If you thought 2018 was a big year for movies, then you’d better prepare your wallets for 2019. This year boasts a hefty line-up of blockbusters; some bound to get people racing against spoilers to get to the theatres. (Pro tip: Install a keyword blacklist plug-in on your browser, you’ll thank us later!)
But as they say, bigger isn’t always better and this may be the case for 2019. To put things into perspective, 60% of the list below is made up of sequels and reboots, with 3 of the 6 total reboots being live-action reboots from Disney alone.
While we’re still unsure whether that’s cause for joy or concern, it won’t stop us from watching them all anyway. That being said, check out THE MAGIC RAIN’s movie picks for 2019 below!
1. How To Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World (January 31)
In what might be the final instalment of the How To Train Your Dragon franchise, a new enemy threatens to wipe out all the dragons residing on Berk. In an attempt to save them, Hiccup and his trusty partner Toothless take to the skies again to find the mythical hidden world.
2. The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part (February 8)
Everything is awesome! Except this time, it’s not really. The LEGO Movie sequel picks up five years after the events of the first movie when a fleet of space invaders begin terrorising Bricksburg. Sounds like a clear dig against apocalypse movies, which is all the more reason to love it.
3. Alita: Battle Angel (February 14)
Initially scheduled for release last summer, this CGI live-action crossover is finally seeing the light of day this Valentine’s Day. Its plot follows the story of Alita, a cyborg girl who has to face her past after being saved by a scientist from a scrap heap.
4. Chaos Walking (March 1)
Tom Holland (Spider-Man) and Daisy Ridley (Star Wars) star in this upcoming science fiction blockbuster based on the novel of the same title by Patrick Ness. The movie takes place in a universe “where all living creatures can hear each other’s thoughts in a stream of images, words, and sounds called Noise.”
5. Captain Marvel (March 8)
In the first ever female-led origin story in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Brie Larson plays the role of Carol Denvers, an Air Force pilot in the 1990s who becomes Captain Marvel after getting caught up in an intergalactic war between two alien species. (Some are hoping that this will provide some answers to the ending of Avengers: Infinity War!)
6. Us (March 22)
Directed and written by Academy Award winner Jordan Peele comes another horror movie that’ll give you trouble sleeping at night. Unlike ‘Get Out’, however, this movie is not about race. Instead, the demons in this movie highlight a simple human truth: maybe we are our own worst enemies.
7. Dumbo (March 27)
The first of many Disney live-action movies this year, Dumbo is a retelling of the 1941 animated classic about a circus elephant with ears so big, it could fly.
8. SHAZAM! (April 5)
If the trailer is any indication, SHAZAM! is going to be the first DC movie to get audiences laughing out loud. Played by Zachary Levi and Billy Batson, the plot follows what happens when a teen gains the ability to transform into a superhero just by uttering the words – you guessed it – SHAZAM!
9. Hellboy (April 12)
A reboot that I surely didn’t ask for, although (to be honest) I am intrigued – Hellboy (2019) will be a retelling of the 2004 movie franchise and 1990s graphic novel series of the same name. This time, starring David Harbour as the gruff half-demon, and Milla Jovovich as the Blood Queen.
10. Avengers: Endgame (April 26)
Fans threw a riot when this trailer wasn’t launched on time, but now we see that the wait has been worth it. ‘Avengers: Endgame’ promises to tie up all the loose ends from ‘Avengers: Infinity War’. While we’re still unsure how they’re planning to do that, we know that Captain Marvel is going to play a crucial role (and don’t forget Ant-Man!)
11. Detective Pikachu (May 10)
While a live-action Pokemon movie seemed a bit too bizarre at first, fans have since warmed up to the idea, making it one of the most anticipated movies this year. Having Ryan Reynolds voice Pikachu is the cherry on top, of course.
12. John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum (May 17)
Keanu Reeves reprises his role as the infamous hitman John Wick in the third instalment of this popular franchise. The plot picks up right where the last one left off, with John Wick on the run after he broke the rules and murdered a high-level crime lord.
