Due to certain films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe that have yet to be released, not much about the sequel to Spider-Man: Homecoming, including a trailer, has been revealed. All we know is that it takes place after Avengers: Endgame, Peter Parker and his friends are traveling to Europe, and Mysterio is in the movie. So fans can speculate all they want, but we still can’t get enough of our favorite wall-crawler.
Sony Pictures Releasing – July 5th, 2019
10. Shazam!
Director: David F. Sandberg
Cast: Zachary Levi, Asher Angel, Mark Strong, Jack Dylan Grazer
Talk about a shift in tone. The DC Extended Universe has always been a mixed bag with fans and critics, most criticizing the films for being “too dark.” But with the recent success of Aquaman and the hopeful success of Shazam!, maybe that’s all about to change. With a film about a child who can become a superhero by just saying the word “shazam,” how could it not be a ton of fun?
Warner Bros. Pictures – April 5th, 2019
9. Godzilla: King of the Monsters
Director: Michael Dougherty
Cast: Kyle Chandler, Vera Farmiga, Millie Bobby Brown, Bradley Whitford
It’s about to get monstrous with the return of Godzilla. But this time, he’s facing off against three giant creatures: Mothra, Rodan, and King Ghidorah. This is the third installment in Legendary Entertainment’s MonsterVerse. All Godzilla has to do is fight these three monsters to get to the next big showdown: Godzilla vs. Kong, coming 2020. But let’s see how this one does first.
8. Glass
Director: M. Night Shyamalan
Cast: James McAvoy, Bruce Willis, Samuel L. Jackson, Sarah Paulson
No one was expecting that major twist at the end of Split back in 2017: a revelation that it was actually in the same universe as well as a secret sequel to 2000’s Unbreakable, often considered to be an underrated gem. Now, Shyamalan is giving fans something they didn’t know they wanted: a showdown between David Dunn and Kevin’s The Beast, all orchestrated by Mr. Glass. For many, this is the superhero film they’ve been waiting for.
Universal Pictures – January 18th, 2019
7. Toy Story 4
Director: Josh Cooley
Cast: Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Annie Potts, Joan Cusack
Nope, it didn’t end with the third one. The Toy Story series continues nine years later. This time, Woody and the gang, now living with Bonnie, have a new friend who feels out of place in the world and it leads to another big adventure. Pixar has always managed to tug at our heartstrings and it appears Toy Story 4 may be no exception. Whether you want to or not, you will feel something here.
Walt Disney Pictures/Pixar Animation – June 21st, 2019
Director: Jon Favreau
Cast: Donald Glover, Beyonce Knowles-Carter, James Earl Jones, Chiwetel Ejiofor
“A live-action adaptation of The Lion King” is a thought that may have crossed our minds at some point, but never actually believed it would come into fruition. And yet, here we are, currently waiting to see how it will hold up. It turns out not even the beloved 1994 modern classic is untouchable. So will the remake match the success of previous live-action remakes? Will it be too similar to the original animated hit? Does it even deserve to stand out on its own?
Walt Disney Pictures – July 19th, 2019
5. Us
Director: Jordan Peele
Cast: Lupita Nyong’o, Winston Duke, Elisabeth Moss, Tim Heidecker
Jordan Peele is slowly but surely becoming a new master of horror. After the box office, critical, and awards-worthy success of his directorial debut Get Out, he’s back with a potential new hit simply called Us. The plot focuses on a family taking a vacation only to encounter a group of strangers who happen to be their own doppelgangers. And no, it’s not a spoiler, it’s literally in the trailer. And that trailer, released on Christmas Day, has gotten fans hyped for this new nightmare.
Universal Pictures – March 15th, 2019
Director: Anna Boden, Ryan Fleck
Cast: Brie Larson, Samuel L. Jackson, Ben Mendelsohn, Jude Law
It’s the first film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe with a female superhero in the lead, and she’s already being declared its most powerful hero. That’s right, Thor has some competition here. With a mid-90s setting and inspiration from Marvel’s “Kree-Skrull war” from the comics, Captain Marvel is expecting to change the game for the future of the MCU. While the speculation arises, so does hope for more diverse superhero representation.
Walt Disney Pictures/Marvel Studios – March 8th, 2019
Director: J.J. Abrams
Cast: Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Adam Driver, Oscar Isaac
Even if you didn’t like The Last Jedi or Solo, Star Wars is Star Wars and you will be seeing Episode IX whether you want to or not. And why not? It’s the conclusion to the latest trilogy and will hopefully wrap up the latest conflict in the Skywalker family saga. Even though no trailer has been released and the official title hasn’t been confirmed yet, this will be a big year for Star Wars regardless. Give in to the Force, folks. It’s calling to you.
Walt Disney Pictures/Lucasfilm Ltd. – December 20th, 2019
2. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
Director: Quentin Tarantino
Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt, Margot Robbie, Al Pacino
There are no words to describe the speculation surrounding the latest film from Quentin Tarantino. He’s got a great ensemble headlined by one of the greatest living actors working now and a story that demands to be seen. It’s set in 1969 and takes place during the time of the Charles Manson murders. No other details have been given and once again, there’s no trailer yet. But Once Upon a Time in Hollywood may just be Tarantino’s new masterpiece.
Sony Pictures Releasing – July 26th, 2019
1. Avengers: Endgame
Director: Anthony Russo, Joe Russo
Cast: Robert Downey, Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth
Yes, it’s way too obvious to have this has number one. But what other film or series besides Star Wars in the last few years has garnered this much speculation, hype, and promise? Avengers: Endgame is a conclusion to a story that first lay its grounds in 2008. There is no other film on this list that matches the anticipation that Endgame has. Even before Infinity War, this is the big one that fans have been waiting for. Now the question here is…how exactly will it all end?
Walt Disney Pictures/Marvel Studios – April 26th, 2019
That’s our list. What’s yours?
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