The fun thing about making “Most Anticipated Movies of the Year” lists is the fact that there are so many surprises and last minute additions throughout the year that your actual “Best Of” list will look vastly different in comparison. There are plenty of movies from great directors that are slated to be released this year without any sort of tentative release date, like new movies from Martin Scorsese, Taika Waititi, and Jim Jarmusch, among others, that would easily make this list. But I’ve learned from other “Most Anticipated” lists that include movies without release dates set is that these can remain in development hell for some time, so there’s no point right now to include them. So instead I’m keeping this to ten movies that we know for sure (barring any last minute changes) will be released in 2019, with release dates already set, and production under way.
While at the beginning of the year, the big movies to look forward to are mostly sequels and franchise reboots - some of which will be included here - there are a few original flicks to be on the lookout for, as well. Here are the ten movies I’m looking forward to in 2019.
How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World (Feb. 22)
Directed by: Dean DeBlois
Starring: The voices of Jay Baruchel, America Ferrera, Cate Blanchett, Craig Ferguson
It’s DreamWorks’ final installment in the How to Train Your Dragon trilogy. The first film was a modern masterpiece that rivals some of Pixar’s greatest efforts, and the second film - while maybe not reaching the exact same heights as the first - was also a wonderful achievement. The trailers appear to indicate this captures all the same wonder and awe that we experienced watching the first two films. Some reviews are out already and the film has so far received nothing but critical acclaim. With director and writer of the first two films Dean DeBlois back at the helm, this is sure to be a fitting end to one of the greatest animated trilogies in quite some time.
Us (Mar. 22)
Directed by: Jordan Peele
Starring: Lupita Nyong’o, Winston Duke, Evan Alex, Shahadi Wright-Joseph
Jordan Peele’s directorial debut, Get Out, was one of the most original, fun, subversive horror movies in quite some time, and has made it clear that he is a director to be on the lookout for. His follow up, Us, looks to be another twisted tale that will take us on another chilling thrill ride. The trailers for this really showcase the intensity Peele has in stock for us, and like his first film, this is sure to be one of the most unique, original horror films in of the year, and hopefully another fitting entry into a genre that only has so many standout films each year.
Avengers: Endgame (Apr. 26)
Directed by: Anthony and Joe Russo
Starring: Way too many names to list here.
I know, I know. This is a cliche one to add, as I’m sure you’ll see this one pop up on just about every other moviegoers’ list. While a lot of Marvel’s most recent output has been some of their better efforts, I try to refrain from adding their movies to my “Most Anticipated” lists each year simply because in a sense, they can be a little bit of “more of the same,” as fun as they are. Yet, Endgame is the culmination of just over twenty years of storytelling, and surely will be the end of quite a few cast members’ tenure in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. How this will end, and who will exit the film series, is surely anyone’s guess. And we’re all just as eager to find out how this chapter of Marvel closes out.
John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum (May 17)
Directed by: Chad Stahelski
Starring: Keanu Reeves, Halle Berry, Laurence Fishburne
The first John Wick is one of the most fun entries to the action genre in quite some time, with non-stop action and allowing Keanu Reeves to shine more than ever. The second movie picks up not too long after the first, and as crazy as the first movie was, it managed to up the stakes. And the third entry into the story picks up where the second left off, and ups the stakes even further than the second did. The John Wick series has been one of the most stylistic, enjoyable series of action films in recent memory, and this next entry into the series looks like it’ll give us one of the most bonkers, off-the-wall, testosterone-driven experiences we’ve ever had at the movies.
Toy Story 4 (June 21)
Directed by: Josh Cooley
Starring: The voices of Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Annie Potts, Joan Cusack
Pixar’s most beloved characters are back at it, in a new adventure that takes them completely out of the play room and on a road trip that allows them to explore the world even more so than they ever did in any of the previous installments. While we’ve seen little from the film so far, the fact that a lot of the original trilogy’s cast is back once again - alongside Inside Out screenwriter Josh Cooley in the director’s chair - there’s a lot of hope Woody and friends will deliver on plenty of fun, warmth, and excitement like they always have. On a side note, Toy Story 3 was released in the same year as the first How to Train Your Dragon, and there was a toss-up at the time which of the two was the better animated film of the year, as they were both so masterfully done. Hopefully the competition will be just as close this year.