13. Ad Astra (May 24)
The year’s mandatory space movie, and a must-watch if you’re a fan of ‘Interstellar’. In ‘Ad Astra’, Brad Pitt is an engineer who voyages into space to find his father, twenty years after the latter took a one-way trip to Neptune in search of intelligent lifeforms.
14. Aladdin (May 24)
The second Disney live-action movie of the year is a fan favourite that many are hoping will be done justice. The movie is a retelling of the 1992 classic with newcomer Mena Massoud cast as Aladdin, Naomi Scott as Princess Jasmine, and Will Smith as the Genie.
15. Godzilla: King of the Monsters (May 31)
I have never understood the Godzilla franchise, but I guess there’s something for everyone. This installment introduces ‘Stranger Things’ Millie Bobby Brown to the fray, as well as Mothra, Rodan, and King Ghidorah.
16. Dark Phoenix (June 7)
Even though nothing will replace Famke Janssen’s Jean Grey in my heart, there’s a lot of anticipation surrounding Sophie Turner’s version of the character taking on one of the most popular stories from the comics, Dark Phoenix.
17. Men In Black International (June 14)
Another reboot that we’re certain nobody asked for, but we’re getting it anyway. The good news is, the movie is being headlined by one of our favourite duos, Chris Hemsworth and Tessa Thompson. While it isn’t exactly ‘Thor: Ragnarok 2’, we’ll take what we can get.
18. Toy Story 4 (June 21)
Plot details for this movie are few and far between, but we do know it will feature the main cast of characters – if the teaser trailer is anything to go by.
19. Spider-Man: Far From Home (July 5)
Our friendly neighborhood Spider-Man is back, but he isn’t in New York. The sequel to ‘Spider-Man: Homecoming’ brings the gang to Europe where Spider-Man faces off against Jake Gyllenhaal’s Mysterio.
20. The Lion King (July 19)
Let’s get this straight – CGI animation still makes it an animated movie, alright? Don’t listen to Disney’s marketing team. Still, this movie boasts some serious star power with Donald Glover as Simba, Beyoncé as Nala, and the iconic James Earl Jones returning to voice Mufasa.
21. The New Mutants (August 2)
After being delayed multiple times, ‘The New Mutants’ is finally landing this August 2019. The movie will introduce several new characters to the cinematic universe, although its plot will be more laden with horror than usual as the characters are trapped in a secret facility.
22. Artemis Fowl (August 9)
Based on the well-loved book series of the same title, ‘Artemis Fowl’ follows the tale of a young criminal mastermind who gets himself tangled up in a world of fantasy and mysticism after he kidnaps a fairy named Holly Short.
23. It: Chapter Two (September 6)
‘It: Chapter Two’ is both a reboot and a sequel, whaddaya know. This sequel takes place 30 years after the events of the first movie when all the cast has grown up and reunited to take down the evil Pennywise for good.
24. Joker (October 4)
Don’t confuse this with Jared Leto’s Joker. This is Joaquin Phoenix’s version of the Gotham supervillian, and this movie is set to tell his origin story. Although other details are sparse, Robert De Niro and Zazie Beetz are in talks to star in this film as well.
25. Sonic the Hedgehog (November 15)
With two beloved video game franchises being adapted into live-action Hollywood blockbusters this year (the other being Pokemon), we don’t know whether to celebrate, or to dread it coming. Too bad we know too little about the ‘Sonic the Hedgehog’ movie to tell yet.
26. Frozen 2 (November 27)
Frozen finally returns for its long-awaited sequel, featuring new music from Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez, as well as the return of the main cast Kristen Bell, Idina Menzel, Josh Gad, and others.
27. Jumanji 2 (December 13)
After the fun ride that was ‘Jumanji: Welcome To The Jungle’, we’re not surprised to see this movie return for another romp. The sequel will feature the same key cast members, including Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Karen Gillan, Kevin Hart, and Jack Black.
28. Star Wars: Episode IX (December 20)
Last but not least, you’ll bet we’ll be racing to the cinemas to get our first watch of Star Wars: Episode IX at the end of this year. J.J. Abram’s will return to the director’s seat for this final (?) installment of the franchise, and hopefully, wrap up all the loose ends.
And that’s it! Did we miss anything on your list? Leave us a comment below!