The Lion King (July 19)
Directed by: Jon Favreau
Starring: The voices of Donald Glover, Beyonce Knowles, James Earl Jones, Chiewtel Ejiofor
I try to refrain from having too high of expectations for Disney’s live action remakes of their animated classics, as they’ve so far been a mixed bag. But the one that so far has easily stood above the rest is 2016’s The Jungle Book, which captured all the original heart and fun that the animated movie gave us so many years ago. And the man behind that mega-hit, Jon Favreau, is back in the director’s chair for another live-action (sort of, depending on who you ask) reimagining of one of Disney’s biggest box office successes of all-time, The Lion King. We’ve only seen one teaser trailer so far, but the footage does look promising. And Favreau’s involvement, along with a talented voice cast that includes original cast member James Earl Jones returning as Mufasa (can you really imagine anyone else voicing such an iconic role?), has me looking forward to this movie more than any other live-action film Disney currently has in development.
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (July 26)
Directed by: Quentin Tarantino
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt, Margot Robbie, Al Pacino, Emile Hirsch, Damian Lewis
I have a bias when it comes to Quentin Tarantino. Any time he has a new movie out, it’s an instant “must-see” for me, regardless of whether or not I’ve seen any footage or if I know what it’s about, with many of his movies going on to easily top my “Best Of” lists each year he releases something. The man has one of the most unique filmographies I’ve ever seen, with each of his movies being a filmmakers’ heaven, always offering a subversive, darkly funny take on a different genre. This time, he’s back in the crime genre, something he’s all too familiar with, as films like Reservoir Dogs and Pulp Fiction are what essentially drove him to super-star status. A film about an actor and Hollywood stuntman centered around the murder of Sharon Tate at the hands of the Manson family, Tarantino has once again assembled one of the most eclectic casts in film history, getting to direct the likes of Al Pacino and Margot Robbie for the first time, while returning Tarantino vets Leondaro DiCaprio and Brad Pitt leading the charge. If I had to rank all these movies, consider this easily my most anticipated movie of the year.
It: Chapter Two (Sept. 6)
Directed by: Andy Muschietti
Starring: James McAvoy, Bill Skarsgard, Jessica Chastain, Jay Ryan, Bill Hader, Isaiah Mustafa
While I mentioned Get Out as one of the most fun horror movies in quite some time, it was released the same year as the one horror movie that managed to outdo it, and that was It. At times creepy, at times nostalgic, at times funny, and at times tragic, this movie managed to make you feel so many sorts of emotions without ever leaning too heavily in one direction, making for one of the most well-balanced horror films in quite some time. We haven’t seen any footage yet, but considering how enjoyable the first film was, along with the fact that original director Andy Muschietti and screenwriter Gary Dauberman are back at the helm, this sequel is sure to deliver just as many thrills as the first did.
A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood (Nov. 22)
Directed by: Marielle Heller
Starring: Tom Hanks, Matthew Rhys, Chris Cooper
It’s the nicest man in Hollywood, Tom Hanks, portraying the nicest man on TV, Mr. Rogers. That alone should be enough to warrant seeing this movie. The fact that it’s directed by Marielle Heller, who gave us Melissa McCarthy’s best performance in Can You Ever Forgive Me last year, is an added bonus. A biopic about a journalist who does a profile piece on the television icon, this one is still wrapping up production. I’m sure to some degree it’ll venture into some generic biopic territory - even the better biographical films fall victim to some of the tropes - but considering the talent behind this one and the pitch-perfect casting choice, this one’s high on my radar. Don’t be surprised if this one turns up for awards season next year.
Knives Out (Nov. 27)
Directed by: Rian Johnson
Starring: Daniel Craig, Chris Evans, Lakeith Stanfield, Michael Shannon
Say what you want about The Last Jedi, but when it comes to Rian Johnson’s original work, there’s no denying how well-executed those films are. Looper was an excellent piece of well-crafted sci-fi, while Brick was a brilliantly done throwback to film noir and hardboiled detective stories. Even The Brothers Bloom was an underrated gem, being a great comedy with a throwback to old caper movies like The Sting. Before Johnson gets too deep into the new Star Wars trilogy that he’s writing, he’s bringing us another original movie, Knives Out. Still early in the production stages, there’s literally no other information currently besides the fact that it’s a modern take on a whodunit murder mystery. Given this man’s previous output, this is sure to be an engaging thrill ride as the year begins to wind down.
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